It's that time of year once again, and I will be ranking my favorite BL's from 2024. Nothing I watched this year was God Tier imo sadly, but there were some great series. Overall though I think I was a bit disappointed with 2024 series compared to previous years. Hoping that 2025 is better for me.
Also just a reminder, nothing that started in 2024 but is still airing will be on this list, they will be on the 2025 list. And if a 2024 series is missing from here it means that I haven't checked it out yet, or I tried 1 episode and it didn't grab me. It might show up on a later list.
1.Unknown the Series (Taiwan) - Of all the shows I watched this year I think that this one was the one that grabbed me the most. I actually paid to watch episodes so you know how much I was drawn to it! The chemistry with the main two was so good and I loved the plot so much. I am a bit over step brother type stories at this point, but this one was just so well done. The tension and the chemistry was just insane.
2. The Sign (Thailand) - Like with Unknown ^ this series also really grabbed me and had me waiting for eps week to week, especially in the beginning. I became OBSESSED with BillyBabe and rewatched the eps like 3 times after they aired, that's how into the show I was at the start. It did fall off a bit for me at the end, but the premise and production value of the series was just so good. I def. think it's one of Thailand's Top BL series ever! Gimme more BillyBabe PLEASE!
3. Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (Korea) - Def. my favorite Korean series this year, it was great. There were definitely frustrating moments and episodes but overall I really enjoyed this from start to finish. I just love shows that have tension and angst and drama but also happy endings and the main pairing had a sort of sweetness but also sexiness to them that I just really loved watching.
4. Love in the Big City (Korea) - This series/movie was SO GOOD but I don't really view it as a "BL" in some ways because to me it just felt like a really well done film? I think because it wasn't just about a ship, and it had so many other storylines going on and it was so well rounded. I love that we got to see the story of this man and the different relationships he experienced in his life. The bitter ending sorta left me unsatisfied, (tho I think it was hopeful), and that's why it's not even higher on my list, but everything about this was fantastic.
5. I Hear the Sunspot (Japan) - One of Japan's best series this year imo. It was really great. I really love that we got a deaf character and I also loved the plot and seeing how the main two came together. They had a really subtle sweetness to them that I really enjoyed. It was just a nice (mostly easy) show to watch.
6.Pit Babe (Thailand) - Overall I had some issues with the plot of this, but for the most part it was a very fun and unique series. The main pairing had SO MUCH DAMN CHEMISTRY goodness and their plot was really fun to watch. The side pair was nice too. Babe as a character was just so interesting, I love characters like him that have such a tough exterior until someone can break through. The acting by everyone in this was great and I liked the ABO elements as well. Too bad it sounds like they might remove the element in season 2, but it also wasn't as implied as it should have been, minus a few comments here and there from the characters.
7. Love for Love's Sake (Korea) - Another great series from this year with a super fun plot and cute romance. I wish I had more to say about it but because I binged it SO quickly it's a little tough to remember exactly what it entailed. Definitely one I will need to rewatch soon.
8. Time of Fever (Korean) - This was super short and I binged it so fast but I do remember really loving it. Just wish it was longer. The kiss scenes were great too.
9. Love in the Air Koi (Japan) - Really loved this series, it was such a fun series. A great adaptation of the OG series and a bit more cohesive/concise. I was so pleasantly surprised by the kissing scenes too! Shoma is just so beautiful!
10. Living with Him (Japan) - A very cute series with a sweet plot and nothing too dark or serious. The chemistry between the main two was great.
11. Perfect Propose (Japan) - IMO this was a darker version of the series above lol. I get them a bit mixed up, but this one started off a bit racier and imo had a few more issues. But it was still fun to watch.
12.Twins the Series (Thailand) - This series was kinda dumb at some points but there is something refreshing about sports BL's sometimes, and I absolutely loved the main pairing in this one. Not sure why but I really enjoyed watching the build up of their story and the overall plot of the show also kept me entertained.
13. Playboyy the Series (Thailand) - This series was MESSY AF. But it was also just a total blast to watch. I was always interested in the plot even if there was so much going on and if some things were dumb/didn't make a lot of sense. It was def. the raciest BL we got this year, and I am def. curious to see what will happen next season.
14. Rebound The Series (Thailand) - Another sports BL. It wasn't super exciting and I skimmed a little bit but overall I enjoyed watching it and I liked the chemistry with the main duo here as well.
15. This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (Thailand) - This was a fun series to watch, I really shipped the side pairing more than the main pairing and I found the overall plot a bit boring, but it still held my interest.
