Best 23 of BL 2023 - Quirky Awards
SHOCK & AWE AWARDS
1. Biggest BL surprise of 2023:
The last 3 months of 2023 in general got my biggest WTF award.
GMMTV fielding OffGun AND TayNew in the same quarter while also airing Last Twilight (arguably one of their best BLs ever)
That they ALSO optioned 3 JBLs
That there's a high heat omegaverse BL staring Pavel
That there were 20 BLs airing and none of them Korean.
With 5 VAMPIRE BLs announced for next year
But my prize in this category goes to My Dear Gangster Oppa.
It's just crazy:
Thai talent, Korean money + IP (this is adapted from a manwha) airing on a Chinese channel (iQIYI). Plus it was GOOD and made smart reuse of a pair who richly deserved it. I'm delighted by the eclectic insanity of this production. And wonder if any other film genre could even do anything like this.
2. The “that country did WHAT?” award:
The 8th Sense from Korea?!
I mean, seriously?! Dealing with metal health, suicide, darkness, therapy, age gap, & first time love BUT FROM KOREA? And then openness and casual boyfriend physical affection? What's next? An actual hard fought coming out narrative with an HEA? Gay domesticity and families?
Careful Korea, you'll strain something. Possibly your own culture and film industry.
I should stop having expectations of Korea, they keep surprising me.
Runners up: Korea letting OnlyOneOf do Bump Up Business not to mention that OmegaX thing. AND Korea adapting Why R U? What are you up to, Korea? Qua? Is this a coded message? Should we send help? Do you need snacks?
3. Biggest casting whoa! where did you come from? award:
GeminiFourth in My School President.
Seriously? Babies what? How did GMMTV find you? How do you exist? How is BL this lucky?
4. That studio did WHAT now? award:
GMMTV putting EarthMix into Moonlight Chicken.
And then doubling down with G4 as the damn sides.
Fucking genius.
5. I’m sad you were ignored award:
Destiny Seeker.
It's just a really fun little Thai pulp, the pairs were good, silly dialogue, plus consent and other good rep. I enjoyed it. No one talked about it AT ALL.
6. 2023 BL That Actually Made Me Lose My Mind Award?
Laws of Attraction. -The casting, the crazy story, the soapy drama! But specifically: Film playing Charn - the range of his smiles alone. GLORIOUS
I mean I Feel You Linger in the Air also sparked something in me, but LoA drove me actually nuts.
NARRATIVE AWARDS
7. Best story 2023:
La Pluie
I know, you're surprised, right? At the time I didn't chat much about it but I really enjoyed the discourse others were having. I love anything that really examines the fated mates (soulmates) trope and the idea of "the one". What a clever way to do that. (This is one reason UWMA is my favorite Thai BL.)
This one reminded me of the way Color Rush approached allegory and that's no bad thing. Such an impressive little piece.
8. Best narrative structure 2023 award:
Unintentional Love Story.
I know this may seem a simplistic pick. But I love the tidiness of this no frills contemporary romance, how the culture of work and personal ethics and corruption fight against the main character's affection and integrity. Poor baby boy is driven into a corner and then punished for it. But it is punishment he feels he deserves, and so it is up to his (now) ex to figure out what went wrong and why.
It's just great. I love it when no one is stupid or wrong, it's just impossible circumstances and unintentional love deeply felt.
9. Best 2023 dialogue (script) award:
Jun & Jun
Never before has Korea laced a BL with that much perfectly executed innuendo. It was a master class. I didn't know you could be that lascivious in Korean, quite frankly. Plus the way the 2 Juns constantly seamlessly transition between formal register (work, public - where they are boss/employee) to informal register (when they are alone and age mates + childhood sweethearts).
Beautiful to hear and watch.
10. Favorite scene 2023:
The dub con scene in I Cannot Reach You because I AM TRASH for an out of control seme. I'm sorry I just AM.
I have said it before, I will say it again, NO ONE DOES THIRST like Japan. And when that thirst bubbles over, it is heart-clenching and very hot.
