#until we meet again..

[bluerosefox]

Paying a Price.

I want more Dad!Tim stuff. (And once again a deaged Danny and Ellie idea)

So let's go do that.

So you know those DPxDC AUs where Tim makes a deal with either Clockwork or Danny to carry Ellie? Or Tim is a reborn Danny whose carrying Ellie instead (love these btw) in order to get Bruce out of the time stream.

Well what about instead of just Ellie, it's both her and Danny.

Danny and Ellie who were badly hurt by the GIW that they both had to revert into their cores. They are saved by their friends/family and are taken to Frostbite. There they are monitored and looked after only until they can finally the reform but they run into a problem. The two can't return to their home dimension due to the GIW activity and they cant stay to long in the Infinite Realms cause they are still halfas. Then one day CW appears to speak with Frostbite over something important about the two.

Meanwhile in the DCverse.

Tim might have figured a way to save Bruce from the timestream. A being known as Clockwork might be able to help him if he manages to summon the powerful 'Ancient'.

However he knows summoning and requesting it's help he will have to pay a price.

If it means getting Bruce back he'll do it...

[timblrdrake]

tearfully gazing into an ornate locket and running my finger along the photo on the inside

“oh discowing, we’re really in it now”

[iwantoceans]

My brain everyday

[khytal]

letters to home

my piece for @lovepeacezine !

[crooked-wasteland]

Taking out the themes of Colonialism and Tourism from Lilo and Stitch is to dig the foundation of the story out from under itself.

One of my favorite examples of how the white washing of colonized peoples affects their wellbeing was the scene at the very beginning of the 2002 animated movie. Lilo is late to her dance class, a class that teaches the traditional Hawaiian style.

While I think most are aware of this fact, Hula is a choreographed story. I learned Hula from my own dance teacher as a child, who was a native Hawaiian. I was inspired by how the motions told the stories of Hawaii's mythology and I understood the reverence for the art even then.

So the fact that Lilo is both a dancer and a student of her culture is important. It bleeds seamlessly into her storytelling around Pudge the Fish. Her beliefs and customs around Pudge, while often elevated as autistic coding, is also just a way to show how White colonizers erased native culture. Lilo truly believes Pudge can control the weather, much like many Polynesian and native American mythologies have the same beliefs to their lore as any other religion.

But instead of her beliefs being valued or understood, especially in regards to her trauma and how a bad storm resulted in her parents' car crash, Mertyl, the very white American girl from the mainland, calls Lilo crazy. And in 2025, we have to be more aware of how colonialism and religion also go hand in hand. All religious beliefs outside of the white Christians' magical man from the middle east are obviously silly little stories and fairy tales.

And Lilo fights back. Physically and without restraint. She defends herself and in that way defends her culture.

But every time Lilo fights back against the colonialism that is actively alienating her from her own home, she is told she's in the wrong.

Just like how Stitch is considered an abomination for merely existing.

Lilo and Stitch connect on the grounds of their shared anger at social structures they don't understand, a sense of powerlessness, and a longing for stability and community.

Lilo replicates colonialism onto Stitch in the sequence where she tries to make him like Elvis Presley. Trying to construct this idea of Stitch that is more understandable and palatable to others. Her crayon chart and use of the words "good" and "bad" is Lilo's way of trying to fit in. It's her child's mind attempt at accepting assimilation.

And it is reinforced through Nani's journey of finding a job. She's not seeking a job out of her own needs or desires, but because the US Government in the form of CPS will claim her unfit to take care of her sister if she doesn't. Nani is constantly creating a different version of herself to be accepted, assimilated, all while Lilo is attempting to do the same to Stitch. And Nani's reasoning of trying to keep custody of Lilo in the face of an abstract entity that has unimaginable power is a perfect allegory to Hawaii and her struggle to maintain her culture in the face of colonialism and gentrification.

If you remove the colonization themes from Lilo and Stitch, you have removed the fundamental structures that keep the story together.

[guzhufuren]

Until We Meet Again was such a perfect entrance into the bl world for me. it taught me to ignore what doesn't matter: bad mics, bleak filters, corny product placements. and to value what does: core of the story, fun of watching, sincerity of makers

[ramilpaytai]

Dean & Pharm in their dating era 🩷

[negrowhat]

Hello Neighbor

Well now that we know that Cir "just happens" to live in the same building as Phu, but just one floor down, I think we should talk about some other BL couples who just so happen to live in the same damn building as each other. Sometimes someone is aware and sometimes it's a total shock for everyone.

