#A SOUTH KOREAN BL SERIES FINALE | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chaos0pikachu · 1 year

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tldr: bitches want gay shit, not het shit, with data and numbers to back it up; bonus Bible’s booty

so thinking about @discluded‘s essay on Mile and Apo’s upcoming historical drama, and Thailand’s bid for soft power got my brain thinking thoughts. I’ve talked about Thailand noticing the soft power of their BL media before along with why I think Chinese, South Korean, and other East Asian media (from television to novels, etc) are popping off in popularity in the last 5 years or so. Idk where those posts are and I’m to lazy to link them thus is life

The point! The point is tho reading discluded’s post made me think about F4 Thailand. Ironic, I know, since F4 is a het drama based off Boys Over Flowers a shojo manga from Japan that was released in 1992 and ended serialization in 2008.

Firstly, Boys Over Flowers FACINATES me b/c the god damn chokehold this series has on various Asian countries. I told a friend it’s comparable to like, Romeo and Juliet, in that it’s been adapted, remade, re-adapted, re-booted, re-imagined, and so on over and over and over again. Like there’s audio dramas, there’s films, there’s multiple live action TV shows, there’s an anime. Japan’s made two feature films, and two seasons of a TV. Taiwan had two seasons of a TV show, Korea had a tv show, China had two versions of the same show (one was a remake), Indonesia had two tv shows, India had a tv show, and finally Thailand was the latest to adapt it into a TV show in 2021 - 2022. The legacy of this story can’t be denied.

Now, my point? Okay so my point is I witnessed online the marketing for F4 Thailand in real time. It was interesting to me b/c I very rarely - and have not since - seen a ton of talk about a Thai drama that wasn’t BL or a horror or action film.

When it comes to the Thai film industry, the three genres I see discussed are: BL, Action, Horror. You can see this in what Netflix (America) offers in regards to Thai series specifically what ones they dub which shows like: Girl From Nowhere (which Netflix invested in a s2 and is a thriller/horror drama), The Whole Truth (a horror film), and Thai Cave Rescue (which they also have a documentary based on). Netflix is still (STUPIDLY) reluctant to purchase a license for any SK or Thai BL content (I know Semantic Error would blow the FUCK up on Netflix you idiots!!!) probably b/c investors are like, hmmmm but would gays of color sell? I would say they also have Your Name Engraved Herein but that’s an easier sell b/c its a drama and has more of that classic gay Oscars vibe (this isn’t an inherent bad thing don’t come for me).

Okay back to my point I s2g I have one.

So marketing for F4 Thailand was interesting b/c I actually saw it. I don’t see marketing cross over into my international waters for Thai het dramas. What helped this, and I fully believe this was done purposely, is the casting of Bright and Win who gained international popularity from 2Gether. Like, it seemed pretty obvious to me that casting Bright and Win was a bid to peak the interest of the international market, combined with casting them specifically in an adaption of one of the most famous and well known Asian romantic dramas of the last 30 years or so. This show was set-up to be A Hit.

But I don’t think it really worked internationally; bare with me, numbers time.

Now, ratings for F4 averaged at .441% on Thai TV, higher than Bad Buddy (which aired on the same network) which averaged at .121% and Kinnporsche which averaged at .314%.

I compared F4 to these two shows specifically b/c they aired in a similar timeframe (all three shows aired over the course of 2021 - 2022 except KP which only aired in 2022) and arguably Bad Buddy and Kinnporsche were the biggest BL shows in Thailand in those respective years.

F4 also did well in the Philippines, and ended up dubbed into Filipino, and it’s scheduled for re-broadcast in 2023. Honestly, it’s difficult to see how well F4 did internationally as there’s not a ton of information available on it. When I google “F4 Thailand reception” there’s not a lot of results, if I google “boys over flowers Thailand reception” I get this:

ngl I think it’s pretty funny that one of the top four most asked questions is if F4 is BL and again, it’s def b/c of Bright and Win’s casting. But given that there’s not a ton of information available, I glean that F4 didn’t do great in the western (American/Latin American/European) market. Not to say it didn’t do well.

On Google ratings: F4 Thailand lands at a 4.9 rating with 2619 reviews/ratings and Bad Buddy stands at a 5.0 with 1085 reviews/ratings

On MyDramaList F4 has a rating of 8.5/10 from 11,982 users, and Bad Buddy has a 8.5/10 from 26,445 users

On IMDb: F4 has a rating of 7.8/10 from 2.3k users, and Bad Buddy has 8.8/10 rating from 5k users

This isn’t a comparison about quality, but activity. I’m not here to make judgements on either shows quality, but rather international impact and relevancy. Outside of Google, Bad Buddy has more active users who left a rating or review on the website than F4, almost double in fact.

If you go to GMMTV’s official Youtube page and look at the most popular videos on the channel it’s majority....2Gether. Like my god so much 2Gether the CHOKEHOLD this show had on y’all:

More date and a comparison of F4 and Bad Buddy’s international numbers below, we’re getting into the meat now.

Now the actual F4 official trailer has 3.7 million views on GMMTV’s channel. Bad Buddy official trailer, also on GMMTV’s official channel, has 2.7 million views. Both are set at 1 year ago so they’re within the same or similar time frames for comparison.

To throw in there, the Kinnporsche official trailer was released 10 months ago and has clocked 7.1 million views total on Be On Cloud’s official channel. To keep up with the comparison, F4′s OST Who Am I clocked 21 million views at 1 year, while KP/Jeff Satur’s OST Why Don’t You Stay has clocked 36 million views at 8 months.

