From T-Pop To Thai Cuisine, Decoding Thailand’s Journey To Becoming The Next Global Influence
Thailand's T-wave just might be on its way to global domination. Here's the reason why.
We are all familiar with the Hallyu wave. From K-pop to K-dramas, Korean content has taken over the world. But now there’s a new cultural phenomenon arising in Southeast Asia, which many predict can be the next global obsession. From Thai artists like Lisa and Jeff Satur dominating the charts to popular BLs like The Next Prince and Top Form taking over our watch lists, here is everything you need to know about Thailand’s rising T-wave.
Rise Of The T-wave
Backed by the Thai government, the Thailand Soft Power movement aims to become globally recognised by programmes such as the One Family One Soft Power” (OFOS) Project. These programmes aim to strengthen tourism, upskill Thai youth and promote the country’s music and culture.
Thailand’s T-wave focuses on 5 factors- fashion, food, film, festivals and fighting. T-pop has also been a rising and up-and-coming genre globally, with musicians like Jeff Satur and the Thai boy band LYKN gaining global popularity. Data from Spotify shows that the global audience for Thai music has doubled.
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Thailand is known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights. It recently became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same s*x marriage. The county’s stance is also reflected in the content that is created and consumed by its audience. Boys Love or BL is a popular genre that focuses on gay romance shows. Thailand has pioneered the production of these shows and even attracted major foreign investments.
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Thai cuisine is also loved worldwide, with Thai restaurants being found in every country now. Dishes like Thai curry, mango sticky rice, and papaya salad are winning the hearts and stomachs of people all around the globe.
Also Read: 5 Iconic Thai BLs To Watch As A Beginner
Although there is not one single factor we can point to for the rise of the T-wave, K-pop idols like BLACKPINK’s Lisa and GOT7’s BamBam have definitely played a huge role in exposing people to Thai culture. So, do you think the T-wave will take over the world just like South Korea did?
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Also Read: From Bad Genius To The Medium, Here’s Your Starter Pack To The Best Thai Films!
First Published: July 04, 2025 5:41 PM
