#dining side table

[mastermigraciones]

Transitional Dining Room Ideas for remodeling a medium-sized transitional great room with a light wood floor, beige walls, and no fireplace

[butmakeitgayblog]

Art

[absolutebl]

Do you have any recent recommendations for JBL TaiwanBL and KBL? Been rewatching only bls from 2021 2022 and I feel like I'm out of the loop for the more recent ones.

Maybe something from this year or late last year?

Great JBL, TaBL, and KBL from 2023 & first half 2024

asker added:

Genre = mostly anything. But pls avoid homophobic trauma (like Jazz for Two).

Fair. Okay here we go!

2023 Recs!

I picked mostly 9s and 10s for you with a few 8s I felt specifically might suit your taste.

I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan Netflix

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.

Our Dating Sim

Korea Viki

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.

I don't hand out 10/10 often (over 700 BLs watched, stil don't hvae 10 10/10s yet), these both got that from me in 2023. I consider both of them perfect BLs.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan 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 both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part 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.

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan Gaga

A lonely salaryman (+ talented cook) gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the original yaoi (which is very dear to my heart). And they did! Paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

Jun and Jun

Korea Viki

A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. Others 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 descent 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. With tons of rewatch potential (especially the last few eps), my only caution is this is for fans of the BL genre only, I don’t think it’ll work for anyone else.

Love Tractor

Korea iQIYI

Most of this country-set BL had me feral for the beautiful broken city boy and his hot young farmer. Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed, just all my favorite tropes. This show was basically a light-weight Restart After Come Back Home and I’m not even slightly mad about that. But (and you knew there was a “but” comg) something about the cringe of the final 2 eps and the impermanence of the ending (both of which highlight the fact that ultimately these 2 are I’ll-suited: too different and too far apart) left me with the feeling that they probably won’t last as a couple. However, in this case, rare for me, I forgive it this finale for my love of the rest.

The New Employee

Korea Viki

So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. Sweet & innocent (and out) Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams. On his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved (and also v gay) boss. As you do. Frankly? This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever! Directed by queer activist Kim Jho Gwang Soo (Just Friends?) partly set in the same neighbourhood as the To My Star house. Gotta love WATCHA (Semantic Error, Light on Me).

Unintentional Love Story

Korea iQIYI

OMG the plot, forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the eyes EMOTING at us in PAIN A boy who just lost his job due to faked 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 lumous 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). I’m not sure on rewatchability, and it didn’t whip me into a verbal frenzy the way some KBLs do, but it still gets a solid 9/10 for those damn eyes alone.

A Breeze of Love

Korea iQIYI

Tsundere insomniac grump reunited with his sunshine jock ex (human sleeping pill) who now hates him. Basketball is also involved. While the simplicity of a reunion plot makes this more cohesive than most KBLs, it is a tad stiff and slow, never managing to lift itself out of "pretty and pretty enjoyable" - I liked it but I don’t think I’m going to remember much about it. 

Bon Appetit

Korea iQIYI

Romance between an office worker the man from his past next door who cooks well. It was very sweet and cute tale of food as love in the All the Liquors family of KBL. I’m not wild about it, I did enjoy it, I was happy to have it show up on my dash, but ultimately it will simply become one of the KBL crowd.

Why R U?

(Korean adaptation of Thai original) iQIYI

Korea decided to remake, of all possible Thai BLs, Why RU? And that is exactly what we got: a short form, clean & pretty, slightly confusing, uneven chemistry, all the same tropes KBL that kind of cliff-noted the original but with none of the heat or complex relationship dynamics. I just … what world is this? Because it is BOTH bizarro land, and EXACTLY what I expected. How do I rate it? In the end I have to go back to simple questions: did I like it, would I rewatch it, and would I recommend it? Yes. Probably. And probably not. What the actual hell?

It did, however win my best kiss of 2023 which is why it's on this list.

Stay By My Side

Taiwan Viki

I wanted to pick SOMETHING from Taiwan but my other two options both had lots of trauma in them. So I'm going with this one.

This show was an interesting take on the "ghost boyfriend" trope. About a boy who is tormented by hearing the dead, except when he is around one other boy - desperation+proximity = love. Unfortunately, the story was erratic and waffled about. While the leads turned in solid performances and the sappy domesticity was off the charts, it never really had the strength of the narrative convictions such a strong concept should have supplied. Highly rewatchable and enjoyable for that sappy domesticity but not a whole lot more. Still I always give extra credit for the diabetes-inducing sugar content and rewatch capacity.

And some suggestions from 2024

I'm only suggesting stuff that has finished it's run and isn't currently airing.

