The Wai (Y[aoi]) Genre - Local BL Media in Thailand

Aug 20, 2026

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The presentation investigates the emergence and growth of Thailand’s “wai” (Y[aoi]) phenomenon, a Thai local form of queer-themed media shaped by Japanese BL conventions. It outlines key terminology, distinguishes wai as a genre concept in Thai media, and clarifies how Thai fans are labeled as sao-wai and hnum-wai. It then examines nang-wai films and series-wai drama series, highlighting how production since 2014 accelerated, attracted widespread fandom, and pressured local broadcasters to meet growing demand.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time1 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Presentation Agenda

Defining the Key Terms

What is the Wai Boom?

Sources of the Phenomenon

The Enduring Popularity of Japanese BL in Thailand

The Wai (Y[aoi]) Genre: Local BL Media in Thailand Poowin Bunyavejchewin Researcher Institute of East Asian Studies Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus Pathum Thani, Thailand [E-mail : pw6@tu.ac.th / bpoowin@hotmail.com](E-mail : pw6@tu.ac.th / bpoowin@hotmail.com) [Website : www.pbunyavejchewin.com](Website : www.pbunyavejchewin.com) • In his presentation at the AAS Annual Conference this year, Thomas Baudinette (2017) mentioned that some Filipino fans misunderstood that boys love (BL) was originated in Thailand because of the mushrooming of Thai BL-themed films and TV drama series. • In recent years, Thailand’s entertainment industries have produced an unprecedented number of films and TV series that features male–male romantic and erotic relationships. And, they attracted a great number of female fans and fandoms at home and abroad. I call this the “wai [Y(aoi)] boom.” Presentation Agenda • This presentation aims to paint a picture of the development and important features of the commercial wai’s (Thai BL) popularity boom, or the wai boom in Thailand. • This presentation will address the following issues: • Defining the key terms; • Introducing what is the wai boom recently emerged; • Examining nang-wai (Y[aoi] films) and series-wai (Y[aoi] drama series) to identify their nature, patterns and trends. Definitions ofthe Key Terms • The Japanese BL genre is commonly called “wai”(Y[aoi]) in Thai. • Yaoi is a more common term than BL. • It is often shortened to the letter “Y”. • The term today is no longer solely associated with Japanese popular culture. • It has come to broadly signify a genre of fictional media, usually marketed to young women and sexual minorities, especially gay men, that features male-male romantic and erotic relationships. Definitions ofthe Key Terms • The wai genre in the Thai sense is a blending of Japanese BL and other genres targeted narrowly at gay men. • As a Thai media genre, the term wai has been ill-defined and its generic boundaries are blurred. * In this presentation, the term wai specifically refers to queer-themed Thai media, especially films and TV drama series. Definitions ofthe Key Terms • Local female BL/wai fans are called “sao-wai”( Y[aoi] girls), while local male BL/wai fans are called “hnum-wai”(Y[aoi] boys) . • Both terms have negative connotations similar to the Japanese terms fujoshi (rotten girls) and fudanshi (rotten boys) . • Both terms connote a sense of kwam-wiparit (perversity) in BL/wai fans, and of the genre, although different in degree depending on space and time. • Because narratives and images of beautiful boys loving each other evoke fin (an emotionally orgasmic feeling) in fans. • More importantly, BL’s male homoerotic narratives were discursively ascribed to gayness or masculine homoeroticism which has long been uncounted within the gendered landscape of Thai society. What is the wai boom? • The production of nang-wai (Y[aoi] films) and series-wai (Y[aoi] drama series) has been dramatically increasing in number sine 2014 . • In contrast to the stereotype of queer-themed Thai films that focuses on comedic kathoey (transgender/transsexual) characters, nang-wai and serieswai have broken new ground by portraying masculine boys and young men’s relationships, which have long been denied, though tolerated by Thai gender norms and social values. • The mushrooming of nang-wai and series-wai has attracted an unprecedented number of fans and followers at home. • This, in turn, has pushed local broadcasting companies and film industries to cope with increasing demand by releasing more wai films and drama series. What is the wai boom?: Sources of the phenomenon • Thailand’s wai boom appears to have emerged from a confluence of several sources. At least two sources of the wai boom appear to be most notable: •(a) the enduring popularity of Japanese BL in Thailand; •(b) the increasingly visible presence of Tha

FAQs

What does “wai (Y[aoi])” mean in Thai media according to the presentation?

In the Thai sense used here, wai blends Japanese BL with other genres, but in this presentation it specifically refers to queer-themed Thai media, especially films and TV drama series.

Who are “sao-wai” and “hnum-wai” in this presentation?

Local female BL/wai fans are called sao-wai and local male BL/wai fans are called hnum-wai. Both terms carry negative connotations similar to Japanese fujoshi and fudanshi.

What drives the “wai boom” in Thailand and what changes did it bring?

The wai boom is described as emerging from multiple sources, notably the enduring popularity of Japanese BL and the increasingly visible presence of Thai BL/wai fans. It has led to a dramatic increase in nang-wai and series-wai production since 2014 and has pushed local broadcasters to release more such content to meet demand.

Aug 20, 2026

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