Tina:
I'm currently watching a number of BLs but none jump out at me as being good enough to remember or mention... Maybe Burnout Syndrome is one?
I'm reading some fanfics and Addicted novel though. Those are a lot of fun.
Oh yeahhh, I've heard good things about Burnout Syndrome! I've been meaning to watch it. I love OffGun lol.
AmnesiacMotorcyclist:
Hiii :)
I usually try not to watch too many shows at once, but lately there's so many I want to get to, so I'm watching Love You Teacher, Sammy's Children's Day, Contrast AND PitBabe (the first season). Honestly, they're all really enjoyable in different ways, and I can't compare them since some I'm almost finished with and others I've just started. I probably have the most thoughts about LYT and PitBabe, but I really like the setting and style of SCD. I'm only two episodes in, but I'm so curious to see how the story develops.
I've also seen how much love Duang With You has been getting and that's peaked my interest, but just from the synopsis it doesn't seem like something I'd be super into, so I'm torn...
Omg I've never even heard of Sammy's Children's Day until now but that sounds so good, I love a good crime drama. I'm kind of excited by Duang With You because ngl I love a college/uni BL even tho there's a million of them lol 😭
milo:
Omg I've never even heard of Sammy's Children's Day until now but that sounds so good, I love a good crime drama. I'm kind of excited by Duang With You because ngl I love a college/uni BL even tho there's a million of them lol 😭
I definitely recommend SCD, then! The setting is really unique, and it feels like the environment is its own character in a way. Obviously I don't wanna say anything that could count as a spoiler, so I'll only mention that it honestly surprised me in some parts and took some turns I was not expecting. The cinematography/set design are also really good, and it manages to have some really fun moments alongside the more dramatic things that are happening.
I'm also a big fan of anything that's a murder mystery, crime drama, or thriller, but I feel like there's not that many BL's that have these types of storylines, which is unfortunate. I am re-watching Manner of Death right now, and despite some of its limitations, I think it's a really good murder mystery. Very atmospheric and even eerie at times. I also love Goddess Bless You From Death, especially since it also has paranormal/horror elements alongside the murder mystery. I think horror/paranormal BL's, which are already pretty few and far between, tend to really tone down the scary factor. But GBYFD didn't, and had multiple scenes that were genuinely well done and quite scary.
multitudebr:
I also like to watch polyamory shows, but they are rare, I couldn't even finish the last one I liked, for lack of English subtitles (If she calls it love), so if you have recommendations, please send them my way!
I've barely watched any of these, but someone made a list :) https://kisskh.at/list/LAlaj2p1
I liked Two Husbands, One Wife. It's cozy and silly, so maybe not your cup of tea actually.
Also I majored in sinology too! Though back then there was only a couple of Taiwanese ones and Addicted 2016, and then the ban happened, so it wasn't a good method for studying. So I just watched all of the singing competitions instead lol.
It was actually one of my Chinese language teachers that introduced me to Chinese BL. Our university had some kind of exchange program with universities in China and Taiwan, so each year new rookie language teachers would stay in my country for a year with a job at my university. During break time they would show us videos of whatever was popular in China/Taiwan, and one Mainland Chinese teacher decided 'y'know what, clips of Addicted, that's what I'm showing them today'. She was very into it, I liked her haha.
I'm watching Love Upon a Time, and I'm giving Sammy's Children's Day a go. It might turn out to be too graphic for me though.
Ryn:
I've barely watched any of these, but someone made a list
Thank you for the list, I'll check it.
I liked Two Husbands, One Wife. It's cozy and silly, so maybe not your cup of tea actually.
I've also watched this one and I quite liked it :) Although it's somewhat silly, it portrayed their relationship very well regarding society's expectations and attitudes toward polycules. I've even watched a sillier one, called Kita-kun, Our Shared Love because I had watched other shows with the male protagonists and I like them.
Also I majored in sinology too!
That's great! The reason I got to know BLs even existed was because of studying mandarim. I started watching cdramas in general and then came to know the BL ones and now there's no turning back, all I watch are BL shows! And that teacher of yours who recommended Addicted must have been great, I'd also like to have someone like that as a teacher :D
I'm also watching Love upon a time, I like time travel shows and had great expectations for the main pairing (NetJJ), but even more so for the second one (LatteKim), as I watched the DMD friendship they were part of. And about Sammy's Children's day, I loved it, can't wait for a second season (they've already mentioned there should be one, and the actors are very popular now, so it might be true). When you mention it could be too graphic you mean the violence or NC scenes or something else? It is a mafia show, so violence is a given, but in general it's just a very good story, and mostly well told. I hope you like it, I think it's really worth the watch.
I've also seen how much love Duang With You has been getting and that's peaked my interest, but just from the synopsis it doesn't seem like something I'd be super into, so I'm torn...
I was also in doubt at first, and almost quit after a couple episodes, because the characters seemed kinda silly at first, but the development of the main couple is really great and something I'd rarely seen in a BL so far: a very healthy relationship, great communication between them, and the actors' chemistry is on another level, they really carry the story very well. The secondary couple is also very good, but not as much as the main one, the acting was lacking a bit IMO, but the chemistry was there. All in all, I really recommend watching the show.
I'm also a big fan of anything that's a murder mystery, crime drama, or thriller, but I feel like there's not that many BL's that have these types of storylines, which is unfortunate. I am re-watching Manner of Death right now, and despite some of its limitations, I think it's a really good murder mystery. Very atmospheric and even eerie at times. I also love Goddess Bless You From Death, especially since it also has paranormal/horror elements alongside the murder mystery. I think horror/paranormal BL's, which are already pretty few and far between, tend to really tone down the scary factor. But GBYFD didn't, and had multiple scenes that were genuinely well done and quite scary.
