Thai Male Actor Images as Cultural Soft Power: From Idealised Images to Humanised Appeal in Contemporary Media Culture

Abstract

This article examines the image of Thai male actors as a form of cultural soft power by analyzing the transformation of celebrity images from idealized representations to humanized identities within contemporary media culture. The study is based on the observation that the concept of soft power, traditionally associated with moral appeal,  idealized image, and social perfection, has shifted within the context of digital media, where sincerity, vulnerability, and lived experiences increasingly shape audience acceptance and emotional connection. This qualitative study employs an interpretive social and cultural content analysis approach, using Thai male actors with sustained visibility across mainstream and digital media as case studies. The data consist of more than 300 publicly available media texts collected between 2005 and 2025, including entertainment news, interviews, television dramas, films, advertisements, songs, social media content, and audience comments in digital spaces. The study aims to understand how media culture constructs, circulates, and negotiates the meanings of celebrity image in contemporary society. The findings reveal that the soft power of Thai male actors emerges through media processes that construct, reproduce, and expand image meanings through interactions among media platforms, public figures, and audiences. These images combine idealized masculinity with humanity, emotional accessibility, and relatability within contemporary media culture. As a result, the image of Thai male actors has shifted from moral exemplars toward forms of celebrity identity grounded in human appeal, emotional connection, and audience engagement in contemporary media culture.