#tiawanese bl

[absolutebl]

I'm a bit lost on what to watch right now, but I have this huge gaping hole in my chest that needs to be filled with some good BLs. I absolutely adore Old Fashioned Cupcake, To My Star, We Best Love (the drunk confession scene had me reeling). I'm not a huge fan of Thai BLs, because of the way it's shot and the humour, but I did really enjoy Not Me, 1000 stars and Bad Buddy. Do you have any recs?

Prestige BL to watch RIGHT now

You said you absolutely adore:

Old Fashioned Cupcake

To My Star

We Best Love

And are not a huge fan of Thai BLs but enjoyed:

Not Me

1000 Stars

Bad Buddy

This leads me to conclude you like "prestige BL".

My Recs for Prestige BL:

Our Dating Sim, Korea Viki - might be a bit soft for you, but truly great

Our Dining Table, Japan Gaga - soft and a little slow but quality

Blueming, Korea Viki

The Eighth Sense, Korea Viki - this one, THIS ONE, this one you will LOVE, go watch it RIGHT NOW, thank me later

The New Employee, Korea Viki

Unintentional Love Story, Korea iQIYI

Roommates of Poongduck 304, Korea Viki

Tokyo in April Is..., Japan Gaga

About Youth, Taiwan Gaga - you don't list any high school stuff but this is BL so I had to include one

DNA Says Love You, Taiwan Gaga - really, trust me, make it through the first 3 eps, it's worth it

My Tooth Your Love, Taiwan Viki - the premise seems odd but it's very endearing and quite complex

A First Love Story, Korea YT - this is a Strongberry short but if you haven't seen it it's very much your style

Older stuff that May Be Your Style

Addicted: Heroin, China Viki (If you haven't seen this, it's and early BL that kinda paved the way to the style you like, so worth watching for that reason alone)

Life: Love on the Line, Japan Viki (go for the director's cut)

Restart After Come Back Home, Japan Gaga? Viki? (not sure who has this one but I think you'd enjoy it)

Long Time No See, Korea Gaga? (Strongburry's first longer offering and it's wonderful, well worth tracking down)

Where Your Eyes Linger, Korea Viki

Like In The Movies, Pinoy YT

Airing right now, Sept 2023

Might be right for you and would allow you to join in the chatter here on Tumblr

Kisseki: Dear to Me, Gaga (Taiwan, mafia, so far very good but just started)

Dangerous Romance, YT (Thai but two of GMMTV's best actors)

I Feel You Linger in the Air (historical, it's really great, Thai, hard to find in USA)

Only Friends, YT (not quite BL, very queer messy gays, Thailand's answer to Queer as Folk)

If you are willing to try some Thai BLs I suggest:

Moonlight Chicken (review here)

He's Coming to Me

The Eclipse

And if those work you could try more from this list:

Hope this gives a few things you haven't watched yet!

(source)

[absolutebl]

I love your country by country BL breakdowns and your trope discussions! Are there any tropes that are specific to Thailand, Korea or Japan or that show up extra often from a particular country?

Oooo, very good question.

Country Specific BL Tropes!

Visual tropes that specific countries seem to like more than others. Which is not to say everyone doesn’t do them, or Thailand doesn’t do the most (because they do the most BL). It’s a matter of in-country statistical re-occurrence. 

Taiwan’s Beloved Tropes 

Crash into me, AKA proximity alert and the pratfall kiss (I actually call them out for this one) I don’t think I have ever seen a Taiwanese Bl that hasn’t had this trope 

Head in lap (also China & Japan) 

Boyfriend sunshade 

OTHERS 

Weak seme uke dynamics 

Masc presenting physicality  

Friends to lovers 

Casual physical affection and domesticity (heads in laps are popular)

Childhood crush & long term pining (also China) 

Stepbrother trope (and other taboo power dynamics like teacher/student, age gap)

Kidnapping for love (also China) - old and rare

Korea’s Beloved Tropes 

Korea is really strategic about their tropes and seems to be aware of the entire scope available but only deploy them as required to move along the narrative. As such they don’t really have ones that reoccur all the time or that they lean into (aside from the usual romance beats like first kiss, jealousy, etc...) 

