#thai show recs

[mushiemadarame]

Getting Started BL RecList

Back in 2022, when I first started watching BL – though it was far from my first foray into the genre* –, I went in guns blazing without much of an idea where to start and where it would lead me. Now, in 2024, I have almost 500 BL series and movies under my belt and I realise it might feel a little overwhelming to choose where to start for someone who dives into the current landscape for the first time. That’s why I thought I would compile a completely personal and biased rec list for beginners who might want a little guidance, completely based on my own experience and journey into this amazing and highly entertaining world. Links for where to watch are in an alternate version of this post because of the Tumblr link limit and if you have trouble finding any or specific versions of any of the shows, my askbox is at your disposal. Hope you enjoy!

*while I’ve been reading Yaoi Manga since I was about 11, excluding very few exceptions, it’s only recently that I’ve gotten into the genre on the screen. That is to say, I wasn’t entirely clueless to begin with.

The Fluff - Happy endings assured, along with some side-stitching comedies.

⇢About Youth - Just so heartwarming and lovely, it has a great OST and an interesting family conflict theme to it. It’s cute and it’s wonderful. ⇢Bad Buddy - Such a classic even though it’s fairly recent. I think it’s perfect for a beginner with its classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic and a Romeo and Juliet kind of deal going on. ⇢Cherry Magic! JPN/Cherry Magic! TH - I know some might want to kill me for what I’m about to say but I personally didn’t love the Japanese version of this story and very much adored the Thai one. However, the Japanese show is a must-watch because it’s definitely a staple in Japanese BL and even though I didn’t love the series itself, the movie played me like a fiddle. The Thai version immediately became one of my absolute favourites, on like, episode one. So… give both a try. + Movie ⇢Fish Upon the Sky - I had no idea people hated this show as much as they do, I actually love it. It was the first BL that had me in stitches and even upon rewatches, it hasn’t failed to live up to what I first thought of it. This is just pure crack and it’s awesome. ⇢Kieta Hatsukoi - Sweet, so very very sweet. It’s Japan’s brand of sweet too which some might find a little unsatisfactory. When I first gave it a try, I didn’t quite get the hype but then it went in interesting places for me and now I highly recommend it. + Thai remake ⇢My School President - THEE high school BL. I have watched many others and none of them have impressed me and entertained me like this one. I even like the music. GMMTV did not know how much gold it had struck when they signed GemFourth. ⇢Old Fashion Cupcake - A mature story about finding love and yourself later in life in the guise of a fluffy show. This is very much a case of more than meets the eye and everything from the aesthetics to the story elevates it to a classic. ⇢Our Dining Table - The perfect exploration of found family for me. I love this show so much, I cried almost every single episode and it really really surprised me in many ways. It’s truly a warm, comforting show with subtle imagery and masterful acting. The main actor is incredibly talented and a fucking acting chameleon. It also features the best child actor that has ever graced my screen. + Special EP 

Set Your Expectations High - High-quality shows that might ruin you for anything less.

⇢He’s Coming to Me - Could have been an underrated gem but luckily, there’s a lot of people who love this show and for good reason. It has my favourite coming out plot and it’s so original in its premise. Wonderfully complex characters and amazing acting. Ohm Pawat knocks it out of the park with this one, definitely my favourite of his. ⇢Not Me - How to even begin to explain how important this show is to me. I got a fucking tattoo of it, on my skin, forever!!!! My absolute number one BL, they will never make another like it. I love everything about it from the director, to the casting, to the silly moments. This show single-handedly endeared me to so many of GMMTV roster, it's insane. It almost ruined me for everything else and I watched it very early on too, so there was a tangible risk. 

We Like It Spicy - If you’re looking for titillating chemistry, this is for you.

⇢Big Dragon - This show compels me. Is it good? Not exactly. And yet it kept me glued to the screen every single week. The chemistry is on fire, the story is a little silly at times but the way the characters develop through it is surprisingly very well-done. I don’t know what to say, it really worked for me and it’s a great display of how sometimes you’ll come across shows that care more about titillation than story. ⇢KinnPorsche - My very, very first Thai BL and what got me back into the genre and introduced me to Thai shows in particular. It is horny, it is wild, it is toxic at times but it is the ride. I believe it might have been the first Thai BL show to truly get so much money thrown at it and it changed the entire industry. Also just so completely entertaining and fun. ⇢The Novelist - The native title for this is Pornographer so you can imagine how this belongs into a higher level of spicy. I feel like it's a very good look into the more mature side of Japanese BL while still including a compelling love story. There are tougher Japanese BL out there both in terms of themes and explicitness but this is a good primer. + Prequel (watch it second) & Sequels 1, 2, & 3

Legendary Doesn’t Always Mean Good - Titles you just can’t stop coming across, a mixed bag of quality. 