CirPhu from The Boy Next World. Like I said, last week Cir just casually revealed to Phu that he lives in the same building but just one floor below him. It's a bit weird for him to suddenly reveal that especially after claiming that he and Phu are lovers in another timeline somewhere. Do we believe he's a stalker? Or do we believe he's truly from another world and it's just coincidence that he lives in Phu's building? Let's place bets rn.

WinTeam from Until We Meet Again/Between Us. Win lived on the floor above Team in their dormitory and his room was right over Team's. Team living in Win's dorm definitely came in clutch for Team because he had somewhere to go when he couldn't sleep...which was every, single night. And Win gladly welcomed Team into his space and even offered him a key. They weren't just neighbors, Win's dorm was Team's sanctuary.

GeneNubsib from Lovely Writer. Nubsib was a proud stalker of his beloved Gene. He purposefully bought the condo directly next door to Gene's and didn't tell him. So when Gene kicked his ass out he just silently moved in next door and was just like "SURPRISE SHORTY!" And we all just ran with it. It is 1000% possible that Cir is pulling a Nubsib.

KongArthit from SOTUS. Kongpob was BOLD because he pulled this stunt TWICE on Arthit. First he didn't tell that man that his dorm was directly across from his in the opposite building. He just spent a few months lurking at Arthit from afar, enjoying the show of his cute senior fumbling around. THEN when Kong went to intern at the engineering company Arthit worked at (something else he didn't mention) he purposefully moved into the condo right next door to Arthit and once again DID NOT tell him. He just let his mans find out and was like, "See...what had happened was..."

PatPran from Bad Buddy. The Gods just blessed them to be in each other's spaces eternally. We all know PatPran were warring neighbors since childhood, the Romeo and Juliet of it all, but not them being across-the-hallway neighbors at uni too. Of course Pran seemed annoyed but Pat couldn't be more thrilled to be living next door to his most favorite dimply guy. Pat did seem to spend most of his free time at Pran's place, but that was partially because his baby sister was cramping his style when she moved into the dorm with him. But whatever because he got to annoy and snuggle his favorite guy.

VeeMark from Love Mechanics. What's fun about VeeMark living directly next door to each other was that Mark was Vee's side piece. Some days he was burning with rage that Vee lived next door with his girlfriend but also cackling other days because he was fucking that girl's man on the regular right under her nose. They was on some messy type shit. Wait, now that I think about it...that was ole girl's apartment so Vee was legit just bouncing around from room to room with whomever he felt like cuddling with that night. With his choosing ass.

GodDiew from Monster Next Door. They win because they were semi-anonymous next door neighbors for a long ass time. Gettiing to know each other without seeing each other. Dating while not meeting up. Romance blossoming while vaguely in each other's presence. Bonding without actually breeching a physical boundary until they were both ready. Their being neighbors and how they were neighboring was actual poetry.

I think 2025 might bring back my lists. I can't contribute much but I can make a fun random list. Hope you all enjoyed this.

[jung-koook]

damn... 😳

[ranikyani]

If you see this man call me IMMEDIATELY

It’s been 27 days since I’ve last seen my husband PLEASE call me if you find him!!! No matter the time or the distance, I’ll be on my way. I love you baby 🥹

[absolutebl]

My Favorite BL from each country VERSUS the BL I think actually best reflects that country's style in 2025

Japanese BL

My top pick for JBL (live action yaoi)?

Seven Days

Honestly? I did dither over whether to hand this title over to I Cannot Reach You, but I had to go with my heart and the earlier offering. I like that this show is not only the best the Japan can do, but also the best they once did, too. Seven Days is the greatest heritage BL anywhere on earth. Fight me, I dare you.

Best current rep of JBL?

Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu aka Our Youth

Lots to pick from here, Japan has been doing great work over the last few years. Although, as one expects from them it has been about 50/50 soft BLs versus harsh ones, with lots of spice and some challenging concepts thrown in to keep us on our toes. While I prefer my BL gentle, I think that these days Japan is actually strongest in the BL sphere when they go sharp and edgy. They seem to handle difficult concepts with the most honesty and consideration, so.... Our Youth wins.

