#korean oppa

[mojamchim]

Lee Soo-hyuk

[absolutebl]

Best 23 of BL 2023 - Quirky Awards

SHOCK & AWE AWARDS

1. Biggest BL surprise of 2023:

The last 3 months of 2023 in general got my biggest WTF award.

GMMTV fielding OffGun AND TayNew in the same quarter while also airing Last Twilight (arguably one of their best BLs ever)

That they ALSO optioned 3 JBLs

That there's a high heat omegaverse BL staring Pavel

That there were 20 BLs airing and none of them Korean.

With 5 VAMPIRE BLs announced for next year

But my prize in this category goes to My Dear Gangster Oppa.

It's just crazy:

Thai talent, Korean money + IP (this is adapted from a manwha) airing on a Chinese channel (iQIYI). Plus it was GOOD and made smart reuse of a pair who richly deserved it. I'm delighted by the eclectic insanity of this production. And wonder if any other film genre could even do anything like this.

2. The “that country did WHAT?” award:

The 8th Sense from Korea?!

I mean, seriously?! Dealing with metal health, suicide, darkness, therapy, age gap, & first time love BUT FROM KOREA? And then openness and casual boyfriend physical affection? What's next? An actual hard fought coming out narrative with an HEA? Gay domesticity and families?

Careful Korea, you'll strain something. Possibly your own culture and film industry.

I should stop having expectations of Korea, they keep surprising me.

Runners up: Korea letting OnlyOneOf do Bump Up Business not to mention that OmegaX thing. AND Korea adapting Why R U? What are you up to, Korea? Qua? Is this a coded message? Should we send help? Do you need snacks?

3. Biggest casting whoa! where did you come from? award:

GeminiFourth in My School President.

Seriously? Babies what? How did GMMTV find you? How do you exist? How is BL this lucky?

4. That studio did WHAT now? award:

GMMTV putting EarthMix into Moonlight Chicken.

And then doubling down with G4 as the damn sides.

Fucking genius.

5. I’m sad you were ignored award:

Destiny Seeker.

It's just a really fun little Thai pulp, the pairs were good, silly dialogue, plus consent and other good rep. I enjoyed it. No one talked about it AT ALL.

6. 2023 BL That Actually Made Me Lose My Mind Award?

Laws of Attraction. -The casting, the crazy story, the soapy drama! But specifically: Film playing Charn - the range of his smiles alone. GLORIOUS

I mean I Feel You Linger in the Air also sparked something in me, but LoA drove me actually nuts.

NARRATIVE AWARDS

7. Best story 2023:

La Pluie

I know, you're surprised, right? At the time I didn't chat much about it but I really enjoyed the discourse others were having. I love anything that really examines the fated mates (soulmates) trope and the idea of "the one". What a clever way to do that. (This is one reason UWMA is my favorite Thai BL.)

This one reminded me of the way Color Rush approached allegory and that's no bad thing. Such an impressive little piece.

8. Best narrative structure 2023 award:

Unintentional Love Story.

I know this may seem a simplistic pick. But I love the tidiness of this no frills contemporary romance, how the culture of work and personal ethics and corruption fight against the main character's affection and integrity. Poor baby boy is driven into a corner and then punished for it. But it is punishment he feels he deserves, and so it is up to his (now) ex to figure out what went wrong and why.

It's just great. I love it when no one is stupid or wrong, it's just impossible circumstances and unintentional love deeply felt.

9. Best 2023 dialogue (script) award:

Jun & Jun

Never before has Korea laced a BL with that much perfectly executed innuendo. It was a master class. I didn't know you could be that lascivious in Korean, quite frankly. Plus the way the 2 Juns constantly seamlessly transition between formal register (work, public - where they are boss/employee) to informal register (when they are alone and age mates + childhood sweethearts).

Beautiful to hear and watch.

10. Favorite scene 2023:

The dub con scene in I Cannot Reach You because I AM TRASH for an out of control seme. I'm sorry I just AM.

I have said it before, I will say it again, NO ONE DOES THIRST like Japan. And when that thirst bubbles over, it is heart-clenching and very hot.

