This Week in BL - A week of sads, sinister moments, and shaky chemistry
Except not from Korea! 2 GREAT NC scenes from KOREA this week. We live in wild times.
Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.
Payback (Sat iQIYI) ep 6 of 10 - (in which I get creeped out again by BL’s furry fetish, not to yuck your yum but it really isn’t my thing) These two are serving up a very classic yaoi body language, seme/uke dynamic, and execution. And I’m enjoying it. Chemistry is great. Carry on.
When Oranges Fall (Weds YT) ep 8 of 12 - poor tortured emotional youths. Augar is the BEST!
A Dog and A Plane (Fri Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - at least we know the chemistry is solid. I do like how the morning after is very fraught. It seems more honest, making this a very mature BL for Thailand. I like that they’re using one of their mature couples executed. New is a very cute rabbit. And I like that they have their little dating moment. Oh my goodness, do I adore the side couple. So much flirting! Mond does a very good pathetic face.
GMMTV is doing some interesting things with this lineup right now. Except WOF, that is pretty classic no-frills.
The Edge of Horizon ( Sat Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - very much an "other side of the tracks" romance that is giving me The Servant and the Young Master meets Love in the Moonlight. (It seems we’ve been getting a lot of of these lately. Or is that just me?) So we got a very dramatic and sad parting. And then a full 11 year time jump. Which I appreciate. WE now facing up to the Siamese Revolution of 1932. I said it in previous commentaries on these shows, this is one of my favorite times in Thailand’s history. It looks like we’re gonna get a meeting of the minds that facilitates a smooth power transition, through the lens of lovers. Our prince is a pretty sweetie with very yearning eyes, but boy has no riz whatsoever. Phob’s character clearly is referencing real officers involved at the time of the revolution.
(All of which is to say, I encourage you to read the Wikipedia article I linked above, I think it will facilitate your enjoyment of this show substantially more.)
Cherm Chey (Tues Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - not gonna lie, I'm kinda bored with this. All this nothingness could have happened in 5 eps and I'd have been fine with the show. But this is just dull.
Knot (Thai Thurs iQIYI) ep 1 of 10 eps - From the My Stubborn team, Thailand watched ABO Desire and said to the BL world "Here, hold my pink milk" and then tossed it to BoatOat. WE ARE SEATED.
Okay we were seated. I'm fidgeting now. It is stiffer than I wanted (yes yes I get the pun and the irony). It's just not as good as I want it to be. I have questions:
Why is the script so terrible? Was this written by a 12 year old?
What us the directing so juvenile?
Why us the hair so ghastly? (this isn't Japan)
Why his he wearing the ugliest shorts I have ever seen in my life.
Why does our omega know nothing about this own society?
Why so much infodumping about the stuff we don't need to know and so little character devlopment?
I did seriously entertain doing a trash watch for this. But I’m not sure it’s going to be bad enough for a trash watch. I'm mostly just confused and bored and, frankly, disappointed.
Don’t Be Too Emotional (Fri iQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - this remains sinister and creepy and I remain modestly intrigued. Not yet sure if this is going to be about a standard abusive relationship, or one that involves a pact with an actual demon, or if it’s meant to blurr the boundaries between the two. There is something weirdly endearing about a monster who is trying not to be a monster because he has encountered the first person in the world who makes no demands or desires of him.
When Light Fades (Thurs YT) ep 2 of 10 - Hum. Not sure.
Ongoing Series - Not Thai
Love Class 3 (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 11-12 of 16 - HOORAY, IT’S SO GOOD! Good kisses (FINALLY) and a nice soft mutual NC. From Korea? You really gunning to win the ranking, aren't you?
My Summer of You AKA Kimi wa Natsu no Naka (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - this is one of those where just by the gentle reaction to the confession we understand why Saeki likes Wataru.
The Prosecutor's Office's Proposal (Korea Fri iQIYI) eps 3-4 of 8 - oh unexpected drunk hook up. My goodness this is going quickly in a direction I was not expecting. These two are in all sorts of trouble and all sorts of protocol violations, all of the time. And I don’t know anything about the Korean legal system, but I still know that. Fun for us to watch, tho.
Bittersweet Love AKA The Man Who Married into a Wealthy Family (China Fri Viki & Gaga) eps 1-3 of 12 - Buckle up, strap in, put on your collars folx, we got un one of THOSE.
