#GamesVee

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - KISSES galore

Jan 20232 Wk 2

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

My School President (Fri YT) 6 of 10 - The mutual squealing and kicking and rolling over in bed was v cute. Tiw might actually be the greatest BL wingman of all time, yes better than Namgoong. Friend zone? Cute GMMTV, very cute. Elevator kiss, on the other hand = you little shits. Also, I’m mad you made me watch the MV because there was no way to skip through it without missing stuff. Tricky bastards. GMMTV = cute, shitty, & tricky all in one ep. Guess that’s why they’re the top of the Thai BL food chain. 

Never Let Me Go (Tues YT) 5 of 12 - We knew that this pair kisses really well, but for the characters that was a pretty stellar first kiss. I liked that we got to see Palm really want something for a change. Up until now, he’s been a pretty passive character, constantly told what to do by others, this is the first independent choice his character actually makes in this narrative. Meanwhile the action part of the bodyguard plot has begun, which makes me happy. Let the forced proximity cohabitation trope commence! With probably at least one running through the woods holding hands to come.

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) 9 of 12 - Basically a filler ep with in-your-face backstory we already sussed. Prem is doing a good job tho. WATCH ALONG HERE.

609 Bedtime Story (Fri WeTV) 8 of 11 - There was no GamesVee. I’m sad. 

Cutie Pie 2 You (special) 2 of 4 - Awwwww, how sweet they tried to give it a plot. Operative word being: tried. 

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) 9 of 12 - Stuff in tents. Lots of cringing blushing maiden bullshit. Noey = v bold and into public claiming. I’m not wild about this one. 

Remember Me (Sun Gaga) 14fin - Honestly, they were branded pairs so we knew ManTitle were goona kiss, but I kinda wish they hadn’t bothered. These characters just didn’t work for me as a couple. Marriage equality stinger* on this puppy. Still, what a slog. I’m only binging stuff from this studio henceforth. (Next one: Buddy Line Y Animal). Whatever. Frankly that’s my review of the show: whatever. 5/10 

* I do like that this drama teased a marriage and then intentionally never gave us that marriage on screen. For all romance genre fans, this would've felt like a slap in the face. Instead they put in a stinger that essentially said “if you want a marriage scene between men, legalize marriage in Thailand, you fuckers.” And ya know, I’m here for that. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The New Employee (Korea Weds Viki) 4 of 8 - Ooo first date. Omg they are SO CUTE. There was a lot of squealing and flapping of hands on this side of the screen with the show. Also two out gay boys! Korea how far you have come in just a few short years! If adorable our baby boy’s 2 fag hags don’t get together by the end of this show, I will be a touch disappointed. (It has to be said. I’m not expecting it because this is still Korea doesn’t do sides in BL. But hope springs eternal.) Meanwhile, I like that there was actual desire expressed with these two. This is definitely one of the gayest BLs to have come out of Korea in recent years. If you’re confused like I was, that pen has the initial of baby’s ex crush from uni on it. 

HIStory 5: Love in the Future (Taiwan Weds Viki) 3 of 10 (or 6 of 20) - Classic that Taiwan has finally given us a femme character in a BL and he is predatory & evil. The secondary couple is the most adorable thing, I even forgive them a pratfall kiss, because there was a 3 piece suit involved. I am starting to like the main couple a little bit more, mostly because of the rich kid character. I love domesticity, and Taiwan always does it so well. The main character time traveler whatever remains a bit annoying, I prefer a sunshine archetype that is not intentionally naïve to the point of stupidity. Still, I’m invested. This is classic HIStory franchise. 

Candy Color Paradox AKA Ameiro Paradox (Japan Fri Gaga) 4 of 8 - It’s a bit too much second hand embarrassment and cringe for me. I hope Japan someday gives us a BL like Eternal Yesterday, where both characters are cool and no one dies. Incidentally, if you’re playing a game of spot that BL actor, the one playing the “actor character” is Izuka Kenta  (from The Novelist and Absolute BL2). WE LOVE HIM. 

