#favorite bl

[absolutebl]

MY BEST & WORST BLs of 2024

My Top 10 BLs of 2024 are (in order)

1 Cosmetic Playlover

Japan Gaga

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. Utterly charming unexpected gem of a show. What fun!

Already in hard rewatch territory.

2 Love For Love's Sake

Korea iQIYI trigger suiside

KBL isekai about a man who must win a game by convincing a reserved teen outcast to fall in love with him. Of course, that teen represents himself and his own unhappiness. Like many queer narratives, this show is actually about self worth, trust, and found family, and it is VERY on the nose. But I don’t expect subtlety from my BL and I enjoyed it's truly lovely redemption arc and earnest performances. The narrative tension is tight, and the pacing is killer.

That said, I did find the flow a touch disjointed with overworked filming angles and poorer than average captions, but the consistency of tone, script, and immersion is spectacular, beyond the norm for BL (even KBL). You will drown in this show and like it that way. The leads have fantastic chemistry and it's ultimately highly rewatchable and utterly charming, which counts for a lot.

3 Unknown

Taiwan 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. It's few flaws are the result of curtailed length. It could have used more breathing room to deal with side plots, characters, and companion character development. The editing was occasionally choppy and packed with flashbacks that broke the emotional tension. Still, those are mere quibbles for me. This is an excellent show based on one of my favorite old school BL tropes that I know I'm going to be recommending for a long time.

4 We Are

Thai iQIYI

I unabashedly loved show. It was slow to find its stride (I didn’t get into it until ep 6!) but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. It’s a soft ensemble piece with multiple couples and very little plot, but I didn’t care because it’s not trying to be anything more substantial.

Essentially, this was a series of vignettes covering one year of uni for a queer friendship group finding love, new friends, and laughter. It’s not being harsh with us or it’s characters the way some offerings of this ilk have been (side eyes Friend Zone and Only Friends) nor did it tumble into Gen Y chaos. In fact, this reminded me more than anything of a refined Love Sick - just with older characters and occurring within a genre that has matured over this last decade. It has that close queer friendship group meets earnest gentleness that made me adore Love Sick and Make It Right so much.

In other words, this was Thai BL at its finest, finding it roots again 10 years on, but also stretching upwards and showing us what it could do with that original seed. So? I adored it. Did it blow my mind? No. But it left me smiling and made me belly laugh quite a bit.

5 Cherry Magic (Thai remake)

Thai grey

A soft charming warm hug of a show about crushes and mind reading and self worth that really worked for me. With no-fuss execution from a consummate team and an OG lead pair (proving why they remain eternal and deserve to grow up).

Look, here’s the thing, Cherry Magic is a great Thai BL in its own right - not comparing it to any other iteration. But even when I do compare (and I've seen all the Cherries and read the manga) it stands strong.

I, personally, like the Thai BL slightly better than the Japanese live action yaoi, but I think that’s because I just really enjoy Thai BL's style and I LOVE TayNew (who may be my favorite OG branded pair still in operation). Also all the kissing was both present and better in this version. As it should be from Thailand.

Highly recommended.

6 Wandee Goodday

Thai YouTube

Such a FUN show. A charming quintessentially modern Thai BL about a doctor and a boxer who start as a one night stand and then fall in love. Great rep for everything from Muay Thai, to safe sex, to FUN sex, to ace, to bisexuality, to smiley kisses, to the first legal gay wedding in a Thai BL.

It’s a delight and I enjoyed (almost) every single moment of it. With out question it's best traits are active positive representations of green flag boys, communication, and grown-up relationships but the chemistry is ALSO on point. I personally can't (and don't) ask for much more than this from my BL.

Highly recommended as one of 2024's best pick-me-ups.

7 The Sign

Thai YouTube

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 was balls to the wall FUN.

Emphasis on balls.

