Thai writer/director Mui Aticha Tanthanawigrai carried “ThamePo Heart Skips a Beat” in her pocket for five years before the series finally found a home at GMMTV. The wait was worth it. The series – a gentle, quietly radical take on BL that trades hi-drama tropes for emotional complexity – has 5.2 million YouTube views, landed on Netflix in six languages, and took Gold at the ContentAsia Awards 2025 for Best LGBTQ+ Series. Mui, also known for “F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers”, spoke to us about the long road to a greenlight, shooting concert scenes with 600 extras and a secret code system, and why she believes men don’t have to be portrayed as tough. 

BL drama is having a significant moment internationally. Where do you think the genre goes from here, and how are you thinking about that as a creator? “For me, BL series (also GL) is a sub-genre of romantic. It is placed into everybody’s heart because it portrays pure love. No matter what gender/who you are, you deserve good love. If the world says you shouldn’t have, you can yell that they are wrong. This is the magic of the BL/GL series.”

The series has 5 million views on YouTube. How do you view that audience – who are they, and what does YouTube give you that a broadcast or streaming window doesn’t? “I think mostly is the worldwide audience. Also, somebody who keep re-running it. I heard our audience keep on watching it over and over again for 10 times because it is their comfort zone. I really appreciated it.”

The series is on Netflix in Tagalog, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese and Spanish. Has anything about that reach surprised you? “It really surprises me that we have fans from every area of this world. I know that BL series and T-pop hit in some countries, but I’ve never thought this series would get this far. It is honor to hear that ThamePo is a part of new wave soft power in both BL and T-pop.” 

What do you think it is about “ThamePo Heart Skips a Beat” that landed so well with audiences? “Our passion to do this work. Everybody who is involved in ThamePo put wonderful energy into it”. 
 
Where did the idea come from, and how long did it take to go from that first spark to a greenlight? “About 7 or 8 years ago, my producers and I talked about making a BL. We also discussed the idol industry. So, we merged two  ideas together, and this project popped up. I was developing this idea while finding the right cast. But it didn’t turn out right. It’s not only about the cast but also, we need an investor who can bet on this big project with us. I have carried this project in my pocket for five years. I really don’t know how it will happen, if I can’t find any cast or investor. Finally, we handed this project to GMMTV and it is what it is. It was very long journey.” 

Thame and Po are both gentle. This seems to be something of a departure from the hi-drama tropes of early BL. Do you think we will see more of these kinds of characters? “I hope so! I want to see more gentle man in the series. In my opinion, Man doesn’t have to be portrayed as a tough person as we get used to seeing. Man has complicated emotions because we are human. I write Thame and Po’s character based on this idea. I hope everybody will see a complicated feeling in both of them.”

What would you like the audience take- away to be? “I hope everybody will find their own happiness. Free from social expectations. They can design their own path in life”.
 

Adapted from the original version of this article, published on ContentAsia’s dedicated Awards platform on 15 June 2026. Access ContentAsia Awards Focus here