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absolutebl · 8 months

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What are some BL couples who you DO think could actually have a long haul perfect ending and not burn out two months after the show ends?

(Also if possible, could you drop the show titles aswell? Thanks)

20 BL Couples I Love & Think Would Actually Make it In the Long Run

Ha, yeah I intentionally didn't include the titles in that last post because I was being negative. Since these are positive... here you go!

Advance Bravely

I know right? One from China. But yeah I think they're very opposites attract but still well balanced and suited to each other. Plus "stern but indulgent Daddy + spoiled brat" is a favorite dynamic of mine.

Guardian

He waited 10,000 gd years. It has to work out. Despite censorship.

Old Fashion Cupcake

They both mature enough to be very motivated.

Tokyo in April Is

They suffered for that love. It's an enduring eternal kinda thing.

Cherry Blossoms After Winter

Taesung is NEVER letting him go. Never.

Long Time No See

Not only are they staying together, can you imagine anyone trying to separate them?

Nobleman Ryu's Wedding

I just think they gonna live in obscurity in the middle of the woods with their books forever.

Our Dating Sim

Of course they're gonna last, that was the whole point of the show.

Oh Boarding House

I think they both had to come around to each other with a lot of self-examination as to what it meant for them, their identities, and their lives. That kind of thoughtfulness bodes well for longevity.

(This is an under-appreciated gem. IMHO)

Be Loved In House I Do

Yeah they just so into each other but also adoring but understand each other's quirks. There's no meanness or pettiness to either of them. Double down on affection + chemistry is a good recipe for longevity.

DNA Says Love You

They came back for, and waited for, each other.

HIStory Obsessed

It's in the title. This level of mutually obsessed disfunction only ends in death.

HIStory 4: Close to You

Problematic side couple. Dito the above.

Thousand Stars

It's high romance of the eternal forever kind.

2 Moons Ambassador

They are *that* couple. "I married my college sweetheart and am incandescently happy forever in a disgustingly sappy way" that shouldn't work but does.

My Only 12%

Again, they suffered too much not to make it work. They are basically each other's half, it codependent, but that's the point.

Ingredients

They define domesticity. The true key to most couple longevity is the ability to actually live together.

Oh My Sunshine Night

File these two under the "once he had a taste, its' forever." The seme is too bossy and too possessive for anyone but the one he picked. This one lasts because Rain would MAKE IT last.

Oxygen

Dito the above, only softer.

Until We Meet Again

Of course. I mean, OF COURSE OF COURSE. That's the point. Dean's entire existence would be a failure if they broke up.

Despite my love of the genre I didn't pick any high school BL couples. Even if I think they may have a chance I'm not sure how I feel about that kind of pairing.

I didn't pick ones we know lasted because they showed it to us: e.g. Unintentional Love Story, His, Dear Doctor, My Ride.

There are a few I left off because I think they could last as a couple but the circumstances of their lives and surrounding, means I'm not sure if they would be allowed to, like Not Me, Never Let Me Go, Manner of Death.

(source)

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ftkestis · 2 years

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google drive of free korean language learning resources

hi everyone! because i put tutoring on hold while i am working full time but still want to provide help to those who want to start learning/want to practice their korean, i am continuously compiling material for free learning :)

resources are totally free!

most are typically aimed at children (which is great for beginners!!)

hangul practice

vocabulary building

printable/downloadable

example of scans:

example of grammar breakdowns:

i will be adding material over the coming weeks and continuously as i come across material! updates may be frequent or slow down at times.

note: resources are free, and they’re totally free to share and use! but please do not repost without credit, and because i buy these from my workplace with my own money and spend time scanning them and cleaning them up and organizing them, please consider tipping me as much as you’d like ♥️

here is the link to the drive! (sorry, can’t hyperlink on mobile currently)

enjoy, and thank you in advance! have fun and feel free to ask me any questions—i am a korean studies grad and was a tutor for the beginning korean classes at my university. i am happy to help however i can!