11. The most rewatchable BL of 2023 award:

Our Dating Sim

That scene where they lie on the floor + the stolen kiss + giggle? Come on, it should be on comfort repeat in war rooms. It could bring world peace.

ACTORS & CHARACTERS AWARDS

12. Best performance of a queer actor in a leading role, 2023:

Fluke in Make a Wish.

It was fun to see him as an irreverent immortal and while I love OhmFluke I also really enjoyed this new pairing. It was a genuine pleasure to watch.

13. Best pining 2023:

The moot pining in Tokyo in April is...

Boys, seriously? Japan must you destroy us like this? Hurts so good.

14. Best wingman 2023 (The Namgoong Award)

Tiw from My School President

I mean, come on, of course it's him!

(Also can you believe Mark went on from this to do fricking Only Friends!? To Last Twilight! Come on GMMTV GIVE HIM A LEAD!)

15. Biggest OMG I LOVE you boys together, YAY!

Dimpled McMafia & Feral Bunny Foo Foo from Kiseki Dear to Me.

They were feral for each other.

We were feral for them

It was a whole delightful THING.

16. Most unexpected return of a BL pair? award:

The Private Lessons pair showing up in Love Class 2.

I know it was only a cameo, but SERIOUSLY? Thank you SO MUCH Korea! A big studio picking up a Strongberry pairing? I love you.

Seriously tho between them, Taiwan & Korea tried for ALL THE CAMEOS this year.

17. Well aren't you two just the prettiest? award:

NetJames in Bed Friend.

Need I say more?

18. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Bah Vinh in Vian & Mr Cinderella 2. I did like either show but I loved him in them. Especially the make outs.

Yes you have chemistry with all the boys in Vietnam and you kiss beautifully. But it's okay now honey, you have the crown. Relax, you're stressing us out.

RANDOM PICKS

19. Favorite Linguistic Moment of 2023:

Our Dating Sim

Caught in the act by the elevator scene. OMG it's so funny. They're being such boyfriend shits to each other, and to be caught in the act by THAT character, and try to manifest formal language whole cloth? Hilarious.

Honorable mention to War Peanuts in Destiny Seeker.

20. Biggest disappointment of 2023:

You Are Mine

Seriously Taiwan, AGAIN you disappoint me with an Office BL? You're Taiwan, land of offices and suits. This should be YOUR SETTING TO WIN. And yet... argh. I mean it wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. Stop it Taiwan, do better.

Runners up? Between Us, Chains of Heart, Dangerous Romance - this was a HOTLY contested category.

+ 2 Winners in the sub-category of FUCK YOU FOR THAT ENDING award:

The Director who Buys Me Dinner - I mean this nicely but: you have your lane now Korea, stop hurting us, that's Japan's responsibility and they do it better.

I Feel You Linger In the Air - I'm just hugely disappointed. Thailand ALMOST got its second 10/10 from me, but that damn ending.

Argh.

21. Best Wardrobe/Prop Use 2023

The shower of packaged bedsheets in My Personal Weatherman

Amazing. Brilliant. No notes.

22. Best Queer Rep 2023

Chot in Step By Step

In fact, all the queer characters in this show were treated with great integrity.

AND props to this cast for refusing to do fan service. GOOD FOR YOU! Fuck those sasang wankers.

Runners up? The found family cast of Love in Translation and the Rainbow Rice Cakes in The New Employee.

23. Best Meta Trope call out

Tin Tem Jai

Come on, what a zinger, but at themselves (and Taiwan)

Final question: which of the 23 was the hardest for me to pick?

Honestly? Question #1 this year. But also question #20.

(Last year: 2022's Version) 

Remember I only pull from shows that were completely finished by the end of 2023. Or The Sign probably would have taken multiple categories. But it will fall into 2024 offerings.

(source)

[poomphuripan]

Are you really moving in with me? Huh, for real?

MY STAND-IN (2024) | 1.02

[ctrb92]

The last months have felt like a little bit of a drought for kdramas and bls. And now everything is coming out all at once. I don't have enough time to watch everything.

[save-the-data]

BL's Still Waiting to premiere in 2023

These release dates are taken from MDL, so with a grain of salt. Although some have been confirmed with official trailers and statements.