The Director Who Buys Me Dinner (Korea Weds iQIYI) 9-10fin - I honestly don’t know how I feel about this one. It was more of a red thread fated mates who are fated to repeat the mistakes of the past. Shall we call it faded mates?  And I’m not sure, even though the ending is somewhat optimistic, that I am actually optimistic about it or them as a couple. So I wouldn’t call it HEA. 

Final review? Featuring a gorgeous & stellar cast, TDWBMD should have utilized them less for melodrama and more for chemistry. This BL is a unique twist on an office romance if NOT a unique twist on a doomed red thread trope, resulting in it feeling less than the sum of its parts and ultimately unsatisfying. Possibly this had to do with the fact that this was one of those KBLs where I felt how short it was the whole time, like I was missing something constantly, in every episode. No HEA. Worth watching for some but seriously flawed. 6/10

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

The Star Always Follow You (Vietnam YT) - same Team RL peeps we have seen before (Sunshine, Stupid)

GMMTV’s Midnight series - first segment has begun bit it’s not the EarthMix messy gays. I’m so not interested in messy hets, so I’m waiting until they grace my screen. Moonlight Chicken (Weds YT) 1 of 8 eventually.  

Gossip

I’m gonna hold off on The Warp Effect and binge it later, after I know for sure if the BL couple makes it. 

I will be taking everyone‘s advice and not watching Till the World Ends sorry not sorry. Protecting my squishy center (also I HATE xmas carols.) 

In Case You Missed It

I posted a meta of all my 2022 wraps, top picks, industry stats, etc..

I ALSO posted the 2023 forthcoming BL master post.

Coffee Shop shorts series with the adorable couple from Ghost Host, Ghost House have a WONDERFUL new installment with "BLACK COCONUT". You should watch it. Also... try the drink. 

Love Bill (Vietnam Sat YT) starring Bah Vinh ended its run and IT’S SAD. I am so glad I waiting because now I’m not gonna watch it. So there. 

Adorable KGL Girlfriend Project, basically a very short lesbian version of Love Class. It’s cute. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Jan 19: Individual Circumstances (Korea Thurs Viki) 8 eps - A reunion romance between a movie director who was once promising and a writer who disappeared due to past wounds. Stars JunQ (main rapper of 2nd gen group MYNAME) and Han Jung Wan (Mr International Korea winner).

2023 forthcoming BL here

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

The LOOK in his eyes. I really hope we get more than crumbs from Satang Kittiphop in the future. 

Also, that outfit, definitely an instrument of hope. (Mark is going to be in Moonlight Chicken, Cooking Crush, Last Twilight, & Only Friends this year. Apparently GMMTV’s directors like him a lot. So ALL the hope. Plus more sweater vests without shirts, please and thank you.) 

Relatable. 

FINALLY! (all are My School President, it was a GREAT ep this week) 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Well Monsta X released a new single, Beautiful Liar, so yeah, THAT! 

[neo-neos]

Not me being way more invested in GamesVee than MumDew💀

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - All the Penultimate DOOM

Jan 2023 Wk 4

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most. (Posted early this week cause I running a seminar all day tomorrow.) 

Ongoing Series - Thai

My School President (Fri YT) ep 8 of 12 - Gun is SO MUCH better at flirting than Tinn. Also Fourth is a killer little actor. GMMTV, man, how do they always find ‘em? The side couple is also getting to be good. Should this show be in the running for 10/10 status? Probably. But it’s never gonna get there because of all the singing. (I gotta stay true to my brand.) 

Never Let Me Go (Tues YT) ep 7 of 12 - I can see why everybody giffed the wrestling on the bed scene. It was v cute and a great opener. I like that the backstory we got was a good explanation for Palm and his father’s extreme loyalty. Fastest proposal to wedding I’ve ever seen. Outside of Vegas, of course. NO SINGING. OK the “this is how couples kiss” kiss was really REALLY good.

