These Two Ladies Fly Across the World to Listen to T-Pop Songs

These Two Ladies Fly Across the World to Listen to T-Pop Songs

“It was surreal because I never thought I would be able to see them live. It is different from being a fan of K-Pop artists where I know they would eventually come to Europe. But for Thai artists, it was like…it is never going to happen. So when they were there I was like…it’s crazy I was in shock for several hours. It’s just a really happy moment, a special moment that I would never forget. Really unbelievable.”

In the dimly lit concert hall, the lights from the LED screen shine onto two bodies in front of the first stage of the T-Pop Concert Fest. One was standing and the other sitting in a wheelchair, both waiting for their favourite artist to come on the stage. When the voice that they have been waiting to hear appears their eyes light up as bright as the light that lit up the stage.

The two ladies were Laura a fan club that travels all the way from Spain and Daniella who spins her wheel across the globe from Argentina to fulfil their long-awaited dream that started when the pandemic takes the world. To come to Thailand and meet their favourite artists, Jaylerr and Ice Paris.

In the interview, Laura reveals that both of them get to know each other through Twitter because they have some mutual friends. They bonded through being a fan of the same American and British shows and often find themselves in the same fandom. But the thing that brought them even closer in the time that they shared while they are in quarantine around 2020. When they watched the Thai boy’s love series together through an online platform. Starting with the hit boy love series of the year that was airing at the time, 2Gether the Series. Laura pulled Daniella into the world of ‘series Y’ and they have become a buddy for all series Y activities whether it’s watching series, online concerts, or fan meetings.

Covid obstructed travelling has opened doors for international fans, helping them to access Thai content that is normally hard to access more easily. Since everything has to be done online, they can buy tickets and enjoy them at the same time as Thai fans. From that year on, Laura and Daniella have been talking about this trip to Thailand but it was not until T-pop Concert Fest that things starts to fall into place and they decided to plan their trip around the dates.

Laura told us that one of the things that attracted her to Ice and Jaylerr, other than their talents is their friendship which parallels her relationship with Daniella. Since both of them made a pact with one being a fan of Jaylerr and the other of Ice Paris their experience of watching the two singing Unexpected live on stage is truly a dream come true.

Even though Laura started watching the Thai boy love series with Daniella in 2020, the first time that she had experienced Thai media dated back to 2016.

“It was a few years ago, back in 2016. I was looking for something to watch and someone recommended a Thai movie. But the first show that really hooked me, the one that I waited to watch while it is on air was Sotus the Series. Because I think that it was the first one that was taken seriously. It was done with quality. The whole university setting and also the senior-junior relationship because where I live it’s not as important as it does in Thailand or other Asian countries. So, overall it was really interesting.

And from there I just keep on watching. As for T-pop, I think if you are a fan of Series Y I think it is like a natural progression to start listening to the songs and became a fan of the artist, even artists that are not actors.“

When we asked about what makes her prefer the Thai boylove series despite all the contents from Spain and other Thai dramas Laura reveals an interesting perspective to us.

“I think when Thailand started making Series Y there weren’t many countries that were producing that sort of narrative. So it was new to me.

Many were talking about why women like Series Y. I think it’s because many times the way that women are represented…we don’t feel comfortable with that kind of representation or we don’t relate to that kind of representation. So in this narrative, we don’t have to relate to the female character who was badly constructed, misrepresented, or stereotyped. So I think it is a media that is kind of easier to watch. ”

In the end, we ask her about her opinion on what could be the thing that Thai media could do to connect to a wider group of audience. For Laura, even though she mentioned that Thai content is easier to access. She still thinks that there is room for improvement She hopes that in the future it would be easier to access more Thai variety shows and more Thai dramas on international streaming platforms. Because there are times when the dramas that are available in Thailand are not available in her region. Also, with better English subtitles and making Spanish subtitles available Laura believes that the number of audiences could grow as the interest in Thai content grows in South America. Lastly, Laura wishes for a good script that could show the full potential of Thai actors.

The next they after the concert, Laura and Danielly flew back home and stated that they will come back to Thailand. Even the two might be one of the few fans that are willing to fly across the world to meet their favourite artist. The love, heart, and determination of Thai Y Serries and T-pop fans could reflect its potential and how happiness could be sent across the world through Thai content and how it could draw people to Thailand. During this period where soft power is often discussed as something, Thailand should use to draw attention to our county. Laura and Daniella’s journey may be one of the indications that concerts, catchy music, and a love story that goes beyond gender restrictions in the series might just be the power that everyone is looking for.