♥️ joey

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fbj723 · 6 months

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bit late for pocky day but i wanted to draw a lil smth for it :3c

#i have not been keeping up with my korean lessons so i apologize in advanced if its real rusty #might be a bit ooc minhyeok?? idk i just imagine bc this was the closest he ever got to kissing mc #he’d kinda panic not knowing if he should make a move or not #and so he doesnt 💀💀💀#my art #whb minhyeok #whb mc #whb #what in hell is bad

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nocternalrandomness · 1 year

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July 26 2022 - First flight of the South Korean KAI KF-21 Boramae Advanced Fighter Aircraft

#Advanced fighter #Military aircraft #South Korean Air Force #KF-21 #Boramae #Mulitrole fighter #Airplane #Combat aircraft #Jet

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eddis-not-eeddis · 23 days

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It took me an hour to parse four sentences of intermediate Korean. This is rather tragic.

#I can speak on a toddler level #And I can introduce myself very easily #I can get a pretty basic understanding of written Korean just based on the words I DO know and context #But most of the more advanced grammar is still waaaaaaaaasaaay beyond me XD #Granted not all of my issues were grammar #I learned 22 new words #Which is a lot of new words to learn in an hour #Korean language study

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helenstudies · 4 months

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Day 50 of 100 Days of Productivity

Planning out this AND next week

J.Test prep because I have to take it on Sunday (14th)

Revising HSK 5 with my friend everyday because we're going to start taking HSKK (Advanced) classes on weekends starting on 13th

I also have chinese hsk 1 classes that I'm teaching on weekends.

Basically my weekends are fucked.

And then I'm teaching a new basic chinese class on thursdays and fridays

Trying to handle my workload as a tarot/oracle reader on the exam week

At least I got 100 out of 100 on my pali language diploma assignment! Yay!!!

Also Fantasy High Junior Year is premiering and I. Am. Psyched.

I am going on a study-work-staycation for 3 days before the J.test so that I can feel at ease :]

I'm also making pick a piles and giving out free questions for my paid telegram channel

also I'm gonna start selling books again after J.Test

god... I hope this is all

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elliepassmore · 24 days

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The God and the Gumiho review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, mythology, Korean mythology, multiple POVs, enemies to lovers, mystery

Big thanks to Netgalley, Del Rey, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was definitely one of my favorite reads of February! It's got the perfect blend of magic, shenanigans, scheming, enemies-to-lovers, and humor. I was definitely on the edge of my seat as Hani and Seokga searched for the eoduksini, and while they got closer to one another with Hani still hiding her identity.

I definitely thought the worldbuilding was interesting. Most of the time is spent on a world where humans and immortals exist side-by-side, with the former completely unaware. So the characters have normal, everyday things like coffee, cars, and cellphones, but also have more magical items like swords and charms, and come across humans and magical creatures alike. I also liked the details about items the magical community could by from the store, particularly the non-human-liver alternatives the gumiho eat since Hani's Scarlet Fox spree resulted in the banning of eating human livers and souls. It's a small part of the book, but I thought it was a nice touch.

I absolutely love Hani. Her hidden past as the Scarlet Fox means she's notorious in immortal circles and not only is responsible for the ban on gumiho eating human livers and souls, but is also the gumiho with the highest kill count. Despite this, she's actually pretty normal and down to earth. She's also pretty funny, both intentionally and unintentionally, and I liked her blasé attitude about eating livers (and thus killing people). Hani clearly cares deeply and while she's dedicated to misguiding Seokga in regards to his Scarlet Fox investigation, she earnestly wants to help find and defeat the eoduksini. She also strives to help her friend Somi throughout the book and feels responsible over the younger gumiho.

Seokga, on the other hand, is a complete and utter asshole. But he grows on you. The trickster god is still bitter about being thrown out of the godly world and having his own realm of darkness locked up after his attempted coup. It's unclear how much of his personality is residual from that and how much is just him naturally, but Seokga really does not seem to care about anyone, nor very many things (other than coffee, man is particular about his coffee) prior to the events of the book. That being said, it becomes clear that Seokga does have deeper ties to his exiled life than it seems, and even he comes to the realization that there are some people that he cares about. It's easy to forget that Seokga was a trickster god because he's fairly serious and dedicated to his investigation(s), but it shows up in odd moments, such as when he cheats at rock, paper, scissors. Despite the fact that he's an asshole, Seokga does have a certain charm about him, even before he begins being a more...tolerable person.

The romance is, obviously, between Hani and Seokga. They balance each other out pretty well once they get past their barista-customer annoyance. Seokga is able to play 'bad cop' with ease while Hani is a much more soothing figure and the type who can calm crying witnesses enough to give a cohesive statement. I liked seeing the quirks they brought out in each other and am glad they get their chance at a happy ending.