China

Japan

One Room Angel - Oct-19-2023

Sahara-sensei & Toki-kun - Nov-30-2023

South Korea

Bump Up Business - Oct-20-23

Wuju Bakery - Nov-?-2023

A Breeze of Love - Nov-10-2023

Taiwan

VIP Only - Nov-24-2023

Thailand

Pit Babe - Nov-17-2023

Beyond the Star - Nov-11-2023

Y: Journey: Stay Like a Local - Oct-14-2023

Shadow - Oct 31-2023

Twins - Nov-3-2023

Playboyy - Nov-16-2023

My Dear Gangster Oppa - Oct-26-2023

7 Days Before Valentine - Nov-22-2023

The Sign - Nov-25-2023

Last Twilight - Nov-10-2023

Cooking Crush - Nov-30-2023

The Whisperer - Nov-26-2023

Cherry Magic - Dec-7-2023

Bake Me Please - Nov-19-2023

Middleman's Love - Nov-10-2023

For Him - Nov-30-2023

Boyy of God - Nov/Dec-?-2023

[ignitedminds27]

Ladies, I think we haven't spoken about Lee Do Hyun's looks in Exhuma enough.

I mean look at him!

My answer is yes to all his questions. All.

Tats + bun + physique🤌 = You can exorcise me any day. Any day😉😘

I need a fucking good fanfic about him.

[forkaround]

If this post gets 100 likes I'm going to organize a BL/GL fan event.

[adlcrz]

Some of my favorite korean celebrities in one frame 😍❤️

Lee Dong Wook, Gong Yoo, Son Ye Jin, Hyun Bin, Ji Sung and Lee Bo Young ❤️

[moonartemisia]

B.A.E. Hajun Yeon 🩷💛🩵

[mikuni14]

My Dear Gangster Oppa and Twins are series with a very silly plot, sometimes poorly edited and sometimes with poor acting…. ….and I like them? And enjoy them? 🥳 Meen is incredibly beautiful.

Middleman's Love - hmmm, I don't know what to think about it. This is one of my 4 most anticipated series this year and it's COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from my expectations. Like, drastically different. The series is too similar to SCOY (or even YYY), except in SCOY the main couple and their friends were very expressive, unique and errr... dominant, immediately catching my attention despite the huge amount of cringe. While watching ML, I had the impression that it was just one of those office comedies, not a BL series, I don't sense any romance in it, Jade is a classic comic relief, and Mai is just… there, they don't give the impression of the main couple around which the story is told, they both don't "create" their story like Nuea and Toh. It was fun, but that's not IT. Also I LOVED Jade in Bed Friend, now i'm... indifferent? I'm disappointed after the first ep, ngl and I'm worried it's gonna be Step by Step all over again 😟 Maybe second ep will be better...

A Breeze of Love - a nice, short series. A lot of emotions, the series is well done, although it did not impress me as much as the similar Our Dating Sim or Sing My Crush. But I still recommend it 😊 I loved a little bonus in the form of a nice scene of a guy who has a crush on one of the main characters in the finale (like in You Are My Boy series) 🥰

Last Twilight - episode 1 was very good, Mok is literally the archetype of a capable, competent, handsome bad boy hiding a tragic past 😍 Day behaves exactly as a young man should in his situation, he's rude, aggressive, annoying, lashing out, rejecting help. The episode was done very well, without unnecessary scenes. I liked it! Mark is incredibly beautiful.

[mojamchim]

Lee Dong-wook oppa

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - I'm All Over the Place, and so are the shows

Organized, in each category, by ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Nov 2023 Wk 5

Ongoing Series - Thai

Last Twilight (Fri YT) ep 4 of 12 - The Jasmine flirting thing was so darn cute, I can’t. I love these two so much. 

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 2 of 10 - Oh it’s great. Flirting. Fighting. Fate. Murder. Eventually we’ll add fucking. A trifffecta. I could do with a bit less training but whatever. And we have learned our boys are laboring under a geis. NO SINGING. Otherwise this ep was actually pretty flipping great. 