8 Century of Love

Thai Gaga

This is a very pretty drama about a young man who fell in love with a nice girl 100 years ago, and when she died in his arms, he was cursed to live until he could meet her reborn self. Only this time around, she’s reborn into the body of a man. Or is she?

I love it when Thailand gets all up in its own historical business and reincarnation and shizz. I like this pair (it’s not DaouOffroad’s fault I didn’t enjoy their first series.) Daou’s wushu is snazzy and we got a unique meet cute. (Erm… Remeet cute? Meet cute 2.0?)

Ultimately, this is I Feel You Linger in the Air + First Love Again, rather than (as one might expect) Until We Meet Again or The Director Who Buys Me Dinner.

The leads turned in great performances, although Daou outclassed everybody else on that screen by making us really believe he's over 100 years old.

It’s a good story and a great BL and I can’t find any major faults with it beyond a certain level of camp that is sadly endemic to lakorns. I’m going to give it credit as the kind of BL that one could safely recommend to lovers of melodrama and historical romance, without having to qualify it as “good for a BL.”

It was, to put it succinctly, a VERY ENJOYABLE show.

9 Sugar Dog Life

Japan grey

This is a phenomenally charming and adorable little romance about a forlorn university kid and the police officer who adopts him. They are relentlessly kind to each other, in fact it’s an extremely kindly show over all (everyone in it is so nice to everyone else including us) so there’s very little tension. But what it lacks in drive, angst, and complexity it makes up for in earnest acts of service and simple affection.

These two are basically boyfriends from the get-go, it’s just one of them acts like it and doesn’t realize it and the other one realizes it and has to figure out how to make it a reality. It’s incredibly sweet and incredibly wholesome, nourishing but delicious.

Everybody who can, should watch this show. It will make you feel better about life.

10 The Rebound

Thai iQIYI

I am well aware that objectively this show was, erm, NOT good. But this was a sports romance Thai BL pulp with everything I could have asked for given this sub genre. More, actually, since MeenPing are both great basketball players and the team component really did form part of the connective tissue of the show (vital in a sports romance IMHO since these are band-of-brothers narratives).

Meen has his shirt off within the first two minutes which is all I needed but he's still pretty great as the sullen secret-keeper against Ping's cheerful survivor - childhood sweethearts torn asunder and now reunited. Then Frank sweeps in to give everyone a bad case of second lead syndrome.

I always try to judge BL for what it is AS BL, and what it’s trying to do within its own territory and purview. This did exactly what it claimed on the tin: gay boys play b-ball and fall in love. That was all I wanted from it. Sure there was random kidnapping and a light bought of mass murder, but what’s a BL in 2024 without a touch of the mafia? You do you little pulp, I’m disposed to be pleased.

These BLs all got 9/10s from me. Unlike in 2023, I did not hand out any 10/10 to any BLs in 2024.

The 13 BLs That I DNFed in 2024

(no particular order)

7 Days Before Valentine

Bad Guy My Boss

Bad to Bed

Beside You

Close Friend 3 Soju Bomb

Happy of the End

Kiseki Chapter 2

My Universe: Refund Love

Ossans Love – Season 2 (5 years later)

Playboyy

The Hidden Moon

The Whisperer

Time the series

You can consider these my "worst BLs of 2024." I am no longer a BL completest, too many aired in 2023 and it broke me. I now DNF all whenever I feel like it.

Codicil

I only carefully track/watch Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Other countries are not fully represented.

2024 - My Numbers

So my spreadsheet chronicled 109 BLs that finish airing in 2024 (down substantially from 138 last year). Japan has increased production slightly (length and consistency), Taiwan stayed steady, but Korea cut back - as did Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.

73 = watched & reviewed (almost 30 less than 2023! I fell off the wagon in a big way)

3 = I'm still thinking about watching/finishing (4Minutes, Blue Canvas of Youthful Days, Spare Me Your Mercy)

20 = CNF (could not find)

13 = DNF (which accounts for how few very low scores I handed out, I just stopped watching). Speaking of which...

