#best bls on youtube

[absolutebl]

Top 10 Best BLs on YouTube

These BLs are gonna be easiest to get hold of, but also dominated by Thailand.

Until We Meet Again

Thai 2019

UWMA is, without question, a work of narrative genius with a powerful and cohesive romantic backbone and stellar performances. It is (to date) the only Thai BL (of c.300 watched) that I’ve rated 10/10 predominantly on the basis of its story structure. That said it is also very well cast (and it’s a BIG cast), with solid production values, beautiful food, powerful themes, and enduring pair branding.

He's Coming to Me

Thai 2019

Boy and ghost boy fall in love, must solve ghost’s murder. Peak pining but also pretty tame, features my favorite sweet but important coming out sequence.

A Tale of Thousand Stars

Thai 2021

With great casting and cinematography this drama nods at BL tropes but manages to elevate them (and itself) with a strong mature story concept about a spoiled rich kid who gets a heart transplant and becomes a teacher it order to pay out survivor’s guilt. On the way he falls in love with a local park ranger and contends with his own classism and escapist tendencies. Everyone seemed to perfectly suit their roles and GMMTV made the most out of its stable. Combined with excellent production (and post production) values, 1000 Stars is without question GMMTV’s most mature, charming, and smart BL series. I think it should go down as one of the top BLs of all time. I feel safe recommending this one to friends and non BL watchers.

My School President

Thai 2023

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORED this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being re-executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? This show was fantastic, it’s only flaw was the singing (and that’s my baggage). My favourite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL.

The Sign

Thai 2024

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it is balls to the wall FUN.

Emphasis on balls.

Bad Buddy

Thai 2022

This was GMMTV’s flagship BL and it started 2022 on a BANG (okay no actual banging but you know what I mean), starring heavy hitters Ohm & Nanon in a pitch perfect university Romeo & Romeo masterpiece that will give you domesticity meets pain whiplash throughout and jet lag at the end. Some of the friendship and family dynamics are overworked, but it has great production values, killer acting, and some conscious effort to correct for half a decade of Thai BL’s anti-queer mistakes. I did a watch along for this one.

Oxygen

Thai 2020

Softest seme in the universe sings his affection to the older boy at the cafe. Let the slow burn courting commence. Oxygen uses every BL trope in the playbook for one of the gentlest lowest angst BLs ever made. It’s a hyung romance (younger boy courts older boy) but very very earnest about it. Am I biased? Sure. This is probably one of my biggest comfort watches.

Lovely Writer

Thai 2021

Thailand criticizes itself and the BL industry while simultaneously giving us classic seme/uke with great chemistry in a one-two punch of “we love it, but are we supposed to? and must we think this hard, yet enjoy it SO MUCH?” This show won’t appeal or make sense to those who don’t already have at least some Thai BL watching experience. What Lovely Writer does, at heart, is reexamine Thai BL has done to queerness, but in a very gentle way that has more to do with Thai BL growing up than any actual queer authenticity. It’s not parody or pastiche, but it is self reflective and trying to correct for some chronic mistakes. Whether it is ultimately successful in this matter is going to depend on the watcher’s relationship to BL and queer identity. But that’s what makes this show beautiful, interesting, and thought provoking. And I, for one, applaud the effort even if I didn’t personally connect to all the characters.

Not Me

Thai 2022

How do you say antidisestablishmentarianism in Thai? + hot boys kissing who probably shouldn't be and convoluted soap opera identical twins plot... someone at GMMTV thought it made sense, we just here for the tattoos and the the Pride scene.

Okay so, GMMTV gave us a dark disestablishment narrative (in a time of civil unrest) with established queer award-winning director Anucha and starring the biggest guns of BL, OffGun and THIS WAS AN AMAZING THING to get to experience at the time - nerve racking but remarkable. But was it ACTUALLY BL? It certainly has a lot of BL elements, but in the end romance was not what this show was about, or even what it was genuinely trying to be as a performance piece. Still a remarkable moment in Thai cinema, certainly worth your time. Don’t worry, it all ends happily.

My Day

Pinoy 2020

The set up on this one is enemies (also boss/employee) and they don’t like each other to start. But that gets resolved pretty quickly. And then they are some of the cutest, hottest, and best boyfriends ever. This is an under-appreciated BL, IMHO.

Honorable Mention

A First Love Story

Korea 2021

Strongberry are true masters of their craft and yet A First Love Story is still one of the best things they have ever produced. It’s the only microfilm every to make one of my year end top ten list. It’s two episodes of about 8 minutes each that manage to perfectly portray the sweetest friends-to-lovers confession ever. It’s joyful, and gentle with its characters, and a little hot. How on earth do they manage to leave us yearning for more yet completely satisfied at the same time? It’s like the perfect amuse-bouche, that one finger food at that one cocktail party that you will never forget. You are a ridiculous human if you haven’t spent 16 minutes with these two boys. Go watch it now. Or go watch it again. It’s time VERY well spent.

(source)

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

Others in this series:

GMMTV seems to have cut a deal to move some of there prestige content from YT to Viki, and launch some on iQIYI. I respect this choice from a profit margin perspective. But the show can be suddenly available nowhere for several months as a result. FYI

[maybe-boys-do-love]

i'll see your point that most of the thai BL boys are not great singers, and raise you the idea that they'd be more fun to have at karaoke

exhibit a:

[pharawee]

I don't know why but there's so many new BL announcements today. I feel like I need to put them all together so I don't forget:

The cast for the Thai adaption/retelling of Heroin/Addicted has been revealed.