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) ep 11 of 12 - Doomy doom doom. Only not. It was more like doom lite. Except for those of use who hate singing. Then it was extra spicy doom torture. And unlike Pete, I do not like it. WATCH ALONG HERE.

609 Bedtime Story (Fri WeTV) ep 10 of 11 - Doomy doom doom, ALSO. GamesVee schilling for marriage equality. Has to happen every single show now? But at crying kiss? YES PLEASE. 6 month time gap. Honestly, WeTV didn’t serve me the first half of the ep this week, and I don’t really care. Apparently it was amnesia. Meanwhile, Mum stepped aside for emotionally immature obsessive sister. And now she’s marrying Dew. Bonkers. I hate this experience. 

Cutie Pie 2 You (special) ep 4fin - And a wedding, and everything sweetness and light, in Korea we are boys do not kiss like that, and the end. Honestly we didn’t really need this special, but I’m not upset about it. 7/10 RECOMMENDED BUT ONLY IF YOU’VE SEEN THE SERIES 

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) ep 11 of 12 - Doomy doom doom only pulp style. The parents, understandably, do not approve. Noey’s plans for the future are kind of cute. He’s such a baby. 

Hit Bite Love (Sat YouTube) ep 1 of 6 - Opens with a bj. That’s certainly novel. Honestly? This is giving me So Much in Love meets Club Friday vibes. Which is not a good thing. But starting with secret lovers (Ken & Shokun) breaking up is at least different. There is also a cute new kid in a friends-to-lovers geeky thing happening (King & Burger). Subs are TERRIBLE. But my Thai is good enough now for me not to mind as much as I once did. Do I like this show? Noo…oo? But I’m gonna keep watching it. I have a pretty high tolerance for Thai pulps. After all, I’m one of the few people on the planet who actually watched So Much in Love. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The New Employee (Korea Weds Viki) ep 6 of 8 - Criminal how utterly gay and cute they are. Matching pajamas indeed. ALSO honorifics discussion!!!! Yay! (There was seal clapping on this side of the screen.) “Do you want to see my cat?” is a great pick up line. It would totally work on me. To be fair, “do you want to see my dog” would also work. Always been an equal opportunity player.

HIStory 5: Love in the Future (Taiwan Weds Viki) ep 5 of 10 (or 9&10 of 20) Wynn in the icebox = such an old-school trope, it’s practically kidnapping for love. Pouty McHotterton remains regrettably evil and should have been fired. Vincent is too nice for his own boy’s good. Then... random confession time! I guess extreme cold makes people brave/drunk? But why didn’t he take him to the hospital to get treated for hypothermia? I’m so confused. Still these office boys are so cute and sincere and awkward. They’re killing me  The other two are basically a married odd couple. Rich boy just wants to be looked after and coddled and spoiled. Jonny is very daring but also acts unconsciously and on pure instinct. I kind of like their dynamic. It’s sort of teasing, and cool, and modern. 

Candy Color Paradox AKA Ameiro Paradox (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 6 of 8 - Kenta  domination continues. Of course my beloved charismatic boy ends up being complex but evil. Could I just get a wholesome age gap BL starring him now, please? I’m not picky. He’d be GREAT in Our Dining Table... just saying. Sorry, distracted. Back to the main couple... they’re pretty I suppose. I do like how huggy they are.  Also, multiple kisses. What is this world coming to? All very unusual in JBL.

Individual Circumstances (Korea Thurs Viki) ep 3-4 of 8 - The stalking continues, and it’s boring. Korea doesn’t have any excuse to be boring, they don’t have enough time to spend on it in a BL. Stalker gets sick. Shocker. It’s a BL + rain. Still I’m very grateful that they take every opportunity to make Mr. Korean International shirtless. For science and the good of BL, we salute you! Frankly, I have no idea what’s going on. Did they actually have a relationship in the past? Or was it closeted? Or did one of them think they were in a relationship but not the other? On a different note and wat more important to me? I want the actor playing the agent to star in his own BL. He v adorbs. 

