The First Wave: New Duos Reshaping Thai GL
- Her in Focus
- Oct 4
- 5 min read
If you thought our Thai GL “First” series began and ended with #FreenBecky and #Englot, think again. The milestones just keep stacking up, and Thailand continues to lead the sapphic charge when it comes to mainstream GL series, global fandom, and fashion crossovers—even as Japan paved early ground through yuri manga, films, and primetime dramas.
Here are four duos in the world of queer Thai media and representation who’ve carved their names into the sapphic history books—one bold, groundbreaking “first” at a time.
1. #AndaLookkaew: From Idol Stage to Sapphic Screen
“Anda” Anunta Teavirat and "Lookkaew" Kamollak Sangsubsin didn’t just drop into “Love Senior” in 2023, nine months after #Englot’s “Show Me Love.” They did it while still being active members of the Thai-pop girl group COSMOS—making them the first Thai GL series leads pulled directly from an idol group. And if that isn’t enough of a “first,” they were also part of the initial wave of GL series—all released within a year of each other—signaling the market had real demand.
And the demand was strong. Their success led to “Love Senior Special” in 2024, making them one of the first Thai GL couples to secure an immediate follow-up project in the same roles.
But the idol-to-GL spotlight isn’t all glitter and fan chants. After two series’ together, they became one of the first duos to speak out about the darker side of fan expectations. Some fans demanded they appear only with each other, to the point where friends and family of the actresses were harassed online if they showed up in photos. That unrealistic pressure left the two feeling alienated and drained, and they were candid about how damaging it was.
That honesty was groundbreaking. By naming the problem, #AndaLookkaew weren’t just making history on screen—they were also making it off screen, carving space for conversations about boundaries, fandom culture, and the very real cost of sapphic visibility.
2. #FayeYoko: Pageantry, Age Gaps & Heartbreak Contracts
Crown, sash, and now sapphic screen queen, Faye Peraya Malisorn isn’t just an actress, she’s a former Miss Grand Thailand 2016 and Miss Grand International runner-up. When she teamed up with Yoko Apasra in “Blank the Series,” there were some major firsts:
The duo was the first of any Thai GL actresses to play headlining characters who had a significant age gap, as well as the first GL duo to be part of a split-release (two-part season drop). It was risky at the time, but it paid off.
Their chemistry blurred screens and reality; fans weren’t just shipping them, they were practically waiting for wedding invites.
But things got messy fast: They also went down in history as the first Thai GL duo to be publicly torn apart by management. NineStar pulled the plug in February 2025—terminating Faye’s contract, keeping Yoko, and officially killing the duo.
That makes #FayeYoko not just pioneers in storytelling, but pioneers in the politics of GL management. Their breakup was a stark reminder that sapphic visibility is still subject to industry control, and it highlighted the delicate balance between queer storytelling, fan demand, and corporate power.
And yet, even as the business pulled them apart, fans never stopped loving #FayeYoko. If these two ever reunite, the internet won’t just break—it’ll combust.
3. #MilkLove: The Side Couple That Stole National TV
Milk Pansa Vosbein and Love Pattranite Limpatiyakorn made sapphic history the moment they appeared as a sapphic side-pair in the popular BL “Bad Buddy” from 2021–2022. Why? Because their love story didn’t just stream online—it aired on GMM25, a free-to-air national TV channel, making them the first Thai GL couple on broadcast television.
And they didn’t stop there. Their “side couple” status exploded into superstardom:
#MilkLove were the first Thai GL duo that GMMTV upgraded from side couple (Bad Buddy) to main leads (23.5), marking a breakthrough for sapphic representation inside Thailand’s biggest BL studio. They were also among the earliest GMMTV sapphic pairings marketed internationally—nearing BL scale—with fan tours, conventions, merch, and global press.
Their meteoric rise proved sapphic romances weren’t niche side plots—they were profitable, mainstream, and big-budget worthy. That crack in the door became a floodgate for larger, bolder Thai GL productions.
On social media, Love boasts over 4 million Instagram followers and Milk over 2 million, cementing their spots up there with some of the most powerful digital influencers in Thai sapphic entertainment. For studios, that kind of reach is currency—making Milk and Love living proof that sapphic storytelling isn’t just viable, it’s bankable.
And just when you thought the story had peaked, enter “Girl Rules,” set to release in 2026. #MilkLove will star alongside three other GMMTV GL duos in a first-of-its-kind crossover series. The twist? This time, the rules are changing: The lines between couples will blur and limits will be pushed in a way no other GL series has tested before.
This isn’t just another GL drama. It’s a genre reset button—a declaration that Thai GL is ready to bend structure, challenge fan expectations, and expand queer visibility on the biggest stages.
4. #LingOrm: From Runways to Prime Time
Lingling Kwong and Orm Kornnaphat aren’t just playing the GL game, they’re rewriting the rulebook in real time. They’ve already accumulated a dazzling list of “firsts:”
They were the first Thai GL duo invited to Paris Fashion Week; not just sneaking into the crowd, but headlining as Dior’s official guests in 2025. That wasn’t just a fashion flex, it was a loud signal that global luxury is finally paying attention to queer media. And with Thailand’s luxury goods market projecting double-digit growth in coming years, it’s clear that younger consumers—and stars like Lingling and Orm—are driving the shift.
They were the first Thai GL couple to grace Harper’s Bazaar China’s digital cover, cementing their status as international fashion icons. And let’s be real—that wasn’t just a glossy spread, it was a cultural mic drop, blasting queer visibility onto one of Asia’s biggest fashion stages.
They were also the first Thai GL leads in a prime-time slot on a major Thai network with “Only You” airing on Channel 3 in 2025. That’s not just late-night streaming—that’s dinner-table television during the country’s most competitive broadcast hours.
And their dominance doesn't stop with screen time.
The duo are billboard queens: #LingOrm’s faces have towered over Bangkok and popped up across Asia in media campaigns that rival the visibility of BL’s biggest ships. Their saturation in public spaces is a milestone in itself; proof that sapphic pairings command equal advertising real estate.
They are also a fan-economy power. They’re one of the first GL duos in Thailand to headline their own large-scale fancon in 2025, signaling that sapphic fandom now fuels the same mega-event economy BL couples long dominated.
In May 2025, #LingOrm ranked #1 in social media engagement among all Thai GL couples, racking up nearly 36 million interactions across Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook. That’s not just popular—that’s market-defining. #LingOrm aren’t just trending, they’re setting the algorithm on fire. Among Thai GL couples, they’re the undisputed engagement champions.
#LingOrm aren’t just making “firsts”—they’re making a statement: Sapphic couples can dominate the cultural conversation in Thailand and beyond, from the catwalks of Paris to the billboards of Bangkok.
Why These Firsts Matter
Thailand keeps racking up sapphic milestones like it’s competing in the Queer Olympics. These achievements aren’t just glittery trivia—they’re tangible signs of growing visibility, legitimacy, and opportunity for queer representation in Asia and beyond.
Every first—whether it’s an idol-to-actress crossover, beauty queens headlining as a GL couple, a side couple graduating to sapphic leads, or a duo strutting Paris Fashion Week—chips away at the longstanding invisibility of queer women in media. They expand what’s possible, not just for on-screen love stories but for real-world queer audiences craving representation, safety, and joy.
So yes, Thailand deserves a crown and a throne for sapphic storytelling. And you know we’ll be here documenting every bold, beautiful, history-making step.
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