Most of them were in Hit Bite Love and, as of yet, one hasn't been revealed yet. Negl I was tentatively excited for a Thai version but, yeah, I really don't know about that😐

2. The uncut version of Playboyy the Series is set to air in November on gagaoolala. I knew it. Gagaoolala always has my back.

3. WeTV announced several new BLs in their 2024 line-up today (apparently there was talk about six to eight new BLs). They'll be working with DeeHub and Domundi, among others. Most, if not all, of their series will be Thai novel adaptations:

I Saw You In My Dream (DeeHub) about Ae who dreams of an unknown man who turns out to be Yu, his neighbour.

Me and Who (Domundi) about a young man who's reincarnated into the body of a billionaire's son with a fiancé who very quickly notices that something is wrong (this definitely sounds like Domundi lmao).

Monster Next Door about Diew, and introvert, and and God, an extrovert, who are neighbours. Love Chaos ensues.

Knock Knock, Boys! which already has a (pilot?) trailer and stars Seng Wichai (Secret Crush on You), Best Vittawin (Check Out), Nokia Chinnawat and Jaonine Jiraphat. It's about a group of friends who agree to help one of them, Almond, win over his crush. Chaos Love ensues.

Also, Seng and Best? All of my prayers have been heard. I must gif this immediately 🙌

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

Interview with Yorke Sun, Andy Wu and Sam Lin about BL.

[days-of-storm]

Perth's video on filming Cutie Pie about to premiere in about two hours!

[lgbtally4ever]

OUR DINING TABLE

This scene brought tears to my eyes… AGAIN.

So sweet.

If you haven’t watched this, yet—you’re missing a real gem!

Bonus scene…kiss…

And an official trailer…

It all started with a rice ball.

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Spicy, Angry and Horny BL Gremlin 🔥😍 (Kiseki Dear To Me)

[samyuparadise]

Missing them so bad, I had to make this compilation of all the their kisses. 🥹

[kissablelips-desireslure-vol2]

MAX (2019) Part 2

Directed By: Alexandre Authier and Johan Gayraud

ROMAIN POLI (as Antoine)

&

MARTIN MILLE (as Max)

In Conclusion: Words are exchanged and Max slaps Antoine. Antoine pushes Max. Max then can't contain his repressed feelings for Antoine (his best friend and a man) and it's Max who kisses Antoine.

[absolutebl]

I need to call the expert in! I am teaching an undergraduate Global Studies course (seminar style) that will include forms of soft power from around the world. For LGBTQA+ rights, I was thinking about using Thailand's BL industry as an example and pair readings with a required series to watch. Which series available on a free platform like YouTube might be a good starter show for a younger audience that likely has no frame of reference for the genre? Eclipse feels too overtly political, but I could easily be overthinking it....tropes are welcome, I want to focus on quietly emphasizing rights and queer identity and a nod to Thailand's beaches/travel industry is always okay.

Undergrad huh?

Which Thai BL series (on YT) might be a good starter for undergrads with no frame of reference for BL?

Tropes welcome.

Emphasizes rights & queerness.

Includes Thai tourist industry

2 BLs That Satisfies this Criteria

Lovely Writer - the first bigger BL to outright challenge the BL industry while still leaning into all the BLness of it, lots of conversation to be had with this one but simple to understand, sound effects issues tho, because it's still sweet and very much OF the genre, it's my top pick. (If they like it point them at A Tale of Thousand Stars next.)

Bad Buddy - Romeo & Romeo is an easy to understand premise and it's a lot of GMMTV correcting for its mistakes, great production values, fantastic acting but subtle on the queer rep aspect, has beaches. (If they like it point them at The Eclipse next.)

Other's I considered and rejected (and I explain why)

Until We Meet Again - too many triggers, blushing maiden

He's Coming to Me - not popular enough to rep for the genre

Oxygen - not queer or popular enough

A Tale of Thousand Stars - not enough on rights/queerness, it's there but VERY subtle

Not Me - more about politics

My School President - too YA for university level course

Moonlight Chicken - this one is low on tropes but high on everything else, it's not fluffy or campy and is very different for BL, so not quite representative of the genre as a whole, and no nods to the tourist industry, bit high heat for school

The Eclipse - too overtly political, bit confusing on plot and setting unless you are familiar with the Asian version of the boarding school trope

Star in My Mind Star and Sky - not good enough on queer rep

Wow, this was much harder than I thought it would be!!

[bl-bam-beyond]

STARSTRUCK (2023, SOUTH KOREA)

Trailer Highlights

The story of best friends one in love with the other with no plans of confession because he knew the feeling wouldn't be reciprocated. But now Seo Han Joon (KIM IN SUNG) wants to express his feelings for best friend Jo Yoo Jae (ZUHO)

Spoiler Alert: Yoo Jae may have walked away after Han Joon confessed but he to may have feelings for his best friend even he wasn't aware of. Dare I say these besties may cross over to lovers.

@pose4photoml @lutawolf

[pharawee]

Here it finally is, the official trailer for Knock Knock, Boys! airing on 30 May on WeTV.

[dropthedemiurge]

Guys, look, this is the perfect version of the future timeline in Be My Favorite – where Kawi becomes a celebrity but together with Pisaeng; no angst, only joy and harmony of their incredible voices and hearts, aww :D

[gillianthecat]

You still have time to watch both movies (just 2 hours and 25 minutes total), fall in love with Seriyo and Yuzuru, and then go vote for them in round 1 of the Best Kiss Bracket.

(why I love their kiss)

[lgbtally4ever]

8 HOTTEST BL SERIES 🔥 🔥 🔥

Mature Thai BL Series

I would add, “Don’t Say No,” even though it does have students in school—it’s, nonetheless, pretty adult🔥 🔥 🔥!

How about YOU? Can you think of any to add to this list?