#be my favorite bl series

[lutawolf]

Be My Favorite. I love their fights.

Their fights don't feel like one person trying to be a jerk. These are two people who care about each other and just now learning how to navigate communication to a loved one.

I love that we aren't seeing abusive fighting, nor are we seeing pretty fighting. This is real. Getting angry at your loved one is perfectly normal and healthy. When handled correctly, they can strengthen a bond. Which it what we are seeing in this show, and I'm loving it.

pic from @biochemjess

[lutawolf]

What I like about the kisses is the feel of longing and fear. Kawi waits a long time before pushing Pisaeng away. He waits a long time before saying don't, as if it was more an afterthought to say no.

I love these coconuts your honor.

I can't stop thinking about the two kisses in Be My Favorite

I can't stop thinking about the future kiss and the desperation when Pisaeng just grabbed Kawi. Years of pent up feelings, of unvoiced yearning, of wanting of insecurity. Closeness that makes you feel both alive and dead a little bit inside and you can't stop it anymore you can't stop yourself anymore and you have to know before it's too late, a last chance for yourself because it has been years of this, of slowly burning… Of smiles and dates and being inseparable and sometimes you just kinda sense it, that spark, that inkling that you're not alone in this, that something is brewing that could be so much more than it is now

And I felt that desperation deep in my soul when Pisaeng grabbed Kawi head with both his hands and kissed him because he couldn’t take it anymore. The forcefulness of it all, the way it’s just so hard, so difficult, so painful

And I think about how Kawi reacts, how he just pushes Pisaeng away, a deer in headlights, something he doesn't expect, something he can’t comprehend because he hasn’t lived it, it’s just the beginning for him

And I can't stop thinking about the failed kiss and how it is just so vastly different. It's something still so fragile, so uncertain. A siren call and a gravity pull and Pisaeng doesn't know what he wants but he feels it too much already, wants the companionship, the closeness and it all feels like an untold dream just now growing its wings and getting stronger and stronger, a low simmer ready to transform into a fire. And your heart keeps beating more and more and more and you're trembling and you don't know why. And the way their noses brush together, the way Pisaeng closes his eyes and their lips sort of touch and then that "don't" that feels like a gunshot in the night, a sudden alarm, a sign to wake up

And the way Kawi was just laying there, all struggling stopped, feeling a little mesmerized, just a little lightheaded

And I feel Kawi is under the spell too because that “don't” jerks him up, splits the silence between intermingling breaths, jerking him away from the dream, the fantasy of something he didn't even know he wanted

And then I think about the way the "what are you doing" is said so softly, vulnerably, a little trembling.

And lastly I think about how in the end the failed kiss is a direct consequence of the future one. Because it's Kawi pulling away that forced Pisaeng to confront how he feels.

[khaopybara]

so nice of him to return the favor.

ONLY FRIENDS episode 2 THE HEART KILLERS official trailer

[thisautistic]

Let me refresh your memory...

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

“How long has it been since you and me? Hugs and kisses. Blankets and snuggles. Our sparks smoldering without a fireplace. Losing time is not losing you. It strengthens my yearning for you.” ― FIDELIS O MKPARU

The Eighth Sense

Addicted the Series

Love In The Air

Nitiman

Wedding Plan

Be My Favorite

My Only 12%

Hidden Agenda

Sing My Crush

Blueming

Favorite cuddles (Part 3/?) as part of my favorite bl-trope collection (no particular order)

[heretherebedork]

The first two kisses of Beer and Wan, before the confession, before the feelings, before the fear, the love between them that will bring them back to each other.

[lutawolf]

This! This! I was not impressed with the woman's behavior. And I am saying that as a mother who knows that motherhood doesn't come with an instruction book. It's not easy, and we make mistakes, but our kids are not our mini selves to be constructed into the way we want. You can guide, but ultimately they are their own people.

First, having people watch your 20-year-old kid isn't acceptable. If he is not endangering himself or others, then he is well past the age of micromanaging. Then telling him what is acceptable involving his relationships, when she would never think to do the same thing to a straight son.

I'm hoping for some character growth here because her actions right now need improving.