Ratings spread

(# of stars. & # of BLs given that rating)

0 (see DNFs instead)

1 - IT'S DEPRESSING they killed the gay, save yourself

1 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM WATCHING AND NEITHER DOES IT

3 - FATALLY FLAWED but still basically BL, however… do we want to support this kind of behavior?

3 - WATCH IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO but don’t expect much, it’s a total hot mess

9 - WORTH WATCHING BUT FLAWED probably around the ending or in narrative structure/cohesion or censorship

24 - RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS i.e. isn’t quite BL, convoluted, not strictly HEA, too short/long, or chemistry issues

22 - RECOMMENDED some concerns around tropes (like dub con) or story structure but still satisfies as BL

10 - ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED probably a few pacing issues or one flaw

0 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED faithful to tropes, happy ending, good chemistry, few flaws, high rewatch potential

Favorite 2024 call out?

The Sign's nod to UWMA

Most adorable meta moment of 2024?

Wandee Goodday

Most stunning execution of a traditional trope in 2024.

Began Beginning (the shoulder lean)

(source)

[sorairokakera]

Favorite BL Manhua

This beginning of year I feel like trying to make a list of my favorite BL. I've been reading more these past years, specially manhwa and manhua (I used to read manga only for BL, for several years before I started to read another).

My history of reading BL manhua began with 19 Days. I saw their illustrations popped up pretty often and I was getting more and more interested to read it. I really like 19 Days a lot~!! I was wondering is there another BL manhua I would be interested to read. For some months, after I caught up with 19 Days' latest update (at that time), I saw Mo Dao Zu Shi's illustrations pretty often. It seems to be a very popular danmei (it is), their drama series adaptation also a huge hit. Then, I tried to read its manhua adaptation first, before trying to read its danmei/watch the series. MDZS catches my heart quite deep, after that I checked more BL manhua, specially danmei adaptations. Last year, I couldn't manage my time well to be able to read some danmei >_< I wish I can read more starting this year, there are several danmei that I really want to read as soon as possible.

I tried to pick 17 (+1) titles here~

1. 19天 19 Tian / 19 Days by Old Xian (old先)

I really adore these 4!! He Tian, Mo Guanshan, Zhan Zhengxi, Jian Yi ♥♥♥♥ I love TianShan a lot but, I like it most when four of them are together. They are very endearing, their funny moments always brighten up my night after I read it. He Cheng and Brother Qiu also very exciting to see/read when they're together. It's a long series but I want to reread it whenever I can~!

2. 小蘑菇 Xiǎo Mó Gu / Little Mushroom by Shisi (一十四洲), art by Mao Mao Tou (猫猫头)

This is really an interesting read and the manhua adaptation has beautiful visuals. I really like visuals of Lu Feng and An Ze and their chibis are very cute. I usually not into science fiction and/or apocalyptic stories, but maybe because I really like both main characters (Lu Feng An Ze ♥♥) and their interesting world-building, they make me want to keep reading. At the time I posted this I haven't properly read the novel yet, it's on number one position of BL-novels-that-I-want-to-read-soon list.

3. 撒野 Sā Yě / Run Freely by Wu Zhe (巫哲)

SaYe is precious, it's so heartfelt. I really adore Gu Fei and Jiang Cheng ♥♥ Gu Miao also adorable~ They are lovable and as they grow up, we learn together about their own selves and how they live. Their characters development, their very equal relationship, very nice balance they have between them. I really hope any adaptations of this story would be proper and great.

