‘Boys’ Love series has given Thai film production a new lease of life’

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024

The popularity of the “Boys’ Love” series has spurred rapid growth in Thailand's film production industry, the Department of Business Development has revealed.

The film production industry is a standout sector experiencing significant growth and increase in revenue. In the first four months of 2024 (January-April), 56 film production businesses were registered as legal entities, a 12% increase over the same period in 2023, the department said. 

Their total registered capital was 195.18 million baht, up 146.44% over the same period in 2023. In 2023, there were 137 businesses with a registered capital of 258 million baht, a 20% increase from 2022.

In 2022, the total revenue of the film production industry was 12.895 billion baht, with a trend of continuous growth, the department said. 

This growth no doubt rides on Thailand’s economic recovery but is also due to the industry adapting itself to consumer behaviour and the context of Thai society, which is increasingly open to gender diversity, the department said.

A major contributor to the development of this industry is the popularity of the Boys’ Love series, which portrays relationships without gender limitations and openly presents various forms of love. This content has gained popularity among consumers both domestically and internationally.

Oramon Sapthaweetham, director-general of the department, revealed that the Boys’ Love series had helped revitalise the film production industry, generating substantial profits and extending economic benefits to allied sectors, such as advertising, leveraging actors as influencers, event organisation, and tourism. 

"Over the past 10 years, Thailand has produced over 177 Boys’ Love episodes, continuously gaining popularity and expanding its customer base, eventually leading to exports to international markets," Oramon added.