#bl 2023

[absolutebl]

TOP 10 BL Trends of 2023

This is just me with my analysis hat on. 

1. 2023 = the year EVERYONE went outside their lanes

Everything went topsy-turvy this year in BL. 

For example, Korea gave us agonized yearning and outright queerness (The 8th Sense, The New Employee) while Japan served up soft office workers and tender family (Our Dining Table). 

The BL world went askew for a while, especially in the spring of 2023. 

Not that we still didn’t still get Korea’s soft angsty bubbles or Japan’s “what are you doing and why does it hurt?” kink-fests. But there were quite a few BLs that made us chronic watchers sit up in confusion and wonder if Korea was dabbling in Taiwan’s territory or Japan in Thailand’s. Then they fudged the kisses and we were like... okay, back in familiar territory. 

In contrast, Thailand stayed course-correcting for the damage they’ve done in the past with tropes (2022) and self referential meta criticism (2021), but also almost aggressively returned to their BL roots after last year’s series of shockers. Certainly, they are reexamining those roots, transplanting some, aerating others. But they really went back to classic Thai university and high school BL and pulps in a big way in 2023. 

Taiwan is always difficult to gage because they produce so few but they seem to have stuck with what they do best with no deviation while producing more this year than they have in ages. I’m happy for that, why change a good thing? But there is a tiny part of me that really wants them to hit it out of the part with a quality piece soon. For me, We Best Love still reigns supreme, but I would really like the HIStory franchise to give us that level but longer - like a happy version of Your Name Engraved Herein. I think Taiwan has the chops to give us something as good as The 8th Sense or Old Fashion Cupcake but in their style, and I would like to see them exercise their talent for good rather than just profit. 

I know, what a very odd thing for me to say. But if any BL is going to break into the mainstream American market, I genuinely think it’s most likely come from Taiwan. 

Vietnam and the Philippines are falling behind, in general. They just didn’t bring out very many shows in 2023, and what the brought out tended to fub the endings. This is forgivable in Japan (because of their style and quality) but not what watchers want in the lower production value propositions. In other words, if you do a pulp, you can’t mess up the ending (by romance standards). that doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon. 

2. The Office Romance Dominated

After years of Thailand serving us an endless (and slightly bland) buffet of university (and a few high school) BLs, this year Korea was basically like...

Ofiice. We like the Office. It’s cheap to film we can use grown up actors, acting (mostly) their actual age. 

And yeah... it totally worked. 

To be fair, Japan has always given us office live action yaoi from the beginning (they had the source material) but this year everyone else, including Thailand, seriously started playing in this setting. 

3. Boys Danced with Boys

The darling @heretherebedork​ was a big fan of this one, and I rather like it myself. Prior to this boys dancing together was very very rare in BL, but this year we got way more than our fair share. It was lovely. 

Never Let me Go

My School President 

Bed Friend 

The Day I Loved You 

Step by Step

Be Mine Superstar

Tie the Not 

Dangerous Romance

I think there were a few more. These are the ones I remembered to write down. 

4. Getting (even more) Meta With Tropes 

BL has been getting more and more meta over the past few years but this year they really focused in on tropes specifically. Calling out their own biggest and most favorite tropes in a massive way, especially Thailand and especially GMMTV. 

Like they tunneled in on damaging tropes with Bad Buddy and the like over the past 2 years, and now they are just having fun with us. 

I mean they just started the dancing trope and already they are calling it out? That’s like rapid-fire regurgitated meta there, GMMTV. 

5. Cameos are the norm now 

Taiwan has always loved cameos but in the past the other countries have been show and steady with only one or two a year. (Unless Japan does a parody.) 

This year Korea got in on the game.

Korea rarely starts trends but they do adopt smaller and lesser known existing ones and make them super popular. 

This year they did that with cameo couple appearances, even borrowing a few of Thailand’s pairs (TutorYim and MaxNat traveled north). They did it so much I stopped tracking. Love Class 2, Why R U?, and Jun & Jun were the heaviest hitters. 