4. 将进酒 Qiang Jin Jiu / Ballad of Sword and Wine by Tang Jiuqing (唐酒卿)

At the time I posted this I haven't properly read the novel yet (it's on number two position of BL-novels-that-I-want-to-read-soon list), but from some spoilers this sounds like the type I would really like. Their sexual tension, enemy to lovers that have truly exciting dynamic. Both are equally powerful and their interactions make me want more. I also really like their visuals. Hopefully the manhua will adapt the novel very well. Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan ♥♥

5. 魔道祖师 Mó Dào Zǔ Shī / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (墨香铜臭)

This is the first danmei adaptation I tried to read and the beginning of my interest in danmei. I didn't expect I would be that hooked that I spent hours continuously reading this for days. It's so heart-wrenching yet beautiful, even the side characters' stories also heartbreaking. Wei Ying/ Wei Wuxian's life so tragic I think I cried quite a lot (it's quite a long while ago, my memory's blurry but I remember it hurts). Lan Zhan and Wei Ying ♥♥ Their interactions are so lovable, the dynamic between them is one of a couple/pairing's dynamic types I like a lot.

5. 天官赐福 Tiān Guān Cì Fú / Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (墨香铜臭), art by STARember

TGCF's manhua art/visual is soo pretty, soo beautiful~! I really like Hua Cheng and Xie Lian a lot ♥♥ Their interactions, their heartfelt love story. I haven't read everything (of TGCF) yet I'm not sure which one I like more, I put MDZS first here since I finished that manhua. I have a bit feeling that I might like TGCF more later (for a moment I put them both on number 5 here).

7. 全球高考 Quan Qiu Gao Kao / Global Examination by Mu Su Li (木���里)

Global Examination is so interesting~ It feels fresh/new for me to read this kind of story, but the biggest force that makes me excited to keep reading is two charming main characters~! Qin Jiu and You Huo ♥♥ I really like their dynamic, feels like my heart jumping in joy and excitement when their romance appears (I want more~~). I like their visuals a lot too.

8. 犬大欺主 Quǎn Dà Qī Zhǔ / The Grown Dog Bullies Its Owner by Ruo Li, art by Zu Zhuan Jiu San

This is very adorable and enjoyable to read, also it's pretty~! Lin Lang and Xia Zhixing are so lovely and the second couple also very cute ♥♥ I equally enjoy reading both couples (which doesn't happen often). This one probably my most favorite in gamer setting BL.

9. 我嗑了对家X我的CP Wo Ke Le Dui Jia x Wo de CP / I Ship My Rival x Me by Pepa, art by Qualia

They're very adorable together~ I usually not that interested in showbiz setting (main couple here are actors) but I like this one. It's a light, fun, and cute read. That Yiliang's Diary part is amusing >w<

10. Jīng Jiǔ 经久 / Salad Days by Jing Shuibian 静水边, art by Tang LiuZang

Salad Days is so wholesome~! It's a great journey reading main couple relationship grows from childhood, teens to adults. They also have supporting side characters around them that makes this story is so heartwarming (there's very sad side chara background story though, I also cried when Song Xin helped Shen at that crucial time ; ; kind pretty soul). Jiang Shen and Bai Jinyi are so lovely together ♥♥

11. 解药 Jie Yao / Antidote by Wu Zhe

This probably the first Chinese BL I read which one of main characters has mental illness. The development of Jiang YuDuo and Cheng Ke relationship is very nice and interesting to see. I enjoy watching pairs that both sides feel equal (physically and character/personality-wise), this is one of them~

12. 貔貅饭馆，只进不出 Pi Xiu Fan Guan, Zhi Jin Bu Chu / Pixiu's Eatery, No Way Out by Hai Jingluo (海鶄落), art by Jiu Aoao

I thought this one would be an adorable fun light read at first, but it also has some touching moments. It's very enjoyable to read, entertaining and lovely. I really like Chinese mythology touch in this story. Pixiu and Wen Xi are so lovely ♥♥

13. 伪装学渣 Wei Zhuang Xue Zha / Fake Slackers by Mu Guahuang (木瓜黄), art by C7

I first attracted with this because of their visuals. Actually I'm not interested in reading high school romance anymore (except the funny one) but as I tried reading this, I like their dynamic a lot~! It's fun, lovely, enjoyable, they're so adorable. He Zhao and Xie Yu ♥♥

