#so we got dec 2022 in ep 5 and 6 so ep 7 will be lny and ep 8 valentine's??? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

absolutebl · 1 year

Text

This Week in BL - Ending the Year FINE & simple

Dec 2022 Wk 4

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Never Let Me Go (Tues YT) 3 of 12 - Butler Dad (v.2) is going to be a problem, I can tell. Chimon is a cute, if suspicious, flirt. Palm, on the other hand, is the gentlest flirt imaginable. He wants spoiled prince + attack dog dynamic so bad. As, indeed, do I.

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) 8 of 12 - still enjoying it very much, annoyed by filler couples, WATCH ALONG HERE.

609 Bedtime Story (Fri WeTV) 6 of 11 - Oh, I see! The Mint storyline is to give more characters motivation to murder Dew. It’s all set up. How clumsy. Meanwhile, we got a confession right on schedule, classic romance beats.

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) 7 of 12 - Whatever.

Remember Me (Sun Gaga) 12 of 14 - Honestly? I’d DNF this show but its almost done and I've watched 12 already. Sunk cost fallacy in action. I’m not going to make this mistake with this production house again. JaFirst cry well, but I’m vetting and binging these in future.

My School President (Fri YT) 5 of 10 - no ep this week, resumes Jan 6

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The New Employee (Korea Weds Viki) 2 of 8 - It’s giving me life, this one. Pining boss. Drunk lesbian bestie of awesome. Plus gay player (former college heartthrob) is a fun background for the faen fatal, not to mention rainbow rice cakes. COME ON. RAINBOW RICE CAKES!

HIStory 5: Love in the Future (Taiwan Thurs Viki) 1 of 20 - A cheerful kid from 1999 travels to 2022, works as a deliveryman, and meets an heir with a domineering personality. Directed by Nancy Chen (HIStory 4, Papa & Daddy). The time travel premise is interesting, the leads are giving me whipping boy vibes, but I don’t like seme’s stalker energy. It feels very HIStory franchise which means it could go any direction but sensible and I’m expecting problematic tropes. However! The sides are GREAT - they’re an office romance boss/intern relationship. And this is 20 full episodes so we will get plenty of them. Also, is that Taiwan I see giving us a femme character? I am all amazement. I think I like this show, actually. (Note; will be referring to this as H5 going forward.)

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (Korea Thurs iQIYI) 5-6 of 10 - Is there a not very small part of me that wishes this were a love story between the earnest assistant baby boi, and the older anxiety-riddled rockstar? Yes. Although I did not expect Korea to go there with the lipstick mark AND an actually gay idol. What alternate reality are we currently living in? Also, is every character in this show slightly insane? Yes. Is every actor in this show slightly too pretty for my emotional well-being? Also, yes. Bring it on 2023.

Candy Color Paradox AKA Ameiro Paradox (Japan Fri Gaga) 3 of 8 - I think I just don’t like the photographer character much (although he’s very typically Japanese tsundere seme). Really quite a good kiss though, for Japan. On the flip side, it was nice to see the reporter being good at his job (competency porn is a very underused trope in BL). Then we get confession, immediate retraction, and a disbelief counter attack. Then more kisses. Huh. This isn’t progressing how I expect. And that’s kinda nice too. Oh Japan, you so cute & trixie.

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

Love Bill (Vietnam Sat YT) - Bah Vinh is back but I’m too distracted. Also there’s a lot of fund raising stuff going on with them. I’ll wait and binge.

The Star Always Follow You (Vietnam YT) - same Team RL peeps we have seen before (Sunshine, Stupid)

Till the World Ends (Thai YT) 10 eps - it seems to be good but I don’t know about the ending with that kind of title, so I’m waiting.

Moonlight Chicken GMMTV’s Midnight series (Weds YT) 1 of 8 eventually - first segment has begun bit it’s not the EarthMix messy gays. Sorry all, I’m so not interested in messy hets, so I’m waiting until they grace my screen.

In Case You Missed It

Coffee Melody special feat TitNuea & Jean like it’s counterpart was rather dull, but I find this a more appealing couple than the mains so I liked it better.

