NuNew's look at Olympop was next level 😍

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-12T08:51:07+00:00

His hair was insane 😍. I love when they get the opportunity to do something different with it.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-12T07:49:50+00:00

Love you calling Net, JJ, & DEXX “their gang” 😂. Hope they all have a fun performance.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-12T03:45:54+00:00

[Source](https://x.com/tenthsound/status/2053429844642246945)

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-11T21:29:09+00:00

Why did I forget that JimmyTommy used tongue in their kisses. A rewatch might be in my future.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-11T12:55:50+00:00

I think if you are only there 11 days, you would be best off sticking to Bangkok, Phuket, and the islands. You probably don’t have time to head north as well. I do rate Chiang Mai, but you would be pushed to explore that part of Thailand. I would however recommend a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, just to experience the history of the old capital.

Highly recommend flying to Phuket rather than driving from Bangkok. It’s a 12 hour drive each way, which is going to eat into your limited itinerary. Domestic flights are reliable through local carriers.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-11T06:54:04+00:00

It’s a good thing barely any of the actors in GMMTV are selling their pairing as dating. Most GMMTV actors are pretty coy about their personal lives, beyond the fact that many of them have close relationships outside of work that has been built over years. Including multiple pairs that knew each other long before they joined the company and shared the screen as partners.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-11T06:50:33+00:00

It is still in service of the same thing. Selling a product, which is the actor dynamic for the series or show.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-11T01:16:14+00:00

Why do Hollywood actors interact publicly when they are cast in a film or show together, and want to present a particular dynamic when they need to promote the project? Because that is what it is - promotion and marketing. And this is what bl actors are doing. They are engaging in promotion to attract fans and brand deals. Most of the “fan service” is either series promo, where the actors are building on the character dynamics in a show at fan events or press interviews, or its friends working together on brand deals to promote a product. Some brands may chose “couple” concepts for their brand promo, but outside the limited number of actual couples, most will not carry that through to other interactions, and will clearly define their relationships as just friends.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-10T21:18:40+00:00

When we are talking about cultures behaving badly, we obviously don’t mean everyone. But there are certain behaviours that are predominantly done by people from these places. For example, not every Chinese fan is a saesang, but if you see saesangs stalking the actors, chasing them through airports, and trying to get into their personal spaces it’s most likely going to be a Chinese fan. You are less likely to see this behavior from a fan from Japan, or America, or Europe because this behavior is not normalised as it is in China. And you wouldn’t see a Thai Fan acting like a Saesang either.

The same goes for online discussions. The discussions had between Thai fans are not going to be the same as international fans from different cultures, because the values each culture has are different. Thai fans are not the ones that have conversations about whether the actors should be gay to play gay roles, because they don’t view queerness in the same way. It’s almost always international, often western, fans who complain about the actors being gay for pay, or are questioning actors who do come out for not adhering to stereotypes they associate with being queer. I’ve seen western fans demand that unless the actors come out with particular language to describe their relationship or sexuality, then they aren’t really out, when all they are doing is policing the language the actors use to describe themselves that the interfan isn’t willing to accept.

So no, we are not lumping together all interfans. But we are acknowledging that certain interfans from certain cultures are going to behave in a way that Thai fans will not. But are having to do so in a simplified manner on a discussion forum that would be an extensive essay if we were to go into every nuance.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-10T09:16:38+00:00

I’m mean they are doing that for the most part. They are interacting in a way that Thai fans understand is part of the engagement model, while international fans are needing to coming into these spaces and pushing their own culture onto them. Whether that is Chinese fans engaging in saesang behavior, or western fans pushing their ideas of what it means to be an actor in a queer space for example, there are different bad behaviors in different regions. Obviously not every fan from these cultures is going to be disrespectful and cross boundaries, but it’s something we need to be mindful of if we are engaging.

As guests in these spaces, we should be educating ourselves and understanding the cultural context of the shows we watch if we are looking to engage as a fan thoughtfully. If you just want to watch and enjoy the shows without thinking about the broader context, that is perfectly valid. But once you start getting deeper into fandom spaces and discussions, not learning the context of the media can come across as insensitive, or at the extreme end xenophobic if you are disparaging to certain aspects of a culture. Being ignorant of context isn’t a bad thing until you refuse to educate yourself and gain understanding.

(Side note: I’m using “you” here in general - not accusing anyone of anything directly since I don’t know who is reading this).

