#and yet tian being gay is a problem

[iguessitsjustme]

So you're telling me

that this man was able to pull these three ladies

at the same time and marry two of them and keep the other as a mistress?

That man? I've seen dirty socks on the sidewalk with more sex appeal.

[lurkingshan]

welp the on1y one somehow managed to end even more frustratingly than i thought. i think i need at least one culminaton through a kiss (ik some people get very defensive these days about how 'not every show needs a kiss!!' but like.. i do lol) or some other way that gave these characters a better arc. also the big 'separation' being just different classrooms did not validate that drama for me, even if they're teenagers. sorry, i had to vent 😅

Oh this show absolutely needed a real kiss, do not let people shame you for wanting to see that. They started this story with sexual tension and they've been building it the whole time, and refusing to deliver any release of tension for these characters was a disappointing choice. And don't think I didn't notice that the only explicit scene in the entire series was used to depict a gay relationship as dirty and salacious. My side eye for that choice is extreme.

On your second point, I didn't mind that the big forced separation was just Shen Wang moving classrooms, because the show has been treating the tedious school testing and rankings plot as high drama the entire time. In high school, low stakes stuff like this really feels like it matters, and the larger issue is that Jiang Tian knows Shen Wang failed on purpose to get away from him, he just doesn't know why yet. So it worked for me as a way to drive angst. My problem is it's a terrible place to leave the story and their relationship for a long hiatus, or forever if the show never gets a second season.

[littencloud9]

Thanks for answering my ask. If you don't mind me asking (again), who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Feel free if you want to write the reasons or not of why you love them. Sorry if you've answered this before.....

HI!! no problem i LOVE talking about my favs. here’s like top 3 ships of some fandoms i’m in because there is simply too many LMAO

jujutsu kaisen

- itafushi: literally my number one ship ever. they make me so fucking emo. the tragedy of what couldn’t have been prevented. i pray for itafushi moments in the jjk manga but every time it happens it is somehow worse than the last. peace 🙏

- yutamaki: they mean so much to me. i love them both platonically and romantically! their moments in jjk0 are super sweet and i love that they’re always supporting each other 🥹

- satosugu: this is a ship i’ll put in a blender. i don’t usually think of them but when i do i want to throw up blood. they’re the cause of all my problems. i love them. they are so my tears ricochet core

other ships i like are nobamaki, inuokko, and mechamiwa! perks of being a multishipper lol

-

bungo stray dogs

- shin soukoku: MY YIN YANG DUO!! they are the dumbest. somehow they bulldozed past all the normal stages of dating and went straight to dying for each other. who does that.

- kunichuuzai: i’m cheating here because i love all individual pairings in this ship AND the poly ship. especially kunichuu which crept up on me and slapped me in the face. chuuya being downbad for kunikida is GREAT. they are so good when you dont have toxic shippers breathing in your ear about how one is better than the other ❤️

- tachigin: do u ever think about how they’re both liars. how they both have a hidden identity. how they both found family within the mafia not as the person they really are, but as the person they pretended to be. how the betrayal felt like when tachihara dropped his mask. OUGH

i also really like ranpoe and atsulucy! and beast!akutagawa x beast!tanizaki is cute too

-

link click

- i’m a liar. shiguang is the only ship i have in this show. my FAVS. their devotion to each other is insane. they make me genuinely feral. cxs being an annoying little shit x lg who stays hopelessly in love anyway. ARGH I LOVE THEM. THEY WANNA SAVE EACH OTHER!!!!

-

tian guan ci fu

- fengqing: the implications of this 800 year old situationship is very fun. knowing someone so well that you know exactly what to say to hurt them. loving someone so deeply and repressing it to the point that you mistake it as hatred. i’m obsessed with them

- hualian: how can i not include the most romantic (and canon) pair EVER. get you someone who loves you like hua cheng loves xie lian because holy SHIT. i have not read the books (only watched the donghua) and yet these two make me feral i need them to hurry it up and get married already 😭

i don’t really ship anything else as of yet. but i do like and acknowledged beefleaf. i’ve heard it’s horribly tragic. i cannot wait to find out

-

sk8 the infinity

- renga: RENGA!!!! MY PRECIOUS. they are fucking head over heels for each other i’m obsessed with it. their ‘breakup arc’ genuinely hurt my soul. but i love how confident they are about each other’s skills, how they’re each others biggest supporter, how they see the best in each other etc. insane. i need season 2 asap

- matchablossom: [danny motta voice] they wanna fuck so bad. the end

i don’t ship anything else. but do i think cherry and adam had a situationship back when they were teenagers? yes. anyway

-

avatar the last airbender

- mailee: MY GIRLS. THE BEST ATLA SHIP AND YOU HEARD IT FROM ME. mai who masks her emotions with blankness and ty lee who masks her emotions with a smile. but they both know each other better than that. they protect each other and they are also 🖤🩷 how could you not love them!!!!

- zukka: [affectionately] there is something so wrong with these two. the original red and blue gays. to ME. i think they bounce off each other well and they’re a really funny duo. also. the prince and the fool. what more is there

- yuekka: personally i love love LOVED yuekka. i like how yue really loosened up around sokka and how sokka was head over heels for her LMAO they were a really cute ship. moon coded gf x ocean coded bf do you see how great that is. the tides follow the whims of the moon. they can’t exist without the other. ARGH

-

voltron

- klance: sigh. since we’re digging this deep into my fandoms list let us talk about klance. do i agree with anything that was written past season 3? absolutely not. they are definitely a wasted potential ship that ruined my life forever but like. yah. the ship you obsessed over at 14 is SERIOUS business. the homoerotic rivalry they had was seriously unmatched. nobody talk to me

- adashi: haha. my first experience with being queerbaited. they buried the gays before the gays even had lines. i was so upset about adam that i consumed an insane amount of fan content and then wrote 10k words in one sitting. thats how upset they made me

- romellura: the gfs ever. the writers screwed allura over so every ship i have for her is… very fan-based. but i’ll protect them with my SOUL. the softness of meeting someone who knows EXACTLY the kind of loss you felt. finding comfort and home in each other.

