divinegastronomer

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

This was the hardest monthly wrap up I ever had to do because I forgot about it until like two days ago and my brain is not at its best and I'm tired so I can't really write a lot. So anyway as usual, spoilers and opinions below, read at your own risk.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 Blue Canvas of Youthful Days [2/12] - I really like the look of this show and all the art. I'm not yet sold on the main couple as a possible item but I really like the characters individually. I adore the second couple. The scene with the hearing aid was beautiful and I like the fact that it's not about the couple. Perhaps in a bl from a different country this would be about them finally being able to communicate, but because Liu knows sign language, it's simply about helping Tan Yin. Don't know why but I really liked this.

🇰🇷🇹🇭 Eccentric Romance [8/12] - It's not the worst thing ever but at several points during the episodes I find myself asking, what am I watching?

🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me [4/8] - This show constantly surprises me. The different stories every week and the aspec rep was how they got me at first but now I'm invested in the meta and the absolutely adorable mains. And this show is just so gorgeous to watch.

🇹🇭 Fourever You [5/16] - Beautiful Pond. Cute Earth. I'm annoyed. Hopefully the next couple is better in terms of storyline.

🇹🇭 Jack & Joker [8/12] - Can they just get together first and then give me all the drama? I'm okay with that. I actually liked Love Mechanics, so give it to me. But Jack is all over the place with his behaviour, he says Joke is family and they seem to have a shared view of the future, and they sure behave as if they're a couple, but then he hides things from Joke, supposedly 'for his own good'. I feel for Joke, because he's being jerked around by Jack.

🇹🇭 Kidnap [8/12] - I love Ohm. And that is the one and only reason I'm still here.

🇰🇷 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo [6/8] - I'm obsessed. I think about this show way too much. It's painful and beautiful, brilliant writing and visuals and I need it to be over but I don't want it to end. I think we're gonna have a second time skip since they are not in our present yet and I just want to see them happy.

🇰🇷 Love in the Big City [4/8] - Obsessed in a total different way. This story is like an open tab in my brain at all times. I'm dreaming of edits and gifsets. I think of Young and my chest tightens. I'm having a hard time writing about the second part of the show because it's just so much, although it feels lighter than the novel. I'm dreading the next part.

🇯🇵 Love is a Poison [7/10] - I love it here. Everything about it. This being Shiba's first love sure explains a lot, and the onsen date was amazing. I think the actors are nailing this.

🇹🇭 Peaceful Property [10/12] - I've said enough about it. I'm here for TayNew and trying to just ignore everything else.

🇹🇭 Perfect 10 Liners [1/24] - And so it begins. Every gmmtv boy is here and they are all playing engineers. They got two Flukes and everything. I wish Force wasn't once again an asshole jock and Book the clueless fool but I guess that's too much to ask. This is the couple I'm least interested here so I want to see the rest.

🇹🇼 See Your Love [3/13] - Taiwan just doing giving all the rep with disabled characters and as usual a parade of bl actors. It's fine for now.

🇯🇵 Smells like Green Spirit [6/9] - I love Mishima. I think the scenes with him and Kirino are always great. I'm still not totally on board with the romance but I'm somewhat fascinated with Yumeno.

QL - Finished

🇹🇼 First Note of Love - I feel like I need to rewatch this as a binge because I think this format didn't help this particular show. Although I like the mains and I really liked the actors, their romance never truly clicked for me. I need more of the sides. The language banter was my favourite thing about this.

🇹🇭 I Saw You In My Dream - This is super cute. They are all adorable and they actually communicate. Ultimately I was a little underwhelmed about the concept.

🇹🇭 Monster Next Door - It's fine. I like Big and he was great here. But I've already forgotten everything about this.

🇭🇰 Our Golden Times - I watched it. It was okay.

🇹🇭 Reverse 4 You - Pretty show. Good concept. Not great execution all the way through.

Dropped / On Hold

Waiting to binge - 🇹🇭 The Loyal Pin | 🇹🇭 Apple | 🇻🇳 Teenager Judge

Rose Watches OJBL

Same Difference aka Docchi mo Docchi (2014) - I don't even know what to say. It's not good. That's it.

