This Week in BL - Are We Overwhelmed Yet?
Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top. (Note: there is actually more BL airing right now than ever before in the history of the genre. It is a struggle to stay on top of it all. Forgive me if I miss something.)
May 2026 Week 4
Ongoing Series - Thai
Your Dear Daddy (Sat iQIYI) ep 4 of 8 - I love it. The pursuit is getting aggressive now but in a soft way. We have established the age gap and engaged in some serious honorific play (hello linguistic flirting trope my old friend). This is lots of fun. And you know what else? This show is being kind to us, its a resultful experience, and with so much on, we need soemthing like this in the line up to give us space to breathe.
Payback (Sat iQIYI) ep 1 of 10 - This is a Thai adaptation of a Korean webtoon and it shows. Korean names in the credits and you can feel their fingers all over the tenor of production and I LIKE THAT. A gang member joins the entertainment industry for revenge, and a powerful mogul becomes obsessed with him. There are no good guys in this one. It's Bangkok Boy + Top Form and I'm obsessed. It has a harsh but great opener. I’m looking forward to a new pairing and some fresh faces. A few familiar ones too (waves at Shogun from Deep Night and Tor from For Him). But the wig is pissing me off.
(We discussed this in 2019, Thailand. No wigs for you.)
Lately It's Winter Season Fourever You2 (Fri WeTV) ep 3 of 8 - Big ol' crush plus gay panic? Suer is SUCH a drama queen.
A Dog and A Plane (Fri Viki & Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - I like it and I gotta be honest, I didn’t think I was in the mood for this kind of show at all. But I quite enjoyed myself. It’s probably just that I find TayNew incredibly appealing on screen. They’re just… fun. And Tay playing a chaos monkey might be the most apt casting ever.
Cherm Chey (Tues Gaga) ep 2 of 10 - Yay kinky sniff test! And more kink! i love that they talk about everything. Permission meets demands meets hardcore flirting and switching verse within all of it. Guess what BL world, communication can be fun! This show is fun. I cackle a lot. Weirdos in love! Also, meeting the family already are we? How uhaul can we go?
Love of Silom (Fri WeTV) ep 6 of 12 - Aww adorable bf wake up scene. Although struggles ahead due to class divided, but cute family is cute. Being told you have to stay in the closet after you’ve decided to become boyfriend is a bit “maybe you should’ve said this first.” At least they are having a conversation about it. Putting Mild in as a foil (the college boyfriend that should’ve been, but wasn’t) to act as second lead is genius romance plotting. But I do spend most of the time Talay and Poom are together feeling sorry for both of them.
Love Upon a Time (Fri iQIYI) ep 10 of 12 - Exciting episode. The sides got some action. Our mains are in danger. Still enjoying this a bunch.
When Oranges Fall (Weds YT) ep 3 of 12 - Yes, yes everyone is v cute. The sides are just glorious. I am enjoying this more than I thought I would.
Ticket To Heaven (Sat Viki Gaga) ep 1 of 5 - Bright appeared on my screen and I squeaked in delight. I had no idea I missed him so much. I do like that Gem gets to carry this show for a change. He’s turning into a great little actor. Look, I’m not really enjoying this, but I never thought I would. But I am intrigued by the concept and I will stick with it, especially as it’s not a particularly long series.
(Is that communal washing setting from somewhere? Caged Again? NO WAIT that SantaEarth mini in Seven Project before My Only 12%. Yay, I love it when my brain actually works.)
Flower Boy (Sat Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - Miserable boys are miserable, and only one of them actually deserves it. This is another one currently airing where I am not sure the main couple should be endgame at all. “I have no sent for you” is such a good line.
Magic Move (Tues iQIYI) ep 6 of 10 - No singing. Love these sides now.
Ongoing Series - Not Thai
Fake Fact Lips (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I love them SO MUCH.
Love Class 3 (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 1-2 of 10 - Oh, I am very much enjoying it. It’s basically the idol drama of my dreams. About the after effects of a boy group competition where the boys fall in love during filming but everything went south when some don’t make it. What happens next? From Korea. Finally.
Smile after Tears (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 3 of 12 - This remains painfully cute. Emphasis on the pain, not the cute.
The Gaze (China YT) ep 9 of 10 - It was a decent episode. I like the abject apologizing going on. Still not sure our seme should be forgiven. Do I even want them to get back together? But it’s nice to see some earned suffering. Not enough of the sides tho.
Life in Smokey Blue AKA Smoke Blue no Ame Nochi Hare (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 8 of 10 - OMG I love then. Also the script and dialogue in this show is fantastic. What a lovely lovely BL, it’s very serine. Is this the zen garden of BL?