Taiwan, of course, came back swinging. Kiseki was the gum-ball machine of pair cameos. (In Taiwan mafia = gay.) 

6. We are entering the cross pollination age

The number of remakes picked up or started this year was startling, not just countries revisiting their own content (Thailand, Japan) but countries revisiting OTHER countries stuff.

Lemme explain...

Korea has started remaking Thai content (Why R U?) alongside cameo'ing Thai pairs.

Thailand is doing Korean IP (My Dear Gagster Oppa) and has 2 Chinese ones slated for next year. 

GMMTV acquired a lot of Japanese IP (Cherry Magic, Ossen, and My Love Mix Up) - and then had problems distributing it. 

This is probably the most surprising trend for me. Especially the Japanese stuff. I would have thought these properties well outside of Thailand's price range (even GMMTV's) not to mention Japan’s legendary IP issues (I swear I typed this pout before the pulled TayNew’s excellent Cherry Magic). 

Also why not option some of the older popular manga instead? Bet that's much cheeper. (I did see a NEW Thai translation of Finder into Thai, which is 90s yaoi, so I have my fingers crossed on that front.)

I shouldn't be too surprised. 

Thailand is running out of y-novel content. Their publication industry is just not robust enough (I was just talking to a friend about this at length recently). But I didn't think they had the funds to option, especially from Japan. 

Perhaps the option deals are for peanuts?

7. Korea got cheeky

I’m not sure quite how else to put this. 

After finally figuring out boys can kiss, Korea started to do not just higher heat but playful higher heat, with more aggressive word play and linguistic innuendo, like they are entering their racy rom-com teenage years (Why R U? Love Class 2 and Jun & Jun in particular.) 

I guess: Welcome to your BL teens, Korea? 

It’s cute of them. I am very much enjoying it. 

And now that comedy is warming them up, we get to see them play with actual queer burgeoning physicality in shows like The 8th Sense. 

It’s nice. I like seeing Korea stretch its wings. They still stick to their bubble, but that bubble seems to be expanding. 

8. The Amnesia Trope is back

And I, for one, would prefer to forget about it. 

9. BL got trendy 

I’m not quite sure how to articulate this category but basically we started seeing a lot of “modern” romance trends out of the west (like a/b/o) show up in our BL. Not a ton and sometimes quite small, but there has a been a steady rise of things like: no seme/uke, femme gay, out gay, condom use, messy gay. 

We also got an increasing range of sub genre frameworks (like mafia, office setting) that’s moved BL pretty firmly (even in Thailand) out of school and into the workplace, whether actual working is involved or not. 

It’s not to the point where it feels like we get more non-school BL than school BL (if I include all countries in this assessment).

Japan, in classic Japanese fashion, quietly started moving in the opposite direction. It’s what they do. 

10. The Vampires are coming 

This is an announcement trend, which I don’t usually report on but it’s so CLEAR. 

So last year we had a spate of announcements of possible Omegaverse (2 from China, 1 from Japan, 1 from Thailand - the only one that’s happened). 

This year we got 5 Vampire (or vampire-esk) Thai BLs announced including one from GMMTV. 

Whether all 5 will actually get made is unlikely, but having had (basically) none prior to this (Kissable Lips), I’m pretty confident that we will get at least 2 of them. And I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one other country made one as well. (Side eyes Taiwan with interest.) 

Final thoughts

It feels like we are also seeing a decline in BL (both by quantity and quality) from Vietnam and the Philippines. As you all know, I don’t track or really watch either of these two very closely. But it feels like, now, no one else is either. 

I think we have likely seen the BL heyday already in both places and their industries are now on the decline. 

We might be witnessing a thinning in the players in the BL field. 

FYI we had approximately 

136 BLs in 2023

Previous Years

2022: 117

2021: 95

2020: 62

2019: 40

2018: 30 

2017: 44 (China’s last gasp)

2016: 27

2015: 17 (50% micro)

2014: 17 (50% micro)

And that’s it! Let me know in the comments if you’ve spotted any additional trends you want to call out.

