GMMTV, Fixed Ships?, and the Changing Face of BL: My Personal Take on the Controversy

Someone sent me this post, asking what I think about GMMTV's latest direction concerning OhmIng, DewTee, NanonJackie, and NutHong.

Well, hmm... Let me put it this way.

From the very beginning, I had already discussed this possibility with my super group. We were aware that GMMTV was exploring a different direction even before this became a hot topic. So, honestly, the announcement isn't entirely surprising to us.

But since people are asking for my reaction, here's my perspective.

FIRST, UNDERSTAND THAT BL IS MORE THAN JUST KISSING AND INTIMACY.

I think it's time for some fans to understand that the BL genre is evolving. BL is not exclusively about kissing, sexual tension, physical intimacy, or two actors doing things that go beyond friendship.

It's storytelling. It's about relationships, emotional connections, personal struggles, acceptance, identity, and the different realities of people navigating love and life.

GMMTV may be exploring another level of diversity in how it presents BL and LGBTQ+ stories. They may want to move beyond the traditional fixed-pair formula and give their artists more opportunities to explore different characters, genres, and acting partnerships.

And there's nothing inherently wrong with that.

We should also understand that a series can tell a beautiful love story without requiring its lead actors to maintain a permanent promotional partnership outside the project.

SECOND, THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT. IT'S ALSO A BUSINESS.

Let's be realistic.

GMMTV is not operating solely to satisfy fandom expectations. It's an entertainment company with business strategies, investors, shareholders, production costs, sponsorships, advertising, merchandise, concerts, and multiple revenue streams.

Their decisions are not necessarily based on whether a particular fandom will be happy or unhappy.

Will they lose some fans? Possibly.

Will some people stop buying merchandise? Certainly.

Will some projects receive criticism or perform below expectations? That's part of the industry.

But will one controversial decision automatically bring the entire company down? I highly doubt it.

Look at GMM Grammy as a whole. It operates across several entertainment businesses, not just BL productions. Its financial reports show a diversified business structure and billions of baht in revenue. That doesn't mean every project is profitable or that GMMTV is immune to financial risks. It simply means there's a much bigger business behind the series we watch.

Buying merchandise and concert tickets makes us customers and consumers, not only that, we somehow become one of company shareholders. 🤣😅🤭

THIRD, WE NEED TO STOP CONFUSING ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WITH REAL-LIFE PARTNERSHIPS.

Well, this point deserves a deeper explanation because professional chemistry and personal relationships are two entirely different matters.

Just because two actors have convincing chemistry on screen, or have successfully built a strong partnership that audiences love, doesn't mean they must be professionally tied to each other forever. Chemistry is an artistic strength, not a lifetime contractual obligation.

Actors are individuals with their own careers, ambitions, creative interests, and personal lives. They should have the freedom to explore different roles, work with different co-stars, and grow beyond the partnerships that first brought them recognition. A successful pairing should be celebrated, not turned into a limitation.

And there's another important distinction: their private relationships are entirely their own business.

If two actors happen to share a personal relationship beyond their professional commitments and choose to keep it private, that is their privilege. They have every right to protect their privacy, decide what they want to disclose, and establish boundaries between their public image and personal lives. Not every meaningful relationship needs public confirmation, explanation, or validation from fans.

Likewise, choosing not to reveal something doesn't automatically mean there is something to hide. Privacy is a personal choice, not an obligation to satisfy public curiosity.

As fans, we can appreciate their chemistry, support their collaborations, and celebrate the stories they bring to life without demanding access to their private world.

Actors owe us performances, not ownership of their personal lives. We can love an onscreen pairing without expecting the actors to remain together professionally or personally forever.

At the same time, I understand why some fans feel disappointed. Companies should be transparent about how they market their projects, especially when audiences invest their emotions and money in a particular pairing.

Fans deserve clarity, but artists also deserve career flexibility and privacy..

FOURTH, GMMTV IS NOT OBLIGATED TO STAY IN ONE FORMULA FOREVER.

We cannot keep demanding innovation while insisting that everything must follow the same old formula.

How can actors grow if we keep putting them inside the same boxes?

How can the industry explore different genres if every new male-male pairing automatically becomes a permanent ship?

How can artists develop their individual identities if their professional opportunities are always measured against their existing partnerships?

Maybe this is GMMTV's way of testing a different business and creative model. Whether it succeeds or fails remains to be seen.

And that's the reality: not every experiment will work, but companies have the right to experiment.

I respect fans who support fixed ships. I also respect those who prefer individual artists and their acting careers.

But I don't agree that moving away from permanent pair promotions automatically means moving backward in the BL industry.

We should be able to separate our expectations as fans from the decisions of an entertainment company.

Support the series if you like the story. Support the actors if you appreciate their work. Buy merchandise if you genuinely want it. Attend concerts if you can afford them.

But never forget that we are the audience. We are part of the market that keeps the entertainment business moving, but we do not own the artists or dictate every business decision.

And if GMMTV decides to change its direction, we can either adapt, express our opinions, or simply choose what we want to support.

Because artists have careers to build, companies have businesses to run, and fans have their own lives to live.

A LITTLE SARCASM BEFORE I END THIS:

Some people are treating the end of fixed-ship promotions like GMMTV just announced the end of entertainment itself. Relax! The television is still working, the actors are still acting, and the world is still spinning.

You can unfollow a ship, but please don't unfollow common sense. It's free, and unlike concert tickets, you don't need to fight for a slot. 😂

Just saying!

— Pal Raine