⇢2gether - I‘ll premise by saying that I really don’t like this one. I only watched it because it is inescapable when you start looking at Thai BL and I just had to know what the hype was about. It was absolutely not worth it for me but definitely belongs to the list of the ones you need to watch for the culture. + Season 2 & Movie ⇢Cupid’s Last Wish - This show makes me actively angry, genuinely throws me into a rage if I think about it too much while also having one of my favourite scenes. Overall, not great though not even all that bad. My dislike of it is not at all proportional with how bad it is. I feel like it’s a bit of a classic for a lot of reasons. Just… give it a try, it’s impossible you’ll hate it as much as I do. ⇢Dark Blue Kiss - Funnily enough, even though I really hated their part of the show, this is the one that made me a TayNew fan. It’s not offensively bad but it has a special place in hell for me for what it could have been but wasn’t – those are the shows that test me the most – and the only way I managed to watch the whole of it was thanks to the secondary couple. As a lot of other shows in this section, it’s another one for the culture. + Kiss Me Again ⇢HIStory2: Crossing the Line - The HIStory series is definitely the biggest staple of Taiwanese BL but if I had to recommend it, I would only go for specific shows like this one and two others in the list. This specifically is a little on the older side and it is just so charming. The acting in the entire series is quite good when taking into account when they were made but this is the first one with a truly enjoyable plot in my opinion. ⇢HIStory3: Trapped - Oh, this one is just plain good. I think it’s a turning point for the HIStory series and it’s very very entertaining while also having some genuine emotional beats.  ⇢Manner of Death - Manner of Death walked so KinnPorsche could run. MaxTul have done so much for the Thai BL industry and this show in particular took the risk of transposing BL into the thriller genre and opened the door for many others to mix up the formula. Plus, it’s genuinely good. ⇢Semantic Error - Everything that Korean BL can be when production is not cowardly. Sounds harsh but it’s true. It’s fun, it’s quirky, the dynamic and chemistry make it an instant classic, and it’s just so beautiful to look at. One of the most pleasant rewatches for me. ⇢Together With Me - This one is probably older than anything else Thai in this list and it shows; it gives a very good idea of where BL storylines started but it’s not exactly good. Interesting watch if you want to know where the Kings™ came from. + Bad Romance (original story, not recommended) & Season 2 ⇢We Best Love: No. 1 For You - For me, this encompasses everything Taiwanese BL can be while also showcasing where it came from. A rare, non-Thai, very frequent rewatch. + Season 2 ⇢Where Your Eyes Linger - This is the first of director Hwang Da Seul’s holy trinity and together with To My Star and Blueming is a must-watch of Korean BL. ⇢Why R U? - A formative show in my Thai BL journey and also one of the first I watched. It is definitely dated but it also really shows how Thai BL developed over time. I slightly prefer the more recent and totally different Korean remake but it’s very close.

I Don’t Want Peace I Want Problems - These characters hate boredom just as much as you.

⇢Addicted - The Cursed story with a capital C, this show is truly one of a kind. It delves into some pretty toxic and problematic narratives but it’s also the only adaptation that manages to really convey the socioeconomic message of the story it tells. Be warned that it is incomplete due to Chinese censorship, which is only the tip of the iceberg of the BTS lore. None of the adaptations have (so far) been able to get to the end of the original story, hence the reason I say it’s Cursed. + Censored Chinese remake & Thai remake (ongoing) ⇢The Eclipse - I really really loved this show until I didn’t. The acting alone is one of the best in the whole of GMMTV’s history and it touches on some very complex themes while still very much being a High School BL. The ending frustrated me to no end because it completely smashed the quality heights it had reached for some easy fluff and it just left a bitter taste in my mouth. Still, it’s very beloved by a lot of people – *cough*Jay*cough*. ⇢Love Mechanics - It’s messy and probably not to everyone’s taste but for me this is an excellent display of how much direction and chemistry can make or break a not-that-exciting story. I rewatch this constantly. + NOTE: There is a director’s cut of the first three episodes then they integrate. En of Love [▶️watch here] is the first, inferior version of the story. ⇢My Beautiful Man - This one tends to be a controversial rec. It’s probably the show that surprised me the most in this entire list and made me do a complete 180 in my opinion of it. Once I finally gave it a chance, I just couldn't stop watching it, and it gets even better as it continues in the following season and the epilogue. + Season 2 & Movie ⇢My Stand-In - A very recent addition, I am obsessed with it. There is not one episode I didn’t like and for me this really managed to make the relationship work despite the toxicity and the atrocities. The acting is just splendid, I will now forever be a fan of Up and Poom. I love it. ⇢To Sir, With Love - This is fully a soap opera. I haven’t seen it recommended as much as others because of how long and how specifically in the soap opera genre it is. But! – big but – if you manage to get through the whole of it, you are primed for any other BLs that use the same narrative style or very close narrative styles like Century of Love. For me, it contextualised a lot of other Thai shows I’ve watched and in the end, though it feels longer than it should be, I actually really liked it. But man, life is way too short to ever rewatch it.

So You Want It Artsy - That snobby friend who only watches French Indie films you hate to admit are actually excellent.

⇢180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us - The biggest draw of this show is the shooting style which perfectly complements the themes in the story. A masterclass in acting with complex characters, I know a lot of people find it hard to get through because of the theatrical style it employs but for me that’s a huge plus. I highly discourage watching it all at once, I think it’s a show that needs its time to be watched. A real feast for the eyes.  ⇢Blueming - A cinematographic work of art. The plot is not that complicated, it relies a lot on the emotional beats and the complex inner lives of the protagonists. Part of the HDS holy trinity so you just gotta watch it. It’s fairly brief. ⇢The Eighth Sense - Unfortunately, I didn't end up loving this as much as basically everyone else but I do think it showed amazing promise. The ending just didn't work particularly well for me but it's definitely a very well-crafted story with amazing cinematography and great acting. ⇢I Told Sunset About You, Last Twilight in Phuket, I Promised You The Moon - If you ask people who liked this one, most will say they hate the second season because of the cheating storyline. I completely and utterly disagree. I have some minor gripes with how it ended but overall this is almost a perfect show IMO.

In Need of A Good Cry - Break-up, death, overall tragedy; for those nights you need to get it out. WARNING: some sad and tragic endings ahead.