11. The most rewatchable BL of 2023 award:
Our Dating Sim
That scene where they lie on the floor + the stolen kiss + giggle? Come on, it should be on comfort repeat in war rooms. It could bring world peace.
ACTORS & CHARACTERS AWARDS
12. Best performance of a queer actor in a leading role, 2023:
Fluke in Make a Wish.
It was fun to see him as an irreverent immortal and while I love OhmFluke I also really enjoyed this new pairing. It was a genuine pleasure to watch.
13. Best pining 2023:
The moot pining in Tokyo in April is...
Boys, seriously? Japan must you destroy us like this? Hurts so good.
14. Best wingman 2023 (The Namgoong Award)
Tiw from My School President
I mean, come on, of course it's him!
(Also can you believe Mark went on from this to do fricking Only Friends!? To Last Twilight! Come on GMMTV GIVE HIM A LEAD!)
15. Biggest OMG I LOVE you boys together, YAY!
Dimpled McMafia & Feral Bunny Foo Foo from Kiseki Dear to Me.
They were feral for each other.
We were feral for them
It was a whole delightful THING.
16. Most unexpected return of a BL pair? award:
The Private Lessons pair showing up in Love Class 2.
I know it was only a cameo, but SERIOUSLY? Thank you SO MUCH Korea! A big studio picking up a Strongberry pairing? I love you.
Seriously tho between them, Taiwan & Korea tried for ALL THE CAMEOS this year.
17. Well aren't you two just the prettiest? award:
NetJames in Bed Friend.
Need I say more?
18. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Bah Vinh in Vian & Mr Cinderella 2. I did like either show but I loved him in them. Especially the make outs.
Yes you have chemistry with all the boys in Vietnam and you kiss beautifully.
But it's okay now honey, you have the crown.
Relax, you're stressing us out.
RANDOM PICKS
19. Favorite Linguistic Moment of 2023:
Our Dating Sim
Caught in the act by the elevator scene. OMG it's so funny. They're being such boyfriend shits to each other, and to be caught in the act by THAT character, and try to manifest formal language whole cloth? Hilarious.
Honorable mention to War Peanuts in Destiny Seeker.
20. Biggest disappointment of 2023:
You Are Mine
Seriously Taiwan, AGAIN you disappoint me with an Office BL? You're Taiwan, land of offices and suits. This should be YOUR SETTING TO WIN. And yet... argh. I mean it wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. Stop it Taiwan, do better.
Runners up? Between Us, Chains of Heart, Dangerous Romance - this was a HOTLY contested category.
+ 2 Winners in the sub-category of FUCK YOU FOR THAT ENDING award:
The Director who Buys Me Dinner - I mean this nicely but: you have your lane now Korea, stop hurting us, that's Japan's responsibility and they do it better.
I Feel You Linger In the Air - I'm just hugely disappointed. Thailand ALMOST got its second 10/10 from me, but that damn ending.
Argh.
21. Best Wardrobe/Prop Use 2023
The shower of packaged bedsheets in My Personal Weatherman
Amazing.
Brilliant.
No notes.
22. Best Queer Rep 2023
Chot in Step By Step
In fact, all the queer characters in this show were treated with great integrity.
AND props to this cast for refusing to do fan service. GOOD FOR YOU! Fuck those sasang wankers.
Runners up? The found family cast of Love in Translation and the Rainbow Rice Cakes in The New Employee.
23. Best Meta Trope call out
Tin Tem Jai
Come on, what a zinger, but at themselves (and Taiwan)
Final question: which of the 23 was the hardest for me to pick?
Honestly? Question #1 this year.
But also question #20.
(Last year: 2022's Version)
Remember I only pull from shows that were completely finished by the end of 2023. Or The Sign probably would have taken multiple categories. But it will fall into 2024 offerings.