Moments Of Love - featuring SmartJames AKA LeonPhob from Don't Say No) from Foremorfilm Production supposedly aired Dec 24 directed by Golf Tanwarin (609 Bedtime Story and The Eclipse). But it has no rating on MDL so I guess not?

Next Week Looks Like This:

2023 forthcoming BL master post is in the works... wait for it... I’m doing all the 2022 wrap ups first. Also waiting for the last of the studio announcements.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Mujigae-tteok (Korean rainbow rice cake) - a new item has entered my never ending food quest list.

OhmFluke do domesticity well, gotta give them that.

Quick end of year thoughts on 2022 BL & the future of these weekly posts:

Honestly? Overall it’s been a fine year for BL with some good shows & and some ho shows, and also a lot of dross. But the most notable aspect was the overwhelming quantity to keep up with. My work world is opening back up with tons of travel. This plus my recent revelation that I actually prefer binge watching (especially the lower quality stuff) means that I can’t keep up with BL if it keeps up this insane pace.

So in 2023 you can expect me to try to keep these weeklies updated with what’s airing, of course, but also pull back on how many I personally watch and summate.

In 2022, BL sort of became my 2nd job, and it doesn't pay well enough for that.

All that said I think...

2023 is going to be GOOD for BL. Happy new year!

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? I’ve been in a “beastly” mood recently so it’s Lee Gikwang’s (Beast, Highlight) Don’t Close Your Eyes. I forgot how fucking banging that opening rift is. Thank you Kpop gods for putting the 2nd gens through the ever eternal slut phase.

Now just put them all though a BL phase and we’re golden. Yes, I am thinking of Unintentional Love Story (Gongchan B1A4), why do you ask?

75 notes · View notes

feuqueerfire · 1 year

Text

Feu's January 2023 BL/GL Wrap-Up

A little monthly (spoilery!) wrap-up of all the shows I’ve watched or am watching in January 2023, general thoughts, and ranking of them all.

Recommendation of the month:

Strangers From Hell! Soooooo good~

Ranking

Strangers From Hell

Midnight Motel

Choco Milk Shake = Roommates of Poongduck 304

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner = Girlfriend Project Day 1

Average Rating: 6.2/10

MDL Updates - Added to Watchlist:

A section because I’m curious about how many shows I decide to add to my Watch List a month and also the ratio of watching them:adding them.

Added a whole bunch of K-Dramas which seem to be thrillers/crime/horror genre and/or have bromance-y plots after watching Strangers From Hell

My School President

Till the World Ends

Midnight Motel

Strangers from Hell

The Devil Judge

Beyond Evil

Psychopath Diary

Mouse

The Merciless

Parasite

Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (The Full-Time Wife Escapist) - From the Certified Noonas podcast; apparently this talks about how the housewife is being compensated for her work and backup plans etc

Happiness - zombies but there is also fake dating? or contract marriage? or something. I think Certified Noonas mentioned it

Go Back Couple - Certified Noonas mentioned it. kinda reminds me of 18 Again except both people who are about to divorced go back in time

The Uncanny Counter - Certified Noonas. This is an OCN drama I think? seems cool

lol I added so many this month, many of them non-bls (though a few are known for bromance vibes)

To Watch List At Start Of Month: 47

To Watch List At End Of Month: 49

Removed from To Watch List:

removing the first 3 are shows that I’ve been meaning to watch for a while but probably won’t actually ever get to (but if the mood really strikes, I’ll pick them up for sure because every time there’s an opportunity to watch them, I just make an excuse)

Until We Meet Again

You're My Sky

To My Star 2: Our Untold Stories

Flower of Evil - was considering watching this during my kdrama time but everyone seems to have complaints about the second half or last few eps and I can’t deal with that. Also saw a specific spoiler that I really hate so

Kei×Yaku: Abunai Aibou - it’s a bromance and people say the plot is weak. Think I’d rather watch higher quality bromance action/thriller shows

Love Class

Watching On-Air

Never Let Me Go

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Dec 13, 2022 - Feb 28(?), 2023

