#GaGaOOLaLa

[heretherebedork]

Don't change your body wash. You smell good. - thinking of @absolutebl as always

[imminentinertia]

Link

It won't get released until the 24th, so don't panic yet about the error when trying to play an episode.

[xxtraspoiledfujoshi]

I need more of them!! Please don’t let Kiseki be the end 😭 I want to fall in love with them all over again

[absolutebl]

Top 10 Best BLs on Gagaoolala

My Beautiful Man AKA Utsukushii Kare

Japan 2021

One of the most Japanese BLs to release in the last decade, as weird and as messed up as any 2000s yaoi: emo af and hella warped, entirely true to itself with no attempt made to modify its POV for modern sensibilities or current BL fandom. It used seriously old school problematic and kinky tropes, like whipping boy, for a truly uncompromising piece that also manages to hit up themes of communication, consent, and self acceptance. It’s a wonderful BL but uniquely dirty and harsh, in the best possible way - Japanese cinema, uncompromising.

I lost my ever loving mind over the ending. This show won the Grand Prix “My Best TV Award” at the 16th Galaxy Awards.

Minato's Laundromat AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

Japan 2022

A classic age gap romance where a high school student pursues the man of his dreams (who runs a laundromat). This BL is so steeped in yaoi nostalgia, not to mention a classic romance arc, that it will overload some, but those of us who love this genre for its DNA will adore it. It made me very happy because it did everything I want a BL to do - there’s not much more I could ask of a show than this. It’s the closest Japan has come to perfect live action yaoi since Seven Days (and I never make that comparison lightly).

Squee watch-along here.

My Ride

Thai 2022

Thai BL grew up with this pulp (the first ever to make my end of year top 10). It’s a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine (AKA a cinnamon roll couple) plus mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest, and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede, the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple.

Takara & Amagi AKA Takara-kun to Amagi-kun

Japan 2022 I gnawed on my knuckles and squealed a lot with this BL. Reserved cool kid who must learn to communicate to keep the tiny disaster nugget he’s madly in love with. It is beyond charming: soft and gentle, packed with cuteness and high school angst, thirst, & yearning. Was there plot? Not really. Was it emotionally tense and paced well enough for me not to notice? Absolutely. Did I enjoy the hell out of it? Oh yes.

Kiseki: Dear to Me

Taiwan 2023

The plot is totally ridiculous and slightly unhinged, but that’s normal for Taiwan. It involves all the tropes under a very casual framework of gay mafia gangs + food = love. Absolutely every character is queer. There’s a gum-ball machine of cameos, elder gay rep, great chemistry from all pairs, and a KILLER side couple. As a result Kiseki is a poster child for Taiwanese BL, and I happen to love Taiwanese BL. Bonus? They also managed to END IT WELL, which we cannot expect from Taiwan.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan 2023

This style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part is also very well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" trope which is only exacerbated into undiluted frustration by the fact that they're already fucking. It's great, but watching requires more patience than usual, even for Japan.

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan 2023

A lonely salaryman and talented cook gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the manga (which is very dear to my heart). And they did, paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

Step By Step

Thai 2023

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one. This office romance between a stern boss and sweet subordinate felt more authentic to cubical work than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. That authenticity added tension to the narrative and its characters development (how novel). I also really enjoyed the charming side characters and the brothers' relationship to each other (although I could have done without that brother's side BL).

Long Time No See

Korea (Strongberry) 2017

Catfishing assassins on either side of a turf war who fall in love not knowing they are on opposite sides. Or do they? Suspenseful plot, good fight sequences, mature characters, hot sexitimes and even hotter beating the shit out of each other and kissing while covered in blog (this came from KOREA?), plus an HEA. One of the hidden gems of the BL genre.

About Youth

Taiwan 2022

A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by real world authenticity and grit.

Some of these shows ALSO appeared on Viki or iQIYI, but these BLs will appear only once on these round up posts (here for Gaga), not on the other platforms top 10.

(source)

This list updated Spring 2024, not responsible for cool stuff that aired on Gaga (or was taken off the platform) after that date.

This is part of a series more here:

[bl-bam-beyond]

LOVE IN THE AIR - KOI NO YOKAN (2024, JAPAN ADAPTATION)

Episode 1

Gagaoolala Premiere 11/2/2024

Screenplay and Directed By: Tomori Atsuki

Rei (HAMAYA TAKUTO) meets the much lauded Arashi (NAGUMO SHOMA) officially and remembers him. But Arashi doesn't remember Rei. Or does he?