Journey With You (China Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 8 - Politics politics. Our boys are fighting. Too much time is being spent with evil prince of darkness and his feather duster. Nice angry kisses tho. Also, did China just give us a full on gay nc scene? I fear these boys are def dyeing… again.
Unexpectedly Naughty Fukami AKA Yatara Yarashii Fukami-kun (Japan Mon Gaga) ep 8 of 10 - Aww, poor baibees. It’s okay, you’re in a comedic JBL, You’ll be fine.
Wishing Upon The Shooting Stars (Taiwan Thurs Gaga) ep 11 of 12 - Ooo the sides gave us a GREAT NC scene. Everyone say thank you, Taiwan (well, and Japan).
Double Helix (China Fri & Sat Gaga) eps 7-8 of 12 - Oh dear, these poor, ill faded boys. I do enjoy the slides a lot too. Meanwhile THIS SHOW. Just aaaasshhhhh PAIN.
(Eagle eyes will note this has dropped in the standing substantially, that's because it's proving we ain't gonna end well.)
The Boy and I Who Will Break Up in 100 Days AKA 100 Nichi Go ni Wakareru Boku to Kare (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - This is filmed like a reality TV series or a documentary drama. It’s intriguing in concept, but I don’t actually like it much.
It's airing but...
One Year (Thai Sun YT) dropped at ep 3 of 8, not 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 You (China Gaga) 12 eps - I decided to hold off on this one and wait until it completes its run and I know the ending. I greatly mistrust any BL description that includes the word “bittersweet” especially out of China. Thus I depend upon those with greater courage than moi to tell me how this goes.
Check in to You (Korea Thurs YT) ep 2 of 6 - didn't drop this week, not sure if moved to paid subscribers only or just got lost. I hate bodyswap so I'm not fussed. My goodness, Strongberry, how the mighty have fallen.
Dual Stars (Taiwan iQIYI) 6 eps: Dropped the whole darn thing, all at once. Like we have nothing better to do. I watched most of it, now waiting for the final 2 eps to release out of "I don't pay enough". I like it a lot, but it doesn't feel like Taiwan, it feels like Mainland using Taiwan to distribute. Anyone know The Truth?
I finally watched it!
Tell the World I Love You (Thai 2021 YT) - Perth (Ae Love By Chance) opposite Bas (Wayo/Wayu 2 Moons, Gen Y) in this action movie direction by Poj, with Net (Bed Friends) in the main support role. A v violent but also kinda sad story of poor hs students who get involved with their neighborhood gang. While I’m glad I finally watched it, and it was better than I expected, the content wasn’t my thing. Also Net pre-James was amazing to watch.
(The fan translation for the grey version on YouTube are truly terrible. I only really understood what was happening because I speak enough Thai to correct some of the worst offenders in my own head. But I did not take that into account with my rating.)
7/10 recommended with reservations
Next Week Looks Like This:
The unalloyed insanity.
But Wait... There's More: Coming June 2026
6/4 The Lie We Lived In (Korea Thurs Viki) 8 eps - A contract killer, Seo I Do, arrives at a house to take out his target, Heo Dong Hwa. Before he can finish the job, his boss orders him to stay and keep Dong Hwa captive instead. Then a cheerful stranger (policeman), Chu Tae Jeong, shows up. Tae Jeong and I Do fall in love.
6/4 The Summer You Kissed Me (China Thurs YT) 5 eps - I got nothing more.
6/20 Lost to Light (Thai Fri ????) 10eps - Once an idol group with dreams of stardom, they’re now forced to wear mascots and sing children’s songs for kindergarten kids.
6/24 My Summer of You AKA Kimi wa Natsu no Naka (Japan Thurs ????) 10 eps - I love LOVE this manga. I will watch this grey if if doesn't get picked up for inter distribution.
6/30 Knot (Thai Thurs iQIYI) 10 eps trailer - 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.
6/?? The Man Who Married into a Wealthy Family (China ????) - Forbidden romance between a poor man and his wealthy wife's older brother. Looks messy and the kind of thing that sould be a vertical... so very much my thing.
6/?? The Prosecutor's Office's Proposal (Korea ????) 8 eps - Watcha is back! Adapted from a novel. Lee Chae Ha, failed police officer, becomes a prosecutor’s office investigator. He has lived his life bearing the label of “murderer’s son,” enduring bullying from peers and violence from his uncle. He reunites with Prosecutor Ju Tae Seon, a respected figure who once helped clear Chae Ha of a false accusation. When Tae Seon selects Chae Ha as his partner in a murder investigation, they get close. I'm paying attention, Korea.
All BLs Announced for 2026 that I knew of at the start of the year. (Not kept updated.)
(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)
