Boys' love dramas from Thailand make waves in Japan
Banners bearing the faces of beloved on-screen couples lined the walls, while attendees clutched handmade signs along with flowers, letters and other gifts.
This was no one-off event, either. Similar gatherings happen every few months across the country, drawing dedicated communities of viewers who have embraced Thai BL dramas as more than just entertainment.
This growing enthusiasm reflects Thailand's expanding cultural footprint in Japan. The annual Thai Festival in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park is the largest of its kind in the world, attracting more than 300,000 visitors each year, according to Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But beyond traditional cultural exchanges, Thai entertainment — BL dramas in particular — has emerged as a significant soft power tool.
Blending romance with social commentary, Thai BL dramas often include tropes such as university settings with senior-junior dynamics, workplace romances complicated by class differences, and coming-of-age stories that address family acceptance and societal pressure. Unlike many BL productions from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, Thai series tend to feature more intimate scenes while also tackling real-world issues like mental health, economic inequality and LGBTQIA+ rights.
According to the Economic Intelligence Center at Siam Commercial Bank, the BL series market is projected to generate more than 4.9 billion Thai baht (approximately $150 million) in revenue this year. Thailand now leads the Asian BL market, accounting for more than half of all BL series aired across the region, with more than 340 BL features, drama series and short films produced to date.
Cross-cultural connections
Among the enthusiastic crowds at Thai BL events is Nyx, a 25-year-old nonbinary British resident of Japan who works full-time in community-based international exchange. (Interviewees for this article requested to be identified by nicknames or first names due to privacy concerns.)
Nyx first encountered Thai BL as a teenager through 'Love Sick,' a groundbreaking series about high school students navigating love and identity. Though they later became an avid consumer of Japanese BL, it was 'Cutie Pie,' a romantic drama featuring arranged marriage themes, and 'A Tale of Thousand Stars,' an emotional story about a heart transplant recipient who becomes a volunteer teacher and falls for a forest ranger while fulfilling his donor's promise, that reignited their passion for Thai media in 2023. However, the drama 'Bed Friend' proved life-changing.
'I connected with it on such a deep level, and it helped me process some things in my own life,' Nyx says. 'The main character, Uea, helped my self-confidence and changed my outlook on life. I often say to myself, 'If he could get through everything and still keep moving forward to tomorrow, then so can I.''
Nyx's engagement with Thai BL is far from passive. Since late 2023, they've attended five fan events in Japan, as well as the 'Love Out Loud' concert in Bangkok — an annual celebration hosted by GMMTV, one of Thailand's largest entertainment companies and a major producer of BL dramas. The most recent edition featured 22 actors representing 11 screen couples.
British fan Nyx attended the annual 'Love Out Loud' concert in Bangkok, featuring 11 screen couples from various series by GMMTV, one of Thailand's largest entertainment companies and a major producer of Thai boys' love (BL) dramas. |
Courtesy of Nyx
Nyx also organizes letter-writing campaigns for actors, participates in Discord servers with hundreds of members, connects with other fans on social media and has even joined Dungeons & Dragons campaigns with fellow BL enthusiasts.
'It has really helped me settle in and find a community in Japan,' they say, adding that what sets Thai BL apart is 'the queerness inherent in the shows,' the visibility of openly queer creatives and the availability of translated content. The fandom has even inspired them to learn Thai.
T.F., a Brazilian university employee in her 30s, had a similar trajectory. Her BL journey began with fan fiction in her teens, later progressing to Japanese anime like 'Gravitation.' During the pandemic, a friend's recommendation of 'TharnType' opened the door to Thai content, but it was '2gether' and its charismatic leads Bright (Vachirawit Chivaaree) and Win (Metawin Opas-iamkajorn) that truly captured her heart. (In Thailand, most people go by a nickname in both personal and professional settings, such as 'Bright' and 'Win.')
Thailand's boys' love (BL) media industry accounts for more than half of all such series made in Asia, and is expected to bring in revenue of $150 million in 2025. BrightWin is the portmanteau for the screen couple from the popular BL series '2gether.' |
via PR Times
T.F. values how 'the genre seems more naturally accepted by the general public' in Thailand and offers 'a variety of plots and approaches to romance.' She appreciates the interactive nature of the fandom, facilitated by social media access to actors and behind-the-scenes content. The shows have inspired her to learn more about Thai culture, from monastic traditions to everyday religious customs.
The emotional resonance runs deep, especially in coming-out scenes.
'I wish everyone could experience this happiness of being accepted for who they are,' she says. 'I appreciate that these shows give LGBTQ+ people the chance to see themselves represented."
Breaking boundaries
Japanese viewers of Thai BL enjoy the genre for its different perspectives on romance and social issues. Maki, an office worker in her 50s who has a job in the financial sector, discovered the genre through a coworker's recommendation of '2gether.' Like many fans, she was initially attracted to Bright's screen persona, but soon came to appreciate how Thai BL weaves romance with social themes — something she felt was rare in Japanese television.
Maki's interest evolved from following individual actors to exploring broader cultural topics. She finds Thai BL's tone more relaxed and relatable than dramas from other countries and says the genre sparked a personal interest in gender issues. Watching these dramas shifted her perspective as a cisgender heterosexual woman, drawing her attention to the current social realities faced by queer communities.
The community aspect proved equally important. Maki has made friends across age groups and regions through the fandom, and participates in a chat group she describes as warm and joyful.
'When you're really into something, everyday life becomes more vivid,' she says. 'I feel like I can say, 'I love what I love,' and face things more openly.'
A fan meeting for the show 'Only Friends' held in Saitama Prefecture |
Courtesy of T.F.
Wakana's story represents the most dramatic transformation. Now in her 20s, she first discovered Thai BL through a magazine feature on '2gether.' After watching the series on a coworker's suggestion, she quickly became absorbed — especially after viewing 'SOTUS,' a university-set drama exploring hazing culture and forbidden romance. What stood out to Wakana was the willingness of Thai BL to address topics often avoided in Japanese television, including gender identity, bullying and social inequality.
Her passion ultimately reshaped her life. In 2023, she moved to Bangkok to study Thai for six months and later decided to pursue a job opportunity there.
'I was watching dramas constantly during the pandemic, but now that I live here, I get to experience the world I once only saw on screen.'
Wakana's fan activities span both countries. In Japan, she has attended fan meetings for the on-screen couples known by portmanteaus, like KristSingto (actors Perawat Sangpotirat and Prachaya Ruangroj) and OffGun (Jumpol Adulkittiporn and Atthaphan Phunsawat). In Thailand, she experiences firsthand the events where fans arrive hours early with stools and cameras.
'The energy of local fans is amazing,' she says, 'and when they see you're a foreigner, they help you out without hesitation.'
She remains close with three fellow Thai BL fans from her former workplace, who even visited her in Thailand to explore filming locations together.
'I experienced that feeling of tōtoi — being overwhelmed by love — for the first time,' Wakana says. 'The more I learned about the actors, the more I came to love all of them. Eventually, I fell in love with the whole country.'
The journeys of these fans show that Thai BL is more than just entertainment. The genre has strengthened Thailand's soft power as a form of cultural diplomacy, offering Japanese and international viewers a deeper appreciation for Thai customs, values and social perspectives.
Fan activities also forge lasting bonds — from online communities to real-world friendships that cross borders. Through Thai BL, fans find more than just compelling stories: They discover different ways of understanding love, identity and acceptance.
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