#bl stepbrothers trope

[absolutebl]

Hi ABL! I was wondering if you have recs for bl couples where a younger seme/top aggressively pursues an older, initially-unwilling uke/bottom?

I realized this trope was my absolute JAM when I fell hard and fast for Wei Zhiyuan x Wei Qian, Sun Boxiang x Lu Zhigang, and Yongjie x Xingsi. Bonus points for age gap, stepbrothers trope or the older uke being endlessly indulgent?

I mainly watch China and Taiwan bls, so I’ll love anything from there. I’ll take recs from other countries too, they might become my first foray into non-mandarin bls

I know this is a somewhat specific request so thank you sm if you manage to come up with anything! I really appreciate all the work you put into this blog ☺️💜

Oooo MY FAVORITE!!!

Hyung Romances! (wrap-up post)

I call these hyung romances because that's like noona romances but gay.

Specifically you said:

younger seme aggressively pursues an older initially-unwilling uke

I am utter TRASH for this! YES PLEASE!

Minato’s Laundromat

Japan 2022 GaGa 

AKA Minato Coin Laundry AKA Wash My Heart! AKA Minato Shouji Koin Randorii AKA Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

Younger seme older uke, very clearly yaoi derived dynamic, 10 year age gap. I love this show so much. This is by far the best long running example that really dwells on this trope, Shin is very much the aggressor also very much still a high school kid. Minato is very much NOT. 

Old Fashion Cupcake 

Japan 2022 Viki & GaGa 

Also from Japan, another 10 year gap, and a flipping genius version. This time both parties are older, so there’s less of a stigma around the age gap, but there is stigma about the one being the other’s boss. 

This show had me from the moment they broke the egg yolk with the chopsticks in the opening credits for episode one. 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 man 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 coming of age/queerness packaged in a subtle critique of expectations around masculinity and love and loneliness... and it’s beautiful. Full review. 

Lovely Writer

Thailand 2021 YouTube 

Sib is quite a bit younger than Gene and defines aggressive pursuer. Gene is out of university and established in his career, Sib is still in college.

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 the characters.

Oxygen

Thailand 2020 YouTube 

Thailand’s first real stab at this dynamic as a main couple and it so worked for me. There are many who find this BL too slow and wooden, but I loved it. 

I think of this as a paragon of Thailand’s softer BL style, since Oxygen uses every BL trope in the playbook for one of the gentlest lowest angst BLs ever made. This one showcases how far Thailand is moving BL from its yaoi roots, and is a prime example of the sweet “new BL” model for which Thailand is the main advocate (Korea is liking it a lot these days too, tho). My first watch along. 

SOTUS

Thailand 2016 YouTube 

Guess who started this trope in Thailand? Yeah, sometimes I forget too. But they are not just classic sunshine/tsunder but classic younger/older. Just not by much.

This is the BL that launched a hundred BLs. No literally, it was SOTUS’s international success that pretty much built the Thai BL industry into the juggernaut it is today. People have baggage around SOTUS, I have nostalgia. Trigger warning on bully hazing. Review here. 

En of Love: Tossera 

Thailand 2020 YouTube 

Younger boy wants to court older boy and does and… that’s it. No really that’s the WHOLE STORY. There is actually no angst, drama, or, indeed plot. But are they the softest bois ever to BL as a main couple? Yes they are.

*pulp warning*

Private Lessons

Korea 2020 GaGa 

A BL short from Strongberry that I love, it's age gap and teacher/student (catnip por moi). The chemistry is slightly off though, but stil I do love this one for the dynamic. Certainly worth watching especially if this is your trope since it's like 8 minutes long and very stylish.

MingKit MarkKit

2 Moons (VERY side dish) YouTube 2 Moons 2 YouTube (major side dish) Gen Y (leads) Gen Y 2 (sides again in LTR) 

Thailand’s premier version of this dynamic I just lumped them all into one category. Only in 2 Moons 2 are they played by different actors, otherwise it is all KimCop, and who can complain about that? If you want to watch specifically for this dynamic than go for Gen Y. Trash watch here. 

