Thai GL 2025 Review: Top Picks, Wild Moments & Our 2026 Predictions
- Her in Focus
- 3 minutes ago
- 14 min read
Thai GL didn’t just step into 2025—it exploded into it. We’re talking unprecedented output, global reach, soaring view counts, messy scripts, and magical moments.
So, if you’re looking for the best Thai GL series, top actresses, rising couples, viral moments, industry trends, or 2026 Thai GL predictions, this is the 2025 Thai GL wrap-up from our perspective.
Grab your popcorn, slip into your comfiest pants, and let’s dive into 2025: What it gave us, how far we’ve come, and what we’re dreaming of for the year ahead.
THAI GL 2025 LANDSCAPE AT A GLANCE
This was the year everything accelerated at once: viewership surged, GL series broke into prime-time television, and the genre embraced sex-positive, educational storytelling in ways we’d never seen before.
Fandoms also formed at record speed. New duos exploded onto the scene overnight, and their chemistry became the genre’s unofficial currency—sparking global obsession far beyond Thailand’s borders.
2025 wasn’t defined by volume alone—it was a cultural turning point where Thai GL didn’t just grow; it ignited, scaled, and reshaped what sapphic storytelling could look like on an international stage.
INDUSTRY STATS & FANDOM TRENDS
If the landscape set the vibe, the numbers tell the truth — and 2025’s stats made one thing clear: the genre wasn’t just growing, it was snowballing.
Here’s the year by the numbers:
Over 45 GL series released.
The most in genre history, and a leap from 30+ the year prior, spanning rom-coms, horror, thriller, drama, cozy romance, and everything in between.
More than 20 studios & production entities joined the party.
This includes big channels (One31, Channel 3, GMM25), streamers (iQIYI, WeTV, Netflix), and smaller creators who released GL content on YouTube, which is an unprecedented spread. And more creators = more jaw dropping moments.
Content raked in the views.
“Player” EP 10 achieved 1M views in 12 hours
“Poisonous Love” Ep 9 with 2.8M+ views within 13 hours
“Roller Coaster” with over 15M views in 2 months for EP5 (part 2 of 4)
“Us the Series” had multiple episodes crack 1M+ instantly
Thai GL went truly global.
In 2025, far more series launched with English subs—and not just English. Studios rolled out subtitles in Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, and more, making releases accessible across entire continents. And it didn’t stop at the episodes: vlogs, behind-the-scenes clips, interviews, livestreams, and even actress content arrived with multilingual subtitles, giving international fans real-time access like never before.
Suddenly, global fandom wasn’t just watching—they were participating. Fans stayed up across time zones for live releases, TikTok edits spilled onto non-Thai FYPs, actresses trended outside Asia, and fan meets were delivered in English to meet the moment.
Short-Form Video = Discovery Engine
TikTok, Reels, Shorts were the holy trinity.
Hashtags like #ThaiGL, #GLcouple, #GLedit, #EnjoyJune, #GinJay, #LenaMiu skyrocketed, sometimes outperforming show hashtags. Freen Sarocha’s TikTok tag hitting 15 BILLION views was the mic drop moment proving GL visibility is now global entertainment currency.
BEHIND THE SCENES: PRODUCTION SHIFTS OF 2025
We saw a noticeable rise in female-led crews (“Roller Coaster,” “Queendom,” “Music Story: Losing Control,” “Player”) and a wave of newer, smaller studios stepping into the GL space with fresh voices and fresh energy. At the same time, the genre kept expanding across platforms—especially on YouTube, WeTV, and iQIYI—giving smaller teams the freedom to take creative risks and giving audiences more ways to watch.
Filming timelines tightened, too: a blink-and-you-miss-it 25–40 days for many productions, creating a new standard for production agility (and chaos). Meanwhile, major broadcasters finally began treating GL as a global-facing product, with One31’s push for “Poisonous Love” leading the way in reaching international audiences.
And if 2024 cracked the door open for novel-to-series adaptations, 2025 turned it into a full-on public parade. “Dangerous Queen,” “Petrichor,” “Denied Love,” “Whale Store XOXO”, and the list goes on—fans watched these announcements drop in real time, fueling major hype before a single camera even rolled.
CULTURAL IMPACT MOMENTS
This year, some Thai GL moments jumped beyond fandom bubbles into wider cultural visibility.
