#korean director

[lgbtally4ever]

I’m watching Blueming for the third time, and every time I see it again, I’m just amazed how beautifully comprehensive a story it is for a series that is shorter in time than the average movie. It’s such a well-made tv show, from the story, to the script, to the actors, the direction, the production value—to ME, it’s just a perfect series.

Thank you for giving us this gift of a show…

Hwang Da Seul has given us three gems which depict, not only the bl genre, but truly, universal thoughts and feelings; series/movies with such genuineness, and such authenticity. That is not easy, but Hwang Da Seul succeeds, beautifully.

“When I’m working on a project, I sometimes think, ‘This is my last project.’ It’s not a job with a guaranteed future. I can fix it in the next work. Also, as a creator, it’s really hard to get praise from someone, but I’m grateful to be supported by many people while working on a BL genre project.“

“There were times when the audience who saw the works left their impressions that I felt my own emotions. Hearing those words is comforting. I’ve always thought of myself as an ordinary and colorless person. When I hear those words, I can’t put it into words clearly, but it makes me think, ‘There is something that represents me.’”

“I think the fact that the fans of the work have steadily grown the game played a big role. Because there is someone’s support and support, other people also get interested. The BL genre may have a sensitive part, but rather than narrowing it down to a specific genre, it is a ‘love story’. ’ It’s easier if you look at it broadly and define just that a man loves a man, because you can write the romance you want to write.“

- Hwang Da Seul; Director of K-BL’s Where Your Eyes Linger (2020), To My Star (2021), Blueming (2022)

[shattereddteacup]

Past Lives (2023)

Dir. Celine Song

Language: Korean, English

[bichiisannii]

This, but it's toxic old man yaoi with Squid Gays

(Sorry for the bad doodle! I haven't drawn in a while)

[absolutebl]

BLs with Strong Historical Elements

Costume dramas, historical BLs, and BLs with time travel or flashbacks to historical locations & times.

These are in order of my personal preference, best at the top.

I Feel You Linger in the Air

2023 Thailand

IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). It's about a gay man from our time who falls into the past, becomes a servant to a noble house, and falls in love with the heir. It turns out this has all happened several times before. Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but not as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy soulmates BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and as individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show could easily have earned a 10/10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls in the final quarter. Argh. Whatever.

Nobleman Ryu's Wedding

2021 Korea - WeTV

A boy cross-dresses to take his runaway sister's place as a bride to a shy scholar, turns out they like being married. A historical setting allowed this BL to use some seriously old fashioned romance tropes (arranged marriage, evil step-sisters, Cinderfella) but also modern BL stylings like fake relationship & secret identity (drag) plus some cute gay panic. It reminded me of 12th Night more than anything else which just happens to be my favorite Shakespeare play. For all these reasons, I adored it.

(the ghat kiss!)

Tinted With You

2022 Korea - Viki

Fun stylish time travel meets portal fantasy with a likable cast, historical setting, and two actual kisses that mitigate the rough plot and issues around anachronisms.

Word of Honor

2021 China (censored) - Viki/YouTube?

I don’t rec Chinese stuff often, because I believe in censoring the censors, but this show is one of my favorites of the post 2016 censored bromances. It’s two murder-gay assassins (pining sunshine/tsundere), and they are so insanely gay for two boys who will never be allowed to kiss. Tropes include: wuxia, soulmates, paranormal, historical, and fantasy elements.

To Sir, With Love AKA Khun Chai

2022 Thailand - YouTube?

This is a true lakorn (basically Thai tellenovella or soap opera) with scenery chewing performances, especially from the mother characters. Gone With the Wind + Days of Our Lives but gay. That said? I loved it: A glorious central brother relationship (the best, made me cry), het romances, class divide + gay *gasp* main romance - oh my word, the campy drama of it all! Arranged marriage, rebellion, cut sleeves, over-the-top death with curses and regrets, beautiful if inaccurate costumes, secrets unraveling, cover ups, sparkle murder, sex herbs, coils within coils including snakes and murderous green metallic sequins (is anything gayer on this earth?). It’s a WILD ride but it does end happy for our gay boys. A man cries when he finds DEATH GLITTER. Come on! You haffa watch it. That said, like Manner of Death I struggle to rate something on a BL scale when it patently isn’t a BL. So I ended up giving this exactly what I gave that show, 7/10 I enjoyed it a whole lot, but not as a BL.

The Untamed (Special BL Edition)

2020 China (censored) - YouTube

Censored wuxia bromance, amorphous ending. Probubly the best known BL of its kind out of China and responsible for bring many fans to the BL side.

Our Skyy 2: Never Let Me Go

2023 Thailand - YouTube

I was nervous to watch this PondPhuwin vehicle but I liked it a lot! Doomed soulmates + paranormal time travel to fix the past. I’m happy for the outfits and the dancing (if not the singing). It’s not a bad premise and it’s nice to see GMMTV lean into its high production values for a change. I'd adore a full historical starring these two and this was definitely the best of the second series of Our Skyy. I don't think you have to have watched the original Never Let Me Go to enjoy this.

Legend of Long Yang: Rebirth

2017 China

Gaga

Whipping boy trope... literally, servant character takes the strap for the prince, who then makes him his bodyguard and lover when he becomes king. Low budget historical, comes off as kind of cosplay wuxia version of Irresistible Love, but we get (in the credits) an actual kiss, and they both live. So yay for small mercies.