SIDE DISH CORNER

Not Me (DanYok)

DanYok is an age gap, but it isn’t really the point or the plot of their romantic arc

Don’t Say No (LeonPob) 

Leon and Pob qualify. That’s all I have to say about that. 

HIStory 3: the BL that shall not be named (BoXiang & ZhiGang)

Also appear in HIStory 4: Close to You

The side characters in H3:MODC (and cameos in H4) BoXiang & ZhiGang have a huge age gap, 12 years, and it is a big deal for their relationship. When they start out BoXiang is a desperate himbo high school kid and ZhiGang is a small business owner. BoXiang’s friends tease him more for his lust over such a much older man than for being gay. 

Bonus on this one, there is some very high (and it's Taiwan so) very well done heat. That said, the main couple will, in fact, wreck your psyche for life. Proceed with caution.

THE THAI PULPS

You’re My Sky (SanAei)

Side could (and only good part of this show) SanAei are a classic uni age gap pairing. San is a bit of a spoiled rich kid jock who identifies the older nerd character as HIS and is just like, MINE. That’s MY elder gay. 

Brothers (KhunKaow) 

This is not a good show, but side couple Khun & Kaow are great in it. Khun is in university and Kaow has a small baking business.

Top Secret Together and Love By Chance both have sub plots of high school boys pursuing college ones, but the one didn’t go anywhere and the other went very very bad, so yeah… no. Although I would personally LOVE to see this done well. 

BONUS POINTS ROUND

Stepbrothers trope

HIStory 4: Close to You (sides)

YongJie is quite a bit younger than XingSi, not sure on the specifics but he’s in middle school when XingSi is in high school and still in college when XingSi has his own business.

Addicted has the stepbrothers trope but not the age gap.

Older uke being endlessly indulgent

Future

Thailand 2023 YouTube 

Based on a y-novel by Faddest (En of Love) about an engineering student and a dentist (shocker). This is just a soft sweet cotton candy fluff piece about a younger boy who pursues an older boy and then manufactures silly gay drama. Nothing wrong with that. But I don’t think this style of BL really appeals to a very large market share. Will I rewatch it? Sure. Will anyone else? Nope.

If you want your endlessly indulgent older gay, this is the you crack, they made if for you.

*pulp warning*

Manner of Death

Thailand 2021 WeTV

It’s not really relevant to the story, but Tan is younger. Not only that, he’s Bun’s friends younger brother. Bun is very indulgent, but in a grown up way.

I like MoD a lot but I’m conflicted over it being actual BL. It’s a great gay romantic suspense, although the mystery element is its weakness. MaxTul, the Kings of chemistry, are, of course, perfect and perfectly cast, but their romance thread is more a distraction than an addition. Still, I could watch them make-out the phonebook. Watch along here. 

Seven Days

Japan 2015 grey 

AKA Seven Days: Monday-Thursday AND Seven Days: Friday-Sunday Japan

Seryou kinda counts as the pursuer, but the dynamic is very very weak in this one. Still the way he asks to use Yuzuru’s first name (so CHEEKY) and the way he says “senpai” in SUCH a cute way makes me so happy. And Yuzuru is NOTHING is not indulgent, it kinda defines his character. I mean he just LETS him call him by his FIRST name... right away.

Never doubt my ability to recommend this show. 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). The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some really cute mutual kisses. 

Just Taiwan

HIStory 2: Crossing the Line

2018 Viki 

Seme uke is VERY weak with this one but the younger character is certainly the pursuer. It’s SO GOOD. 

Lin Pei Yu directs this is a sports romance (volleyball) with a good boy/bad boy pairing, and mu favorite of the HIStory franchise. There is no clear seme/uke. Ostensibly it's high school set but Taiwan doesn't care about age appropriate actors. It's a very soft sweet romance with some ridiculously easily overcome conflict. There's great kisses but it's medium heat. The side dishes are the stepbrother trope but they’re very tame, and there’s no other triggers. It's not just my favorite of the franchise, it’s one of my favorite BLs with a perfect happy ending.