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

GMMTV’s Midnight series (Weds YT)  - first segment has begun bit it’s not the EarthMix messy gays. I’m so not interested in messy hets, so I’m waiting until they grace my screen. Moonlight Chicken 1 of 8 - eventually.  

Gossip

Earth giving us, in one single photo shoot on Cooheart IG, what Unforgotten Night couldn’t manage in an entire fucking series. 

I read the first installment of the Semantic Error manwha (available in English translation legally). It’s similar to the show, although not exactly the same. Some scenes are in different orders etc. There’s not much of the story in the first installment, and I don’t think it was worth the money. The art was fine, pretty typical of the genre, nothing to really recommend it or stand out from the pack. If it did nothing else, it made me realize how much the Parks brought as their roles, because as manwha characters they did not resonate with me at all and came off as pretty flat. Brutal assessment, I know. You thought I was a harsh BL critic, I’m 1000x worse to books.  

The Controversy Surrounding Be On Cloud Actor Build Jakapan and KinnPorsche Author Poi Patchayamon - untagged, no comment & no comments welcome, this is not that blog. 

In Case You Missed It

I posted a meta of all my 2022 wraps, top picks, industry stats, etc..

I ALSO posted the 2023 forthcoming BL master post. (see comments some are inaccurate)

Next Week Looks Like This:

Light week right now, which is cool with me. I think I might get caught up on 2020′s The Reason Why He Fell In Love With Me, Gaga picked it up and I’ve been wanting to see it since it got announced in 2019. Japanese, teachers at a school fall in love with each other, get caught. 

Tomorrow: Between Us ends. 

The End Of The World, With You AKA Bokura no Micro na Shuumatsu from Japan starts on Gaga ep 1 of 8. Stars Toshiki Seto (Senpai, This Can't Be Love). In 10 days, the world will be destroyed by a meteor. To spend his remaining time as comfortably as possible, bad-luck magnet Masumi decides to visit the library of his alma mater and read as much as he wants until the end. But there he meets the one man from his past that he never wanted to see again, Ritsu. And if things weren't bad enough, Ritsu has a favor to ask, a favor that Masumi never expected

Supposed to air in Jan but I got nothing: 

Nilundon

Luminous

Time the series

This week’s adventures in captions:

Hit Bite Love: I applaud the use of singular they and am amused by the sentence construction that resulted. 

King actually said boy with boy (or boy+boy, or boy & boy - the conjunction is the same word in Thai) not homosexual. I haven’t heard this Thai phrasing used before in a BL and I liked it a lot. 

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Between Us being all soft with their Ep 11. 

I love it when a show defines its own premise (NLMG).  

Blessed be the wingmen for they speak truth in BL (Hit Bite Love). 

FINALLY learning how to manipulate his boyfriend (got himself a tsundere praise slut, takes a bit of high handed managing that does). My School President, speaking of... 

Best line in a BL ever, but honey, I think he really wants you to give the orders. 

Let the single braincell club rise again! 

I see what you did there GMMTV, alluding to the pool kiss trope you basically popularized with OG PeteKao? Very clever. 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Kang Daniel’s Parade. 

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL  - solid showing

Jan 20232 Wk 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

My School President (Fri YT) 7 of 12 - Tinn flirting using a periodic table is such a simp. I can’t with this boy. This ep made me laugh so flipping hard. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? GMMTV you tricksters, you. I’m sorry to say that even the catfishing part made me laugh. What a wonderful show. 

Never Let Me Go (Tues YT) 6 of 12 - I loved the part where Pawin speaks multiple languages: English Thai, and Mandarin. Pawin is good! Lovely diction. I like the discussion over The Kiss and I liked how clear N is about who he is and what he wants. P is the opposite, doesn’t really know what he wants, and wouldn’t know how to express himself even if he did. Yet they are still somehow sweet with each other. Pond is so cute when he smiles. 

