I adore the gusto of GMMTV. As one of Thailand’s biggest entertainment conglomerates, it’s constantly producing dramas for a wide range of viewers: Boys Love, Bromance, Girls Love, and even the occasional straight drama.

Last year, GMMTV announced 22 BL dramas, 8 GL dramas, and only 4 hetero-themed dramas. This year, BL dipped slightly to 19, GL rose to 9, and 9 series fall into the “other” category (straight, bromance, etc.).

BL is still the biggest slice of the lineup by a wide margin, but the bromance titles have drawn some pushback from fans. Personally, I think the genre has always been part of GMMTV’s DNA, and it often brings in new viewers who may eventually explore the rest of the catalogue.

It can also be a smart way to test a duo’s chemistry. With so many pairings shifting lately, a friendship-driven series is a low-pressure way to see how two actors fit together before launching a brand-new ship. Even if a bromance never turns into anything more, you still get to see a fresh pairing in action.

With a company this size, variety is part of what keeps the lineup exciting. If bromance isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

These are the top five series I’m most looking forward to:

👻 The Spooky Love Tale ❤️

Cast: Mark and Ohm, with Chimon and Sing in the ensemble

A supernatural romantic comedy adapted from the Korean webtoon The Spooky Love Tale of Gongchan Seol by YSE. Chan, a horror novelist, meets Min, a devoted fan of his books, and they both see the same ghost, one who could have come right out of one of Chan’s own novels. The webtoon has racked up around 20 million views on KakaoPage, so there’s already a ready-made fanbase. The tone looks lighter than most supernatural BLs, with scares, flirting and plenty of laughs. The casting of Chimon and Sing also brings back memories of He’s Coming to Me, another GMMTV ghost story and the series that introduced me to BL.

🦐 Shrimply Mine ❤️

Cast: Kin and Barcode, with Aungpao and Prom in supporting roles

The title translates roughly to “Don’t Stay With Me, Shrimp.” It’s a university rom-com built on a very adorable BL trope: Kin’s character can’t sleep alone, so he asks Barcode’s character to share his bed. Adorably domestic, with a cute premise and fresh leads, it’s the kind of harmless, sweet campus romance that’s a good thing to have in the lineup.

🍍 Pineapple Leaf Blade 🖤

Cast: Tay and New (TayNew), with Winny

Based on a novel by S.E.A. Write Award-winning author Jidanun Lueangpiansamut and directed by Anucha Boonyawatana (Not Me, Burnout Syndrome), this story is inspired by the real experiences of Thai agricultural workers recruited to pineapple fields in Hawaiʻi, where they faced mistreatment and exploitation. It looks darker than anything TayNew has done before, which is exactly why it’s the one I’m most excited about.

🎶 52Hz 🎸

Cast: Nanon and Jackie

This is a music drama listed as a bromance, not a BL. It follows two aspiring musicians who agree to try writing songs together during their training period, with the understanding that they can go their separate ways if it doesn’t work out. As they spend more time together, their different instincts start to complement each other. The title nods to the “52-hertz whale,” the whale that calls on a frequency few others can hear, which suits a story about two people who seem to speak a language no one else does.

Pairing Nanon with Jackie is an exciting choice, given the acting strengths they each bring and the chance for some real on-screen chemistry. I’m always happy to see GMMTV experiment with new pairings rather than relying only on established ships, and this is exactly the kind of bromance I was talking about earlier: friendship-driven, music-filled, and a welcome change of pace. Sometimes the most unexpected pairings turn out to be the most memorable!

🥊 HiGH&LOW: Born to Be High 💢

Cast: Nanon, Sky, Nani, Joss, Sea, Pond, Perth, William, Barcode and a huge ensemble

An adaptation of the Japanese action franchise HiGH&LOW, which debuted in 2015 and is known for street battles, big choreography and stories about loyalty and friendship. GMMTV is producing it with Parbdee Tawesuk, the team behind F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers. It brings together an enormous slice of the roster, so whether you’re here for action, romance, bromance, or just plain fun, there’s something for everyone. It’s shaping up to be a big year.

Which of these is on your watchlist?

There will be more GMMTV reviews soon so…

Stay tuned!