This Week in BL - Getting Good & Hot 'Round These Parts
Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.
July 2026 Week 4
Ongoing Series - Thai
Payback (Sat iQIYI) ep 9 of 10 - Not many notes on this ep because I was riveted the entire time. It was very fast paced. I am, of course, nervous about next week (so far the ending has felt rushed). But there’s only one way to find out how they’re gonna land this sucker.
Dark blue sheets are very straight-dude coded. Just saying.
The Edge of Horizon (Sat Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - It is so good. I love this show so much. One of the sweetest, most tender NC scenes we’ve had in ages. I love that they are nesting but it’s sinister nesting. The contrast of their pure love and the corruption and tension all around them. Those rings are proper Thai gold! YES!
Peach and Me (Sat iQIYI) ep 3 of 4 - I do adore the sibling relationships in the show. They are all so charming. I did like that we got to see the bodyguards in action and some actual killing. And Rome turns out to be a bad ass. So does Peach. I gotta say, it’s dangerous to do back-to-back kissing scenes when the side dishes can out kiss the mains. But I’m not going to complain more than that.
Be My Player Two (Thurs WeTV) ep 2 of 10 - this episode wasn’t as good as the first one, but I still enjoyed it. Is that blond hottie Gunnar's new pair? That'd be nice. Question: is Kade going to be in everything Team Wabi Lite has its mits on now? I'm not mad about it. But maybe we could pair him up and start him kissing boys while we at it? Just saying.
Love Destiny (Tues iQIYI) ep 2 of 10 - I'm glad we are immediately given good reason for our lead to be a doctor. I’m also glad they left in some of the bathroom humor and the ancients did what now? I'm enjoying this show, but I’m pretty sure a large part of my enjoyment is based on nostalgia. So far I haven’t been able to emotionally separate this one from its precursor.
When Oranges Fall (Weds YT) ep 11 of 12 - This story is following the standard coming-of-age high school pattern. And while still cherishing some affection for it, I am a little bit bored.
A Dog and A Plane (Fri Gaga) ep 9 of 10 - They are so stinking cute together. It’s charming. I agree with others who pointed out that it was a terrible idea to put Tay in any kind of dance class. The man is a human wrecking ball. (Pandan cakelits! Khanom Krok Bai Toei! I love those!)
Oh my, is this the first time we’ve seen the military draft show up in a Thai BL? I think it is. Nice! Thailand usually doesn’t allow that. And this is GMMTV!
Knot (Thurs iQIYI) ep 4 of 10 - don’t ask questions when you know the answer is one you don't want! Frankly, I’m a little bit more into this show when it’s just the bedroom scenes and making out. I'm right back out and crinkle-nosed annoyed when they feel like they have to do due diligence to the world building or plot or whatever else is going on. (Incidentally our Pure Alpha uses chan/nai but Pure Omega uses khun) I do wish we were getting more with the sides. I know it was meant to be a dramatic, but I did giggle wildly at the stair/scent-off.
Singing my little refrain: still hate the script, still hate the wardrobe department.
Ongoing Series - Not Thai
The Prosecutor's Proposal (Korea Fri iQIYI) eps 7 of 8 - I did giggle at "Surprise! Pop-up boyfriend." Ju Tae Seon is the tsundere seme to end all others. My goodness. I did clap when our uke sub went inside his dom's house of his own free will. Never did I guess we would get a 3/3 heat rating out of a KBL. Wonders may never cease.
Bittersweet Love (China Fri Viki & Gaga) ep 7-8 of 12 - Oh I hate the family. Everyone is a bully. Poor baby trying to protect everyone including himself by running and I get it. All of the manipulation from Lu Qing and "friends" is so very bad it’s good. I hate how much I love this show, but I LOVE this show.
My Summer of You (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - Oh right, the letter. I forgot about that part. And the POV switch. Of course. How classic JBL can we go?
Love Algorithm (China Fri WeTV) ep 1-2 of 10 - A writer for a reality dating show's former high school bestie (almost love turned enemy) goes viral. Now writer-boy must recruit his ex-whatever for said show. AND it is GREAT! Like really really good. There is pining already, and a cute sullen boy, and a hot talented boy, and moot crushes hidden away, and it's gonna be messy and glorious.