- veracxa: sorry one more. VERACXA IS SO GOOD AND SO UNDERRATED. lance and veronica having the same taste is so funny. also love that veronica went out of her way to make acxa feel welcome. and their matching judgy stares. the older sister and sister in law. i KNOW lance was sweating

-

sorry for the long ass list. there’s lots of other platonic/familial relationships i enjoy in shows too i swear i’m not just insane 😭🙏. thank you so much for the ask!!

[bengiyo]

A Boss and a Babe Ep 10 Stray Thoughts

Last week we experienced probably our choppiest episode yet. It’s a real bummer, because I continue to root for New Siwaj, but the final act conflicts always cause confusion. Gun and Cher were outed at work, but that was quickly squashed by Gun’s mom. Cher found out that another colleague had planted the evidence about Thyme stealing the game and decided to take the fall for it to protect her job…for reasons that just don’t track for me. Gun and Cher broke up as a result and both were very sad about it. Gun got drunk at a bar and so the bar called Cher who was his most active contact, and the two were able to reconcile for the second time in the episode. Now, Thoop has been arrested. At the very least, we had a Gay Boy Cuddle Pile.

Trigger Warning: rape mention and a rapist showing up on screen, along with mention and discussion of suicide in part [3/4]

Thoop, are you really mad that the police didn’t believe you? Where’s the shut the fuck up video?

Real shit, it is sometimes useful to have a Super Gay like Gun in your queer circle for when we have problems that only money can solve. Sometimes folks like Gun can keep a program running quietly for years.

I completely get Tub and Jack. Three and Zo would get tiresome after a while.

The gamer boys care a lot about each other, and are careful about how they talk to each other. It’s refreshing.

I do still love Gun. This man understands commitment and showing up when it’s important.

Gun pulled out his stern voice when Cher pushed too far with the old jokes. Surprisingly funny to see Cher retreat.

So if Gun has known about Cher taking the blame all this time, what the hell was most of the last episode for? I hate when they do all this testing nonsense and then waive it off.

I like that these two have good apologies. I just hope that we don’t immediately contrive another conflict five minutes from now.

I feel like this one guy plays a cop in every GMMTV show.

I knew this was going to eventually be the reveal about what happened to Tian, but it’s still upsetting and gross.

Gun is solid. Maybe I’m being influenced by how much I’m enjoying Jeng on Step by Step, but I do like having characters who can manage a crisis and don’t overreact to someone’s emotional outbursts at them.

Jack is correct. Thoop being arrested for possession is a big deal.

And of course someone saw them sitting outside of a police station all night. Now the mom is demanding they break up AGAIN.

Was one of them watching Star in My Mind before Cher showed up to tell them the news? Joong is paused on YouTube in the background.

I enjoy the parallel from earlier with Cher showing up at Gun’s place this time.

Oh hell yeah! It’s 2023 and we all verse now!

There’s a lot of threads active in this show. I don’t necessarily dislike them, but the timing isn’t really satisfying. I also feel like the mole plot was kind of a letdown.

[mgsdays]

do u know any other comics/BLs like 19days? #🥪

Hey dear!

Ohh that's a good question. I don't know any quite like 19 days, an ongoing story that is ultra slow burn. I have read some other amazing BLs though. Here's some that I like:

.

Totally Captivated

• Complete | 49 chapters plus some extras

• General vibe: humor, romance

If you like the mafia background of 19 days, an amazing manhwa is Totally Captivated. Lighthearted, fun and very hot 🔥 One character gives me strong He Tian vibes, both in appearance and in attitude. Plus, the main couple has some fantastic chemistry.

Summary: Jung Ewon has always let his curiosity get the best of him, but even he could not have predicted that his latest venture would lead to him working for the mafia.

After cheating on his boyfriend and consequently being dumped, Ewon longs for the two of them to reconcile. However, his ex's new boyfriend, the handsome Eun Mookyul, begins to take an interest in him. Finding Ewon intriguing, Mookyul, a mafia boss, decides that he wants Ewon to become his underling—and that's just the start of Ewon's problems.

As the new errand boy in Mookyul's gang, Ewon must now learn to navigate the dangerous world of the mafia all while resisting the advances of his ex-boyfriend's new lover. Should he give in to his desires, he will risk more than just another heartbreak.

At the End of the Road

• Complete | 57 chapters plus extras

• General vibe: dark themes, romance, plot heavy

The summary makes this one sound pretty complicated so I procrastinated checking it out for a bit. When I finally read it I was blown away. The plot is incredible, the romantic interest is ugh so good. The entire story leaves me with a warm feeling of destiny and serendipity. It gets dark and it demands quite a bit of attention but it is definitely worthwhile.

Summary: After a car accident, Taemin finds himself in the body of Siwon, a victim of bullying at school. No longer a pushover, he starts standing up for himself but then meets Woojin, an old friend from the past. Somehow, Woojin immediately picks up Taemin's 'scent' from Siwon. What happened between these two in the past and how will it affect their future?

Walk on Water

• Complete | 62 chapters

• General vibe: romance, hot sex

Ok, this one is a delight to read. It's another one of those "straight guy goes gay for the right guy" kind of plot, but it's beautifully done. The characters' progress feels authentic. You're on the edge of your seat rooting for them. Plus, the art is amazing?? I'd stop reading sometimes just to admire it. @ the artist you didn't have to go this hard and yet you did dude!! Fantstic job.

