You might have seen it on your For You page, maybe it was a reaction video, a review, or even a TikTok challenge; and the hype is real! Gelboys is one of the industry’s current obsessions and we’re living in every single bit of it.
Boss Kuno has made another hit with his latest output, Gelboys, following the success of The Paradise of Thorns. The director has been working hard in this series as he embraces challenges and stepping-out-of-the-box resolution in his craft. Gelboys shows the story of Fou4Mod, Baabin, Chian, and Bua as they uncover their innermost struggles in relationship and finding the horizon of growing-up in the form of maturity.
As the hype is still around, here’s some keypoint that you don’t want to miss out:
Pop Culture Realness
The series embraces youth by using Gen Z, the generation itself, as the medium. This is not only applicable in plot devices or graphic aesthetics, but a celebration of pop culture. The ‘Gel Boy’ aesthetic showcases the invisibility of stereotypes and defying sensational moments as generation evolves. The ‘Gel’ is a reference for gel nails that was the running visual concept for the series. In today’s generation, gel nails aren’t exclusive for gender, but a platform of expression – like emojis, graffities, and other art forms that have been running around for decades.
The series shows Fou4mod’s mother being a fan of Four-Mod which was a pop sensation in the 2000’s – a very fan behavior of his mom naming after her faves. There’s also a character who is obsessed with his idol, Baabin. He is a die-hard Blink, Lisa bias, who collects, makes everyone stream for the comeback and typically brings his Hammer Bong everywhere. Ohh! How we love idol culture!
Soundtrack
Speaking of culture, have we mentioned that the series also revolves in TPOP? Well, it was obvious that some of the characters were obsessed with idols. Chian and his lovely friend, Bua, were a fan of Thailand’s Nation Girl Group, 4EVE; running with their favorite song, Test Me. They even wait for their radio appearance in one of the corners of Siam Center. You can also see the mention and use of PROXIE’s song in Fou4mod’s P.O.V., such like Silent Mode, and their debut single, Crazy Love.
The soundtrack for Gelboys was sung and performed by BUS because of you I shine, which is a massive hit in Thailand right now. It was the perfect group to embody the OST as the series and the group captured the same Street concept. BUS is one of the beloved TPOP boy groups nowadays, they even represented and performed TPOP excellence in the last Asia Artist Award 2024, in which they also gained the award of ‘Artist of the Year’.
The leads also contribute to the series’ soundtrack. Each character embodies a track which was released after the character’s episode. Fou4Mod has Red Flag, Chian has 9PM, Baabin has Gu ja Crazy, and lately, Bua’s Noid-Ah which they also followed with LOVEGELS as their final OST before the finale. With these soundtracks, you can feel the air of Siam Square.
NEW CHAYAPAK – เลิกกั๊กแล้วรักก่อน (RED FLAG)
PIDE – วันนี้ปีหน้า (9PM)
PJ – ไอ้บ้า (Gu ja Crazy)
LEON BROCCO – ไม่เท่าเดิม (Noid-Ah)
LOVEGELS OST.GELBOYS สถานะกั๊กใจ (Prod. by URBOYTJ)
Storytelling and Characters
The story revolves around Gen Z essentials. The director, Boss Kuno, pointed out in the documentary that they have to use mobile phones to make the scenes feel like it was taken in a very Gen Z way. In order for them to bite the character’s antics, some staff also tried having gel nails as they researched within Siam Square. Boss Kuno is also known as the master of Coming-Of-Age, which we all have witnessed in I Told Sunset About You. With these processes and creative juices, they are able to emphasize the weight of emotions behind these colorful lives of being young. In Baabin and Bua’s episodes, (spoiler alert!) colors are juxtaposed in the order of the plot. It is yet colorful to contour the fact that our life is a reflection of being neglected by our past generations. Gelboys has its way of telling us that colors are able to express what we are in our life right now. It’s not about the placing, but it is told by our pacing.
You are not late, you’re just in time. It’s your chance to watch Gelboys now (or maybe later), because this upcoming Saturday (March 22), we are able to witness the conclusion of the series. This show meant a lot not just to Gen Zs, but to every generation that suffered from a societal paradigm.
Gelboys are starred by New Chayapak Tunprayoon as Fou4Mod, PJ Mahidol Pibulsonggram as Baabin, Pide Monthapoom Sumonvarangkul as Chian, and Leon Zech as Bua. The series was produced and directed by Boss Naruebet Kuno under LOOKE Creatives.
PHOTO BY LOOKE
PHOTO BY LOOKE
PHOTO BY LOOKE
PHOTO BY LOOKE
Watch the trailer of GELBOYS here:
You may watch the GELBOYS series via IQIYI.
Written by Sky Sassitorn
Thaimazing Manila 