Watch Via: Youtube (free)

Watch Dates: Jan 1 - ONGOING, 2023

Rating: ?/10

Overall Impression:

tags: never let me go

Also Appears In: Never Let Me Go Ep 1 - 4, Ep 5, Ep 6, Ep 7, Ep 8 Live Blogging

Completely Watched

Midnight Motel - non QL

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Dec 28, 2022 - Jan 12, 2023

Watch Via: Youtube (free)

Watch Dates: Jan 11 - 14, 2023

Rating: 6.5/10

Overall Impression: The acting was great, the script was comprehensible and well-paced, the production is good, featured sex work without villainizing the workers or the work itself. I loved Mote’s little fantasies of possible scenarios or of imagining an interaction in a different way (the card game with June, convo with dead Pat). I’m impressed by the creative team behind it. I won’t think about this much after today I don’t think but I liked this little show.

tags: midnight motel

Also Appears In: Midnight Motel Live Blogging

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Dec 15, 2022 - Jan 12, 2023

Watch Via: iQiyi (free)

Watch Dates: Jan 18 - 19, 2023

Rating: 5.5/10

Overall Impression: I feel like this should be higher just because it’s got a cool concept and the cinematography’s good but I felt like maybe 1 emotion during this whole show (the hug in the car), which sucks. The writing in the show sucked, both in terms of relationship development (there was none. why were they from A to Z without B C...) and the fantasy/lore aspects. In a better show, Dongbaek’s dying wish to be the one who remembers next time coming true would be a punch to the gut but here, I don’t gaf

tags: the director who buys me dinner

I was wondering if I should watch Flower of Evil but because of the reasons mentioned above + he gets amnesia (?! agh), I’m removing it from my To Watch for now rip

I’m kinda in the mood for something longer and with darker tones though, so I’m looking at like Strangers from Hell, The Devil Judge, Beyond Evil which all seem to be horror or thrillers (and with BL undertones? I hear about Devil Judge a lot). I think I’ll watch Strangers From Hell cuz it’s like 10 1-hour long eps bc the others are 16 eps with 75 or 65 mins each ep.

Strangers from Hell - non QL

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Aug 31, 2019 - Oct 6, 2019

Watch Via: :>

Watch Dates: Jan 19 - 23, 2023

Rating: 7.5/10

Overall Impression: The whole descent of Jongwoo was interesting to see, as well as how his environment and people around him made him who he is and what he had in him from previous experiences and by nature. The acting and cinematography/atmosphere were good. I liked the hallucinations/dreams (I loved it when I couldn't tell whether he really was breaking the keyboard until the CCTV showed it or whether he was beating up the supervisor until the others came in bc he had violent imagined scenarios so often) and I'm glad it was just 10 eps. I do like to think Moonjo's obsession was tinted with gayness. I like that he's dead but still alive through Jongwoo; that even if he was killed, he still won.

tags: strangers from hell

Also Appears In: Strangers From Hell Live Blogging

Girlfriend Project Day 1 - GL

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Aug 19, 2022 - Sep 2, 2022

Watch Via: Youtube

Watch Dates: Jan 25, 2023

Rating: 5.5/10

Overall Impression: I watched this mostly with Korean subs (though I could also understand a bunch without the subs) with French ones underneath. It’s a good one to watch for learning/practice because the sentences were pretty easy to comprehend, even if I didn’t understand All of it. It was only 25 mins and so it was all very fast/shallow (it was cute so far) but I heard there’s gonna be a 2nd season, so maybe we’ll get more

Choco Milk Shake

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Oct 25, 2022 - Dec 20, 2022

Watch Via: Youtube (free)

Watch Dates: Jan 26 - 29, 2023

Rating: 6.5/10 6/10 [Jan 25, 2024 Update: Decreased by 0.5 stars when rerating my top shows: 6.5 -> 6]