Last year, 2022′s trend report

2021′s Trend report

Last Year’s Stats & Predictions

(source) 

#bl 2023 #bl trends 2023 #film trends 2023 #EVERYONE went outside their lanes #The 8th Sense #kroean bl #thai bl #The Office Romance Dominated #bed friend #Boys Danced with Boys #the day i loved you #Getting (even more) Meta With Tropes #hidden agenda #gmmtv #dinosaur love #love class 2 #jun and jun #We are entering the cross pollination age #why r U? #Korea Got Cheeky #The Amnesia Trope is back #BL got trendy #The Vampires are coming

[heretherebedork]

Weird 2023 QL Awards (Late to the Party edition)

Couple That Made Me Feel Most Vindicated 2023

I was suddenly thinking of Weird Awards for 2023 and I'm just gonna be clear that the first one I thought of was 'Couple That Made Me Feel Most Vindicated' and that was Tanthai and Tee from Laws of Attraction where I saw multiple people comparing like them at the start of the show to supporting rapist characters and claiming that made everyone who shipped them bad people only for the ending to show us that they were completely innocent and trapped by an abusive and controlling father and it was the sweetest, sweetest moment because that post about 'supporting someone who hit a child with his car' turned out to be not only completely wrong but was never followed up to my knowledge by any kind of acknowledgement that they were wrong.

Most Punishing Show That I Finished 2023

The Promise. Nothing else could possibly win this award. And, no, it doesn't get a picture or a gif. Fuck this show. Second place in this category goes to A Boss and A Babe.

Not A BL But Still Loved It 2023

Midnight Museum took my breath away and made me so happy it should probably be illegal and, no, it wasn't canonically a BL but I want you to look at this gifs and tell me it wasn't one of the queerest thing to air despite itself. Midnight Museum 2 when?

I Loved It Way More Than The More Popular Shows Airing At The Time 2023

My Dear Gangster Oppa was a blessing of a show that should have gotten so much more love and, no, I don't care about the pacing it was so damn cute and so good and I loved it the whole time. What a perfect show and yes I still think it's better than Playboyy will ever be.

I Fucking Lost My Mind 2023

La Pluie's soulmate narrative and more specifically these two boys destroyed me, rebuilt me and drove me to write more meta than any other show that finished airing last year because this show was so good it probably should have been illegal and these two were just so perfect. The narrative of learning to like someone and slowly falling in love only to start questioning everything because of a soulmate connection and then realizing that your confusion hurt someone you love and realizing you genuinely have to make up for it and make choices and not just let fate decide!? My entire heart. I love them so much and I very much doubt many shows will live up to this because they truly did it all.

Japan Gets an Award 2023

Because dear lord did a lot of their shows make me go bonkers. This not a specific award, this is just for the entire country blowing my mind repeatedly.

I Actually Liked Both The Main And The Side Couple 2023

I mean, it had to be. Kiseki got me into both couples and, hell, even into the barely there couple of the boss and his man and I loved every single one of them to an amount unheard of. Every single boy was amazing, they all got good endings, everyone was together and we got love all around. My Dear Gangster Oppa could have been here if the secondary couple had gotten a real ending but the show didn't give me a kiss, damnit!

I will open this up, if you have any specific really weird awards you think I could give, feel free to send me an ask and I'll... award it?

Anyway, 2023 has been a wild, wild year in BL and I'm glad to have spent it here with y'all. Nowhere else I'd rather be.

#bl 2023 #bl awards 2023 #thai bl #thai drama #thai series #thaibl #asianlgbtqdramas #bl series #asian lgbtq dramas #thai bl drama #thai bl series #bl drama #japanese bl #korean bl #taiwanese bl #i finally came up with awards I wanted to give!

[wen-kexing-apologist]

ASK ME MY TOP 5 OF ANYTHING BL 2023

I saw @negrowhat doing this and now I wanna play too

#tag game #bl 2023 #bl drama #ask game

[koyangii]

2023 - The year of Japanese BLs (My 2023 BL wrapped)

After plenty of good BL releases in 2022, I was hoping 2023 would keep the pace and give us even better content. However, I turned out to be very disappointed. In my opinion, the majority of the shows were blank, superficial and had really bad script and bad acting, so there were very few of them I've managed to finish, mostly Japanese ones.