This is a period piece (1990s) which I wasn't expecting. It's also more realistic and less camp than I thought it'd be. Frankly, I thought this would be one of those CBLs that could be a vertical, but nope. It’s more gritty than that. It’s actually a pretty cutting critique of the elite and ultra wealthy. How daring of you, China. (But I suppose it’s a BL they can get away with more when it’s not being internally distributed.) I really do not think the voiceover is necessary at all. The actors are doing a fine job conveying what’s going on. Owner/pet dynamic. I really hope the lead is going to come into his own eventually, but I suspect not, given the title.
If you're kinky, this is your show. This is an obvs D/s dynamic. There are aspects of both whipping boy and bully romance to this, but really it is just pure D/s.
I’m gonna add this note, 'cause I know there are a few of you out there who read this blog because you know my personal proclivities. So far, the D/s is well done. This is a lifestyle submissive with pleaser tendencies and a strict demanding dominant (possible saddest). These first 3 episodes they’re quite young, so we’re watching them figure this out about themselves.
There is this little twist that it’s obvious the sister was married to our submissive because they needed either a scapegoat, a fall guy, or a husband in reserve because she is so wild. Essentially, the marriage is a face-saving endeavor. And it would seem the idea for this came from the brother. Since he seems to be a manipulative strategist. The fact that in arranging this marraige, he got himself a subby boy who is a near perfect match to his proclivities, is part of his internal conflict and struggle.
Clearly, I am enjoying this cause I have a lot to say about it.
The Servant Prince (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Ah whipping boy my old friend. No one does you like Japan does you. Plus spoiled price? Nice. This is another extremely fun dynamic. (They making this one for both me and @heretherebedork at last!) The hair is obligingly ghastly. Interesting that we are essentially starting with the end. I’m not mad about it. How are we gonna get 10 episodes out of it though?
A Winter Sun Wakes the Wind in Spring Hills' Dream (China Fri Gaga) ep 7-8 of 16 - I really do enjoy the lead couples dynamic, and I like the filming style a lot. I suspect you have to enjoy both those two things to stick with this show for as long as it’s gonna go, as it is slow. All that said, I'm now watching this on 1.5 speed.
Fix the Error! (Korea Fri Gaga) eps 5 of 6 - The bad guy Grim Reaper seems to be just a kind of a caricature of a villian with no motivation whatsoever. I’m not wild about this plot twist. Cute unexpected kiss from the white knight. And more kisses. OK. I mean, we all knew the roommate was endgame because he’s taller, but I’m a little confused as to what’s going on in terms of chemistry.
Smile after Tears (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 8 of 12 - It’s just sad.
Lately It's Winter Season Fourever You2 (Fri WeTV) ep 8 end - It was a very sweet final episode and this is a very sweet installment in this series. Probably not my favorite of the line up, but still sweet.
A classic friends to lovers story except one of them happens to be in the mafia and pines for six years through high school and then college. Then they finally get together. That's basically it. 8/10
Love of Silom (Fri WeTV) ep 12 - A nice, if slightly unearned, ending.
UpPoom (kings of complex BL) return for their 2nd offering. The story of a closeted cop and a bar host with family troubles who fall in love and investigate drug trafficking. This was a good BL with a solid story, but what carried it was, without question, the lead pair. Who were excellent. It’s never going to rise to the top as one of my personal favorites, but I did enjoy it. 8/10
On a completely different note, it was very fun for me (I don’t know if any of you were in on it) to imagine that Host Kade (who is also a college bestie in Lately It’s Winter Season), was actually the same character. He obvs had this whole double life as a host.
Ticket To Heaven (Sat Gaga) ep 6 end - Ah, the insidiousness of faith. I enjoyed that in this final episode we got the contrast between parental figures, both of whom want the best for the lead character, but who represent polar opposites of social hierarchy, politics, and POV. In fact, all along this show has had some interesting dialogue around mentor and parental figures.
