One of the hardest things to get right in a romantic comedy is chemistry. But if the central couple doesn't convince you that they belong together, everything else starts feeling like filler. I Wanna Be Sup'tar thankfully avoids that worst-case scenario. Lilly and Belle are an immensely likable pair, and their natural screen presence carries the series through many of its weaker stretches. The problem isn't that the show lacks charm. It rarely capitalizes on all the charm it already has.
The premise is immediately appealing. One woman is desperately trying to become famous, while the other has already discovered that fame isn't nearly as glamorous as it looks. Throw them into the same house, add clashing personalities, awkward encounters, and a healthy dose of romantic tension, and you've got the ingredients for an excellent rom-com. For the first few episodes, that's largely what the series delivers. The house-sharing setup creates plenty of opportunities for comedy, and the entertainment-industry backdrop gives the romance a refreshing twist. Instead of revolving around university campuses or office politics, I Wanna Be Sup'tar explores celebrity culture, public image, fan expectations, and the exhausting performance required to live life in the spotlight. It's a setting that feels relatively fresh within the Thai GL landscape.
Ladapa Thongkham is particularly enjoyable as Win. She's asked to play someone who has grown cynical after years in the industry, and she brings exactly the right amount of restraint to the role. Win could have easily become cold or emotionally distant, but Ladapa allows viewers to see the vulnerability underneath her carefully maintained exterior. Some of the series' strongest scenes belong to her, especially when the story allows her to drop the public persona and simply exist as a woman trying to figure out what she actually wants.
Jiratchaya Kittavornsakul has the more difficult role as Wanneung. Optimistic dreamers are surprisingly hard characters to write because there's a fine line between being lovable and being exhausting. Early on, Wanneung occasionally leans too far toward the latter. Her enthusiasm can feel exaggerated, and there were moments where I wished the character had been written with a little more subtlety.
By the middle of the season, Wanneung becomes significantly easier to invest in, largely because the writing allows her to mature instead of remaining permanently stuck in wide-eyed innocence. Jiratchaya also finds a stronger emotional footing as the series progresses, and by the final episodes, I was considerably more invested in her journey than I had been at the beginning.
The relationship itself develops at a comfortable pace. I appreciated that the romance wasn't built entirely around endless misunderstandings or artificial conflict. There are certainly familiar rom-com beats, but the emotional progression generally feels earned. The quieter moments often work better than the louder ones, particularly when the series simply allows Win and Wanneung to spend time together without forcing dramatic complications into every episode.
The chemistry is good. It's just not electric. There were several scenes where I found myself appreciating the performances more than feeling swept up in the relationship itself. The emotional connection is there, but it doesn't always reach the level that elevates truly memorable romantic dramas. Considering how much the series depends on that central pairing, I couldn't help wishing for a little more spark.
Interestingly, some of the supporting characters nearly steal the show. Several secondary relationships and workplace dynamics feel every bit as engaging as the main romance, and there were episodes where I found myself just as interested in what everyone around Win and Wanneung was doing. That's not necessarily a criticism—the supporting cast is genuinely strong—but it occasionally shifts attention away from the leads at moments when the series should probably be reinforcing their connection.
The entertainment-industry setting also ends up feeling slightly underutilized. The show introduces interesting ideas about celebrity culture, fandom, image management, and the pressure of maintaining public personas, but it rarely explores those themes in significant depth. They provide an effective backdrop, yet they never become as central as I expected. I kept waiting for the series to say something sharper about fame itself. Instead, it mostly uses the industry as scenery for the romance.
The pacing is another mixed element. Some episodes move effortlessly, balancing comedy, romance, and character development. Others feel noticeably lighter on meaningful progression. There were stretches where I felt like the story was simply waiting for its next major emotional beat rather than actively building toward it. The season never becomes boring, but it does become uneven.
The tonal balance also isn't always perfect. Most of the show is a lighthearted romantic comedy, but when it suddenly shifts into heavier dramatic territory, those transitions occasionally feel abrupt. One particularly sensitive storyline, in particular, feels mishandled in both its placement and execution, creating a tonal inconsistency that briefly undercuts the warmth the series had spent several episodes building. It's easily the weakest creative decision in the season and one that could have been handled with much greater care.
Visually, though, the series is consistently attractive. The production embraces bright colors, lively locations, and an energetic aesthetic that complements its romantic-comedy identity. The soundtrack is equally effective, supporting the lighter moments without becoming intrusive. What ultimately stayed with me wasn't necessarily the love story itself but the show's optimism. I Wanna Be Sup'tar genuinely believes people deserve second chances, that ambition doesn't have to come at the expense of kindness, and that success means very little if you have nobody to share it with. Those ideas aren't revolutionary, but they're presented with enough sincerity to remain appealing.
I Wanna Be Sup'tar isn't trying to reinvent the romantic comedy. It's trying to deliver an easy, comforting watch built around two likable leads, and for the most part, it succeeds. Strong performances from Ladapa Thongkham and Jiratchaya Kittavornsakul, an enjoyable entertainment-industry backdrop, and plenty of charming character moments make it an engaging binge. However, uneven pacing, a romance that never fully catches fire, and a few questionable narrative choices prevent it from becoming one of the standout Thai GL dramas of recent years. It's consistently enjoyable, occasionally delightful, and just a little less memorable than its excellent premise suggests it could have been.
Final Score- [5.5/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times