The whole Scarlet Fox thing really is a mess. Hani was just enacting a kind of vigilante justice when she got the bright idea to take their livers as a treat for a friend. Unfortunately, the killings align too much with her 1888 spree and whaddya know suddenly there's a hunt on for the Scarlet Fox. Hani definitely does not want to get caught, and she definitely doesn't want another gumiho taking the fall in her place, she'd rather the whole thing just fizzle out and get written off as a fluke, and she's willing to attach herself to the investigation, and thus her least favorite customer Seokga, in order to achieve that. While there were some tense moments when I was worried about her getting caught, it was humorous to read about Hani doing her best to thwart Seogka's investigation and coming up with absurdities to get it done.

The eoduksini is the more serious of the two, particularly since the eoduksini has the potential to create a dark world in the realm shared by humans and immortals, something no one wants happening. There are a lot of twists and turns in this part of the investigation and I was definitely trying to work it out myself as the characters were. At times I felt confident I knew who it was, and then something new would happen and I would second-guess myself or Seokga and Hani. I was very invested in finding out who the eoduksini was and seeing how things would play out there.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to fantasy lovers. Seokga and Hani are pretty different but each bring humor to the novel and the two of them fit well together. I thought the worldbuilding was pretty interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the world and the magic within it.

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a-pop-of-korean · 1 year

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Advanced / Lesson 22: -ㄴ/는데도

안녕하세요 여러분! This week’s lesson is about a very common grammar point: -ㄴ/는데도! Let’s start!

What is -는데도?

-는데도 is similar to -아/어/여도, but sounds a little stronger in my opinion. It is often translated as “despite,” “in spite,” or “regardless of.” Use this formula:

Present Tense:

[verb stem] + 는데도 = Despite [verb]

[adjective stem] + ㄴ데도 = Despite [adjective]

[noun] + 인데도 = Despite [noun]

Past Tense:

[verb/adjective stem] + 았/었/였는데도

[noun] + 였는데도

Examples

민지 씨는 변호사인데도 돈을 많이 벌지 않아요. = Despite being a lawyer, Minji doesn’t make a lot of money.

여러 번 말하는데도 제 말을 듣지 않아요. = Even though I tell her multiple times, she doesn’t listen.

공부 하나도 안 했는데도 시험을 잘 봤어요. = Despite the fact that I didn’t study at all, I did well on the test.

마크 씨는 한국 사람 아닌데도 한국어를 원어민처럼 해요. = Mark speaks Korean like a native even though he’s not Korean.

That’s about it for this lesson! I hope it was helpful! See you in the next one--don’t hesitate to ask me any questions in the meantime! 화이팅!

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midtohighkorean · 2 months

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advanced korean medical vocabulary (part 1)

if you live in korea and find yourself in a medical emergency, there may be a chance you have to communicate your medical needs or understand your doctor in korean. here's some vocabulary for advanced speakers

정기 검진 routine check up

종합 검진 general check up

발진 rash

호흡곤란 breathing difficulties

식욕상승 increase in appetite

과다복용 overuse (of a medication)

기관지염 bronchitis

만상 질환 chronic condition

보험에 가입되어 있다 to have insurance

보험이 만기되다 to have your insurance expire

진단서 medical certificate

동의서 consent form

완하제 laxative

마취상태 under anaesthesia

피부 생체 검사 skin biopsy

유방 촬영 mammogram

n+암 = cancer (간암, 피부암, 유방암)

#learn korean #study korean #advanced korean #korean vocabulary #korean vocab

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thepastisalreadywritten · 8 months

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SEOUL, South Korea — In fried-chicken-obsessed South Korea, restaurants serving the nation's favourite fast-food dish dot every street corner.

But Kang Ji-young's establishment brings something a little different to the table: a robot is cooking the chicken.

Eaten at everything from tiny family gatherings to a 10-million-viewer live-streamed "mukbang" -- eating broadcast -- by K-pop star Jungkook of BTS fame, fried chicken is deeply embedded in South Korean culture.

Paired with cold lager and known as "chimaek" -- a portmanteau of the Korean words for chicken and beer -- it is a staple of Seoul's famed baseball-watching experience.