Beach frolic - this seems to be used (like Thailand) by the tourist board to remind people that they have beaches too.

Back hugs - yeah I didn’t realize this either 

Wound tending, a variation on this one does seem to get into all their BL, it is a very useful plot device and excuse for physical contact (like messy eater, with is pretty rare in KBL - they don't like messy)

Extreme height difference (Japan & Thailand do this too, but no one pushes it as hard in BL as Korea) 

OTHERS 

Food (kitchen) or small business settings, and eating

Love triangles

Hyung AKA age gap (also Taiwan) 

High production values, yoai framing, careful wardrobe and lighting  

Japan’s Beloved Tropes

The wall loom/bang AKA Kabedon 

The rooftop assignation 

The water bottle drinking seme 

OTHERS 

Blushing maiden

The crisp blue school uniform (also Korea)

Whipping boy 

Office settings 

The running of the gays (one boy has his romantic epiphany at the moment of nearly losing the other guy and then absolutely must run, usually through city streets, to find to him)

Out of control seme (repressed desire spurts out)

Vietnam’s Beloved Tropes

Lap sitting 

Household domesticity & gay families (also Taiwan)

Thailand’s Beloved Tropes 

Thailand, because it dominates BL, dominates a lot of tropes, but here are some that specially BELONG to them, started with them, or are so very ubiquitous that we think of them as Thai. 

Sing Your Feelings 

Pillow Clutch 

Shared Earbuds (dead trope) 

Sharing his closet 

OTHERS 

University & high school settings 

Sleep facing,

Mosquitos leave hickeys, 

Forehead kissing, (others do it but Thailand LOVES it)

Hand kiss (Taiwan will do this too), 

Car kissing, 

pink milk, 

pealing shrimp, 

he’s in engineering, 

post-it love note, 

pinky swear (also Korea), 

clear umbrella, 

white wet towel sponge bath,

punishment language, 

More on Thai BL & Romance Tropes 

I don’t talk Chinese BL much (because for me, censorship goes both ways), but boy are they BIG fans of the fated mates AKA soulmates trope. 

Other Country by Country stuff

(the above post is frozen and can no longer be updated) as this one could be at any time so here's the last update date for reference:

Nov 2023

(source) 

[absolutebl]

what are your favourite troops but only for second couples? Personally, I really enjoy dumbeXdumber but only in the second couple cause having it in the main usually ends up being too cringe. I think some troops only work if they aren't confined by a plot. Or maybe they are just harder to do with a plot? idk thoughts?

Tropes I love for secondary couples?

Hum...

Sunshine/sunshine (cinnamon roll couples).

Bad boy/good boy

Enemies to lovers (I prefer this for the side dishes over the mains).

Ones I like in general and am happy to see in either pair (but Thailand usually confines to the sides):

Whipping boy

Age gap

Hyung romances (younger boy pursues older boy).

Super problematic (high kink, taboo, stepbrothers, teacher/student)

Here's some of my favs:

[absolutebl]

BL tribute 

the person willing to watch the show to see if there is a happy ever after and then tell the rest of us it’s safe 

[absolutebl]

Hi! Love your posts! The question is, I just saw one of your answer to an ask and saw this picture ⤵️

could you tell what show is this?

HIStory 4: Close To You

Tiawanese BL

They are v sexy but a VERY problematic couple.

It's on viki.

[absolutebl]

Your recent ask got me thinking, I do love a good age gap. Any chance you track BLs with age gaps on your magical spreadsheet, or can just remember ones that you have seen?

BLs With Age Gaps - Hyung Romances

So if the het version is noona romances, are these considered hyung romances? Eh, let's do that. For a lot of these BLs, since the seme is usually the older character, the age gap is standardized so not a big deal and not a plot point. 

With very few exceptions, I'm not going to talk about shorter age gaps, by which I mean like FighterTutor or DeanPharm or JaeYoung & SangWoo, where the older boy is the seme and is older by a few years, because these are not really about the age. If that makes sense?

