#side couples in bl

[absolutebl]

Hello! I am impressed by your extensive knowledge on media and BL, and by the way you convey your thoughts on it. I learned a lot, and it made me appreciate some sides of this industry that I never really payed attention to. Thus, I would like to know what are your theories/opinions on why the phenomenon of the side ship(s) being more engaging that the main ship is so prevalent in BL. Thank you 💕!

Hi! And thank you.

Theories/opinions on why the phenomenon of the side couple being more engaging that the main couple is so prevalent in BL

Ah...

Side Dish Addiction Syndrome Explained

@heretherebedork and I feel your pain on this one.

1. My pet theory is that since the side dishes have so much less screen time it allows fans to imagine more about them and identify more closely with them. But there’s mroe than that. 

2. They have much less rope to hang themselves with in terms of cliche tropes and dialogue and archetypes. They can be somewhat pastiche (or slap dash, as characters) and we, as watchers, give them more depth than they would (if that had more screen time) actually have earned. 

3. Many script writers are actually better at relationship development in short form rather than long form, because romance as a narrative driver is under-studied and under-appreciated, a lot of people in the film industry just do not understand how it works. Therefore less screen time is actually better, fewer outside voices to fuck it up.  

4. The side dishes are an opportunity to provide a foil to the main characters. 

WinTeam are a great example. Win (outgoing, flirty, cheerful, gregarious) is the opposite of Dean. Team (outgoing, tsundere, tough) is the opposite of Pharm. Sometimes we like them better because of this. They look even better by comparison because they exist as a kind of narrative break (relief) from the relationship style of the leads. 

5. This also means the side dishes can explore archetypes that are not part of the main plot, but might really appeal to a very vocal element of fandom. 

So like hard core BDSM (VegasPete), bad boy flirt and rebellious uke (WinTeam, PitchBank, ForthBeam), new romance rather than preexisting (Cutie Pie’s 3rd tear), younger seme older uke (KhunKaow in Brothers). 

The main character are most likely to lean into the most popular (and therefore safest) major tropes, while also toning it down to makes those characters as palatable as possible to a wider audience (this is the big problem with PhaYo in the 2 Moons franchise = they are colorless and overdone). 

Where as the side characters can go other places, be more edgy, be more mysterious, be more kinky, be more extreme, more sexually liberated and adventurous, be women (!), be more queer AKA be different and unique (to the BL universe). 

And therefore we are more likely to see ourselves in them, to identify with them, or just think of them as special and love them more. 

I don’t think it’s a bad approach, multiple couples. 

It means we have different ones we like and identify with in any given show. Honestly I think the fact that Thailand leans into this partly accounts for the popularity of Thai BL. 

At leaves it always gives some of us some kind of crumbs to latch on to. 

More on this topic:

Rewatch for side couples? 

Top 10 BL Shows Where There is NO Side Couple

Thai BLs Best Side Dishes (prior to 2022)

(source) 

[pharawee]

—SPARE ME YOUR MERCY · Coming Soon 2024

[5-pp-man]

[sidecouplesupremacy-blbambeyond]

KISEKI: DEAR TO ME (2023, TAIWAN)

Episode 13 - The Finale

Rightfully so. This hot as f*ck side couple closed the show. Love ya, Fan Ze Rui and Bai Zong Yi but Chen Yi (NAT CHEN) and Ai Di (LOUIS CHIANG) stole the finale episode and I ain't mad.

Sure Ze Rui fell on his sword (somewhat literally as Zhang Teng's sister took revenge for her brother's death. Feeling like she deserved her vengeance he encouraged the teen to run as he bled out. Did he die? Of course not. And no retribution on this sad little girl that lost her brother.

Plus after the credits rolled Ze Rui and Zong Yi got a little more screen time and the beginning of some kitchen nookie. Fin. Applause.

This BL broke the bank on guest stars from other BL's but I could not enjoy Wayne Song and Huang Chun Chih since they first were NOT a couple in this and instead of Huang Chun Chih character dying Wayne Song's character bit the bullet. Kinda adding insult to injury (points off for that KISEKI even if he was a bad guy)

So the best Guest Stars go to PLUS & MINUS couple MAX LIN and SHI CHENG XUAN.

