Thai star Win Metawin tried his hand at Gelboy nails and here’s everything you need to know about the trend captivating Thailand.
Spring has officially arrived and colorful nail art is flooding social media. This year, nail artists are tapping into the return of maximalism in fashion and beauty. Bright and punchy nail lacquer has infiltrated beauty spaces, including the menicure sphere.
Need proof? Thailand recently birthed the trend to keep tabs on: Gelboy nails. Popularized in Bangkok, this manicure style has taken over Thailand’s trend book and is quickly spreading to Southeast Asia. Even actor Win Metawin, one of the country’s biggest heartthrobs, swapped his clean manicure for the bright and inventive polish.
Read on to see how Win embraced Thailand’s trendiest nail look for spring and what the Gelboy hype is all about.
Win Metawin’s Take on Gelboy Nails
From double waistbands to luxurious brooches, Thai star Win Metawin never turns his head away from daring trends. This week, the actor embraced the Gelboys-inspired nail art taking over the internet. The star posted a couple of selfies on social media, catching everyone’s attention with a multi-colored manicure.
Similar to the Gelboy art taking over TikTok, each nail boasted its own whimsical design. Win’s nails were decorated with bubble hearts, dots, and even an illustration of his dog — how cute is that?
Although his nails were smoother than some of the Gelboy nail art on social media, Win was still committed to the trend’s key points: imagination and creativity. His spin on the popular nail look proved that people can still achieve the intrigue of the trend without the extra dimension.
Jewelry to Match
As one of the brand’s prominent house ambassadors, Win didn’t miss the chance to pair the colorful nail art with a selection of Tiffany & Co. jewelry. On one hand, the Tiffany T Turquoise Wire Bracelet rested on his wrist, matching a couple of his nails — painted in a shade similar to the famous Tiffany blue.
Bestowing his look with a luxury feel, the heartthrob also sported diamond rings. Slipped onto his ring finger, the Tiffany Knot Double Row Ring caught the light at any angle. Meanwhile, the Tiffany T T1 Ring and Tiffany T Diamond and Turquoise Wire Ring adorned his hands with their geometric shape.
Overall, the diamonds and pops of color brought out the springtime hues in his manicure. Needless to say, Win added yet another all-kill look to his style book.
Gelboys Rise to Fame
Gelboy nails have grown in popularity through the Thai romance drama Gelboys. The show, starring Mahidol Pibulsonggram (PJ), Chayapak Tunprayoon (New), Leon Zech and Monthapoom Sumonvarangkul (Pide) follows a group of high schoolers entangled in a love square. As the name suggests, nail art plays a central role in the plot as characters are often portrayed going to the nail salon or painting each other’s nails.
Bangkok-based nail salon Kantima Salon, founded by Kantima (Grace) Banjodbee, serves as one of the series’ locations and is responsible for the trendy nail art in every episode. The manicures feature charms such as pearls, flowers, and emoji icons, bringing each character’s story to life.
But What Sets Gelboy Nails Apart?
Gelboy nails have stood out for their use of bright colors, charms, and 3D nail art. All these elements made the Japanese Kawaii nail trend famous in the early aughts. However, in 2025, nail art is not limited to women. Pushing gender boundaries and tackling stereotypes, men are stepping out of their comfort zone and adopting nail art as a form of expression.
Mirroring youth culture, Gelboy nails embody the whimsical, carefree aesthetic popular among Generation Z. When executing the trend, nail artists generally paint the nail plate with multiple punchy bright colors. More often than not, Gelboy manicures consist of ten non-uniform nail art designs. So, it’s key to create asymmetric, eye-catching designs.
In addition to the bold color palettes, the trend features 3D charms and hard gel on top of the lacquer. Rooted in imagination, the Gelboy look allows wearers to explore their creativity through nail art.
Over the past couple of years, nail trends have been very structured, offering no room for personalization. Gelboy nails are here to disrupt the norm. The trend has everything a springtime manicure needs: color, creativity, and whimsy. Just like Win, get creative and try your hand at the colorful gel nails captivating Thailand.