Instead I picked ones where, for me, the age is visually present and kind of a bigger deal in terms of life stage and narrative, e.g. one of them is still in school while the other is not... things like that.

CHINA 

Advance Bravely

We don't know the age difference Xia Yao and Yuan Zong, but Yuan Zong acts and looks quite a bit older. Censored before it concluded.

Guardian

Well the alien/fantasy people are thousands of years older than their romantic counterparts, so yeah big age gaps. Censored from the get go but we all get it anyway.

JAPAN 

Pornographer series

So this is a dirty gaslighting crazy piece of Japan being SO Japan about this trope. But it sure is age gap. Established novelist with an intention to corrupt, bullies college kid into writing his porn for him with the intent to seduce.

Minato’s Laundromat

My favorite version of this, younger seme older uke, 10 year age gap. I love this show so much. 

Old Fashion Cupcake

Another age flip, only both characters are older, it’s office set, and added obstacle of boss/employee dynamic. God it’s so good. 

JAPAN & THAILAND

Love Stage

Ryu is out in the world as a full on actor idol and Anda is still in university. The Japanese version has the same age gap.

KOREA

1st Love Again

YeonSeok remembers his past lives and is an established writer, he also looks older than HaYeon who is a new editor. So this BL feels very age gap. There isn't much hyung-ing tho. 

Kissable Lips

Your bog standard ancient vampire falls in love with a college kid trope, only gay and Korean. It's good but it ends sad, but it certainly is a massive age gap.

Tasty Florida

EunKyu is an established chef with a successful business and HaeWon has just entered the workforce so there is some kind of age gap going on. They also act this way right away, instantly going with hyung.

You Make Me Dance

HongSeok is a loan shark and clearly quite a bit older than college kid ShiOn.

THE PHILIPPINES 

My Day the series

Ace is the CEO of a company, although he looks younger he is probubly quite a bit older than Sky who is still in college. However, these two don't act at all like there actually is an age gap in play.

TAIWAN 

HIStory 2: Right or Wrong

Probubly the most typical execution on this list. YiJie is a lot older than ShengZhe and also his professor, since this is a teacher/student romance which is a classic age gap story. 

HIStory 3: the BL that shall not be named & HIStory 4: Close to You

The side characters in H3 and cameos in H4 BoXiang and ZhiGang have a huge age gap, 12 years, and it is a big deal for their relationship.

HIStory 4: Close to You

YongJie is quite a bit younger than XingSi, not sure on the specifics but he's in middle school when XingSi is in high school and still in college when XingSi has his own business. Also the stepbrother trope. 

See You After Quarantine?

Definitely an older younger dynamic with a college kid and an established businessman. Also SO flipping cute.

THAILAND 

Tale of Thousand Stars

Chief & Tian must have a pretty big age gap.

Brothers

This is not a good show, but side couple Khun & Kaow are great in it and this is my favorite version of an age gap: younger seme + older uke. Khun is in university and Kaow has a baking business.

Lovely Writer

Again Sib is quite a bit younger than Gene and the pursuer, man I love this dynamic. Since Gene is out of university and established in his career, I'm calling this one for age gap. 

Not Me

DanYok is an age gap, but it isn't really the point or the plot of their romantic arc.

Dear Doctor I'm Coming For Your Soul 

Absolutely an age gap, I mean one of them is an immortal reaper. Also they confront and address the ultimate issue that one of them will age when the other one doesn’t. It’s poignantly handled, but I thought quite lovely.  

VIETNAM 

My Lascivious Boss

Vietnam's age gap offering. He's the owner of the cafe and his boy is just out of university (?). It's very very cute. 

Also Nation's Brother might qualify.

Others With Age Gaps but I'm Not Into it

Ossan's Love (Thai) triangle second lead

Waterboyy (Thai) side couple

Make it Right 2 (Thai) side het romance, very problematic

Bite Me (Thai)

Call It What You Want (Thai)

Friend Forever (Thai)

Because of You (Taiwan)

Innocent (Taiwan) short

Light (Taiwan) short

The Immeasurable (Taiwan) short

Top Secret Together and Love By Chance both have sub plots of high school boys pursuing college ones, but the one didn’t go anywhere and the other went very very bad, so yeah... no. Although I would personally LOVE to see this done well. 

