Okay, confession time. This whole site is full of BL, and I’ve somehow never sat down with a single GL show. So this post is my homework: a list of Thai GL dramas for beginners, the ones fans keep telling everyone to start with.
Quick note so we’re clear: these aren’t reviews. I haven’t watched them yet, so there are no ratings and no “I cried at episode 5” stories here. Just what each show is about, who’s in it, where to watch it legally, and why people love it. Then I’m going to watch them, and you can come along.
If you’re new to GL too, welcome. Let’s be beginners together.
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1. GAP The Series (2022): where most fans start
If you ask ten GL fans where to start, at least eight will say GAP. It’s the show that made a lot of people fall into Thai GL in the first place.
The story: Mon has looked up to Sam ever since Sam helped her years ago. After university, Mon gets a job at Sam’s company, and surprise, her hero is cold and distant at work. The more Mon breaks through Sam’s walls, the more admiration turns into love. But there’s a lot in the way: an eight-year age gap, company rules, class, and the fact that Sam comes from a royal family.
What makes the story bigger than an office crush is Sam’s family. She’s the heir of a powerful family and her grandmother has a very clear plan for her life, and it doesn’t include falling for a junior employee. So every sweet moment between Sam and Mon also comes with the fear of being found out.
Vibe: Office romance
Genres: RomanceComedyDrama
Tags: Office RomanceAge GapRoyal FamilyBoss and EmployeeBased on a Novel
GAP The Series cast and crew
Why fans love it: the classic “cold boss, sunshine intern” setup, and Freen and Becky’s chemistry, which is basically why they got cast together again and again (you’ll see them twice more on this list).
2. 23.5 (2024): the softest one
23.5 is the one people recommend when you want something light and cute. It’s a GMMTV high school story, based on a novel.
Ongsa is a shy transfer student who starts chatting with Sun, one of the most popular girls in school, on Instagram. The catch? Her username is “Earth,” so Sun thinks she’s talking to a boy. Ongsa doesn’t want the chats to stop, so she keeps the secret. You can already feel the cringe and the butterflies, right?
The fun part is watching Ongsa try to be two people at once: the quiet new girl Sun barely notices in class, and “Earth,” the funny, easy-to-talk-to boy in Sun’s phone. The closer the two girls get in real life, the harder it is to keep the secret, and the bigger the question gets: will Sun still like Earth when she finds out who Earth really is?
Vibe: Sweet school story
Genres: RomanceComedyYouth
Tags: High SchoolSecret IdentityOnline ChatFirst LoveBased on a Novel
23.5 cast and crew
Why fans love it: it’s a gentle first-love story with a fun secret-identity twist. Milk and Love have also worked together a lot before, so they feel super natural together.
3. Pluto (2024): the emotional one
Pluto has a setup that sounds like a soap opera, and fans say that’s exactly why it hurts so good.
Ai-oon’s twin sister, Oaboom, gets into an accident on her wedding day, and her last request is for Ai-oon to break up with her girlfriend May for her. But when Ai-oon meets May, she finds out May is blind. And then May kisses her, thinking she’s Oaboom. Instead of breaking up, Ai-oon keeps pretending to be her twin. A love story that starts with a lie? Oh no. Oh yes.
The longer Ai-oon plays Oaboom, the more she falls for May for real, and the more she gets tangled in her twin’s life: Oaboom’s friends, her family, and the grandmother who raised the twins. May trusts “Oaboom” completely, which makes every lie heavier. You just know the truth is coming out at the worst possible moment.
Vibe: Emotional, with a big secret
Genres: RomanceDramaMystery
Tags: TwinsSecretBlind Female LeadRaised by a GrandparentBased on a Novel
Pluto cast and crew
Why fans love it: big feelings, a secret that’s going to explode at some point, and a lot of tissues. If you like shows that make you yell at the screen, this is your pick.
4. The Loyal Pin (2024): the royal one
If you like costumes, palaces and slow-burn love, The Loyal Pin is the one. It’s Freen and Becky again, this time in a historical story set in the 1950s.
Princess Anin and Lady Pin grow up as best friends. At 15, Anin has to go and study in England. By the time she comes back for her brother’s engagement, she knows she’s in love with Pin. The problem? Pin has been arranged to marry someone else.
Pin’s match is Master Kuea, and the engagement is a family decision, not hers. So Anin is stuck watching the girl she loves get ready to marry someone else, in a world of palaces, rules and old family names where two women together isn’t even something people talk about. Expect long looks, secret letters and a lot of heartache.
Vibe: Royal and historical
Genres: HistoricalRomanceDramaFamily
Tags: 1950sRoyal FamilyArranged MarriageChildhood FriendsBased on a Novel
The Loyal Pin cast and crew
Why fans love it: the dresses. Okay, the dresses AND the forbidden-love drama. It’s the classic “we can’t be together, but we can’t stop either” story, which always gets me even in BL.
5. Uranus 2324 (2024): the movie
Okay, this one is a movie, not a series, but it shows up in every GL starter list, so it stays. Uranus 2324 is a 2024 sci-fi romance, and yes, Freen and Becky again. These two are the GL power couple, you can’t escape them.
The story follows two childhood friends, an astronaut and a free diver, who try to find their way back to each other after a painful goodbye. Space, the sea, and a love story stuck in between. Very dramatic, in the best way.
Lin is the astronaut and Kath is the free diver, and the two of them were once each other’s whole world before life pulled them apart. The movie jumps between their past and present, so you slowly learn what went wrong and whether there’s still a way back. Bring tissues, it’s a big one.