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

Japan Gaga

The promise of this show, younger cook courts older divorced office worker, should have been my catnip. I mean if someone pitched this to me in an elevator I would have downloaded it by the second storey. Unfortunately, it did not exactly fulfill that promise, not in the way I'd hoped. Did I still enjoy the ride, yes, but I feel just a little let down.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu

Japan Gaga

Kindly Ryota goes to uni and ends up rooming with his former childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend for, as it turns out, cute roommate reasons. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake, the framing is gorgeous and it is a stylish piece. As a friends to lovers cohabitation narrative this was a classic 2000s sweet yaoi. I enjoy that kind of tradition out of Japan even if it (and the characters) come off as a little slow as a result. Still, it's nice to get a traditional BL out of Japan that is satisfying, not slapstick, AND did not hurt us.

[golden-girl-daisy]

Living with a shiba is no different than living with a velociraptor. (Sound on)

[research-lighting]

Anthony Leyland United Kingdom Furniture Design Follow Research.Lighting on Tumblr

[petrichoraline]

First kisses preceeded by hugs

criteria:

first kiss as a whole (if the first kiss we see isn't the couple's first, it doesn't count)

first kiss is defined the first time their lips touched

hug happens shortly before the kiss (even if there are words and other gestures exchanged in between)

not a dream or fantasy sequence but flashbacks are okay

pulling in for a kiss doesn't count as a hug (A Tale of Thousand Stars, UWMA)

spoilers for the following shows (images and timestamps):

Our Dining Table

Stay by My Side

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry

A Man Who Defies the World of BL

Laws of Attraction

A First Love Story

Long Time No See

Be Loved in House: I Do

My School President

Vice Versa

Manner of Death

Takara-kun to Amagi-kun

❗ please keep in mind the timestamps i've put in are closer to the beginning of the scene than the actual moment of the hug, just for additional context :)

Minoru and Yutaka (Our Dining Table)

a hug that brings a sigh of relief from episode 9, 11:20

Bu Xia and Jiang Chi (Stay by My Side)

Jiang Chi's natural response to feeling needed and loved from episode 5, 09:50

Asuka and Shuu (Minato's Coin Laundry s2)

long awaited moment from episode 11, 07:50

Tojo and Ayato (A Man Who Defies the World of BL)

Mob's nightmare coming true in episode 3, 11:05

Charn and Tinn (Laws of Attraction)

a reassuring backhug filled with meaning from episode 6, 40:25

Jaesung and Mingyu (A First Love Story)

butterfly-inducing moment from episode 1, 03:37

Chisoo and Gitae (Long Time No See)

a play wrestle that led to a first kiss and a lot more from episode 2, 06:00

Some honorary mentions! (which don't abide by the rules but i was excited to share)

Zhao Gang and Si Qi (Be Loved in House: I Do) - a sort-of backhug situation (episode 7, 09:21)

Sound and Win (My School President) - it's more than pulling in with both of them embracing the other but less than a full hug (episode 12, 54:15)

Puen and Talay (Vice Versa) - Talay is more or less hanging off of Puen lol (episode 2, 27:07)

Tan and Bun (Manner of Death) - another drunk kiss with questionable form of physical contact (episode 1, 17:20)

Takara and Amagi (Takara-kun to Amagi-kun) - not their first kiss but their first fully consensual one (i learned too late and was excited to add it so i'm keeping it <3) (episode 6, 18:37)

((also mentioning the almost kiss in Gaya sa Pelikula and the ChopperBen hug in Never Let Me Go that I would imagine would be followed by a kiss in a different scenario))

surely there are quite a few instances of this trope missing so i would appreciate additions! <3

[ceramiccity]

Modern Living Room and Wavy Coffee Table

Products Tucano Coffee Table by DUNAdesign - Contemporary living room featuring a textured wave coffee table, neutral sofa, and minimalist decor. Follow Ceramic City on Tumblr Source: https://www.pinterest.com/theceramiccity/

[vaguely-concerned]

I think rye really likes chocolate, but like... mostly very very dark chocolate. boring bitter barely sweetened adult person chocolate, to the point where most of the others find it borderline inedible. it's a regular occurrence for someone to raid the lighthouse kitchen for snacks and light up like 'ooooh wait we've got chocolate???' and someone else has to go 'yeah but it's only rook chocolate tho sorry :/'. 'oh okay :')'

[fazcinatingblog]

but what if her aim is to just make as many money as possible, as quick as possible, and then sell the business, let someone else deal with the mess of it, and just retire with her rental properties and money from selling the business and/or those townhouses and

[wri0thesley]

i love that alhaitham's ugly but ergonomic couch is permanent canon. kavah's eternal nemesis. i think about it so much

(also chubby reader getting railed on it, OFC but like, that is the eternal constant)

if kaveh wanted to have some say in the interior design of alhaitham's house, perhaps he should have ACCEPTED THE HOUSE. alhaitham is the landlord so he gets to choose the furniture, and he has chosen practicality over all other things!!! is kaveh PAYING for new furniture? he didn't think so.

cue kaveh's various attempts to ruin, break, or score new furniture for free. how often has alhaitham come home and kaveh has lugged a new couch or new piece of furniture into the house that he found on the teyvat equivalent of facebook marketplace?