16. My Love Mix Up (Thailand) - Loved to hear they were adapting this show cuz I liked the OG version. This one didn't hit the spot for me as much but it was still a nice series. And of course loved the main duo. Can never go wrong with GeminiForth in my eyes, their chemistry is just so natural.
17. Takara's No Vidro (Japan) - This was a great little series from Japan. The main pairs chemistry was good and I really liked the progression of their story. Super easy watch.
18. Love is Better the Second Time Around (Japan) - This was actually a great series and prob. should have been higher on my list cuz it was very well done, but I guess I just wasn't as invested in the chemistry of the main couple as other people were, But, I still really enjoyed it.
19. Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (Taiwan) - Nice to see more representation for deaf characters this year! This was another show I enjoyed but I did skim some bits/had some issues. Overall, good series tho.
20. Last Twilight (Thailand) - I know everyone LOVED this series and I can understand why, but for me, it wasn't my favorite. I like JimmySea but dont love them, and I think it started better than it ended. It was just a bit too sad in parts for me but it was a well one series.
21. We Are the Series (Thailand) - Wanted to love this series but I found myself a bit bored with it overall. Of course I loved joongdunk and all the pairs but it was a bit dumb for my taste.
22. 4 Minutes (Thailand) - Another series I wanted to love, but didn't. Probably my own fault for not paying as much attention to it as I should have, I think I missed a lot of what was going on. I found a lot of stuff a bit boring… But the main pairs chemistry was fantastic!
23. Smells Like Green Spirit (Japan) - I loved the premise of this series because we rarely get to see trans/questioning characters on TV like this and I really liked the way they did it for the most part. I had a few issues of course, and overall the series felt a bit wacky at times and there were some yucky moments, but I still thought it was good.
24. Anti Reset (Taiwan) - Very weird premise and I don't usually like silly plots like this one, but I had a good time watching this series. It wasn't anything amazing, but it was fun.
25. Jack and Joker (Thailand) -YinWar are AMAZING and they did a great job in this series. I loved the characters they played and the couples storyline. But as a whole this series bored me a bit, I just don't really care for the mafia type plots on shows. But I think it was a great show.
These shows missed the top 25 this year and I didn't think they were strong enough to highlight, but I will still rank them because I did enjoy them in parts.
His Man 3 (Korea-Reality) - As a reality series I didn't include this on the list, but it's def. worth the watch. I enjoy this series more than #27 personally. I like all the different dates they have the men go on and how they all mingle with each other etc.
The Boyfriend (Japan-Reality) - So glad Japan sort of did their own version of His Man, but this series fell flat for me. I didn't ship the main couple at all, so that might have been part of it, but I think overall the series was pretty boring. I hated the commentary too. I think the men should go on more dates etc. But, it was a fun show to watch and binge quickly.
Wandee Goodday (Thailand) - Didn't love this one the way other people did. I think the first few eps were interesting but after that it fell really flat for me. I liked the main pair but didn't love them. Overall I just think it could have been better and sexier and the promos made it look way more exciting than it ended up being imo. It was a tad cheesy, actually.
Cosmetic Play Lover (Japan) - Also binged this series quickly so I don't remember all the details. I found the plot a bit boring but I liked the main pairing. Nothing outstanding but enjoyable.
My Stand In (Thailand) - Another sort of weird premise, but I think it worked and I enjoyed watching the plot play out. But overall it was just a bit too toxic for me. I couldn't really get past the abuse, even if the scenes between the main pair were hot.
City boy Log (Korea) - Not exactly a BL and I wasn't super happy with where some of the plots went, but overall I still enjoy the series. The chemistry with the main duo is just TOO GOOD!
Bad Guy My Boss (Thailand) - Super toxic premise but I just had so much fun watching it. I love the main couple and was intrigued to see how they got together. After the first few eps the show started feeling super repetitive and boring and I kinda lost interest, but regardless, I enjoyed skimming through it.
Cherry Magic (Thailand) - Wish I could have loved this series but it just didn't really do it for me. It was okay, and at times I preferred some things to the OG version but it just didn't really have the same charm for me.
Eccentric Romance (Korea/Thai) - These mix series don't really work for me because it just feels forced, but this was a fun little dumb series that I enjoyed lol.
7 Days Before Valentine (Thailand) - Very strange series I thought I was gonna hate but I found myself kinda liking more and more as it went on. Interesting premise and I loved the "main" pairing even though we didn't get a lot of progress for them.
Two worlds (Thailand) - Premise isn't really my thing at all and I skimmed a lot but MAXNAT ARE SO GOOD. I loved their plot and their chemistry.