Others - Watched

🇯🇵Densetsu no Head Sho| 🇰🇷Black Out | 🇯🇵Double

Upcoming Shows - November

As usual my ask box is open. Have a wonderful weekend💜

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Lots of lovely kisses & an unwarranted upset in the standings

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Oct 2024 Week 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

Fourever You (Thai Thurs YT) ep 2 of 16 - Yes yes J&J should be first but I am weak in the face of, well, frankly this man's face:

Pond = greatest piner in a dog’s age. The yearning in that boy’s eyes is obscene, it’s like the most explicit sex that only he can see and we’re just voyeurs.

Thus I continue to adore this stupid show and everything it stands for. No notes. May the fluff continue eternal.

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 5 of 12 - Everyone is so skilled in this show, but War is truly glorious. Considering the pacing, I think we are probably in for some long periods of darkness, suffering, and pain soon. I’m not mad about that prospect, it’s earned and foreshadowed, I just thought I’d lay it out there.

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 6 of 12 - More boys from GMMTV with good communication. Who knew? Min has SUCH a white knight complex. NO SINGING. Good demanding kiss, though. Well, Ohm can handle anything. 

Meanwhile, this really is a bodyguard romance under another name. And I kinda wanna rewatch Never Let Me Go as a result.

Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) ep 4 of 15 - Earn remains best boy and my favorite character. Phun is v jelly, as he should be. AND I like Ohm & N'Mik better in this version. I still prefer the original leads, but I’m enjoying this enough. 

I had no idea how much I missed Gunsmile! It’s so nice to see him on my screen again.

Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) ep 12 fin - I hate Diew’s mom. Hate her. So much. She may be my least favorite mom ever in BL. That’s saying a lot. No I don’t think she was redeemed. 

Conclusion

Adapted from the novel Godzilla Next Door by Jiwinil about an introvert who lives mostly in his room, until a loud annoying extrovert moves in next door. This was one of my top picks for 2024 and I’m delighted to say it satisfied expectations. A charmingly serene story of opposites attract, that featured good communication, patience, and genuine affection used to build a solid relationship.(I’m particularly delighted that our musician is a drummer and I don’t have to listen to him sing.) Yes it’s a tad slow but it’s very earnest and leans into the kind of sweetness that Thai BL does best. Doesn’t hurt that this starred an actor (Big) that many of us have been hoping would get a lead for years. I was pleased and comforted. This is not a kind of BL that suits everybody, but it suited me admirably. 8/10 

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 10 of 12 - Ozone and the Ice Prince (name still unknown) did their little dance. What an earnest and romantic confession from our Icy man. I literally said “no no no just kiss, no foreheads.” And it was a great crying kiss, my favorite. Honestly, that amount of emotion hadn’t been earned by this pair, but I don’t mind. I could watch a whole show just about them. Also woah! Major nekid on YT?

Thailand......

Risking demonetization for arse…...

I guess we’ve all been there. 

Where was I?

I’m happy with this episode since it was mostly my side couple. But the distribution of main couple and side couple and the focus of each episode is wildly erratic with this show. It’s very odd. (And let's be clear we ordered errotic not erratic.)

Every You Every Me (Thai Mon Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Jade and Chin have lived over a thousand lifetimes. In each one they somehow manage to fall in love with each other. (This pair, TopMick was piloted in a My Universe ep, that was one of the only ones I liked.) Soulmate premise is a mix of Color Rush and La Pluie. Frankly, this isn’t as good as either, but it’s enjoyable in a slow cheerful way. Especially if you like this particular set of tropes. It’s quietly lovely and I like the leads. Sunshine is very very sunshine and our tsundere is a grumpy mysterious nerd. Trigger for domestic abuse. It looks like each episode is gonna be a completely different meet cute with the same pairing. It’s more linked vignettes than any overarching story. So if you don’t like this pair, you won’t like this series.

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 9 of 10 - More sports day. (Everybody’s doing sports days right now.) Random sides kissing. Where did the glasses person come from? Was he introduced and I forgot about it? Oh that’s the evil cousin! Okay… anygay. Sides randomly flip-flop who they like and I don’t know what the fuck is going on. This show. I swear. Ooo caught kissing. And… killed? What a mind fuck of a soap opera. Honestly, I’m fine if he’s dead, I don’t care at this point I just feel jerked around. 