Kiseki: Dear to Me

2023 Gaga

The mains are a major age gap, but I always forget because they def don't look it. Also, Taiwan, so very weak seme/uke. Still there is age gap, he's in high school and our gangster is out of college and in the workplace.

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

(Triggers for knife play, child abuse, lingering trauma.)

Unknown

2024 YouTube

Unknown is a wonderful BL with a pitch perfect portrayal of long term pining, age gap, and the stepbrothers trope. The acting and chemistry are ON POINT (especially from the leads) which made the resulting characters very believable. When it dwells in intimate family drama, it's stunning. It's slightly less successful when it leaves the home and goes gritty. Still, those are mere quibbles. This is an excellent show, one of Taiwan' s best.

As you see above I mostly had to take you to Japan and Thailand for this one. Considering your preferences try Japan first, it's closer in DNA to Taiwanese stuff, but it won't go as high heat. If you want the heat, you'll need to try the Thai stuff (or the ones from Taiwan you haven't seen). I would start with Lovely Writer.

Okay I think I have given you enough and, unless I miss my guess, I may have tempted you to try some Japanese BL.

Comes to the weirder (and weird hair) side. We have pancakes.

Yeah I think you should watch Old Fashion Cupcake.

EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH OLD FASHION CUPCAKE!!!

(source)

This post dated May 2024, not responsible for hyungs that sling after that date.

[bl-bam-beyond]

THE ON1Y ONE (2024, TAIWAN)

Episode 2

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

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

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

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

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

[heretherebedork]

Trying to protect someone when you're both hurt is so fraught because you're both aching and there's something hurting and you want to care and to love but how can you when you don't see a future or any chance at all for anything... (They talk about hating each other constantly even as they take care of each other but it's such a fine line to walk when they're both screaming inside.)

The way he chooses to wear his shoes despite having his own because he obviously takes comfort from them? The way he chooses those crappy shoes over his crappy shoes and wears them because he feels protected? Ugh, my heart for them and their falling out and falling apart. Showing love by stealing shoes and leaving your own for him. (Bonus where I think of @respectthepetty because their shoes are black and white and Yoondae is obviously lighter than SooHyuk but chooses to wear his dark shoes as comfort.)

The way he took out what his father said on the brother that was trying so hard to protect and love him without ever realizing how much he would hurt him and then taking it personally when his brother was hurt by it and lashed out because they're both victims here but sometimes it's easier to hurt a fellow victim because they don't fight back. Just two abused men lashing out against each other because they don't have the power and can't lash out against the people who are hurting them in the first place.

The agony of this, of saying something in a moment of hurt that echoes and echoes and fills both of you with pain that you don't know how to take back.

They loved each other so much. And when they lashed out, they broke something inside each other that was maybe already broken but was at least being held together and now it's been shattered for years and how do you fix that, can you fix that?

And the preview show that they're going to switch roles, that now he has to realize that his brother needed just as much care and tenderness as he did and was suffering just as much, just differently and that he lashed out at him and left him just as alone and now they're both alone and aching and damaged.

[kissablelips-desireslure-vol1]

THE ON1Y ONE (2024)

LIU DONG QIN (as Sheng Wang)

&

BENJAMIN TSANG (as Jiang Tian)

[madeinchinataiwanhk-blbambeyond]

MADE IN TAIWAN

Series: The On1y One

LIU DONG QIN

BENJAMIN TSANG

[lurkingshan]

hi there i hope you don't mind me asking for recs! this might be a bit too specific but do you know any (good) bls with age gap? i've only watched old fashion cupcake and minato's laundromat and i'd love to see more of that dynamic. have a good day!