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) 10 of 12 - I gotta say that this level of miscommunication at this point in the drama is merely ep 11 bullshit manipulation. And it is annoying. Even though i know the story has no other vehicle to drive crisis at this point in the show, I’m not happy about it. Dare I say this BL is a touch disappointing? Well, if I don’t say it, who will? WATCH ALONG HERE.

609 Bedtime Story (Fri WeTV) 9 of 11 - OhmFluke are always good, but because of the cheating thread I find it really hard to support this couple. I liked the “who done it” twist. I did see it coming, but I watch too much TV. I love GamesVee but Vee’s hair is truly terrible. 

Cutie Pie 2 You (special) 3 of 4 - Disastrous sun glasses, Zee. TutorYim did an awesome job on their sexitimes. I admit to being worried, I was a little scared they couldn’t carry physical intimacy off (holding down 3 series this year). But they did good job. Although, Nuer, if your boy is that twitchy and ticklish? Strap him down and bite. Hard. Presumably he’s not called Syn for nothing. 

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) 10 of 12 - Just too much blushing maiden for me to stand. And Noey’s odd blinking thing? What is with that?

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The New Employee (Korea Weds Viki) 5 of 8 - Backstory of the pen is explained, and daddy forces a conversation about it, which I LOVE. I thought his first reaction was a bit harsh, but I’m on his side. Get over your college crush, baby. Pay attention to the guy that’s in front of you. Also cat fucking things up more = classic. The guy walking by in the street who called them “cute” for a hug is my hero. I love this show so much. 

HIStory 5: Love in the Future (Taiwan Weds Viki) 4 of 10 (or 7&8 of 20) - Rich boy getting jelly. Jonny getting savvy. Boys holding hands and falling asleep together after an earthquake is cute. Office sides = best couple on air right now. I love how Vincent just casually cuts up his food and gives it to his baby boy. Tony remains evil and manipulative but hot, I shall call him: Pouty McHotterton 

Candy Color Paradox AKA Ameiro Paradox (Japan Fri Gaga) 5 of 8 - I think they made a mistake of putting Izuka Kenta into this one. He’s so good everyone else‘s performances look weak by comparison. 

Individual Circumstances (Korea Thurs Viki) 8 eps - A reunion romance between a movie director who was once promising and a writer who disappeared due to past wounds. Stars JunQ (main rapper of 2nd gen group MYNAME) and Han Jung Wan (Mr International Korea winner). I like this more than I thought I would (reunion romances are not my thing) mostly because of the bratty director character. Using a guitar to torture someone is entirely appropriate, in my book/BL world it happens all the damn time. It’s an interesting promise, I do want to know what happened in the past. The bike is silly. 

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

GMMTV’s Midnight series - first segment has begun bit it’s not the EarthMix messy gays. I’m so not interested in messy hets, so I’m waiting until they grace my screen. Moonlight Chicken (Weds YT) 1 of 8 eventually.  

Gossip

Be On Cloud (the KinnPorsche people) announced its 2023 line up. Descriptions and discussion here. 

In Case You Missed It

The Star Always Follow You (Vietnam YT) ended amorphously so yeah not my thing. 

I posted a meta of all my 2022 wraps, top picks, industry stats, etc..

I ALSO posted the 2023 forthcoming BL master post. (see comments some are inaccurate) 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Frigay is BACK with a vengeance. Honestly, I like this line up. This is about the number I can handle in a week. 

Still (supposedly) to come in January:

The End Of The World, With You

Hit Bite Love

Luminous

Nilundon

Time the series

BL Fashion Hall of Shame

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

They are my children. MUST PROTECT. 

World’s best wingman. 

What did I say about biting? Tinn gets it. 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? And this week my OG bias has a single, two actually, but the comeback isn’t good, so I’m opting for: Letter from Park Jinyoung (GOT7). If you listen you’ll understand why I also love Leo so much. Honey voices are my weakness.