Boys’ Love and Girls’ Love Thai series have become a significant soft power that creates the phenomenon of popularity in several countries across Asia. These series also reflect social issues to attract audiences and raise awareness of gender diversity and equality. Recently, Thailand officially enforced the Marriage Equality Law on 23 January 2025. Notably, the number of these series has kept increasing continuously, particularly from GMMTV, one of the leading Thai entertainment production companies in Thailand. The objectives of this study were to analyze the representation and construction of the main characters in the series. This study specifically conducted a textual analysis of 20 Boys’ Love and Girls’ Love series produced by GMMTV between 2024 and 2025. The study focused on the construction of identities, occupational roles, and relationships, guided by Stuart Hall’s representation theory. The findings revealed that the main characters are valued and given social space, demonstrating that they exist and lead meaningful lives. In contrast, when portrayed in mainstream series, they are often marginalized or overlooked. Storytelling emphasizes learning, personal growth, self-acceptance, and the ability to bring about societal change through a variety of occupational roles, such as police officers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, reporters, scholars, and performers. They demonstrate their ability to contribute to society and drive change. The construction of occupational identities generates new representations that challenge traditional Thai values. These narratives function as cultural capital that may foster a deeper understanding of gender diversity in the future.

Authors:
Supamonta Supanan, Bangkok University, Thailand
Orisa Boonyamanond, Bangkok University, Thailand

About the Presenter(s)
Supamonta Supanan is deeply interested in human stories, social dynamics, and the subtle connections between everyday life and cultural expression. Her passions include literature, visual art, film, and travel. She is currently an instructor at Bangkok University.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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