⇢The Day I Loved You - I have a slightly controversial opinion about this one but the show is not a controversial recommendation at all. It’s plain good. I feel like it might be the only Filipino BL I’ve truly enjoyed and it’s definitely the only one you’ll find in this list. ⇢Eternal Yesterday - You go into this and you already know how much it’s going to break your heart but you never stop hoping for that happy ending. This one really devastated me because even though I knew it was going to end sadly, it managed to surprise me in the way it got there. ⇢HIStory3: Make Our Days Count - I’ve heard so many people say to just skip the end of the second to last episode and the whole of the finale and I get it. I would probably do the same upon rewatch but I don’t recommend skipping it if it’s your first time. Masterful character development and acting, I wish the rest of the HIStory series had maintained the same level of storytelling but alas, it didn’t. ⇢Kissable Lips - I didn't think vampires could make me this emotional. Way ahead of its time, we might never see another like this from South Korea.  ⇢Life: Love on the Line - Frustrating at times, pays off in a big way at the end. Very few others have made me cry as much. NOTE: make sure to watch the director’s cut. ⇢The On1y One - Also a very recent addition. This one can truly boast doing the slow-burn right. There were a couple of episodes that got a little shaky toward the end and if it ends up not getting a second season, I might commit arson but damn if the emotional beats didn’t work in a big way. I was played and I didn’t even wanna watch it at first.

The Self-referentials - We love a story that knows its own genre.

⇢A Man Who Defies the World of BL - Pure and absolute comedy from Japan, it parodies and deconstructs every single trope there is. The comedy is very in-your-face but instead of cringing, it consistently makes me die with laughter. Technically ongoing but unsure whether it'll get a fourth season. ⇢Kabe Koji - I have to admit I don’t remember a lot about this show aside from how much it impressed me when I watched it and the people to whom I’ve recommended it with the caveat that at the beginning it seems a little silly and not that good have come back to tell me that it was totally worth the watch, which is exactly the feeling I remember getting from watching it and why I recommend it. It’s formative, I just don’t remember why. ⇢Lovely Writer - I specifically chose to watch this when starting to dive into Thai BL because it deals with the Behind the Scenes of how BL shows are made and it was essential to my understanding of how fanservice works in this specific industry and definitely put me on the right path to find out more on the subject. Other than that, it’s fairly good and fluffy though I’m not a fan of one specific trope it uses.

Genre Outliers - BLs that like to mix it up a bit.

⇢He/She/It - Short and weird. I feel like this is very much one of a kind and I would watch it if only because it’s so damn intriguing even though it could have flourished with a bigger budget. However, it’s lovable also because it’s so obviously a small-budget project. ⇢Love for Love’s Sake - It definitely deserves the reputation it gets. It starts with catapulting you into one story and perfectly uses it to mirror the actual point of the show. The love story is excellent and the medium it uses in-world was a stylistic and instrumental dream. It knows exactly what it’s doing and it’s a masterful execution of the isekai genre while also keeping well within the BL world. ⇢The Warp Effect - Stretching the definition of BL a little as technically, the protagonist is a straight (up for debate) dude. That isn’t to say this isn’t very much a queer story with compelling queer characters and a fair dose of fun. I also absolutely adore how it talks about sex and feel like its approach to the topic is extremely sensitive and well-done. Plus, it’s genuinely funny. ⇢Till the World Ends - I will forever be grateful to Jay for convincing me to give this a try. It’s a little gorey and none of the characters are very good people – aside from Art. The fact that it came from a smaller, almost indie studio is incredible and it is brave as hell for choosing the subject matter it did and executing it the way it did. Michael Kiettisak is the love of my life (though this is not the show that originated my undying love for him, do ask me about it). NOTE: some of the videos on YT are membership-restricted but censored versions are available on the original channel.

Complicated Recs - Shows I have trouble recommending without a disclaimer but trust me, you need to see them.

⇢Secret Crush on You - I can’t possibly explain in just two or three sentences why you should watch it. It’s cringey, it’s ridiculous, and so so hard to get through but!!!! Just come talk to me about it if you want to know more ‘cause my thoughts about this are so conflicting I can’t get into it here. If you get through this one, you can get through anything. Just watch it and then come yell at me because you hated it and hold me responsible for convincing you. ⇢TharnType - This is even harder to justify than the previous one. Simply put: it is so wildly popular and well-known, you just have to experience it for the culture. On the other hand, I maintain that with a few tweaks – and they would genuinely be just a few though some of them major –, this show could have been groundbreaking. Again, if you want me to say more than that, you’ll have to leave me an ask. + Special 1, Season 2 & Special 2

Underrated Gems - Nobody talks about them and I’m very sad about it.

⇢The Best Story - Short, sweet, heart-breaking. A very overlooked show if you consider it stars YinWar and even though it’s one of the first they did together, it already showcases how well they work as a pair. One day, I will get the epilogue I deserve. ⇢Dear Doctor, I’m Coming for Soul - I cannot understand why this doesn’t get recommended in the same breath as Manner of Death. I found it completely by accident and loved it instantly. Stylistically, very much in the same category as MoD for me though I might like the emotional beats in this one a little more. ⇢Light on Me - So underrated. It has such a gentle touch with dealing about young love. Perfect display of how tender and delicate teenage love can be, it made my heart clench and filled me with joy. ⇢Long Time No See - Some of the older Korean BLs are surprisingly forward compared to what we get today and this is only one, excellent example of it. While it does have some spice, you should also watch it for the plot. Short and extremely lovable.  ⇢Love Is Better the Second Time Around - Why 👏 does 👏 nobody 👏 talk 👏 about 👏 this 👏 show!!! 👏 The music choices alone made it such an entertaining watch. I can only describe this as unexpected.  ⇢Love Class - I can't understand the absolute loathing I’ve seen people have for this show at all, especially for the second season. I loved it, both times. I especially loved the secondary couples in the second season but both times I was blindsided by how much I enjoyed it and how much of a left turn it took. Came for the romance, stayed for the plot twists. + Season 2 (not a continuation of the previous season) ⇢Our Days - This is another show I remember very little about aside from being very struck by the stylistic choices. The plot isn’t especially original but I was very intrigued by its pacing and its narrative style which is what stuck with me. I'm including it because I watched it fairly early in my BL watching experience and it definitely primed me for shows coming from lesser-known studios. ⇢Rak Diao - I will never ever get over the fact that this didn’t get a second season. Not only did it need it, it deserved it. This is shot like a sit-com, which means fake laughter and the kind of comedy that comes with that but it gets unexpectedly deep as it goes and does a wonderful job of conveying the emotions throughout the progression of the love story. I would have never expected to like it as much as I did, it holds a very dear place in my heart. ⇢Something In My Room - Such a lovely and heartwarming show despite the sad ending. I don’t really have the words to describe it, I just really loved it and would like for more people to know it.

Personal Faves - Are these good? That’s irrelevant. I love them, therefore they’re the best.

⇢The End of The World With You - This show was a journey. I knew exactly where it was going but it made me excited to find out how it would get there. The ending is a little goofy solely because of the low-budget VFX but emotionally, it really worked for me. ⇢Theory of Love - This is quite literally my problematic fave. I always skip most of the side plots when rewatching it and it’s the show I managed to trap my best friend into watching BL with. I genuinely adore KhaoThird’s story, I know a lot of people don’t like how their relationship begins but I think the character development is just done so well that it makes it work. Plus, I love the way it combines all the references into its own story and the Special EP always makes me tear up a little. Huge, huge emotional attachment to this one on my part. ⇢The Time of Fever - Technically, this is a spin-off prequel. It tells the story of the secondary couple from Unintentional Love Story and how they got to the point we find them in that one. It’s beautiful both aesthetically and story-wise. The acting is just excellent and the chemistry is out-of-this-world. I would personally recommend watching ULS first, then this one, then only the DongHee and HoTae parts from ULS again but it’s up to you. I will get that DongHeeHoTae-centric second season or die trying. + Unintentional Love Story (main story) ⇢To My Star + Season 2 - This show, to me, is a staple but I feel like it doesn’t tend to make the big names list. It is not only in my top three BL shows but also in my list of favourite shows ever of any genre. It’s absolutely essential to watch season two as it is quite different from the first one and much more developed. In general, I like season two a little more than the first but that does not mean the first is lacking in anything. It’s very marginal. Genuinely, this show can play my emotions like maybe only one or two others I’ve watched.

This concludes this very long and self-indulgent list of recommendations. If you’ve gotten this far, thank you so much for reading and please do shoot me an ask or a comment or a DM if you want to talk about any of these shows or others with me, it would genuinely make my day!

A/N 1: some of the titles in this list have an ‘extended universe’ situation going on. Feel free to contact me if you need help navigating it. A/N 2: just because they’re in this list, does not mean I consider all these shows to be the top of the crop. These are specifically shows that I think would be ideal for a beginner to get into the genre, there are many many others that I would readily recommend that didn’t make the cut and that I would be glad to elaborate on if asked. A/N 3: if you ever find yourself thinking “What the hell are they even saying??” while reading this, just imagine me adding an “in my opinion” to the end of every sentence.

[absolutebl]

Heyo! I have a friend I'm trying to get more into BL. She's watched KinnPorsche and I recently got her to watch 3 Will Be Free (I know, not BL). She's somewhat picky about the romance she likes to consume, so I thought I'd ask you which BLs you think would be best to get her started with the genre. Her specifications are 1) a good, solid plot (any type is fine); 2) slow burn; 3) and good chemistry. She also loves sci fi and fantasy. My initial thoughts are MoD, Not Me, and AToTS. Any additions?

BLs with: 1 Good Story, 2 Slow Burn, 3 Good Chemistry, 4 PNR elements if possible

I have not one specific list for you, but several! Many of these not updated so likely to recommend pre the 2023 madness. (Imma rag on some of your choices briefly: KP & MoD only satisfy one criteria - chemistry IMHO.

I did give you a final list of winners at the bottom tho!

1) BLs with the best stories:

2) BLs with best slow burn:

3) BLs with the best chemistry:

(by my definition)

4) PNR BLs (paranormal, sci-fi, or fantastical elements)

P'ABL did the math:

BLs that do or should show up on most of those lists:

Dear Doctor I’m Coming for Soul (Thailand) - the first one I thought of that satisfies all criteria. Good story, great chemistry, PNR & slow burn. By your friend's accounting, this should be the perfect BL. I'm a fan of this show and I have a full review here BUT I don't actually rec it often. Why? My quibble with DDICFS is that for dyed-in-the-wool BL or romance fans the ending may not satisfy, BUT that seems to be the one thing your friend is NOT - so this should be perfect.

Triage (Thailand) - good chemistry, frustratingly slow burn, def PNR, and good story. This was my second pull. It suffered at the time of airing from distribution issues and (perhaps more sadly) being up against KP. It's really good tho. A “correct the past” Groundhog Day plot, that has narrative baggage I normally do not like but is so clever about time loops, I have to forgive it my hang-ups. About a doctor who must save a boy to fix reality, but not in the usual way. 

Until We Meet Again (Thailand) - GREAT story, decent chemistry, very PNR, but not slow burn. It’s a perfectly executed fated mates reincarnation plot, fantastic well-seeded twists & reveals, and the only BL I would love to see adapted by other countries or read professionally translated. 

Old Fashion Cupcake (Japan) - slow burn, great story & chemistry, no PNR. This is a deceptively simple office romance that actually has a lot to say about life, love, maturity, and pancakes. It’s charming but also deeply moving and loving in its exploration of what it means to give up, and how connection can bring with it second chances. It’s also beautifully filmed and acted. 

Seven Days (Japan) - slow burn, great romance plot, good chemistry, no PNR. This is a pitch perfect elegant little YA romance that stays completely true to its yaoi roots but neatly avoids all the flaws of the genre. The story is deceptively simple but allows for angst and miscommunication to develop with VERY good reason, and is almost worth studying because of that. As a romance, it is elegant. I can see why it got stolen adapted.

1000 Stars (Thailand) - solid romance, very slow burn, okay chemistry, no PNR. All BL is romantic, but not all BL is a modern romance in the literary sense of the term, but 1k* is just that, an absolutely glorious slow burn gay romance that nods at BL but isn’t behooven to it. It’s just a really well executed linear romance story.

HIStory 3: Trapped (Taiwan 2019 Viki) - not PNR and maybe not exactly slow burn but aces everything else. (This was MY KP when it aired.) Taiwan often struggles with story because their BLs aren’t always long enough to really get stuck in, Trapped is different. It has a baby murder investigation that promotes conflict between the leads, so the romantic tension is between plot and character, it’s so smart. The leads did a GREAT job of showcasing mature chemistry. The side dishes in this series are wonderful too. The main couple has an amorphous ending, but like with Dear Doctor, that shouldn't rank under these specific circumstances.

My School President (Thai 2023 YouTube) - great chemistry, very slow burn, okay story, no PNR BUT you have to like YA. I know not everyone does. This is very youthful. GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORE this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? Possibly too slow burn for some, we wait many eps for that pay out, and Tin's pining is NOT quiet, but it defines dorky and earnest, so when the payout comes? Lovely.

About Youth (Taiwan 2022 Gaga) - exactly the same criteria as MSP just Taiwan's version. A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by an almost real world queer authenticity and grit. Full review here.

See You After Quarantine? (Taiwan 2021 Viki) - it's short there isn't a ton of story development, but it's a nice nugget introduction to Taiwan's style. Great chemistry, def slow burn, and CUTE. This under-appreciated gem is Taiwan’s answer to Gameboys and is just as charming and adorable yet still quintessentially Taiwanese. It features a Japanese love interest and the cutest most confused disaster gay. Slow burn because the two have almost no actual screen time together and yet manage some truly amazing chemistry. How does Taiwan do it?

Why no KBL?

Fascinating but despite the fact that KBL tends to earn the highest ratings from me and occupies the most slots in my 10/10 BLs of all time, because they are so short they tend to fall... erm... short in the arena of story and slow burn. Also, until recently, not a lot of great chemistry.

So here are a few others I considered but ended up eliminating for not containing enough of your required elements:

He's Coming to Me (Thailand) - review here

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) - this has a 12th Night meet Cinderfella feel to it, plus some great story tricks like a plot that requires a historical setting (I love it when narrative elements are codependent). 

Our Dining Table - It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me with the best of what Japan can do, 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, it’s OK with me, but not totally BL.

DNA Says Love You (Taiwan) - full review here

Ghost Host Ghost House - if your friend likes horror and culture immersion this might be a winner. Boys shack up with ghosts and each other. The story is weak but everything else is on point and it has some of the best slow burn HOT chemistry ever to hit our screens. No... really. The THIRST is real.

Semantic Error (2022 Viki) - Simple story, no PNR, not slow burn, but for Korea it’s some of the best chemistry the traditional studios have ever managed. It is flawless BL. Truly, perfection for the genre. If your friend doesn't like this, BL is probubly not the right genre. Full review. 

Light on Me - def slow burn but story is a little weak and while there is chemistry, it's not really acted upon. Also v YA and a little stiff. I love this BL unreasonably.

KP not tagged to protect me from the fandom. Don't troll me and prove my point. Remember I can has ban hammer and am not afraid to use it.

(source)

[pharawee]

if you could recommend 2-3 BLs to someone who has not seen anything that came out from late 2023 onwards and just came back from hiatus, what would you recommend? asking for a friend

Hi anon! I'm not sure if I'm the right person to ask since I'm 99% into Thai BL and have pretty niche taste but I'll try my best to give you some recs:

My Stand-In on IQIYI - If you want to get right back into fandom and don't mind waiting for a new episode every week then this is a good place to start. This is by the same production company that did I Feel You Linger in the Air, and based on a danmei (Professional Body Double) by Shui Qian Cheng. The cast is gorgeous and the plot very promising. Only one episode has aired so far but everyone (myself included) already loves it.

DFF - Dead Friend Forever is more of a psychological horror series with BL elements showcasing Be On Cloud's next generation of actors. If you don't mind gore and heavy themes then this might be for you. Please make sure to check the content warnings beforehand though because this series isn't holding back.

The Sign is probably the most popular choice because it offers a bit of everything. It's basically a (very sexy) BL wrapped in an action-oriented, culturally relevant crime drama reincarnation plot. Pretty sure it broke tumblr's tags a couple of times - that's how good it was (or still is - we're waiting for a special episode that hasn't aired yet).

These are probably among the most talked about and recent non-gmmtv BLs on tumblr. I'd rec you more (especially more indie and niche stuff haha) but I know that's probably very overwhelming. If you want me to I can try and give you some more recs based on your likes and dislikes. 💜

[freensrcha]

Which upcoming Thai gl series are you most excited about? For me it's 23.5 because I adore Milk and Love together, and they're probably going to properly kiss on screen, which makes me want to squeal into my pillow 🤗

thank you anon for this opportunity to scream about women kjsjksjkdsndj

23.5 is SO UP THERE cause i've been dying over milklove when all we had was inkpa crumbs and they're absolutely going to kill 23.5. ngl i was concerned 23.5 would be high-five drama but gmm has been acting a lil different lately so idk. and technically i said the same thing about bad buddy before it came out so... don't listen to me is the moral.

the last case cause I LOVE CRIME AND MURDER AND MYSTERY. it's just so up my alley. i hope there's women covered in blood GOD PLS. BE GAY DO CRIME

show me love!!! stalking lux (special shoutout to about galaxy which will probably star lux) on instagram for a week straight ended with my insta fyp being filled with thai pageantry content which is literally 90% englot. i mean i already knew them long back but now it's a different level and THEIR CHEMISTRY. yk it's gotta be good when they decide to make a show cause of your irl chemistry. and engfa is openly queer so yes to more queer people playing queer characters.

reverse 4 you had such a good pilot trailer and it has a very solid plot so i'm super excited for that too. i do love me a forbidden romance hehe

be mine/be my baby. i'm still confused about the different names forgive me but i'm still excited cause we HAVE FOUR WHOLE COUPLES. i'm most excited for the roommates (ormfolky) cause ROOMMATES hehe

special mentions to season 2 of both fragrance of the first flower and girlfriend project day 1. happy ending of fotff this time PLEASE.

also big shoutout to sofia (@ahxu-laowen) without whom i wouldn't even know about half of these. OUR SAPPHIC SAVIOUR ily 💖

[lurkingteapot]

all these Laws of Attraction (2023) things flying around are making my desire to re-watch Khun Chai SKYROCKET. I don't have time! But the heart wants.

(If you haven't watched it yet, what's stopping you? it's the love child of a typical telenovela-style Thai lakorn, a wuxia show, and a historical BL show, and it's FANTASTIC. it's historical! it's got family politics! actual politics! a huge cool ensemble of characters! fantastic sibling relationships! MAGIC! It's on youtube -- with subs! the first episode is 95% exposition and has a content warning list that's at least eight items long, but I promise a) it gets better after that b) you will get SUCKED IN.

I'm not selling this well but it legitimately was one of my top five favourite things that aired in 2022, so if you've heard or read about other faves of mine and thought, oh, this person has acceptable taste? give it a shot.

Again: It's 17 episodes, on youtube in full, and it has both English and Thai subtitles available. The theme song is sung by Nunew and the MV hit 10M views on youtube within two weeks.

I'm not even making you go try to find it yourself. Here's ep 1. Have fun.

Warnings under the cut. Despite the laundry list of them, this is NOT a grimdark show.

Ep 1 contains instances of: homophobia, forced outing, suicide (on screen and graphic), attempted murder of a child, corporal punishment of a child, snakes (bad cgi).

Overall warnings for things that don't occur in ep one but will at some point (I'll dig up specifics if anyone needs them):

bugs (seriously this has SO many bugs), roofying/sex pollen, murder (various instances), controlling parents, mushrooms (you'll see), fire, ep 5 has rats and a very disturbing view of a mutilated corpse … I'll add to this as I remember.

[babygirlcowboy]

My bestie was trying to watch Thai bl but needed me to pirate them all for him bc he didn't know how.....moral of the story I have been watching love in the air nonstop for the last 24 hours and I just have to say...these bitches are GAY

[three--rings]

Manner of Death (2020) Review/Rec

So I’ve just finished watching this Thai BL, and it’s absolutely excellent.  So in the custom of....me.  I’m gonna tell you about it.

I’ve talked before about the things that I generally don’t enjoy in BL dramas, and how I am not really a huge fan of most shows.  So that’s context.

Manner of Death is the best attempt I’ve seen of any BL show at being a “real” drama, with quality plot and writing, that just happens to also involve a m/m romance as well. 

But rather than just say it’s good, pretty much the whole reason I’m writing this post is that the trigger warning list for this show is EXTENSIVE and I feel I have to talk about that.

Manner of Death is a mystery-thriller about a series of mysterious deaths in a small Thai town. 

Trigger warnings for: Murder, autopsies, sexual abuse, drug abuse, forced drug abuse, abortion, illegal abortions, abortions gone wrong, rape, coerced sex, coerced drug abuse, suicide, sex trafficking, human trafficking, police corruption, and probably more. 

All of those are involved in the main case, not the romance.  But parts of the show are ROUGH in the way things play out and how some characters are treated and what is onscreen.  So while much of the show is fine and pleasant, exercise care.

Main Characters:

Bun (above right) - Dr. Bunnakit, a medical examiner who has recently returned to his hometown in a rural area after becoming jaded by like in Bankok.

Tan (above left) - a tutor and mysterious person who Bun suspects of murder. Also someone he saw once in a bar and immediately kissed while incredibly drunk.

Also all of those people.  ;)

Plot:

I don’t want to spoil things because it’s worth going through the story blind.  But, generally: People start turning up dead, and as the medical examiner Bun isn’t satisfied with the police conclusions, so he pursues the truth on his own.

This gets him in danger, and the mysterious Tan appoints himself his protector.  Because reasons they end up living together and acting Extremely Married while investigating the mystery that keeps getting more complicated.

Verdict:

A+ honestly. 

It’s still clearly made on a limited budget but the production has clearly tried to do the best they can on their resources.  The severe color grading gives it a moody but dated air and covers some of the budget issues. 

But this really feels like it fits in with some of the other shows I’ve recced, like Beyond Evil and The Devil Judge.  It’s not quite at that level, but it’s trying REAL hard and I admire it.  PLUS it’s got explicit queer romance that is REALLY satisfying.  Like the ending is...SO HAPPY.  I fucking MELTED.  Out-Loud Squeeing from me. 

