Top 11 Must-Watch Thai BL Series That Are Truly Captivating

Theory of Love tells the story of Third, a young man who harbors a one-sided love for his best friend, Khai. While Khai is open to love, he firmly believes he should never date his close friends. So, what will happen to their relationship? Will love or friendship prevail?

Theory of Love follows Third, an aspiring film student and a member of a close-knit group of friends, including Too, Bone, and Khai. They are all good-looking, charming, and popular with the ladies. However, Third is secretly gay and has secretly been in love with Khai for a long time. Third’s feelings are a closely guarded secret. The two meet during their first year of university, where they bond over a shared love of a film. For Third, it’s love at first sight. Khai seems to be the perfect match for him.

While Third hopes to keep his feelings hidden, the truth starts to come out, and despite the hurt caused by Khai, Third begins to give him a second chance. Khai, who has never been serious about love, realizes how important Third is to him and, after reflecting on his feelings, chooses to face the truth instead of avoiding it. He decides to pursue his best friend and keep him in his life.

The Red Thread is a Thai BL drama that follows a reincarnation love story between two young men. Thirty years ago, Korn and Intouch were university students in Bangkok. Korn, the son of a powerful mafia lord, found himself falling for Intouch, who was instantly captivated by Korn’s vibrant personality. They shared a deep but silent love, which was sadly forbidden in their time. Their love faced opposition from both their families and society, and tragically, they were torn apart. Their story ended in heartbreak, but their souls remained tethered by a mystical red thread.

Years later, Palm, a freshman at university, begins having vivid dreams of a face he can’t quite place. He wakes up feeling as if he's waiting for someone, haunted by memories he can’t fully recall. These dreams leave him with a damp face and an inexplicable sense of longing.

Dean, a third-year student and president of the university's swimming club, has spent his life searching for the person he’s seen in his dreams. The mysterious red thread that connected Korn and Intouch in a past life once again ties Palm and Dean together, leading them back to each other in this life. The thread binds their hearts, linking them to a forgotten past, but an unforgettable love—because the red thread always connects those destined to be together.

TharnType The Series is adapted from the novel of the same name by MAME, a famous Thai author known for writing numerous BL novels. She also produces the series through her company, Me Mind Y Co., Ltd. The show is based on the first two books about Tharn and Type, with a third book expected to be the foundation for the second season. The author herself is eagerly awaiting the adaptation of the third novel into season two. To be fair, the series script is much better than the book, transforming what could have been a simple fanfiction into a well-crafted drama.

The storyline is balanced and engaging, avoiding exaggeration of the main characters and featuring moments of both sweetness and tension, especially with an exciting plot twist in the final episode. The final antagonist is the most unexpected and dangerous, adding layers of suspense to the narrative. Beyond the hate-to-love arc between the two leads, the series touches on deeper topics, including PTSD from childhood sexual abuse. Type suffers from the trauma of abuse, which haunts him into adulthood, while another character, Tar, endures severe depression after being drugged and raped. Fortunately, both Type and Tar find love and support, helping them heal from their past experiences.

The show also addresses issues such as cyberbullying, discrimination based on sexual orientation, the media's handling of child sexual abuse, and how these topics affect victims. These elements add depth to the series, making it stand out as more than just a typical BL show.

The first episode of Love By Chance premiered on August 3, 2018, introducing Pete, a handsome, wealthy young man who is too gentle for his own good and often becomes the target of bullying. In contrast, his classmate Ae is a regular, modest student who, though poor, is strong-willed and always ready to help others.

The two cross paths after a chance bicycle accident. When Ae takes Pete to the hospital, his caring attention melts Pete's heart. From that moment, their encounters continue in what seems like fate’s design. Ae promises to protect Pete, and with his declaration, Pete’s heart is fully captivated, pulling them both into a whirlwind romance.