(completely unrelated sidenote but Vegas/Bible’s ass has 3.4 million views and I just find that fucking hilarious, the man’s booty got more youtube views than other studios episodes. The power of Bible booty)

You can watch episode 1 of F4 on GMMTV’s official youtube channel, but only episode 1 the rest are just previews for other episodes. Idk why, other series whether het or BL they have all the episodes available. There’s apparently 80 videos that are hidden, I’m wondering if you have to pay Youtube premium to access those. Since I only have episode 1 to compare, for comparisons sake, we can look at those numbers of F4′s ep01 and Bad Buddy’s, both of which are clocked at 1 year each, are as follows:

Bad Buddy ep01 [1/4]: 9.6 million

Bad Buddy ep01 [2/4]: 5.4 million

Bad Buddy ep01 [3/4]: 4.9 million

Bad Buddy ep01 [4/4]: 5 million

F4 Thailand Begins ep01 [1/4]: 1.7 million

F4 Thailand Begins ep01 [2/4]: 848k

F4 Thailand Begins ep01 [3/4]: 3.3 million

F4 Thailand Begins ep01 [4/4]: 747k

If you crunch these numbers, Bad Buddy’s total view count for episode 1 is around 25 million views. F4′s total view count is around 7 million views (if I’m doing my math correctly a bitch doesn’t work in maths).

Now, I don’t know what the premiere numbers for either of these series was. BUT, this shows that one series, Bad Buddy, has legs and the other, F4, didn’t.

Either way that’s a pretty sizable gap and a lot of international fans use Youtube as a means to legally watch and support these shows as shown in the availability of subtitles.

F4 has subtitle options in: English, Korean, Chinese (Taiwan), Portuguese, Turkish and Spanish

Bad Buddy has subtitle options in: English, Turkish, French, Indonesian, Spanish, Chinese (Hong Kong), Korean, Chinese (Taiwan), Vietnamese, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, Italian, Burmese, Chinese (Simplified) and Bulgarian.

Bro, BULGARIAN.

As far as I can tell, IQIYI doesn’t release streaming data that I could find, so idk what the numbers are for Kinnporsche. I do know that Kinnporsche, since airing, has never let the sites Top 10 list which is an impressive feat after ending months ago.

So like, what does all this information mean~ exactly? Am I saying F4 Thailand was a flop? No, not even a little bit lol I don’t have enough data to really say definitively F4 was a flop nor is that really the point here.

The point here is about international impact, and the fact that in my humble ass opinion, Thailand’s het shows ain’t hitting internationally all THAT much. Not as much as their BL shows are and have been.

Objectively, going by Thai ratings, F4 did a lot better than Bad Buddy, but internationally? Internationally there’s a pretty visible gap from everything I’ve seen.

I think what GMMTV was hoping was by casting Bright and Win they’re pull in that international audience they had cultivated with the 2gether series. But het dramas are high key a dime a dozen in American/European/Latin American audiences. Folks go to Kdramas or Cdramas for het dramas (and I have theories on why those hit, namely Cdramas for the high fantasy aspects that Europe and America doesn’t deliver on and kdramas for being unashamedly high quality produced romances. Also the one-and-done factor).

Given the juggernaut success of Kinnporsche, not just in the west but also in other Asian countries I imagine that’ll influence other studios to try to follow suit even more to gain even a half-slice of that visibility and profitability. Kinnporsche, imo, is an outlier, it’s success is sorta like 2gether and TharnType in that there were a lot of factors outside of the show itself that led to it’s individual success.

Like, flat, argue with the wall, 2gether is NOT a good series. But, it was released right when lockdown began (literally, ep01 aired Feb 21, 2020), in a way 2gether was like Animal Crossing, GMMTV didn’t expect it to do THAT well especially internationally but it did partially b/c what the fuck else we people gonna do in lockdown? Watch a simple but cute gay romcom which there was a gap for - Love, Victor wouldn’t air it’s first episode until June 17th, 2020, and that was marketed less as a queer romcom and more as a queer coming of age story. There’s also the factor of The Untamed having ended - final episode August 20th, 2019 - and folks catching on to the growing and active existence of international queer media that wasn’t boxed in and tied down by American conventions.

I think what we’re going to see is the “next era” of BL. We saw the uptick in overall content post 2019/2020 with the success of 2Gether and TharnType, following the success of series like Why R U, Love By Chance, 1000 Stars, Lovely Writer, etc along with other countries getting in more on the game (namely South Korea) and the overall uptick in the amount of BL (and now GL!) shows across the board.

After 2gether we saw more BL shows, I think after Kinnporsche we’re going to see higher quality BL/GL shows. And I think we’re already seeing that. Semantic Error was a nice change of pace for SK b/c it was longer than 15mins, I think going forward given the success of SE we’re going to see SK branch out slowly into developing longer shows (no longer than 30 to 35mins tho to keep costs down) and better workshopping (some kisses in KBLs...my guys). While for Thailand I think we’re gonna see better quality shows. Not Me dropped the ball in some regards but visually the show was great. Cutie Pie’s story was incoherent sure but visually? Hot damn that was a good looking show. We’re also getting more interesting concepts out of Thailand too; like that Prince/bodyguard show coming out, the fact Kinnporsche did eventually get made and MileApo’s upcoming historical film.

this all got away from me but whatever, bitches want gay shit, peace

#mileapo #kinnporsche #tharntype #thai bl #bad buddy #idk what else to tag this as #here ya go here are thoughts y'all #chaos pikachu talks to damn much #chaos pikachu metas

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theselightsareblinding · 1 year

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My top 15 BLs

Finally I consider I've watched enough bls to make a top of my all time favourites. This is my personal opinion and based on my enjoyment of the shows, not only their quality. Minor spoilers.

1. Not Me (Thailand 2021) 10⭐

My favourite bl and one of my favourite series in general. Everything is almost perfect, the acting, the plot, the characters, the pace, the visuals... Not only the main couple has great chemistry but the whole friend group does. They tried to raise a bit of awareness on important social issues and in my opinion they succeed, felt like dipping bit by bit into the water, the start of the journey for something more. It has so many iconic scenes I can't forget. And so thrilling it had me at the edge of my seat every sunday.

2. Bad Buddy (Thailand 2021) 10⭐

Another almost perfect series. The pacing is the best I've seen, everything fits together smoothly, and every big or little thing that happens makes complete sense. Flawless equilibrium between comedy, romance and drama. And the acting... both mains are brilliant but Nanon, and specially Nanon's eyes, got to me. The moment I saw Pran getting teary eyed and trying to hide it in ep4 I was gone. The rewatch value is 100/10.

3. Semantic Error (South Korea 2022) 9.5⭐

Like with Bad Buddy, is smooth and very well done. Everything looks so pretty and I love how they play with colours. The leads are amazing too.

4. He's Coming to Me (Thailand 2019) 9.5⭐

The first series that made me ugly cry in a very long time. The only way to describe it's beautiful. I would never have imagined Ohm and Singto worked as a pair but they do. It would be a 10 if not for the ending, which it's neither happy nor sad, because it's not an ending. I wish they would have been braver and given it the closure it deserved, happy or not.

5. The Eclipse (Thailand 2022) 9.0⭐

The ending was only one week ago so I'm writing this with some leftover bitterness. Up until episode 11 the series worked perfectly, the characters and their relationships were developing flawlessly, but the plot surrounding the eclipse and the curse was not advancing at all. And then they tried to do everything in only one episode and it didn't work. Still, the rest of the show is worth it. I felt very connected to the characters, specially Akk.

6. To My Star (South Korea 2021) 9.0⭐

Like Semantic Error and many Korean productions everything technical was impeccable. Very cute and cosy for something that came from Korea. I could empathize with both Seo Joon and Ji Woo throughout the whole story. I can't include To my star 2 because even if I still like it, it was too sad for me and the ending too unsatisfactory.

7. Love Mechanics (Thailand 2022) 9.0⭐

I absolutely adore YinWar as a couple and that's it. They work together so well I could watch them in anything they do. The nine stars are basically for them but the series is good too, very messy but very entertaining.

8. Manner of Death (Thailand 2020) 9.0⭐

It's been a while since I watched it but I remember the chemistry being on point and the plot being messy but enjoyable. I appreciate the characters being full adults and the themes being darker than other bls, I love the uni dramas but it's good to have variety.

9. Dark Blue Kiss (Thailand 2019) 9.0⭐

As with Manner of death it's nice to have variety so the couple being already established is good. Most dramas don't know how to create plot with an established couple but this is the exception. Technically speaking is not the best on this list but I have a special fondness for it, them just being together, the domesticity, you really feel like this is a three year relationship. As a non straight person myself the 'not ready to come out' plot felt very real to me.

10. KinnPorsche (Thailand 2022) 9.0⭐

A few plot holes but interesting to watch as it's the first mafia bl I've watched. For me, the selling point is the main couple, amazing actors who you really believe are in love, desire each other and are comfortable with each other. Something I especially don't like in bls is the couple being afraid of contact between them, and this is the total opposite, they feel like a very real couple who grow together and adore each other. I know it's a weird point to make about a mafia series but it's what I loved about it and the reason it has nine stars. The side couples, I don't hate them but I don't care about them much.

11. Love by Chance (Thailand 2018) 8.5⭐

Not usually a fan of dominant/complacent couples but they are just so cute. And at least Pete is an active and enthusiastic participant in the affection and love making scenes. And I love Ae as a character, I think Perth did a fantastic job, especially knowing he was only 17 years old in this. Even if it's not together, I hope to see them both working again soon.

12. Star and Sky: Star in My Mind (Thailand 2022) 8.5⭐

Very mild series but I fell in love with JoongDunk, they have amazing chemistry and seeing them interacting in real life I feel like they have even more potential than what they've shown on this. Cute little show for a rainy day. I'm counting their scenes on Sky in your heart as part of their series.

13. Lovely Writer (Thailand 2021) 8.5⭐

Amazing physical chemistry between the main couple, and phenomenal kisses. They dive a bit into the problematic aspects of bl and I appreciate it.

14. 2gether / Still 2gether (Thailand 2020) 8.5⭐

Like everybody, this was one of the first bls I've seen and I'm fond of it. Absolutely nothing bad happens and sometimes I want just that, a comfort show. And I love a head over heels character like Wat here. It has many flaws but to this day I can still watch it and get hooked.

15. Why R U? (Thailand 2020) 8.0⭐

This is technically cheating because I'm only counting one couple. I haven't even watched it whole because at one point I just started to skip everything that wasn't FigtherTutor and never came back. Love the actors, love the couple, adore the chemistry between them. I'm still heartbroken about the fact that the only time they worked together they were given this mediocre script and it's never going to happen again.

Honourable mentions:

Secret Crush on You (Thailand 2022), My Only 12% (Thailand 2022) and Until We Meet Again (Thailand 2019) which I haven't finished watching but could possibly enter this list when I do.

Making this list made me realize almost everything Aof directs becomes part of my favourites, I would love to analyze more profoundly his style to figure out what I like about it. And I'm super excited for whatever he's going to direct next year.

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sidecouplesupremacy-blbambeyond · 8 months

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JUN AND JUN (2023, SOUTH KOREA)

Episode 8 The Finale

The mistake (in my opinion) made by this South Korean BL Series.

The epitome of a crumb, suggested as a 2nd (side couple) these two both lusted after Lee Jun and he had zero interest in them other than friendship.

And on the finale we get a slight crumb of what Simeon (PARK HYEONG SEOP) and Song Hyun Jae could have been. Pity.

@pose4photoml @lutawolf

#JUN AND JUN #SIDE COUPLE SUPREMACY (THAT WASN'T)#SEPTEMBER 7 2023 #THIS COULD HAVE BEEN GOLD #JUST MY OPINION #TRULY A CRUMB #BUT DID THEIR FINALE TOGETHERNESS ECLIPSE JUN & JUN?#My GIFS #MYGIFSET #MY-GIF-EDIT #MESSY GIFS #MISSED OPPORTUNITY #GIVE THEM THEIR OWN SERIES

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gunsatthaphan · 1 year

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~ Monthly BL Breakdown: January 2023 ~

❄️ Happy February!!! 🎭

Disclaimer: ALL shows can be streamed here or here, as well as on Youtube and other platforms. For more info on where to watch what, check out this post!

New breakdowns are coming at the end of every month - feel free to add stuff! (previous breakdowns)

What came out this month? (green tick = seen or currently watching)

🌟 Oh! My Assistant (Movie version) - January 2nd (South Korea)

🌟 Beautiful Scars - January 2nd (Philippines)

🌟 Cutie Pie 2 You - January 6th (Thailand) ✅

🌟 E.M.S Earth - Mix Space Season 2 - January 17th (Thailand)

🌟 Individual Circumstances - January 19th (South Korea) ❌ (dropped)

🌟 Hit Bite Love - January 21st (Thailand)

🌟 Suki Suki Wan Wan! (possibly bromance) - January 24th (Japan)

🌟 Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu (The End of the World With You) - January 29th (Japan)

🌟 Our First Time - January 29th (Thailand)

🌟 Future - January TBA (Thailand)

Monthly likes/dislikes

👎🏻 We’re kicking off the year with a ton of scandals which is very sad to see but thankfully these people are getting called out. The forgiving culture of this fandom is sadly keeping them from getting the punishment they deserve but what can we do. At least these things are finally coming to the surface.

New series & movie announcements

🎥 Teach Me How - Date TBA (Philippines)

🎥 Venus in the Sky (produced by 9NAA) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 King of Bar Host (produced by 9NAA) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 The Hidden Night (produced by 9NAA) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 For Him - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Love Puzzle - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Night Dream - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 My Story - coming summer 2023 (Philippines)

🎥 The Whisperer - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Wedding Plan (produced by MeMindY) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 The Boy Next World (produced by MeMindY) - Date TBA (Thailand)

Other news from the BL world

❗️ Actor Seng Wichai (SCOY, War of Y) has terminated his contract with IdolfactoryTH. He is now working as a freelanced actor. It’s still unknown if and how this will affect his further work with partner Billy P.

❗️ Actors Jet Bundit and Dun Romchumpa (Gen Y, etc.) have terminated their contract with Starhunter. Jet is now with Be On Cloud and Dun is working as a freelanced actor.

❗️ Multiple pieces of evidence were brought to light that Thai actor Ohm Pawat used to bully and harass disabled classmates and made homophobic comments when he was in highschool. Most of the incidences happened in 2019. He posted an apology on twitter, however not many people are willing to forgive him, including his victims. He has been silent on his social media ever since.

❗️ Following the exposure of Ohm Pawat, rumors around Billkin Putthipong being a bully in the past came up as well. His company Billkin Entertainment has released a statement denying the accusations.

❗️ The 2 authors of the KinnPorsche novel have officially left their publisher Daemi House. Last year they were both accused of harassing cast members including Barcode T. who was a minor at the time. At the same time Build Jakapan was accused of abusing his ex girlfriend (and supposedly other women too), which led to him resigning from Be On Cloud and from being an actor altogether for the time being. It is unclear whether or not the accusations are true but most pieces of evidence point against him. The case will be continued in court.

❗️ MeMindY has released a casting call for their upcoming projects in 2023 titled Wedding Plan & The Boy Next World. Auditions were held on the 28th+29th of January. Further details are yet to be announced.

❗️ The Korean BL Choco Milk Shake will be adapted into a webtoon.

❗️ The Japanese BL My Beautiful Man is getting a second season, which premieres on February 8th.

❗️ Workshops for the upcoming Domundi BL Naughty Babe have started.

❗️ After the finale of Between Us, BounPrem announced that they will have another series together in 2023. Further details are still unknown.

❗️ The following BL actors/productions won at this year’s 2022 BL TO GO BL OF THE YEAR awards:

Mile Phakphum (KinnPorsche): Best BL Actor

“The Key” by JimmySea (ViceVersa): Best BL OST

Andy Wu and Yu Jin (My Tooth Your Love): Best BL Couple

Cutie Pie: BL of the Year

❗️ The company Starhunter announced their lineup for 2023:

City of Stars

3 Words 8 Letters

The Taste of Fresh Milk

Big Dragon Season 2

❗️ The company Be On Cloud announced their lineup for 2023 on January 18th with the following BLs:

The Hidden Character (Reality Show)

Wuju's Bakery (starring Jeff S. & Barcode T.)

4 Minutes (starring Bible W.) -> most likely cancelled due to Build J.’s resignation

Man Suang (starring Mile P. & Apo N.)

❗️ The following BL actors/productions won at this year’s Golden Kinnaree Awards:

GeminiFourth: Most Popular Couple (My School President)

Golf Tanwarin Sukkhapisit: Best Director & Best Script (The Eclipse)

Remember Me: BL Creative Series of the Year & Series Direction of the Year

❗️ The following BL actors/productions won at the Sanook Awards 2022:

To Sir With Love: Best Lakorn of the Year

Nunew Chawarin: Male Rising Star of the Year

Cutie Pie: Best Series of the Year

ZeeNunew: Best Couple of the Year

Upcoming series & movies for February

☝🏻 Moonlight Chicken - February 8th (Thailand)

☝🏻 The Promise - February 8th (Thailand)

☝🏻 Utsukushii Kare Season 2 - February 8th (Japan)

☝🏻 Marry My Dead Body - February 10th (Taiwan)

☝🏻 Moments of Love (movie) - February 14th (Thailand, theaters)

☝🏻 Boyband - February 16th (Thailand)

☝🏻 Jack Frost - February 17th (Japan)

☝🏻 Bed Friend - February 18th (Thailand)

☝🏻 Chains of Heart - February 18th (Thailand)

☝🏻 Tin Tem Jai - February 27th (Thailand)

☝🏻 A Shoulder to Cry On - February TBA (South Korea)

☝🏻 The Luminous Solution - January TBA (Thailand)

☝🏻 Future - January TBA (Thailand)

#doreens monthly bl breakdown #thai bl #bl drama #upcoming bl #update #bl news #the build thing is pretty effed up but please dont ask me about this because i have absolutely no insight in this at all #idk the company and idk the actor so yeah no idea #i gathered all the information from twitter #but what i saw is fucked up #what a year it has been and its only been 4 weeks #smh

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absolutebl · 2 years

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Hi!,...

Oh God! Just like I can't do small talk,...I guess I can't ask a question without giving any lengthy explanation.

Because,...for some strange reason,...I find asking question directly without giving any background/context to the person to whom the question is asked, as very rude. It's like asking Siri to play "Ah Ah Ah" without clearly mentioning that you want "Love Nwantiti" to be played.

But this time,...I will genuinely make an exception. I think so. Lol!

***

Having watched BL drama series only from Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, and even Japan,...I have developed an interest in all of it barring South Korea. To me in fact,...the bromance in KDramas looks more real and interesting in comparison to the actual BL dramas. There are tons of KDramas where the "bromance" between two heroes are a complete delight to watch, but when it comes to BL dramas from South Korea,...the fact that homophobia still exists,...and how someone from the BL industry can be treated very badly in that country comes to my mind, and I'm unable to enjoy the shows. The one and only exception here remains "No Regret", which I watched almost a decade back that too for Kim Nam Gil,...but honestly feel in love with the style of Korean movie making.

There is no doubt about the fact that Korean filmmakers are world class. Having said that,...the fact still remains unchanged, that cyber-bullying by K-Netizens, Homophobia, and other forms of discrimination exists in the highly competitive Korean entertainment industry.

When I compare the Korean entertainment industry with that of Thailand, The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, or even China,...I find it to be extremely ruthless to the point that no matter how successful and authentic one maybe,...they are dispensable. And that is concerning to me.

***

So,...my question to you are as follows: [Forgive me if any of question is repetitive. I'm sure it's not, but sometimes the context may be similar, and that's the reason certain questions may sound repetitive.]

For someone interested in watching Korean BL Dramas for the first time, which one would you suggest? And why? [I know the answer will be very subjective, but still I'd want you to answer it given your knowledge about Korean BLs.]

Given how competitive the Korean entertainment industry is,...how far do you think BL as a genre will survive and thrive in South Korea in the years to come?

How will you compare the South Korean BL dramas with that of Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan?

Does the South Korean BLs have an edge over the others? If so,..then in what aspects?

How will you compare the style of story-telling, cinematography, and direction of South Korean BL drama series with that of Thailand and Taiwan?

Although the quality and richness of South Korean BLs seems to be way more better than that of Thailand or even Taiwan in terms of the Technical aspects,..why is it that the Thai BL still attracts way more attention than that of South Korea?

Do you think the South Korean BL industry will flourish and reach its "Golden Period" like that of their KPop or KDrama industry?

Thanks!

xoxo

Arjuna

I love your questions, they always make me think. I’m a bit under the weather at the mo, so this might not make total sense... Forgive me?

Korean BLs First Time

For someone interested in watching Korean BL Dramas for the first time, which one would you suggest? And why?

If you want to just dip your toe in and sample, A First Love Story is on Strongberry’s YT channel, watch that. It’s two parts totaling less than 20 minutes and it’s wonderful. Korea actually excels in short form.

Not a short? Given your concerns? Probubly Semantic Error. It’s the most like their take on Thai BL. It’s also the best example of their style in terms of length, filming, acting, “the sanitized bubble” etc...

Then probubly To My Star, and finally Blueming. TMS is the most grown up BL we have gotten from Korea, and it’s a good way to learn how Korea’s style is different once it leaves a university setting (no seme/uke for one thing). And finally, Blueming because it has the most queer lens. (My favorite is Color Rush but I don’t think that’s quite what you are looking for.)

Given how competitive the Korean entertainment industry is,…how far do you think BL as a genre will survive and thrive in South Korea in the years to come?

Hum, I don’t know, honestly. I think right now KBLs are profitable so they do them, but like any fad, this too shall pass. And under those circumstances Korea will be one of the first to drop BL and Thailand will be one of the last.

How will you compare the South Korean BL dramas with that of Thailand, The Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan?

Well I do have a blog post for this.

Does the South Korean BLs have an edge over the others? If so,..then in what aspects?

Yes. Visuals, production quality (including sound and wardrobe), money, acting pool, sound tracks, reach, and, I think, language. (Because of Kpop, international audiences have a comfort level with Korean these days). In general, the only country that can compare in these regards on a global scale is Japan.

How will you compare the style of story-telling, cinematography, and direction of South Korean BL drama series with that of Thailand and Taiwan?

Korea’s weakness is story, because of the short length of treatment and a propensity to “leave out the good bits”. Color Rush probubly has the best story, and Light On Me is the most traditional BL story. Korea is better on story when they set in high school or university, things get messy when they enter the workplace and the adult sphere.

Also Korean BL comes off as generally stiffer and more staged than those to the south. There is a level of domesticity and physical comfort that’s absent from all Kdramas, not just KBL. Both Japan and Korea exemplify this for cultural reasons. Put simply, people just do NOT casually touch each other.

This can feel off putting to those of us from a more touchy-feely social structures. Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan are much more relatable and the relationships presented can “feel” more genuine as a result. This is not a critique, it’s just culture conflict. Much like how close people stand in line, or how often you use your hands to speak, or how loudly you talk. These things are different in different cultures.

I tend to think of Kdramas as having a lot more in common with, for example Austen films. Like even the most contemporary ones are a touch historical, mannered, and restrained.

Because there is a lot more of it, it’s WAY more accessible, and the dramas are longer.

Also, and I’m not sure how to put this, but beauty standards are different. Korea’s obsession with bleached whiteness and plastic surgery can actually be off putting. The makeup is sometimes so pale I genuinely think the actors are ill. I honestly believe, despite how Korean beauty standards (and prejudices) have comes to dominate Asia, that outside of Asia, Thai men are often considered hotter. Please remember that film = a superficial industry. I’m trying to relay a trend concept here, not a personal opinion.

Do you think the South Korean BL industry will flourish and reach its "Golden Period" like that of their KPop or KDrama industry?

I think they are actually in it right now (2022). I don’t know that we can expect more or better than we are already getting from them, unless they dip into the well and start adapting from older Japanese yaoi, or get enough money and go for some full length (16 ep) works. Both of those would be politically tricky. Especially as Japan has been ramping up production too.

(I don’t want to go negative but there have been reports on Thai production teams being/acting quite homophobic too, so it’s not just Korea. You can watch either of the documentaries on BL to learn more.)

I hope this makes sense? I’m going back to bed now.

#thai bl #korean bl #asked and answered #film industry

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cjblthoughts · 2 years

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Tired of watching BLs with only 1 season? Here's some series with good follow ups or prequels:

To My Star

A chef and an actor with differing personalities are forced to live together.

Watch on Viki

2 full seasons (19 episodes total)

South Korean, released in 2021

We Best Love: No. 1 for You

Zhou Shu Yi is frustrated with a classmate who is always competing with him for top spots in school, little does he know that this classmate is competing to gain his attention. He finally gets it when they end up at the same university.

Watch on WeTV

2 full seasons (12 episodes total, plus one bonus episode)

Taiwanese, released in 2021

TharnType

A homophobe and a gay man are forced to room together in their freshman university dorm. As they battle it out, feelings start to grow. CW: homophobia, sexual assault, rape

Watch on Viki

2 full seasons (24 episodes total, plus 3 special bonus episodes)

Thai, released in 2019

2Gether

A handsome cheerleader strikes up a fake dating agreement with the most popular boy in school to chase away a classmate who doesn't seem to take no for an answer.

Watch on Youtube

2 seasons, though the second is significantly shorter & mostly fluff/fan service imo (18 episodes total)

Thai, released in 2020

SOTUS

a university freshman stands up to a senior classmate he believes abuses his power and sparks a rivalry.

Watch on Youtube or Netflix

2 full seasons (28 episodes total)

Thai, released in 2016

The Pornographer/The Novelist

A university student accidentally runs into a writer on his bike and causes the writer to break his arm. Since the student has no money to cover the medical costs, he's tasked with helping the writer work instead.

Watch on Viki

2 seasons (2nd is a prequel with a different pairing) as well as a follow up short film and full length movie (though the full length movie is yet to have an english translation to my knowledge)

Japanese, released in 2018

#bl recs #bl series recs #bl series recomendation #bl dramas #bl with multiple seasons #to my star #we best love #tharntype #2gether #sotus #the novelist #novelist bl

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bl-bam-beyond · 8 months

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JUN AND JUN (2023, SOUTH KOREA)

Episode 8 The Finale

Lee Jun (YANG JUN MO) has made his choice and all other interested parties have been let down easy.

His campaign a success with both his boyfriend as a model and his friend who seemingly wanted something more.

After a company dinner Lee Jun invites the director/his childhood friend/ his boyfriend Choi Jun (KI HYUN WOO) over to his place for some play time. A nicely choreographed kissing scene.

@pose4photoml @lutawolf

#JUN AND JUN FINALE #SEPTEMBER 7 2023 #SOUTH KOREAN BL SERIES #JUN AND JUN #NOT THE BEST KOREA HAS PUT OUT THIS YEAR BUT DECENT #COULD HAVE DONE BETTER WITH THE SUPPOSED SIDE COUPLE #My GIFS #MYGIFSET #MY-GIF-EDIT

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touchoffleece · 7 months

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Tag Game (look at me Ma' first participation in a tag game! 🎉 )

@wlwsakura I had to do a triple take seeing my name 😵‍💫, I am flattered at the tag pass.

Three Ships:

-Edeleth (female Byleth Eisner and Edelgard Von Hresvelg, Fire Emblem: Three Houses) they stole my heart back in when the game dropped with everything about them when shipped together. (Being vague on purpose to avoid spoilers for the Crimson Rose/Black Eagles route for any who may want to experience it blind) In specific female Byleth getting some exclusive scenes with Edelgard, and how their story shifts with the added element of a female Byleth in connection to certain story points that are kind of not as poignant in other routes or ships really makes me ship it more compared to male Byleth and Edelgard.

-Supercorp (Kara Zor El/Kara Danvers/ Supergirl and Lena Luthor from 2015's Supergirl) I have spilled my guts about them a fair amount already. The wlw ship that helped me realize I was not as straight as I thought because of how fond I was of certain same sex friends. They were so couple coded, and it really stinks (older) supercorp shippers went through what they went through by the network, show runners, comic book anti woke mob, other Supergirl TV show fans, other lgbtqi+ aligned people, and homophobes for calling Lena and Kara what they were.

-I wanted to try showing variety for my ships into bl/mlm or hetero ships, but I got to end with InoSaku (Ino Yamanak and Sakura Haruno from Naruto).

I got so much going on with this ship on some different layers.

Way back when I was introduced to Naruto via the anime, I was not at all a fan of Sakura. Looking back I might have been best described as a "Sakura Hater", but having done some growing and having been reminded of Sakura as a female character in a shonen all this time later, I now have realized how unfair I was being to this fictional character for things well out of her control (Kishimoto's bad writing, how women characters are usually treated in shonen animes, served with a side helping of internalized misogyny on my part).

The realization at all the unnecessary hate at a fictional character who couldn't fight the tropes she was writen with made me re evaluate Sakura, and I realized she isn't so bad. No worse than any other Rookie 9.

Along side that re analysize I realized how gay-rivals-to-lovers coded Sakura and Ino are, and how much of a missed opportunity they were. So now they haunt me.

First Ship Ever: hard to remember but either Sanae Ozora and Tsubasa (Captain Tsubasa) or Ranma and Akane (Ranma 1/2)

Lats Song:

youtube

Last Movie: Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike

Currently Reading: No books, but I have been meaning to read an auto biography book on the join Korean team composed of South and North Korean players from the 2018 Winter Olympics, I am currently reading the fanfictions: "The Pieces of me (cling to you)" (supercorp) by @wolfie-bee, re-reading "Thief-Nin Sakura" (Inosaku) by Hemerodromus while waiting on the next chapter of "A Dose of Venom" in the Mithridatism series by Androgyninja, and finally "Wednesday and the Nightshade Girls" by Onehitwonder13.

Due to tech limitations I can't link the other fics, sorry.

Currently Playing: FFXIV and Pokemon Scarlet

Currently Watching: One Piece Live Action

Currently Consuming: How-to Fix Tech guides

Currently Craving: some sense of normalcy or less anxiety

People I want to know better but don't have to participate: @casualkoalatea @weissaddams @daneicole @senshi-9 @coffeeshib @nakamatoo

#tag game #my stuff #fandom #sapphic thoughts #edeleth #inosaku #supercorp #shower thoughts #Youtube

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blnewsforum-by-blbambeyond · 7 months

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2023 Upcoming BL Series by the Month....October.

10-1-2023 Can I Buy Your Love From A Vending Machine?

Japanese BL Movie (Sunday)

From:

Available: Only Released in Japan initially

10-5-2023 Even if I Try To Fall In Love With You.

Japanese BL Series (Thursdays)

From:

Available: ??

10-6-2023 What Did You Eat Yesterday? Season 2

Japanese BL Series Sequel (Fridays)

From:

Available: Gagaoolala

10-6-2023 My Beautiful Man: Eternal

Japanese BL Movie Sequel

From:

Available: Gagaoolala and Viki (International Release...FINALLY)

10-20-2023 Bump Up Business

South Korean BL Series (Fridays)

From:

Available: Not Sure but hope not IQIYI

10-20-2023 One Room Angel

Japanese BL Series (Fridays)

From:

Available: Gagaoolala

10-26-2023 My Dear Gangster Oppa: The Series

Thai BL Series (Thursdays)

Available: IQIYI (selected regions/areas?)

10-31-2023 Shadow

Thai BL Series

From:

Available: Viu

#BL-BAM-BEYOND FAMILY OF BLOGS #UPCOMING BL SERIES #OCTOBER 2023 #THAI #KOREAN #TAIWAN #JAPAN #ETC

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kexing · 3 years

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south Korea rlly said full speed AHEAD with the bl genre like to think wyel was their first one ever (and such a strong start!!) and in like barely a year there's already 4 more out plus 20 more in the making and there's been no sad endings, full on pda (to my star getting a make out scene??!!), and healthy, happy, public relationships?! Like for a country that just got into the bl game, they r not holding back

WAIT TWENTY MORE IN THE MAKING??????? so the gays are really out of the dungeon this time???? for real????? i’m not dreaming????

because back in the day, i watched some korean short gays films and even attempted gay web series but they never really gained traction. so the fact that wyel blew up really changed the game huh!!! fucking FINALLY!!!! our boys made history 🥺🥺🥺🥺

NO SAD ENDINGS SO FAR!!!! AND HOPEFULLY NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

and i agree, south korea is slowly but surely getting into the bl game. and god how i hope they get into the gl game too!!! please please!!! their potential is ENORMOUS!!!!! they’re on the right track, the only things left to do now is not stop, not for death, and keep improving. always always improving. like you said we already got pda, healthy relationships, a full make out scene, all in the spam of a year but they absolutely cannot back down now!!!! or ever!!! i’ve always taken sk for a coward 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 i have my own personal history with them. but all i’ve ever wanted was for them to prove me wrong, to do better and open their minds!!! that’s literally all i’ve ever wanted for them.

but if what you said is true, about twenty more series to come, then baby this country is aiming for the stars and i’m going to be here every step of the way, cheering for them ❤️

me waiting by the door for more and more kbls and kgls like:

#and honestly if korea wants to compete with thailand japan and even with taiwan they absolutely cannot hold back #but also need to start making longer dramas. because these tiny ass babes won’t hold up for much longer. i can feel it 😔#i’m still hella proud of them tho!!#if you told me in 2019 that sk would be steadily releasing bl dramas i’d laugh at you and call you crazy lmaooooooo #so yes. change is already here and she looks very gay 🥺❤️#anonymous #mj got mail!

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theres-a-goldensky · 4 years

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BL Show Review Series - HIStory 3: Trapped

My first non-Thai BL review is also going to be of a series that moves away from the university setting: the Taiwanese drama HIStory3: Trapped.

Disclaimer that these are my own opinions, and I don’t know where the BL community as a whole stands on these shows. If I disliked a show you loved or visa versa, no disrespect is intended!

MASTERLIST OF BL SHOW REVIEWS

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!

HIStory3: Trapped Rating: 9.5/10

This series. This series. First, a little background if you’re unfamiliar with the HIStory franchise. HIStory is a series of unrelated BL stories. The first season had three hour-long specials. The second series got more ambitious. There are two different stories, each spanning four full-length episodes. Finally, by the time they reached the third iteration, the franchise had grown so popular that both of the series, Trapped and Make Our Days Count, were 10 full-length episodes. (Well, or 20 small episodes that were then condensed down to 10 larger ones, but semantics.)

If you’re interested, the HIStory series is available, in the US at least, on the website viki. It is a subscription site, but it gives you access to thousands of Asian dramas, including this series and South Korean BLs like Where Our Eyes Linger and Mr. Heart.

HIStory3: Trapped is a story about a mobster and the police officers pursuing him. But since this is BL, the mob boss has a heart of gold and is trying to reform the gang so that he and his ‘family’ can get out of the drug business and go legit. Meanwhile, the police officers are on the hunt for answers about a four year old incident that killed one of their own, but they are, err...not super effective.

Look, you just have to roll with the fact that this story is extremely lax about police protocol and the reality of being in the mob. It’s a set up for enemies-to-lovers and intense UST and that’s it. The police chief and other higher ups have no problem with one of their officers dating a well known mob boss who is suspected of killing a fellow police officer, for instance. So why should we? Just roll with it, ok? Roll like a bowling ball, where the pins at the end of the alley are super hot UST, pining, hurt/comfort, jealousy and bed scenes.

The mob boss in question is Tang Yi.

Since the death of his adopted father, he’s taken over the Tang operation and is dedicating himself to avenging his father’s murder and also following his father’s dream of legitimizing their company so that their family can be safe. He is...I mean. He’s gorgeous. Just, like, super super super hot. He is outwardly unflappable (unless you poke the bruise of his father’s death), dresses impeccably, and kills with these knowing smirks that get me every time.

His life is made very complicated by officer Meng Shao Fei, who has been obsessively following him around for years. The same incident that killed Master Tang and injured Tang Yi also killed his police mentor, and Shao Fei is certain that Tang Yi had something to do with it.

Shao Fei is impulsive and as straight forward as Tang Yi is oblique and mysterious. It’s clear early on that Shao Fei’s pursuit of Tang Yi is fueled in part by his attraction to him. Tang Yi can see this as well, and he uses Shao Fei’s crush to his advantage, ratcheting up the sexual tension to nearly unbearable heights in the early episodes and purposely provoking Shao Fei’s quick jealousy.

The jealousy is what brings this show’s rating down the half-point. Shao Fei is so transparent about his jealousy that it becomes uncomfortable to watch. I was cringing with secondhand embarrassment through a lot of the early episodes. However, that honest emotion works well for him once he figures out what he wants from Tang Yi.

This relationship has a TON of hurt/comfort for those of you interested in that particular trope. For Shao Fei, it’s physical h/c. The guy can’t stop getting hurt, and we get to see a lot of Tang Yi worried about him. For Tang Yi, though, it’s emotional h/c as he deals with the psychological fallout from watching his father die.

You might hear mob boss/police officer and think of, I don’t know, The Sopranos, or some other serious, dramatic show. While this story does have its dramatic moments, it is largely romantic and comedic in tone.

The plot surrounding the mystery of that mass murder four years earlier keeps things chugging along and takes some interesting turns, but the focus of the show is very much on the couples.

The main side pairing of the show is between Jack, Tang Yi’s right hand man, and Zhao Zi, another police officer and Meng Shao Fei’s best friend. This pairing is pure fluff from beginning to end. It’s where a lot of the comedy comes, and the two of them are absolutely delightful together.

The contrast set up by Jack’s dark, dangerous personality when he’s doing his job and his sweetness towards Zhao Zi is entertaining. He’s often seen idly flicking a switchblade and smiling in a way that makes it clear he has no problem using it. And then, on the other hand, he prepares Zhao Zi bento boxes and texts him cute bear stickers to make him laugh.

Neither of these sides of Jack seem fake. They’re both just part of who he is, and Zhao Zi gets the warm, domestic Jack, while the rest of the world gets the ruthless, efficient Jack.

Again, you might be asking yourself: isn’t it weird that a leather-wearing gang member who was recently arrested by that very police team could stroll into the station and hand an officer a homemade lunch and no one cares? And to that, I say, roll with it like you’re in one of those giant orb things and HIStory3: Trapped has just pushed you down a hill.

The character of Zhao Zi is adorable, naive and almost childlike. He looks like someone who has never even held a gun in his life, never mind actually shot one. That makes it pretty funny that he became a police officer. It seems to be implied that Zhao Zi is more of a tech / research guy than a field officer, but anyway, we’re rolling with it, so it’s fine.

He’s completely blindsided by Jack’s interest in him, but is easily won over through snacks, home cooked meals, and Jack’s genuine interest in Zhao Zi’s stories about his beloved, dead grandmother.

The other side pairing in this series is between Tang Yi’s adopted sister Zuo Hong Ye, who runs the legitimate side of the company, and their assistant, Dao Yi. Dao Yi is loyal to the Tang family, and is much older than Hong Ye. He has been her bodyguard since she was adopted by Master Tang, which makes his romantic feelings very uncomfortable for him.

Some people didn’t like this pairing, but I got into it by the end. The problem is that Hong Ye starts off seeming pretty unlikable, because she’s rude to our protagonist, Shao Fei. But then you realize that she’s doing it to protect Tang Yi from the police officer she thinks is gunning for him.

There may be a large age difference between the characters, but the actual actors are very close in age, so that part of the story line comes off a little weird. But I found them an engaging couple, in particular Dao Yi’s stoic pining for Hong Ye.

In conclusion: watch this series! It’s great! The bed scenes are hot, the characters are well drawn, the acting is good, the story is interesting. Big recommendation.

And if you’re interested in fanfic, I put together rec lists for multiple BL shows including this one that can be found here and here.

MASTERLIST OF BL SHOW REVIEWS

(Send me an ask if you have a show you’d like me to review - with the understanding that I will be completely honest - or if there’s anything you think I forgot or got wrong in this review.)

#history3: trap #history 3: trapped #history 3: 圈套 #tang yi #tang yi x shao fei #Meng Shao Fei #jack/zhao zi #bl review series #taiwanese bl #HIStory series

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