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner

2023 Korea (historical flash backs)

iQIYI

A new employee at a film company encounters a director who claims to have lived 300 years and insists that they have to date (eat, hug & kiss) if baby doesn't want to die. It has a lot of Japanese elements, not the least of which are: an office setting, the fact that every character in this show is unhinged, and a killing of the gays. Featuring a gorgeous & stellar cast, TDWBMD should have utilized them less for melodrama and more for chemistry. This BL surprised me by going there with a lipstick mark AND an actually gay idol. But (you knew there was a but) while it's a unique twist on an office romance it is NOT a unique twist on the doomed red thread trope, resulting in it feeling less than the sum of its parts and ultimately unsatisfying. This might have also had to do with the fact that this was one of those KBLs where I felt how very short it was the whole time I was watching, like I was missing something constantly, in every episode. Worth watching for some but seriously flawed.

First Love Again

2022 Korea (historical flash backs) - Viki

A popular novelist who remembers his past lives meets his soulmate for the third time, only to find she has been reincarnated into the body of a man. This one started out a touch mean-spirited, but we eventually got a good kiss. The confession/rejection scene was justified and the reconciliation and ending was... fine. All in all, the pacing felt rushed and the romantic arc was underdeveloped. They go from like to love to boyfriends in a red hot minute. But that’s par for the course with Korea’s short form. If you don’t mind a heavy does of melodrama in your BL this one has a solid story with a strong concept that’s well acted and produced, making it a classic KBL with better than average chemistry but ultimately a touch forgettable.

Love in Spring AKA Spring of Crush

2022 Korea

This show was all over the place with uneven acting, narrative, and focus (sometimes it wanted to be a slapstick comedy, sometimes a depressing melodrama) which meant no one, actors or viewers, took anyone or anything seriously.... AND it’s a bromance. I was left wondering if SalHyung is now code for “they were roommates” in Kdrama historicals but otherwise largely apathetic and unimpressed. Korea, I now know you can do better. Do better.

Mermaid's Jade

2019 China (censored-esk) - Gaga

Kills the gay.

The Male Queen: Han Zi Gao

2016 China - Gaga

Kills the gay. Schrodinger's BL, both a BL and entirely not one at the same time.

Diary of Heong Yeong Dang

2014 Korea

Kills the Gay

I was gonna do a top 10 list, but there aren't enough by my metrics, so many end sadly.

This post at the behest of @verymuchof thank you for the idea!

Dated April 2023, includes only BLs that had finished their run by that date. Not responsible for cool costume flix that come after that. But you should check the comments to see if any have been added by others!

I might have missed a few that only have time historical elements since I don't always track those.

Also I would like to point out a decided lack of Japan on this list. My ninja yaoi consuming tiny past self is VERY upset about this void.

WHERE ARE MY GAY NINJAS??!!!

(source)

[mahealinskis]

Just dudes being bros and kissing each other on the lips

[artfilmfan]

Past Lives (Celine Song, 2023)

[moonlightsdream]

FILMS in 2024: 09 | Next Sohee 다음 소희 (2022) — dir. july jung

[pharawee]

When I read that Given (aka one of the most iconic Japanese BL mangas around - with its own audio drama and anime(s) and live action adaptation) will get a Thai remake I didn't think that there's apparently already a full cast under a brand new production company/talent agency (or that funding comes from an insurance company but that's not even the first time that's happened so... at least some of the budget already exists?)

[blmpff]

New work by Our Dating Sim director, previously referred to as Roommates, now Boys Be Brave, is at the script reading stage.

Jung Ki Sub is Kim Jin Woo's slacker friend and secret crush. So when Ki Sub asks to crash at his place, his heart tingles to be near him everyday.

19.03.24

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Aren't you going home?

[sapphireshorelines]

House of Hummingbird (2018), dir. Kim Bora

[shattereddteacup]

Past Lives (2023)

Dir. Celine Song

Language: Korean - English

[blunaggregator]

BLA Top 10 Korean BL Series of 2022

SEMANTIC ERROR

BLUEMING

TO MY STAR 2: OUR UNTOLD STORIES

ROOMMATES OF POONGDUCK 304

CHERRY BLOSSOMS AFTER WINTER

THE NEW EMPLOYEE

CHOCO MILK SHAKE

THE DIRECTOR WHO BUYS ME DINNER

ONCE AGAIN

HAPPY ENDING ROMANCE

[absolutebl]

BL 2023 - Put Your Head on My Shoulder

(everyone but Thailand, in a different post)

The 8th Sense

Stay By My Side

My Personal Weatherman

I Cannot Reach You

Mr Cinderella 2

Shoulder to Cry On

Bump Up Business

Jun & Jun

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner

Why R U?

Unintentional Love Story

(source)

[yourdailyqueer]

Michelle Zauner

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

DOB: 29 March 1989

Ethnicity: Korean, Ashkenazi Jewish

Nationality: American

Occupation: Singer, songwriter, musician, writer, director

[bl-bam-beyond]

A LOOK BACK at Jong Chan & Seung Hyun

THE NEW EMPLOYEE (2022-2023, SOUTH KOREA)

An absolutely beautiful story of a intern quite pass his college days that falls in love with his workaholic boss. A boss that becomes a new and better man because of this intern that stole his heart.

When the intern loses his job, the boss takes it quite personally confronting the CEO and ultimately quitting his job to began a startup with the former intern as his first hire.

Kim Jong Chan (KWON HYUK) was initially cold towards Seung Hyun (MOON JI YONG) but once his heart softened it was permanent and irreversible. Kim Jong Chan made so many changes simply because his love for a man that wanted to understand him and his passion for his work.

And that small bit of understanding made work less important and the man more important bringing a beautiful balance to both of them.