For some reason no eng sub for me for the first half. So I watched with Spanish subs (which is about as good as my Thai, only for different words). What a wild experience.

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - Oh dear. I just can’t imagine ever rooting for this couple. Which means… Why am I watching this? 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

My Damn Business (Korea Sat YT) eps 1-2 of 7 - Oh I love it. Casual flirty westernized-style boss. Reserved reluctant cutie (yes we’ve seen the actor before). Is it disgusting workplace harassment? Oh most certainly. Do I enjoy it anyway? Yep, I’m warped. No defense, but at least it’s something from Korea. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 3 of ? - I like the lead being bullied and pushed to his limit thus turning into a psychopath. It’s gonna be a fun ride if it really goes Devil Judge just teens and actually gay. I wonder if it has the strength of its convictions? 

Our Golden Times (Hong Kong YT) 5 fin? - I guess that is the reunion? What an odd little piece. I’m not entirely sure what I feel about it except that this feels more BL than anything Hong Kong has given us so far (which isn't much). The subs are truly terrible. Since I speak absolutely zero Cantonese I can’t really fix them in my brain. I thought this was the final ep but then a teaser for ep 6 dropped so I we have at least one more. 

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) ep 10 of 12 - It was a nice, if entirely unearned reunion. And the leads do kiss beautifully. Trust Taiwan. I am so glad that Orca is back! There was even a little language play flip-flopping just for me. Very cute. Also GREAT kissing. How long have we been waiting for Thailand and Taiwan to kiss? 

Eccentric Romance (Korea Weds Viki) eps 1-2 of 12 - Silkwood’s 2nd Thai/Korean colab. This has been in production since 2022 which is a LONG time in the BL world (worrying). But I like the concept: friends of 10 years who’ve been hiding feelings for each other enter the same university. Plus MURDER. Stars Yoon Jun Won (The Man BLK) and Thai actor Save Saisawat (Ai Long Nhai). I begin to think every The Man BLK member will eventually lead out a BL at this point.

It’s enjoyable in a weird way. Grumpy (hottie with a crush) + sunshine (captain oblivious). I gotta say, since this is the second relationship dual lingo style in our BL rn that it’s ALWAYS weird if the other half doesn't occasionally code switch languages, especially for specific words. In other words, the Korean dude is supposed to at least understand Thai, occasionally he’s should use a Thai world to get a point across. And the Thai dude is there to STUDY KOREAN, he should be slipping in and out of Korean regularly. Bah. 

It's airing but...

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 5 of 10 eps - I never managed to get hold of ep 5. Frankly, it’s going to Netflix (I don’t subscribe) so I might not finish this out of sheer laziness. 

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) ep 1 of 10 - This is a supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion in Chiang Mai being converted into a café. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

Gangster and His Boyfriend (Korea ????) 8 eps? - was supposed to air 10/10 Kim Dong Bin (famous trainee & idol reality competitor, yeah that happens) stars as a fallen idol who unexpectedly becomes entangled in a gangster family. Discovers that his friend’s father is responsible for the murder of his entire family years ago. I don't know much about this one, neither does anyone else and I'm not sure where I got that release date so……

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Still Coming Oct 2024:

10/17 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (Korea Thurs Gaga) 8 eps - High school student Do Hoe lives with his violent and brutal father who runs a Taekwondo gym in a rural area. One day, cheerful Ju Young arrives, he dreams of going to college for Taekwondo. Joy begins to fill Do Hoe's dark life. An unexpected incident forces them apart, they reunite ten years later.

10/21 Love in the Big City (Korea ????) 8 eps - Okay, this is both a movie (already out) and a series. Neither one is likely BL and I can't imagine it will end happily. I'm giving both a pass but here's your synopsis.

Cynical fun loving student Young pinballs from home, to class, to on night stands. He and Jaehee, his female besie and roommate, frequent nearby bars where they push away their worries about life, love, and money with soju and hookups.

10/23 See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga & Viki) 10 eps? - Zi Xiong, a third-generation heir, attempting to flee from taking over their family business, meets and falls in love with Shao Peng, who works as a hearing-impaired nurse. From the same production house as Kiseki Dear To Me in partnership with Shinehouse Theatre, funded by Taiwan’s BIGART + Japan's Rakuten (Viki). Show includes Lin Chia Yo (Be Loved in House: I Do). Director Chiang Ping Chen’s childhood experiences with his deaf uncle have inspired the drama.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Addicted Heroin

Incidentally he didn’t ask to “be with Ter” he asked if he could flirt/court him. jeeb doesn’t really have a direct translation, but it isn’t “be with.” 