With its sweet, romantic storyline and the fairy-tale-like love story between two charming young men, Love By Chance quickly captured the attention of fans both domestically and internationally, particularly in Asia. In China, the on-screen pairing of Perth and Saint (playing Pete and Air) topped the couple rankings, even surpassing popular stars like Huo Wei Zhou and Huang Jing Yu from the hit series 'Thousand Years of Love.'

The success of Love By Chance was unprecedented, not only in Thailand but also within the boy's love genre globally. As the series came to a close, fans eagerly awaited news about a possible second season, hoping the story would continue in the near future.

After over a year of delays due to the pandemic, the Thai BL drama A Tale of a Thousand Stars finally made its debut. Worth the wait, the series from GMMTV provided viewers with a truly unique and fresh experience. Every episode of A Tale of a Thousand Stars trended at number one on Thailand’s Twitter for hours, with the first episode even breaking into the global top six, while episode three reached the seventh spot in worldwide trends. Such remarkable achievements are rare for a long-running boy’s love series in Thailand.

A Tale of a Thousand Stars is adapted from the novel by Bacteria. The story revolves around Tian (Mix Sahaphap), a wealthy heir who suffers from a heart condition. After learning about his illness, Tian falls into despair and begins living recklessly, which ultimately leads to the tragic death of a young woman. Fate intervenes when Tian receives a heart transplant from Torfun, a car accident victim, and his life is forever changed.

Waking up from his near-death experience, Tian feels reborn and curious about the identity of his heart donor. As he reads Torfun’s diary, which details her volunteer work teaching underprivileged children, Tian is inspired to continue her unfinished work. It is here that he meets Torfun's crush, and thus his own fate, Phupha (Earth Pirapat), the leader of the group.

Thai BL drama fans shouldn't miss the charming and sweet Lovely Writer – Count to Ten and Kiss. The plot revolves around Gene (Up Poompat), a famous author who gains popularity with his boy's love novels. His book becomes so successful that it is adapted into a TV series. During the casting process, Gene meets the young actor Nubsib and quickly falls into the trap set by the ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ Nubsib.

Count to Ten and Kiss tells the story of Jean (played by Up Poompat), a professional author who is tricked by Nubsib (played by Kao Noppakao), an 18-year-old mischievous boy who pretends to be kind and innocent. Jean takes on the challenge of writing a boy's love story and, in the process, auditions actors for the role. Little does he know that Nubsib, a cunning trickster, is there to make his life complicated.

The boy's love story is Jean’s passion, and he decides to turn it into a film. However, Nubsib continuously sabotages the project, manipulating Jean with changes to the script, adding intimate scenes, and playing mind games with his “Count to Ten and Kiss” challenge. Whenever Jean runs out of ideas, Nubsib throws him into a whirlwind of wild, absurd suggestions. Eventually, their love story stops being a secret, and the whole world knows about their relationship.

Fish Upon The Sky (2021) is a BL series adapted from the novel by JittiRain, the creator of Theory of Love and 2gether. The story follows Pi, a charming health science student who has a crush on Mueang Nan, a second-year dental student. Their romance faces many obstacles, with plenty of humorous and awkward situations along the way.

Fish Upon The Sky brings together a fresh cast of young actors who are the perfect age for their roles, offering fans an exciting school romance with a BL twist. Pi’s journey to win Mueang Nan’s heart is complicated by Mork, a popular second-year medical student who seems to always interrupt Pi’s attempts to pursue his crush. Mueang Nan, the attractive and charming health science student, makes it impossible for Pi to look away from him.

The series follows Pi’s pursuit of Mueang Nan, while constantly being thwarted by Mork, who seems to take every opportunity to insert himself into Pi’s life. However, Mork has his own reasons for trying to get close to Pi and wants to be friends. The series is full of adorable and funny moments, as well as some sweet romantic scenes that will leave viewers feeling excited. The cheerful reactions from Pi and Mork’s playful flirting, combined with the perfect soundtrack featuring the song “Fish Upon The Sky” by Getsunova, make the show even more engaging.