Overall Impression: Very cute and also had a fair bit of emotional moments, I liked it! Also got a fair amount of Korean practice out of it. However, it did take me 4 days to watch this though bc I kept watching only one or two of the short eps every day bc it didn’t have that pull of wanting to watch more. So it’s cute and well made the the actors for Choco and Milk did so well haha but I’m not super invested in the characters and probably won’t think about them much.

tags: choco milk shake

Also Appears In: Choco Milk Shake Live Blogging

Roommates of Poongduck 304

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Oct 13, 2022 - Nov 3, 2022

Watch Via: Viki (free)

Watch Dates: Jan 29 - 31, 2023

Rating: 6/10

Overall Impression: I wish I was in more of a romcom mood because this was really funny, more so than expected but I didn't really care about the romantic aspect and the last ep was so fast and squished. It was good but not great.

tags: poongduck 304

Also Appears In: Roommates of Poongduck 304 Live Blogging

#tracking #general bl #never let me go #midnight motel #choco milk shake #strangers from hell #poongduck 304

1 note · View note

absolutebl · 2 years

Text

This Week in BL - Buff Boys Shirtless

Dec 2021 Wk 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Bad Buddy (YouTube) Ep 8 - Official secret boyfriends being adorable and getting exposed. I’m live blogging it here.

Not Me (YouTube) Ep 1 - oh goodie, Gun is crying already! You know he is the prettiest crier in the biz. Normally, I’m not a fan of the separated twins plot, it too soap opera, but this one seems like a serviceable (if patently absurd) execution. It’s generating lots of tension and Gun can handle the acting chops required. I’m liking it, but Not Me is NOT your mother’s BL, it is way more Manner of Death-ish (read: gay romantic suspense). But like with MaxTul I feel like I am in safe hands with OffGun so I’m happy to be taken for a ride. (That said it’s getting flack on 2 fronts right now: Thai government & international kpop dumbass fans, so I wonder if it might get pulled or delayed for edits.)

Paint with Love (Gaga) Ep 4 - Yoon really is good, no matter who he plays against. This ep the leads got tropes like beach frolic, there’s only one bed, baby is a floppy drunk, and The First Kiss. Actually it was a REALLY good kiss and the first time I got any chemistry from Tae & Singto. Will that save the show? Maybe. A good kiss can do that, plus we get domesticity in the next ep. Meanwhile, Phuket beaches look hella clean after a year of lockdown.

Loveless Society Ep 3 - the actors are doing their best but the sound, post production editing, and script = absolute pants. It’s not a matter of watching but surviving this BL at this juncture.

Between Us (YouTube) special 6 - omg they dredged up the daddy/boy trope for us to chuckle at. These specials are the gift that keeps on giving.

(Japan got the memo)

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Utsukushii Kare AKA My Beautiful Man (Japan - Gaga) Ep 5 - it’s still great (if you like this kinda thing, which I do). I LOVED getting Kiyoi’s perspective at last. Still not sure if they are gonna end this one happy or not. The suspense is killing me.

Kieta Hatsukoi AKA My Love Mix-Up! (Japan - Viki/Netflix) Ep 9 - we jumped right back into the cartoon high school slapstick that is Aoki + first love. There’s something about this show that pushes absurdity to the limit but also stays so genuine and earnest about the high schoolness of it all. It’s a balance only Japan seems to be able to hit, and not all that often. Again, we’re in Cherry Magic territory. Oh and a quite cute first date was had!

My Type (Taiwan indie - hard to find) Ep 7-8fin - they just leaned all the way into the ultimate puppy/cat pairing. It’s adorable. The ending was charming. Like if Mr X and I got courage, cuteness, and no censorship, but still kinda old fashioned Chinese BL but with no problematic tropes. What a bit of unexpected delightful fluff. Thank you, as always, Taiwan. 7/10 RECOMMENDED but it is VERY short.

Mr Cinderella (Vietnam - YouTube) Ep 3 - the side dish couple are shaping up to be super cute. Another one to add to the list of pining since childhood. Honestly tho, is this Cinderella, as they are laying it out? I mean, I think we all thought the doctor was the prince. I’m confused. Meanwhile, is “bisexual awakening musical montage” officially a THING now? I think it might be.