Plus the sex scenes are just on fire. Phew 🥵

Explicit sex so don't check it out if you're under 18, stay safe, yadda, yadda.

Summary: To earn money, Ed decided to enter the pornographic industry. Secretly, he begins working under the alias of "Tommy". One day, it was suddenly decided that he would be filming as a bottom instead of a top and he's doing it with the famous Glen McQueen as his partner?

No. 6

• Complete | 9 books or 9 mangas (I read the books actually, but the manga is the same story)

• General vibe: social commentary, romance, plot heavy

My all time favorite on the list might be No. 6. No. 6 reads more like 'social political commentary ft. a couple that happens to be boys', rather than a boys love story per see. The plot doesn't revolve around their romance, their romance is also happening in the midst of the chaos. And it is beautiful to watch.

Story wise, No. 6 is a dystopic tale, and it brings up themes of consumption under capitalism, outsourcing of labor, outsorcing of inequalities and goverment control. It's not recent so you might have read it already - if you haven't I can't recommend it enough.

A PERFECT LIFE, IN A PERFECT CITY

For Shion, an elite student in the technologically sophisticated city No. 6, life is carefully choreographed. School, study, and the occasional visit with his friend and classmate Safu. One fateful day, however, he takes a misstep, sheltering an injured boy his age from a typhoon. Known only as Rat, this boy is a VC – a fugitive living outside the computerized tapestry of city control – and helping him will throw Shion’s life into chaos and start him down a path to discovering the appalling secrets behind the superficial perfection of No. 6.

Seven Days

• Complete | 2 volumes

• General vibe: school life, romance

No way you haven't read this, but just in case: seven days!! Go check out seven days!! Seven Days is the BL. School life plots peaked with this one haha It's just two volumes and the story is beautifully done. I re-read from time to time when I want a pick me up.

Summary: On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can these two put words to their feelings before Monday comes, or are old habits too hard to break?

Blue Sky Complex

• Complete | 23 chapters

• General vibe: school life, humor, romance

Another school life story for the list. Blue Sky Complex has some truly hilarious moments, with teenage fumblings that ache with how true to life they are. Zero drama, zero outside interference, just the two main characters slowly (but surely) figuring things out.

Summary: Narasaki only wanted a place where he could sit and read books in peace, but was blackmailed by his teacher into supervising a delinquent called Terashima while working at the school library.

As they spend their days in silent but close proximity, they begin to feel drawn to each other. And then...

Doukyuusei

• Complete | 2 volumes (second is called Sotsugyousey)

• General vibe: lightehearted fun

Fun fact: I went to Japan once and I wanted to buy a book in Japanese just to have it, you know? I don't speak Japanese, I just wanted a book as a souvenir. I bought Doukyuusei. Clearly I'm biased towards this story in particular haha

Everything by this author is gold. Their art style flows, the characters have a certain lightness to them that makes them almost dance in the pages. The author usually draw at least one of the leads with long hair and the hair is so well done, GOD. I could gush about the hair all day.

Perhaps one of the most realistic ones of the list, Doukyuusei is a school life story about when you meet someone at just the right time.

Summary: "A boy boy met a boy. They were in the flush of youth. They were in love that felt like a dream, like sparkling soda pop."

High school students Hiraku Kusakabe and Rihito Sajou are as different as day and night. But opposites attract and before they know it, they've embarked on a journey neither one can quite define but which anyone with eyes can see is "Love."

Mo Dao Zu Shi

• Complete | 126 chapters

• General vibe: slow burn, historical, epic romance

At the risk of being very cliche here: if you haven't read Mo Dao Zu Shi, you're wasting time. Go. This one isn't a manga, but it a fantastic book. It became uber famous for a reason, you know? All the attention is very much deserved. I can't emphasize enough how good it is.

You can watch the TV show The Untamed as well (and the acting is fantastic) but, to me, the experience is just not the same. The TV show removes all explicit romance references from the story, in order to comply with China's censorship. The book leaves nothing out. It is very much a romance, through and through, and it's an epic one. There's slow burn, pining, misunderstandings, fighting everything and everyone for your loved one and coming out stronger on the other side. Truly worth the read.

As the grandmaster who founded the Demonic Path, Wei Wuxian roamed the world in his wanton ways, hated by millions for the chaos he created. In the end, he was backstabbed by his brother and killed by powerful clans that combined to overpower him. He incarnates into the body of a lunatic who was abandoned by his clam and is later, unwillingly, taken away by a famous cultivator among the clans — Lan Wanji. This marks the start of a thrilling yet hilarious journey of attacking monsters, solving mysteries, and raising children. From the mutual flirtation along the way, Wei Wuxian slowly realizes that Lan Wangji, a seemingly haughty and indifferent poker-face, holds more feelings for Wei Wuxian than he is letting on.

[fatalism-and-villainy]

@hedvig-ulrika replied to this post:

I resonate with everything here. (Even if I haven’t reached all the parts yet.) And especially with everything about Zhou Zishu. He only started working for me as a character after getting to know the novel him. And definitely about the ending too. And wenzhou in general.

I actually first got endeared to Zhou Zishu while watching the show, during the Tian Chuang storyline. That was some great characterization - his assuredness and control over the situation, but also the façade that he’s put on for so long falling back in place. But I don’t think that arc fits in well with the plot of the novel. And his characterization is a bit inconsistent for me in the adaptation, both in the development of his feelings for Wen Kexing (likely due to censorship and the need for them to become closer faster) and his attitude towards the atrocities he’s committed and towards Wen Kexing’s current morality. (Like, we’ve got him being judgmental towards the collateral damage Wen Kexing causes, but then being perfectly nonchalant about Wen Kexing being the Valley Master, but also being wracked with guilt about the fact that he himself has done murders, which would seem to clash with his acceptance of Wen Kexing... I can see what they were going for, but yeah.) 