Hi anon! I am delighted to talk about age gap bls with you. A few notes about how I define this:

I think of a true age gap romance as one where the narrative is at least in part driven by the age difference, not one where the characters are just incidentally different ages but it doesn't really matter to the story

The age gap needs to be significant enough that it puts the characters in different phases of life, so something like a college freshman dating a senior doesn't count

I also don't count supernatural stories where there's a massive age gap as a function of one of the characters being immortal, that's a totally different genre and narrative intent IMO

I will only include a show in this list if the age gap is between the main pair or a very significant side pair who has a lot of story time

So this means I would not be including shows like My Tooth Your Love or The New Employee where there is technically an age gap but everyone is adults and it doesn't really matter to the story. Or shows like Cutie Pie and Love in the Air, which do play with power dynamics somewhat based in age but where the actual gap is negligible and the story isn't about their age difference. Or something like Ossan's Love where there is an age gap pairing in contention but it's not actually the core romance of the story. Then there are shows where on paper there is an age gap between the main characters but the production cast actors the same age, so it never actually feels like an age gap story no matter how many times they write in dialogue trying to convince me that 28 year old is 40 (I love you dearly, Moonlight Chicken but please be serious).

So all that said, there are not as many proper age gap bls as you'd think! You'll note that this rec list is dominated by Japan and Taiwan, the absolute rulers of this trope. Productions in these countries love to dig into an uncomfortable taboo, and a true age gap romance fits nicely in that niche. Thailand doesn't play much in this space thanks to their branded pairs system that puts close-in-age actors together (and the couple times they tried large age gap romances were so terrible that I shan't speak of it). Korea has surprisingly done very little on this despite noona romance being one of the most popular kdrama subgenres. Where are all the hyung romances, I ask you??

With all that rambling out of the way, onto the list of age gap bls I recommend checking out.

History 2: Right or Wrong

An under appreciated entry in the HIStory franchise that pairs an overworked single father who is neglecting his parenting duties and the student he hires to help look after his kid.

History 3: Make Our Days Count

These two are technically a side couple, but they get near equal story time to the mains and they are an exemplar of a great age gap romance that gets the character dynamics exactly right to mitigate the uncomfortable power differential when one is an adult and the other is still growing up. My personal favorite age gap bl pair.

History 4: Close To You

This one's for the girls who like to tackle multiple taboos at once. Not only age gap, but also stepbrothers, with a bit of personality disorder thrown in for flare! And somehow with all that mess, they tell the story so well and make you believe. Do not @ me, I said what I said!

Kiseki: Dear to Me

I know many folks remember this show primarily for the side couple, but the mains actually have a very well done age gap romance between a gangster and a high school student he accidentally drags into hell with him. The plot of this show is absolutely not to be taken too seriously, just have fun and go with it!

Lovely Writer

The only Thai bl I think qualifies under the definition above and actually tells its story very well. This one is interesting because you get to see them both as kids and as adults and see how their age difference and its effect on their relationship shifts over time.

Minato's Laundromat

You already mentioned this one, anon, but I'm putting it on this list for posterity. A classic age gap bl with a romance between a repressed older man and the persistent teenager who worships him.

Mr. Mitsuya's Planned Feeding

Winner for most significant age gap in terms of years, this show is about a mid-20s editor who falls for a writer twice his age after meeting him on the job. So much glorious food and sexual tension.

Old Fashion Cupcake

Another one you've already seen going on the list for posterity. A workplace age gap romance with a younger man pursuing his mentor via foodie dates. One of the best Japanese BLs ever made, period.

The Pornographer

A maladjusted (to put it mildly!) man gets hit by a young student on a bicycle, and uses the situation to bring him into his home as a writing assistant. Things get pretty fucked up from there. This is one of my favorites and very under appreciated in part because you have to chase the story across two series, two shorts, and a movie to get the full narrative. Trust me, it's worth it!

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

15 Days BL Challenge (Part 1)

You can find the original post here.