One thing that really draws me towards Japanese productions is that the stories are believable and portrayed in a natural way. Even when the acting has big "anime" reactions, they usually fit in the context. Kieta Hatsukoi, for instance, explores this type of reactions very well and they don't feel cringe at all, unlike most Thai BLs and some Korean ones as well.

Nationalities apart, there's an obvious gold rush that is happening in the BL industry. A lot of companies realized that BL does make profit and are producing a lot of shows, poorly written, poorly casted, but that's ok since people are still consuming for the skinship, right? There's a public for that, so why invest in good, but a little more expensive stories?

Anyway, this is my opinion of course, as a regular consumer of the genre, and I can't help to be disappointed. But enough of the complaining, right? Let's go to the list of my 2023 favorites!

Top 3:

The eight sense

This BL has entered my list of all-time favorites. Fresh and mature, the chemistry between the leads is amazing. Jihyun's innocent approach to life contrasts really well with Jaewon's harsh perspective and I love the way both of them bond while helping each other to evolve. The feeling of the show reminds me a bit of Skam, another all-time favorite, and I found out that it really was one of the materials they used for inspiration. If you haven't watched it yet, stop everything you're doing and go watch The eighth sense right now.

2. If it's with you

I loved this show so much! The manga adaptation was beautifully done, they really paid attention to the details. It's a very sweet, heart-warming and honest story. There's no "instant love”: the relationship between them is built little by little, through sincere conversations and empathy. The series invites you to be more honest with yourself and to not be afraid of showing your true self. 

3. My Beautiful Man 2 and My Beautiful Man: Eternal

Well, it's somehow funny that I put this BL on the list, because I hated the first season of My Beautiful Man. However, the second season and the movie explore the motives behind the characters' actions in a deeper way, so the viewer can better understand the relationship dynamic. One thing that I really like about this story is that, although there is a worship behavior from Hira towards Kiyoi, Hira's life is not all about Kiyoi. In the same way, despite the fact that Kiyoi enjoys to be worshiped, he's also unsure about Hira's feelings: does Hira love the perfect, godlike image of Kiyoi he created inside his head or does he love the true Kiyoi, the human being with flaws?

Honorable mentions:

Our Dining Table

A great slow-burn which approaches the fact that true family is the one you choose, so sweet that almost made me die of too much cuteness.

I Can't Reach You

A very sweet friends-to-lovers story, which is now on Netflix!

Love Tractor

A fresh and funny countryside love story. I just love how Yechan is so hyped when it comes to Seonyul. This man must be kept in a jar, protected from all the badness in the world.

Conclusion

Well, although I believe 2023 wasn't the best year for BLs, it did give us some true gems, more productions and more visibility. I've seen news about Kdrama actors working on BL projects that will be released in 2024, so I guess we're having some next-level good content this year.

So that was it for this BL wrapped. I hope you all had great holidays and that 2024 will be full of blessings to all of us! Bye, bye!

#bl wrapped #bl 2023 #the eighth sense #if it's with you #my beautiful man 2 #i cannot reach you #our dining table #love tractor #japanese bl #korean bl

[jemmo]

hey so no one asked but seen as today is my final day of peace before i go home for christmas, i stayed up and made a silly lil tier list of all the bl series and movies i watched this year (which is a whopping 45!! but includes shows that didn't air this year but i watched this year, shows that started last year but finished this year, shows i haven't finished and shows that are still airing so... yeah). feel free to hit me with your aggressive support (or wrath), and if you wanna do one then i've added the link at the bottom (apologies i know there's some obvious absences here but i couldn't watch everythingggg)

#guys to be honest i got bored #and i never feel content at the end of the year until ive taken all the things i like and put them in a list #idk if any of these are controversial #and i had to put in a lot of tiers bc my thoughts on some of these are just too complex to rank that easily #i had to just do this on autopilot so i wasnt spending an hour thinking about every show #boys love #bl 2023