(how many surfaces has he fucked chubby reader over in anger when alhaitham has once more denied him? yes, that includes alhaitham's bed. yes, alhaitham's bed is ugly and functional. yes, kaveh has tried leaving a throw pillow or two on it).

[fuckingfinwions]

Your mind is fucking awesome. You've completely convinced me of Sam-Dean Maemags. What's the end point, in your opinion? Do they ever come together (in Arda, after the twins leave, post reimbodiment, etc) Hell, even Maedhros dying and leaving Maglor to live life alone like Sam had to live after Dean's death is a near match in theme. I am a romantic at heart and I like to imagine that somewhere thousands of years down the line they share their own little reimbodied corner of the universe just like Sam and Dean share a heaven. Maybe it's a fortress, or a cabin in the woods, or maybe just a little camp in a plentiful forest where they won't be bothered (or noticed, if they sleep in the same bed roll...)

The boring answer is that they never actually commit that final sin/devotion with each other before Maedhros dies, and once Reborn they're no longer trapped together alone. They almost never speak of "how things were in the end", and do their best to ignore how much they need each other. They try to build separate lives as separate people.

But like I said, that's boring.

I think they fuck at least once in the late first age, with a flimsy excuse, probably due to one of their injured pride.

Maglor does a bad job hiding in the woods one time and Maedhros hears someone moving nearby. Maedhros tells him to come out and face me, would you really sneak attack someone who's jerking it? Maglor walks into the clearing so that Maedhros will no it's just him, not an orc or a bandit, and will stop yelling and giving their position away to actual threats. Maedhros says "Maglor!" in surprise, and comes.

After that, the boundary is broken. The other of them might as well stay and keep watch while his brother masturbates. (At minimum Maedhros should get to see Maglor's O-face once, so the intimacy between them stays even with neither having an imbalance over the other (that's a huge lie.) But also it's maybe practical.) The one who's keeping watch has to keep his stare moving, alert for any danger. And when Maglor is masturbating he gazes at Maedhros, so he'll know in an instant if Maedhros goes on alert. Not because he likes looking at his brother while stroking his cock, of course. But they both notice - and say nothing about - that they come faster than when their brother was off in the woods giving them "privacy".

I like the idea of them reembodied in a little cabin together. Somewhere far up in the mountains where no one else goes. Maedhros goes into Tirion for Fingon's centennial birthday parties, and Maglor goes to the every twenty years greatest concert in Aman, and the both visit Nerdanel once a decade. Other than that they keep to themselves. Their family knows that each of them is off living alone in the wilderness, but not that they're doing it together.

They don't get many visitors, but even when they do it's not hard to hide that they're living together. Maedhros will claim to be just visiting, or perhaps Maglor will spot the visitor before they spot him and vanish into the trees for the entire visit. The house has one bed, a few clothes that are short on Maedhros and long on Maglor, a rocking chair and an armchair that perhaps are just fir the inhabitant's different moods. There isn't anything as obvious as only two bowls or plates, they packed up a full set or ceramic dishes and half of it broke when hiking in. So there are three mugs and five plates and two bowls, and you gave no idea how many people live there. The weapons in the closet might reveal that someone is here who favors the longsword, or the bassoon in the corner reveals a musician. But even Curufin, when he visits, just believes that Maedhros visits Maglor more often than he does. After all, the cabin is so tiny, two people could never get away from each other there for even a moment, no one could possibly share that space without going insane.

Fic rec: Strange Currencies by jouissant is about Maedhros being reborn in Valinor, after he and Maglor married each other mostly by accident when wandering dying Beleriand. And elves can see in each other's eyes when someone is married, so Maedhros is trying to avoid anyone else putting two and two together that the brothers were both unmarried when last people saw them, and then wandered off together. It's very good and very similar vibes to this.

[deadgrantaires]

reminds me of when i had. what was basically a dinner party in college. by which i mean i made spagehtti and meatballs and poured wine for myself and my guests and the duality of eating a decidedly adult meal in a tiny college dorm was incredible lol

[mimiriko]

Nanami is suuuch a loyal knight. He absolutely owns it because why should he be ashamed he would bow and worship you till the end of time? Isn’t that what he’s made for? Any other way in life for him would be absurd. He is chained to you and regularly tightens his handcuffs lest you forget he’s there, three steps behind.

[54prowl]

going into adulthood, I made a list of things I will not buy for cheap solely for quality of life. something as simple as the quality of paper towels or the softness of your sheets can make or break you.

go get yourself that expensive AND better quality thing.

[glompcat]

I am waiting rn for my new AC install, so while waiting in these humid conditions (I tried to move all the furniture near the windows earlier, which was a HUGE mistake) I decided to read some Xena comics. Below is a collection of some of my favorite panels so far:

[research-lighting]

Modern Glass Table Design Follow Research.Lighting on Tumblr