Fourever You

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[lgbtally4ever]

If you reply to my posts, I’m going to assume you, too, are a fan of BL, and/or a proponent for gay rights, and/or a Liberal, who believes in equality for everyone.

MAGA: KEEP YOUR CULT-BASED DELUSIONS TO YOURSELF

[bl-bracket]

Introducing the Next BL Bracket: Poorest Little Meow Meow!!!!

Wait a minute... does this sound familiar? Well, that's because this is our first ever rematch round!!! That's right, it's time to revisit the very first bracket I ever did, Poorest Little Meow Meow!

The only difference with this compared to other brackets is that the previous winner (Wei Wuxian from The Untamed) can NOT be submitted again (we might have a special one off fight between him and whoever wins this one). Otherwise everyone is fair game!

There are TWO factors of what makes a Poor Little Meow Meow that I want to establish:

There must be something morally questionable about the character. I'm not going to say that they must be evil (because that's a complicated definition lol) but there needs to be some moral ambiguity on the table. They must have done something morally questionable

They needs to be pathetic and/or pitiful in some way. Emphasis on the "poor" in "poor little meow meow." Despite doing something bad, they must still be able to evoke pity or just be pathetic in some way.

Submissions Close: August 12 @ 7 PM (GST)

Submit your poor little meow meows here!

@tournament-announcer

[heretherebedork]

I just loved this moment. Dat needed to get Bach out of there and so he did what he had to do to make sure they could all make a polite exit. A+ strategy. Also, personally, thrilled that Vietnam is doing stepbrothers! @absolutebl It's the new O2 and I just loved this very specific moment. Also, stepbrothers.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Forehead touches - an indication of not only the emotional or physical connection, but also a mental one. (Part 1/?)

Goodbye mother

Ghost Host, Ghost House

My Tooth Your Love

War of Y

Love in the air

My only 12 %

Wish You: Your melody in my heart

Don't say no

My favorite bl-tropes collection, as always in no perticular order.

[squeakygeeky]

Just when I was losing faith in Vietnamese BL they somehow pulled off a historical BL with a happy ending. Mind you, I'm not saying it was good on an objective scale--this was clearly a labor of love by a tiny team with an iPhone and access to an old building. They did the absolute most with what they had, though.

It's called The Dandy and His Servant and I watched it based on the title along, because not gonna lie I've probably read a romance novel with that same title. This show speedruns its way through all the tropes you could want it to hit in a very cute way. There's caretaking and learning to read and the servant is shirtless gathering wood and of course there's the 'call me anh' conversation. Actual kissing too.

The attempted arraigned marriage crisis worried me, because this was the point where it could have shifted dramatic and tragic, but that was resolved pretty quickly and happily for (almost) all parties involved. The subtitles are good but hard-coded.

@heretherebedork I feel like this was made for you specifically.

[iguessitsjustme]

I made this for me but I’ll share

[ql-of-all-time-bracket]

QL of All Time - Round 1: Goodbye Mother (2019) vs General, Can I Sleep with You? (2021)

[gabrielokun]

[save-the-data]

Be Your Star | S01E01

Vietnamese Drama - 2024

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

How is it that summer is over? There were too many shows and a lot of really bad endings. So anyway as usual, spoilers and opinions below, read at your own risk.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 First Note of Love [9/12] - The actors are the only thing making me believe the main romance. Their scenes together are good but overall I'm just not connecting to their romance. I really enjoy the language banter of the side couple but they don't have enough screen time for me to be all that invested. This show is suffering from having two couples with such short episodes.

🇹🇭 I Saw You In My Dream [11/12] - I like the couples a lot and I'm here for all the good communication. Both between the couples and the friends. I think it was @he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle that first wrote about the two types of dreams, the ones with floating objects and the ones without and the first ones being about insecurities and the rest are things that can happen in the future and it's all about the couple. I guess that's okay but honestly I was hoping for more. Still, I'm really enjoying this.