Day 4: Fave Ship Dynamic

Forbidden Love… Yes, I am a sucker for this dynamic. Don't judge me. Or judge me all you want, I don't care. I just enjoy this whole pining and longing. And not just with bl. Red, White and Royal Blue is one of my favorite movies and books. This is definitely the lighter version of this trope, but why start with the hard stuff... Look at them. They are so precious!

But I always had this fascination with this trope. Broderskab is another good example. The love between two denish N*zis in an environment where love and especially love between two men is not welcome or known at all. Such a beautiful movie with one of the best, most beautiful shot nc-scene. Or From Beginning To End. Another really beautiful movie depicting a forbidden love. And there are so many more.

Latest examples for this kind of dynamic are The On1y One

and Unknown.

The stepbrother or chosen brother trope doesn’t bother me at all. I am a fan. Give them all to me! Let me feel the deep feelings of those characters struggling with their emotions!

And the forbidden love trope is one of the reasons why I enjoyed Wedding Plan that much.

There is this tingling when you want to be with someone you shouldn’t be with. When they realize the feelings are mutual and when they finally give in to them. Those kinds of love feel like an explosion. There are so many emotions held back that finally want to come out, all at once.

And perhaps that is another reason why I loved Love Mechanics so much.  

And not just because those two have incredible chemistry and gave us one of the most beautiful kisses in bl-history.

[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💜

[hughungrybear]

I would like to believe that since Wang and Tian were technically NOT stepbrothers (Minyang and Ou were just engaged, never married) then they should be free from the recurring curse that plagues every BL with stepbrother trope (open endings and without Season 2) 😅

Rumour has it they might start Season 2 production either end of 2024 or early 2025, crossing all fingers and toes 😁.

[he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle]

I suspect that Ryu's distance from his mother and school has less to do with homophobia and more to do with remarriage. We already know his dad is gone, seemingly dead, since Ryu speaks to him while looking at the sky. We also know his mom is still around and still trying to smooth things over with the school by donating money. But we see Ryu living on his own, playing street basketball to earn money, and having forged an odd sort of toxic found family with Q. So where's his mom?

This seems to be a running theme in Khun Golf's works -- kids feeling abandoned because of remarriage. (It just showed up a week or so ago in Wandee Goodday.) There may be a thread of homophobia mixed in, as we have also seen that as a theme in The Eclipse. But I think it's far more likely that Ryu started getting into trouble when his mom started dating and remarried. He either removed himself from the home and fell in with Q and his street basketball lot when he was in desperate need of cash, or he was actually forced out of the home by his stepdad. Both scenarios could explain why he's got that nice dorm room and why his mom still donates to the school. She's still supporting him as much as she can financially, but he is either choosing to live separately from her or has to live separately from her as a condition of her remarriage. (This is actually somewhat common among certain classes if a wife enters marriage with a well-off husband of a certain social status. Her children from a previous marriage get hidden. Taken care of financially, but hidden away from the family home.) Both scenarios can also explain why doesn't seem to be concerned about the financial loss he'll experience if he gives up street basketball and returns to school. He's already got his needs met from his mother paying for him, even if he's determined to not depend fully on her assistance.

The kdrama enthusiast in me that sees a vast web of interconnectedness and hidden family relationships behind every corner is even going one step further, starting to suspect that Atom may be Ryu's stepbrother. Atom would still be welcome in his father's home, but would be uncomfortable around his new stepmother so would want spend as much time away from them as reasonable.

Anywho, I thought I'd put this out there since I only just finished episode 3 today. Because as much as I'd love a Thai BL to deal with the issue of a parent kicking out a teenage kid for being gay, I've never actually seen that happen. But I have seen the kid struggling through the remarriage of their surviving parent trope quite a lot.

[istanchan]

I’m sorry but why are there so many BL dramas where the main characters are stepbrothers or pseudo brothers😭😭 like their chemistry is always off the charts but I can’t get over the stepbrother aspect!!!?/)/$

Am I weird for thinking this? Like it just makes me slightly uncomfortable. I’m still going to watch it but come one can we start making story lines that don’t revolve around this trope!!!