My Dear Gangster Oppa (Thurs iQIYI) ep 6 of 8 - Ooo kidnapping and the sides are suffering betrayal. Also Tew kills again. I like that they don’t shy away from the fact that he’s a killer and Guy was genuinely scared.  And then Tew had to break up with Guy to protect him in Noble Sacrifice (tm). How Cdrama of him. Rough ep all round. 

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 1 of 10 - It’s not exactly good, but it’s better than I was expecting, and I tend to cut pulps a lot of slack out the gate. The plot is more interesting, Him is a sweetie (I like that in a seme) and our uke has both game and pluck. He’s a femme bitch, I LOVE that in a boy + we never get it femme in the lead. The acting is not great, sound all over the place, but there are no terrible sound effects, the soundtrack is okay, and our high heat came with a side of BJ + condoms, and no one has sung (yet), so I think I like it. It’s giving me Big Dragon vibes.

Linguistic moment: 

Him used Him/ter for pronouns & ha. Very flirty. Nail used rao back a little bit of a challenge. (No pom and didn’t use his own name either.) Gauntlet thrown. Our baby ends up with rao/kao but I don’t think that’ll stick. Him is getting Phi out of him if it's the last thing he does.

Bake Me Please (Mon Gaga) ep 2 of 6 - The characters’ shared backstory is no surprise but I do like this show. Those little private smiles as they find family. Those lingering gazes as they find romance. Lovely. Also Shin wants to marry into Peach's family so bad, I’m reminded of Laurie in Little Women. All that said, it’s never the top of my list to watch for some reason. 

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) 1 of 12 - How could I have forgotten how stunning Off is? Meanwhile… I love Gun’s character, he's so cute. But this show is a bit too comedic for me. I wish GMMTV were taking this script seriously. Sorry Neo et al I’m not sold on the sides. In general? I don’t love it. I don’t hate it either. In other news, I think I'll go make toast.

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 3 of 14 - I love the sides and unholy amount and in general it was fine this week probably because I decided to do a trash watch.

Twins the series (Fri GaGa) ep 5 of 10 - I’m getting fatigued. Also holy random sex Batman. Where did these extra sides come from? I’m confused. Tonal pingpong going on, and not just in the shower.  

Middleman’s Love (Fri YT & iQIYI ep 4 of 8 - Finally a direct confession Jade can’t avoid. Will things get a bit more serious?

Absolute Zero (Weds iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - I don’t know why I watch this show, the acting is great, but it just makes me cry.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 3 of 14 eps - What a bonkers thing this is. Very kinky and also just odd. I do keep thinking about the pinks with it. Similarly, there doesn’t seem much glue holding this thing together, dried cum of course but not glue. And despite what some kinksters say, the one cannot replace the other.

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) Fake Love ep 15 of 24 - This is a weird installment. Too stalker and random blackmail for me. But not as bad as abuse and death, I guess? 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

A Breeze of Love (Korea iQIYI) eps 7-8fin - Not much of a love triangle in the end (you just found out he is actually gay and broken hearted = an opportunity not a tragedy). Meanwhile I like that the high school break up was just mr insomniac's fault. He got jealous and angry and petty. No miscommunication just an asshole kid. I did find this show a little slow, even though it was your standard length KBL. Odd that. They are very cute boyfriends tho. 

All in all:

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. 8/10

VIP Only (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - It has the feel of a one act, with such a limited cast and location, which reminds me of KBL. Still watching these two quietly fall in love and process affection through their own art forms is sweet. This is a very soft gentle show. 

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) - Toki, a delinquent but pure-hearted kid falls in love with his handsome phys-ed teacher, Sahara. This is very much my trope but very manga campy, which I don’t love. I’m quite torn. Toki is an idiot but a lovable one. But do I like it?

It's Airing But...

The Whisperer (Sun ????) 10 eps - Thai horror BL that ALSO involves cheating (what joy is mine). He has dimples (My Ride) but I don't think even dimples can motivate me to watch. You can tell me how this goes if you can find it.

SHADOW (Thai Gaga) 14 eps - I'm not wild about Thai horror (or horror at all) even one featuring Singto and Fluke. I'm holding off. If told it's good, I'll binge.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 10 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes, so I'm waiting to binge if told it's safe.

Beyond The Star (Weds iQIYI) 8 eps - House of Stars meets Boyband. I was NOT impressed with ep 1. Waiting to be told if I should bother.