Furthermore, in the book he’s just not as concerned with penitence and atonement. He does carry the weight of what he’s done - see his flashback to killing that little Jiang girl - and especially of Jiuxiao admonishing him for what he’s done, but it’s not as central. He just wants to move on. And that’s kind of freeing?

And yes, like you, I also got truly attached to him when I read Qi Ye. He’s so much more ruthless there than what really comes across in the show, and there’s such an interesting through-line between where he is in that book and where he ends up in TYK. He has a lot of power in his former position! He’s not put-upon! But he’s constantly scheming and constantly enacting violence, always having to perform propriety and deference when around powerful people, and one of the only authentic relationships in his life, with Jiuxiao, gets ultimately destroyed... he’s just tired! He wants out! 

And there’s such a fascinating new side of him that gets brought out in TYK, because he’s had this inner gremlin just waiting to come out. Think the part where he says “fuck you” to that guy and is just SO thrilled at getting to be rude without consequences, or the part where he’s facing the Jianghu and is like “wait, why do I need to explain myself to these people? I think I will cause problems on purpose instead.” His entire life has been devoted to honing his skills and intelligence, and expending his abilities to the upmost, and once he’s freed himself from those obligations, there’s a playful and irreverent side to him that just flourishes. 

And then Wen Kexing forcefully elbows his way into Zhou Zishu’s life, and he is, at least seemingly, all gremlin and no filter - the exact thing that Zhou Zishu is so unused to, but that I think he comes to find incredibly refreshing. But Wen Kexing actually has some similar issues to Zhou Zishu going on - different circumstances, and some different emotional needs and neuroses, but there’s some palpable commonalities in the way they’ve both been constrained in some way, and in how (I think) they’ve both primarily experienced sex as transactional or a means of negotiation. And now they’re both trying to eke out some kind of joy from the world that they haven’t been able to experience before, in the limited amount of time each has available, and they find that joy through each other - in each other, yes, but also in a way that expands outward. 

And yes, the ending is wonderful. Another reason I’m so fond of it is that Beiyuan and Wu Xi are so involved in it! There’s something very endearing about Zishu’s weird gay friends being involved in his surgery and subsequent recovery, and I’m very happy that with this ending there can be the possibility of Zhou Zishu actually visiting them in Nanjiang the way he initially wanted to. And with regards to Wenzhou, the ending is very wrapped up in the trust they have in each other, as well as the fact the joy the take in each other is connected to the joy of life and the material world (in contrast to Ye Baiyi’s immortality). It’s very thematically strong, I think. 

[projectjasper]

Upcoming 2020 BL series (+ full info & personal rating)

For having nothing better to do and also thinking of what interesting new BL series the new year might bring to me this time around, I have compiled a list of all BLs that I could find that are supposed to come out in 2020. I’ve only added those BLs that are definitely coming out and are in production, and I’ve ranked them based on how interested I am in them, adding some useful information about them as well. Some key information is missing from a lot of the shows, and the farther we go into the list, the more mysterious the BLs become, but I will update, when new information becomes available. Mind that Why R U? is not mentioned since it’s already airing, but keep in mind that it’s also a series that exists this year, if you haven’t payed attention to it yet. In total, there ended up being 16 BL series (17 counting Why R U?). 2020 promises to be a rather fruitful year for BLs!

[All info on the series under the cut]:

2gether: The Series

Network: GMM One (Thailand)

Airs: February 21 - Unknown (On Fridays)

Synopsis: A student named Tine wants to get rid of an admirer. His friends suggest getting a pretend boyfriend – Sarawat. At first, Sarawat plays hard to get, but eventually he agrees. The two become close and intense emotions soon erupt. Are they just pretending or do they actually have feelings for each other? (Trailer)

Familiar faces: 

Despite the main couple being played by two unfamiliar faces, there is a lot of background characters played by actors that you are likely to have seen before. Frank and Drake, who have played a couple in My Tee and OurSkyy will return to play lovers once again. You might also know both of them from Blacklist. 

Others you might recognize are: Sarocha, who was in both OurSkyy and He’s Coming to Me; Toptap, who has played background characters in many dramas, among them Love Sick & Love Sick 2, Sotus, WaterBoyy, 3 Will Be Free and Blacklist; Mike, who is best known for his role of Bone in Theory of Love, and who was also in OurSkyy; Guy, who was in Sotus S, OurSkyy, He’s Coming to Me and 3 Will Be Free; Gun (Korawit), who played Cherry in Sotus S; Pluem, who is best know for his role of Rain in Kiss Me Again and Dark Blue Kiss; and JJ, who was in the Gifted, He’s Coming to Me and Blacklist (not to be confused with his twin brother AJ). (Cast)

My opinion: The amount of familiar faces this BL has is very comforting. I’ve wanted to see Frank and Drake play a couple somewhere apart from My Tee for a very long time, since that show wasn’t very good, and they finally will! Another background couple is going to be played by Mike and Toptap, which I find super exciting. The main couple also seems to be really great, and they do look like they have some good chemistry. Apart from that, I gather that the show is pretty fun, though rather dramatic as well - in the best traditions of GMM. The only thing that really worries me right now is us once again having “girl problems”, though where would the fake dating trope be without jealousy? Speaking of fake dating, it’s one of my favorite tropes and I’m very happy we are finally seeing it on screen! A bonus point for this show is also a couple of really reassuring LGBTQ+ supportive comments Bright, one of the two main actors, made - it’s always nice to know upfront that the actors we are supporting by watching the show are good people. So, in general, I’m most excited for this series and I hope it won’t disappoint!