🇹🇭 Jack & Joker [4/12] - I love War. He's beautiful and I love to watch him act. His face is just amazing. This show is so unserious but aware so it's just incredibly fun to watch.

🇹🇭 Kidnap [4/12] - Like I said, it's the most bl, a bl ever bl'd. And the show knows it, so I'm just enjoying the ride and Ohm being so pretty on my screen.

🇯🇵 Love is a Poison [3/10] - I love it here. I love that Shiba knows exactly who Haruto is and still can't help but fall for him. I can't wait to find out why Haruto is so invested in Shiba. I am living for these succulents.

🇹🇭 Monster Next Door [10/12] - I'm gonna be honest. I'm not as invested in this one as other people but that was heart breaking. I really felt for God. Like I get where Diew is coming from but he needs to communicate. Yes him getting stuck in the lift was not his fault but the problem had already started by then so God's fears were understandable. I really hope that Diew can overcome his anxiety to be able to communicate with God. The sides are just doing the friends to lovers usual dance.

🇹🇭 Peaceful Property [5/12] - This is gonna be so interesting with the latest revelation. I'm having such a great time with this and I really like how their using the weekly cases. I love TayNew, they are married already in my mind.

🇹🇭 Reverse 4 You [4/8] - I'm enjoying this one. I like how they're using the powers, although I wish Wa would've let Khun confess because that was bit cruel considering he doesn't have a shot, so he would have had a chance to just move on. Also the show is just really pretty.

🇯🇵 Smells like Green Spirit [2/9] - This is less bl and more coming of age and it will not be the easiest of watches, but I really like the pacing and the visuals. Very curious to see a couple of scenes adapted.

🇻🇳 Teenager Judge [1/20] - Another stepbrother trope bl. There's only one episode yet but this has a very student film look about it. The pacing is also a bit different but I'm reserving judgement. I like the leads and the friend group.

🇹🇭 Unlock Your Love [3/8] - It's okay. I like the couples, and I do like Love a lot, she has a gorgeous smile, but I'm more into the side couple.

QL - Finished

🇹🇭 4 Minutes - the first of so many bad endings lately. I'm gonna keep this short. It was a fun ride but ultimately undermined by the ending.

🇯🇵 Happy of the End - It was a painful ride that seemed more interested in depicting the horrors than in telling a cohesive story or one about healing. And although on the surface it might look like an happy ending, I don't believe these characters have actually grown or healed at all. The actors did an incredible job but I felt like the show just gave us pain for seven and half episodes and then slapped a pretty picture at the end.

🇯🇵 I Hear the Sunspot - Great first half. The second half completely destroyed Taichi and like her or not, Maya's introduction was not handled well and it didn't serve the main story. This could've been one of the best shows of the year and instead it goes down as one of the biggest disappointments for me.

🇹🇭 Live in Love - I don't really know what to say. This has got to be one of the worst endings of all time, and that's saying something. Just awful, nobody watch this.

🇯🇵 Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke - One of the biggest surprises for me. Yes I wish I had a kiss, cause god knows Ishida was so readyand had earned it, but it was such a wholesome and fun show, with beautiful direction and great performances. Oh and the dog.Frito is one of the best bl pets ever.

🇯🇵Sugar Dog Life - The most adorable of boys. Perfect ending. Final thoughts here.

🇯🇵 Takara No Vidro - I love them. That's it. I need to rewatch but I just adored this show and the way our couple came together. Takara has my whole heart.

🇹🇼 The On1y One - I am still pissed. There were so many ways to end this story and they chose that??? It feels manipulative, specially considering the director has been begging for fan support in order to get a second season.

🇰🇷The Time of Fever - I'm so normal about this show. I don't even think of it as a prequel. Just a stand alone show, it was beautifully acted, incredibly shot and I'm still thinking about it daily. I wish I could watch them do ten more shows. It was perfect for me.

🇯🇵Twilight Out of Focus - What a beautiful show. The art is incredible and I loved all the couples in different ways although the first remains my favourite. And the little red thread at the end was a nice little gift. 🇹🇭 The Trainee - Well I guess Jane couldn't be too perfect. It wasn't amazing but I loved it. It was a good ensemble show with a side of bl, but it was so much fun to watch and well written. I will always watch a OffGun show, or really a Gun or a Off show, so what's next?