This feels/sounds like a Taiwanese production but it is labeled as produced in (of all INSANE places) Malaysia and distributed via Thailand, so I guess it's mainland money and talent? It's not on MDL tho (the Malaysia part could explain that). China is money laundering homosexuality at this juncture. We live in WILD times, people. Wild. When China comes to play there's no rules. None.
The Servant Prince (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - Japan getting its freak on as per usual. About six of us are watching this, but all six of us are having a great time with extended kink negotiation, some nice communication, and an oddly sweet relationship. I love a Dom continually shocked that he gets to schtoop the boy of his dreams. Good work Japan.
A Winter Sun Wakes the Wind in Spring Hills' Dream (China Fri Gaga) ep 11 of 16 - these two are also really sweet together. They’re in a married couple phase at this juncture and it’s adorable. When China deigns to serve us up some domesticity, it’s tasty.
Are the Sexy Buttocks Not Good? (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 3 of 10 - I can’t believe I get to say this, but this is not my favorite JBL currently airing. Wild statement. Nevertheless, I am enjoying this. It is very awkward: awkward to watch and awkward because of the way the characters interact. I think that is the point, Japan does this sometimes. I’m just not a huge fan of this style BL.
Your Summer My Storm (Japan Tues Viki) ep 2 of 10 - Linguistic negotiation, my old friend and favorite trope, except this time around there was a negotiator. Or maybe... arbitrator? All of which is to say, this is a good high-quality JBL as we might expect, but for some reason it’s not hitting with me. At least not yet. I don’t love the cheating trope as a general rule. Even if it’s just a crush. And maybe it's not BL? Something feels off.
Smile after Tears (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 11 of 12 - I’m going to say it. This is one of those everybody loves the uke dramas... except me. I don't understand why anybody wants him. He is mind-numbingly dull.
It's airing but...
Ordinary Love (Japan TVer) 8 eps - 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.
Blue Lips (China) 16 eps - I watched 3. I like the visuals, but the production is absolutely abysmal. This definitely feels like it should be animated or AI or something. Dropped without further thought.
Sin and Love (Korea iQIYI) 10 eps - I didn't make it through ep 1. I find the leads utterly lacking in chemistry (still). Police, drug lords, undercover agents, and spies inhabit a power system that is collapsing. This feels like a bunch of kids playing dress up.
Make it Right 2026 (Thai Fri Viu) 10 eps - The remake no one asked for on a channel no one watches.
When Light Fades (Thai YT) 10 eps - dropped at ep 4. I just wasn't engaged and I don't think it's going to end well.
Deep In (China Viki) 12 eps - The leads of a BL cannot tell the difference between acting and reality. (Just like many BL fans.) I'm waiting until we know how this one ends. One can take the BL outta China, but one cannot take the mistrust of Chinese BL outta me.
Class Crush Crisis (Thai Netflix) 8 eps - trailer One of those high school messy gay shows Love Sick style. I like this kind of BL but I don't have Netflix and I'm not renewing my VPN until Sept, so...
Don’t Be Too Emotional (Thai iQIYI) 12 eps - By ep 5 I truly could not figure out how to enjoy this show. So I've dropped it.
Next Week Looks Like This:
Coming July & August 2026
7/26 Match Point (Thai Sun YT?) 10 eps - trailer Finally GMMTV is bringing us a sports BL. I don't think Ping is a particularly strong actor and I don't know Teshow but maybe they will surprise me. This is Bad Buddy plays tennis so I'm not exactly mad about it. SingChimon as the second leads is SENDING ME tho.
7/26 Your Third (Thai Sun iQIYI) 12 eps - trailer Like ForceBook I prefer MaxNat when they do drama, not comedy, so I am not sure about this. Enthusiastic secretary has to track down and bring back his boss's spoiled heartbroken younger brother.
7/27 Duty First, Kiss Later AKA Kiss wa Sousa no Ato de (Japan Mon Gaga) 10 eps - trailer stars Watanabe Shu and Saito Ryu directed by Ouchi Takahiro (Sugar Dog Life). A kindhearted beloved detective in his late 30s constantly bickers with his sharp-tongued, much younger colleague (10-year age gap). A sudden matchmaking proposal for the detective takes their contentious relationship into something deeper.