@pose4photoml @lutawolf

[if-i-was-a-cucumber]

fire and dynamite never fail to make me pause and squeal and giggle like i’m watching my first ever bl

this smile when dynamite finally turns to look at him??? GOLDEN

fire doing a complete 180 and becoming a hardworking addition to the simp community?? HAS MY HEART

these gorgeous 5 seconds where fire can’t suppress his smile because dynamite is just existing??? KILL ME NOW

dynamite being absolutely 100% correct on his first guess without any prior knowledge of the situation?? THEY’RE SOULMATES

dynamite’s smile after fire admits the truth that literally everyone knew about since episode whatever in the sex work street??? THE DEFINITION OF PRECIOUS

[gunsatthaphan]

"do you believe me now?"

[red-hibiscus]

Love a man who helps his gf get the SRS she needs. After some quick research it seems that usually bottom surgery for trans women is about $9-11k (฿323,936-395,912). That's not cheap.

And the way he seemed happy that she was able to get it, but also sad that he wasn't there to take care of her. Like he seemed sad he missed out on being there for her during something he knows is a big deal.

May Namsom find her confidence. She shouldn't feel like she's ruining people's lives just by being with them. If anything it seems like her life was ruined the most by jealous transphobes. Kor please continue sending her with love and support.

[guzhufuren]

gmmtv diversely yours, huh. and is gmmtv 2023's diversity in the room with us right now?

[khaopybara]

Trust a Lesbian to Judge You and All of Your Life Decisions While Looking Hot AF

It felt dishonest to make compilations of all of the main men in this show and leave Cheum out of it when she's part of the Messy F4. To be honest, Cheum dresses simply, but Lookjun makes all of these look very good, to be honest. I really had high hopes for Cheum before this show aired, but at least she delivered when it came to her outfits. Also, her favorite pants (the jeans with a hole in the back and one in the front) was used around 11-12 times that we can see it.

LOOKJUN BHASIDI as NAMCHUEAM ( ONLY FRIENDS 1-12 )

[bl-bam-beyond]

A LOOK BACK at Uncle & Milk (AND A THANK YOU TO STRONGBERRY)

SUPPORT STRONGBERRY IF YOU CAN!!

CHOCO MILK SHAKE (2022, SOUTH KOREA)

Can't not love this Duo. And pray Season 2 gives them what they deserve. They are not a side couple. They are a co-main couple.

Uncle (PARK SEUNG BIN) gives Milk (KIM SEONG HYUK) a good bye kiss. As Milk heads off without Choco (though Jung Woo sent Choco off too but...)

@pose4photoml @lutawolf @thewayofsubtext @kingofthereblog-boysloveed @absolutebl @bengiyo @pharawee @wanderlust-in-my-soul

[heretherebedork]

Lalala tiny side ship song, lalalala side couple song, lalala i love crumbs song

lalala tiny gaybie song, lalalala he gonna get his ass beat song, lalala i am worried for the boy song, lalala he needs a tiny nerdling to rescue him song, lalala but not yet oh noooo

[lemonfreshlysqueezed]

You can not convince me that these two are not Vegas and Pete in another universe

[pharawee]

"I can betray anyone, but I can't betray Daddy."

[ppeonppeonhan]

Gif by thasorns

I need a do over with these two -- a full blown series. Cause the chemistry is there. We just need to rewrite Fame/Great/Grey's incredibly annoying het-bro personality. 🙄

[sidecouplesupremacy-blbambeyond]

BOYS BE BRAVE! (2024, SOUTH KOREA)

Episode 2

Directed By: Lim Hyun Hee

Original Title: I CAN'T CONFESS (Adapted From webtoon CAN'T CONFESS)

Episode 1 focus was mainly the main couple but at the end of Episode 2 my interest soared...

Ji In Ho (the magnificent AHN SE MIN) arrives in a dark alley facing Choi Sunny (JUNG YEO JOON) which seemingly hints of a history between these two.

Ji In Ho announces that tomorrow he'll sleep with Choi.

Silence. Street Light Burns out. End credits.

I'm not connecting with the main couple just yet. But the side couple starts quite interesting.

This comes from second time director (listed above) her first work...OUR DATING SIM.

@pose4photoml @absolutebl @lutawolf @kingofthereblog-boysloveed

[maxescheibechlinichacheli]

Cherry Magic Thai Adaptation Pilot Trailer