Thai BL

My top pick for ThBL?

Until We Meet Again

UWMA will always be my favorite Thai BL. I can't imagine it ever getting unseated. But it's incredibly atypical for ThBL because the story is so very strong. And story is generally not Thailand's strong suit.

Best current rep of ThBL?

Your Sky

Yes we are getting more prestige and chaos BLs like Pit Babe these days, but those are still less common than the classic uni-set fluff. Thailand's strength remains vested in its consummate chemistry and gentleness with its characters. It's not that soft BLs are the best Thai BLs, it's that soft is Thailand's most successful BL bailiwick. I was very tempted by both Wandee Goodday and ThamePo for this category, since one major trend in Thai BL lately is that it's moving into the workplace, but GMMTV's filming quality is too high to accurately represent for Thailand.

I felt the need to go a little pulp with this pick, since pulp is still what Thailand primarily produces. Thus Your Sky is a clear winner as it reps for both the now (green flags, yay!) and the enormous back catalogue of Thai BL.

Korean BL

My top pick for KBL?

Semantic Error

Korea occupies more 10/10 spots in my heart than anyone else, but this was still an easy pick. Out my many KBL favorites (Color Rush, Light On Me, Our Dating Sim, Semantic Error, To My Star) there is only one 10/10 that I have called, frequently, Korea's pitch perfect BL. The pinnacle of smoothly executed pristine romance, I'm handing Semantic Error the crown with confidence.

Best current rep of KBL?

Love For Love's Sake

Another easy pull, Love For Love's Sake showcases the way Korea is pushing to explore interesting (slightly darker) concepts while staying true to their signature style and aesthetic. This was the only KBL in 2024 to get a high mark from me. So as more recent KBLs go, this is it.

2024 was not a great year for them, IMHO. But it would have been hard to beat the bumper crop that was 2023.

Taiwanese BL

My top pick for TaBL?

We Best Love

Always and forever. Like Thailand, Taiwan has only managed a 10/10 rank once, for this series. Despite the fact that, if pressed, I would call Taiwanese BL my favorite. WBL is just everything I love about Taiwan's messy, slightly unhinged, high drama, high domesticity, high chemistry, style of BL. Someday, we all hope, they will be able to repeat this magic. (Which I, frankly, can't say about Thailand and UWMA.)

Best current rep of TaBL?

See Your Love

I might call Kiseki: Dear to Me closer to Taiwan's typical style these days, but that aired too long ago now. So I am going to pick SYL partly on the basis of its recency. But also this is an ABSOLUTELY darling show. The cheekiness, the chemistry, the charm, the fashion, the classy way it handles content other countries simply can't or won't tackle (like queerness, mental health, or in this case, disability), the slightly bonkers plot (kidnapping, really?), and the utter squee that is gay domesticity in spades? Quintessential Taiwanese BL.

Vietnamese BL

My top pick for VBL?

You Are Ma Boy

I dithered for between this and My Lascivious Boss, both from 2021 which I think can now be considered the heyday of VBL. I like them both about the same, but the seme in this one is less red flag so I went with YAMB.

It's pretty classic VBL in that is is very messy with its story and characters, great on chemistry and domesticity, and while often fun there will always be elements that make us wince, whether it's a trigger or not. VBL is, in a word, clumsy but there is a raw chaotic good to it that I enjoy. I miss that a lot.

Best current rep for VBL?

Mr Cinderella

This was a real challenge since I have DNF'd most VBL over the last few years. The most recent one I actually enjoyed was 2022's Mr Cinderella. Higher production values and experienced BL actors plus two charismatic leads with good kissing and comfortable body language made this Vietnam’s objectively best BL to date. Frankly, it should occupy both slots.

Pinoy BL

My top pick for PBL?

My Day

My Day is my favorite PBL. Although Gameboys and Like In The Movies are rated just as high, My Day is the only VBL I ever rewatch. It's just so much FUN. All are from 2020, which it I guess means that was the heyday for PBL. Sigh. I miss it, too.

Best current rep for PBL?