8/1 Your Sky: Hare Nochi Koi (Japan Thurs ???) 10 eps - I'm never wild about a Japanese adaptation of a Thai BL, partly because it's been MAME most of the time and partly ebcause they have a huge back catelogue of quality yaoi waiting to adapt, why opt for the poor story structure that is Thai BL (and I loved Your Sky). But I will keep trying.
8/5 After Changing Seats It Seems the Guy Sitting Behind Me Likes Me AKA Sekigae Shitara Doyara Ushiro no Otoko ga Ore no Koto Sukirashii (Japan Weds ????) 8 eps - Ordinary student Haru finds a handwritten confession from Kosei, the impossibly handsome and popular kid. Haru finds himself swept up by the relentless advances of a boy who has been hiding his feelings for far too long. School Trip 2.0? I'll take it.
8/8 Gelboys 2 (Thai Sat iQIYI) 8 eps - I won't be watching this but I know some of you loved Season 1.
8/6 Unlucky Bae (Thai Sat YT?) 10 eps - trailer ThamMac (with sides AunStamp - same as Revamp) star in this adaptation from the novel Chut Chop Sai Mu by LuaAimei. When his boyfriend, Aun, cheats on him, sorcerer Mac curses him but accidentally gets Aun's hot bestie instead. Feeling guilty, he tries to protect Tham from his own hex. (In case you are confused like me, Mac was the uke role in that horrible Thai remake of Addicted Heroin, and Tham is a fresh face. They both babies, so this is basically GMMTV's debut pair this year.) I like the premise and it looks silly and fun, will ride on the chemistry of the lead pair, so only one way to find out.
8/10 Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me AKA Yokya Shudan ni Iru Serizawa wa Ore no Mae da to Yosu ga Okashii (Japan Mon ????) 10 eps - Suzuki, a loner student, secretly wrote a BL novel using the name of Serizawa, a popular guy in a group of outgoing people, as his model. But when Serizawa ends up reading it, Suzuki panics, convinced he'll be mocked. Instead, Serizawa unexpectedly showers it with praise. From that day on, Serizawa keeps finding reasons to hang around him and invite him out.
8/11 Yokya Shudan ni Iru Serizawa wa Ore no Mae da to Yosu ga Okashii (Japan Tues ????) 10 eps - Suzuki, a loner student, secretly wrote a BL novel using Serizawa, the school popular guy, as his model. When Serizawa reads it, Suzuki panics, but Serizawa showers it with praise. Then Serizawa keeps finding reasons to hang around him and invite him out.
8/14 Connecting to You (Taiwan Fri Viki & Gaga) 13 eps - trailer From 2025, Jia Kai can't see ghosts, but he can see the different colored threads connecting people. An accident brings him into contacts with a skeptical cop, but Jia Kai's ability can help start cases, they start living together. THIS IS THE SHOW I AM MOST EXCITED FOR THIS MONTH.
8/14 Chotto Matou yo Harutora-kun (Japan Fri ????) 10 eps - High school student Sui is often teased by the boys in his dorm. Though he laughs things off, deep down he's wary of close relationships. Then he's assigned to share a room with straightforward Harutora. A coming-of-age romance that captures the awkwardness of adolescent love.
8/16 Love3 AKA Love Cubed (Thai Sun iQIYI) - trailer The same team behind Love Sick 2024 uses much of the same side pairs to bring a Make It Right 2026 feeling peace. Chaotic boys in blue shorts. The scond trailer gave me more hope than the first.
8/25 Nour (Thai Tues WeTV) ?? eps - Oh it looks SO GOOD. Just watch the trailer. An actually creepy vampire suspense thriller with a touch of the macabre? Fresh pairs? I am VERY intrigued.
8/? Mr. Fanboy (Thai ???? iQIYI?) ?? eps - trailer Fanboy becomes an actor to get close to his crush but ends up with that crush's enemy and turns antifan. It's messy actors and I don't like fan stuff, but in this one both aspects are getting twisted. So I'm in. AuauSave getting to be leads with James back on my screen as the badie and I am not mad about any of it.
THIS IS INSANE
If you have more to add please leave a comment with deets. But Imma run out of tagging space soon. THIS IS TOO MUCH Y'ALL.
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)
(last week)
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)