I also like this kind of stories, and really liked MOD and GBYFD. Have you watched Spare me your mercy and Laws of attraction? The first is more similar to MOD, the second also has a mystery line but also deals with the law, injustice and society inequalities.
I've even watched a sillier one, called Kita-kun, Our Shared Love because I had watched other shows with the male protagonists and I like them.
I liked that one too! :)
The reason I got to know BLs even existed was because of studying mandarim.
For real? I'm not the only one! I've never heard anyone say that before!
I watched queer YouTube short films from all over the world as a teen, but I don't think those counted as BL at all. My Chinese teacher def helped me find addicted, and YouTube recommendation rabbit holes after that :)
Maybe Kurt and Blaine from Glee were my first exposure to BL? Do they count?
I like time travel shows
Same haha. I'm a sucker for most supernatural gimmicks.
but evem more so for the second one (LatteKim)
I love them! Did you notice that in Love Upon a Time Kaew has a short-haired women's hairstyle most of the time (all combed back) very unlike the men's (split down the middle), and that all the nobles have servants that match their genders, and Kaew has two trans women as servants? And Kaew constantly gets comments from others like 'you're really good at 'women's work'' and 'if you were a woman, you'd charm the pants off all the guys' etc. Jom's internalized homophobia arc is also great, but like, Kaew though. <3
I love how Domundi isn't scared of putting femme actors in major roles, unlike GMMTV.
When you mention it could be too graphic you mean the violence or NC scenes or something else?
I meant the violence. I don't do well with full on nudity either, but I didn't think that would be a problem with SCD. It's made for a Chinese audience after all. Their nudity standards are really tame.
But violence, yeah... I definitely appreciate when special effects are unconvincing lol. I'm fine with stuff like gunshots, but if they show body parts being harmed in such a way that they change shape, I can't, it makes me feel sick and I can't get it out of my head for weeks after. Like, the image and feeling just keep coming back again and again. The fingernail pulling in ep 1 was really at the line of what I can manage tbh, so if it gets worse than that, or something like that happens every episode, I'm going to have to drop it. I don't know why it's specifically violence changing the shape of body parts that does it, but I'm okay watching most other violence. Not that I like it, but it doesn't have the same effect on me.
Oh wait no, sexual violence also. Can't do that. I attempted watching a trailer for To The Far Blue a couple of days ago and I did not get very far at all. It's ok, I have enough other shows to watch :)
the development of the main couple is really great and something I'd rarely seen in a BL so far: a very healthy relationship, great communication between them
Yes, this surprised me too about Duang With You! I thought it'd just be dumb entertainment and I was up for that, but they did so well with actually emotionally mature communication, and mental health themes!
Have you watched Spare me your mercy and Laws of attraction?
Those are so good! You should watch Triage as well. Same vein. Same original author as Spare me your mercy and manner of death.
There's also Dead Friend Forever. I haven't finished that yet, and I don't think it's as good as the others that were mentioned, but it sure is a paranormal murder mystery BL. And it scared the shit out of me, but I'm not that hard to scare I guess haha.
Maybe Kurt and Blaine from Glee were my first exposure to BL? Do they count?
I guess they do :D I'm struggling to remember what my first exposure was, maybe Sense8?
Kaew has two trans women as servants?
YES! I noticed that and all the details you mentioned too, loved the representation. There's also the fortune teller who guides Klao, they seem to be some kind of gnc person.
I love how Domundi isn't scared of putting femme actors in major roles, unlike GMMTV.
Exactly, and GMMTV is very random in their storylines, very often going too tame, like in the latest version of Lovesick, or too crazy, like in A Dog and a Plane (just watched the first episode, and staying for the actors, but the story is not really promising). Domundi has some of those too, but usually they're more down to earth.
The fingernail pulling in ep 1 was really at the line of what I can manage tbh, so if it gets worse than that, or something like that happens every episode, I'm going to have to drop it.
Yeah, unfortunately there are more scenes similar to that one. I usually don't have a problem with violent scenes, as long as they're justified, I mean, it's a mafia show, so it's bound to have violence. As long as it's not out of place and supports the plot, I can take it. Sexual violence is harder for me, especially the romantization of it, like in Double Helix. But the hardest show I've watched so far was The Effect. it ruined my mental health for days. And if you count movies too, Sing in Love was a punch to the gut. Not even DDOS got me so bad (and it was VERY sexually violent, but there was a reason behind it).
I watched both Triage (loved it) and DFF (liked it, but not so much the ending). Now that you mentioned it as a paranormal murder mystery BL, another show that came to mind, not BL, but actually a very good bromance is the taiwanese Oh no! Here Comes Trouble, it has a very original plot connected to the use of traditional calligraphy and the actors are great.
There's also the fortune teller who guides Klao, they seem to be some kind of gnc person.
At one point the fortune teller says she's sad that she was born a woman's soul in a man's body, so I'm comfortable just calling her a trans woman :)
I mean, it's a mafia show, so it's bound to have violence.
Sure, yeah, but there's definitely degrees of it, and directors can choose to zoom in on it, or cut away from it and imply only. Most mafia BLs aren't very graphic. I can watch almost all of them just fine. And there really are a lot of them.
But thank you for the warning on those shows :)
DDOS
I don't know this one. Could you spell it out for me :)
Exactly, and GMMTV is very random in their storylines, very often going too tame, like in the latest version of Lovesick
Huh, this one? I don't think that's GMMTV? But yes they did tone down the original a LOT.
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