#BL recommendations

[heretherebedork]

Bagan Beginning

A wee little soap opera BL that goes off the rails for a bit but turns out very sweet. Also out of Myanmar! Absolutely recommended.

#bagan beginning #bl drama #bl series #asian lgbtq dramas #asianlgbtqdramas #bl recs #bl recommendations

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Do you have favorite BL dramas or movies? If you do, what's your top 20 Asian BL dramas or movies?

Hi anon! 💙 Thank you for this ask! I can make a list! I love it 🥰

Of course I have favorites and I am so thankful you ask for my 20 favorite bls, because 10 would be too hard 😅

I don't have any logical reason behind my choices. Most of the times I go with the feeling I have while watching the show. The following is not a best to last ranking, just my top 20 favorite shows 😊

Goodbye Mother

A vietnamese movie about a young man, Van, who visits his family for the first time after being abroad for nine years. He doesn't come alone, but brings his boyfriend Ian with him. Van waits for the best moment to come out to his family and present Ian as his partner. It is more of a family drama than the typical bl, but it is such a good movie. The grandmother is the heart and soul of it all. It provides everything, happiness, sadness, anger, pain, love...just a perfect movie. It is still available on GagaOOLala, but on the list to leave soon.

A Tale Of Thousand Stars

One of my feel-good-series. EarthMix is one of my favorite pairing and they went crazy with all the staring and pining. The story of Tian and Phupha who meet at a village in the forest where Tian works as a volunteer teacher and Phupha is the local Chief Forest Officer. We whitness how two people get to know each other, understand each other and develop feelings for each other. It is a romantic fairytale dealing with important and serious issues and I love it! You can watch it free on Youtube.

Moonlight Chicken

Speaking of EarthMix...Moonlight Chicken is my newest favorite and one of the easiest decisions for picking as a favorite. It is a short series, but it tells so many stories in a perfect way. No character comes too short, no realtionship is undeveloped. It is such a perfect series. EarthMix are killing it, but GeminiFourth stole the show. Their depiction of a this first love between a deaf young man and an angry young man was just so beautiful. Both had their dreams and both felt unheard and unseen from the outside (especially the parents and guardians) and they developed such a pure and beautiful bond. I could go on and on about the beauty of this show. Perfect and free to watch on Youtube.

My School President

And another GeminiFourth project. I am so in love with this show. It is something personal. The story about a first love and such a healthy love and Tin, our school president is one walking green flag. The show helped me on a very personal level to understand parts of my own history and choices and I am forever grateful and will keep this in my heart. And besides that it is such a comfort watch. Every conflict is dealt with before the episodes end and there is no drama, just love and respect. I love it! It is also free on Youtube.

Triage

This is something else. We have time loops and some supernatural stuff happening while the main character tries to rescue this young man who is as it turns out the love of his life. And when it looks like it finally can work out, destiny or in this case a higher entity, plays a little bit with time and fucks everyting up again. It is really interesting and tense and there are twists and it is just amazing!

The Untamed

Does this count as a bl? It is not the typical bl, more a censored adaptation of same-sex original work from China. Nevertheless you can see the love and affection between Lan Zhan and Wei Ying. This is a masterpiece. When I tell people about it, who don't watch asian dramas, I always tell them it is better than Game of Thrones for me, so they can put it in relation. This show wrecked me. I cried like never before. And I can't put into words what this series made me feel. It is on Viki and WeTV.

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us

Speaking of non typical bls stuff. 180 degree is such a good series. It is difficult to watch, because it feels really raw at parts and it deals with so much stuff, like homophobia, grief, internal homophobia, trauma, loss, love different kinds of relationship, growing up and stagnation, resignation. And the cinematography, uuuhhh! Such a beautiful series and in everything you see on screen you can intepret something in it. As a person who studied language and the comparison between novels and their adaptations, this was heaven for my intepretation loving heart. You can watch it on GagaOOLala.

A First Love Story

Strongberry at its best. It is korean and a short film in two parts and perfect. It tells the story of two best friends who have feelings for each other, but one of them enlisted and has to go to the military soon. We meet them again after some time and get a very intimate view on a very short part of their lifes. The acting is good, the story is good, the chemistry is good. You can watch it on Youtube or soon it will be on GagaOOLala again.

Be Loved in House: I Do

My comfort watch. This is nothing special. It is just a workplace romance, but it feels so cozy and I love the story. It makes me feel all the butterflies and happiness in my stomach and I love this shit! The company gets a new boss, who is very strict, has a bunch of rules and forbids his co-workers to date, because love can be a distraction and because of his own personal trauma. Can his stone-cold heart be warmed-up again? Oh the cuddles are everything for me! It is on Viki.

History 2: Crossing the line

I like most of the HIStory shows, but tis one I like the most. I do love the secondary couple of HIStory 3: Make our days count and HIStory 4: Close to you (I know...don't judge me), but as a whole series I really like this one the most. Perhaps because it is something different with the whole Volleyball thing or because I think the main couple is just so sweet. I don't know, I like to rewatch it from time to time. You can watch it on Viki.

Bad Buddy

My first asian bl ever. I am so happy I could start with this one. I love the story of Pat and Pran. Enemies to lovers is something else and they did a really good job. And their love was so vulnerable and sweet. Even though Pat always tried to be the strong kind of macho man, he was soft and sweet with Pran and it was so cute to watch. And the iconic rooftop scene! What a scene! It is free on Youtube.

Long Time No See

Another movie. I don't want to spoil anything. This has assasins and mafia and love and romance and sweetness and blood and fighting. It is not the typical bl stuff, it is more mature, but a really good action movie in my eyes. I liked the drama and the action scenes. As it is leaving GagaOOLala soon, I just rewatched it and it is still good!

Semantic Error

I don't know how many times I rewatched this one. The enemies to lovers story that just melts my heart. I am reading the manhwa and this is so explicit! The series is so tuned down from the original. Nevertheless I love the story of how SangWoo made his way into JaeYoungs heart and melted our all hearts on the way. This one is on Viki.

Old Fashion Cupcake

The story of the 29 years old Togawa who tries to show 39 years old Nozue how beautiful life can be. And what better way to show him than to eat the most delicious sweets ever. I am always hungry and craving for sweets after watching this. This series gives hope. You are never too old to start enjoying life and to allow yourself to love again, even if the person is ten years younger. And another one you can watch on Viki.

Love Mechanics

I guess this is here because of YinWar. I mean, their chemistry is through the roof! The story itself...well...cheating and pain and War is crying quite often. But it is still good and I can't stop rewatching it. Yes the story is hurtful and a little bit stupid, but VeeMark are adorable when they are happy and in love. It can be watched on WeTV.

DNA Says Love You

We all love some slow burn, right? I mean, this one is very much slow burning, but with a reason and it is a really interesting story behind all that. It is a complex story with some really good staring and pining and hurt and comfort. You have to watch carefully to understand everything, but it is worth it and the wait while our hearts burn away through the slow burn is worth it too.

Gaya Sa Pelikula (Like in the movies)

This one is...it is cute. I don't know what else to say. It is not the best production, but the story is good and the actors are doing a good job. Karl needs to live on his own because a family tradition says it is a good idea to show early on how to survive alone in this world. So he moves into his uncle's apartment where he meets his neighbour Vlad and because of some reasons the end up living together. I love the soundtrack and their whole story. It is free on Youtube.

Once Again

My favorite bl series of 2022. It tells the story of Shin Jae Woo who deals with childhood trauma and because of some supernatural stuff happening, he jumps back in time to the year he was almost the victime of a crime, but Kang Ji Hoon helped him back then. JaeWoo wants to rescue JiHoon from this path. I was crying through most of the second half of this series. It is just so good. Painful and hurtful. Just watch is you can deal with sad stuff. Everytime I need a good cry, I come back here and it always works its magic. It si on Viki and GagaOOLala.

We best love: No. 1 for you

The true enemies to lovers story. The slow burn and the slow realisation is just so perfect. I feel with Gao Shi De through this whole story. I love to rewtach it and see things I haven't before. And the second season is good as well! Not as good as the first one for me, but still really good. You can watch it on WeTV.

Secret Crush On You

If you manage to get past the first episode full of cringe and you learn things about the characters, you see that these are all of us. The characters are not flawless, they make us cringe, because it feels too real. You can't act normal when you are living your secret crush. And you feel uncomfortable if you don't fit the norms. It is so beautiful to see that there are people out there who love you for who you are. And who isn't afraid to tell the world about it. This series makes my heart feel all the beautiful feelings. It is a little gem out there. And you can watch it for free on youtube.

Well these are my top 20 of all the bls I have watched. It was so much fun! Thank you for this ask!

I guess after this month there are going to be new favorites. Our Dating Sim or A Shoulder To Cry On are some really good shows and I hope they won't mess it up in the end like Oh! My Assistent did.

Have a beautiful day and stay happy and healthy! 💜

#josi answers #josi watching bl #top 20 bls #korean bl #thai bl #taiwanese bl #pinoy bl #japanese bl #my school president #moonlight chicken #once again #secret crush on you #dna says love you #love mechanics #and many more #bl recommendations #I guess #thank you for the ask! #it was really fun talking about my favorite shows

[spockoholic]

this casting is insane. how is cha seowon taejoon that insanely hot in this in the exact same way that manhwa taejoon is insanely hot how does that even work

#unintentional love story #kdrama #bl kdrama #bl drama #bl recommendations #im so feral for him #the drama just finished today so im reading the manhua #and when i tell you i screamed w #wheni saw taejoons first appearance #😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔 #i have little chill #this man makes me feel so many things #none of them safe for work #feral for a brooding man in a turtleneck at least im honest with myself

[pompoison]

Lies and slander, boy.

New Little Death webtoon update on my SubscribeStar.adult today.✨Also new public Chapter 2 pages on the comic site! Little Death is a queer horror webcomic about a boy living in isolation amongst his peers, and a lich who haunts his dreams. (18+)

#Little Death Comic #bl webcomic #BL Webtoon #Webtoon Update #Adult Webcomic #Indie Comic #Comic panel #Comic Recommendations #BL Recommendations #Queer Horror #Webtoon Recommendations #OC ship #horror comic #Horror romance #sexy villain #undead bf #monster bf

[onestopblshop]

♡ 𝕞𝕪 𝔹𝕃 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 ♡

here is my prized list of BL recommendations! these are the shows that, in my opinion, made me the most emotional, excited, invested or just had the good old drama I live for! I've organised them into two categories; the best of the best, and the very close runners up - and this list only contains completed series!

𝚔𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚊

best of the best: ♡ semantic error ♡ our dating sim ♡ to my star (season 2) ♡ the eighth sense

runners up: ♡ unintentional love story ♡ blueming ♡ starstruck ♡ roommates of poongduck 304

𝚓𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚗

best of the best: currently none!

runners up: ♡ our dining table ♡ my beautiful man eternal ♡ life ~ love on the line

𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍

best of the best: ♡ my school president ♡ kinnporsche ♡ love in the air ♡ bad buddy ♡ the eclipse

runners up: ♡ moonlight chicken ♡ bed friend

𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚠𝚊𝚗

best of the best: currently none!

runners up: ♡ plus and minus

𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜

♡ if I had to pick a top 3 to recommend, the list currently would go as follows (in no particular order): 1. semantic error 2. the eighth sense 3. the eclipse

♡ if you're looking for good actor pairings with AMAZING chemistry: 1. First Kanaphan & Khaotung Thanawat (Thailand) - lead couple in 'the eclipse' and currently SLAYING their roles in 'only friends' 2. Mile Phakphum & Apo Nattawin (Thailand) - lead couple in 'kinnporsche' and I believe they're also the leads in the historical Thai BL movie 'mansuang' 3. Lim Jisub & Oh Juntaek (Korea) - lead couple in 'the eighth sense' and oh my lord is it one of my favourite dramas they portray their characters AMAZINGLY please go watch

4. Park Seoham and Park Jaechan (Korea) - lead couple in 'semantic error', the show that started my BL addiction. an actual classic of the genre and their chemistry alone makes it rewatchable like 70 times

#issy's bl recs #recommendations #drama recommendations #bl recommendations #semantic error #the eighth sense #the eclipse #firstkhao #mileapo #jaewon x jihyun #jaeyoung x sangwoo

[gillianthecat]

Do you have recommendations similar to to my star 2 or love mechanics in term of angst? i like angst within the relationship but also angst that comes with a little toxicity (like lm)

BL Recommendations with Toxicity and/or Angst:

Hello Anon, thanks for this ask! 😊 I went through my list of all the BL and BL adjacent shows I've watched and these are the ones I've pulled out. I'll just list them here, and then discuss each one below the cut.

Higher Angst and Toxicity:

War of Y: War of Managers

War of Y: Next Ship

Lan Yu

Lovely Writer

Fahlanruk

The Devil Judge

Kinnporsche

Seems to have High Angst and/or Toxicity, (but I've only watched the beginning):

Word of Honor

Tharntype

Lower Angst and Toxicity:

Utsukushii Kare (My Beautiful Man)

Theory of Love

Why R U? (the FighterTutor cut)

Not Me

Semantic Error

High Angst but Low Toxicity

Guardian

Untamed

I Told Sunset About You

I Promised You the Moon

Where Your Eyes Linger

Once Again

The Eclipse

(I made a section for Toxicity with No Angst, but there was nothing in it)

You've probably seen at least some of these, but I'll write about them as if you haven't. I haven't posted about everything, but I tagged them all so you can search my blog to see what I have written. Most but not all of these have happy endings - feel free to ask for specifics. Or if you have any other questions about any of these shows!

War of Y: War of Managers Very toxic. Probably not actually a BL ( I still haven't seen the last episode.) I would have found it angsty if I cared about the characters more. I don't really recommend it, except as an object of bizarre fascination, or if you like extreme melodrama.

War of Y: Next Ship A much more coherent story, though still flawed. Higher angst, less toxic but still quite toxic. Like Love Mechanics they have amazing chemistry. Recommend if you're in the mood for dramatics.

Lan Yu (藍宇) A 2001 Chinese queer film, very difficult to find, but I highly recommend it to those who can handle the angst. I'll link the one secret YT version I found in a reblog. Very high angst (ask again if you want spoilers). Unhealthy relationship dynamics. I suppose it's toxic, except that I think of that word applying to shows with a more pulpy tone, so I wouldn't have called it that.

Lovely Writer Confession: I still haven't finished this one, I disliked Sib too much. Comedic in many ways, but with strong through-lines of angst and toxicity. Others probably found it less toxic than I did. Many people list it as a favorite, and I can see why.

Fahlanruk It's still mid series, but already lots of toxicity and from the trailer I'm predicting at least some angst. It's not good, but I've been enjoying it as a trash watch. Everyone here loves to hate on Fah.

The Devil Judge Not a BL. I loved it. I really liked the experience of watching it totally naive so I won't say more, but ask if you want more specifics.

Kinnporsche I'm sure you at least know about this even if you haven't seen it. Toxic and comedic and angsty in turns. I'm glad I watched it.

Word of Honor I've only watched a few episodes, but seems at the very least angsty and has the potential for being toxic. Looks very good, many people love it, I just didn't have the patience for complicated sect politics at the time.

Tharntype Too toxic for me, I noped out in the first episode. I get the impression there's angst, but couldn't tell you for sure.

Utsukushii Kare (My Beautiful Man) It didn't actually feel toxic to me, but it might hit some of those same toxicity buttons. Kinky boys falling in love and fumbling painfully through figuring out their kinks together. Medium angst, I would say. I loved it, highly recommend.

Theory of Love I adore many things about this and hate others. The beginning is rough - high angst and toxicity, plus moments of frat boy style comedy, and it's hard to root for the couple. Most of the second half I thought was amazing and the painful set-up pays off. My biggest irritation was with the use of misogyny in many of the "comedic" scenes, plus a few other flaws I won't get into here. I feel like reactions are so personal to this one, but I would recommend at least checking it out.

Why R U? (the FighterTutor cut) I wouldn't call it high in either angst or toxicity, but they're definitely there. Their chemistry is insane. Riveting. I fast forwarded through everything that wasn't related to Tutor and Fighter, which works as standalone story, so that's an option if like me you find all the other characters annoying. Recommended.

Not Me I feel like whenever I try to write anything about Not Me I don't know how to start. I definitely recommend watching it. There's angst and toxicity but they're not always related to the romances. Ask if you have more questions about it and I can come up with more specifics.

Semantic Error The lowest in either angst or toxicity on this list, it's mostly sweet. Toxicity depends I think on how much the bullying bothers you (it didn't bother me). Angst is the typical romance angst as characters are finding their way to each other. I highly recommend it in general though.

Angst but Low Toxicity:

Guardian Censored Chinese BL. Very high angst. The romance is amazing. The rest of the plot is kind of nonsense but fun (the show suffered from censorship on several fronts and a sudden huge budget cut halfway through preproduction.) I loved it. Amazing acting. Recommended, if you can tolerate censorship.

The Untamed Also censored Chinese BL. High angst - some as part of the romance, but mostly about other things. A much more coherent plot than Guardian. I loved it. And it's partly what got me into watching BL. Recommended, if you can tolerate censorship.

I Told Sunset About You (ITSAY) A queer romance and coming of age story. I loved it. Delicate angst, gorgeous cinematography (same DP as KinnPorsche, which is how I found it in the first place), really well acted. Highly recommend.

I Promised You the Moon (IPYTM) Sequel to ITSAY. I liked it a lot, many hated it. Not really a BL, more like a continuing of the ITSAY characters growing up. Lots of angst, but of a different tenor. Some might consider it toxic, but it didn't feel that way to me. It had some flaws for me, but I'm really glad I watched it. (Definitely a sequel, would probably not work on its own. Or even if it does, it's worth watching ITSAY first.)

Where Your Eyes Linger Hwang Da-seul's first BL, so you've probably seen this one at least. It's the least skillful of her work - you can really see how she's grown, but I still liked it a lot for its moody vibe. Angst from pining and from external constraints on the relationship. Recommend

Once Again Short Korean BL that just finished. Very high angst, but also many moments of humor and fluff. I can give more spoilers if you want. Very well acted. Many people loved it. I liked it a lot, but not quite as much as I wanted to. Recommend.

The Eclipse What can I say about The Eclipse? I'm sure you at least have heard of it even if you're not watching. I adore it. Plenty of angst, along with plenty of other stuff. I suppose it could fumble at the end, but so far I highly recommend it.

#bl recommendations #bl dramas #bl series #to my star 2 #love mechanics #anon i'm so flattered you're coming to me for recommendations #i'm flattered when anyone asks me a question #asks answered #anon asks #war of y #war of y: new ship #war of y: war of managers #lan yu #lovely writer #fahlanruk #the devil judge #kinnporche the series #my beautiful man #theory of love #why r u? #not me the series #semantic error #guardian #the untamed #i told sunset about you #i promised you the moon #where your eyes linger #once again the series #the eclipse #ql lists

[lollipopsub]

~ getting to know your BL mutuals ~ 

I was tagged by @leonpob so lessgo

I’ve been stressed about this for days cause I need to make the RIGHT choices?????!

rules: answer the questions and @ some people. include the tag 'g2ky BL mutuals 2022' on your post so we can find everyone's answer.

what have been the BLs that took you by surprise this year?

I think I was the most surprised by Eternal Yesterday. I went into it expecting something more along the lines of Senpai, This Can't Be Love or Kabe Koji, which is kind of slapstick, lighthearted and not too intellectually challenging, but boy was I proven wrong. The show manages to take a ridiculous premise and turn it into a well-written, well acted story that is probably going to break my heart (at the moment the final episode is yet to air...)

what have been the BLs that you felt a bit a lot disappointed with this year?

Sing In Love.

I was excited about a grittier plot and a new Japanese production, but it just made me uncomfortable and I did not want to finish it.

Cherry Magic The Movie also felt like a letdown. It just bored me, honestly.

what has been your favorite BL this year?

omg i looked up a list to see which ones were from this year, and it was like 5 Japanese, 5 Korean, 5 Taiwanese and then 60 billion Thai😂

I think my favorites are Old Fashion Cupcake and Eternal Yesterday.

Old Fashion Cupcake is everything I wanted in a good drama; good pacing, relationships between characters that make sense, believable character behavior and good acting and also really hot actors.

Eternal Yesterday has just absolutely overwhelmed me. I am a sucker for melancholic stories (to the surprise of literally no one), and the way Japanese dramas manage to wrap up some quite profound thoughts about the world and what it means to be a human is something I really adore.

In Episode 6 when Koichi asks if it's impossible for the people you love to be tied in the same place; for two people to be equally important to and loved by you. Or Episode one, where Mitsuru says it's not that Koichi broke down his wall, but he opened a door through it.

I really thought about adding More Than Words to the list, but I feel like it shouldn't really be grouped into the BL-genre. I still feel like the frames of the genre are limiting many aspects of film-making and storytelling, and that it's more an LGBT+ story than a BL drama.

favorite BL couples (not just of 2022)?

BounPrem and YinWar I think. Now that Prem has gone independent, I just want him to drag Boun with him to Yin and War to create a Supreme Company for Hot People™ and to actually make the YinWar Concert Trailers into a really hot show.

Especially War is an absolutely incredible actor, so I just really hope the two of them will get some interesting projects in the coming year!

what's your non-BL favorite this year?

Silent.

No doubt, no question. It's so good. Everyone and their grandmother should watch it pls.

.... Oh wow I am really biased, huh? 😬😬

I didn't intend for every show on here to be Japanese, I just think the Japanese shows I'm mentioning are a lot more well-rounded than the Korean and Thai and Taiwanese counterparts that I've seen this year. I am intrigued by how Korea seems to be branching out more and embracing the genre not as adaptations of fictional stories, but as stories about people. I just feel like the genre is so old in Japanese medias that they're a step ahead and I like how the Japanese shows are carried by the stories of the characters and their little lives rather than some large, daunting outer factor.

I want to tag a lot of people but I am an awkward turtle so I don't have a lot of people to tag. I hope it's ok to tag @storge and @chaeunwoo 🥺

#g2ky bl mutuals 2022 #japanese bl #bl recommendations #lollipop talks to the void #yinwar #bounprem #eternal yesterday #more than words #old fashion cupcake

[firstkanaphans]

What are your top rated bls? Saw the mlc ask and got curious

The four BLs I've rated 10/10 are (in no particular order):

1) Color Rush

2) HIStory 2: Right or Wrong

3) I Told Sunset About You

4) Moonlight Chicken

And a special honorable mention to all of my 9.5/10s: Light on Me, My School President, Not Me, and Until We Meet Again.

You can also find a full list of everything I've watched with my ratings here.

#i would have done a top 5 but then I would have had to choose between Light on Me and MSP which is an impossible task #if you like my fics watch history 2: right or wrong #i don't know how to explain it but same vibes #asks #bl recommendations

[that-bl-bitch]

What no would you recoomend

-Cherry Magic

-Bad Buddy

-Game boys

Some of my personal favs but also some that I feel are universally liked that I think anyone could watch them and enjoy them imo anyways

-Old Fashion Cupcake

-Kinnporsche

-Plus and Minus

And these are some that are also my personal favs that I don't not think are also universally liked, cause obviously A LOT of people love these three shows a whole bunch as well but I feel like CM, BB, and GB are more beginner level like if you never seen a bl a day in you life you will walk away at the very least liking all three but just feel like OFC, KP, and PM are more "intermediate" like you've been watching bls for a little bit now and you know how the game is played yk what I mean?

Anyways thanks for asking for my recommendations I love to do it!! Let me know what you think of them for real and if you want anymore 💛💛

#Ask #kinnporsche #bad buddy #Old fashion cupcake #Plus and minus #Cherry magic #Gameboys #Taiwanese bl #Japanese bl #Thai bl #Bl recommendations

[absolutebl]

hey, do you know of any BL-s similar to A boss and a Babe? I don't mean plot wise or setting but a bl with a similar uke (Cher). I feel like I haven't seen much or at all BL-s with an uke that's such a crackhead, so vital, positive, non dramatic, up for anything, vocal about feelings and love, the one who also kinda pursues when it's needed, that pushes boundaries etc etc

Huh, you mean like a GGG uke? (good giving game)

There are LOTS of crackheads... seek ye Japan. But that goes real fast into cringe, like Secret Crush On You.

The GGG part is where we fall down. This is a very new take on the archetype. Also non-dramatic, I mean it's a BL drama so dramatic is kinda the point.

I'll take a stab!

crackhead

vital & positive (sunshine)

pursues when it's needed (switchy)

non dramatic (good)

vocal about feelings and love (giving)

up for anything, pushes boundaries (game)

Fits all 6 criteria (but in their own countries' style):

All the Liquors (Korea)

Mr Heart (Korea)

Ocean Likes Me (Korea)

Be Loved In House I Do (Taiwan)

Love Sick (Thailand - bet you didn't see that one coming)

And now some that do their best satisfying 4 ore more of the above requirements.

Thailand

Everyone is just really dramatic in Thai BL.

Coffee Melody (sides 1,2,4,5,6)

Ghost Host, Ghost House (2,3,4,5,6)

Great Men Academy (if you count it 2,2,3,6)

Ingredients (2,3,4,5,6)

KinnPorsche (1,2,3,5,6)

Love By Chance 2 (1,2,5,6)

Love In the Air (PayuRain 1,2,5,6)

Love in Translation (2,3,5,6)

Make A Wish (1,2,3,5,6)

My School President (2,3,5,6)

My Tee (1,2,3,5,6)

Secret Crush On You (1,2,3,5,6)

Why R U? (2nd couple 1,2,3,5,6)

Taiwan

Seme/uke is always weak, queerness is more authentic so roles less prescribed and campy

DNA Says Love You (sides 1,2,3,6)

Kiseki Dear to Me (sides 1,2,3,6)

Stay By My Side (1,2,35,6)

Korea

Seme/uke is pretty weak, little to no crackhead, and everything will be more reserved and muted.

Some More (2,3,4,5,6)

The Eighth Sense (2,3,4,5,6)

Behind Cut (2,4,6)

Jun & Jun (2,4,5,6)

Long Time No See (2,3,4,5,6) but also LIES

Our Boarding House (2,3,4,6)

Oh My Assistant (1,2,3,6)

Tasty Florida (2,3,4,5,6)

The Lover (2,3,4,6)

Tinted With You (2,3,4,6)

Unintentional Love Story (2,3,4,5,6)

Why R U? (2nd couple 1,2,5,6)

Japan

But the ones it does have it REALLY leans into.

Seven Days (2,3,4,5)

If It's With You (2,3,4,5,6)

Restart After Come Back Home (2,4,5,6)

Silhouette of Your Voice (1,2,4,6)

Takara & Amagi (1,2,3,5)

My Memory is shot but???

Like Love from China might work.

Most stuff from the Philippines first some if not all.

Vietnam's My Lascivious Boss and You Are My Boy satisfy soem criteria.

Might also be worth reading

List dated Mid Dec 2023, ongoing BLs not included. If it aired after that date you should add it to the comments or something.

#thai bl #a boss and a babe #gmmth #spirited uke #ggg uke characters #crackhead BL #sunshine uke #weak seme/uke #Thai BL #Japanese BL #Korean BL #Bl suggestions #Bl recommendations #Vietnamese BL #Taiwanese BL #All the Liquors #Love Sick #Be Loved In House I Do #Ocean Likes Me #Mr Heart

[iamthinkingaboutvariousthings]

Tag List for BL & GL Recommendations, Meta & Specific Shows (and other related thoughts)

master list of Recommendation Lists tags

master list of The Devil Judge tags

master list of The Eclipse tags

master list of To My Star (1 & 2) tags

master list of Specific Series tags

master list of tags on Other Things - not BL

BL & GL Meta & General Information

bl meta bl industry bl fundamentals AbsoluteBL's BL masterpost (8/2022 version on my blog) bl resources how to watch bl http://world-of-bl.com/index.php language in bl modes of address in bl bl gifs

queerness in bl women in bl gender in bl censored bromance queerbaiting het romance tropes

chemistry in bl seme/uke dynamics kisses in bl sex scenes in bl sexuality in bl kink in bl

bl actors bl actor pairings bl directors bl cinematography bl creation bl soundtracks

bl gifs bl screenshots bl fanvids

bl fandom bl fanservice bl actor shipping upcoming bl upcoming gl oct 2022 nov 2022 dec 2022 2023 dramas date unknown

gl dramas thai gl korean gl japanese gl

BL by Country

thai bl korean bl japanese bl taiwanese bl vietnamese bl filipino bl mainland china bl

thai bl industry korean bl industry japanese bl industry

Meta by Tumblr-ers

absolutebl meta heretherebedork meta lutawolf meta iguessitsjustme meta bengiyo meta moonchildridden meta lelephantsnail meta shortpplfedup meta respectthepetty meta squeakygeeky meta my thoughts

to tag

#bl meta #bl recommendations #bl recommendation #tag list #bl tag list #master post

[yaoi-islife]

MIGNON

#mignon #yaoi #yaoi bl #manga #yaoi manhwa #boys love #yaoi anime #bl manhwa #manga yaoi #yaoicouple #yaoihard #shounen ai anime #shounen ai comic #yaoi comic #yaoi manga #manga bl #bl art #bl anime #bl recommendation #bl manga #mignon anime #2023 anime #shounen ai couple #shounen ai #gaypride #gay culture

[spockoholic]

HELP DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE TOWER FAN YAOI???????????

it’s about a kid who comes home for summer break and its stupid hot and all he has is a shitty tower fan, and like its so hot that he starts fantasizing about his anthropomorphized fan and it gets heated (hahah) but then at the end of the summer he gets rid of the fan (i think he replaces it??? or moves into an apartment with a wall ac unit??)

please i know this exists i know im not crazy I’VE READ THIS please help me find this, i do not remember where i saw it or what it’s called im suffering i desperately need to read it again

#yaoi #tower fan yaoi #yaoi recommendations #bl recommendations

[mangajams]

From: Roses and Champagne

#roses and champagne #boys love #bl manga #manga yaoi #shounen ai #manhwa #webtoon #manga #yaoi #anime #yaoi ship #yaoi manhwa #yaoi icons #yaoihard #yaoi bl #yaoi manga #yaoi recommendation #yaoicouple #yaoi memes #yaoiboy #yaoi comic #fudanshi #yaoilove #manga love #fujoushi #manga couple

[gillianthecat]

Hi just read through some of your About Youth posts, which are wonderful BTW I love reading your thoughts, and I wanted to ask if you had watched DNA Says Love You? It's another Taiwanese show. It's less polished than About Youth (I had to white-knuckle it through the first episode), but it has a similar soft earnestness*. There's something really lovely and delicate about how it handles the character's pain. It's not the most spectacular show but it has a lot of heart, which carried me through the clunkier parts.

(*I feel like About Youth and DNA would sit at the same lunch table if that makes any sense)

I haven't yet, thanks for the recommendation! It's on my giant "to watch" list, but it wasn't very high up because I was vaguely scared off by the "DNA" in the title, and was loosely imagining some sort of weird science fiction full of irritating pseudoscience. That was all in my head obviously, I just looked up the summary and it has nothing to do with that.

Soft and delicate and full of heart sounds lovely.

DNA Says Love You poster stolen from mydramalist

I'm glad you're enjoying my About Youth posts 😊

#dna says love you #about youth #bl recommendations #taiwanese bl #soft bl #asks answered #conversations with lelephantsnail

[lurkingshan]

Japanese BL Starter Pack

It’s been awhile since I dropped a rec list, so I am here today to share one that is very near and dear to my heart—a Japanese bl primer for those who are new to the jbl game. I created this for @neuroticbookworm to help her on her journey when she decided she wanted to start getting into Japanese works. The fandom (on Tumblr and generally) tends to focus primarily on Thai shows because they are the easiest to access for international fans, since Thailand is working its way toward world domination via ql media and wants us all to be able to watch. But there is a lot of great stuff to watch beyond the easy access Thai channels, and Japan is the country where this genre originated, so its shows are important for anyone who considers themselves a bl fan. Japan doesn’t cater nearly as much to the international audience so tracking down the shows sometimes takes some ingenuity and can-do spirit, but that’s part of the fun!

And so, the list! Bookworm is about halfway through it and having a ball, so I figured it was time to stop hoarding it and share it with anyone else who would like to dip their toes into jbl and isn’t quite sure where to start. A few notes: 

I am not here to teach you about the deep roots of the jbl genre or give you a primer on yaoi manga. I am by no means an expert and there are other places to find that information. Start here with this great post by @nieves-de-sugui and then maybe wander over to @absolutebl to read up more on the evolution of the genre.

This list is by no means an exhaustive accounting of every important Japanese bl ever made; it is simply a nice sampler platter of the cream of the crop among various styles you will find in jbl. Watching through this whole list will not only expose you to some fantastic shows, but also give you a sense of what makes jbl unique and how the country’s style differs from others, and point you toward the types of jbl you’ll like most (they tend to put shows in pretty specific style and tone lanes and once you find the ones you like there are lots more where that came from). 

If you’re coming to this post as a jbl lover and you don’t see your favorite here, I promise it’s not because I don’t love it very much; I simply had to make some choices to get this down to a reasonable shortlist. Feel free to leave extra recs for others to find! 

I’m putting these in a loose suggested watch order that will take you through the various jbl lanes in a kind of popcorn style, because I always think it’s good to change it up so you don’t get too stuck in one mode, and it works its way up to most of the extremely Japanese stuff (you will know what that means by the time you finish). But do what’s in your heart and change up the order if you want, friends, I am not the boss of you! 

Cherry Magic (Crunchyroll or grey)

gif by @liyazaki

I believe everyone on Tumblr is pretty familiar with this one, which is not a coincidence—this is one of the most accessible jbls. Not in terms of actual access to watch it, mind you (we’ve all jumped through shady internet hoops to watch it) but in terms of its content and style. Cherry Magic is a classic workplace romcom with a magical twist, and it is charming af. It’s a great exemplar of Japan’s light and zippy comedy lane for bl—a lane in which, importantly, the romances stay chaste even when the actual plot is about sex, or lack thereof. My friend @waitmyturtles would kill me if I didn’t make sure you know that Cherry Magic also has a lovely follow up film. And bonus: there is now a Thai remake airing so if you watch the original you can get in on the discussion about the different adaptations between countries. This is pretty easy to find these days in all the usual places, but I strongly recommend watching it here.

Old Fashion Cupcake (Viki)

gif by @liyazaki

Moving on to a slightly more mature workplace romcom. Old Fashion Cupcake, another Tumblr favorite, is an age gap boss-subordinate romance, and it’s both very adult and somehow wholesome af at the same time. Sure, there is a lot of carnal desire going on here, but there is also a lot of wooing via fluffy pancakes. It’s a tight five episodes and a fantastic example of what Japan, with its extreme technical precision in writing, directing, editing, pacing, and acting firing on all cylinders, can do in two hours. There’s not an ounce of flab on this thing and you’ll want to watch it over and over again.

Utsukushii Kare (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Time to get a little weird! Weird is a key feature of Japanese media, and lots of jbls explore unusual relationship dynamics rooted in complex psychology. This is the first show on the list that will likely feel very Japanese if you’re new around here—my advice is to lean into it and finish the show, even if you get uncomfortable along the way. In Japanese media, discomfort always serves a purpose. This is a high school story with a twisted relationship at its center, and I’m not saying any more than that. Don’t spoil yourself and go watch it! This one also comes with two sequels—one short second season and one movie—that continue from the original story. They are less essential but still excellent.

I Cannot Reach You (Netflix)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Next up, another high school tale, but with a totally different vibe. This show is kind of a revelation in its willingness to tell a story about overwhelming desire—including sexual desire—with young protagonists. It’s rooted in a classic but often misunderstood trope, friends to lovers, and takes the angst of it seriously, giving us a low stakes story that feels extremely high stakes to our leads. It’s also gorgeous and uses a classic Japanese visual style (bokeh) that you’ll be dying to learn more about. 