The domestic market -- the world's third largest, after the United States and China -- is worth about seven trillion won ($5.3 billion).

However, labour shortages are starting to bite as South Korea faces a looming demographic disaster due to having the world's lowest birth rate.

Around 54 percent of business owners in the food service sector report problems finding employees, a government survey last year found, with long hours and stressful conditions the likely culprit, according to industry research.

Korean fried chicken is brined and double-fried, which gives it its signature crispy exterior, but the process -- more elaborate than what is typically used by US fast food chains -- creates additional labour and requires extended worker proximity to hot oil.

Enter Kang, a 38-year-old entrepreneur who saw an opportunity to improve the South Korean fried chicken business model and the dish itself.

"The market is huge," Kang told AFP at her Robert Chicken franchise.

Chicken and pork cutlets are the most popular delivery orders in South Korea, and the industry could clearly benefit from more automation "to effectively address labour costs and workforce shortages," she said.

Kang's robot, composed of a simple, flexible mechanical arm, is capable of frying 100 chickens in two hours -- a task that would require around five people and several deep fryers.

But not only does the robot make chicken more efficiently -- it makes it more delicious, says Kang.

"We can now say with confidence that our robot fries better than human beings do," she said.

Investing in 'foodtech'

Already a global cultural powerhouse and major semiconductor exporter, South Korea last year announced plans to plough millions of dollars into a "foodtech" fund to help startups working on high-tech food industry solutions.

Seoul says such innovations could become a "new growth engine," arguing there is huge potential if the country's prowess in advanced robotics and AI technology could be combined with the competitiveness of Korean food classics like kimchi.

South Korea's existing foodtech industry -- including everything from next-day grocery delivery app Market Kurly to AI smart kitchens to a "vegan egg" startup -- is already worth millions, said food science professor Lee Ki-won at Seoul National University.

Even South Korea's Samsung Electronics -- one of the world's biggest tech companies -- is trying to get in on the action, recently launching Samsung Food, an AI-personalised recipe and meal-planning platform, available in eight languages.

Lee predicted South Korea's other major conglomerates are likely to follow Samsung into foodtech.

"Delivering food using electric vehicles or having robots directly provide deliveries within apartment complexes, known as 'metamobility,' could become a part of our daily lives," he said.

"I am confident that within the next 10 years, the food tech industry will transform into the leading sector in South Korea."

'Initially struggled'

Entrepreneur Kang now has 15 robot-made chicken restaurants in South Korea and one branch in Singapore.

During AFP's visit to a Seoul branch, a robot meticulously handled the frying process -- from immersing chicken in oil, flipping it for even cooking, to retrieving it at the perfect level of crispiness, as the irresistible scent of crunchy chicken wafted through the shop.

Many customers remained oblivious to the hard-working robotic cook behind their meal.

Kim Moon-jung, a 54-year-old insurance worker, said she was not sure how a robot would make the chicken differently from a human "but one thing is certain -- it tastes delicious."

The robot can monitor oil temperature and oxidation levels in real time while it fries chicken, ensuring consistent taste and superior hygiene.

When Kang first started her business, she "initially struggled" to see why anyone would use robots rather than human chefs.

"But after developing these technologies, I've come to realise that from a customer's perspective, they're able to enjoy food that is not only cleaner but also tastier," she told AFP.

Her next venture is a tip-free bar in Koreatown in New York City, where the cocktails will feature Korea's soju rice wine and will be made by robots.

youtube

Entrepreneur aims to improve South Korea's dish using robot

11 September 2023

#South Korea #chimaek #fried chicken #beer #Korean fried chicken #Robert Chicken #Kang Ji-young #advanced robotics #AI technology #Samsung Food #Samsung Electronics #metamobility #Youtube #robot

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absolutebl · 2 years

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10 BLs to Watch if You Loved KinnPorsche

It’s really hard for me to understand exactly why you liked a thing, anything, let alone a phenomena of pop culture. Also there is nothing exactly like KP. With those two codicils in mind, I will do my very best.

So here are 10 things I’m going to assume you are looking for.

higher heat levels - things get steamy

lower angst levels - external conflict (rather then internal agony and navel gazing)

good chemistry (not the same thing as heat) - this means the actors are good at portraying physical, mental, and emotional attraction to each other

action

grey morality

multiple couples

mature characters

non-school setting

longer length treatment

a happy ending

I do hope I’ve gotten it right. This BL list will be rated on a scale of #/10 KP rating system - one point for each of the above, half points allowed. (Which is NOT my normal BL rating system.)

