I’ve been thinking the past few weeks whether there’s a BL series I could try to get my very conservative, very religious mother to watch with me and enjoy. (Who doesn’t need some gay love in their life, especially during Pride Month?!) It would definitely need to be the most PG of PGs; downright asexual would be perfect. But also no dub-con or offputting tropes.
Any thoughts? I settled on Cherry Magic for the G-rated nature paired with characters that have IMO well-fleshed motivations. But we watched the first episode and I think the slapstick Japanese style is a bit of a stretch for her (moreso than the gay content even, possibly). Maybe Blueming?
(P.S. If you get tired of hearing from me, just let me know! 😬)
Never tired of hearing from you!
BL series to get my very conservative, very religious mother to watch? (PGish: sweet & clean)
My first instinct was... Cherry Magic. But I get the Japanese style buy-in is rough. So we’re looking for a western aesthetic, or aura.
Blueming gets pretty high heat, are you sure?
Okay, lemme think. Follow me there:
He's Coming To Me - strong religious element (no Christ but perhaps it's still appealing to get a look at a different kind of worship/belief?), peak pining but also pretty tame, good story and production, low heat, just a kiss and no sex scene. Sweet but important coming out sequence. Good plot with murder investigation to appeal where gay romance might not. Shorter run.
1000 Stars - this one is just a romance, like that's what it is, a romance that happens to be gay. Good story, well acted, lots of interesting tension and plot and mature characters, very pretty, very low heat, but possibly a bit slow for some. Sex scene is played for laughs and not very sexy. Good coming out discussion. If I had a romance reader/movie fan on my hands (like Gone With The Wind or Twilight or 50 Shades or what have you) I’d go with this one.
Wish You (movie version) - high production, low heat, short run, very tame, and Korea, so more of a western style. It’s not the most logical story though. Kisses but they tame and no sex scene. No coming out, exists in the “Korean BL bubble universe” where everything is just fine and dandy.
Semantic Error - if she likes romances in general this one is so much fun, it's bright and easy to follow, the chemistry is good, just kisses (although it feels higher heat). But there's no coming out struggle to inspire sympathy, and the teasing bully thing might be off-putting. If I had a fan of contemporary roamnce books or Kdramas, I’d show them this one.
Light On Me - very very low heat, but the characters are engaging, and it has a classic love triangle, some people really like that. If I had a YA fan I was trying to lure in, I’d show them this one.
My School President - speaking of low heat sweetness, GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this show Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORE this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny?
Finally if you can get ahold of it then Restart After Come Back Home might be a better choice than Cherry Magic from Japan, especially if your mum likes cinema. It’s beautifully filmed. Slow going but very pretty. Not slapstick AT ALL. barely gay, very subtle, only one soft kiss. If I had a film buff I was trying to lure in, I’d show them this one.
If she likes soap operas than you could try Love Sick, and there is a part of me that wants to say SOTUS... both low heat and Arthit practically is ace.