Tie The Not

As many BLs as I have DNF'd from Vietnam I have dropped twice as many from the Philippines over the last few years. Tie The Not is a 2023 offering that came as close as anything over the last 5 years to winning back my heart. It missed the mark a bit, earning only a 7/10 but there was a small part of me that hoped it represented a resurgence. It did not. Still, it is the best we have had from them in a long time.

Chinese BL

My top pick for CBL?

Addicted

This remains one of my favorite BLs, and one of the best made and most truly heart wrenching out of China. It is great... if you ignore the ending. And that too is a very CBL thing. There is something about the cold atmosphere and rural setting plus the honest uncensored living conditions that really get to me (and probably got to the CCP as much as the boys kissing.)

Best current rep for CBL?

Meet You At The Blossom

This is hard because I don't know exactly where we are, but we are displaced out of time at the moment it feels like 2015 in CBLandia, not 2025. Either time period there is no way this can last. Appreciate Revenged Love while we got it because... yeah, it is representative of CBL - but CB as it might have been in 2020, and probubly won't be in the future. That's if it is allowed to finish it's run.

Look, we have had so little real CBL for so long, smattered with some censored bromance and sneaky only-international stuff, it's been a mad unpredictable ten years. As often happens when art is interfered with by waring factions of censorship and commerce.

All of this to say, I chose Meet You At The Blossom not because it's representative of modern CBL (there is no true modern CBL since it was never allowed to evolve), but because it's such a strange fabulous flaming creature. Like an IRL phoenix, we must appreciate it for this moment in time, before it combusts once again.

That said the best thing we have seen out of China in a very long time is actually Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island, which everyone should go watch immediately. And I do mean everyone.

But it isn't really BL, it's something more like an art installation meets fever dream with BL trappings that some of us are lucky enough to catch on YouTube. You should catch it.

Others worth mentioning

Stay Still

2023 BL from Hong Kong

What to say about this offering? It’s different, a mix of early CBL, Taiwanese shorts, and Pinoy visuals. It felt like the story was 2 independent shorts that had been lengthened and then smooshed together, and I wish they'd been approached as separate and tighter entities.

Nevertheless, this was a complex little piece, interesting in a sweaty grungy way, with a certain aura of queer authenticity that made it simultaneously tense, unpredictable, and refreshing. I’m not sure I would necessarily call it BL, but any county’s early foray into the genre usually starts out this way, so perhaps nascent BL? Worth watching, especially if you enjoy stuff from the Philippines and Taiwan.

Began Beginning

Burmese BL from 2024

Childhood best friends must come to terms with their own identities and true feelings for each other when a new boy comes to town, putting them into conflict with their families and ultimately, each other. For the first half of this show there’s a lot of sitting across from each other and talking about life choices over yummy food and then going to tourist spots (mildly boring and not particularly important to the plot). It changed tone about 2/3 in to be way more of a coming out family drama about forced marriages and homophobia. And then at the very end it changed again, becoming a full on soap opera with kidnapping, crazy characterization shifts, and rescue missions.

All in all? It was a wild raw creature to consume. No kisses since this is Myanmar, but a very romantic end, so I think maybe actually worth your time? I'm certainly glad I watched it.

Pure Vanilla

Singapore's 2023 microfilm

This is a short sweet offering from Singapore. It's a bit awkward acting but the tats are real and the feel is genuinely soft and queer. At the time it aired I said that I wished Singapore would give us a full proper BL.

Well, I got my wish as Sparkle in You Eye is airing right now - but I'm very much NOT sure about it. I prefer the Summerdaze style of BL from Singapore, not that they have enough BL to have a signature style yet.

Still it's nice to have them serving up... something.

Anygay, that's if for now.

This post dated June 2025, not responsible for BLs unfinished as of the time of this post. Favorites, both old and new, can always be unseated.

(source)

[xthelastknownsurvivorx]

the funniest part about between us is learning about the very different university experiences pharm and team are having. like pharm is out there fighting for his life with all the visions from the past in until we meet again while team is in his (somewhat unintentional) slut era hooking up with his club vice president all over campus

[thebroccolination]

[FANWORK EVENT FOR THAI QL FANDOM] COMMENT CARNIVAL

DATES: February 20th-March 31st

EVENT DETAILS: Writers of all kinds thrive off feedback, and it's especially so for fic writers, since one of the main reasons we write fic in the first place is to share stories with our community. Without hearing back from the people in those communities, fic writers can get discouraged from writing and sometimes even stop entirely. On the other hand, some of the brightest, happiest moments a writer can experience come from readers. It's incomparable to know that a story you wrote made someone smile, cry, or laugh out loud, and sometimes the only way you'll know it is if a reader tells you.

