#workplace setting in BLs

[respectthepetty]

Because this is my favorite type of BL, enjoy my crappy additions!

Senpai, This Can't Be Love

HIStory 5: Love in the Future

Candy Color Paradox

Oh! My Assistant

Upcoming Office BLs of 2023:

Bed Friend

Step by Step

Middleman's Love

Wish Me Luck

A Boss & A Babe

Office BL’s as of 2023 

The New Employee (2023), Old Fashion Cupcake (2022), Roommates of Poongduck 304 (2022), We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd (2021), Cherry Magic (2020), The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (2023)

[gillianthecat]

Workplaces in QL Shows

Step by Step got me thinking about the types of companies that get used as the settings for Office Romance in QL, and then by extension, what kinds of work characters do. I've only included ones where the job or the workplace is somehow part of the story or is a setting (so jobs the characters had as background info don't count). I didn't include censored BL because I feel that setting plays a different (more prominent than usual in BL) role in those types of stories. I didn't count university students doing school projects, but did include teenagers actually working. This is only the list of shows I've seen or know enough about to make as guess, so a lot are missing. Please add on, or make corrections! Titles with an asterisk * are included in multiple categories (leads had different jobs, or one job fits both categories). Titles in (parenthesis) I've only watched a part of, but enough to determine what work they did, titles in [brackets] I haven't seen so I'm going off what I've read.

(updated 1/7/24 with shows some new shows and some old ones I've seen since first posting. still not a comprensive list.)

Marketing/Advertising Office

🇹🇭 GAP

🇹🇭 Step By Step

🇰🇷 The New Employee

🇰🇷 Roommates of Poongduck 304

🇰🇷 All the Liquors *

🇹🇭 [Check Out]

🇹🇭 [Paint with Love] *

Graphic Design Office

🇹🇭 Bed Friend (or is it also marketing?)

🇹🇭 Middleman's Love

🇯🇵 Senpai, This Can't Be Love!

Architecture

🇹🇭 Big Dragon

🇹🇭 Love in the Air *

Game Design

🇹🇭 A Boss and a Babe

🇰🇷 Our Dating Sim

Other/Business Empire/Generic Office setting (or I never figured out what they did)

🇯🇵 Old Fashion Cupcake (i never figured it out)

🇹🇼 We Best Love 2 (some tech thing?)

🇹🇭 To Sir With Love * (business empire)

🇹🇭 Cutie Pie (business empire)

🇯🇵 Cherry Magic (stationary company, iirc)

🇹🇭 Cherry Magic

🇹🇭 Love in the Air * (some sort of business empire?)

🇹🇼 [Be Loved In House: I Do] *

🇰🇷 [Love Mate]

🇰🇷 Naked Dining *

🇯🇵 Doublemints *

🇯🇵 (Ossan's Love) (real estate)

🇭🇰 [Ossan's Love]

Law Office

🇹🇼 Plus and Minus *

🇹🇭 Laws of Attraction *

Restaurant/Coffee Shop/Bar

🇰🇷 Ocean Likes Me *

🇰🇷 Choco Milk Shake

🇰🇷 The Tasty Florida

🇰🇷 (Unintentional Love Story) *

🇰🇷 To My Star * (1 & 2)

🇰🇷 All the Liquors *

🇰🇷 Happy Merry Ending *

🇹🇼 [Be Loved In House: I Do] *

🇹🇼 Plus and Minus *

🇹🇼 [My Tooth Your Love] *

🇹🇼 [DNA Says Love You]

🇹🇭 [Coffee Melody] *

🇹🇭 [Moonlight Chicken]

🇹🇭 [What Zabb Man!]

🇻🇳 [You Are Ma Boy]

🇻🇳 [My Lascivious Boss]

🇹🇭 Laws of Attraction *

🇹🇭 (Bake Me Please)

🇹🇭 [609 Bedtime Story] *

🇹🇼 [VIP Only] *

Other Shop/Service

🇯🇵 Minato Shouji Coin Laundry (laundromat)

🇹🇼 Plus and Minus * (dry cleaner)

🇹🇭 Love in the Air * (mechanic)

🇰🇷 [Oh! Boarding House]

🇹🇭 [My Ride] * (moterbike taxi)

🇰🇷 Naked Dining* (grocery store)

🇹🇭 Pit Babe (race car team)

Artist/Artist's Shop

🇰🇷 (Unintentional Love Story) * (ceramics)

🇹🇼 [Be Loved In House: I Do] * (jewelry/metalworking)

🇯🇵 Utsukushii Kare Eternal* (photographer)

TV/Film/Idol Industry

🇹🇭 War of Y

🇹🇭 [House of Stars]

🇹🇭 [Show Me Love]

🇰🇷 (The Director Who Buys Me Dinner)

🇹🇭 (Vice Versa)

🇹🇭 (Love Stage)

🇯🇵 (Love Stage)

🇰🇷 To My Star * (1 & 2)

🇹🇭 Lovely Writer *

🇰🇷 Individual Circumstances *

🇹🇭 [Paint with Love] *

🇯🇵 I Became the Main Role of a BL

🇯🇵 Utsukushii Kare Eternal *

Music/Idol Industry

🇰🇷 Happy Merry Ending *

🇰🇷 Ocean Likes Me *

🇰🇷 [Wish You]

🇹🇭 [Coffee Melody] *

🇻🇳 [You Are Ma Boy]

🇯🇵 Kabe-Koji-Nekoyashiki-kun Desires to be Recognized *

🇹🇭 [609 Bedtime Story] *

Journalism

🇯🇵 Candy Color Paradox

🇯🇵 My Personal Weatherman *

Publishing Industry/Writers

🇰🇷 Happy Ending Romance

🇰🇷 Individual Circumstances *

🇯🇵 The Novelist/The Pornographer series

🇹🇭 Lovely Writer *

🇰🇷 [First Love, Again]

🇹🇼 [VIP Only] *

Manga/Manwha Artists/Illustrators

🇯🇵 Kabe-Koji-Nekoyashiki-kun Desires to be Recognized *

🇰🇷 Oh! My Assistant

🇯🇵 Jack o' Frost

🇯🇵 My Personal Weatherman *

Medical

🇹🇭 (Dear Doctor I'm Coming for Soul)

🇹🇼 [My Tooth Your Love] *

🇹🇭 [Manner of Death]

🇹🇭 [Physical Therapy]

🇹🇭 (My Ride)*

🇻🇳 [Mr. Cinderella]

🇻🇳 [Want to See You]

🇹🇭 [Triage]

🇹🇭 [Sky In Your Heart] *

Mafia/Criminal Underworld

🇹🇭 KinnPorsche

🇹🇭 [Love Syndrome]

🇹🇭 [Unforgotten Night]

🇹🇭 [Chains of Heart] *

🇹🇭 [3 Will Be Free]

🇹🇭 [Golden Blood]

🇹🇼 [HIStory 3: Trapped]

🇹🇭 Never Let Me Go (debated whether to include these children, but ultimately decided they work. still unclear on whether it's mafia or a legit business)

🇹🇭 To Sir With Love *

🇯🇵 Doublemints *

🇰🇷 Long Time No See

🇹🇭 (My Dear Gangster Oppa)

Sex Work

🇹🇭 [Playboyy]

🇯🇵 The Shortest Distance is Round

Debt Collection

🇹🇭 [Even Sun]

🇰🇷 [You Make Me Dance]

Park Rangers/Teachers (the "Other" category, but that's what's in it so far)

🇹🇭 [1000 Stars]

🇹🇭 [Sky In Your Heart] *

🇻🇳 [TienTai Bromance]

🇹🇭 [Chains of Heart] * (this is based on the MDL synopsis, so I don't know if it's accurate, but I was so tickled to have two shows in the park/forest ranger category I had to include it)

[itsanidiom]

OFFICE BLS RANKED BY THEIR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THE VENEER OF APPROPRIATE WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR

Because I saw @sorry-bonebag's tag and had to.

Here we go! Disclaimer: I'm not going to list every Office BL™ these are just the ones I've seen. Sorry if your fav is missing! Let's start with our lowest scorer that definitely sets the tone for the bottom of the barrel.

CHECK OUT - The veneer is tracing paper if not completely transparent. Fucking in the office. Yeah. That's an HR violation for sure. Thankfully your company is too small to have an HR department. But you're definitely getting fired by your boss who is also your boyfriend who you are also cheating on.

BED FRIEND - The veneer is only considered opaque because everyone else in the office is blind as hell. HR is pretty sure you two fucked in the office bathroom, but they have no proof so could only give you a warning.

LOVE MATE - Veneer is 1-ply. I mean, if the whole office ships it, is it truely an issue? HR thanks you for keeping things PG.

WE BEST LOVE: FIGHTING MR. 2ND - The veneer is definitely paper thin, but it's 2-ply. At least you avoided fucking in the office. Just a good smack in the face and some mutual sexual harassment. HR win...I guess.

HISTORY4: CLOSE TO YOU - Veneer is getting a little thicker, but depends on the light. Rooftop and in-office grandiose love confessions aside, HR thanks you for keeping your higher heat make out sessions off business hours. Still, gossiping about your romantic interests with your coworkers is grounds for a warning.

OUR DATING SIM - Veneer is about as thick as the space between your legs through which HR can see that you're literally holding hands in the office right now, stop it.

STEP BY STEP - The veneer is solid. Mainly office stuff happens in the office. HR approves of this boring as hell vibe. Still, you get marked down slightly because you did almost get down in the company parking garage.

CHERRY MAGIC - The veneer is a wholesome thickness, but no kissing in the company elevator. HR slap on the wrist for sure. We don't care how quickly the doors closed. There is CCTV in that elevator, sirs.

JUN & JUN - The veneer is currently in the process of being painted on so we'll have to wait and see, but it's looking pretty thin so far. HR has their pens ready to write up the report.

OLD FASHION CUPCAKE - The veneer is solid, but HR saw you hugging in the coffee station. Thank you for waiting until you were off work hours to make out, I guess. Enjoy your fancy desserts.

ROOMATES OF POONGDUCK 304 - The veneer is there. HR heard some weird noises over the zoom call, but we're just going to ignore those for now.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - It's Wild Out There but the Kisses are Good

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

NOV 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 11 of 12 - I’m really enjoying this show. But I will be glad when it ends next week. I’m ready. The motorcycle rescue in the middle of the kidnapping sequence was so absurdly bad I actually laughed. Meanwhile, in the hospital room did you notice Q’s dad used chan/nai with Min? I actually gasped out “oh, mad respect “ when he did. Papang it’s so damn hot, could he PLEASE get the lead in a BL? Please GMMTV.  

Love Sick 2024 (Sun iQIYI) ep 9 of 15 - I like Earn’s sincerity and open admission in the new version, and I like how genuine and delicate Noh is coping with someone crushing on him. Probably because he knows how painful it is from the other side. The conversation between Phun and Aim was much better and more kind in the new version, too. I'm chronicling my experience with 2024 as compared to 2014 here. 

Every You Every Me (Mon Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I like this couple a lot, and not just because of all the sex positivity. I just enjoy their dynamic of artist and musician, introvert extrovert. Anybody wondering about that “up against the window blurring thing” with the shirt off the shoulder? That’s a very very old yaoi trope (mostly office yaoi from the early 2000s) that I haven’t seen in a long time. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it in Thai BL…… wild. 

Meanwhile, let the weird interweaving of the filming crew begin. The show within a show that we all suspected was due is now happening. I’m not sure about that. (I worry it will be some clumsy commentary on pair branding.) But how hot does Fiat look these days? 

Fourever You (Thurs YT) ep 7 of 16 - I really don’t like the second storyline. It find it unpleasant. I also don’t think the chemistry between Maxky and Bas is good. In fact I begin to suspect Star Hunter should cut Bas lose. Yes I said it.

Caged Again (Fri Gaga) ep 1-2 of 10 - Penguin escapes zoo by turning into a human. Gets trapped in a boys school and a panther falls in love with him. How does a penguin know how to read? OK I’m not gonna try to figure out the logic of this show. There is none. Do I like it? Not sure. I’m not mad about the dynamic or the setting but the main foundational conceit is…… odd. It’s not uncommon in BL, the “my cat boyfriend” thing has been done for many years now. So I know what to expect. It’s not that. Or is it? I do like how the actor playing Junior looks a bit like a bird. I also like how the actor playing Sun really does behave like a cat in his social interactions, it’s funny. I think…… I’m not wild about this so far, but I like it better than I thought I would. Love seeing Jaonine & Nokia in any form. 

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT?) ep 3 of 24 - I just don’t like Arc and Arm. Sorry not sorry. However, I do like the sides and future couples. So I’m sticking with this one. 

Jack & Joker (Mon IQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - Because I heard this episode was really rough and the world is a mess I gave this one a miss this week. We’ll see if I’m up for it next week.

Your Sky (Sun iQIYI) 12 eps - (starts tomorrow) A naive freshman and the campus’s popular senior agree to pretend to be a couple - but their fake deal begins to generate real feelings.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

My Damn Business (Korea Sat YT) ep 7 end - Ooooo counter lift!!! And caught in the act. Very nice. It was a really good final episode and an absolutely fantastic kiss.

In summation: 

Two men work their last few days together at a failing company. I like this but I’m not sure I should like it. This is a classic office romance, short even for Korea, with more than usual workplace harassment (even for BL) in the guise of aggressive pursuit from older boss to younger employee. (The optics are NOT good.) It reminded me of Jun and Jun only shorter, colder, and with more dub con. Now, I happen to be one of the few who truly loved Jun and Jun, it’s very much my style of KBL. I think that’s part of why I liked this one so much. But I suspect that might have given this show too much shine by association. Still, eminently rewatchable and it’s nice to have Korean IP drop on YouTube. 8/10 

Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 2 of 11 - Another one that is about abuse, but for some reason I don’t mind it as much as I did Let Free the Curse. Maybe it’s Japan? Maybe it’s the disinterested nature of the director’s lens? This show is examining the inclination of teenagers towards spectatorhood out of fear, while simultaneously giving us a contrived spectator’s perspective with its style of the filming. For example: there is a lot of shots in alleyways and looking in and out of apertures (like doorways and windows) at Hirukawa. He’s often seen from a distance, because Minase thinks of him as distant and somewhat like a specimen. It’s very clever and what I expect from Japan. But it also makes me feel distanced from the characters and their story (intentionally, I believe) which means it’s less raw than Curse, and a lot easier for me to watch. In other words, I am observing this BL, not living it. But that’s the point. And because of that, I’m also liking it. But I’m extremely wary. Japan never drops a kiss early on in a series without some serious trauma to follow.

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 13 - I love them all very much. Carry on.

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China Sun iQIYI) eps 5-6 of 12 - So far as I can gather it was episode five that got this one censored and kicked off the air in China. So now we are in unchartered (and presumably only lightly censored) territory. Honestly? I have no idea how they get away with what they get away with these days. Onto the actual meet of the show. I don’t think the teacher should be flirting with the kid if he’s gonna blow hot and cold like that. He is ostensibly the mature one in the relationship. Although if he’s flirting with a child, that is clearly not the case. I get the conflict of the main characters a bit more. Because it’s all about class and the risks that you can take with your identity depending on how much autonomy you have in society. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 8 of ? - Basically this is just a narrative about bullying. And I’d like to get onto the revenge portion of the program, and that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. I do love that Dat asked for permission to kiss. Consent is very sexy. Also it was a good tentative careful cautious timid first kiss. The actors are older but it felt high school. (Although apparently Bach entirely kissed away Dat’s injury.) 

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 9 of 12 eps - Gosh I really do like this couple. And I like the legal proceedings. But I’m worried about whether this show is going to end well. 

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - Frankly I didn’t want LITA the original, so I’m pretty sure I don’t want the Japanese cliffs notes version of LITA. It’s somehow softer, which I wasn’t expecting from Japan. But I don’t mind. The brevity and softness are improving matters, IMHO. I continue to unequivocally loathe the wardrobe department. I’m offended on the actors’ behalf. 

Eccentric Romance (Korea Weds Viki) eps 11-12 end - An odd and somewhat lackluster piece about two college friends, one Thai and one Korean, who get together and become boyfriends while investigating murderer - each speaking in their own language. Neither the BL component nor the murder component was well executed or engaging. It’s not terrible, but that’s no ringing endorsement. "Odd yet still somehow forgettable" is probably how I would put it. 6/10

It's airing but......

Love for Loves Sake got some kind of special supposed to air 11/9. Not sure what, why, or where. Only the rumor that it...... is. I'll believe it when I see it...... literally.

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) 10 eps - I DNF'd at ep 7, I couldn't make it. I am weak. Life is hard enough right now, this show is making it harder. It’s not what I want from my entertainment.

Secret Love (Sat YT) 10 eps - Another take on my beloved stepbrothers trope. Adopted into a rich family, boy falls in love. But when he is made the heir instead, everything goes wrong and he leaves. Now enemies the two boys reunite in uni.

DAMN IT! This is airing but in two minute increments on a proprietary app that’s mostly for Android, and it’s already up to episode 11. I’m not wild about this style of distribution, so I’m not gonna bother unless somebody cuts it together as a full piece. Although I do adore the premise.

Bad to Bed (Taiwan Sat YouTube) 10 eps - This is a little too low production value even for me. And just very very odd. DNF

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

November BL still to come:

11/20 Winter Is Not The Death of Summer (Thai Weds YT) ?? eps - Criminals who meet in prison fall in love

11/20 The Heart Killers (Thai Weds Gaga) 12 eps - Jojo directs FirstKhao & JoongDunk in an action romcom about assassin brothers (Khao & Joong) who meet a tattoo artist ex-booster (First) and a mechanic (Dunk). I'm highly amused that Joong plays the older brother to Khao and that we have a take on the Taming of the ShrewBL. I like that everyone is morally gray. This has all GMMTV's best chemistry in one BL and some fresh concepts that I've only seen tackled in m/m romance novels (check out Amy Lane's Racing for the Sun, thank me later). I'm excited. My only quibble is Jojo, I like his style but his characters can get unreliably messy so…... this gonna be interesting.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENT

Apparently I have feels about wardrobe departments this week, because, to use an old fashioned term, this look on him absolutely slaps. (Love Sick)

It's rare for Thai BL to beat out JBL in the fashion department.

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[lurkingshan]

I could have done without the drama nonsense (Jane deciding not to communicate with Ryan for no reason other than creating false tension, Ba Mhee and Tae having a silly public proposal), but overall that was a fine conclusion to a solid workplace drama. And that's definitely what I will remember The Trainee for being--an ensemble show about five interns and their journeys to develop as people and professionals, and the mentors who helped them along the way. It didn't do everything perfectly, but it accomplished that core purpose very well. And of course, I will also remember it for giving us Jane, the hottest middle manager alive.

I'm interested in the way GMMTV is venturing into using some of its long-term stable bl pairs to anchor shows that are not primarily romances. It's a smart way to guarantee an audience for a more diverse set of shows. I don't think this show would have gotten nearly as much attention if it didn't have that anchor, and with Peaceful Property also airing right now, I wonder if it's the start of a new trend.

[lugarn]

interfan BL fandom: welcome to BL, where you can watch cute boys fall in love cutely and be the cutest little guys on the planet. we have the most adorable high school settings, some messy and cute colleges, and workplaces full of the most cute and clueless boys! everything the light touches is BL, isn't it great??

me: what about that shadowy place?

BL fandom: that's kinnporsche. we don't go there--

me: i... see.

[save-the-data]

My Damn Business | S01E03 Korean Drama - 2024, 7 episodes

Genres: #LGBTQ+

Tags:  #Workplace Romance | #Short Length Series

Cast: #Jung Jae Bin | #Jeon Yu Bin | #Hwang Min Hwan

Links:  GAGA | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Youku | Tencent

Catalog: Episode GIF sets | Korean BL | Korean Drama

[blackmoonlightexpress]

Fun Facts behind TTEOTM!

Creative Team

Till the End of the Moon is the second TV drama produced by newcomer Otters Studio (獭獭文化), which was originally set up for dangai/BL drama Immortality (皓衣行), also featuring Luo Yunxi.

The Hangzhou-based Otters Studio is a subsidiary of Nanpai Entertainment (南派泛娱), the company owned by Kenneth Xu (aka “Third Uncle" 南派三叔). Xu is best known as the novelist and screenwriter behind "Grave Robbers' Chronicles" (盗墓笔记).

A big part of TTEOTM's core creative team also worked on Immortality. And a lot of the Immortality team came from Ashes of Love (2018) with Luo Yunxi. This includes...

He Fang (Screenwriter) - Immortality

Luo Xuan (Screenwriter & Associate Producer) - Immortality

Huang Wei (Costume Designer) - Immortality

Guan Dazhou (Music Director) - Immortality

Wang Yirong (Lead Producer) - Immortality

Wang Haiqi (B Unit Director & Action Director) - Immortality & Ashes of Love

Tsang Mingfai (Makeup Designer) - Immortality & Ashes of Love

Shen Xufei (Special Effects Director) - Immortality & Ashes of Love

Hua Tian World Concept - Immortality & Ashes of Love

Wang Haiqi was the stunt coordinator who trained Luo Yunxi in Ashes of Love

Part of the creative team came from Huanyu (Bai Lu's management company, aka the production company of Yanxi Palace). This includes award-winning art director Luan Hexin, Huang Xinyao (Yue Fuya) and Liu Min (Nan'an).

This is the second time Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu have paired up in a drama. They previously played a couple in modern workplace romance Love is Sweet (2020). Bai Lu expressed interest publicly in pairing up with LYX again in a costume drama numerous times.

In addition, a number of Love is Sweet actors have minor roles or cameos in TTEOTM:

Zhao Yuanyuan (Qiao Na aka Yuan Shuai's colleague who has a crush on him) plays the Moon Goddess

Cheng Chang (Jiang Jun's father) plays Ye Xiwu's father

Deng Jinghong (Jiang Jun and Yuan Shuai's shady client) plays Ye Xiwu's brother Ye Zeyu

The popularity of TTEOTM has generated renewed interest in Love is Sweet on iQiyi. In the first half of 2023, Love is Sweet is ranked #5 on Yunhe's "old/classic drama" list, receiving 360M views (10M views/episode), equivalent to airing a new medium-budget drama.

Two actors in Ashes of Love also have minor roles in TTEOTM:

Wang Yifei (Shuihe aka peacock princess in Ashes of Love) plays the Devil God's lieutenant Siying

He Zhonghua (Heavenly Emperor aka Runyu's father) plays the King of Sheng, again terrorizing Luo Yunxi's childhood

In addition, a number of TTEOTM actors play minor roles in the unaired Immortality:

Huang Yunyun (Yue Yingxin) plays Song Qiutong

Zheng Guolin (Qu Xuanzi aka Susu's father) plays Jiangxi

Huang Haibing (Zhaoyou) plays Nangong Zhangying

He Zhonghua (King of Sheng) plays Nangong Liu

Geng Yeting (Ye Qingyu) plays an unknown role

Production

The source novel (黑月光拿稳BE剧本) was optioned by Otter before it was complete due to strong early hype around the IP and interesting characters & premise. It's one of the top 10 most-saved web novels of that genre on the Jinjiang platform. Its title literally translates to "black moonlight is guaranteed a bad ending screenplay".

The screenplay was written for 40 episodes, which was edited into 50 episodes of probably 45 mins each. The original plan (based on governmental records) was to air 34 episodes as part 1 and 16 episodes as part 2. However, the NRTA (Chinese government agency that regulates TV) closed the loophole around airing two seasons back to back early this year, which is why TTEOTM was edited back down to 40 episodes of 55 mins each so that it could air in one go.

TTEOTM changed its Chinese title twice. It was originally named 月照千峰为一人 (The moon shines for one person). It was then renamed to 长月无烬 (long moon without Jin/ember, also a pun for without limit or endless), which is the official publication name proposed by fans of the web novel. Right before the booting ceremony, it was renamed 长月烬明 likely for auspicious reasons (especially after the LYX accident and Immortality not airing)

Some keen netizens have noticed that if you break apart the characters of its Chinese title, 长月烬明, it becomes 长月火尽日月, which literally means....

长月 (long moon) - how people refer to the drama, in its short form

火 (fire) - Chinese internet lingo for explosive or popular

尽日月 (to the end of sun and moon)

(Gotta give one to Chinese people for coming up with auspicious names)

Luo Yunxi was injured right before production began when filming his final scene in Light Chaser Rescue. He got punched in the mouth by a costar which required emergency surgery and left a scar on the top left corner of his mouth. Production was delayed as a result. Bai Lu had to film her solo scenes first starting Oct 19, 2021. The booting ceremony took place on Nov 6, 2021 after Luo Yunxi joined the set.

Luo Yunxi was the first actor to be cast, according to an interview with the producer. It is rumored that he might have even picked which novel to adapt as Otter initially optioned both "Black Moonlight" and "Black Lotus Casebook". Bai Lu is also the "only choice" for Li Susu according to Yu Zheng.

Yin Tao (Who Rules The world, Love & Redemption, and Ancient Love Poetry) was originally considered for director, but he worked on the Blood of Youth instead. In the end they went with Kuk Kok Leung, an award-winning veteran TVB director who has adapted 7 out of 8 Jin Yong novels. One of the Cantonese songs Luo Yunxi kept singing on set is the OST of the 1983 Condor Heroes where Kuk served as Assistant Director.

Sun Zhenni (Pianran) and Zhao Shiyi (Fuyu) won their roles through open casting call. Sun Zhenni was a big fan of Bai Lu, and the two became close friends during the shoot. She is 1/4 German Jewish through her paternal grandmother.

Chen Duling (Ye Bingchang / Tian Huan) briefly dated Xichao Wang (who plays Jing Mie, the demon god's other lieutenant). They were apparently introduced by Yu Zheng (boss of Bai Lu's studio).

Luo Yunxi and Sun Zhenni are the only actors who dubbed themselves in the drama. Bai Lu is dubbed by Duan Yixuan, who is also the voice behind Linglong in Love & Redemption.

This is the second time Luo Yunxi plays a dragon god (Runyu is the first). This is also the second time Bai Lu plays a character who leaps off the tower to her death in a costume drama.

Post-production was rumored to be delayed and then rushed due to a number of reasons, including covid which hit the special effects team hard and the last minute change of the 40-episode rule.

Promotion

During the premiere day, celebrities posted on Weibo to promote the drama in support of Luo Yunxi (usually actors only ask for this favor when it's a really important project to their career): Huang Xiaoming, Tan Songyun, Wu Jingyan, Chen Yuqi, Cheng Xiao, Victoria Song, Zhang Ruonan, Huang Xuan, Chen Yao. The most noteworthy ones were Chen Xiao (whose drama was also opening on the same day) and EDG (the esports team that LYX supports)

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus

For those of you who don’t know, I decided to run the gauntlet of @bengiyo’s queer cinema syllabus, which is comprised of 9 units. I have completed four of the units (here is my queer cinema syllabus round up post with all the films I’ve watched and written about so far). It is time for me to make my way through Unit 5- Lesbians, which includes the following films: The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995), Bound (1996), Water Lilies (2007) [Skipping for now until I can get access to it], Saving Face (2004), D.E.B.S. (2004), Set It Off (1996), The Handmaiden (2016), Carol (2015), Imagine Me and You (2005), Two of Us (2019), Rafiki (2018), and The Color Purple (1985).

Today I will be talking about

Saving Face (2004) dir. Alice Wu

[Run Time: 1:31, Language: English and Mandarin]

Summary: A gay Chinese-American and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

Cast:  -Joan Chen as Hwei-Lan Gao -Michelle Krusiec as Wilhelmina ‘Wil’ Pang -Lynn Chen as Vivian Shing

__

I love when people actually have the opportunity to write and direct stories that absolutely ooze their cultures. I am not Asian, but the family dynamics that exist as a result of this story happening to an Asian family are incredibly legible and makes the film very fun to watch as writer and director Alice Wu completely scrambles the relationships between characters/families.

This was a really smart film to include in this syllabus considering the pathway to the end of the syllabus is leading towards BL shows. Saving Face follows a storyline that feels very similar to a lot of what we will see in BL when it comes to parents and their queer children trying to reach some understanding of each other. It also has some of the visual motifs that are very popular in the BL I have watched like the use of vertical walls to signal a barrier between characters (though obviously this is not unique to BL) and honestly with how many workplace BLs we’ve gotten that have made me less than enthusiastic about the actual power dynamics at play, Saving Face does a really good job showing how power dynamics can manifest in the workplace when you just so happen to be dating your bosses daughter. 

gif by @filmreel

My favorite part of this film honestly is the family relationship, how evident it is that behavior is learned and passed down between generations, like when Hewi-Lan tells Wil she worked nights so Wil could eat preceding Hwei-Lan’s father (Wai Gung) telling Hwei-Lan that he endured hardship so she could have a better life. 

It was really fun to watch how Wil and Hwei-Lan’s relationship shifts, and how they both grow as people, that Hwei-Lan starts the film wanting to give Wil’s neighbor Jay a paper plate when he comes to dinner so she can throw it away afterward and not wanting to eat too much soy sauce so her baby doesn’t “become dark”, to Hewi-Lan thinking that Vivian is racist and being mad about it to Jay and Hewi-Lan hanging out, using face masks, eating, and watching dramas together, irrespective of Wil’s presence. 

Or starting the film with Hwei-Lan strategizing with her friends about potential male suitors for her daughter for the Friday night Planet China dances, to Wil running through her own channels to develop a roster of possible Chinese men to send her mother out on dates with towards the middle of the film when they are still trying to find someone that will marry her in order to prevent further shame or disgrace from befalling their family as a result of Hwei-Lan’s pregnancy. I loved Wil helping her mom get ready for the dates and even though it was parentification, I enjoyed that role reversal of getting to see her mom be hesitant, doubtful, and self-conscious, and if nothing else I loved that moment for how genuine Wil is when she tells her mom she’s beautiful.

Or getting the lines about how everyone in the Chinese community is two degrees of separation from anyone else, and how that one off-handed line truly feels like the biggest non-family explanations for why Wil is so hesitant to be physical intimate or queer in public. As an example, you can tell she’s a little worried that Vivian told her mom that they were dating. And I liked the reveal towards the end that Hwei-Lan has known this whole time that Wil is queer but is willfully ignoring it, and that the set ups she has been trying to do for Wil at the beginning of the film are because Hwei-Lan caught her being queer and not because Hwei-Lan doesn’t know she’s queer. So you get the added layer of hesitancy around Wil’s engagement in her romantic relationship with Vivian, especially because Vivian’s parents are a part of their social circle and that puts Wil at very high risk of her mother finding out. 

gifs by @mrgaretcarter

And she has very good reason to be because Vivian is out to both of her parents and the second that Vivian’s father sees Wil and Viv in a room together he immediately clocks their relationship and exerts his power as Wil’s boss to basically force Wil to break up with Vivian.

I’ll talk about this more in the Favorite Moment portion but I absolutely loved the scene where Hwei-Lan expresses her concerns about her impending motherhood (“I am going to be a terrible mother”) and how it pairs with Hwei-Lan’s response to Wil coming out (“I am not a bad mother. My daughter is not gay.”) How the saving face cycles and Hwei-Lan has been willfully ignoring Wil’s queerness and how Hwei-Lan was going to marry a man she did not love, for the second time to save face for her father, and how it took Wil barging in and essentially giving her permission to be happy to finally abandon that and follow her own heart. 

gif by @lonesomedotmp3

And how in doing so, she is finally able to accept Wil’s sexuality, support her mad dash to the airport to try to save her relationship, comfort her child in heartbreak, and play an active role in getting Wil and Vivian back together. 

Favorite Moment 

My favorite moment is when Hwei-Lan and Wil are talking about Hwei-Lan’s pregnancy and Hwei-Lan actually voices some of her fears about becoming a mother, the first time she’s really talked at length about her pregnancy, and it is doubly important to me because Hwei-Lan is saying all of this to her daughter. Like, just read this part of the script: 

Hwei-Lan: I'm going to be a terrible mother.             Wil: What? Hwei-Lan: I don't even like babies. Stephen's always bringing his kid to the shop. All that drooling. Gross. You were different. You sprung from the womb already grown-up. And I had your father during your early years. He was really patient.                    Wil: You have me.

It is very important to me because the transition in to Hwei-Lan and Wil living together has not been the smoothest, and because Hwei-Lan has been thrown out of her parent’s house by her father because of her pregnancy and so the only person she really does have to rely on in that moment is her daughter. And it is nice to know that despite all of the things they maybe don’t understand or refuse to acknowledge about each other, that at the end of the day they are there to support.

gif by @lonesomedotmp3

We even see it with Wai Gung, who says at the end of the film that when the baby girl is born he will be over at Hwei-Lan’s apartment every day to take care of his grandchild. Sure he covers that with the excuse of not trusting what will happen if her parents are in charge of raising her, but that’s an excuse, you just know that Wai Gung is going to absolutely adore his granddaughter. 

Favorite Quote

“Are you lonely?” // “No, I have you,”

Score

9.5/10

I absolutely adored this film.

[maybe-boys-do-love]

I am nothing if not a sucker for realistic-leaning explanatory depictions of workplace environments, and The Trainee is delivering such an incredible dish of it

And the fact that the show’s workplace setting is a video production company so there’s a whole meta aspect to everything!!! And the whole crew involved is clearly giving it their all, especially for a comedy!!! The lighting and cinematography is so much more decisive than GMMTV usually goes for. And there’s all these little fun editing touches. And the comedic scoring and sound effects that are a staple of Thai comedies are all mixed in with more finesse than we’re used to. Even after two episodes, it’s clearly such a labor of love for the people who worked on it ❤️

And none of this is a criticism of the other style that we’ve been seeing. That other style is what got me excited to watch Thai BLs, but I would describe it as ‘theatrical’ whereas what the team is doing for The Trainee is ‘cinematic,’ which is just so perfect with the plot and setting.

[my-usernames-posts]

sotus and sotus s were kinda way ahead of their time and nobody is ready for this conversation

Yes it did receive appreciation for being a trendsetter of university setting in BLs but the criticisms on lack of intimacy is getting on my nerves.

First of all, the main focus seems to be on the senior-junior struggle with hazing and the characters' internal struggles. THE AIM WAS NOT FANSERVICE AT ALL.

With that being said, it is completely normal for them to NOT be all over each other on screen even in season 2. Portraying emotional intimacy is harder than physical & it's done beautifully. They are two boys trying to graduate and do well in their jobs, it's absurd for them to come home and be all energetic in bed.

The relationship is actually balanced in its own way. Arthit gets a lot of hate for not communicating enough. When it actually does not seem like the case. Because in s2 he tells Kong "We can normally talk about anything, right?" That actually shows they are close enough to have tough conversations without jeopardising their relationship. Arthit knows since s1 that Kong is a rich kid, only he never know who exactly his father was.

Moreover Arthit's introversion & mysteriousness is what seems to draw Kong to him. We see how possessive Kong is - he cannot stand anyone else knowing little details such as pink milk & Aioon. I bet he'd not like him if Arthit was an easily likeable popular extrovert. The fact that Arthit is visibly shy is enough for Kong. And the fact that Arthit does not say "I love you" or "You are my world" regularly is what makes his words more valuable. Because Kong knows that it means beyond the surface in a situation when he says it.

It's good that Arthit continues to be shy & silent even in s2. Because that shatters the most common misconception that people change. He himself says that he loves Kong regardless, and saying it everyday would only reduce its importance. (Also, he's shy & that's how he is. Kongpob can accept it so it's all good innit?) Despite taking a long time to deal with his inner struggles he always comes back. He doesn't go around announcing about his relationship, but he does not keep it a secret forever either.

And the fear of society is actually well portrayed. University & workplace is different. Your sexual orientation doesn't reflect on your academic reports, but it CAN reflect as workplace discrimination. We also see that Arthit slowly realises that nobody is gossiping like he imagined. That's how he learns how pointless his worries were.

There are other shattered stereotypes. Such as the owner's nephew being a hard worker unlike the general nepotism character. And Earth just taking her time to warm up instead of turning out to be the female villian.

With all this being said, the show has a balance of silly entertainment & realistic ish character growth, idk it's a hill I'm willing to die on kbye.

[bengiyo]

Cherry Magic TH Ep 7 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Achi realized how much Karan has been quietly taking care of him, and realized that his life is harder without Karan around. He realized that he wasn't doing either of them any favors by holding back and ran to him. Pai, seeing her ship about to set sail, "borrowed" a motorcycle to make the airport scene happen. Meanwhile, Rock affirmed how much he admires Pai, and Min and Jinta had a very cute impromptu date.

Yes, Pai, silence the Rokaku analogue so he doesn't ruin a moment.

There is a beauty in the sunset in that it's safest to look at the sun when it's moving away.

Now I want to read How To Be A Normal Person again.

There is a softness with Jinta and Min that I really like.

As a man, it is so sexy to me that Karan wanted to take Achi to get this shirt.

I'm with you Pai. Good food and good shows can keep you going for a while.

Oh good. They're just rushing Jinta to finish the book and not to make a character straight.

You know this barista is a good friend because he's giving Karan shit.

Good. Jinta should keep his glasses.

Jinta, bro, put your fucking glasses on.

Goddamn Tay Tawan is beautiful.

Why are we getting in a helicopter? This is how we lost Kobe! This is not KinnPorsche!

Look at Lays giving the ad to the het pairing. A bold decision

He's talking like Rob Thomas! Get out of there, Pai!!

I'm enjoying Min and Jinta a lot. Mark plays fond well, and I like the show playing out Jinta realizing explicitly that he has to talk and listen to develop closeness.

Incredible. Karan is going all out but this date is rather flat.

Okay, I am enjoying the bestie debrief after their dates.

This episode has been kinda slow, but I am enjoying Achi talking with Jaran directly about how he's feeling.

This scene was really good. Thai BL often relies heavily on dialogue to convey feelings, and I think Cherry Magic is well suited to that. I like that there is an explicit question about being a couple.

Ah, yes. It's time to deal with the magic powers.

Oh no. We're using the workplace itself as an obstacle now.

This episode felt a bit slow, but it finished pretty strong. I'm really enjoying the way Achi feels distinct from the Japanese versions of Adachi, and I like the way they responded to the busted date. Curious if they're using the workplace and the boss as a sort of paternal obstacle.

[avaseofpeonies]

A Drink Before Battle ~ Intro

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+, BL, Yaoi, Drama

Age rating: 18+ (violence, strong language, sexual content)

Status: Main story complete (70,000 words/ 47 chapters), One extra chapter (more coming someday)

Availability: Free to read on Scribblehub, Wattpad, AO3, Inkitt, and Ritoria

Story Tag: #adbb avp

Summary:

General Sevei is of the firm opinion that Nobles are shady and Alchemists even shadier. Noble Alchemists are the absolute worst. He is not looking forward to partnering with one to guard the border. Upon their introduction, though, it would seem they have already met... under very intimate circumstances.

Oh...,****

Set in the same world as Salvage, but we're going back in time for some Medieval sword and sorcery!

This wholesome, happy-endings-all-around, smutty queer fantasy romance features an M/M main couple along with a host of supporting characters bringing some trans rep, some pan rep, some sex worker positivity, and even a straight ally who tries his darndest, bless his little puppy heart.

Plenty of fluff, plenty of sexy times, a few funny bits, and our gang do all make it through the Horrors - but there is a war on, so there's also plenty of angst and a bit of bloody violence along the way.

More details below!

MC: General Zarayan Sevei, 31, brown hair, brown eyes, regular guy

ML: General Yeresym Urskatha, 28, platinum blonde, green eyes, Alchemist (magic user)

Couple Dynamics: Enthusiastic MC x reluctant ML, normal x paranormal, sunshine x grumpy, outgoing x reserved (dog/cat), experienced x inexperienced, vers couple

POV: MC only, 3rd person past

Setting: Fantasy World, Medieval, Military camp

Magic system ~ Qi-type innate spiritual energy (called Ethereal Energy in story). Can be wielded physically, harnessed to fuel technologies, or (more rarely) combined with ritual practices for more esoteric applications.

Themes: individual vs. self, individual vs. society, LGBTQ+ themes, identity, self image, love, sexuality, friendship, loyalty, courage, cooperation, guilt, mental health, empowerment, sex worker positivity, social class/privilege, change vs. tradition, violence, war, prejudice

Tropes: western fantasy influenced by xianxia danmei, enemies (antagonists) to lovers, secret identities, mistaken assumptions, forced proximity, workplace romance, brothel scenes, outdoor bathing, magical sex, opposites attract, side couples, (almost) everyone is queer, found family, band of misfits, fluff, comedic undertone, humor as a coping mechanism, danger/rescue, hurt/comfort, traumatic past, toxic family, angst w/HE, avenging dead loved ones, damsel in distress, magic battles, overpowered villain, aristocracy/nobility, handsome prince

Vibes/Mood: plot with smut, varies from fluffy and comedic to sexy to dark and angsty, but with a happy ending

Content Warnings: Genre typical violence, explicit sexual content, homophobic society, internalized homophobia, internalized transphobia (supporting character), war veteran ptsd, slavery (supporting character – no mistreatment of this character is depicted and sentiments are anti-slavery).

[ppeonppeonhan]

I'm holding off on binge-ing the rest of Be My Favorite and King the Land until the last episode drops for each. So in the last 72hrs, I've started 3 new BLs -- and all three are about guys who are pursuing clueless men: Hidden Agenda (Thai - Youtube), Jun & Jun (Korean - Viki), and Be Mine Superstar (Thai - Viki). And I am shocked -- SHOCKED I tell you -- by how much I'm loving that last one.

Hidden Agenda has a popular college student pretending he wants to help his dorky longtime crush get a girlfriend. Of course, it only took 4 episodes for the nerd to not only question both his endgame and his sexuality.

The series reunites Joong and Dunk from Star and Sky: Star in My Mind. Did not love Joong's character in that one, but I'm looking forward to seeing the backstory for how his character fell in love with this kid, and why they had a falling out.

Jun & Jun has childhood friends reuniting in the workplace as boss and idol-turned-intern. It gets suggestively spicy real quick -- for a Korean bl -- and we're only 3 episodes into an 8-episode series. 👀 Can't wait to see how this escalates.

And Be Mine, Superstar has a fanboy living his best life as a PA on his favorite actor's set, assisting him with everything from coffee runs to massages. The goofy pining looked cringey in the trailer, but Ja and First from Don't Say No have such electric chemistry, it does not matter.

It'll be fun to see how all these guys ultimately woo their longterm crushes, and whether or not their fantasies live up to the reality.

[lurkingshan]

hi! i hope you don't mind me bothering you but coukd you perhaps rec me some good japanese bls? possibly something less known and not from this year? no pressure ofc!! love your blog <3

Hi anon! I love to rec Japanese bls and am happy to oblige. First, a few rec posts I have already made:

Japanese BL Starter Pack

Additional Japanese BL Gems

Japanese BLs with Good Romance + Physical Intimacy

You can start with those if you don't already have them covered. But you asked for lesser known and older works, as well, and I definitely have some to recommend. Keep in mind that some of these are going to look older or lower budget and may not be up to the production standards of more recent and better funded shows, but they all have great stories with reasonably good execution. You will have to watch some grey (I'll note where available on GagaOOLala or where I have links). Running down the list in alpha order:

Ai no kotodama (2007, YouTube) A short and sweet little college-age friends to lovers movie. It's not complex but it's very cute.

Ameiro Paradox (2022, Gaga) A gossip reporter and photographer who don't get along are put on a stakeout team together. Kind of an enemies to lovers deal, but the initial grudge is not that serious.

Can I Buy Your Love From A Vending Machine? (2023, fansub) This is a very sweet romcom about an office worker with a massive crush on the vending machine loader who services his office.

Dangerous Drugs of Sex (2020, Gaga) I don't know your tastes or comfort level with dark and explicit works, so let me say upfront that this movie is not for everyone. It's an exploration of grief and depression through a very extreme psychosexual lens. If you're into that kind of thing, go for it, but mind the content warnings 'cause they are no joke.

Grand Guignol (2022, Gaga) Another one that is not for everyone, this is straight up horror and it's quite violent as well as sexually explicit. I had a whale of a time watching this with @bengiyo and seeing a bunch of our favorite BL boys getting into Spooky and Sexy Situations, but I know los espookys are not for everyone.

I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama (2023, Gaga). And for something completely different, this is a comedy that will have you laughing out loud. It pulls off the neat trick of being both a hilarious and incisive commentary on bl and a sweet romance.

I Want to See Only You (2022) Another short and very sweet friends to lovers drama, this one set in high school.

Let's Eat Together, Aki and Haru (2023, Gaga) An adorable food bl movie, very much in the light and sweet and chaste lane.

No Touching At All (2014, YouTube) A workplace romance that is surprisingly great and has a really solid romance arc. I loved it so much I watched it twice in a row.

I hope you enjoy some of these!

[save-the-data]

My Damn Business | S01E05 Korean Drama - 2024, 7 episodes

Genres: #LGBTQ+

Tags: #Workplace Romance | #Short Length Series

Cast: #Jung Jae Bin | #Jeon Yu Bin | #Hwang Min Hwan

Links:  GAGA | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Youku | Tencent

Catalog: Episode GIF sets | Korean BL | Korean Drama