Vibe: Sci-fi romance (movie)
Genres: Sci-FiRomanceDrama
Tags: MovieAstronautFree DivingChildhood FriendsSecond Chance
Uranus 2324 cast and crew
Why fans love it: it’s one evening instead of 12 episodes, and it looks gorgeous. Perfect if you want to try GL without committing to a whole series.
6. Blank (2024): the bold one
Blank stars Faye Peraya Malisorn and Yoko Apasra Lertprasert, and fans talk about it as one of the more daring GL shows. The big topic is an age gap between the two leads, so expect a lot of “should we or shouldn’t we” tension.
The story, from another novel by Chao Planoy: Khun Nueng (M.L. Sipakorn) is a beautiful woman who grew up under a very strict grandmother. She has never been allowed to just be herself, and she has never felt truly loved. Then she meets Anueng, a cheerful, bright girl with a sad secret hiding behind her smile, and her heart starts racing for the first time. The problem: there’s a sixteen-year age gap, plus family pressure and what society expects, all standing in their way. Fun fact: it’s set in the same world as GAP, and it has a Season 2.
Heads up: this one is aimed at grown-ups more than the school or office shows. If you’re coming from cute BL rom-coms, maybe watch GAP or 23.5 first and save this for later.
Vibe: Age-gap drama
Genres: RomanceDrama
Tags: Age GapOlder Woman / Younger WomanFirst LoveFamily PressureBased on a Novel
Blank cast and crew
Why fans love it: it doesn’t play it safe, and Faye and Yoko’s pairing has a big fan base.
7. Affair (2024): the mature one
Affair is the most grown-up pick on this list, a romance full of secrets from the studio CHANGE2561, starring Lookmhee Punyapat Wangpongsathaporn and Sonya Saranphat Pedersen. Fans recommend it to people who already know they like drama-heavy stories, not as the very first GL you watch.
The story, based on an online novel by Chao Planoy (the same writer behind GAP and Pluto): Siangpleng’s happy life falls apart when her family goes bankrupt. The one person who stays by her side is her childhood friend Wanwiwa. Then family reasons pull the two girls apart. Many years later, fate brings them back together, and all the old feelings come back with it. The catch? Wanwiwa is now married. That’s where the title comes from, and why this one is for grown-ups.
I’m keeping this one last on purpose. Start soft, then go dark. That’s my plan anyway.
Vibe: Mature drama
Genres: RomanceDrama
Tags: Childhood FriendsReunionMarried LeadBankruptcyBased on a Novel
Affair cast and crew
Why fans love it: more mature storytelling and a lot of tension. Check the age rating before you press play.
Which of these Thai GL dramas for beginners should you watch first?
Picking from Thai GL dramas for beginners is easier than it looks. Here’s how I’d pick, based on what kind of BL fan you already are:
- You love office romances: start with GAP.
- You love cute school stories: start with 23.5.
- You love crying: Pluto.
- You love historical shows: The Loyal Pin.
- You only have one evening: Uranus 2324.
- You want something bolder: Blank, then Affair.
My own plan: GAP first (because everyone says so), then 23.5 to calm down, then Pluto when I’m ready to suffer.
GL couples you’ll see everywhere
Just like in BL, Thai GL has “pairs” that the studios cast together over and over. Knowing them makes it easier to pick your next show:
- Freen + Becky: GAP, The Loyal Pin and Uranus 2324. The pair most people meet first.
- Milk + Love: 23.5, and they’ve worked together in other GMMTV shows too.
- Namtan + Film: Pluto.
- Faye + Yoko: Blank.
That’s also why these pairs show up so often in lists of Thai GL dramas for beginners. If you fall for one pair, the easiest next step is to watch their other shows. That’s exactly how most BL fans binge too, right?
A few tips before your first GL watch
- Start with a short, light one. 23.5 or GAP. Don’t jump straight into the heavy stuff.
- Turn on English subtitles on the official upload. GMMTV and IdolFactory usually add them.
- Check the age rating. Blank and Affair are aimed at adults.
- Give it three episodes. Like most Thai dramas, the first episode is setup. Episode 2 or 3 is where it usually clicks.
Where to watch Thai GL dramas legally
Most of these are on official channels: GMMTV’s and IdolFactory’s YouTube channels, plus Netflix and Viu for some shows. Free YouTube uploads from the studios are completely legal and they help the shows get more seasons. Please skip random free sites. They’re illegal, full of scam pop-ups, and the actors get nothing.
Quick questions about Thai GL dramas
What is the most popular Thai GL drama?
GAP The Series is the one most fans name first, and it made Freen and Becky famous as a GL couple.
Are Thai GL dramas free to watch?
Many are, on the studios’ official YouTube channels. Some are also on Netflix or Viu.
Which GL is best for beginners?
GAP or 23.5. Both are easy to get into and not too heavy.
Final thoughts on Thai GL dramas for beginners
So that’s my starter list of Thai GL dramas for beginners, built from what fans keep recommending. I’m starting with GAP, and once I’ve actually watched these, I’ll come back with real reviews and real ratings. Promise.
Already a GL fan? Tell me in the comments which one I should watch first, or which show I missed. And if BL is more your thing, my top 10 Thai BL dramas of 2026 and top 5 best Thai BL dramas are waiting. You can also browse all dramas A-Z or use the Advanced Search.
Recommended reads
- Fool in Love (2026): Episode 1 Recap
- 2026 BL Series: Top 10 List of BL Dramas in 2026
- Top 5 Best Thai BL Dramas (One Additional)
- Love Destiny BL Ending: Why Dech Never Said Great’s Name
Note: This is a recommendation list, not a review. Show details are from official and public sources. Posters belong to their studios and are used for identification. Read my full Disclaimer.
