#dating in korea

[sanvees]

favorite kisses of 2023 (in no particular order):

chen yi/ai di (kiseki: dear to me) | yang/phoomjai (love in translation) | prom/nont (playboyy) | kitae/wan (our dating sim) | segasaki/yoh (my personal weatherman) | pluem/kawin (ghost host ghost house) | lomfon/thian (la pluie) | sprite/first (twins)

[levi-lev]

WHY IS ALL THE SUBTEXT SO GAY IN THIS BOOK

-SCTIR chapter 315

[absolutebl]

Do you have any recent recommendations for JBL TaiwanBL and KBL? Been rewatching only bls from 2021 2022 and I feel like I'm out of the loop for the more recent ones.

Maybe something from this year or late last year?

Great JBL, TaBL, and KBL from 2023 & first half 2024

asker added:

Genre = mostly anything. But pls avoid homophobic trauma (like Jazz for Two).

Fair. Okay here we go!

2023 Recs!

I picked mostly 9s and 10s for you with a few 8s I felt specifically might suit your taste.

I Cannot Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai

Japan Netflix

This classic friends-to-lovers BL is everything Japan does best. Angsty. Emo. Aching. Driven by real thirst. Yamato is deeply in love with his childhood bestie, Kakeru, and has been for ages, unable to hide his ungainly damaging high school need. He wants Kakeru in every way possible and it oozes off of the screen. Kakeru is silly and a little simple, but not frenetic or overly camp about it. He is earnest, and genuinely wants to keep Yamato in his life which means giving a romance (and gayness) a fair chance. We watch him realize his affection and what form it can take in a truly authentic way. This show was impossibly kind to both of its lead characters and I felt almost honored that I got to watch something so lovely and rare play out on my screen.

Our Dating Sim

Korea Viki

This is a perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy. I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent.

I don't hand out 10/10 often (over 700 BLs watched, stil don't hvae 10 10/10s yet), these both got that from me in 2023. I consider both of them perfect BLs.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho

Japan Gaga

This style of live action yaoi really only works from Japan. Basically: boys who fell in love in college end up living together but both are so repressed they actually don't realize they're in love. It's higher heat than we usually get from Japan's HEA stuff, and that part is also very well done, but it leaned into the "why don't they just talk for fuck's sake?" trope which is only exacerbated into undiluted frustration by the fact that they're already fucking. It's great, but watching requires more patience than usual, even for Japan.

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku

Japan Gaga

A lonely salaryman (+ talented cook) gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. I was always gonna love this show if they stuck to the original yaoi (which is very dear to my heart). And they did! Paralleling it almost exactly. It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me as the best of what Japan can do with softness (like Restart After Come Back Home). It’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, but that's OK with me. This is a very safe show for anyone to watch.

Jun and Jun

Korea Viki

A delightful office romance about an ex-idol who joins cubical life only to find his new boss is his first love. Others boys are sniffing around too. Operative word being "sniffing" as much of this romance involves smell. With a snappy (sometimes even raunchy) script, enjoyable sides, a pretty as peaches cast, and descent chemistry this show made up for in style what it lacked in substance. I like fluff. I loved this. I smiled every moment I was watching. With tons of rewatch potential (especially the last few eps), my only caution is this is for fans of the BL genre only, I don’t think it’ll work for anyone else.

Love Tractor

Korea iQIYI

Most of this country-set BL had me feral for the beautiful broken city boy and his hot young farmer. Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed, just all my favorite tropes. This show was basically a light-weight Restart After Come Back Home and I’m not even slightly mad about that. But (and you knew there was a “but” comg) something about the cringe of the final 2 eps and the impermanence of the ending (both of which highlight the fact that ultimately these 2 are I’ll-suited: too different and too far apart) left me with the feeling that they probably won’t last as a couple. However, in this case, rare for me, I forgive it this finale for my love of the rest.

The New Employee

Korea Viki

So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. Sweet & innocent (and out) Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams. On his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved (and also v gay) boss. As you do. Frankly? This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever! Directed by queer activist Kim Jho Gwang Soo (Just Friends?) partly set in the same neighbourhood as the To My Star house. Gotta love WATCHA (Semantic Error, Light on Me).

Unintentional Love Story

Korea iQIYI

OMG the plot, forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the eyes EMOTING at us in PAIN A boy who just lost his job due to faked corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was lumous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). I’m not sure on rewatchability, and it didn’t whip me into a verbal frenzy the way some KBLs do, but it still gets a solid 9/10 for those damn eyes alone.

