I feel like you’ve made some posts about it before so pls feel free to ignore, but I’m really curious what some of your favorite non QL thai dramas and movies are? I’m really interested in branching out, but I don’t even know where to start lol
Hi nonnie 🤗
I'm always excited to share more non-QL thai dramas. I'm NEVER running out of recommendations. Just in case you can't find past works I've recommended before though, here is a list of my recommendation posts in the past which you can also check out because they're definitely some of my faves.
Thai series/films set in rural country side
Favorite GDH 559 films
Most favorite and second favorite Nadao Bangkok series
Favorite films starring Nadao Bangkok actors
The most worthwhile (long) evening lakorn from Workpoint TV - The Cheery Lee, Village Headman
Here are 10 of my favorite non-QL Thai series that I (re)watched in 2024/2025 not mentioned in the above posts that I would love to recommend to someone branching outside of Thai QL.
1. Taste
This is hands down my favorite series of 2025. I am the biggest sucker for good TV experience that leaves you with screaming what the fuck at the end of every episode, characters that feel vulnerable, super flawed characters that keep making bad decisions but you can still feel empathy for them, especially an extremely misunderstood morally grey selfish protagonist who doesn't have a tragic family background to excuse her bad decisions (the average tv audience did not get you but i got you bambi).
2. The Empress of Ayodhaya
I have very limited historical lakorn experience but I was absolutely awe-struck by this dramatised tale of Phraya Mae Yuhua Sri Sudachan - the only queen of Ayodhaya. The character development or rather progression of the leads were PHENOMENAL. It is probably Film Thanapat's best acting performance, rivalring his insane performance in revenge lakorn The Cruel Game วิมานสีทอง.
3. Ready, Set, Love
I will never recommend this show enough. With only 6 episodes, Ready Set Love is high-value, fast-paced, quirky campy romcom series with a dash of dystopian and thriller to it. The color grading and lighting and cinematography were gorgeous and the dynamic pastel/vibrant color palette reminded me strongly of Pushing Daisies. It is truly unlike any other Thai shows in existence.
4. The Believers
heist thriller in a buddhist temple setting. absolutely goated.
5. Mad Unicorn
THE acting performance of the year 2025. the role that makes you understand why ice natara is an actor that releases one work a year because he transforms himself immensely for all his roles that he's almost unrecognisable each time he comes back on screen.
6. Doctor Climax
A unique dramedy that seamlessly blends humor with a stunning portrayal of 1970s Bangkok while asking thought-provoking questions. Doctor Climax has such a unique style, cinematography, storytelling technique that I'm sad it's a bit overlooked and underrated because the protagonist of the story is a cheating bastard 😭 I bet if the protagonist was played by a more conventionally handsome leading actor, it would be more well-received 🙄 This is probably my favorite Thai show ever set in the 1970s (Shine is very close to dethroning it though not yet 😅).
also did i mention IT HAS LGBTQ+ characters!
okay just one more gif but I'm absolutely GAGGED by the cinematography in this... like the visual storytelling is utilised to its full potential in this show and just wow. narratively, it might be thin and unfulfilling but i cannot praise enough the cinematography and vfx in this show.
7. 180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us
Generational trauma was never better explained through a theatric, play-like series.
8. The Broken Us
One of the more underrated portrayals of autism in Thai media. The Broken Us is just so wholesome and so much heart, so human.
9. Analog Squad
literally the definition of "found family" in the form of a series
10. My Cherie Amour
My Cherie Amour is like the most representative work of what it means to be a decent CH3 lakorn romcom: a drama that has its ups and downs because of obnoxious parents (that frustrate audience to no end) and a lead couple with strong chemistry and acting capabilities, that works their ways through everything together.
Alternatively to My Cherie Amour, a perfect love story that doesn't feature obnoxious/annoying parents would be To The Moon And Back which features the most loving wholesome gay dad in Thai television history. TTMAB is like a rare unicorn in CH3 lakorns filmography so that's why I said My Cherie Amour is like the perfect representative for what it means to be a CH3 lakorn.
Okay I know half of this list is Netflix Thai originals but usually when I'm asked for recs on Thai Non-QL shows, I feel like these are the more non thai-friendly series than like the 20+ episode telenovela-like lakorns featuring tropes like slap kiss, non-con, romanticisation of sexual abuse, cartoonish villains... so feel free to send me more specific asks if you've happened to already seen all these accessible Thai shows before.
But if you'd made your way to the very bottom of this list, I'm once again plugging my all-time favorite, no one has beaten it Thai series of all time Bad Genius (2020) dir. Pat Boonnitipat (the director of How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies). I've recommended this in the past but I will never not include it because of how in love I am with this show. not the easiest show to watch legally anymore, depending on where you live but it's literally the best thai show, i'm obsessed with it, i'm its biggest defender, biggest promoter, please bare with me. GDH is so fucking good at making series. I'm their biggest company stan. I can easily tell you to not watch any shows above and just watch this one if you plan on picking just one show =))))))))))))))
