#bangkok boy

[thisautistic]

[optimisticdreamtacoshark]

thank you to all the gif artists out here doing the lord's work this weekend

🙏🏽

@karnkritsanaphan @gunsatthaphan @heretherebedork @pharawee @jimmysea @namtan @thisautistic and all the others...

My dash never looked so beautiful!

[dmitriverlouanne]

End of year in BL review 2025

So a bit of a mega post.

I completed 37 out of some 200(!) released in 2025, DNF-ed 5, and have about 10 that I still want to watch. Two of my favourite BLs this year are yet to finish (Burnout Syndrome and Reloved). So this is mostly those that have finished in 2025.

So let’s start with my Top 6 (in no particular order).

When it Rains it Pours (Japan)

Probably the most emotionally mature BL of the year. I binge-watched it and then found myself returning back to certain scenes and set pieces for months afterwards. Some of the best scenes were actually of them in their other relationships. It set a high standard for what a mature BL could be.

Ball Boy Tactics (Korea)

I think this was the funniest BL of the year that I saw. Again I returned to scenes afterwards, such as when the four friends were eating together and truths came out. There was solid flirtatious energy throughout and enough to make me think I want a sequel.

Revenged Love (China)

So, this was the most emotionally tense BL of the year, not because of the content of the BL so much as the will they/won’t they speculation of if they would complete airing it. There are emotional scars from previous CBLs that were censored or cancelled, and somehow this one made it through. It was a fun, sexy, and wild run. Both main couples had good chemistry and the story (for the most part) was fine. It lost its way a bit towards the end, but at least it got to the end.

Secret Lover (Taiwan)

I feel like Taiwan are a bit like Disney when it comes to BL, when they get it right, they get it so right. Of the top 6, this was the best story, the best pairing, and the most “I can believe this happening in real life” BL. 

The Journey to Killing You (Japan)

I feel like this was the weakest of my top 6 in terms of story (definitely more of an I love it but I don't think other people will), but it just had things going for it. The first was that the leads did not conform to the uke/seme tropes, they even mocked them and played with them throughout. The second was setting it in parts of Japan we do not normally see. The third was the intro music. That song was one of my most listened to songs of the year. It was a bit of a crazy BL, but good enough for me to overlook the flaws.

School Trip: Joined a Group I’m not Close to (Japan)

Similar to Secret Lover, they’ve just got it right for this one. The concept, the development of the love between the Hioki and Watarai, the friends, and the dilemmas along the way. The only really odd scene was Hioki apparently very drunk after 1 swig of a cocktail - I know it was a device to lead to Watarai’s confession, but they could have just spilled a drink on him. I love the groups of friends. Anyway, really well done series. 

Other Categories

Best High Heat - My Subborn (Thailand)

I mean, even the pilot was ridiculous. The story was fine, but the heat was hot.

Best for trying something new - Bangkok Boy (Thailand)

So, I know there have been Thai/Korean crossovers before this one, but this one actually tried to integrate it into a meaningful plot and did it fairly well. I’m still not completely sold on it, but I want the sequel, which I do not say often. 

Best Soundtrack - Burnout Syndrome (Thailand)

I know we are only 4 or so episodes in, but already it has the best soundtrack of the year. It is the only one where I had my phone out while watching to Shazam the songs and put them into a playlist. Considering how bad some of the GMMTV soundtracks have been in the past, this is a massive step up. Honourable mentions to The Heart Killers soundtrack and Journey to Killing You and Your Sky, which both had great theme songs.

Best Moments

So, not entire BLs, but moments from BLs that stuck with me.

When it Rains it Pours (Japan) - 俺はかおりの飼い犬じゃない - I am not your pet dog, Kaori. From Episode 6, when Kazuaki and Kaori finally have an honest discussion about their relationship.

Impression of Youth (Taiwan) - 你這麼快就想我。是不是我昨天不夠賣力？我回去還要更加把勁才行。You missed me so soon? Did I not work hard enough yesterday? Guess I have to work harder when I come back. From Episode 6, Yu Xing teases Xu Liu Hui for missing him.

Our Youth (Japan) - おれたちて土星愛者なのかなあ - So, I guess we are homosexuals. From Episode 5, Jin comes out and puts words to the feelings he and Haruki have been having.

ABO Desire (China) - Quite a few moments from this one, but I’ll go for the proposal scene in Episode 15 with the fireworks and fountains, where Huayong effectively takes over a city to declare his love.

My Stubborn (Thailand) - Oh, you have a rash, let me fix that for you, but since you’ve taken your clothes off I’ll just… From Episode 8, just the nonsense logic of it, and we never find out if the rash got appropriately treated.

The Heart Killers (Thailand) almost all of the Fadel and Style interactions, but particularly Style’s pursuit of Fadel in the first few episodes.

Happy Surprises

Ones that I had no/low expectations for and then surprisingly enjoyed. 

My Bias is Showing (Korea) - The premise was exactly the type I dislike, but then I oddly found myself enjoying the fanboy/celebrity dynamic and the vibes between the fanboy and the sides.