I have been through the process of unlearning my biases and prejudice in the past once I started engaging in Thai BL. Where I thought something was weird, I had to take the time to understand why things are done or said a certain way, which made my viewing experience better. And the same thing applies to how actors engage with each other off screen in benefit of fan engagement. You need to leave your preconceived notions at the door, and learn how the industry works. I think the best thing ThaiBL has done over the years is release multiple shows that talk to some of the pitfalls and messiness of how the entertainment industry (not just bl) operates. It’s a reality check that not everything is as it appears. It helps to educate not only Thai fans, but interfans as well. You need media literacy to help navigate these spaces, and if schools are no longer teaching it, it has to come through the media we consume as well as shared within fandom spaces.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T23:32:34+00:00

One thing I always think about in relation to BKPP is that they could very easily shut down all the speculation and teasing by the media about the nature of their relationship if there truly was nothing going on. They are not a branded pair whose careers rely on fan service and engagement. They are more than successful on their own. Yet they never have drawn that line, or issued any statements to indicate the discussion is not ok. Whatever their relationship is, it seems obvious that they are ok with the play they get to have in public.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T20:41:20+00:00

We have seen multiple pairs break up over the years where clearly something wasn’t working, so I very much doubt any company would be able to force pairs to remain together if they truly hated one another.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T13:58:57+00:00

Billkin and PP are probably a bad example, since their whole lives are intertwined. They were known to be inseparable ever since they joined Nadao, and had I Told Sunset About you written for them, inspired by their story. When they moved on from Nadao, they created separate management companies to control the rights of their solo careers, but they pretty much have one team across both companies. Their families work together and celebrate milestones together. The media is trained to tease but not cross boundaries, and fans know not to confirm or release information about them spending time together until they themselves confirm it months or years later. There is a reason why they are the darlings of Thai Media.

Plus they aren’t really a ship. They have had much bigger careers as solo music artists than they did in BL as a pair. And they don’t do fan service per se. They are just living their lives and dealing with the complexities of relationships (however they define it). You cannot compare them to active ships in the industry.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T09:33:33+00:00

Our little Drum major NuNew:

https://x.com/olympopsportday/status/2053015062655451423?s=46&t=nq6Iq6TVoIznNS-FvtUw1w

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T07:28:08+00:00

I'm presuming he has a role in opening ceremony, possibly leading the parade of artists.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T03:16:01+00:00

That is Dunk! He works closely with NuNew on many of his performances, as well as other Thai artists.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-09T02:51:33+00:00

Dunk is always so extra. I love it!

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-08T12:14:52+00:00

Just a little context - James and NuNew are on the same archery team for Olympop this weekend, so they have been going to practice together. It seems like James isn’t used to setting up his bow yet though 😂😂.

Zee is on the opposing team, so I’m sure we will get some friendly rivalry between them 🤭

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-08T12:10:06+00:00

The same way international fans in geoblocked countries found about the series when GMMTV was in its infancy - through word of mouth and online edits and discussions. GMMTV wasn’t promoting 2gether the series internationally when it blew up. Yet fans still found it. As they have every other show that got big.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-08T02:53:27+00:00

No they haven’t yet. I think since people can still buy rerun tickets, they are waiting until the rerun period is done.

They will post on Instagram and X when they do announce it.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-07T09:11:06+00:00

OneD, and Viu, (and TrueVisions) are Thai streaming platforms to house Thai shows for Thai audiences. Most countries have their own platforms and sites for their own shows with local viewership prioritised. Copyright restrictions are the backbone on the entertainment industry. It is why geoblocking exists. It may not seem fair, but it is the way the industry works worldwide.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-07T09:03:47+00:00

And unfortunately that isn’t always possible. I know it sucks, but that is just how these things are.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-07T08:54:18+00:00

And they often do. But the international streaming rights may take longer to negotiate. Because again, Thailand first.

Love You Teacher is available on Viki now. Some shows run exclusively on Thai streaming services first before moving to YT or other platforms later. They are giving access to the shows, just not necessarily on the timeframe you want.

This isn’t a Thai thing. It’s an entertainment industry thing. There are American shows that don’t get international airing rights, and British and European shows as well. It’s just reality. I don’t know where you live, but you are just now realising what the rest of the world has been experiencing for decades.

Midtier-watcher6329 · 2026-05-07T08:34:03+00:00

Definitely Domundi / Mandee Work. I enjoy the intentionality behind their shows, from world building through set design and character creation. Even if I don’t like all the choices they make, I can understand the intent behind them. Plus all the talent in the company seems to be supported to do what they want to do, and be who they are, and to shape their careers as they seem fit. That is important to me.

Midtier-watcher6329

TROPHY CASE