Be My Favorite: The Evils of Queer Surveillance

I’ve had a chance to calm down a bit, but I need to get this off my soul immediately. Kawi’s mom is engaged in a set of extremely vile and evil acts that we unfortunately have a long history with. In revealing Pisaeng’s relationship with his mother today, this show forces us to reconsider what we know of Pisaeng’s history, and forces us to question the presumptions of safety in our own communities.

Before we get into this, I will be describing her actions as evil. I do not want to contribute to a limited view of the character as inherently evil. I believe this woman is doing what she thinks is best for herself and her son. It’s important that we not fall into fundamentalist reads based in predeterministic assumptions about people’s behaviors. She is engaged in acts that are reprehensible. She likely believes she’s doing them for good reasons, and may have accepted the balance of harm and good on her own.

Normally I would take screenshots and borrow gifs to break up a post like this to make it more digestible, but I’m too upset to take all of that time. I’ll leave the writing about Pisaeng’s personal journey and the romance writing to others this week.

She Manipulated Her Son into the Closet

Pisaeng’s mother uses her positive positioning with her queer employees and lip service to queer issues to appear as an ally. She used that goodwill to convince her son that it would be best for his own reputation to be quiet about his sexuality and to keep her informed about any moves he made in that regard. Pisaeng has already seen through this, but it wasn’t until Kawi confronted him with the reality that he was hiding himself that he felt the need to push himself out more.

This is now the third time Gawin has played a character like this. All of Gawin’s genre characters know who they are and are choosing not to be out because of the inconvenience that others’ perceptions of them bring. It is absolutely heartbreaking to me that Pisaeng was not discovering his queerness in his attraction to Kawi. He was rejecting his closeted programming because of his friendship with Kawi.

It makes me so sad that Pisaeng seems tired and uncomfortable around his mother. He knows the way she operates. She colors right inside of the lines with every action she takes. He gives her a knowing look as she asks seemingly-innocent questions of Kawi. She gives a knowing look when he redirects Kawi into finishing his breakfast. She plays offended when she insinuates that he violated their agreement of being out without informing her.

I hate everything about this, and it only gets worse because she’s weaponized his own community against him.

She is Using Queer People to Spy on Her Son

Some of you may not know about The Lavender Scare or have a strong grasp on the history of law enforcement using members of a community to spy on their own people, but it’s literally how they planned the operation to assassinate Fred Hampton and other leaders. Gay communities were vulnerable to infiltration because when cops threatened enforcement of sodomy laws on white men, they turned on their own communities to avoid losing access to the privileges of whiteness. I say this plainly to show that these tactics are easily transferrable to any marginalized group when its members are isolated.

Pisaeng’s mother reminds Pisaeng that his private life does not belong to him, and that she has already turned his own community against him. She commands extraordinary wealth, which she has leveraged on her queer employees to report when her son is spotted in queer places. She seemed surprised that she was not aware of Kawi, and implies by the comment on his “unique name” that she will absolutely know who he is shortly. Pisaeng feels the threat of all of this, and steers Kawi out of there, but it’s made abundantly clear that he is not safe in queer spaces. Worse, his presence in queer spaces brings the surveillance of the ruling class down upon them immediately. In so many ways she’s made him a threat to his own community.

What’s especially sad about this is that his mother becomes an immediate wedge between Max and Pisaeng. She signals in public in ways that engender support of the queer community. Pisaeng has clearly grown to like Max, and seems to want to build a friendship with him. However, even a queer as apparently-put-together as Max can be fooled by his mom. Pisaeng doesn’t seem mad or disappointed about this; he seems resigned.

Where the Hell Do We Go from Here?

I have no idea. GMMTV went here a little bit with Not Me, and in a different direction with The Eclipse, but I wasn’t expecting them to come for queer-friendly-signaling members of the wealth class. I think they’re walking a careful line by highlighting her political ambitions but not making her a politician already. The insidiousness of the control scheme his mom has deployed against him is legitimately horrifying to me, because she crushed the spirit of her queer son right as he blossomed. I also lived in the closet, but I crushed my own spirit for them.

I know this is a BL, so we’re going to be caught up in the romance and whether or now we like Krist and Gawin together, but please don’t forget about the queerness underpinning these kinds of stories. It is abjectly evil to weaponize members of a community against each other. What is being done to Kawi and the people around him is evil. This cannot stand. She must be stopped.