You could make the case that Devil Judge also qualifies.

MOAR!!!

(source)

[absolutebl]

Top 10 Cutest BLs 

Here are my top 10 picks for BLs that satisfy a cute criteria. Which is to say, mostly up beat and happy with very little angst. No violence or triggers. Just oodles of adorable softness and comfort. (No one who knows BL will be shocked to see stuff from Korea on this list as this is currently their speciality, although all the ones from Japan might surprise you.) 

Cherry Magic (Japan - indie subbed) AKA 30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii - the sweetest, fluffiest, most charming bit of office-set adorable ever, full of found family and slapstick, the characters are utter spazzes, but so cute about it. All angst is self confidence based, nothing really distressing ever happens. 

Restart After Come Back Home AKA Risutato wa tadaima no ato de (Japan - indie subbed) - this one is perfect if you just want a beautiful loving movie, and one that is well filmed and lyrical. The only drama is family conflict of the silent grumpy kind - will baby take over Dad’s furniture business or not? OH THE PERIL of it all. (sense my sarcasm, okay? there is NO peril) 

Seven Days (Japan - grey in 2 parts Seven Days: Monday - Thursday, Seven Days: Friday - Sunday) - one of the best live action yaoi mangas ever made. The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat, there’s still more kisses than Cherry Magic. Popular first year Seiryo has a policy of going out with any girl who asks… for one week. On a lark, third year Yuzuru tests to see if that policy also applies to boys. Seiryo agrees that it does. Along the way they accidentally fall in love. All the angst is just teen confusion. 

To My Star (Korea - Viki) - is a touch quirky, but utterly appealing once it hits its stride. It’s the ultimate grumpy/sunshine pairing plus the most appealing light-filled kitchen of our dreams. Famous actor (adorable bundle of neurosis) takes refuge in the house of a reserved chef and is immediately smitten by Mr Tall Dark & Glowering. The chef is also smitten but refuses to admit it to himself or anyone else. What angst is there is so confusing and low grade it hardly matters. 

Wish You (Korea - Netflix or Viki, you want the movie version) AKA WISH YOU: Your Melody in My Heart - low stakes high pining romance about a pianist who falls in love with a busker who is on his way to being the next big idol. It’s about singing but this drama is very quiet. 

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea - grey) - Cinderfella in drag. Boy assumes his sister’s identity and marries another boy, together they have to hide this from the in laws. Unbelievably soft and very 12th Night esk. Too absurd to trigger anything and there is no angst, just a bit of family conflict wicked step-sister style. 

HIStory 2: Crossing the Line (Taiwan - Viki) - super low stakes sweetest story of the bad boy who falls hard for the senior on the volleyball team and then works to earn his love. You know it’s Taiwan so the kisses are great but in this case it also ends well. Only trigger is that the side couple is the stepbrothers trope, and some don’t like that.

Oxygen (Thailand - YouTube) - softest seme in the universe sings his affection to the older boy at the cafe. Let the slow burn courting commence. There is a tiny bit of angst at the end, and one storyline is naff (the doctors) but this is high production Thai softness so I forgive it. 

2gether & Still 2gether (Thailand - YouTube) - this show is ABSURD. But if you can suspend your disbelief and get through the first few episodes it is delightful to watch Sarawat pine after Tine and the levels to which Tine will go to remain willfully oblivious. Is that angst? Not really, just ridiculous. 

You Are Ma Boy (Vietnam - YouTube) - is there angst? Nope even what could have been angst (a gay idol) doesn’t materialize, it’s just cuties in a cafe confusing each other with cat & mouse games. The side het couple is a touch disturbing, tho. 

Newer offerings that might also satisfy:

Semantic Error 

Cherry Blossoms After Winter

Love Stage!! (Thai version) 

Rainbow Prince (for Disney fans) 

See You After Quarantine? 