In 2025, we got a wave of sexual education through informed storytelling—proof that consent is sexy and communication is hot. We saw a GL duo signing a marriage certificate on screen, “Only You” airing on a major network in a prime-time slot (a huge first for sapphic media), and Plaifah from VIIS officially stepping into the GL fandom (yes T-pop, come join the sapphic chaos).
These weren’t just “nice moments.” They were cultural markers—signals that Thai GL is no longer a side genre but a meaningful media force.
STORY PATTERNS THAT DEFINED 2025
2025 had its narrative comfort zones — and GL writers pressed those buttons hard. Across the year, certain narrative patterns kept showing up, shaping the tone, tension, and emotional pull of Thai sapphic storytelling.
Here’s what dominated the landscape:
Love triangles everywhere — exes, almost-lovers, misunderstandings, and any woman within a five-foot radius.
Miscommunication as a plot engine — one withheld sentence = three episodes of chaos.
Family + societal pressure — especially Hi-So parents determined to force heterosexual futures onto their queer daughters.
Enemies-to-lovers supremacy — rivalry, snark, tension, and payoff for days.
Healing and emotional recovery arcs — characters working through trauma, grief, or self-worth in relationships that actually felt supportive.
Soft-dom + CEO-core pairings — the confident, composed lead matched with the softer, emotionally complex partner.
These weren’t just tropes — they were the story DNA of 2025, the patterns that kept fandom conversations alive week after week.
With all that context in place, it’s time for the fun part — our top picks of 2025 (in no particular order, just vibes).
BREAKOUT THAI GL GENRE MOMENTS OF 2025
There were times when Thai GL dared to innovate, and it sure did pay off:
“Queendom” & “Somewhere Somehow”
Branched out into the RomCom category, and were both charming, inclusive, and crafted with a noticeably polished production touch.
“Runaway”
Giving us a softer horror series, and while the story is a bit messy and has a super slow burn, we commend them for capturing a T-pop artist as one of their leads and daring to go there.
“Petrichor”
Stole the Crime Thriller spotlight with twisty writing, top-tier angst, unpredictable plot, and the chemistry we needed to see between Tul and Ran.
Expanding genre diversity was one of the year’s most refreshing shifts.
INNOVATION LEADERS: PRODUCTIONS THAT RAISED THE BAR
Not one studio can claim domination this year (but we’re keeping a close eye on GMMTV for 2026). However, a few individual productions shifted expectations for the potential of Thai GL.
Here’s who moved the needle:
“Harmony Secret” produced by CHANGE2561
Raised the bar with cinematic visuals, a T-pop energy opener, and an enemies-to-lovers pairing who played romance like a strategic operation. Every move felt intentional, polished, and delightfully calculated.
“ClaireBell” produced by Mine Media Productions
Elevated viewer expectations with Western-style production quality, fully constructed sets, and deliberate color tones that shaped the emotional beats. It delivered a flavor of drama that felt both unique and undeniably elevated within the Thai GL space.
“Roller Coaster” produced by Motion Minds Entertainment
Stood out for all the right reasons—majority-female crew, daring camera work with crisp color grading, intimacy portrayed with fearless realism, and sky-high viewership. With a gifted cast and a narrative GL has never seen before, it delivered something genuinely new.
“Queendom” produced by WeTV
Looked at the standard 8-episode format and said, “Absolutely not.” They stretched to 12 and delivered a no-rush, full-fun, mystical GL with two totally different but equally lovable duos. Sharp writing, undeniable chemistry, and a powerhouse of creative leadership sealed the deal.
These productions did more than just entertain—they set new standards and shifted what feels possible in queer entertainment.
BEST THAI GL SERIES OF 2025
“Us the Series”
A healthy relationship built on gorgeous communication, tackling life’s obstacles together. A story rooted in hope, love, and strength.
“Poisonous Love”
This highly anticipated enemies-to-lovers story delivered: stunning visuals, a wardrobe and accessories lineup loud enough to raise your heart rate, and acting so strong—despite barely any workshop time—that it just exemplified the raw talent of the leads. A story that ran through every emotion, all anchored by an undercurrent of commitment, love, and genuine understanding.
“My Safe Zone”
An original sapphic gem with drama that had us locked in week after week, anchored by a deep friendship that made their romance feel richer and more beautiful. Strong acting and a core built on patience, support, and trust.
Honorable Mention:
“Denied Love”
For those who have followed us this year, you know we loved this story but had one major issue with it. For that, we cannot put it in the top 3 series of the year. But we did love the bravery to explore such a bold theme, and when combined with the talent of the leads, it was an adaptation that still knocked our socks off.