Some things that I can’t really help you with:

Explicitly kinky characters. There is very little of this in light BL (stories with happy endings) and what there is I’ve a listed here.

Mafia or yakuza set dramas are more common in dark BL. There are a few exceptions, but none of them have the bodyguard trope of KP.

Trigger warnings: assume if it happened in KP it may happen in these. including the stuff people argued over and disliked. Also dubcon and few others nasties. (Why so much dubcon in BL?)

Narrative structure. As you probably noticed in KP, strong story structure is not a hallmark of BL, but rather the exception. So far there have been only a few great strongly written high concept and killer narrative BLs.

Let’s start, shall we?

Loved KinnPorsche? Try These BLs Next

1. Manner of Death

(Thailand 2021) WeTV

This is a gay romantic suspense featuring a doctor and a mafia character. It’s more a murder mystery investigation with multiple plot twists than a mafia romance, but it is tons of fun. It’s stars the Original Kings of BL IRL ships: MaxTul. Also two of the hottest bodies in BL.

KP rating 9.5/10

It has higher heat levels, low angst (there is no angst at all, really, these boys got other things to do), great chemistry, action, grey morality, multiple couples (kinda - this is where it flails at bit so I dinged it 1/2 a point), mature characters, a country + medical setting, longer length treatment AND a happy ending.

What to watch next if this was your favorite off this list? Triage or Dear Doctor, I’m Coming for your Soul.

2. Trapped

AKA HIStory 3: Trapped

(Taiwan 2019) Viki

Basically the definition of enemies to lovers. Is about a cop investigating a cold case where a mafia boss is the only witness, so he starts chasing him. Along the way to solving it, they fall in love. Side characters = mercenary hitman meets nerdy cop of his dreams, cooks for him. All the leads are stellar. It’s high heat, fun action, and a bit of a mystery drama but is pretty about all of it. My only warning is that the main couple doesn’t entirely end up together, it’s implied, but... amorphous ending. The sides end happily tho.

KP rating 9.5/10

Contains mature characters, non-school setting, higher heat, lower angst, great chemistry, action (some of it the SAME action, these two run through the woods hand-cuffed together for days too), grey morality, multiple couples, and a longer length - only the ending falters.

You want HIStory 3: Trapped NOT the other HIStory 3!

If you’ve been frustrated by the heat levels and setting of Thai BLs since KP, then that’s because you need to turn your attention to Taiwan instead. Taiwan specializes in high heat levels and non-school settings. (They have some, but it’s not their focus.)

What to watch next if this was your favorite on this list: HIStory 2: Crossing the Line, DNA Says Love You, and you can explore the top 10 I talk about in my Taiwan’s history with the genre post. A warning, do not take Trapped as a typical example of HIStory franchise, it’s all over the place.

3. Long Time No See

(Korea 2017) GaGa

Long Time No See is about two assassins who fall in love via online gay fanfic without knowing they are hitmen on opposite sides of a turf war. Or do they? It’s absolutely great and very under appreciated. One of Strongberry’s few longer pieces (but still short by Thai BL standards) with good fight sequences and very suspenseful.

KP rating 8/10

Contains all KP elements except multiple couples and a longer length: mature characters, non-school setting, high heat, low angst, good chemistry, action, grey morality, and a happy ending.

What to watch next if this was your favorite on this list: Actually you might try some of Japan’s darker stuff, I’m thinking Double Mints, for example.

4. Not Me

(Thailand 2022) YouTube

This is crime thriller BL-lite about a group of motorcycling malcontents bent on bring down a corrupt system. Overtly queer, the romantic threads are not entirely the narrative drivers and it’s very slender on tropes, making this one, like MoD more gay romantic suspense than BL. But if gritty tension is what you’re after, this one has that in spades.

KP rating 7/10

It’s pretty low heat, this is OffGun+GMMTV and heat is not what they do. It has some angst because of the twin thing and the political thing (but not as much as I expected). The characters are not mature by my personal standards, they do act with the idealism of youth and they are in university some of the time. Otherwise ticks all the boxes: good chemistry, action, grey morality, multiple couples, longer length treatment, and a happy ending.

