Dan and Kraam are an LGTBQ cartoon couple who go about their lives together, fumbling goofily and happily around each other. They bring joy and comfort to each other at home, in bed, and on the train. This illustrated pair is the creation of a Thai artist named Koong, who’s been penning their life together for the past couple of years, zeroing in lately with a solid, near-weekly webtoon. Although they’re loosely based on his personal experiences with his real-life partner, he keeps a safe distance between the real world and his illustrated one. He does this to avoid interfering too heavily with what goes on in the pages and in his home, but also to play with different body types on paper.

Although Koong (whose real name is Ruksit Jitburanachart) now shares his work freely with his friends, it was something that took some time. Part of that is because his earlier work had more of a sexual element, which still makes him blush a bit. But it was also because he was shy of revealing his passion for drawing. “It was like another coming out moment,” he laughs. He’s open about the comic with some of his immediate family as well but avoids sharing it with some of his extended family who may be more conservative. The reaction when he started posting online was immediately supportive, both from strangers and friends as they learned of it, but he notes that it’s not exclusively positive. “I receive more direct messages on Instagram than other platforms and have faced negative comments on certain images there.”

The sexual element of Koong’s work is something he’s toned down a bit over time as he’s explored broader elements of what it’s like to be in a close relationship. Capturing things like thoughtful texts at work, sneaky kisses, and the supportive nature of a healthy partnership are the things that viewers have gravitated toward in his work. “They seem to sense the chemistry or emotional connection between the characters. People feel represented by them and find joy in them, which is incredibly fulfilling.” That’s not to say that he steers away from private scenes, and the couple often engage in comical but sexual moments, although they rarely expose themselves. “I see intimate moments as just one aspect of relationships and aim to express a variety of messages within each strip.” Now that he’s building out a Patreon, where explicit imagery is not censored, he’s trying to explore those elements a bit more once again.” I’m trying to find the courage to create more NSFW content. Sex is a normal aspect of relationships, but I feel awkward drawing characters rooted in my experiences and sharing intimate scenes.”

This evolution towards celebrating the spectrum of moments in a relationship comes from Koong’s main inspiration to start drawing gay couples. Although he’s been an artist since childhood, he mainly used to draw the characters from cartoons and anime that he was a fan of, and it later became a form of therapeutic release during his time as an architect. But it wouldn’t be until he watched Heartstopper on Netflix, which revolves around a gay character who has feelings for an athlete at his school that the idea was sparked. “The show really communicates the unique path of LGBT love, which is distinct from straight love. We’ve all gone through similar experiences,” he explains. “Its emphasis on everyday communication and moments between characters—focusing more on relationships than explicit content—stood out and resonated with me. It was something I hadn’t encountered in previous stories.” The representation of his feelings and experiences on the show was powerful and he wanted to create more of it for other people like himself. This led directly to Dan and Kraam.

With the amount of support that Koong has been receiving for the comics, he recently quit his job as an architect and is throwing himself into artwork full-time. “I still have a passion for architectural design, but being an artist or a comic writer is like a childhood dream that I never thought could come true,” he says. “Since the chance is here, I don’t want to regret not giving it my full effort.” With the extra time to invest in his style and the broader ideas he’s been exposed to as a new member of the illustration community, he wants to push things further. Whether that comes in the form of infusing his comics with architectural elements or expanding into acrylics and art toys, he’s still unsure. Wherever he goes next though, he’s going all the way. “There’s no more taking a day off; I’m both the boss and the employee now. If work isn’t finished, I have to use self-discipline to get it done.”