On November 5, BDLMD Entertainment announced its first GL (girl love) series, featuring young top stars from the Thai entertainment scene. According to the company’s statement, the drama will feature two main pairs: MINDY’s MingMing with Ranida “Preem” Techasit and BNK48 Pun with MINDY Ilene.
While the growing GL genre has been widely celebrated for its inclusiveness and positive portrayal of same-sex relationships, the casting announcement was met with harsh criticism after fans discovered the age differences between the leads.
Punwho turns 25 this week, has been coupled up Ilenewho is only 16 years old, creating an age gap of almost ten years between an adult and a minor. The other couple also has a ten year age difference MingMing at 7 pm Prem at 29, further fueling public unease.
The controversy quickly spread across social media platforms, with international viewers and Thai netizens condemning what they saw as irresponsible casting and inappropriate romantic implications. Many criticized the company for potentially romanticizing a relationship between an adult actress and an underage actress.
In response, BDLMD Entertainment issued a clarification, stating that the plot is intermediate Ilene AND Pun it does not depict a romantic relationship, but rather a brotherly bond within an original narrative. The company stressed that the pairing was misunderstood and that the context of the drama was not related to romance.
However, fans remained skeptical. Observers pointed out that the company’s initial promotional post included the hashtag #PUNNIOLOa combination of names typically used to indicate a couple pairing in Thai entertainment promotions. Additionally, many have linked the announcement to a highly anticipated series titled leave me Huanwhich reportedly explores a romantic storyline between two adoptive sisters, a strikingly similar premise to the newly announced project.
This overlap only deepened doubts about the company’s explanation. Critics argue that even if the characters’ relationship is platonic, casting a minor in a context that hints at a romance with an adult remains ethically questionable.
At this time, BDLMD Entertainment has not provided further clarifications or changed its promotional material. International advocacy groups and online communities continue to call for greater accountability and ethical standards in media production involving underage artists.
It remains to be seen whether the drama will undergo revisions or retain its current concept, but the controversy has already cast a shadow over the company’s debut in the GL genre.
Sources: Koreaboo
