Lakorns, LGBTQ+
From what I've read, Thai lakorns can be more than a little problematic but I'm having great luck with those which have at least one character with at least one flavour of queer umbrella identity. Which makes sense that they would be the ones rewriting norms. Gathering them here to help others find them. (Not yet included, BL with lakorn aspects. I'll feel more comfortable deciding which to include as I learn more about the lakorn genre.)
Love is love is love.
forgot about this (I have too many lists), need to come back to update comments or just look at my Thai Drama Challenge 2024 list, lakorns with eng subs on youtube (one31), and Ch 3 lists.
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1. Khun Chaai
Thai Drama - 2022, 17 episodes
Family politics lakorn whose plot is carried by strong women characters, brotherly love and a developing relationship between two men. Set in the 1950s, both sexism and cultural homophobia are key factors in the drama. Two people close to the main gay character accept and support him as he is throughout and the pacing of the lakorn between tension and safety is excellent.
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2. Matalada
Thai Drama - 2023, 21 episodes
Three wealthy lakorn-dysfunctional families + one found family of drag queens and their free spirit daughter who's known to bring home stray dogs. There is a stray dog, and puppies, but mostly they accumulate stray neighbours and others in need of kindness and acceptance. The romances are het, one is fluffy, one isn't. Gay, bi and trans characters.
And this, a special version of the OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTMuaqAsUCo
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3. The Broken Us
Thai Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
Difficult subjects, gently, beautifully told.
Not a melodrama, though they do clearly use the word 'lakorn' in the content warning at the beginning so that's my excuse for including it besides holding it so dear. Gender fluid character, possibly bi.
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4. Jai Son Rak
Thai Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
Upcoming, not much information yet. The trailer feels lakorn. Relationship between women. I may be looking forward to it a bit much what with Orm Kornnaphat's taking no shit tomboy character in Matalada frequently reminding me that I'm not straight ;)
First ep - Falada's mum is pure lakorn.
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5. Thonhon Chonlathee
Thai Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
Nothing I had read beforehand prepared me for this being a critique of toxic masculinity in several forms including homophobia - wrapped in laugh out loud comedy which continuously calls out bad behaviours - wrapped in lakorn.
That balance might exclude it from this list but those looking for LGBTQ+ -friendly lakorn are perhaps more likely to understand its complexity than those posting on its page.
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6. A Tale of Thousand Stars
Thai Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
Mini-lakorn with a gay romance. Perhaps too short to absorb all of the melodrama.
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7. Century of Love
Thai Drama - 2024, 10 episodes
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8. Laws of Attraction
Thai Drama - 2023, 8 episodes