Dropped / On Hold

Dropped - 🇹🇭 The Hidden Moon

Waiting to binge - 🇹🇭 Addicted Heroin | 🇹🇭 The Loyal Pin

Rose Watches OJBL

So my journey continues and since I've watched most of the 'good' ones, most of what's left will definitely not be the best. I'm going through the list that @absolutebl was kind enough to share in this answer. Check it out in case you wanna watch some classic jbl.

Boys Love (2006)- There's an attempt at something here but it's completely failed by the execution. The pacing is all over the place, the character development is very superficial and it just doesn't allow for any real connection to them or the story. Basically this is not good. First Love (2007) - Again, not good. I honestly don't really understand what it wanted to say, except as the title suggests first love, but the whole plot feels disjointed and that ending just felt like it came out of nowhere. Just poor quality all around. Kota has a sweet smile though.

Others - Watched

🇯🇵To Each His Own (2017) 🇯🇵Himitsu no Nacchan(2023) 🇯🇵 I Am What I Am (2022) 🇰🇷Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014)

Upcoming Shows - October

🇹🇭 Fourever You: Part 1 | October 3 | YT Cut Version (more info here) 🇹🇭 Apple My Love | October 5 | GagaOOLala 🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me | October 6 | GagaOOLala 🇰🇷Eccentric Romance | October 10 | Viki 🇰🇷Love in the Big City | October 21 | No news on int distribution

As usual my ask box is open. Have a wonderful week💜

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Many Tiny Idiots, Some Irreverent Hotness & an Engagement

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Oct 2024 Week 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Fourever You (Thai Thurs YT) ep 4 of 16 - OK so Hill has really been trying to pick him up from the beginning? I don’t understand why there’s any doubt around girls at all. He Gay everyone. Why is Tatch (2 Moons Ambassador) the only seme in Thai BL history allowed to actually just say "I don’t date women.”

Why is that so hard?

This show is definitely frustrating me, but I must admit that it’s the one I look forward to the most each week.

Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) ep 6 of 15 - I am now only watching the uncut version, and I gotta say it makes all the difference. Please don’t watch the cut version of this show if you can possibly help it. It’s like cliff's notes of cliff's notes. I love the tiny side couple of tough kid + the dork of the music club. Ah the beach sequence. Condenced WAY DOWN, I see. We lost one of the most iconic lines in all BL but i think everything is improved by how much tighter the plot is in the remake (6 episodes became 1!). So I’m enjoying it. Weirdly, I'm not sure I would be enjoying it, if I hadn’t seen the original.

Is anyone watching this on iQIYI who hasn't seen the original? Just out of curiosity. Tell me how it's going for you, would ya? 

I'm doing a face-off style watch along of this new version versus the original 2014-2015 version.

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 8 of 12 - I don’t entirely get it. They were apart for approximately 11 minutes. I would’ve thought GMMTV would’ve drawn it out for longer and more angst. Smiley face kiss was cute, but the star of this ep was that gorgeous pale blue waffle sweater on Q. What a great color for Leng! 

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 7 of 12 - I do like that we’re seeing an honest exploration of poverty and hopelessness. I’m not sure how I feel about it inside my BL, tho I’m willing to persavere for this pair.

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 12 end - Someone said recently "just imagine what TutorYim could do with an actual script." And you know what? I agree. Because they sure as shit haven’t gotten one yet. And it’s getting quite frustrating. I’m having JaFirst flashbacks. Frankly, 2024 has been a year of unmitigated BL nonsense narratives. And I’m tired of it. I know it’s bog standard for the genre, but it feels like there’s been more than normal faff this year.

Summary 

An incredibly convoluted, disjointed, and badly-paced drama that is about(?) some writers writing a thing and some boys who knew each other when they were kids, lots of pretty sexy times, and not much else. The visuals are gorgeous, the side couples are overly appealing (with little to no screen time), the dubbing and sound is absurdly bad, and the fantasy novel (play within a play) makes no sense whatsoever while also managing to be the show that we all actually wanted to see instead of what we were given. 6/10 

In conclusion, I have no interest in attempting to understand or revisit this show, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend it, but if you have nothing better to do…… the sex is good (frankly I have exes that satisfy all the same criteria). So there it is: this show is like a bad but still hot ex.  