[absolutebl]

Please help me find that one bl I watched but can't remember the name of it, I want to find and rewatch it do bad! So that's what I remember about the movie:

I watched this movie on YouTube and it was not Thai or Korean. There are two guys who are not brothers, the one with the parents adopted the other one. Gave him many things, like money and house. So they're basically step brothers. The adopted one is in love with the main boy, after some struggles that I don't actually remember, the main boy falls in love with him too. But his father doesn't allow them to be together. With this being the reason, adopted one faked his own death and the main boy was in pain for a couple of years (I think it was like two years? But I'm not sure tho) After some time, the main boy coincidentally sees his lover working at a cafe. And they have a happy ending.

I've been looking for it for a really long timeeee 😭😭😭

This sounds right up my alley so I should know of it. It's stepbrother trope which is one of my all time favorites. (After comment consults I think this must be Irresistible Love - see notes at end)

My guess is something early from China, pre 2018? It could also be from the Philippines or one of the other BL producing countries that I don't track carefully. I think... not Japan, that doesn't seem like the right tropes or narrative bent for them.

It's possible, if you saw it on YT it was a fan rip with an alter end (like it really ends sadly but the fan decided to not include that?)

But you said specifically not Korea so Diary of Heong Yeong Dang (Drama Festival 2014) is out, and that was my first guess.

My second best guess is Thai, My Bromance the movie (2014) or (more likely) My Bromance the series (2016)? But you said: NOT Thai.

So my final pull is...

Find You In The Crowd (China 2017) but this is a microfilm and it's sad. At last check it was on Gaga.

You're not thinking of The Promise (Vietnam 2022) are you? No, that doesn't have the parental stuff and it's very recent.

That's the best I can do. Sorry, the spreadsheet and my brain failed you.

Here is some homework:

There is a 3 Part series from Ellene Noire II of YT round-up videos highlighting VERY obscure queer, LGBTQ+ and BL content (they named title and country in the cards), perhaps it's one of those? It has clips so that might trigger your brain better.

I've had these videos saved to process into my spreadsheet for ages but haven't gotten around to it since they really are some of the MOST obscure and I know it just throws off my numbers with "can't be found" columns.

If you figure it out, will you PLEASE let me know the name and country? It really does sound like my kind of BL. And if possible I'd love to try tracking it down.

Meanwhile here's my stepbrother trope round up post.

Notes

movie on YouTube

not Thai or Korean

2 guys who are not brothers

parents of one adopted the other one (stepbrother trope)

parents give adoptee many things, like money and house

adopted one is in love with the main boy

main boy falls eventually falls in love back

father doesn't allow them to be together

adopted one fakes his own death and the main boy was in pain for a couple of years

after some time, the main boy coincidentally sees his lover working at a cafe

Okay after consult with comments (with the exception of the bold bits I think this really has to be Irresistible Love).

Irresistible Love China 2026 - 2 Parts! 2 Endings!

Irresistible Love: Secrets of the Valet

YouTube

Irresistible Love 2 AKA Uncontrolled Love

YouTube

I not-so-secretly love this BL: Kidnapping, whipping boy, obsession, mutilation, very hard fought happy ending (in one version). Absolutely classic Chinese BL pre-censorship. It's a wild melodramatic ride.

This 2nd movie installment has 2 endings, one unhappy and censored and one basically happy. This series is quite violent, lots of tiggers, whipping boy chassis.

[bl-bam-beyond]

THE ON1Y ONE (2024, TAIWAN)

Episode 4

Stepbrothers Jiang Tian (BENJAMIN TSANG) and Sheng Wang (LIU DONG QIN) finding common ground and getting ever so much closer.

Bonus: I mean the line of the year.