With this in mind, I decided to organize a festival for the Thai QL fandom community to show our fic writers a ton of appreciation in a carnival of comments. :D

Welcome to the Comment Carnival!

NOTE: Even though this event is exclusively for the Thai QL fandom, if you'd like to use the same concept or adapt it for your own fandom, please take the idea! I'd be absolutely thrilled to see this spread and for more writers to get love for the creative work they've contributed to their spaces.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE: There are two ways to participate in the Comment Carnival. The first is simply to complete as many of the commenting tasks below as you like. That's it! You'll be boosting writers' spirits with your feedback, and you may make someone's whole day with a kind word or thought about the stories they're creating.

The second way to participate involves a chance at a prize! (Hence the carnival theme.)

Below, you'll find a list of twenty Commenting Tasks to Complete. Once you complete at least ten of those commenting tasks, you can enter into a lottery to receive your very own drabble (traditionally a 100-word morsel of fic) written by one of the carnival's participating writers! If you do all twenty, your name will go into the lottery twice!

The event begins today, and on March 31st, I'll put the qualifying participants into the Picker Wheel and choose ten winners. Those winners may then select a series from the list below along with a pairing and trope (ex: "The Heart Killers, Fadel & Bison, brotherly affection") and our participating writers will post drabbles dedicated to the winners.

COMMENT QUALIFICATIONS: For your comment to qualify for the lottery, it must include the following:

At least three sentences about the fic or how the fic made you feel. ex: "I loved the way you portrayed [character name]! I can so easily imagine them saying all of that in canon. I'm definitely going to read the rest of your fic now!"

Copy & paste one line from the fic that you enjoyed. ex: "[quoted line] I'M SCREAMING!!!"

What led you to the fic (previous familiarity with the author, a rec from someone, randomly found it on a tag, etc.) ex: "My friend sent me this and told me to read it, and I'm so happy they did!"

Essentially, the purpose of the event is to give writers some specific positive feedback. In normal circumstances, it's totally fine to leave a simple, "I loved this!" or, "Thank you for writing this!" but for this event, we're gonna go above and beyond for our beloved writers.

WHERE TO COMMENT: You can comment on any fanfiction site (Wattpad, FFN, etc.) as long as you can provide links to your comments. I've just structured the event around AO3 since that's where I'm based and have the most familiarity.

And now the fun bit!

THE COMMENTING TASKS TO COMPLETE: Comment on a…

• work-in-progress (any kind) • work-in-progress that hasn't been updated in 3 months • work-in-progress that hasn't been updated in 6 months • work-in-progress that hasn't been updated in 9 months • work-in-progress that hasn't been updated in 1 year or more • one-shot with a word count under 5k • one-shot with a word count between 5-10k • one-shot with a word count between 10k-20k • one-shot with a word count between 20k-30k • one-shot with a word count over 30k+ • completed multi-chapter fic • fic with fewer than 10 comments • fic with fewer than 5 comments • fic with no comments • fic from before 2020 • fic from 2020 • fic from 2021 • fic from 2022 • fic from 2023 • fic from 2024 • fic from 2025

To qualify for the lottery, you must provide proof of your comments in the linked form below. Provide a list of at least ten links to your posted comments, and you'll be enrolled in a lottery to win a drabble based on the series of your choice from the list below provided by our participating writers.

SUBMISSIONS: Please submit your links through the form here:

As for where to get links: on AO3, when you post your comment, you'll see a button at the bottom that says "Thread." Clicking on that will create a page that starts from your comment. You can use that link for your form.

[This is my extremely subtle way to hype @faillen's Peaceful Property fic pinkies linked, palms pressed. It's so, so, so, so good.]

COMMENTING ETIQUETTE: When commenting on fic, please abide by these three points:

Offering unsolicited criticism is widely considered to be rude, so please don't critique a fic in your comments.