[absolutebl]

Of My 50+ Favorite BLs these are the 10 I rewatch the most

So you could call these my favorite comfort foods. Everything on this list got a rating of 10/10 or 9/10 from me.

10 Most Comforting BLs

(for me, in order of most recently rewatched at the top)

Our Dating Sim

Korea 2023 Viki (watch the series not the movie)

This is a perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy. I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent.

Cosmetic Playlover

Japan 2024 Gaga

The most recent release on this list, it came out this year and I've already rewatched it 5x. I love this little show. It's a classic office BL about the older workaholic who loves his job and the younger upstart who unexpectedly loves his boss. It’s a hyung romance where everybody is extremely earnest and sweet and pretty about everything. Except our seme, who is slightly unhinged and a little obsessed in all the ways one likes best from Japan (if one is me). Plus the kisses are good! Utterly charming unexpected gem of a show. What fun!

Jun and Jun

Korea 2023 Viki

A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. Other boys are sniffing around too. Operative word being "sniffing" as much of this romance involves smell. With a snappy (sometimes even raunchy) script, enjoyable sides, a pretty as peaches cast, and decent chemistry this show made up for in style what it lacked in substance. I like fluff. I loved this. I smiled every moment I was watching. My only caution is this is for fans of the BL genre only, I don’t think it’ll work for anyone else.

My Personal Weatherman

AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan 2023 Gaga

This style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but are so repressed they don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that aspect 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. That said it's also bruisingly romantic. Emphasis on bruise.

Unintentional Love Story

Korea 2023 iQIYI

OMG the plot! Uke forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the PAIN in those gorgeous eyes. Gah. Okay, so: A boy loses his job due to trumped-up corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back, if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). All that said, when I rewatch this it's usually just the second half, but WHAT a ride.

Semantic Error

Korea 2022 Viki

Sexy older boy discovers pouty younger boy has outed him as a slacker, starts out bullying him, accidentally falls madly in love instead. Korea hits it entirely out of the Parks by doing a university BL with everything we expect from BL just done exactly right. Korea's signature quality executed perfectly with added bonus good story, great pacing, stunning visuals, and fantastic chemistry. You cannot ask for more from a BL, let alone a KBL. Another one where the rewatch is mostly just the second half.

Old Fashion Cupcake

Japan 2022

This show had me from the moment they broke the egg yolk with the chopsticks in the opening credits. It’s about a younger man with a long cherished crush on his boss (ten years older and going through a mid life crisis) who decides to save and seduce said boss with pancakes. It’s wholesome, comforting, sexy, and a very necessary narrative about still having hope, interests, and openness to affection at any age. It’s a stunningly filmed late-in-life comg of age/queerness story packaged in a subtle critique of expectations around masculinity, love, and loneliness… and it’s beautiful.

Yes yes. But the bit you know you want to rewatch is that long shot with the bite kiss. YOU KNOW you wanna.

Seven Days

Japan 2015

Ha! I faked you out 'cause this wasn't at the top but of course it's on the list! One of the best live action yaois ever made, with perfectly structured angst, fantastic characters and acting, and no problematic tropes (rare in Japanese BL). Older boy dares the hot af younger one to date him for a week. Turns out they both like it... A lot. The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some really cute mutual kisses.

Takara & Amagi

Japan 2022

I gnawed on my knuckles and squealed a lot with this show, but a rewatch is way less tense. Reserved cool kid 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.

We Best Love

Taiwan 2021 WeTV

WBL successfully managed to pick up and combine the best features of Korean, Thai, and Japanese BL as it exists right now. Couple that to the insane chemistry from the leads, and we have one of the greatest BLs of all time, cooking to a recipe I doubt anyone else will ever be able to replicate since only Taiwan is this flexible. It's basically every classic BL trope bombarded at us in two parts, rapid fire, one after another. Rewatching this show reminds me of everything I love about this genre. It is the genre in pure concentrated form.

The End!

I think it's no accident that none of these are Thai, part of a rewatch for me is the brevity of the show, longer stuff does get rewatched, but not as frequently.

(source)

[gunsatthaphan]

"shall we continue?"

[divineandmajesticinone]

25 Ji, Akasaka de / At 25:00 in Akasaka (2024) I 1.05

Nagumo Shoma as Yamase Kazuma

[lutawolf]

Be My Favorite

I don't think the depth is being explored in Be My Favorite as I think it should be, or maybe it's me just overthinking it.