TOP THAI GL MOMENTS OF 2025
It’s no shock to the sapphic community that the moments causing true internet chaos almost always come from one thing: romance. And in 2025? We were spoiled. Truly. A buffet of Thai GL scenes that had fans pausing, rewinding, analyzing, and DM’ing their group chats in all caps.
The competition was fierce (a win for the genre), but after much reflection, here are the Thai GL scenes that lived rent-free in our brains all year:
“Queendom”’s counter scene. You know the one.
Basically any “Roller Coaster” moment between #ShellyPundao. Illegal levels of chemistry.
That “ClaireBell” moment — the pants relocation, the leg logistics, the determination. Unhinged perfection.
“Dangerous Queen” and the collar. Enough said.
Pat’s fake-drunk-to-power-strut switch before claiming Prem with “She’s taken.” Elite acting. Elite chaos.
Queen switching from Sea to Bam in one intimate moment. We screamed.
Pam and Rak flashing their wedding rings. “Actually, we’re married.” The cutest flex of 2025.
Anything #LenaMiu says. Delulu-inducing.
June’s laugh. A renewable energy source.
Yumi in “SWSH.” Comedy. Seduction. Absolute menace.
Pok explaining lesbian s3x to Kie. Hilariously unhinged education hour.
Meen & Sol finally getting together in “Apple.” Sol in that teddy + that kiss = volcanic chemistry.
Did we miss any? Which moments are on your list? Let us know!
EXPANDING INTIMACY IN 2025: REPRESENTATION WINS & MISSES
2025 turned the heat all the way up. We finally saw the variety, visibility, and boldness in intimacy the sapphic community has been asking for — from kink to realism to safer-sex representation.But while the intimacy leveled up, the scripts didn’t always rise with it. Some moments lacked the emotional groundwork to fully land, leaving execution a bit uneven. Still, the highs? Unforgettable.
The standouts:
“Denied Love” and its sensory deprivation scene.
“Roller Coaster” giving us visible contraceptive representation (dental dams!).
“Dangerous Queen” diving headfirst into BDSM.
“ClaireBell” delivering unmatched realism.
Transformative representation with imperfect scaffolding — but impact that can’t be denied.
BIGGEST FLOPS OF 2025 (With Love)
They tried! They really did, and we love them for it. There were a few that just didn’t quite do what anyone hoped they would, in one way or another.
“I’m Your Moon” had a strong cast but the editing was too chaotic for its own good.
“B-Friend” had truly incredible intimacy, but the plot was too confusing to follow.
“Dangerous Queen” was an iconic novel but the on-screen adaptation was shaky.
Every flop is just pre-glow-up potential.
TOP THAI GL SONGS OF 2025
These Original Soundtracks defined the year:
“Secret Deal” by #LMSY
“Only I” by Jayna
“More Than Words” by Emi Thasorn
“Safe Near Me” by Lena Lalina
“So This Is Love” by #GinJay
Honorable Mention: “Denied Love” also had an elite soundtrack that helped push the story in those key moments.
And while these soundtracks are all on our playlists, we do have a plea:
Dear studios, no more slow ballads, least of all for rom-coms or horror series. (Grow Entertainment, we KNOW you have a T-pop icon. Please use her intentionally.)
TOP THAI GL VILLAINS OF 2025
There’s never a shortage of chaotic antagonists in Thai GL, but these three villains truly defined unhinged energy in 2025:
Nam — “Poisonous Love”
Peak manipulation. Zero remorse. Pure chaos. Don’t let the cute face fool you—Nam was a full-blown narcissist who used people like chess pieces. If you didn’t bend to her will, she’d sabotage you without blinking. One of the most dangerously manipulative villains Thai GL has put on screen.
Tim — “My Safe Zone”
Tim has confessed to Jane for years, and she’s always told him no. But the moment she gets a girlfriend and is genuinely happy, he suddenly pushes harder—not out of love but fear of losing access. He weaponizes guilt and disrupts her relationship just to insert himself. That’s not loyalty; that’s sabotage. A “friend” who turns into a rival the second you’re happy is the most dangerous kind.
Khem — “Us the Series”
Dorkrak’s father had our therapists doing overtime. The combination of verbal and physical abuse made him one of the most universally despised Thai GL villains of the year—and an unforgettable portrayal of generational toxicity.
They understood the assignment, and they played their villain roles with terrifying excellence.