My Ride: The Series

Network: Unknown (Thailand)

Episodes: 8

Synopsis: Tawan is a doctor, Mork is a motorcycle taxi driver. Tawan often hires Mork to drop him at his boyfriend's apartment, and so has gotten closer to the motorcycle driver. One day, when Mork knowingly makes Dr. Tawan late for his date, Dr. Tawan finds out that his boyfriend has been cheating on him. After the doctor breaks up with his boyfriend, he and Mork begin to get closer. This drama is about friendship and love that began as a passenger and a rider. (No trailers or teasers available as of yet).

Familiar faces: Out of the actors, you might recognize Fame, who played Guide in My Dream: The Series, and Mild, who played Techno in TharnType. It’s also interesting to mention that the person, who adapted the novel this series is based on to screen, is none other than everyone’s beloved Fluke (Teerapat) that is best known as Wad from Sotus. (Cast)

My opinion: This is on of the BLs I’m most excited about. The premise is interesting and unique, and it sounds promising, but honestly? Fuck all that noise, when we know that the series is based on a novel that was written by Patrick Rangsimant, who is a gay man! Now if that doesn’t sound exciting, I don’t know what does.

My Engineer: The Series

Network: Tencent Video (Thailand)

(It seems to be some sort of a Thai branch of Tencent Video, since it is originally a Chinese network that has brought us, among other things, The Untamed).

Airs: March 14 - Unknown (On Saturdays)

Synopsis: Despite coming out quite soon, there is no proper synopsis for this show. All we have for now is the short summary of how the story begins. One day, Duen is sleeping in the University Park. Bon sees him and soon spots an animal nearby. He tries to wake Deun up but Deun accidentally punches Bon in the face, sending him to the hospital. After the incident, Bon asks Deun to bring him a red rose every morning for a whole month as an apology. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: Do you ever watch a BL about engineering students and think to yourself: “So I guess this is another one of those Sotus-inspired ones”? Well, this time around it is definitely very much Sotus-inspired, since the director of the show, Lit, was also the director of Sotus. And before you start worrying, he had nothing to do with Sotus S, so whatever he’s done with this one - it should be pretty good, I think. As for the actors, the only face that might be familiar to you is Cooper’s, who plays a main character here and who played a main character in My Bromance. (Cast)

My opinion: I am also really excited for this one! It seems to have a total of three backgrounds couples, all of which are very different and have their own cute little storylines. But, that doesn’t mean that the main couple is not interesting! It very much is - you can clearly see that the actors have chemistry and, though the storyline seems fairly simple, it’s great nonetheless. Also, it seems that Bon is really sure and confident in his feelings towards Deun and spends the whole show proving them and trying to win him over, which is rather refreshing compared to most other BLs that have their mains spend most of the time in confusion and denial. Besides that, the jealousy trope is also quite involved in the show, but it seems like it’s executed well, in which case it can also be rather fun and exciting! Plus, it’s quite reassuring that the director was also behind Sotus, because I do love that show, and though it is comforting to see familiar faces on screen, seeing new actors makes for a really lovely new experience. 

A Tale of a Thousand Stars 

Network: GMM One (Thailand)

Synopsis: An idealistic young teacher, Torfun, volunteered to educate young kids in a far flung and rebel-infested Thai village. There, she met and fell in love with Phupha - a military officer who was protecting the place. Unfortunately, she died in a car accident. However, she happened to be an organ donor - after the accident her heart was given to a young man called Tian. Upon his recovery, Tian returns to the village and eventually meets Phupha. Will love spring between these two young men under such unlikely circumstances? (Trailer)

Familiar faces: The director of the show, Backaof, might be familiar to you, since he is responsible for OurSkyy, He’s Coming to Me and Dark Blue Kiss. You will most likely recognize one of the mains - Earth (Pirapat), who played in WaterBoyy, Kiss Me Again, Love by Chance and Theory of Love. You might also recognize White, who is best known for Love Sick & Love Sick 2, as well as WaterBoyy, ReminderS and Theory of Love. And Nammon, who previously appeared in WaterBoyy, Sotus S, Kiss Me Again, 3 Will Be Free and Blacklist. (Cast)

My opinion: So far, this series seems pretty fun and cute. I’m honestly not the biggest fan of the whole idea - I’m neither fond of new characters getting attached to their supposed past selves or some form of this trope, nor of the whole “he is him, but he is also this girl” thing. According to the trailer, this BL might also have a bad ending, which I definitely won’t be thrilled about to say the least. However, I do trust Backaof entirely, I have wanted to see Earth play a main role in a BL for a very long time, and seeing Nammon once again after last seeing him in Sotus S years ago is really heartwarming - but so far those are the only reasons why this show is so high on my list.

2moons3

Network: Mello Thailand

(It’s unclear if Mello is an actual network, but I couldn’t find any more information on them. It could also be Channel 3, since some things that Mello posts on its YouTube channel do belong to Channel 3, but don’t quote me on any of this).

Episodes: 12 (around 50 min. each)

Synopsis: Nothing is known, but the fact that it is a continuation of the 2moons2 story. (No trailers or teasers available as of yet).

Familiar faces: All six main actors are returning as their respective characters. (Cast)

My opinion: Since nothing concrete is known about this show, apart from the fact that it is the second season of 2moons2, there is not much to say. However, since I do love 2moons2 quite a lot, I am already excited for this one. And I do think it’s going to be more successful than second seasons of beloved BLs usually are, simply because they did really seem to rely on having another season to finish the story and they are not simply dragging it out by having this new season - this continuation is not only logical, but also undoubtedly necessary for the story to feel whole.