WHY R U - Is It Love? (2020) tells the story of Tutor (Saint Suppapong), who is seen as more mature than his age, and Fighter (Zee Pruk Panich), who is driven more by emotions. Although they start with some tension, they quickly form a close bond. Saifah (Jimmy Karn), a famous musician with a playful side, and Zon (Tommy), a shy but stubborn sci-fi writer, round out the cast. Their love stories are depicted as the most realistic versions of what could be found in a boylove novel.

Zon, a young man who never believed in the fantastical tales of boylove novels, soon finds his life mirroring the stories his sister Zol writes. As events unfold, he can’t help but be shocked by how closely his own experiences resemble the fiction he once dismissed. Eventually, the love between him and his partner deepens, proving that sometimes the heart defies logic.

Bad Buddy Series (2021) follows the rivalry between two boys who have been opponents since birth. Pat (Ohm) is a carefree and childish student, gifted in sports, while Pran (Nanon) is a perfectionist with exceptional grades. Their families are neighbors who have always competed with one another. However, as they grow older, both Pat and Pran become tired of constantly trying to outdo each other to please their parents.

While they maintain their rivalry in front of others, the two secretly become close friends, supporting each other in their studies and navigating the ups and downs of life. Their relationship gradually evolves from enemies to friends, and eventually something more.

The chemistry between Ohm and Nanon in real life adds an extra layer of excitement for fans. The two have been close friends since before filming Blacklist in 2019, and the strong bond between them is one of the reasons Ohm agreed to join the Bad Buddy cast. Their natural and explosive chemistry, both on screen and off, has fans praising their pairing as a perfect match. The series also boasts a fantastic soundtrack, and with an IMDb rating of 9.3, it's definitely worth watching.

Manner Of Death brings back the sizzling hot duo from the Thai BL film scene, Max Nattapol and Tul Pakorn. Based on the novel of the same name, the show combines mystery, crime psychology, and intense suspense.

Dr. Bunnakit (Tul Pakorn) is a forensic doctor working at a provincial hospital. During an autopsy of a woman who was thought to have committed suicide by hanging, he challenges this conclusion, revealing that the woman was actually murdered.

However, his findings put him in danger. A masked assailant breaks into his home, demanding that he alter his report. The death of the woman may have more secrets than he first realized. Despite the threats, Bunnakit refuses to change his findings, only to have a colleague mysteriously disappear. This prompts him to quietly launch his own investigation in search of the truth. All evidence points to one suspect: Tan.

But Tan (Max Nattapol) denies all allegations, claiming innocence and persuades Bunnakit to work together with him to uncover the real killer.

Tine is a first-year law student, enthusiastic and full of optimism as he joins the university's cheerleading team, hoping for a beautiful love story to unfold during his college years. Everything takes an unexpected turn when Green, a determined guy, confesses his love and relentlessly pursues Tine. Following the advice (or rather, the bad suggestion) of his friends, Tine seeks out Sarawat, the handsome and quiet political science student who captivates everyone around him. He asks Sarawat to pretend to be interested in him in an attempt to make Green give up. What started as a fake relationship soon turns real, and Sarawat and Tine end up falling for each other, creating an irresistibly sweet and envy-worthy love story.

Regarding the plot of 2gether The Series, the college romance genre is nothing new, but Sarawat's quiet and secret love for Tine, revealed later in the show, adds a fresh twist to the story. While this theme has been used in many films before, it still manages to captivate and make the audience's hearts flutter. The series is adapted from a novel, but since I haven’t read it, I can't comment on the differences between the book and the show. However, the show itself builds a solid narrative. The only questionable part is Tine’s decision to ask Sarawat to pretend to be his boyfriend to make Green back off, which feels a bit forced. The beginning of the series may seem a bit rushed, as Sarawat quickly falls for Tine, but the emotional payoff later in the show makes up for it, providing a rewarding experience for the viewers.