The Proper Way to Write Love (Japan) - It grew on me as the characters went from 2D to 3D and started to see each other in 3D. Plus the scene in the final episode was great, and flowers throughout.

My Sweetheart Jom (Thailand) - Expectations were at the floor, the first episode was awful, and yet it grew on me.

That Summer (Thailand) - Amnesia trope (twice) and a prince to pauper story have little interest to me, but the feisty bickering relationship, and the sides saved this one for me. Although I will admit to losing some interest towards the end.

The Heart Killers (Thailand) It took me from wondering why JoongDunk were in leads in so many previous BLs to wondering why they aren’t in more BLs. They can handle tougher stuff and I'm looking forward to Dare you to Death. Also, more Shakespeare adaptations please.

Ones I missed out on

There are some BLs that for whatever reason I didn’t start (a mixture of lack of time, personal appeal, and sometimes feeling the ick).

Khemjira (Thailand) - now on my watchlist as reviews seem quite solid, but the concept initially put me off.

The Next Prince (Thailand) - I’ll say it quietly. I don’t care for ZeeNuNew.

Reset (Thailand) - something about the series poster put me off, but now on watchlist after reading positive reviews.

The Boy Next World (Thailand) - Honestly I enjoyed Love in the Air so much I do not want to be let down (the way I was with Love Sea) so I’ve put off watching it.

Pit Babe 2 (Thailand) - The concept just does not appeal to me. I didn’t watch the first one either.

Fight For You (Taiwan) - This, and a few other Taiwanese ones (A Perfect Match & Exclusive Love) for some reason I did not get around to, but I will at some point.

My Magic Prophecy (Thailand) - I haven’t watched any of JimmySea. Should I start?

Disappointments

These are the ones that I had high hopes for but was then let down. Almost all of them were GMMTV. These are not the worst (that’s The Love Never Sets). Instead these are the ones where hopes were high, but they failed meet those hopes. 

Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist (Thailand) - the mains were on the wrong side of annoying and the story was just not quite there.

My Golden Blood (Thailand) and Revamp (Thailand)- I wanted a good Thai vampire BL, and these were not it. I actually think they could have done less with the plots and more on the domestic. I think there is enough material to play with just on the premise of the partner being a vampire, you don’t need to add gang wars to it. I am still waiting for a good Thai vampire BL.

Memoir of Rati (Thailand) - Not a bad BL, but not as good as I had hoped. It had so much potential but certain choices (such as speaking French and casting the servants as servile) were really detrimental.

The Wicked Game (Thailand) - I had such high hopes for DaouOffroad in this, but the storyline was too dark. I would even say this was not a BL but a bad cop drama. I’d love to see them to do either something properly queer (e.g. Daou as an experienced drag queen and Offroad as an aspiring drag makeup artist) or the lightest, fluffiest nonsense (e.g. one is a kindergarten teacher and the other is a vet and they bond over rescuing a pony for an orphanage). We don’t always get our xmas wishes.

Speaking of which…

Hopes for 2026

I haven’t looked much as what is coming up, but here are somethings I hope for in BL

No more amnesia tropes.

A good Vampire BL - the genre is inherently queer, it shouldn’t be this hard to adapt it to BL.

A BL set in Europe. I don’t know why, but I can imagine a Thai BL where the series takes place in a European country. Maybe it’s study abroad, maybe it’s a holiday, I don’t know, but I want to see it.

I’ve said it already, but more Shakespeare adaptations, and more adaptations of great literature more generally.  

More multilingual BLs. I don’t care if it’s a country cross-over, or using a wider variety of indigenous languages/dialects within a country, but I’d love to see more of it.

More BLs breaking the seme/uke dynamics.

I’d love to see Thailand try a few BLs with shorter and fewer episodes - JBL or KBL style. 

No more BLs shot in portrait mode, please.

See previous comment on what I want to see DaouOffroad starring in.

@absolutebl

[hughungrybear]

You've got to admit: Jihoon is probably a PHENOMENAL baduk (go) player 😱

[outofthemouthsof]

This has been a sad stressful angsty weekend for my BL watching, what with Knock Out, The Next Prince and Bangkok Boy, and finally catching the WTF finales of My Sweet Brother in Law and Moon and Dust. The snake-filled toxicity of Revenged Love has been my most lighthearted viewing so far. About to head into My Stubborn—that bitch better end happy or I don’t know what I’ll do!

[imogenegomi]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[chokuns]

Poster + character posters for Bangkok Boy the series

Can't believe it's still happening after all those years. This was already announced in 2021 and most actors have been replaced.

A unique crime series packed with Explosive action, Heartfelt romance, & Unpredictable drama! A tale of love, vengeance, and unbreakable bonds. Focused on young Thai man, Sun

[fukuwatchestv]

I really like what they did with the Bangkok Boy. They took their time to set up a revenge story, which is more reminiscent of how non bl stories work.

Next week, they meet.