Kieta Hatsukoi AKA My Love Mix Up

Honorable mention: 

En of Love: Tossera (Thailand - YouTube) - younger boy wants to court older boy and does and... that’s it. No really that’s the WHOLE STORY. There is actually no angst, drama, or, indeed plot. But are they the softest bois ever to BL as a main couple? Yes they are. ( @heretherebedork would be most put out if they were not in this post) They don’t make the top ten because really there just isn’t any story here. 

Ingredients (Thailand - YouTube) - if all you want is two soft boys being domestic, cooking together, cuddling on the couch, cat sitting, and babysitting - just put this on and be cozy. Doesn’t make the top 10 because it ends with the main characters parting (promising to reunite) so be wary of that. I still find it a very comforting watch. 

Step For You (Korea - YouTube) - microfilm from Strongberry about a reporter from the student newspaper who has to interview an older dancer and falls in love with him. 30 minutes of fluffy and time well spent, but it’s too short to make top 10. 

Stupid Boys Stupid Love (Vietnam - YouTube) - 3 couples, BL, GL, and het in high school navigating friends to lovers. Very soft friendships, no angst, just teens, hormones, and HEAs for everyone. Would make the top 10 but it’s very scattered and low quality, cute tho, and so nice to see some good GL in the mix.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Japan - grey) - middle-aged gay couple who live together, one of whom loves to cook and the other who loves to eat. That’s it. That’s all that happens. There’s a bit of a coming out segment but it’s so low key. It doesn’t make the main list because I don’t see how it qualifies as BL under any criteria. But it’s very comforting and very gay. 

No one should be shocked that there is so little from China or Taiwan on this list as both of them specialize in high angst plots in their BL. 

Similarly I have a Top 10 Most Romantic BLs for Valentine’s Day post. 

This post originally requested by @jmphria June 2021. So more might have happened since. 

I also created a My Drama List for this. 

(source)

[absolutebl]

Yes, but make it BL

These two 

in the Taiwanese remake of What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim 

These two 

in the Thai adaptation of Cheese in the Trap 

These two 

in Korea’s hella gay remake of Descendants of the Sun 

These two

in the Taiwanese remake of Doom at Your Service

These three 

in the Thai remake of Gogh, The Starry Sky 

BONUS ROUND 

These five 

in a Taiwanese remake of Boys Over Flowers, change of setting too, maybe office or military or sports team? 

These three 

in the Thai university set version of Twilight 

K, I’m done now.

[absolutebl]

Hello, do you have any bls that a significant amount of kabedons? (The cornering of dyde on wall thing). I know people who would love gay romances but i also know they love that pose so perhaps you have something of the sort?

Kabedon or kabe-don (Japanese: 壁ドン; kabe, "wall", and don, "bang") refers to the action of slapping a wall fiercely, which produces the sound "don". One meaning is the action of slapping the wall as a protest which occurs in collective housing like condominiums when the next room makes noise.[1] Another meaning often appears in shōjo manga or anime when one character forces another against the wall with one hand or leans against the wall and makes the sound of "don", and this has become popular as a "clever move of confession".[2][3] (wikpedia)

With very few exceptions I have never seen a BL that DOESN'T have this trope at least once.

If you mean more than the average?

(off the top of my head)

Fighter in Why R U? definitely takes the gold.

HIStory 2: Right or Wrong

Don't Say No

Advance Bravely

Well, I did chronicle the Wall Loom here.

Taiwanese and early Chinese BL's particularly love this trope, partly because it's very common in their het romances too. Thai BL semes tend to be slightly less aggressive and so while they do this trope, they don't repeat it often in the same BL. Korea doesn't like it much. They soft bois.

[absolutebl]

This Week In BL

Middle of January 2021. (I swear I wasn’t going to another one so soon but then much shizz happened - on screen and off.) 

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. 

Ongoing Series Thai 

Manner of Death Ep 8 - Max acted his little heart out but Tan is still in BIG trouble. 

Gen Y Ep 10 - largely confusing and mostly filler. 

TharnType 2 Ep 10 - garbage, the deluxe edition, can’t stop watching, someone save me, ep 11 is next. We doomed. 

Tonhon Chonlatee Ep 9 - fluffy nugget of nonsensical found-family joy.