What to watch next if this was your favorite on this list: you can try OffGun’s back catalogue but it’s probably not what you’re looking for, try Bad Buddy instead and consider my favorite Thai BL, Until We Meet Again.

5. 3 Will Be Free

(Thailand 2019) YouTube

Is about a mafia kid, a stripper, and a grifter who accidentally kill a hitman and then have to go on the run with two assassins chasing them. Along the way the three of them basically fall in love with each other. You also get the mafia hitmen perspective. It’s GREAT and very queer.

KP rating 6/10

Low heat levels for this one because it’s from GMMTV. However it is also low angst (there consistent outside stressors and this plot moves FAST), good chemistry, lots of action, very grey morality, multiple couples (but with each other, this is a poly romance), is not set at school, and has a longer length treatment. However, the characters aren’t entirely mature and it has a slightly ambiguous ending - they survive and are kind-of together but also stuff has happened. I dinged it an extra point because technically this is a queer romance and not, actually, a BL at all. Still it’s a very under-appreciated gem of a show, and I highly recommend it.

What to watch next if this was your favorite on this list: there’s nothing else out there like this show, sorry, it’s unique. However if you like Tay (Shin) you should watch his BL series the Kiss series and Dark Blue Kiss (watching guide here) where he plays a completely different personality.

6. Irresistible Love

AKA Irresistible Love: Secret of the Valet (YouTube) + Irresistible Love 2 AKA Uncontrolled Love (YouTube)

(China 2016) grey

This two movie series is mafia esk but it’s very rough and lacks narrative cohesion. Rich kid (maybe mafia) boss has obsession with his family’s butler in a classic execution of the whipping boy trope. It’s in two parts and the second part has two endings, you want the one that ends not entirely unhappily. I not-so-secretly love this BL: obsession, mutilation, very hard fought and absolutely classic Chinese BL pre-censorship. It's a wild melodramatic ride.

KP rating 6/10

This has higher heat levels (all are dub con), good chemistry, very grey morality, mature characters, non-school setting and a medium length treatment. It also has some serious angst because of the unequal power dynamic and the seme’s bisexuality, there’s little action, only one couple, and the ending is all over the place, happyish if you can find the right one. (As of typing this post: the YouTube links should still work, but this is a grey show it has no official distribution.)

What to watch next if this was your favorite on this list: really? This one was your favorite? Okay then, how about trying My Beautiful Man AKA Utsukushii Kare? Or go for Addicted, if you want the best that China can do.

7. Golden Blood

(Thailand 2021) YouTube

A Thai BL pulp with the whipping boy trope (attack dog variant) about a boy who is pulled off the streets because he has the correct blood type and trained to be the servant/caretaker/bodyguard of a rich mafia kid. They fall in love.

KP rating 5/10

This one has higher heat levels, multiple couples, a longer length treatment and a happy ending. But it is a Thai pulp so the production values are poor. There is some unnecessary angst as the characters are not mature and it is partly set in university, the chemistry is uneven (great with the sides but not the mains), there is action but it’s not very good, and grey morality (sort of). All in all, a mixed bag.

If you liked this best you have some pretty relaxed standards. why not lean in and try some MAME stuff like TharnType, Don’t Say No, or Love in the Air. Consider yourself warned.

8. Unforgotten Night

(Thailand 2022) iQIYI

Ostensibly a kinky story of a mafia Dom who after a one night stand gets obsessed with a simple office worker and kidnaps him into his dark crime riddled world. But that made it sound appealing. It’s terrible.

KP rating 5/10

It does have higher heat levels but they aren’t actually, ya know, good because the chemistry is poor, there’s a lot of unnecessary angst, there’s some action, grey morality, multiple couples, longer length treatment, and a happy ending but ho boy. It’s not a wild ride, it’s a confused and quite dull one. Also you will spend a lot of time worrying about plumbing, and not in a euphemistic way.

If you liked this best, you're confused. You need to learn what good chemistry looks like, watch Zee’s catalogue - Why R U? and Cutie Pie.

There is also Chains of Heart to consider.

9. Where Your Eyes Linger

(Korea 2020) Viki

Ostensibly high school set about a poor kid whose been raised in a mafia kid’s family specifically to protect him (whipping boy trope, attack dog variant). Themes of codependency and survival with pretty classic Korean style romance ending.