If it's a work-in-progress, please don't pressure the author for more updates. That's generally not received well by writers. (If you'd like to be encouraging, err on the side of the suggestions below.)

Keep the overall tone positive!

If any comments break etiquette, they'll be disqualified.

COMMENTING SUGGESTIONS: Writers are people, and people react differently to feedback, but we do share general similarities in what we love to receive from readers. Liiike…

Copy and paste parts you particularly enjoyed: The reason I made this a requirement is because I know it's commonly adored among writers. I've had readers apologize to me for copying and pasting half the fic in my comment section. I promise and guarantee you, if you ever did this, I love you. Platonically and all-consumingly. When we're writing, we're mostly on our own in our heads, in our rooms, maybe showing a friend or two snippets as we write. But when we put fic out there, we have no idea what people are going to respond to. Sometimes your favorite line is ours, too! Or sometimes the line you loved most is a line the writer almost erased! Or a line they're second-guessing. Maybe they hate it! Having someone say, "I'll think about this line for weeks," is wonderful beyond words.

CAPSLOCK: Again, be kind, but some of my favorite comments over the years have been someone so emotional about something in the fic the whole comment is just capslock screaming.

Rambling: Listen, there is no greater feeling in the world than getting multiple comments on a fic because a reader wrote so much about the fic they went past the comment box's character limit. If a fic made you feel so much you want to ramble, then please go for it! A writer spent hours working on the thing you love! Odds are good they'll be delighted!

Characterization: For many fic writers, we're trying to emulate the characterization of a character we didn't create, so when someone says, "The way you wrote this made it feel exactly like something [character name] would say/do. You really know this character!" a lot of us are especially giddy about it.

Kindness: Above all, we're just hoping for some kind thoughts. I know how daunting it can be to share your emotional responses with writers, so you can always just say, "This meant a lot to me," or, "This made me smile," and it will mean the world to a writer.

PRIZES: As mentioned, once you submit a form with at least ten qualifying comments, you'll be entered into a lottery to win one of ten drabbles from one of our participating writers! Right now, we have writers who will write for the following series:

23.5

Bad Buddy

Between Us

Dark Blue Kiss

The Eclipse

The Heart Killers

Jack & Joker

KinnPorsche

The Loyal Pin

Manner of Death

My School President

Not Me

Only Friends

Peaceful Property

Pit Babe

SOTUS

Tale of a Thousand Stars

ThamePo Heart that Skips a Beat

This Love Doesn’t Have Long Beans

Until We Meet Again

Wandee Goodday

If you're a writer interested in volunteering to write a drabble for a series we haven't provided, please DM me. :)

Even if you don't intend on participating, please please please reblog this and get the word out that it's happening.

Thank you!

Special thanks to my writing server on Discord for their brainstorming, their advice, and their suggestions to put this event together. <3

[ball-of-butter]

rest in peace to the real ones (mare barrow and runin fang) for having to put up with their crazy rich bratty mentally unstable ex-situationships whose betrayals shifted the entire narrative and who couldn’t help but induce psychological warfare through the messiest, most passive-aggressive letters

[ardently-verdandi]

i just read the most heartbreaking gut wrenching soul crushing migraine inducing emotionally devastating sylus x non-mc fan fiction and i cannot stop crying my heart hurts so badly i cannot breathe

[thirstkanaphan]

Casting Ateez in a BL (revised and expanded)

Purely self-indulgent and a way for me to draw from my stores of BL knowledge (see my tags) and procrastinate on my actual work

Hongjoong

Hongjoong doesn't quite fit standard BL male lead visuals, yet he has shown himself to be intense, jealous, and possessive with atiny (and certain other members), which makes him a good fit for a cult fave Taiwanese BL. I would cast him in a Lin Pei Yu drama as a lead who secretly and furiously pines over his love interest for years, leading to an explosive moment of passionate intimacy, only to then ghost the love of his life for five years in order to prove himself worthy.

We Best Love 1 & 2 (Taiwan 2021)

Seonghwa

With Seonghwa's ability to draw from the emotional spectrum in his art (sadness, longing, grief, anger) and his unconventional yet staggering good looks, he would be a great fit for a Korean BL directed by my queen Hwang Da Seul. A show about the cost of aiming for perfection in a society that values beauty above all else. Seonghwa would definitely try for a more authentic depiction of queerness in a BL and would not be afraid of playing a messy character yearning for love.