Every You Every Me (Thai Mon Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - Nice to see Fiat in something again. Namping is very angel baby.  This episode made me think that this pair would do a great Thai remake of Love Tractor, and now that’s pretty much all I want in life. I enjoyed wardrobe in this episode. It looks like we get the same characters next week. Cool. 

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I guess everyone is messy slutty bisexual in this show? Do I care? Not even slightly. BLabies, I don’t think I’m gonna make it. I might have to drop this one.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 1-2 of 13 - I adore it, what a wonderful meet cute. I love a Taiwanese BL that starts with a gratuitous kidnapping, some chasing, and a bit of a fight sequence. We in OLD fashioned territory. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 5 of ? - I continue to enjoy it very much.

My Damn Business (Korea Sat YT) eps 4 of 7 - Oh! Is the sleazy boss gonna turn out to be actually a sleazy player? That would be an interesting twist.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (Korea Thurs Gaga) eps 3 of 8 - I’m really not a big fan of my pain coming from Korea. I’m getting a whiff of To My Star 2 from this one. And that does not make me happy. I know: high quality high angst yada yada blah blah blah. But also unnecessary pain? No thank you. 

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) ep 12 end - Of course, I love the part where Reese and Orca spoke each other’s languages.

Conclusion

Had this been produced a mere 3 or 4 years ago, I would’ve been quite enamored. But by comparison to what we’ve been getting, this is a lackluster offering. A has-been musician and a much younger composer meet, fall in love, and attempt to rectify his stalled musical career. Cute side couple of a Thai popstar + his Korean manager. Everyone is very fine and it was a fine show. I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t impressed either. 8/10 

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 6 of 10 eps - It was a fun little confession and climax, there was crying, and a bridge kiss (been a while) all of this appeals to me even if they are tiny idiots (in the immortal words of @heretherebedork )

Eccentric Romance (Korea Weds Viki) eps 5-6 of 12 - More tiny idiot boyfriends who don’t realize they’re boyfriends. That’s it, that’s all that’s happening. Ostensibly there’s some kind of murder. But it seems to be acting more like set dressing than plot.

It's airing but...

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) 10 eps - Supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

In case you missed it

Mew & Tul legit engaged.

Love in the Big City (Korea Viki) 8ep - Vicki dropped them all at once which means I did what I do under such circumstances and skipped to watch the final episode. (I am well aware that this makes me a monster. ) Anygay, that told me that I’m not gonna be bothering to watch the series. Now y'all can tell me how amazing it is and what I’ve missed and blah blah blah. But I’m comfortable with my choice. It’s ICRY 2.0 + HIV. And I’m not willing to play its literatti game. At some point I might watch it on fast-forward for the sex scenes, but I’m not at that point yet. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Still Coming:

10/27 Perfect 10 Liners (Thai Sun YouTube?) 24 eps! - New directing yet another university BL with engineers + their mentees. Based on a Jittirain novel. with a massive cast and massive run time. We will be watching this until APRIL of 2025!

ForceBook playing the same old characters = enemies to lovers tsunder/sunshine jock/nerd thing.

PerthChimonSanta are doing the cohabitation cool guy/dork trope.

JuniorMark are doing popular sunshine meets lonely sad boy (the only interesting pair IMHO).

I think Blue Canvas of Youthful Days has started on iQIYI but I only get it on Viki and that doesn't drop for a few days, plus...... CBL......? Not sure I'll report on this one unless it's really good.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

From Uncle Unknown which is truly terrible but this was so SO funny. I'm still chuckling when I think about it.

The first representation of shipping in a BL that I actually enjoyed. Also Dat's clear approval of being shipped didn't hurt. (Judge)

(lask week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[doestheqlcharacterkeeptheglasses]

THUY - FOOLs

Does this character keep their glasses?

YES.

[heretherebedork]

Y'all, how do I convince to watch Under The Oak Tree? It's a Vietnamese BL on Youtube with a LOTR reference, two songs in the first episode (one of which is basically a musical theater performance in the middle of the gym class and a gay boy who wears a flower on his lapel and thinks he's a historical drama.

Again!

Under The Oak Tree

It's Vietnamese so the budget is not there but I love it for exactly what it is. @absolutebl High school BL that is just... something. I do warn that there is singing, though.