KP rating 4.5/10

Excepting Strongberry, Korean stuff is rarely high heat, this one gives you a kiss at the end but that’s it. Decent chemistry, only a little action, only one couple (also a hallmark of KBL), and short treatment. It does have grey morality and a happy ending (at the very last minute). The characters are not mature and it is set in high school.

What to watch next if this was you favorite: you might try Hwang Da Seul’s other BLs To My Star or Blueming. I like the both a whole lot.

10. Word of Honor

(China 2021) Viki also Youku’s YouTube

Yes a censored Chinese bromance actually made one of my lists. But remember I’m rating this by KP standards, not my own. Normally I leave the censored stuff off my lists because I believe in censoring the censors. However, if anything gets on, it’s usually this one.

This show is my favorite of the post 2016 bromance wave. It’s two murder-gay assassins (pining sunshine/tsundere), and they are so insanely gay for two boys who are never allowed to kiss. Tropes include: wuxia, soulmates, paranormal, historical, and fantasy elements.

KP rating 4/10

No heat, this is Chinese BL post censorship, some angst (China likes angst) but in this case it’s warranted, good chemistry, fantastic action, beautifully grey morals, there are other couples but only het and they die, a VERY long treatment, and an ambiguous ending.

If this was your favorite go ahead and watch Untamed (knowing they don’t end up together) or even The Guardian. You might also try Advance Bravely if only to see our boy Jun swap seme for uke. That’s kind of a bodyguard romance.

And that’s it, those are my recs. Feel free to leave your own recs (and reasons) in the comments.

This post is dated Sept 2022, not responsible for other BLs that come along after that date and fit the KP model better.

That said, recent additions!

Never Let Me Go

KP rating 7/10

This is a bodyguard romance with has lower angst, good chemistry, action, multiple couples (sort of), mature-ish characters, longer length treatment, a happy ending. However it is medium heat, no grey morality, and 1/2 in a school setting.

The Sign

KP rating 9/10

Def has the higher heat levels, lower angst (it’s mostly external conflict), fantastic chemistry, and some grey morality, mature characters, non-school setting, longer length treatment, a happy ending. It’s only flaw is weak secondary couples. They there, but not awesome.

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charmg, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN.

(source)

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theinfinitedivides · 9 months

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totally obsessed with king the land and i need to rant about it somewhere and i figured this would be a fun place because i love your takes and can i start off by saying i've haven't seen someone as down bad as gu won in a really long while. to think he realized his feelings because he took a quiz a few weeks back and look at where he is now, confessing his love on a rooftop to the woman he falls in love with more and more every second.

ep 10 was honestly one of the most fulfilling romantic escape episodes i've ever seen in a show, like the locations were stunning, the chemistry was chemistrying like crazy and god the way won looks at sarang? the way he smiles so wholeheartedly? it's like she helped him rediscover what happiness and love feels like.

one thing i really loved from the earlier eps is how won always gives in and tries new things with sarang and realizes how much he enjoys it. also, the way sarang's grandma is such an important figure to both sarang and won now makes me so happy. i love how won takes all of her advice to heart and actually works on his communication.

i also absolutely loved how this week's eps focused on them just being in love and enjoying their dating era, the quality time and the constant need to touch each other and express their affection is something so precious. can't wait to see what's in store for them in the weeks to come. 🥹

i cannot tell you how honored i am to be the recipient of this little love letter to KTL bc you!!!! you get it anon!!!! i'm going to be addressing some of your points but i should warn you that it will be all over the place so i hope that doesn't confuse you once you get around to reading this sksksksk

first off, i think Won automatically gravitates towards Sa Rang's halmeoni bc in some ways she is that mother figure for him. we still haven't been told exactly what happened to his mother btw, but considering the age gap between him and his half-sister Hwa Ran you would think that after eomma "disappeared" (using that term for now) Hwa Ran would have stepped in. their relationship is so, so f*cked up, however, that she's never actually treated him as her actual sibling (as seen by her dangling the pocketwatch his mother gave him out the window/breaking it by letting it go. he still carries it around, even after all of that.) and so there is no love lost between the two of them. she has always viewed him as a competitor, someone to be wary against in her struggle for their father's company, and even though Halmeoni acts as if he is also one (for Sa Rang's hand) the way they interact says differently. (there's so much to unpack about why that is, namely the way that Gu Il Hoon treats his children and the lessons he's instilled in them, but that's not the point rn and i don't have energy to write that essay today)