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - I find this series more fun to binge, so I'm waiting until it completes its run.

In case you missed it

One Room Angel (Japan Gaga) finished. Adaptation of Harada’s manga (which I did not like) about a clerk who (nearly) dies and ends up cohabitating with an angel. I was warned that the ending would not work for me so I decided not to bother.

My Biker BL short movie from Wayu supposedly premiered Nov 27 on their YouTube Channel for Members to watch. I couldn't find anything further. The MDL description makes me think it's not for me so I bother.

Next Week Looks Like This

Short list of the December offerings.

12/9 Cherry Magic (Thai remake) YouTube 10 eps

12/9 Behind the Shadows (Korea movie) ??

12/14 Dear Kitakyushu (Thai/Japan movie) ??

12/23 Dead Friend Forever (Thai horror) iQIYI

Original 2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED). With the end of the year upon us I'll do an "announced for 2023 but never happened list" soon.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I love these dudes so much, and make no mistake they def dudes. On point banter, my dudes. (Sign)

Yes they are cute but so far that's all this show has going for it. (Middleman's Love)

I'm a simple human, I just like seeing Off kneeing. (Cooking Crush)

(Last week)

[manogirl]

My favorite friendships in BL, 2023

I'm not even going to do a post for my favorite shows or my favorite ships because honestly they're the same as everyone else's. And maybe this list will be the same too, but I have really come to adore when a BL puts a good friendship in front of me along with the love story.

Tinn and Tiwson, My School President. Surely everyone who watched MSP has these buddies on their list. Tiwson is the solid wingman every romantic hero needs. And when Tiwson says to Gun, "You think this loser could have gotten you without me?" you know he's right. Even though Tiwson's brain clearly goes blank whenever Por is around, he's Tinn's braincell when needed.

Uea and Jade, Bed Friend and Middleman's Love. I feel like Jade is an acquired taste but once you love him and he loves you, he will be the bestest friend you ever have, and in return, you'll do anything for the guy. I have been reevaluating my feelings about Bed Friend as I've rewatched it a million billion times (rough estimate) and part of why I love it is how lovely the connection Uea and Jade have is.

Ae Ri, Joon Pyo, and Ji Hyun, The Eighth Sense. A unique show in that it has some of the worst friends ever (Eun Ji and Tae Hyung, WOOOOOOF), and some of the best. I love that Ae Ri is a nosy busybody who thinks Ji Hyun is hopelessly country and kind of rude about it, but who also makes no bones about loving him and wanting the best for him. Joon Pyo eats a lot and as far as I can tell is happy to share his food. And he clearly wants the best for Ji Hyun. Also he uncomplainingly left the room so Ji Hyun could make out with his new boyfriend. Two thumbs up, friendos.

Ai Di and Zong Yi, Kiseki: Dear to Me. Big ol' MSP energy here; anyone who watched this SURELY loved how the friendship between these two unfolded and continued in and out of prison. Zong Yi is a giant baby man (in the BEST way possible) and Ai Di is a giant baby man in an entirely different way (in the other BEST way possible) and the fact that they're besties is like, perfect. You just know Chen Yi and Ze Rui sometimes have to commiserate over the dumb shit their babies do.

The gaming gang in My Dear Gangster Oppa. Tom is silly, Muffin is sillier, and Pai is a goddamn badass who keeps everyone in line. Every time Pai said, "Muffin" I loved her more. And by her I mean Pai, not Muffin. Muffin was too silly for words. But listen, all with good hearts and who clearly love Guy and so yeah, I liked it. Also I enjoy the uncomplicated presentation of the fact that girls and boys both like games, and girls and boys are both good at games. Yes, and yes.

[ctrb92]

Normalising watching a show through tiktok clips and tumblr posts, because you don't have enough time to start yet another show.

[gillianthecat]

I started My Dear Gangster Oppa, mostly because I wanted to know what on earth a Thai show with that title would be about, and five minutes in I'm charmed by the characters and the storytelling frame. But even more confused by the title.

[theinfinitedivides]

Seok Jin 🤝🏼 me losing our sh*t after that absolutely nervewracking Five Pieces game