His (Viki)

gif by @gabrielokun

Time for a break from high school, and we’ll sprinkle in a movie for some added flavor. His is a jbl film featuring a second chance romance between a stoic, introverted man who moves to a remote town to start over, and his ex-boyfriend who follows him there unexpectedly, adorable child in tow. Importantly, this movie does not take place in what we often refer to as the “bl bubble” where homophobia doesn’t exist; the leads’ experiences of being gay men in a homophobic society are hugely important to the plot and themes of the story. It’s a beautiful film and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. @bengiyo would surely also like me to tell you that this film follows a brief prequel show called His: I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love about the characters originally meeting in high school; I do not think it’s really necessary to watch it but completists can start there.

The Pornographer series (Gaga)

By now you should be ready to get into some classic Japanese fucked up psychosexual material, right? Right! The Pornographer series is told in five installments in this order:

The Novelist, a six episode miniseries

Mood Indigo, a six episode prequel series

Spring Life, a 15 minute short

Pornographer: Playback, a two hour film

Spring Life Continued, a 15 minute short

Confused by that distribution model? So say we all; sometimes Japan likes to make us work for it to make sure we really appreciate its many gifts to us. The story across these installments is about a very difficult to love protagonist, what makes him the way he is, and the also-unhinged-but-in-a-different-way man who finally gets through to him. It’s an extremely satisfying love story and one of the best character arcs I have ever seen, full stop. For this one, you’ll want to just pull the word problematic out of your pocket and store it in a drawer; nearly everything that happens in this story is problematic and that’s the point. Lean in! All of these installments except for the film are on Gaga, if you get that far hmu and I will supply you with the final puzzle piece.

Our Dining Table (Gaga)

You could probably use a break after those last two, so it’s time to shift over to a heart-tugging twofer: family trauma mixed with the cutest shit you’ve ever seen. ODT is an example of another classic type of Japanese show: the food drama (you will see the GOAT in this category at the end of this list). In Japanese culture, food is love, and the act of preparing food for your loved ones is a common path to romance. You’ll love this story about an isolated office worker who meets a pair of brothers, learns to cook as a way of connecting with them, and begins to heal from his own trauma as a result. The image above is a scan from the manga, which @troubled-mind curates to make extremely cool comparison sets like this one. Many jbls are faithful adaptations of yaoi manga source material, so it’s good to have a bit of familiarity with them.

Minato’s Laundromat (Gaga)

gif by @liyazaki

Japanese media loves to explore taboo, and often manages to do it in a way that is surprisingly light and chaste. This is an age gap romance between a teenager and his adult neighbor that explores internalized homophobia, emotional repression, and falling in love across seemingly impossible social chasms. It’s also a great example of old school yaoi seme-uke dynamics that still show up across the bl genre. Also, take my advice: end your journey with this one with the first season and just pretend season 2 doesn’t exist.

Eternal Yesterday (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Remember what I said about weird? Time to do that again, but with a heaping dose of grief and pain on top. It’s not a spoiler to tell you this show involves a major character death; a major character death is, in fact, the root of the entire story. This is a magic realist tale of first love turned tragic, and it will hurt and heal you. It is one of my favorite dramas of all time.

Restart After Come Back Home (Gaga)

And now for a break for your poor exhausted brain. This film is basically the jbl version of a Hallmark original movie, about a city boy who goes back home to the country and falls in love with a total sweetheart while working together on a farm. Enjoy it, bestie, you’ve earned it! 

Tokyo in April Is… (Gaga)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

You’ve probably noticed by now that emotional repression and failed communication are big themes in Japanese works. This second chance romance has plenty of both, and it’s a great example of a kind of muted emotional style that Japan does so well, where the surface of the story seems almost placid and calm even as deep emotion roils underneath. This one (and Eternal Yesterday above) are part of a special line up of jbls on Japanese channel MBS called Tonku (Drama) Shower. The shows air one after another in the same time slot on Fridays (in Japan, perhaps Thursdays for you depending on where you live) and you truly never know what you’re gonna get, but they’re all interesting. Warnings on this one for sexual assault and trauma. 

The End of the World With You (Viki)

Time for sexy and weird again, but even more so! This has to be one of the most unique bls ever made; it goes to some truly divine and strange places, and it feels incredibly queer while doing it. Made by the same screenwriter/director of the Pornographer series with a lot of the same sensibilities, but in a more heightened apocalyptic setting. This one has existential angst, a road trip, a redemption tale, and a variety of interesting side characters in the mix.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Gaga)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the list and your reward is watching one of the best bls of all time, and a perfect slice of life food drama to boot. WDYEY now has two seasons (along with a couple specials and a movie that fall in between) because the universe clearly loves us. You can now get it on Gaga for easy access but I’m partial to the versions over at @kinounaniresource for better subs. Wherever you watch, settle in to get cozy with Shiro and Kenji and make sure to always eat before you hit play.

#shan recommends #cherry magic #old fashion cupcake #utsukushii kare #eternal yesterday #our dining table #minato’s laundromat #what did you eat yesterday? #tokyo in april is... #his the movie #the pornographer #japanese bl #jbl starter pack