@pose4photoml @just-another-boyslove-blog @negrowhat @absolutebl @wanderlust-in-my-soul

[hughungrybear]

In hindsight, it seems trivial: the reason why Ayaka fell in love with Hiroko in the first place.

But if you put things into perspective, Hiroko gave Ayaka something she apparently has been missing her whole life — a motivation to smile and have fun, regardless of the circumstances. Hiroko brought colour and spark into Ayaka's life and sometimes, that's enough reason to fall in love.

[tortibomb]

GagaOOlala is definitely worth the money right now. I’ve watched a lot of series off air there lately but also the current shows airing. Keep on giving us the goods Gaga.

[sunspotmangafan]

Some great promotion honestly lmaooooo

Well done GagaOOLala it gave me a big laugh.

[respectthepetty]

Gagaoolala has Golden Delicious which is a Canadian film about a Chinese Canadian teen who joins the basketball team, but when his new neighbor also joins the team, his world is turned upside down!

It did the festival rounds last year and won a few awards, but the real prize is the film is a basically a love letter from out director Jason Karman to himself.

So for those of you who are only using your Gaga subscription for QL purposes, just know it has other crowd pleasers, AND it's getting the Filipino drama The Boy Foretold by the Stars and Love Beneath the Stars, which tell the story of two boys falling in love at a Catholic school, and features Adrian Lindayag who also played the lead in Marahuyo Project.

You're already paying the fee, so might as well venture out.

[scarefox]

[heretherebedork]

Just a hand on his throat in a fantasy.

[pigglepiephi]

Gaga coming through as usual!

[mysterygrl20]

are we getting extra nonsense in ep 2

[absolutebl]

10 BLs That Are Not About Coming Out

Also... doesn’t really even have a coming out sequence. 

Ready? 

1. Kinky mafia dudes (KinnPorsche) 

2. Cinderfella crossdressing historical romance (Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding)

3. Grim reaper falls in love with a doctor (Dear Doctor I’m Coming For Your Soul) 

4. I’m not gonna explain, just watch Color Rush (Viki) 

5. Catfishing assassins on opposite sides of a turf war (Long Time No See Gaga) 

6. Time travel romance might be poly (Tinted With You Viki) 

7. Boys shack up with ghosts and each other (Ghost Host, Ghost House YouTube) 

8. Mafia + doctor team up to investigate MURDER, have lots of hot sex (Manner of Death) 

9. Gang of anarchists takes on corruption + identical twins (Not Me YouTube) 

10. Doctor vs time via seduction (Triage)

More but might not be quite BL or end happily: 

Smart boy in love with zombie incubus, keeps him alive with sex (Eternal Yesterday Gaga & Viki)

Man in poly relationship with reincarnated pets (Choco Milk Shake - YouTube)

Dystopian gay Dexter meets Judge Dread (Devil Judge Viki) 

Polycule murders bad guy goes on run from mafia assassins (3 Will Be Free YouTube)

Bodyswap goes on a road trip (Cupid’s Last Wish YouTube)

Bodyswap goes to boarding school (Great Men Academy)

Boys ARE ghosts, still kissing (Peach of Time Viki & Something In My Room YouTube) 

Very little Korean BL (because it exists in that alt-reality bubble) has coming out sequences. Most Thai BL, because it is set in high school and college and around friends/family does contain it. Here’s my:

BEST Coming Out Sequences in BL 

(source)

[bl-bam-beyond]

THE ON1Y ONE (2024, TAIWAN)

Episode 2

Stepbrothers. Tension. Classmates. At a school basketball court, some students are playing truth or dare.

New student Sheng Wang (LIU DONG QIN) chooses dare. His dare: Kiss the first person that walks up. As luck would have it. Jiang Tian (BENJAMIN TSANG) his newly acquired stepbrother is the one.

The kiss happens and Jiang Tian let's it happen as the other students cheer, ooh and ahh.

Later Sheng Wang tries to talk or perhaps reason with his angry (?) stepbrother claiming it's no big deal. And this happens...

@pose4photoml @just-another-boyslove-blog @wanderlust-in-my-soul are you guys watching?

[hughungrybear]

Oh, Taishin. My sweet, sweet summer child. No wonder Takara cannot leave you alone. 😊