Hormonal soap opera makes NBTC hot and bothered

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has called entertainment conglomerate GMM Grammy regarding Thailand’s hottest new soap opera “Hormones” and requested an evaluation of the show’s script.

“Hormones” – the first Thai soap to depict sex in high school frankly – will be reviewed by the NBTC on Aug. 5 as to whether it violates Legislative Act 37: immorality. If it’s found guilty, punishment might result in the re-editing of show under the NBTC’s instructions, Matichon reported.

Nine episodes of “Hormones” have aired over the past month on GMM1’s cable channel and Youtube. The show has sparked interest from Thai media and gotten great feedback from the valuable under-30 demographic.

Known for its realism, the show’s popularity probably stems from how well it reflects Thai society where taboo acts are meant to be ignored.

The series deals with the lives of Thai high school students who struggle to live a normal life without being judged by their peers and parents. Every character might remind you of an old friend or even yourself years ago. The storyline includes common major events of adolescence: first kisses, pregnancy scares, gay ex-boyfriends.

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But NBTC president Peerapong Manakij does not approve.

“ ‘Hormones’ does not show graphic images of intercourse, but it leads people to imagine. Many claim that everything on the show is, in fact, going on in our society, but as adults, we have to consider if it’s OK to let people believe that this is real,” said Peerapong. Right.

But after “Hormones” it’s going to be impossible to settle for Channel 3 soaps about non-dynamic characters falling in love, just to be sabotaged by a sexy villain who ends up in a mental institution or somewhat disabled at the end of the show.

So we’ll just have to go on Facebook to get our salaciousness.  

Watch the first episode of Hormones here with English subtitles: