In Strongberry We Trust
I had a private ask about Strongberry recently so here’s some thoughts.
Strongberry is probably the most established KBL studio, they started in high production shorts/microfilms (as, indeed, did all of KBL) and still specialize in them. They also do some GL. They tend to have very good chemistry, work with professional actors (not idols), and will go high heat. They are now a division of Matchbox, and have been around and steadily producing content since 2017. The CEO is adorable.
For YEARS Strongberry was the only studio reliably producing BL content out of Korea. And, sometimes the kisses were even good! For real... there was a time, not so long ago, when all we really got was KBL shorts and most of those from Strongberry. Dark days. Except for Strongberry shining one bright light of BL content. They are reliable, HEA, and high quality.
Hence the fandom slogan...
#In Strongberry We Trust
They often pick odd (or underserved) premises but always execute beautifully. Their stuff is either on YouTube, Gaga, or pay to play on Vimeo, and they do move it around so my links might not always still be working. Vimeo earns them the most money. They are a small, struggling, queer-friendly studio, please support them and their content by not pirating or watching illegally.
Here's my ranking of Strongberry's offerings.
1. A First Love Story
2021 YouTube short in 2 microfilms
Tropes: childhood friends to lovers, home setting, soft tone, grumpy/sunshine pairing
Strongberry are true masters of their craft and yet A First Love Story is still one of the best things they have ever produced. It’s the only microfilm every to make one of my year end top ten list. It’s two episodes of about 8 minutes each that manage to perfectly portray the sweetest friends-to-lovers confession ever. It’s joyful, and gentle with its characters, and a little hot. How on earth do they manage to leave us yearning for more yet completely satisfied at the same time? It’s like the perfect amuse-bouche, that one finger food at that one cocktail party that you will never forget. You are a ridiculous human if you haven’t spent 16 minutes with these two boys. Go watch it now. Or go watch it again. It’s time VERY well spent.
2. Long Time No See
2017 Gaga KBL length series (total 1.5 hr, some places packaged as a movie)
Tropes: secret love, enemies to lovers, secret identity, assassins, catfishing, mafia, higher heat, grumpy/sunshine pairing
One of Strongberry’s few longer pieces and I often wonder whether this is strictly BL. It’s about assassins on either side of a terf war who fall in love not knowing they are on opposite sides. Or do they? Good fight sequences, mature characters, high heat, very suspenseful, AND an HEA. If you like KinnPorsche you will LOVE this one.
3. Some More
2018 Gaga microfilm
Tropes: friends to lovers, hyung romance, self acceptance, countryside setting, soft tone, age gap, country boy/city boy
One of my most favorite of Strongberry’s shorts, about a city boy on a bike tour who gets injured and rescued by a taciturn, but (as it turns out) very gay, farmer. Mentions of pride, adorable supportive cousin. SO CUTE with excellent chemistry and featuring tropes I can never get enough of.
3. Private Lessons
2019 Gaga microfilm
Tropes: student/teacher, jock/nerd, hyung romance, obsession, crush, university setting, May/December, age gap
Given it is age gap and teacher/student (AKA P’ABL’s catnip) it should rate higher on my list, but the chemistry is slightly off. Stil I do love this one for the dynamic. Certainly worth watching especially if this is one of your fav yaoi tropes.
4. Step For You
2018 Gaga microfilm
Tropes: friends to lovers, sports, university setting, crush, jock/nerd, soft tone
About a reporter from the student newspaper who has to interview an older dancer and falls in love with him. This may not have been my first Strongberry, but it’s the first one I remember watching.
5. Please Tell Me So
2021 YouTube microfilm (AKA That's My Mr.Right!)
Tropes: crush, obsession, cafe setting, sunshine/sunshine pairing
Cute barista (played by Han Hyun Jun star of Love Class) has a crush on his customer, musters up the courage to ask him out.
6. My Pistachio
2018 Gaga microfilm
Tropes: friends to lovers, crush, hero worship, hyung romance, university setting, play within a play, grumpy/sunshine
7. As if You Whisper
2019 Gaga movie
Tropes: friends to lovers, self acceptance, music industry setting, grumpy/sunshine pairing
8. Confidential Coffee Break
2021 Vimeo microfilm
Tropes: mature romance, long term relationship, self acceptance, university setting, one act
It’s a monologue piece about two closeted older gay professors discussing changing times and the nature of acceptance (self and others) in modern day South Korean academic environment.
9. Hold Me
2021 YouTube microfilm
Tropes: friends to lovers, self acceptance, high school setting
10. Sweet Curse
2021 Gaga short
Tropes: horror, paranormal elements, ghost story, possession, obsession, gay friendship group, everyone wants that one boy, bad/good
This is a low-gore atmospheric horror, with some very high heat. I’m not saying it’s in the top 10 just because of that, but I am saying when Strongberry does high heat it v good and v gay.
OTHERS
My Personal Trainer - 2019 short Gaga. It v silly and v gay. Influencer has crush on his personal trainer.
Secret Roommate - 2020 short Gaga, Cohabit, self acceptance, home setting, family, coming out
Fingers After - 2021 microfilm Vimeo. Cohabit, morning after, home setting, pining, sunshine/tsundere pairing.
Secret Spectacles - 2017 microfilm Gaga. Very silly again, friends to lovers, paranormal elements, university crush.
Table Manner - 2018 microfilm Gaga. Cohabit, self acceptance, home setting, long term relationship
The Summer Pasta Recipe - 2021 short YouTube, reunion, self acceptance, grumpy/sunshine.
There my be a few more I don’t know about, MDL doesn't seem to have a sort function for production company.
NEW!
Choco Milk Shake
2022 YouTube KBL length series (total 1.5 hr)
Tropes: cohabit, F2L, paranormal elements, home setting, soft tones, sunshine/tsundere.
Two pets, a cat and a dog, reincarnate as humans to visit their old owner. Stongberry gave us a full length BL on YouTube! It’s a BL miracle and an endless delight. It was wonderfully cute, unexpectedly hilarious but expectedly silly, a little too poignant, occasionally gut wrenching and with a somewhat expected weird (but happy-ish) ending. The actors playing the two pets must have had the best time. As, indeed, did I watching it. Jealous Milk made me cackle so hard it scared the actual cat on my lap. Choco was perfectly cast, and the chemistry was ultimately decent. In Strongberry I still trust. Thank you thank you, may we have another, sirs?
Two Other KBL shorts worth checking out:
Just Friends?
2009 Gaga short
I consider this one of Korea’s first actual BLs. Boyfriends, one of whom is on military leave, trying to decide on coming out and their future together. Bonus for out gay director and queer activist.
Being Me
2018 short Gaga
A summer of love for two long term besties who have basically always been boyfriends, but when a girl tries to date one of them, they finally realize it. Beautifully filmed and a STELLAR ending kiss.
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