A Breeze of Love

Korea iQIYI

Tsundere insomniac grump reunited with his sunshine jock ex (human sleeping pill) who now hates him. Basketball is also involved. While the simplicity of a reunion plot makes this more cohesive than most KBLs, it is a tad stiff and slow, never managing to lift itself out of "pretty and pretty enjoyable" - I liked it but I don’t think I’m going to remember much about it. 

Bon Appetit

Korea iQIYI

Romance between an office worker the man from his past next door who cooks well. It was very sweet and cute tale of food as love in the All the Liquors family of KBL. I’m not wild about it, I did enjoy it, I was happy to have it show up on my dash, but ultimately it will simply become one of the KBL crowd.

Why R U?

(Korean adaptation of Thai original) iQIYI

Korea decided to remake, of all possible Thai BLs, Why RU? And that is exactly what we got: a short form, clean & pretty, slightly confusing, uneven chemistry, all the same tropes KBL that kind of cliff-noted the original but with none of the heat or complex relationship dynamics. I just … what world is this? Because it is BOTH bizarro land, and EXACTLY what I expected. How do I rate it? In the end I have to go back to simple questions: did I like it, would I rewatch it, and would I recommend it? Yes. Probably. And probably not. What the actual hell?

It did, however win my best kiss of 2023 which is why it's on this list.

Stay By My Side

Taiwan Viki

I wanted to pick SOMETHING from Taiwan but my other two options both had lots of trauma in them. So I'm going with this one.

This show was an interesting take on the "ghost boyfriend" trope. About a boy who is tormented by hearing the dead, except when he is around one other boy - desperation+proximity = love. Unfortunately, the story was erratic and waffled about. While the leads turned in solid performances and the sappy domesticity was off the charts, it never really had the strength of the narrative convictions such a strong concept should have supplied. Highly rewatchable and enjoyable for that sappy domesticity but not a whole lot more. Still I always give extra credit for the diabetes-inducing sugar content and rewatch capacity.

And some suggestions from 2024

I'm only suggesting stuff that has finished it's run and isn't currently airing.

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka

Japan Gaga

The promise of this show, younger cook courts older divorced office worker, should have been my catnip. I mean if someone pitched this to me in an elevator I would have downloaded it by the second storey. Unfortunately, it did not exactly fulfill that promise, not in the way I'd hoped. Did I still enjoy the ride, yes, but I feel just a little let down.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu

Japan Gaga

Kindly Ryota goes to uni and ends up rooming with his former childhood bestie, Kazuhito. Kazuhito doesn’t have a girlfriend for, as it turns out, cute roommate reasons. Same director as Old Fashion Cupcake, the framing is gorgeous and it is a stylish piece. As a friends to lovers cohabitation narrative this was a classic 2000s sweet yaoi. I enjoy that kind of tradition out of Japan even if it (and the characters) come off as a little slow as a result. Still, it's nice to get a traditional BL out of Japan that is satisfying, not slapstick, AND did not hurt us.

[lina-linny]

summary: you go on a date with your boyfriend Mingi.

words: 0,9k

genre: fluff

The colorful lights of the games hall shone out at me. Purple, pink and blue signs were everywhere, directing visitors to the small building in the crowded street.

Mingi bounced lightly beside me. I could see the biggest smile on his face. We were in his old hometown for a few days and Mingi had persuaded me to take him to the arcade he used to go to as a child.

I smiled as I thought about how happy my boyfriend was. Our date started at 4pm and I had a feeling I wasn't going to get Mingi out of here easily.

We entered the store and Mingi immediately jumped around excitedly and ran to the first machine, almost falling down, but he didn't seem to mind. Instead, he immediately started putting coins into the machine.

"Y/n baby, come on. You have to try it too!" he called out to me excitedly and I sighed with a smile. Sometimes he really was an overgrown toddler. I slowly walked over to him.

Mingi and I played a few rounds of Pack man and then switched to a claw machine. After several attempts, Mingi won a small teddy bear.

When he realized he had won, his face lit up, he grabbed me around the waist and spun me around in the air. We both laughed happily and Mingi took the teddy bear out of the machine, which he hugged proudly.

Grinning, I took a photo of him with the bear in his hand, which made him laugh even more.

"Hey!" he laughed and chased me through the almost empty room.