BEST SUPPORTING DUOS OF 2025
These pairs didn’t just support the story—they swept us off our feet!
#MaiFon from “Queendom”
The counter scene. Enough said.
#ThainMilin from “I’m Your Moon”
A duo rooted in mutual support, family loyalty, and genuine chemistry.
#ThaenPok from “Somewhere Somehow”
Giving fans a hilariously straight duo that you couldn’t help but root for!
We often found ourselves yearning for their story just as much—if not more (sorry, not sorry)—as the main one!
TOP BEST FRIEND CHARACTERS OF 2025
These besties knew exactly how to sprinkle a little extra sparkle into every scene — not driving the story, but elevating it in ways we didn’t even realize we needed until they showed up.
Pok — “Somewhere Somehow”
Ride-or-die chaos gremlin with unhinged comedic wisdom. Pok always had the kind of advice that was half concern, half brutal honesty delivered with love. Loyal, loud, and hilarious — the bestie who would both hype you up and pull you along when necessary.
Ticha — “Poisonous Love”
The human BS translator. Ticha could read a room in seconds, summarize the drama on sight, and then send you the receipts so you were never out of the loop. A best friend who stays three steps ahead of the chaos.
Khawnrin — “Denied Love”
Steady, supportive, and emotionally sharp. Khawnrin always had the big-picture view — willing to break a promise if it protected the endgame, and consistently grounding Khem when the stakes got real. She’s the friend who sees beyond the moment and supports what truly matters.
RISING DUOS OF 2025
The Thai GL world thrives on chemistry, synergy, and the rare on-screen spark that warrants a full wellness check. These duos? They rose above the chaos in 2025—whether through softness, sass, emotional depth, or pure, unadulterated serotonin.
These ladies are emotional and magnetic, with musical talent to boot. They’re a healing, grounded pair whose quiet chemistry wrapped viewers like a warm blanket. Subtle, intimate, and impossibly moving.
This duo gives audiences over a decade of friendship that translates to instant, natural synergy on-screen. Comfortable. Human. Addictive. Forget electricity; June’s laugh alone could power a city.
Talk about underdog icons. With soft, blooming chemistry, and of course, a little sass when needed, they were undoubtedly the sleeper hit duo. Tender, bashful, charming—with perfectly timed moments of fire.
These two visual gems are polished to blinding perfection—madam-coded, feral-inducing, the whole package. Their on- and off-camera comments? Require immediate delulu medication. Years of friendship have evolved into off-screen ease and on-screen lethal chemistry.
MOST IMPROVED DUOS OF 2025
These actresses didn’t just deliver—they leveled up in ways you could see, feel, and occasionally pause your screen for.
A glow-up from their Affair era with sharper emotions, cleaner timing, and micro-expressions that carried entire scenes.
Their 2025 rom-com officially pulled them out of the shadow of past studio pairings. This was the year they stood firmly on their own names, showing an ease and charm in rom-com chemistry that felt natural, confident, and fun to watch.
“Petrichor” finally gave them room to breathe—and they used every inch of it. Their most refined performance yet emerged through detailed nuances, grounded character choices, and intimacy work that felt authentic and emotionally present.
2025 was the year of the glow-up, and these duos led the charge.
RISING THAI GL ACTRESSES OF 2025
Not every breakout comes in pairs. Some performances were so emotionally layered, so magnetic, or so iconic that the actresses themselves rose above everything around them. These are the solo stars who delivered performances worth pausing, rewinding, and emotionally recovering from.
Neko (playing Air) in “Roller Coaster”
Neko delivered unparalleled emotional complexity. A true love triangle in Thai GL is rare, but she carried it with nuance, vulnerability, and devastating internal conflict. One of the most memorable solo performances of the year.
Yam (playing Mind) in “Love Design”
Yam played the role of “the ex” with surprising depth. Her micro-expressions, poise, and crisp CEO energy elevated the love triangle tension and delivered a performance that was sharp, stylish, and impossibly compelling.
Tangkwa (playing Queen) in “Dangerous Queen”
Queen was already an iconic character in the book—but Tangkwa didn’t just portray her, she summoned her. Every detail—the tone, the walk, the razor-sharp CEO styling, the power suits, the undeniable presence—was executed with such precision that she became impossible to look away from.
TOP THAI GL DUOS WE MISSED IN 2025
These queens deliver stories that slap, and drive the #GL industry wild for months to come. But we were saddened that these duos didn’t grace our screens in a GL this year.