(source)
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Notes from the ep 15 sex scene after my 10th rewatch 👩🏫👩⚕️👩💻👩🔬
hongjo giggling in the doorway and acting all shy like sweety YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HIM
the way he went from cute and clumsy to AMBUSHING HER 👁👄👁
for a giraffe he's quite wolfish in his table manners 😏😏
PINNED AGAINST THE WALL, GOD IS GOOD
WHY WAS THAT CURSED LIGHT SWITCH RIGHT THERE
[wet kissing noises]
THOSE 6'2/187CMs ENGULFING HER
he started unbuttoning her almost immediately, (the shirt DOES look better on the floor, shinyu, u ARE absolutely correct)
the horny-cute gasp of "wait a minute [we should do it on the dresser, follow me"] WE LOVE A WOMAN WHO SHOWS INITIATIVE
the way hongjo backed up against the dresser and shinyu followed her like she was his preyyy
she was smiling but he was on a MISSION TO GET BETWEEN THEM THIGHS
he lifted her up on the dresser like it was nothing 🥵🥵🥵
hooded eyes, jaw clenched, heavy breathing 🌶🌶🌶🌶 10/10
they both looked like they were just lost in the sounds and sensations like literally blissfully unaware of anything outside that room
god bless u and your hard work in the gym, rowoon, is that a 12-pack (thanks for zooming in on the ahem scar camera crew)
the way they cooperated in stripping shinyu's shirt off him, TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
his hands doing SOMETHING outside of the frame whatttt are they doingggg
him kissing her hard and pushing her down 😌😌🙌🥂
shinyu's big hand flexing on hongjo's thigh and calf like YES SIR, GRAB IT
hongjo grasping two fistfuls of his hair to keep him where she wanted him YES QUEEN
him helping her wrap her legs around him 🥵🥵🥵🍿🍿🍿🍷🍷
the final shot of hongjo's shirt slipping off her shoulders and him moving on top of her in a pose not dissimilar to dracula and mina's in that One Scene in the garden in bram stoker's dracula
they were feraaalll
no for real he might actually be part beast
no wonder because shinyu/mujin waited 300+ years to Do That
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Random 2023 BL Awards I made up
Best use of music in a BL:
I was going to just blanket statement say Only Friends, and then I was thinking, wait, was anything more touching than Khaotung sobbing his way through "The Moon Represents My Heart" in Moonlight Chicken...and then I decided that the best use of music was the use of Conan Gray's "The Story" in The Eighth Sense. It was an absolute banger of a use of diegetic music, and every time I hear the song now I think about that absolute monster kiss.
Best Boys and I don't mean acting (no arguments taken):
Ohm Pawat. Mix Sahaphap. Book Kasidet. Boss Chaikamon. Khaotung Thanawat. Barcode Tinnasit.
My personal Blorbos:
Force Jiratchapong. Jisub Lim. Off Jumpol. Boun Noppanut. Pond Naravit.
Please can they have a lead role?:
WinnySatang. Neo Trai. Fluke Pusit.
Soon to grace our screens again (HOORAY!):
BosstonJo. YinWar. ZeeNuNew. PondPhuwin. GeminiFourth. BossNoeul. BounPrem.
Shows that absolutely need to stick the landing in 2024:
Last Twilight. Cherry Magic TH. Pit Babe. The Sign. Twins.
MVP:
Mark Pakin. Obviously.
Thing I've spent the most time speculating about:
What IF Boun and Max Nattapol just did one little kiss in Red Peafowl? Just one! That's all I want. (That's a lie. I totally want more.)
The Bright Vachirawit and Win Metawin award for "wouldn't touch BL again with a ten-foot pole":
Nanon Korapat.
Best cameo:
OBVIOUSLY Kaiseki Dear to Me is one big excellent cameo, but my personal faves in that show are Aaron Lai and Hank Wang. Second place goes to Max Nattapol in Love Senior, the crappy little GL that I can't drop.
Best BL to music star:
Sorry to the GMMTV men but it's so clearly Jeff Satur. What a rockstar.
2022 BL I still rewatch constantly:
Love in the Air. Only the PayuRain story.
Fave OST from a BL (and I don't like many):
"Healing", from My School President.
Best Director:
Pace Jojo Tichakorn, it's gotta be Aof Noppharnach, still.
Number of old + new BLs I watched in 2023:
56, including My Dear Gangster Oppa and Bake Me Please, which will finish before January.
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