The story of an orphan boy in seminary and the rebellious troubled kid who enters and upsets his life with love. There’s some unique allegory around parental figures in this show, but apart from that it’s a relatively simplistic narrative that manages to be quite special because of cast and productions. Ultimately this is a beautifully acted (G4 both do a stellar job with their respective parts ) short series about the conflict between morality as prescribed by faith, and the ethics of an honest identity and real love. This is not new ground, it has been tread, many times over, by thousands of queer narratives. But it was new for Thai BL. In this, although they are different in tone, this show has more in common with BLs like Present Perfect, I Told Sunset About You, or Not Me. While. I understand why these shows appeal, they simply do not appeal to me. Yes I cried. I can see how this could go high as 10/10 for some but for me its a 8/10.
The Boy and I Who Will Break Up in 100 Days AKA 100 Nichi Go ni Wakareru Boku to Kare (Japan Weds Gaga) 10 eps - I gave the first ep a try and it just really wasn't for me. (Advised that yes, don't bother.)
The Summer You Kissed Me (China YT) Did anyone manage to watch this? It's supposed to be done now.
The Boy and I Who Will Break Up in 100 Days AKA 100 Nichi Go ni Wakareru Boku to Kare (Japan Weds Gaga) 10 eps - I gave the first ep a try and it just really wasn't for me.
CrazyLove-MooMoo AKA Crazy Love, Moo-Moo (Thai Sat VIU) 10 eps- It's BossNoeul in a comedy based on a novel but who tf cares when my boy Noh is there paired with Turbo? How delightful. Honestly? I would love to watch this, but they sure aren’t making it easy as the lack of gifs is proving.
Lost to Light (Thai Fri YT) ep 1 of 10 eps - I really did try. The leads are cute. I watched the whole first episode. For which you should absolutely praise me. Because this is bad. Very slapstick. Unreal amount of egregious sound effects. To the point that I, who am mostly inured to idiotic noise in Thai BL now, still noticed them. And there’s like some form of some iteration of do we call it?) “music” involved. No. Not for me.
Ordinary Love (Japan Fri ????) 8 eps - Fumihara Ichiro and Higashi Kei are colleagues whose relationship began through a shared love of movies. While Kei admires Ichiro as both a mentor and a supervisor, neither expects their growing bond to develop into something more.
I did want to see this, but it seems hard to find from Japan (SIGH) and I just don't have the energy for their prima-donna behavior.
Next Week Looks Like This:
7/7 Are the Sexy Buttocks Not Good? (Japan Tues Gaga) 10 eps - The older man who saved him from a groper turned out to be the president of the company where he would later work.
7/8 Sin and Love (Korea Tues iQIYI) 10 eps - Not gonna lie I find this pair utterly lacking in chemistry. Police, drug lords, undercover agents, and spies—all layers of the power system are collapsing. Behind a seemingly lawful police hierarchy lies a city controlled by corruption, desire, and hidden power games, where human lives are only bargaining chips. Love and sex become tools of control and exchange.
7/11 Peach and Me (Thai Sat iQIYI) ? eps - You know how I feel about second seasons but I am making an exception for this ridiculous gem.
7/11 Summer Clouds Bring Love and Chaos AKA Natsuiro no Kumo ga Koi to Arashi wo Makiokosu (Japan Sat ????) 10 eps - Starring Jpop idols (from the same group) in the lead roles. Takemiya Natsuki, a high school senior, is having the worst summer ever: dumped by his girlfriend plus terrible mock exam scores. His worried older sister arranges for her boyfriend, Kobayakawa Sota, to tutor Natsuki’s. Surprise, he falls in love.
7/14 Love Destiny - gay remake of the 2018 het drama (Thai Tues iQIYI) 10 eps - trailer Adapted from the novel Bupphesanniwat co produced with China directed byt the same man who directed the popular Thai het version in 2018 (also Interminable & The Cursed Love). They changed the main character to be a dr not an archeolgist (disappointing). Leng stars opposite August (both of whom had prior pairs broken by scandal but) but ALSO both are great actors. I'm interested.
7/16 Be My Player Two (Thai Thurs WeTV) 10 eps - trailer NERDS IN LOVE!!! YAY! A sharp-tongued streamer and rookie gamer! What begins as a hunt for a rival unexpectedly turns into a discovery of love.
(Yes yes I'll try to get July releases together next week. You want more? Insanity)
All BLs Announced for 2026 that I knew of at the start of the year. (Not kept updated.) Domundi Line 2026 Line Up (mid year)
The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs @waitmyturtles @worldhopping
(hellsite doesn't allow me to tag that many people, sadly)