Cupid Coach Ep 1 - it’s absolute pants but has an out gay main character & queer friendship group so I’ll probably stick with it a few more eps. (I did watch ALL of So Much In Love AND Friend Forever. So clearly I have no taste.) 

Ongoing Series Not Thai 

We Best Love: No. 1 For You Ep 1-2 - unexpected gem out of Taiwan, classic old school yaoi with a stropy uke + pining seme, college set enemies to lovers, worth checking out. 

Color Rush Ep 5-6 - continues to be clever, amazing, and wow the rainbow-colored socks right off me. (Follow this Twitter account for updates.) 

You Are Ma Boy Ep 1-2 - new from Vietnam’s DGTV, idol meets cafe boy of his dreams, hijinks ensue - fast paced, light, cheerful, serious second lead syndrome, terrible subs but at least it’s up on YouTube. 

Breaking News 

Plustor Pronpiphat is leaving GMMTV (Stud in Friend Zone). Very sad to hear about this, since he never got his own BL and he has fantastic chemistry with everyone. Fingers crossed that he goes indie and gets some good rolls, he’s a SUPERB actor. Maybe Wabi Sabi will scoop him up. 

Lazy Subber reported on FB (posting the official statement) that Nadao Bangkok has postponed I Told Sunset About You Part 2 (and fan meeting) indefinitely due to Covid-19. 

Gossip 

It’s likely that most previously announced (but not yet filmed) 2021 Thai BLs will be effected/postponed/cancelled as well due to the current rise in cases, lockdown, and political unrest in Thailand. ITSAY is only the beginning I suspect. 

Since they have already completed filming, I think we can expect 1000 Stars and Lovely Writer to still air. 

When I did my industry insider predictions at the end of 2020 and pinned all my hopes on Taiwan in 2021 I had no idea it would be this quick. 

Stay safe and healthy everyone, and remember be sexy like Yoo Han and wear a mask. Color wheel fan entirely optional. 

2 Moons 3 in danger...  

Ben & Earth (PhaWayo) have left Motive (production house): Earth (officially) Sept 2020 and Ben (unofficially via Twitch) Nov 2020. 

Joong & Nine (MingKit AKA J9) have intimated they aren’t coming back either. 

Pavel & Dome (ForthBeam) are no-comment but no one thinks they’ll renew their contracts. (It’s known that Pavel has serious issues with Motive.) 

If 2M3 films it will likely be with a new cast and certainly with a new director. You can read the doggerel here. Don’t forget the former director is supposed to be bringing out Call It What You Want this year, which is rumored to be partly an exposé on what happened on the set of 2M2. 

Upcoming BL master post here. (I never had 2 Moons 3 down as likely to happen, so no surprise here.) 

Week Ahead 

[absolutebl]

Trope Du Jour

Holding hands in BL

Pictured above: Love Sick, Puppy Honey (both ICONIC), Until We Meet Again, Love By Chance, Oxygen, Vice Versa, 2gether, Enchante, TharnType. 

Takara & Amagi bringing the cutest commentary EVER. 

And now, from Thailand: 

Why R U?

Make it Right

Love Sick 2 (PhunNoh are kings of this trope) 

Dark Blue Kiss

My Tee

My Engineer

2 Moons 2

Siew Sun Noi

Our Skyy (PeteKao) 

Bad Buddy 

Second Chance

Don’t Say No 

Vice Versa 

The Yearbook 

Outside Thailand 

My Day 

Cherry Magic

My Love Mix Up

Takara & Amagi

We Best Love

HIStory 4: Close To You 

Be Loved In House: I Do 

Wish You 

Behind Cut 

Light On Me 

Here’s Mes & Thun the two times they tried to hold hands and the one time they did:

Yoo Han & Yeon Woo do it with color. 

And here’s Dean and Pharm, the touchiest feeliest couple in BL, being all over hand holdy...

Okay! That’s all for now. Let’s end on some pathos, here’s Phun and Noh letting go... 

(source) 

[absolutebl]

The way Gao Shi De pines after Zhou Shu Yi should actually be illegal. It hurts my heart to watch.