For me, it seems pretty clear that Pisaeng has feelings for Kawee early on. What I adore most, is that it's truly capturing that confusion that most of us queer go through. That, I don't like him/her, I just want to be friends. That internalized moments of slowly understanding yourself.

Then, as they start to spend time together, he truly falls. It becomes more than a crush.

Now Kawee... I see a lot of opinions that are so different from mine, to the point that I wonder if we are watching the same thing.

Kawee is an emotionally detached introvert. What does that even mean, Luta? These introverts are trauma based introverts who experienced detachment at a very early age. Usually a combination of loss of a significant family member, bullying, and social isolation from peers due to money and ect.

This is very apparent in his childish maturity. He is smart, but he lacks the maturity to get things done, see the big picture, set long term goals, or understand repercussions. We notice a slow maturing with society exposure, because honestly, friendships and experiences are part of the bases for emotional growth. That whole, learn from your mistakes is really a thing.

I also think that it's due to this that he has the obsession of Pear. It's more like a goal and a comfort.

But notice that while he is still going after his goal. His personality changes towards Pisaeng after his return to the future and then once again returning to the past. You have to imagine that some of those feeling of being best friends and maybe even more, lingered. So now we are seeing Kawee battling with his emotions.

Does everyone remember when we first meet Kawee in the classroom. Notice that Kawee is much more familiar and comfortable with females? Even though he hasn't fully bridged the gap of introvert, he is in communication with females and the one friend. I find this important because, in my opinion, Kawee treats Pear as a friend. While he treats Pisaeng the way a female typically treats a potential lover. The way he asks for money, the way he begs for the cute turtle.

It's important to note that neither are showing homophobic tendencies. Kawee clearly has a gay bestie that he adores. They both just haven't found themselves yet, and that's okay. There is the misconception that if you hit college or later and don't realize you are queer that you have internalized homophobia, that's just not true. Take my daughter for instance, both her parents are bisexual, and we're extremely accepting, but it took her awhile to adjust to the fact that her dreams were going to be different from what she initially imagined.

I'm really concerned about the society we are living in, where we are determined to label certain emotions as negative. Like, jealousy, possessiveness, and confusion. We shouldn't because they are naturally occurring emotions. And they teach us about ourselves. They are important to our growth.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the show and I really do think that perhaps it deeper than what most are giving it credit for. Opinions @ellaspore and @bl-bam-beyond

[tinstol]

They are about to toss your Gay Ass into the Alternate Dimension until you learn to love others and love yourself

[piningintrovert]

I'm sorry. I really am sorry. And I'd like to thank you too. Because what you do for me means the world to me. Are you drunk? No, I'm not … Yes, I am. But, I'm not saying it because of that. I really do want to apologize.

Fluke Gawin as PISAENG & Krist Perawat as KAWI BE MY FAVORITE (2023), dir. Waa Waasuthep Ketpetch 

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

A thousand little kisses.

Only Friends

Our Skyy 2

Be My Favorite

Tokyo In April Is...

Jun & Jun

Dangerous Romance

House Of Stars

Why R U Korea

Hidden Agenda

Only Friends

1000 little kisses (2/?) as part of my favorite bl-tropes collection, in no particular order.

[heretherebedork]

The lap pull was just perfect, okay? The expensive couch, the contrast of their clothing, the colors, the light... this is Yoh in Sam's world and he knows it but he's also being invited in, brought in and kept in.

[thisautistic]

hey yall. so with election day in the us on tues nov 5 i am.....so scared lolol.

so i'm gonna need some stuff to focus on as a distraction. that's where yall come in:

if you have any gifset reqs please send me a message or an ask and i will do what i can to make it happen!

shows i like giffing:

jack & Joker kinnporsche (mostly vegaspete) pit babe the series (anyone but way tbh) kidnap the series playboyy the series midnight museum be my favorite only friends (mostly bostonnick but i'll do sandray too) my favorite things to gif are whump and less safe for work sets. only degenerates need apply!

genuinely any show/pairing you've seen me gif for is fair game!

pleeeeeeease help out your boy who is prone to anxiety/ocd get through what is sure to be a shitty day.

*smooches*