The gender politics aren’t flawless, in that we get a good amount of female victims and the focus is mostly on the men.  The victims do get their own stories but they aren’t really...empowering.  I don’t know.  It’s not a deal breaker or worse than typical US crime shows, but it’s not perfect and I feel I need to acknowledge it. 

Anyway, given all of that, please go watch it if you’re interested.  It’s not the easiest show to find online, unless you are a WeTv subscriber.  So you may have to do some searching, but it’s worth it.

I mean look at Bun and Tan’s first meeting:

[myromancedramas]

My Master Lists

Hi welcome to my little blog :,) Here are my recommendation lists! I try to keep these updated but I'm not always punctual, forgive me. Let me know if you have any questions or trouble with the links!

My main is @softandorsweet <3

currently rewatching: Doom at your service

just finished: Love for Love's Sake

MY TOP 5 FAVORITES (see google doc list for plot descriptions and my full list of recommendations)

Romance Kdramas

DOOM: AT YOUR SERVICE (TW death, terminal illness, parent death, themes of su*cide)

TWENTY-FIVE TWENTY-ONE (TW anti-fatness, mild bullying, themes of depression)

HOMETOWN CHA-CHA-CHA (TW anti-fatness, themes of su*cide, ensemble character death)

YUMI'S CELLS (1 & 2) (TW anti-fatness)

 LOVE FOR LOVE’S SAKE (BL) (TW homophobia, su*cidal ideation, shown su*cide, death, blood)

Romance Thrillers Kdramas

VINCENZO (TW multiple characters death, murder, gun violence, homophobia, torture)

W: BETWEEN TWO WORLDS (TW themes of & su*cide, gun violence, parent death, homophobia, sexism, anti-fatness)

HEALER (TW parent death, murder, childhood abuse, kidnapping, themes of su*cide)

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING (TW childhood trauma, parent death, so much anti-fatness, homophobia, sexism, main character death, murder, slipping someone a drug, themes of & shown attempted su*cide, gun violence)

HAPPINESS (TW self h*rm, murder, zombies basically so lots of blood, classism, gun violence)

Thai Romance Dramas

NOT ME (BL) (TW physical altercations, gun violence, arson, kidnapping, commentary on ableism, racism, capitalism and more)

BAD BUDDY (BL) (TW physical altercations, blood, family violence, gun violence, unwanted public outing) 

MY SCHOOL PRESIDENT (BL) (TW mild manipulation, shove, slap, punch, homophobia, non con photo taking, unwanted public outing)

KINNPORSCHE (BL) (TW gun violence, murder, torture, kidnapping, mafia altercations, physical altercations, under the influence sex scene, dubious consent) 

THE ECLIPSE (BL) (TW homophobia, minimal physical altercations, outing someone)

Japanese Romance Dramas

MY LOVE MIX-UP (BL) (TW homophobia)

ALICE IN BORDERLAND (TW shown death, su*cide, extreme violence, sexual assault, severe psychological trauma)

CHERRY MAGIC (BL) (TW age gap)

SEVEN DAYS (BL) (TW cheating)

ONLY JUST MARRIED (TW fake marriage, unrequited love)

Taiwanese Romance Dramas

ABOUT YOUTH (BL) (TW family stress)

WE BEST LOVE (BL) (TW blackmail, dubious consent, manipulation, non con kiss, violence)

MY TOOTH YOUR LOVE (BL) (TW trauma, parent death, physical abuse, family abuse)

HISTORY 3: TRAPPED (BL) (TW gun violence, kidnapping, gun violence, blood)

BE LOVED IN HOUSE: I DO (BL) (TW manipulation)

Chinese Romance Dramas

PUT YOUR HEAD ON MY SHOULDER (TW anti-fatness) 

i wanted to include any warnings i noticed while watching these shows, as to reduce any harm to anyone taking my recommendations! these are still my favorite shows and have as many nuanced positives as nuanced negatives!

key: FL = female lead, ML = male lead, TW = trigger warning

message about south korean dramas: i think so many of us are drawn to kdramas for their depth and analysis of different forms of oppression and traumas. however, kdramas are lacking so much in so many ways thus the TWs. i recently found out that studio dragon, the largest production company in south korea is a monopoly company (bought out all smaller independent businesses and now has total control over most production in south korea). studio dragon alone has produced vincenzo, hometown cha cha cha, happiness, twenty-five twenty-one, yumis cells, my roommate is a gumiho, doom at your service, true beauty, start-up, tale of the nine tailed, flower of evil, it’s okay to not be okay, hi bye mama, my holo love, love alarm, hotel del luna, because this is my first life and way way more. plus they just signed with Netflix in the last year or two, and will only be continuing to expand. if you regularly watch kdramas there’s not much we can do, expect support the dramas that have become more inclusive. knowledge is power and having perspectives on why studio dragon is not perfect is more beneficial than living in the dark.

[marshmallord]

i just binged the first four episodes of laws of attraction and my only complaint is that i did this too early and now i have to WAIT for EIGHT MORE EPISODES…… wish i’d waited a bit longer so i could binge more TT

[tm-trx]

currents.17 [2024]

selections from my week in media [21-27 april 2024]

[anticipating]

Change2561 released trailers for their upcoming slate of shows and most of them look really interesting, but the two that stood out were Goddess Bless You From Death and Pit Babe 2. Never thought we'd get a second season of Pit Babe but I'm here for the shenanigans.