The lifeblood of #ThaiGL, the backbone of our emotional stability—and yeah, it hurt not getting a new story this year. They’ve never missed once, and we were ready for whatever magic they cooked up next. But fine. FINE. We’ll wait until 2026.
2024 proved these two have the range, the chemistry, and the absolute chaos energy to pull off a layered, dramatic story. We’re dying for their second series—but like everyone else on this emotional rollercoaster, we’ll sit tight until 2026. And yes, we’re expecting two stories.
TROPES AUDIENCES ARE TIRED OF IN 2025
Across the 2025 Thai GL landscape, a handful of tropes kept resurfacing—so frequently they’ve officially crossed into “overused” territory. Consider this a loving nudge from audiences everywhere: we’re craving new ideas, stronger writing, and fewer recycled story beats.
The “We’re Just Friends” Delusion + Manufactured Drama
Characters who bulldoze past boundaries just to stir up chaos? Tired. Audiences want the leads to thrive without side characters doing Olympic-level sabotage. Let the main duo breathe and build chemistry without all the unnecessary noise.
Sad, Slow, Perpetually Melancholic OSTs
Listen… why do 98% of Thai GLs open with a heartbreak ballad—even the thrillers? Even the horror shows? What pact did the industry sign to keep everything sounding like a breakup in slow motion? We need soundtracks that match the story’s actual tone, not a default sadness filter. These series are uplifting the queer community—give us music that joins the celebration.
Flashbacks Every. Single. Episode.
Holy cow. When a show relies on flashbacks twice an episode, it’s not nostalgia—it’s a sign the storytelling isn’t confident. Viewers get frustrated having to jump backward just to move forward. Trust your plot. Let it stand on its own.
Rushed Finales (The EP 6–8 Chaos Arc)
Can we please get a Thai GL that doesn’t cram all the conflict into Episodes 6–7 and then sprint to a resolution in Episode 8? If we’re emotionally invested for weeks, we deserve a payoff that isn’t speed-run energy.
More Than Steam, We Want Substance
Audiences don’t need steamy scenes for shock value—they need meaningful ones. When romantic beats are clipped, rushed, or feel inauthentic, the emotional impact evaporates. Let the romance land. Let the connection simmer. We’ll wait.
OUR 2025 THAI GL BINGO CARD
And because no wrap-up is complete without a little fandom chaos… we made a 2025 Thai GL Bingo Card.
LOOKING AHEAD: OUR 2026 WISHLIST
Here’s our 2026 Thai GL Bingo Card — the one we’re manifesting with chaotic optimism.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
2025 was chaotic, emotional, experimental, messy, and magical—everything we love about Thai GL. But 2026 needs intention. With more studios entering the arena, more actresses debuting, and more eyes watching than ever, production houses need to get honest about what’s elevating the genre and what’s dragging it down.
Oversaturation is a real risk. Thai GL didn’t grow because of sheer volume—it grew because audiences bonded deeply with specific duos, emotional arcs, and compelling storytelling rhythms. Flooding the market with too many new pairings at once doesn’t build excitement; it fractures loyalty and weakens the very foundation that made the genre soar.
And let’s talk subtitles. The international audience isn't a bonus—they’re a driving force. English subs, multilingual releases, BTS content, and actress-led engagement are no longer optional. They’re infrastructure. Studios that embrace global fans as core audiences will scale faster and last longer.
2025 also proved a crucial truth: women-led productions delivered the most grounded intimacy, nuance, and emotional realism. “Roller Coaster,” “Queendom,” and “Player” thrived because they centered the female gaze. That’s not a trend—it’s a blueprint.
The talent is here. These actresses are expressive, committed, and capable of carrying global fandoms on their backs. They don’t need to be replaced—just trusted with stronger scripts, richer character arcs, and creative freedom to stretch.
The biggest opportunity for 2026? Build worlds, not one-off shows. The productions that dominated this year didn’t win because they aired; they won because they created ecosystems: memorable soundtracks, cohesive branding, BTS narratives, interactive content cycles, and thoughtful follow-through. Fandoms don’t need more content—they need deeper content.
So here’s our wish for 2026: that Thai GL evolves with clarity instead of chaos. That studios remember what made this genre magical while pushing it forward with intention—smarter decisions, stronger scripts, sharper editing, and genuine respect for the global community keeping this ecosystem alive.
The budgets are rising.
The global audience is screaming.
And the actresses? They’re ready.
So let them cook.
Bring it on, 2026.
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