#phayo

Hi! And thank you.

Theories/opinions on why the phenomenon of the side couple being more engaging that the main couple is so prevalent in BL

Ah...

Side Dish Addiction Syndrome Explained

@heretherebedork and I feel your pain on this one.

1. My pet theory is that since the side dishes have so much less screen time it allows fans to imagine more about them and identify more closely with them. But there’s mroe than that. 

2. They have much less rope to hang themselves with in terms of cliche tropes and dialogue and archetypes. They can be somewhat pastiche (or slap dash, as characters) and we, as watchers, give them more depth than they would (if that had more screen time) actually have earned. 

3. Many script writers are actually better at relationship development in short form rather than long form, because romance as a narrative driver is under-studied and under-appreciated, a lot of people in the film industry just do not understand how it works. Therefore less screen time is actually better, fewer outside voices to fuck it up.  

4. The side dishes are an opportunity to provide a foil to the main characters. 

WinTeam are a great example. Win (outgoing, flirty, cheerful, gregarious) is the opposite of Dean. Team (outgoing, tsundere, tough) is the opposite of Pharm. Sometimes we like them better because of this. They look even better by comparison because they exist as a kind of narrative break (relief) from the relationship style of the leads. 

5. This also means the side dishes can explore archetypes that are not part of the main plot, but might really appeal to a very vocal element of fandom. 

So like hard core BDSM (VegasPete), bad boy flirt and rebellious uke (WinTeam, PitchBank, ForthBeam), new romance rather than preexisting (Cutie Pie’s 3rd tear), younger seme older uke (KhunKaow in Brothers). 

The main character are most likely to lean into the most popular (and therefore safest) major tropes, while also toning it down to makes those characters as palatable as possible to a wider audience (this is the big problem with PhaYo in the 2 Moons franchise = they are colorless and overdone). 

Where as the side characters can go other places, be more edgy, be more mysterious, be more kinky, be more extreme, more sexually liberated and adventurous, be women (!), be more queer AKA be different and unique (to the BL universe). 

And therefore we are more likely to see ourselves in them, to identify with them, or just think of them as special and love them more. 

I don’t think it’s a bad approach, multiple couples. 

It means we have different ones we like and identify with in any given show. Honestly I think the fact that Thailand leans into this partly accounts for the popularity of Thai BL. 

At leaves it always gives some of us some kind of crumbs to latch on to. 

More on this topic:

Rewatch for side couples? 

Top 10 BL Shows Where There is NO Side Couple

Thai BLs Best Side Dishes (prior to 2022)

Why? Because there’s six of them and because it works.

First as Phana

Don’t tell me this edit of him in a Dr coat by @acharraa on twitter doesn’t look amazing. Plus he’s tall and is excellent at playing a simp.

Khaotung as Wayo

nasty bitchy Gaga? More like our beloved bitchy but sweet engineer who is ready to drink nom yen and sing his heart out at the moon competition

Neo as Ming

Admit it we all want more Khao and Neo bff roles since TonhonChonlatee and I know Neo would absolutely kill it as this confident but heartfelt campus moon. (and if you're thinking, hey that guy looks familiar? yes it's Joong)

Mark as Kit

I’ve seen Mark in MSP, I know he can make faces and give side-eyes worthy of the role of Kit. I happily entrust my favourite 2moons character to him.

Force as Forth

Force as an engineering bad boy who makes his intentions clear once he sets his heart on someone? Yes please. (Also he gets to take his shirt off, I know that’s important to him)

Book as Beam

Like Mew, Beam is probably the calmest member of the friend group, I think Book would fit the role perfectly! Let's see how long he can resist a ONS that wants to be so much more.

It all fits too well! A note on MingKit: as one of my favourite ships of all time, I think very highly of NeoMark to say they could pull off that pairing, but I have faith in their amazing acting and I look forward to seeing them more in Only Friends!

So we have First, Mark and Book as the Wild Doctors Gang. Neo and Khao as besties Ming and Yo. and Force as Fourth!

Bonus: Title as Park

From Be My Favourite and Hidden Agenda I can tell that Title is an excellent actor who is great at making characters very creepy and hateable, which is exactly what Park is!

Lookjun as Pring

WHO THE FUCK KEEPS MAKING THESE?!??! THIS IS BASICALLY THE 4TH TIME WE'RE BEING SHOWN THE SAME STORY?!?!