[listening]

"A.D.T.O.Y." / 2PM

"Crying" / Aerosmith

"The Real" / ATEEZ

[reading]

To Build a Home We Deconstruct Our Rituals by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels - 9-1-1 fake marriage trope

[watching]

In Blossom - Finally had a chance to get back to this one and managed to get through most of the rest of it. I'm bored a lot of the time, even with fast forwarding through the second pairing. I do love the male lead's costuming though, so that's worth a lot.

previous Currents posts

[zhouxiangs]

finally bit the bullet and got an iqiyi subscription so... please rec me anything you think i should watch! bl or otherwise, i'm all eyes

[celestial-sapphicss]

10 songs on your playlist right now!

rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to. put your playlist on shuffle and list the first ten songs, and then tag ten people. no skipping!

OH this feels like baring my soul!!!! thank you for tagging me @heart-ming & @justafriend-ql 💗🫶

because I'm a weirdo i have different apps for different music, like i have bollywood songs pirated downloaded on my phone, prime music for english + other music and spotify for everything i can't find on prime music (which is mostly thai music)!!! and i don't do playlists, i just add all my songs to my library and hit shuffle 😶‍🌫️ so here's all three!!!!

tagging: @i-got-the-feels @wanderlust-in-my-soul @writtenalloveryourface28 @sorrowfulliming @deshimango @chinzhillababy @pondphuwin (no pressure though ✨💌)

[pharawee]

Hello! I’m currently loving the pitbabe cast,nut in the “boys journey” on youtube and tiktoks seems more feminine (which i love!) and is very different from his character. But it made me think that fem characters aren’t really a thing in bl. I’ve watched SCOY but apart from that is there any bl works that have a fem main character that isnt a “joke” and has a love interest?

Thank you and have a great day!!

Hi anon! 💜

Negl I'm absolutely desperate for more fem (main) characters in BL but sadly, you're right, there aren't many main characters who fit the description. There aren't even many side characters who fit the description (and even fewer fem side characters who aren't primarily there for comedic relief).

Like, I loved Green in 2Together. I wish the story had treated him better and I still follow Gun Korawit on ig hoping he'll get more roles soon because he's so lovely (the same goes for Bruce Sirikorn who I just adore and who finally FINALLY got a lovely side role in Step by Step).

It always makes me really sad when I browse the comment section of MDL or the hellscape that is x (or even reddit) and people are just so dismissive and cruel when it comes to fem BL characters or even actors - calling them annoying or unattractive. They want their "ukes" not to be too manly (whatever that even means) but never in a confident or unapologetic or flirty way. And let's not even go into what they think of fem characters who don't fit the stereotypical "bottom" cliché...

That being said, there's probably a spectrum here for what makes a BL character fem. Some people might include characters like Yai in Big Dragon or Pete in Love By Chance (or Fluke Natouch in pretty much every single one of his BL roles - most of which I actually disagree with lmao) but let me give you a few examples of feminine main characters in (Thai - because that's most of what I watch) BL that I'm really vibing with:

PP Krit as Oh-aew in I Told Sunset About You & I Promised You the Moon. Because if you're not at least a little bit in love with Oh-aew then I don't even know. 🥰

Tootsies and the Fake and its series prequel Diary of Tootsies - this is more a queer comedy than BL but I absolutely adore it. Very funny, very cute and heartwarming too. 💜

James Supamongkon as Uea in Bed Friend - if you like your fem characters confident and sexy (with an incredibly upsetting backstory - be warned) then this series is for you.

Pak Naphat as Namnuea in Wedding Plan - Nuea is the softest, thirstiest, cutest boy. This Mame series is often overlooked because it isn't as dramatic as her usual stuff but I liked it a lot when I watched it.

Earth Katsamonnat as Seeiw in My Only 12% - because Seeiw in the latter half of the series is the most confident we've seen Earth since Until We Meet Again (but personally I'm still waiting for the day when I can see Earth play someone in overknees and a cute skirt 🥰)

Turbo Chanokchon as Anda in Love Stage!! (the Thai remake) - so what if I needed to lie down for a bit when Anda wore that wedding dress and wig etc. That's a completely normal reaction. (Turbo also had a small side role in Nitiman and he looked so elegant and confident there that he totally stole each scene he was in).

Fluke Natouch as Krit in Make a Wish - this one never had an international release but if you can track it down with fansubs then it's a cute little watch and Fluke looks amazing in it. This series also has Pon Thanapon (Jeff in Pit Babe) in a side role and that's always a plus.

Tor Atagorn as Nail in For Him is simply GORGEOUS! The series is still ongoing and recently lost some of its steam but Nail's styling remains meticulous!

[astarlightmonbebe]

crazy that i finished 12 dramas in 2023. and only one of them was a traditional 16 ep kdrama.

they were, in order of completion -

through the darkness (kdrama, 12 eps)

blood of youth (cdrama, 40 eps)

lighter and princess (cdrama, 36 eps)

black knight (kdrama, 6 eps)

our beloved summer (kdrama, 16 eps)

race (kdrama, 12 eps)

dearest (jdrama, 10 eps)

a thousand goodnights (twdrama, 20 eps)

my lovely boxer (kdrama, 12 eps)

vigilante (kdrama, 8 eps)

i am nobody/the outcast (cdrama, 27 eps)

a journey to love (cdrama, 40 eps)

[mejomonster]

OK so while it's totally cool if you want to see The Legend of Anle (I heard it's like Nirvana in Fire but instead of the main prince it's the girl? Also probably a bit less Complex cinema than NiF or else NiF wouldn't be so many people's favorite I'm guessing)

But I'm not a very big fan of diliraba so ill be holding off. If anyone is really impressed with her or gong juns acting though, I may check it out at some point (I guess similar to The Ballad etc show with Diliraba where i watched about 1/4)

[aesthetickingbo]

Finished watching Make It Right The Series, and this was my take away