[linameka]

ASK ME MY TOP 5 OF ANYTHING BL 2023

#the sign the series #top 5 bl things #bl 2023 #game #bl game

[angstydiaz]

can i just say the weird standard people try and hold queer romcoms(and queer media but) in general is so weird

its always "its too juvenile" and "its too wholesome" but then its "this is too sexualised" and apparently queer ppl having sex scenes is automatically "fetishizing". Always "too corny" "too angsty" and dont get me started on people who act like something has to be bad representation just because they didn't like it

"its cringey" it is a fucking romcom bro. like half of the appeal of a romcom is the kinda cringey fun of it all . not your thing? fine go watch something that is,not being the audience for something is fine but god stop acting like one romcom is gonna dismantle the movement for queer rights.

#Since this keeps getting notes pls read:it's not about NOT judging queer media #also but im a cheerleader did not be the campiest lil 90s movie ever FOR SOME OF YOU TO ACT LIKE YOURE BETTER THAN A ROMCOM. #red white and royal blue #crush(2022) #heartstopper #bottoms movie #lgbtq+ #gay #lesbian #lgbtq media #first kill #willow 2022 #yellowjackets #WLW ESPECIALLY #but yeah #posts of mine i like #bottoms 2023 #thai bl

[beescake]

shit. two dudes

#homestuck #sollux captor #karkat vantas #vioart #2023 #solkat #??? pitch ???? #<- making excuses to tag 💔 #ngl the more ppl say its impossible to woobify them #the more im like. no no listen as an enjoyer i NEED my goofy tsundere baka bl yaoi rare soft and tender #the kind that falls apart in my hands #sighs. the joy of shredding mean scathing characters down into pliant loving mush....

[pharawee]

"If you want to know, you have to test it yourself."

PIT BABE · Episode 1

#pit babe the series #pit babe #pavel phoom #pooh krittin #charliebabe #pitbabeedit #thai drama #thai bl #bl drama #bl series #my edits. #not pavel singlehandedly selling the whole a/b/o thing to me #did not have that on my bingo card for 2023 #if anyone's asking i'm officially not perceiving the a-word #yet

[chickenstrangers]

Favorite Drama of 2023: Moonlight Chicken

repetitions // ep. 3 // ep. 7 // ep. 8

beginnings & endings & endings & beginnings

#moonlight chicken #moonlightchickenedit #*mygifs #*mine #asianlgbtqdramas #thaidramaedit #mlc repetitions #khaotunq #tuserrowan #userkimchi #uservid #tuseralexa #userbon #usergooseras #tusernix #tw flashing #flashing tw #bl superlatives 2023 #earth pirapat #mix sahaphap #i think this is the last of my mlc repetition series that no one but me cares about but was the reason i started making gifs #so feeling sentimental about that too (unless i make more next time i rewatch of course) #i love this show with my whole heart #happy new years eve! #*500

[absolutebl]

BL 2023 - BEST KISSES

Not from Thailand... but still GREAT

Best kiss of 2023:

Why R U? Korea

The backpack drop. This actually won best kiss of the year over all from me. A big surprise upset from Korea.

This pair in general did v good!

Best slow burn FINALLY kiss:

Our Dating Sim

Best Queer AF kiss:

The New Employee

Best high heat kinky fuckers kisses:

My Personal Weatherman

Best hella thirsty kiss:

I Cannot Reach You

Best kiss from a BL side pair:

Mr Cinderella 2

Best general making out and sex scenes:

Kiseki Dear to Me

Best missing umbrella kiss:

also My Personal Weatherman

Best At Kissing ALL THE BOYS:

BV in Vian

Most notable moment in KBL: I'm not sure you actually kissed but it was really significant:

Bump Up Business (two idols from the same 4th gen group, OnlyOneOf)

Only non-Thai BLs that completely ended in 2023 are included in this list.