Bleuming (Korea 2023)

Mingi

Given Mingi's penchant for pushing boundaries and zagging where others would zig, I see him fitting in with his new friend Up Poompat in a high-budget Thai BL adapted from a Chinese web novel. A show filled with questionable/downright problematic tropes and an incomprehensible plot, yet with great ratings due to its flashy visual style and high heat. Yes, I think Mingi would have a field day and charm the pants off everyone on the set.

My Stand-In (Thailand, 2024)

Yunho

Realistically, Yunho has the best chance of being cast in a Korean bromance drama like The Devil Judge or Beyond Evil, playing an honor-bound yet impressionable rookie who comes under the thrall of a mysterious and dangerous older mentor. However, we are casting him for BL and I think he would be perfectly suited for a Japanese BL filled with comfortable and nostalgic vignettes of everyday life and extended scenes of one character cooking for the other. His handsome, boy-next-door good looks would make him the ideal romantic lead who quietly devotes himself to his childhood friend-turned-roommate.

Living With Him (Japan, 2024)

Wooyoung

Has there ever been someone more suited to a pulpy Thai BL? I mean this as a compliment, of course. Yes, these shows have a reputation for being little more than sexy melodramas with poor production values, but I see the vision. Wooyoung's magnetism, swagger, and confidence would land him a show produced by Be On Cloud with great cinematography and a high-concept story held together by tape and glue. That wouldn't matter, because Wooyoung would get every advertiser of ice tea and printer ink to fund the show.

KinnPorsche (Thailand, 2022)

San

Yes, I know San was actually used as a visual reference for a character on KinnPorsche, but he would be playing it safe as a nice, strong, romantic lead in a New Siwaj-directed Thai BL. Physically, he embodies all the attributes of a seme, defined as the active pursuer in the narrative. He is the soft dom of our dreams, and would gently yet persistently woo our skittish ML while dealing with the emotional fallout of an intergenerational trauma that threatens his happily-ever-after.

P'DEEEAAAAAN!!!

Until We Meet Again (Thailand, 2019)

Yeosang*

Yeosang is tough to cast, because we know he sees himself as a doberman while the world insists he's a maltese. Unfortunately, his angelic good looks and soft-spoken demeanor would make him catnip for a Koran BL casting director looking for the ideal uke (the passive resistor in the narrative). He would play a sweet-natured yet timed character with a tragic backstory desperate to be loved by the touch-too-possessive ML who has known him since childhood. The show would be inexpensive yet tastefully staged, with a soft and dreamy style. The chemistry would be awkward and unconvincing, but the visuals would do most of the heavy lifting. His co-star would dine out on fan-meetings for the next 2-3 years.

Cherry Blossoms After Winter (Korea, 2022) starring Ok Jin Uk, from the trot idol group SUPERFIVE

*Thanks to an excellent suggestion by @byemambo, I am also casting Yeosang in A Man Who Defies the World of BL, using their explanation:

Mob is easily one of my favorite BL characters because I rewatch A Man Who Defies the World of BL religiously. I know we tend to see Yeosang as this ethereal beauty or someone who defies the odds of reality, but Yeosang to me is one of the funniest and wholesome members once you really take in his personality and composure. I feel like even if he tries not to due to his wallflower and observant tendencies, he draws you in, which is also Mob's dilemma until he has to come to terms with his bigger than life presence in the grand scheme of things. Although he spends so much time avoiding the spotlight and desire to lay low, he finally comes to terms with how signifiant his role is in the lives of others, and I find that beautiful (even if the series itself is unserious in nature haha).

Jongho

This was the hardest casting, because Jongho is so emphatically anti-fan service. Yet his prickly appeal and fondness for weepy dramas makes me think he could tough it out in a melancholy Japanese BL. Despite a mean and grumpy demeanor, his big round eyes would fill with devastation as the person he loves is taken from him too soon, only to get him back with only enough time to say their goodbyes and learn something about acceptance and memory.

Eternal Yesterday (Japan, 2022)

I will happily hear your substitutions or recommendations.