Oxygen: The Series

Network: Uknown (Thailand)

Synopsis: Orphaned at a very young age, Gui has had to work hard and provide for himself for as long as he can remember. But he still has a soft demeanor and a smile on his face. Solo can get anything he wants with a flick of his wrist. Money, fame, good looks - the boy has everything, except his smile. One day Solo sees a smiling boy (Gui) working at a cafe. They instantly connect, and Solo finds himself back in the cafe every night. They meet at the same spot, at the same time, until they soon come to realize that they have become each other's breath. A necessity. Just like oxygen. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: The director, Jane, is also responsible for Sotus S and OurSkyy. The only two actors you might recognize both play supporting roles - one of them is Prince who played Oak in Sotus, Sotus S and OurSkyy, the other one is Kan, who played Todd in Sotus S. (Cast)

My opinion: It does look and sound pretty cute, but according to the trailer there is some drama. Solo seems to have a fiancee which (I’m pretty sure) is like a rich people thing rather than him actually being in a relationship with this woman, but the drama aspect of it is still there. I’m also very worried about the fact that the director’s most prominent work is Sotus S, because we all know how bad that one went. So basically, I am looking forward to seeing what it’s made of, but I am very cautious of it too.

Friend Zone 2: Dangerous Area

Network: GMM One & LINE TV (Thailand)

Synopsis: We know nothing, apart from the fact that it’s a continuation of Friend Zone. (Trailer)

Familiar & unfamiliar faces: Since this is a continuation of a series, I’m switching this section up a bit to also note the unfamiliar faces and/or those who haven’t made it into the second season from the first one. Jojo is returning to direct Friend Zone once again, and it’s also important to note that he is responsible for 3 Will Be Free as well. The entire main cast from season 1 is coming back, along with Safe, who also becomes one of the main characters this time around. Safe is played by Joss, who is best known for his role in 3 Will Be Free. It’s unclear if the rest of the supporting cast is coming back as of now. The main cast is also joined by two people, who haven’t previously played in the show: Arm, who was in WaterBoyy and OurSkyy, and Pluem, who was in My Dear Loser and OurSkyy. (Cast)

My opinion: I haven’t watched Friend Zone, so I don’t really know what’s going on here. So far, I’m just really interested in watching something queer that has both Singto and Arm in it (because yes, finally Arm is also playing an LGBTQ+ character). This series is clearly super dramatic, which is kind of concerning, but it’s also very different from what we usually get in BLs, so I might give it a try. Right now, I’m kind of conflicted, but will probably give it a watch when it eventually comes out.

Love By Chance 2

Network: Most likely LINE TV & GMM 25 (Thailand)

(I assume those are the ones, since LBC belonged to them, but there is no clear information on whether LBC2 does as well).

Synopsis: So far, the whole synopsis we have is rather short and sweet. This series is a continuation of LBC with TinCan as the main couple. (Trailer)

Familiar & unfamiliar faces: So far the only one we won’t be seeing for sure seems to be Saint, though Cherreen, who played ChaAim, is also not on the cast list as of now. Otherwise, Perth is returning to the show, the actors (Mean, Plan, Gun, Mark, Title and Earth) of the three other couples (TinCan, TechnoKengkla and TumTar) are all returning, and along with them Yacht (Pond), Best (Good) and Samantha (Bow) are returning as well. The director of the first season, New, also remains the same. (Cast)

My opinion: I am rather conflicted about this new season right now. On the one hand, I do love TinCan and I do want to see the continuation of their story. On the other hand, I certainly don’t want to see the other two couples again. And, of course, the lack of Saint (or rather Pete) is the most important and disappointing part. I don’t know how they are going to go about it, but AePete is a crucial part of LBC - be it as a background couple or not - and not having them at all is just a terrible thing. Basically, what I’m trying to say is fuck Perth’s management and I hope they deal with this problem tastefully and appropriately. Either way, all this doubt is exactly why LBC2 is closer to the bottom of the list of the shows I’m interested in this year. 

Motor-Cycle: The Series

Network: LINE TV (Thailand)

(Always nice to know that sometimes GMM just isn’t involved at all, and we do know that LIVE TV has given us some really good BLs before - Love by Chance and Until We Meet Again among them).

Synopsis: A high school kid named Run loves to sneak out of his house to ride his motorbike. He drives around and feels exuberant by the ride and the freedom to do what he wants. When his bike breaks down, he meets Mike who quickly fixes it for him. Mike is an introverted, open-minded individual who works as a mechanic. But he’s no ordinary fixer. He has a lot of secrets. Both fall for each other but do not push further, since both of them are in a relationship. Will they end up pursuing each other, or will they remain with their current boyfriends? (No trailers or teasers available as of yet).

Familiar faces: A large part of the cast is unknown as of now - the only person who we know stars in the show for sure is also unfamiliar, since he is a newbie in the industry. (Cast)

My opinion: So far, it sounds kind of interesting. I love the new theme with motorbikes and leather jackets and whatnot - we haven’t got anything like that in BLs yet. It also sounds kind of promising that they are not pursuing each other, while in a relationship, but knowing BLs it’s probably handled much worse than it sounds. Also, it’s not clear if Mike’s age is close enough to Run’s age to be appropriate, since Run is specifically described as a high school kid, while Mike is already a working mechanic. Overall, I’m curious as to see where this goes next and can’t wait for new updates on this one. It could be something - whether that something is bad or good, we shall see soon enough.