(source)

#best bl kisses of 2023 #bl 2023 #best of list #best kisses #everyone by Thailand #they compete in their own category #Korean BL #the new employee #My Personal Weatherman #Japanese BL #I Cannot Reach You #Mr Cinderella 2 #vietnamese bl #Kiseki Dear to Me #taiwanaese bl #Bump Up Business #OnlyOneOf

[heretherebedork]

2023 award requests from @iguessitsjustme because Discord is a thing!

Most Confusing But Still Enjoyable BL 2023

Korea's WHY R U. That's it, the best and most confusing BL that I still enjoyed by the end of it. It made little to no sense, seemed to have been put together out of order and yet... and yet... I think it has to go here.

Best Age Gap 2023

Honestly, I think this goes to Moonlight Chicken. They were just so good and sweet and tender and the age gap was there and present and they both knew it but they were also both adults and it made the age gap feel different and uncommon.

I was tempted by Midnight Museum but I'm not sure any of us can categorically label the age gap in that relationship considering the metaphors and the amount of immortals present.

#bl 2023 #bl awards 2023 #thai bl #korean bl #i only award weird awards #bl drama #bl series

[bengiyo]

Too 5 horniest sex scenes

There were actually a lot of really solid sex scenes this year. For you, I will cheat and add extras.

Masumi and Ritsu in College in The End of the World With You

I actually think these are better in retrospect because we got to see what these two look like ten years later.

Yang and Phumjai Knocking Down Their Own Store in Love in Translation

I just know this was a fantasy for Yang and he absolutely still has that footage somewhere. They both had beds upstairs!

Namnuea Showing Sailom the Real Him in Wedding Plan

We did not get enough focus on characters who have experience sharing that with each other.

Kim Sung Min and Yoo Joo Hyuk in Love Class 2

We don't often get solidly built boys together in BL, and once again we got two men who knew how to fuck going at it.

Boston and Top in that Car in Only Friends

Top was trying to send that boy into orbit the way he jackhammered him! You know Boston's ass was clean and ready for this moment that he orchestrated.

That First Night Between Nail and Him in For Him

Nothing like a rebound hookup. Bonus if he looks exactly like your ex, amirite??

Saengtai Blowing Patts in La Pluie Ep 7

There's an extended version of this in the special episode on iQIYI. You should check it out. My man Patts was about to lose his mind in this and got what he needed to keep going.

Kon Diao and Yi on the Couch in Naughty Babe Ep 6

Let us never again mention the thumb incident in episode 8. Instead, let's talk about Kon Diao taking charge in this scene and blowing Yi so good that he had to keep his socks on.

King and Uea Explore Kinks in Bed Friend

King was trembling in anticipation when he shared this with Uea.

Ask Me Top 5 BL 2023 Anything

#answered #best of bl 2023 #bed friend #the end of the world with you #bokura no micro na shuumatsu #love class 2 #naughty babe the series #la pluie #for him the series #only friends the series #wedding plan #love in translation

[hirmienworld]

November 2023 BL'S lineup

Last update: 07/11/23

November 2023 looks packed with new BLs, seriously, it's like they all agreed to air around the same time. There will be a lot of competition.

Twins - November 3 - TRAILER

2. Middleman's Love - November 10 - TRAILER

3. Last Twilight - November 10 - TRAILER

4. A Breeze of Love - November 10 - TRAILER (region locked)

5. Beyond the Star - November 11 - TRAILER

6. Playboyy - November 16 - TRAILER

7. Pit Babe - November 17 - TRAILER

8. Bake me Please - November 19 - TRAILER

9. 7 Days before Valentine - November 22 - TRAILER

10. VIP Only - November 24 - TEASER

11. The Sign - November 25 - TEASER

12. Cooking Crush - November 26 - TRAILER

13. The Whisperer - November 26 - TRAILER

14. For Him - November 30 - PILOT

15. Sahara-sensei & Tori-kun - November 30 -

Ending in November:

If it's with you - November 1

I Feel You Linger In The Air - November 3

Dangerous Romance - November 3

Venus in the Sky - November 4

I Cannot Reach You - November 6

Kiseki: dear to me - November 7

You Are Mine - November 10

One Room Angel - November 30

Scheduled for November but without a date:

Night Dream - TEASER

Boyy of God - TEASER

#bl drama #twins the series #middleman's love #beyond the star the series #playboyy the series #playboyy #pit babe #pit babe the series #7 days before valentine #vip only series #the sign the series #cooking crush #For Him the series #wuju bakery #boyy of god #November 2023 drama #if it's with you #i feel you linger in the air #dangerous romance #venus in the sky #i cannot reach you #kiseki: dear to me #kiseki dear to me #kiseki #you are mine the series #Bake me please #last twilight #night dream #night dream the series

[save-the-data]

Pit Babe | S01E10

Thai Drama - 2023, 14 episodes

Episodes | Gaga | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Tencent | Catalogue

#Drama: Pit Babe #LGBTQ+ #Sports #Adapted from a Web Novel #พิษเบ๊บ #Pit Babe the Series #Pavel Naret #Pooh Krittin #Nut Supanut #Ping Obrnithi #Benz Atthanin #Lee Asre #Thai BL #BL GIFS #Thai Drama - 2023 #Drama: 2023 #TDrama #Romance

[lurkingshan]

Random BL Superlatives: 2023 Edition

It's the end of the year and I'm feeling the need to give out some awards! We talk a lot about best show, best actors, best writing, best directing, blah blah but I gotta be honest, these are the categories that really spoke to me this year. In no particular order:

Best supporting garment: Porsche’s sweater, A Boss and A Babe

Did I create this entire list just to have an excuse to post about this sweater one more time? Maybe so.

Best performance despite a terrible wig: Daou, Love in Translation

This man managed to perform one of the hottest scenes of the year with that bowl cut monstrosity on his head. Respect must be paid.

Best new terminology: BGP, Bump Up Business

BUB gave us so many gifts, but I will always be most thankful for the business gay performance concept (BGP), a term that is highly relevant in discussions of the bl industry.

Best advice: "Unfuck it," Tien in La Pluie

It's not only the succinct phrasing, but also the delivery method.

Best ex who deserved better: Alan, Moonlight Chicken

Yes, I will be staying on the Alan apologist beat in 2024, thank you for asking.

Best unexpected needle drop: Wetter, The Eighth Sense

The moment this show captured my full attention.

Best WTF ending: The End of the World With You

You can probably still hear my scream of "WHAT" echoing in the hills. (Actual ending not pictured in case y'all decide to watch).

Best gut punch line: "Have you been well? Without me?", Our Dating Sim

Sure Shin Gi Tae, Lee Wan deserved it, but did I??

Best adorable child: Tane, Our Dining Table

Need I say more??

Best weapon: sparkle murder dust, Khun Chai

Truly the MVP of this show. I can't find an actual gif of the dust in action (too violent to be depicted) so enjoy these pretty men instead.

Best great character trapped in a bad show: Boston, Only Friends

My beloved, I will seek vengeance in your name.

Best use of music to fuck me up: Plumeria, I Feel You Linger in the Air

Cocktail and Tee Bundit, you know what you did!

Best meal: Chicken curry and cheese naan, What Did You Eat Yesterday?

Yes, this category is kind of a cheat so I can mention WDYEY on this list. And what about it!

Best unhinged energy: Nawin, Laws of Attraction

He may not have succeeded at stealing back his man but he certainly stole the show.

Best bl horror: Grand Guignol

I just need to make sure all you jbl fans know that this movie exists and that Issei fucked Mr Unlucky!!! IYKYK.

Best character comeback: Phupha, Our Skyy 2

From boring stoic love interest to actually compelling and kinda funny leading man! See what a little flirting with Pat Jindapat can do for you?!

#best of bl 2023 #moonlight chicken #the eighth sense #a boss and a babe #la pluie #bump up business #our dating sim #laws of attraction #khun chai #i feel you linger in the air #only friends the series #the end of the world with you #love in translation #our dining table #what did you eat yesterday? #grand guignol #our skyy 2 #bl superlatives 2023 #shan shouts into the void