We played for a long time. Mingi insisted on testing each of the machines at least once and I agreed. We had a lot of fun because we played the games all day long.

When the acarde slowly closed, Mingi and I were kindly shooed out the door. Holding hands, we walked to the train station from where we would take the train to his parents. It was already late in the evening and beautiful lights illuminated the city.

As we sat down on a bench at the station, Mingi took his headphones out of his pocket and handed me one of them. I put them in my ear and a few seconds later Mingi started playing music from his phone.

My boyfriend rested his head on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around me affectionately. I smiled and snuggled up to him.

When the train arrived, we got on and 10 minutes later we were already at our destination.

During the train ride, I had once again had to undergo a little photo shoot. Mingi had announced that I looked far too cute in our couple outfit to not take any photos. I just smiled and let him do it. I thought it was cute how he was always taking photos of me and giving compliments. He was a little angel.

We walked the remaining 5 minutes until we arrived at Mingi's parents' little restaurant.

Mingi wanted to open the door for me but pushed instead of pulling, so he banged directly against the glass door. I laughed and Mingi put on a pouty face, which made me laugh even harder. I patted his head and a small smile slowly crept onto his lips.

He turned around again and this time pulled eagerly on the restaurant door. This time he managed to open the door and let me through beaming.

Together we walked towards one of the free tables and were immediately greeted enthusiastically by Mingi's mother. She wrapped me in a tight hug and stroked my head lovingly.

"How was your date little one? You must be hungry, right? I'll get you something to eat. Sit down, sit down!" Mingi's mother didn't give us any time to answer her questions but rushed straight into the kitchen to whip up something delicious.

Mingi pulled me towards him on the small corner bench that framed the table, almost knocking over the small vase on the table.

We both giggled and talked abit as we waited for the food that Mingi's mother would hopefully bring soon.

My stomach made a strange noise as if on cue when the food was brought to us by one of the waitresses. She gave us a friendly smile and then disappeared back into the kitchen.

Together we began to devour the delicious food. Mingi pushed the last piece of meat towards me. I smiled and Mingi looked very happy as he slurped up his rahmen from the small bowl. I gave my boyfriend a little kiss on the cheek, whereupon he looked at me in surprise, still with the rahmen in his mouth.

I had to giggle because he looked so cute. Mingi swallowed his foot and then started showering my face with kisses.

He finished by planting a food-flavored kiss on my lips. We both giggled and I snuggled up to Mingi. It had been a really nice date. We didn't need anything big, we just needed each other.

[neo-neos]

So Korea really said... A show where GOD THEMSELF put a curse on two men, keeping one of them alive for 300 years, in order for them to date again.

And if these TWO MEN don't date, one of them will die.

I don't know who wrote this, but I would like to applaud them personally

[thiagodasilva]

Son Heungmin for Vogue Korea ✨

[save-the-data]

our dating sim | s01e06

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes

~ Episode List ~

[memento-mariii]

There's something I find hilarious about this perjorative korean incels (and honestly just about any korean website whose userbase tend to lean male; the incel problem is depressingly widespread and normalized here) use for non-misogynist men, "스윗남 (pronounced "sweet-nam")", that translates literally to "Sweet Man".

Like, that's just objectively not a bad thing to be??? Sorry that guys who actually respect women and have actual personalities get more pussy than you, bro. Maybe if you were a better person you'd get laid more.

It's just so embarrassingly obvious that they're just seething in jealousy 😂

EDIT: a TERF reblogged this so here's a reminder that trans women are women, trans men are men, and punching down at a group of fellow marginalized people who are *also* oppressed by the cisheteropatriarchal gender roles will not free us from the patriarchy.

[filmap]

Past Lives Celine Song. 2023

Date 579-1 Makgye-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea See in map

See in imdb

[coffeebookslovegt]

Te lo dije... tengo mucho miedo, Wan. Tengo miedo de que desaparezcas justo en frente de mí.

[glindaupland]

231209 Julian Kim Music Library // Act 4. L'invito - Til I Hear You Sing (Love Never Dies)

Add another POTO actor singing (the Korean version of) 'Til I Hear You Sing' to the list

[7698]

[etirabys]

seeing people reblog my post about Korean radfems is emotionally intense because I'm like. if you think they're good people making good decisions, gtfo. if you shit on them I'll kill you though

[boltedgarlic]

04/08/2013

[vixvaporub]

I really wonder if dating only sucks in the usa or if it's a global thing

[joblessquinoa]

OMG WHO LMAO