Your Voice, My Heart

Network: Unknown (Taiwan)

Synopsis: Su Ye Xin left his parents to live on his own because they were furious and unsupportive after he told them he was gay. He is a huge fan of a famous dubbing artist Sheng Sheng and has a crush on him. Since he fears that Sheng Sheng is homophobic, he is using a female profile and is known among the fans, because everyone strongly supports his crush. Coincidentally, he has the chance to do private coaching for Sheng Sheng in real life, whose real name is Xie Xiao Sheng. Apart from his excitement to be able to get to know his crush in person, Su Ye Xin also realizes something bizarre about Xie Xiao Sheng. Xie Xiao Sheng’s occasional emotional outbreaks and his hate towards his cousin Gu Fan and his lover Shen Hai all point towards an incident that happened in his childhood… (No trailers or teasers available as of yet).

Familiar faces: So far not much is known about who was cast - most likely because, as it often happens, all of the actors are newbies and no one knows them or has interest in getting to know them right now.

My opinion: So far, it sounds kind of interesting. Taiwanese BLs are known for having more unusual themes and plots, and this one doesn’t seem to be an exception. They also seem to really be trying to tackle a number of LGBTQ+ topics, different kinds of homophobia included, which could either be a disaster or a refreshing new BL experience. I’m looking out for some news on this one, so I could see if it is indeed a disaster or not.

En of Love

Network: LINE TV

Airs: March - Unknown

Synopsis: So far, all we have is that this series follows three couples made up of engineering and medical students. (Teaser 1 - Teaser 2 - Teaser 3)

Familiar faces: New, who is responsible for Make it Right & Make it Right 2, Love By Chance, ReminderS and Until We Meet Again, is the director of this series. So far, the only familiar actors are a part of the supporting cast, and they are Yacht, who is best known for playing Pond in Love By Chance, and Best, who was Good in the same series. You might also recognize both of them from having a couple of small appearances in Until We Meet Again. (Cast)

My opinion: The teasers don’t really give us much, especially because two of them don’t have subs (which might be a worrying prediction for the future of how quickly and efficiently the subs for new episodes are going to be coming out). It seems kind of cute overall, and also slightly dramatic. The fact that New is responsible for it kind of makes me appreciate it a little more, but otherwise my interest has not been piqued even a little bit. I am looking forward to finding out more about this one, though.

Gen Y: The Series

Network: Unknown (Thailand)

Synopsis: We don’t have much of a concrete description for this one yet, all we know is that it tells the story of the love of teenagers who always seem to be so busy. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: New, who is responsible for Make it Right & Make it Right 2, Love by Chance, ReminderS and Until We Meet Again, is directing this one. There is also a lot of rumors going on about Copter and Kim of SBfive, who are best known for their 2moons roles of Kit and Ming respectively, being in this show. However, I haven’t seen them say anything about it and they are not in the trailer, so I don’t know how true those rumors are. (Cast)

My opinion: So far, the only promising thing about this show is the face of New being plastered on it. Otherwise, it really doesn’t interest me. However, if Kimmon and Copgi are indeed in the show, I might give it a try - and I certainly will, if they play a couple.

Puppy Love: The Series

Network: LINE TV (Thailand)

Synopsis: This is a story of a young man, who dreams of becoming the next Steve Jobs, and another young man, who is addicted to a game. Suddenly, both of their destinies change and they turn back to being children again. What will they do in this peculiar situation? (No trailers or teasers available as of yet).

Familiar faces: So far, the only person you might recognize is Oreo, who was in What the Duck & What the Duck 2. (Cast)

My opinion: There is very little that we know of this BL. The synopsis doesn’t sound very promising, though. Honestly, all we can do now is wait and see. So far, I am not interested.

Because of You

Network: Uknown (Taiwan)

Airs: February 14 - June 26 (On Fridays)

Episodes: 20

Synopsis: The story of three half-brothers from a large corporate family and the way they deal with the struggle of familial love and facing all possible situations associated with the feelings of “no way”, “impossible”, and “cannot”. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: Unsurprisingly, this being a Taiwanese show, there is no actors that we have seen anywhere before. (Cast)

My opinion: The trailer is very short and doesn’t really give us any info at all, and everything seems to clearly hint at at least one incestuous storyline between brothers. Overall, I don’t think I’m going to be giving this a shot, unless I hear something really good about it when it starts airing, which is really sad, because usually Taiwanese BLs are far more mature and solid than Thai ones.

The Shipper

Network: GMMTV (Thailand)

Synopsis: A fujoshi, who is a hard shipper of two of her classmates, gets into an accident and her soul gets trapped in one of their bodies. So she takes advantage of it, attempting to make her ship sail while in this boy’s body. Meanwhile, the boy’s brother notices that something is wrong. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: One of the main characters is played by Ohm, who was in Make It Right & Make It Right 2, He’s Coming to Me and Blacklist. Jennie, who was in Friend Zone and 3 Will Be Free, plays a background role as well. (Cast)

My opinion: This show makes me feel incredibly conflicted. The thing that stands out the most is the fact that the whole thing is based on a fujoshi’s inappropriate shipping, as well as the weird plot of the boy’s brother instantly realizing that it’s not his brother before him, but then starting to like this person that isn’t his brother, but that is in the body of his brother. At the same time, if it does a lot of mental and plot gymnastics, it can make this better, and there is some potential. Besides, the fact that Ohm and Jennie are in this series really makes me want to give it some sort of a chance. But, for now, I shall just wait it out and see what is going to happen further down the line. So far, I’m definitely staying away from it, though.