@pose4photoml @just-another-boyslove-blog @lutawolf @absolutebl

[pink-heart-jam]

Love triangles

Truth be told, I’ve never been into love triangles - in fact I used to actively avoid them in the past, and still do when I’m reading fic because I hate feeling conflicted between two love interests. But somehow these stories found their way into my heart and left me utterly obsessed entranced and invested in the trope (the amount of scorching sex definitely helps 😂). So I thought I’d share these in case anyone else is looking for great stories with hot, intense, well-written triangular dynamics. Some will make you pick favorites (tell me about yours!), some are properly polyamory which is fun and refreshing to see in manga. All works are E-rated. Enjoy!

Blue Flag by Kaito

High school senior year, spring—one of life's important forks in the road. Taichi Ichinose finds himself in the same class as Futaba Kuze, who he feels strangely averse to, and his popular childhood friend, Touma Mita. One day, Futaba confides in him her love for Touma, and asks him for help.

Canis: The Speaker by Zakk

A spin-off of the main series that follows some of Ryou's gang acquaintances.

From Points of Three by White Eared

Jisuh is quiet, unassuming... observant. He’s suited to working behind the camera. But for reasons he’s not exactly quick to disclose, he’s run into some debt. Heejae, an actor who has worked with before, proposes he work with him exclusively on a private project of his...shooting himself and his partner having sex..

Love or Hate by Youngha, Bakdam

Haesoo is a cynical writer of a romance column, while Joowon, his former stepbrother, is a famous actor. The two go way back - thrust together when their parents remarried, their relationship is far from simple. When the mysterious photographer “K” takes an interest in Haesoo, events begin to spiral out of control.

Nights Before Night by Kazuki Natsume

It's been a long time since Haru, owner of the gay escort service "Rain," left his yakuza days behind. But when the Ichijo clan says he's the only civilian they can trust to hide the troublemaking Yukitaka in line, there seems to be no choice for him but to follow suit.

Momentum by Park ji-yeon

Stories with triangles: M’s Study | Phantom

“Momentum” is a series of beautifully drawn vignettes that glimpse into the life-altering moments of several couples as they fall in and out of love. This BL features a series of characters learning how to love, understand, and forgive one another – and in some cases, the world – at different moments in their lives.

Ouroboros by Songhyel

Woo Hyung’s life has hit rock bottom. He’s traumatized after several days of being imprisoned and abused by his brother-in-law, an event that eventually left him both wifeless and jobless. His only way of coping is sex, and two very different men who can provide exactly that show up in his life.

Wet Sand by Doyak

Jo can't stop fantasizing about the tall, handsome stranger on the balcony, and he grabs any chance to get to know him better. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize that Ian does the dirty work for one of the region's largest, most unsavory gangs... and is the lover of one of their most powerful people.

[thebluestlove]

I am just going to come out and say it: Unknown was really unsettling. I know almost everyone is raving about it, but the switch from parent/caregiver role to lover was discomfiting for me. I am not in the least perturbed by the step brother trope in bl, but here the equation was not merely of bros growing up together and developing complicated feelings for each other. If I’m talking about the Indian subcontinent (where I am from and I dare say there must be some similarities with other Asian countries) in traditional households, the role of the elder siblings sometimes overlapped with that of parents because of the large age gaps. Traditional narratives often show the reverence (and affection) which elder brothers/sisters are shown. The transition in Unknown from a surrogate parent to romantic partner, at least on Wei Qian’s part, just felt off somehow. Perhaps it’s my cultural heritage, perhaps I’m not as liberal as I fancied myself to be, but whatever the reason, it didn’t sit alright with me. Not even Li Li’s, for that matter. The equation was the same in both the cases. I went through the nuanced post made by @absolutebl about the stepbrother trope hoping for some clarity, but nah, I still have my reservations.

[madeinchinataiwanhk-blbambeyond]

MADE IN TAIWAN

Series: The On1y One

LIU DONG QIN

BENJAMIN TSANG