so when Hwa Ran tells him not to try anything in terms of the company bc he won't be able to do anything substantial anyway, he listens, bc that fear has been bred into him. he's learned early not to expect anything akin to affection from her, learned that the only reason he's allowed to come so close is bc she knows his weaknesses (ep 3 publicity interview/panic attack anyone?) and uses them to keep him on a leash so he doesn't get in her way and he's tired. he says as much when he tells her '나 싸우고 싶지 않았어' — 'i didn't want to fight' during their convo in the lounge in ep 8 (have some slightly unrelated commentary on that scene here, although in the more recent eps after meeting Sa Rang he has begun to buck against her incessant emotional abuse). but when Halmeoni tells him to do something, he listens, bc he knows, instinctively, that whatever she's telling him is not going to sabotage his relationship with Sa Rang. she's not out to get him, and she does not loathe his entire existence—she is treating him like the grandson she does not have, and she in turn is the mother that he has been deprived of for so long.

(frankly i think the best way to describe Hwa Ran and Won's dynamic with the influence of their father coming into play is uh. 'but business is business! / and business runs in the family' from Amanda Palmer's Runs In the Family. fair warning the video is a bit all over the place and the lyrics may be triggering but i highly recommend listening to the song if you haven't already)

building off of that, i think Sa Rang is also another outlet of love for him that is making up for what he has lacked. the way she and her circle of friends, much like her halmeoni, treat him when he is around (even after a bit of a false start in the first episodes) is in contrast to his sister as well—it's implied, albeit not explicitly, that he has the tendency to attach himself to people other than her once they show him any kind of care (standing up for Sang Sik taking him with him from the internship after Sang Sik tried to help him adjust in case he got in trouble, for instance). he trusts them even if he doesn't say it, since he does not trust her, and in some ways the kind of fear he has around Hwa Ran has been rechanneled into the need to keep his eyes on Sa Rang, bc he is afraid he might lose her. and he does not want to lose her, bc he has loved someone, for once, almost as much as he has loved his mother. and so once he realizes that that is what it is he tries to tell her as much, every chance that he gets, and we get to see that in the touches and glances and the small things that he does, an opening up to her as best he knows how. i spoke more about that here, but one of the best comparisons to their relationship that i can think of (other than Mitski's Come Into the Water and KK's Aankhon Mein Teri that i have already made a post about) is this line from Lee Hae Ri's gorgeous song Maybe that she sang for the OST of Her Private Life ('어쩌면 그게 사랑 일지도 몰라 / 반복되는 일상 / 그 속에 나를 보듬어 준 네가 / 조용히 떨리는 심장이 말해 / 너를 보고 싶다고 말하래' — 'maybe it [this feeling] is love / you who've cared for me in my repetitive everyday life / my quietly trembling heart tells me to say that i miss you'), bc that is just Won telling Sa Rang in the pool in the gloriousness that is ep 10 that he missed seeing her face in so many words and God. God them!!!!! laying face down on the ground and sobbing they're too much for me

despite all of this i know something has to give in the upcoming episodes, though, and while i am not asking for heavy angst (no devastating messy breakup arc i am on my knees begging at this point) i do hope we get to explore more of that kind of dynamic between Sa Rang and Won and get a cathartic moment for him while we're at it. (if you're not going to send him to therapy to address his childhood trauma [possible panic attack trigger i see you in the ep 11 preview] then let the man cry ffs) looking forward to whatever they do as much as you are, anon <333

#inbox #q: anon #tv: king the land #king the land #lee junho #junho 2pm #im yoona #girls generation yoona #yoona snsd #kim seon young #kdrama #local gay watches KTL (and gets diabetes in the process).txt #local gay watches k-dramas.txt #well this ended up much longer than i expected it would and i apologize for that but #this is such a welcome distraction after Tumblr literally upended my dash. truly the only way i am surviving #is XKit and muscle memory from when i used to go digging through Twitter without an account before Muskrat took over #fair warning the Lee Hae Ri translation is cobbled together from like six different sources and yes my poor Korean skills #native/advanced speakers pls feel free to roast i will edit sksksksk

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