Love Sea (Thailand) - Loved FortPeat and their chemistry in this but overall I found the plot a little boring. And Peat's character is always such a baby in every series, I'm not a fan of the writing for him.
Cooking Crush (Thailand) - Similar situation here. I like the main duo's chemistry and overall this was a cute series, but cooking shows aren't really my thing. But I still had fun with it.
The Only1 (Taiwan) - This series had good and bad moments for me. I felt overall it was just way too slow. I did like the main pairing and their chemistry but wanted it to move faster.
Night Dream (Korea) - This series was short and I watched it really fast so I don't really remember a lot about it but I think I liked it lol.
+++ Fragile (Korea) - Didn't know where to put this series because its not really BL, but I felt it was worth mentioning because we did get a BL kiss in the final episode and will potentially get a seasons dedicated to the character. I think the series was really fun and worth checking out.
Non-Asian BL series that I enjoyed in 2024:
Rkyter (Norway) - So good and definitely worth checking out! Sadly season 2 didn't deliver so I didn't bother with it but I have hopes we will get more potentially. This isn't technically a BL but the BL ship is good.
Prisma (Italy) - Another great series with a great BL pairing, sadly was cancelled but regardless, still worth checking out.
These series I just didn't love. Maybe I enjoyed the plot, or the ship, but not both. Or I liked it at first, but it kinda lost my interest in the end. Regardless, they were all enjoyable for different reasons and still worth checking out. FYI these are in no particular order:
Happy of the End (Japan)
25 Ji, Akasaka De (Japan)
Deep Night (Thailand)
Sunset x Vibes (Thailand)
Kidnap the Series (Thailand)
For Him (Thailand)
I Saw You in My Dream (Thailand)
OMG Vampire (Thailand)
Gray Shelter (Korean)
First Note of Love (Taiwan)
Can't say there were any series I HATED but I just found a lot of them boring. I skimmed through most of these series below and don't have a really good opinion on them. But I found a few enjoyable things about them, like the main pairing, or some nice kiss scenes etc. Some of the Korean ones were good, just way too short for me to get invested in. Overall these just weren't my favs that I watched this year and were forgettable to me.
Thailand:
Battle of the Writers
Memory in the Letter
Knock Knock Boys
OMG Vampire
Only Boo
The Trainee
Summer Night Series
To Be Continued
China:
My Intimate Relationship with my Teacher (China)
Japan:
Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru
My Strawberry Film
I Become the Main Role of a BL Drama
Sugar Dog Life
Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun
Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro Ka
Korea:
Boys Be Brave
Blue Complex
Match Play
Blossom Campus
My Damn Business
Seoulblues
Blue Boys
Bad guy
Older Series that sadly can't make the 2024 list but that I watched in 2024 include:
-Oxygen the Series (Didn't love but I liked the pairings)
-I Will Knock You (Had some fun bits but felt a bit too platonic for me and toxic in the beginning)
-Unforgotten Night (Great first ep imo and then went nowhere. Promo made it look way better than it actually was)
-What Zabb Man (Super boring and unforgettable)
Jazz for Two (Korea) - The one was just a mess. Started with SO MUCH POTENTIAL but starting from ep 3 it went downhill so quickly. It’s not often that Korea gets it wrong imo but this one was so disappointing. The two couples had great chemistry but storyline wise were just so badly done. Both of the “bad boys” in those ships were just straight up abusive and mean? Literally the bully character kicked him in the stomach and face, tried to SA the main character… and both were so homophobic after getting kissed. There were hardly any nice/sweet moments, and the ones that were there felt super rushed.
-Addicted Heroin (Thailand) - Just couldn't get into this at all, and I found it really boring and the main duo had zero chemistry. Not to mention it was very platonic feeling imo.
-B x J Forever (Filo) - Completely ruined the main pairing and the season 2 plot was such a dud!
-Love is like a Cat (Thai) - What were you thinking Mew? This one was just sad (as in bad) and weird lol)
Here's to things hopefully looking up in 2025!
And stay tuned for my top BL pairings from 2024!
Oh, and here are all previous lists since TUMBLR is not saving my tags.
2023: https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/737844075622023168/top-30-bls-of-2023
2022: https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705139242020618240/my-top-20-bl-series-of-2022
2021: https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705227666795741184/my-top-15-bl-series-of-2021
2020: https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705674738528354304/my-top-15-bls-of-2020
2019 and earlier: https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705678223200174080/my-top-bls-of-2019-and-earlier