14. 这题超纲了 Zhe Ti Chao Gang Le / Beyond The Outline by Mu Guahuang (木瓜黄), art by JiJing Jun

I tried reading this because it's the same author from Fake Slackers (shared universe), it's pretty fun, lovely and enjoyable. Shao Zhan and Xu Sheng are cute~~

15. 迪奥先生 Dí'ào xiānshēng / Mr. Dior by Lu Ye Qian He (绿野千鹤)

This one is very funny light read~! It shows various tropes in BL, while they go through those roles they also learn more about each other and deepen their lovely relationship. I think it's the first BL manhua I read which the main couple is married.

16. 破云 Po Yun / Breaking Through the Clouds by Huai Shang (淮上)

I wish they would have adapted everything in manhua and not cut it a lot like that ;_; But since I like them I put this one on this list too. I usually enjoy reading mystery and this one is interesting. Though I don't enjoy the imposition of hetero dynamic there, Jiang Ting and Yan Xie, both as characters and as a couple, are nice.

破云2吞海 Po Yun 2: Tun Hai / Breaking Through the Clouds 2: Swallowing the Seas by Huai Shang (淮上)

I put this one here too since it's Poyun's sequel and it feels like they are one package (?). I feel that Jiang Ting and Yan Xie are more endearing but Wu Yu and Bu ChongHua are pretty nice too. I like when both couples interact~

17. 二哈和他的白猫师尊 Èr Hā Hé Tā De Bái Māo Shī Zūn / 2ha / The Husky and His White Cat Shizun by Meatbun Doesn't Eat Meat (肉包不吃肉)

I haven't read this danmei yet, from spoilers it seems this one filled with a lot of angst. Though it seems very heart-wrenching, specially the past lifetime (and second timeline?), it's interesting and 2 main characters interactions are fun to see/read. Hopefully they will adapt everything till the end, I enjoy their visuals. I'm excited to enjoy Chu Wanning and Mo Ran moments in manhua.

//1st edition SK-FCBL

[yellow-sword]

argenti woooo argenti wooooohoh ouooo

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Love is something you fight for together. Stay by each other's side through every obstacle. If I was scared, I'd had run away the day I found out you're a hitman. But I stay with you because I love who you are. I know for sure you're the one I want. There's no need to be afraid. You and I will be fine. Everything will turn out alright. Knowing how much you care about me makes me certain that I didn't chose the wrong man. You deserve love just like anyone.

[gunsatthaphan]

🥃🔪🔥

[shantechni]

Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! Official PV

Bonus:

[khaopybara]

so nice of him to return the favor.

ONLY FRIENDS episode 2 THE HEART KILLERS official trailer

[tortibomb]

Ju Yeong & Do Hoe | Episode 8 | Let Free The Curse of Taekwondo

[thisautistic]

Let me refresh your memory...

[firstkanaphans]

If Thame and Po really want to keep their relationship a secret, they should just star in a BL together. Then they can act as gay as they want and everyone will call it fanservice. Living together with an army of cats (EarthMix)? Fanservice. Strolling through the market with your hand around your partner’s waist and a baby strapped to your chest (MosBank)? Fanservice. Filming yourself literally naked in bed together (BillyBabe)? Somehow still fanservice. It’s like a life hack for being gay in a conservative country. You can be as loud as you want but suddenly no one will believe you.

[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.

[clairedaring]

Tew. How did you get here? I followed you.

SPARE ME YOUR MERCY | 1.08

[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)

[gunsatthaphan]

"I want to do what lovers do."

[potatoes-in-bloom]

Sunshine disguised as a Rebel

[khaopybara]

can you hurry up and get this done? once their boss gets arrested, this will end.

DUNK NATACHAI as STYLE SATTAWAT episode 6 of THE HEART KILLERS