How Thai LGBT show, 2gether: The Series, became an instant hit
Featuring a romance between two college boys, the show affirms queer love is OK and normal and garners millions of views on YouTube
2gether: The Series, a popular show produced by top Thai production company GMMTV, has generated a social media frenzy on Twitter and Facebook, consistently trending every week, dominating newsfeeds and timelines. And it garners millions of views on YouTube soon after it airs.
Based on the bestselling novel of the same name penned by JittiRain, the series follows the misadventures of Tine (Metawin Opas-iamkajorn), a college freshman law student who’s ready to meet girls and explore university life. Trouble ensues when he is chased by a persistent gay admirer.
Unable to ward him off, Tine’s friends suggest he find a hot pretend boyfriend. Tine approaches Sarawat (Bright Vachirawit Chiva-aree), the university’s resident heartthrob and musician, and asks him to be his lover. Fast-forward to a few episodes, their relationship transitions from “pretend” to real, and their feelings begin to blossom.
2gether: The Series’s storyline is not novel, but despite being a cliché, here’s how the series won its audience:
Chemistry is on point
For the first few episodes, Sarawat is seen as a tsundere, someone who acts cold and hard to get but ends up being soft and warm.
His demeanour contrasts Tine’s bubbly and lively personality. This creates tension and establishes a solid and interesting chemistry.
The plot is light and simple