Your Star

Network: Uknown (Thailand)

Synopsis: The series revolves around a homophobic young man, who finds out that his younger brother is in a relationship with another guy. The situation becomes quite heated, but when his good friend begins meddling with his feelings, he starts to change his views, opening his heart up to his brother, his friend and himself. (Trailer)

Familiar faces: Lots of people would be excited to know that Fluke (Teerapat) has joined the cast as a background character - he is best known for his role as Wad in Sotus, and he was also in My Bromance. (Cast)

My opinion: The whole thing is quite confusing as of now. The last time a trailer came out was a year ago and it makes absolutely zero sense. Because there is no further explanation with the trailer, the synopsis really doesn’t make me hopeful about this one at all. And since I’ve never really been as in love with Wad and Fluke as everyone else, even his presence doesn’t save this series in me eyes. So far, I am absolutely not interested. 

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(Resources used: youtube.com - mydramalist.com - psycho-milk.com - facebook.com/LazySubber)

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IVAN DUROV   49   Liam Cunningham   —   The head of House Durov, an extremely secretive man talented with politics and manipulation. His intentions are nevertheless benign, for he only wants to break the chain of misery his family has endured, something for which he blames himself. He is unaware that the son he thinks dead is still alive.

ARLETTE MARCHANT   49   Rachel Shelley   —   The Lady of Ivaksha, a politically savvy and quiet, thoughtful woman who lost her eldest brother and, supposedly, her eldest son in the first war and her other elder brother in the second. She blames her husband for their son's loss, not knowing that he is still alive.

MIKHAIL DUROV   29   Tom Hopper   —   Lyosha Durov's younger twin, a knight who became heir to Ivaksha after his alleged death in battle. He is a terrible politician who never wanted to rule and has yet to recover from Lyosha's loss, but he is trying to pull himself together in time for his marriage.

RUSLAN DUROV   45   Richard Armitage   —   Ivan's younger brother, one of the few people he lets in on his plans, and the one trying to hold everyone together in the wake of all their tragedies. He is the only one who knows of his sister's suicide attempt and is paranoid that he will lose his only son, due to his siblings having all lost children.

MAHIR SAMARA   30   Berk Cankat   —   Favourite uncle of Harun of Al Raya and a skilled Greyseer, who has spent the past decade instructing Harun in how to control his Greysight. Lately, he has become something of a crutch for Harun as he struggles with his numerous emotional issues.

ZULAYKHA SAIDI   19   Burcu Özberk   —   A minor lady, fostering with House Samara to find a husband. Despite his being ineligible for marriage, she fell in love with the bastard Harun of Al Raya and has no intention of ending up with anyone other than him. She does not know that he has foreseen her untimely death.

ESPERANZA AMADOR   44   Miryam Gallego   —   Wife of Taran Madoc, the Count of Estea, who wanted a happy marriage with a powerful nobleman but whose dreams were shattered by her husband's emotional distance from her. After he apologised for his poor behaviour following the end of the Abolitionist War, she has been working with him to improve their marriage, as much for the sake of their sons as anything else.

EMYR MADOC   21   Brenton Thwaites   —   The third of Taran's sons, a brilliant diplomat who rules his family's secondary holdings of Mardon. He survived both wars unscathed and is trying to help his elder brothers overcome the traumas they endured, but is finding it difficult. His father has recently betrothed him to a Rowan of Westlake.

ALUN MADOC   19   Logan Lerman   —   Taran's fourth son and the most overlooked of his children, who yearns for more attention and affection from his father. He survived the Abolitionist War mostly unscathed and, like Emyr, is trying to help his elder brothers overcome their traumas, but is having little success.

DELYTH MADOC   46   Sarah Parish   —   The third child of the older generation of House Madoc, a politically savvy woman fanatically loyal to her House, who is nevertheless comfortable with her assigned role in life. She wed Caedyn Aderyn in an unsuccessful attempt to heal the rift between their Houses and now is willing to resort to any means to stop him from using the current political situation to destroy her birth family.

IESTYN MADOC   40   Joseph Millson   —   A mage who has always felt like a part of his family despite being raised apart from them, and who is genuinely happy with his lot in life, despite knowing of the problems facing mages. He wants nothing to do with the Alliance of Magi, thinking its leader to be a madwoman, but is under pressure from the Faith and the Order of Witchers to help resolve the situation.

HÉLÈNE GAUTHIER   27   Tamla Kari   —   Victorien Cailloux's wife, whose marriage with him got off to a rocky start but who eventually came to love him despite knowing he'd never love her back, due to him being gay. She watched his nephews and niece die young, and is becoming suspicious of the circumstances surrounding their deaths, as well as that of their father.

LIN CAIXIA   44   Lucy Liu   —   The Lady of Quan Ma and wife of Xun Xueqin, whose marriage with him used to be happy but is now severely strained due to the fallout from their son's death and their conflict over the approach Xueqin is taking to the Alliance of Magi.

XUN HUANG   25   Lee Junho   —   The current Baron of Quan Ma and its future Viscount, a skilled diplomat who refuses to blame the Alliance of Magi for his cousin's murder of his brother. He is currently in severe conflict with his father about the approach he is taking to the Alliance.

XUN GANG   42   Daniel Wu   —   The Witcher of Thisia, an ambitious man intent on stopping the Alliance before they lay waste to the continent. He is the principal agent in the hunt for Zhihao and one of the few members of House Xun who agrees with the approach Xueqin is taking to the Alliance.

XUN YIJUN   23   Dianne Doan   —   The remaining Witcher of Quan Ma after the murder of her cousin, who she regarded as a second brother. She has become utterly obsessed with finding the murderer, her elder brother, to the exclusion of all other issues, but this exclusion cannot last forever.

XUN ZHIHAO   25   Yoon Kyun-Sang   —   A powerful and insane blood mage, who murdered his cousin Tian and took his blood to use in his magic before fleeing Quan Ma. A fanatical supporter of the mage rebellion's leader, but single-handedly responsible for earning the Alliance the enmity of House Xun, he is hated by most of his comrades.