STATUS OF FAT FEMALE CHARACTERS ON THAI TELEVISION DRAMAS

Abstract

        This research is textual and content analysis that emphasizes the influence of fat characters. The creator has chosen the popular television dramas that on air during 2010-2017 which are 1) Hi-tech Housekeeper (2010) 2) Vengeful (2014) 3) Whisper of the Sea (2017) that use appearance and self-satisfied concept as study guidelines and to support the results. Along with television drama elements and character creation theories to create the screenwriting.

        From the results found that Thai dramas with fat characters can be divided to 4 matters which are

        1) Fat characters mostly found in Drama and Romantic-Comedy categories and each of the drama has arranged in a clear order.

        2) The roles of fat characters found as the good-hearted characters and on the contrary, flattering and bad-mounting kind. However, both habits show that fat characters don’t have much knowledge because they’re poor and came from out of town to become a labor in Bangkok. They mostly work as a housekeeper or janitor which inferior comparing to the main character. For the relationship part, fat characters tend to support the main character in order to carry on with the story.

        3) The importance of fat characters are to relieve the stress, brighten up the story and as well as their lighthearted jokes.

        4) Fat characters rarely get the main roles, the audience may feel familiar with the actors/actresses but they seem to get the same old roles and get recognized poorly comparing to the main character that fits the beauty standard.