SPECIAL THEME: The Birth and Development of “Thai Boys' Love”
The Development of Thai Boys’ Love (BL) Drama: Characteristics, Production Process, and Its Influences
2023 Volume 23 Issue 1 Pages 19-29
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2023 Volume 23 Issue 1 Pages 19-29
This paper examines the development, characteristics, production process, influences, and current state in Japan of Thai BL dramas. The author conducted the interview surveys with Thai BL drama directors, producers, and scriptwriters between May and August 2022. The author also implemented the document research on Thai BL dramas from May 2022 to February 2023.
Yaoi, which is a part of Japanese BL culture, was introduced to Thailand as a manga in the 1990s, but Thai BL dramas (so-called Y dramas), which were localized (Thai-nized) in the 2020s, became popular in Japan and spread all over the world as Thai-style “Y culture”. From 2012 to 2022, the number of Thai BL dramas has surged from 1 to 70. Thailand currently has a prominent presence in Asia as a content provider for BL dramas. The general production process of a Thai BL drama consists of this flow: selection of the original BL novel, casting, sponsor selection, scriptwriting, filming, editing, broadcasting, and marketing activities. In addition, the increasing popularity of Thai BL dramas contributes to the acceptance of sexual diversity in Thai society. Furthermore, the popularity of Thai BL dramas in Japan increased in 2020, during the outbreak of COVID-19. As people were restricted from going out and spent more time at home, some who watched Thai BL dramas for free on YouTube began to pay attention to Thai BL dramas and idols. Moreover, Thai BL dramas, which are gaining worldwide recognition, are regarded as crucial cultural resources in Thailand’s soft power strategy.
