Breaking through stereotypes seems to be Director Yuan Danop’s favorite pastime. Recently in news for his Thai remake of the Chinese BL adaptation “Addicted Heroin”, Mr. Danop had a careful consideration in mind while recreating the original which was widely popularized because of its sexual undertones. There were mixed responses; while some applauded his attempt to tackle the subject with sensitivity, others were disappointed with the lack of NC content (which is fast becoming a norm in the Thai BL industry). Is breaking out of the mold a diffident procrastination? We sought answer to this question as we sat down for a thoughtful conversation with the talented filmmaker!

1) Your journey started with “Tom Gay”. How was the experience of directing such a delicate subject for the first time?

In fact, I started creating LGBTQ content back in university. My thesis project is titled “Toylet” or “Restroom of Love,” which revolves around a middle school boy, who was raped by a strange man in a public restroom. At an age when young boys can’t separate love and sex, falling in love with that strange man who didn’t even know his name seemed odd. So he went to wait for the strange man in the same bathroom every day.

This work received recognition from my professors and was presented for awards, winning second place in an international short film festival, serving as a gateway into the industry for me.

At that time, people were not very aware of the growth of LGBTQ youth, which is a delicate and complex topic. Presenting stories like this requires careful consideration, as it aims to offer positive insights while also providing entertainment that resonates with the audience.

2) Your next ventures “Love Sick Season 2” and “Make It Right” are timeless classics with a cult following of their own. Describe the feeling of directing such popular shows?

When I select novels to adapt into series, we first consider which stories fit the social context and can provide valuable insights to our audience. Initially, I didn’t expect that many viewers would be women; I only thought we would represent teenagers in the LGBTQ community and offer them a strong and meaningful perspective on love.

Looking back to when we worked on the first Thai BL series, “Lovesick”, we were a part of the selection process for novels. The reason we liked Lovesick by Khun Kwan was that the title, when translated literally, sounds silly: “Love is Sick.” And it truly resonated because, at that time, society viewed love between men as something sick or wrong. We hoped everyone would eventually accept that seeing two men in love in public isn’t strange at all. After directing Season 2 of this project, I was thrilled to see a strong positive response from the fans, especially the girls in the BL community. Anyone who says that these fans don’t support LGBTQ representation is mistaken; their cheers and encouragement have helped society embrace men holding hands while shopping together.

Later on, I directed “Make It Right”, which translates to “Make It Right.” During a dark time when men had to secretly meet in restrooms and chat discreetly to initiate relationships through sex, this novel by Khun Na was the perfect story to convey to one group that even if relationships start with desire, they can still be made right and transformed into strong, lasting love.

3) “What the Duck” is another show that gained worldwide popularity. Since it was an adaptation, how did you work around the original script?

The last series that I worked on with great passion before Covid 19 happened worked on is “What the Duck”, based on the novel by P’ Seng Ped. It tells the story of a character who is just like an ordinary person—he has a family, a job with responsibilities, and burdens to care for. He has dreams he wants to achieve, yet he has to live in a reality where he is not happy at all. Despite this, he still finds time to pursue his dreams, and eventually, his dreams come true. During our production, we wanted to present that LGBTQ individuals are just like everyone else. I also added a second gay couple to reflect the issues faced by same-sex couples in adulthood, running parallel to the main couple in the story, which represents the ideal love that many viewers aspire to—a comparison between the two relationships.

4) “Hit Bite Love” took us back to the schooldays and it was an instant hit? Why do choose subjects that portray teenage love?

Almost a decade has passed since I directed the series “Lovesick.” The world has changed with technology and the pandemic. Suddenly, I had an intense passion to tell the story of the silent dangers that young people face, who fall into traps because of the word “love” without understanding it. They love in the wrong way or choose paths that don’t suit them. This led me to present “Hit Bite Love” an original work of my own.

6) The Thai remake of popular Chinese BL “Addicted Heroin” has received mixed reviews? Were you anticipating this kind of response?

Addiction to love is a type of toxic relationship that, when taken to excess, can become harmful to your mental health. This is the message I hope to convey in the series “Addicted Heroin.” In each episode, I would have the team research different types of emotional addictions to communicate these themes while integrating entertainment. This means we will present engaging stories alongside exploring and analyzing the mental health issues arising from imbalanced love in the everyday lives of most people. These problems are not exclusive to same-sex relationships; they can occur in heterosexual relationships and among women loving women as well. Of course, the series is not a cure; we simply aim to reflect certain societal issues for viewers to be aware of within the framework of a fictional narrative.

7) There is a lot of talk about the apparent lack of kissing/NC scenes in the show. The Chinese version became popular because of those scenes. As a director, what was your vision when you decided not to incorporate such sensual scenes in your remake?

I am a fan of both the “Addicted Heroin” series and the novel. I admit that while reading the novel, I was deeply affected by its content multiple times LoL. However, when I watched the series, I found myself more interested in the relationship between the two main characters than in their NC scenes. When I adapted it into the Thai version, I didn’t feel that the kissing or NC scenes were as necessary as the nuanced relationship that lies within.

I already knew what to expect by creating a series without kissing or NC scenes, and I understood that some viewers would be dissatisfied without those scenes. However, there are still people who appreciate what I want to communicate and convey through my work. I am grateful to everyone who supports and stands by me, and we will grow together as creators and viewers.

8) August Vachiravit & Mac Nattapat made a formidable team but there are many questioning their age-gap. Most believe that their age difference is the reason for the lack of NC scenes. What is your honest opinion about the same?

The age difference between them is definitely not a problem, but I chose actors who could convey the emotions of the characters in the novel in terms of spirit rather than focusing on NC from the beginning. I can confirm that during our rehearsal in class, they both shared a passionate kiss. However, in the society I face today, everyone is concerned about issues regarding minors. Although it’s not illegal, it is a sensitive topic. While I might be indifferent to this issue since it’s just acting, I chose to convey it in this manner.

9) Talk to us about your upcoming future projects related to BL culture?

We are currently in the process of making Addicted Heroin Season 2.

10) We have a lot of BL fans and members of the LGBTQ community as our avid readers. Do you have a message to share with them?

“Of course! To all the BL fans and members of the LGBTQ community, I want to say thank you for your continuous support and for following our works. You are the inspiration that drives us to create quality content that truly reflects love stories in various forms. We will work hard to bring you stories that resonate and foster understanding of different kinds of love. I hope you will continue to stand by us and join us on this journey in the future!”

The BL Xpress would like to express their gratitude to Mr. Yuan Danop for this exclusive!