This review may contain spoilers
An Angsty Saga of Lost Love & Redemption
For better or worse, we don’t choose who we fall in love with, but we can determine what we do with that love.And there’s no better example of this than the Thai BL My Stand-In, a series that explores not only love but finding the path to starring in one’s own life.
Starring Poom Phuripan as a stuntman and double named Joe, My Stand-In takes viewers on an emotional ride as Joe develops feelings for Ming (Up Poompat), a complex figure who sees Joe only as a stand-in for the famous actor Tong (Mek Jirakit). Tragedy strikes when Joe dies in an accident, but fate intervenes, and he awakens in another man’s body, also named Joe. When he reencounters Ming, they start on a rocky path of love and forgiveness.
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/07/30/my-stand-in-series-review-ep-3-to-12/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
An Intricate Web of Self Discovery!
The hardest person to face is often the one staring back at us in the mirror.In the new Japanese GL drama Call Me by No-Name, adapted from Shasendo Yuki’s acclaimed novel, viewers are invited into a poignant and emotionally intricate journey of identity, trust, and self-discovery. The story centers on Megumi Yotsugi (Kudo Mio), a bright yet unassuming student at Eichi University, whose life is forever altered when she encounters Kotoha Furuhashi (Osaki Ichika), a mysterious and enigmatic girl abandoned at a garbage dump. What begins as Megumi’s earnest desire for friendship takes an unexpected turn when Kotoha proposes a peculiar wager: Megumi must act as her girlfriend and uncover her true name to achieve the bond she seeks.
Read the complete article here-
https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2025/01/23/call-me-by-no-name-first-impressions-ep-1-2/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
One of the Most Mature Romances in a Long Time
It can be much easier to admit feelings while hiding behind a character who’s supposed to feel them than to admit them to someone real who has the power to break your heart.That’s precisely the kind of safety Hayama Asami (Komagine Kiita) hides behind when he offers to fake date his new costar Shirasaki Yuki (Niihara Taisuke) in order to help him learn about love.
In the Japanese BL At 25:00 in Akasaka, adapted from Natsuno Hiroko’s manga series 25 Ji, Akasaka de, the lines between art and life begin to blur for insecure but passionate rookie actor Shirasaki Yuki (Niihara Taisuke), after he lands a role in a BL drama opposite a famous actor he knew in his university days, Hayama Asami.
As the series unfolds in an interesting alternating POV that highlights both characters’ insecurities and growing feelings, viewers are thrown into an intense look at the unrequited love for Shirasaki Hayama has carried since university while Shirasaki discovers love for the first time with Hayama.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/22/at-2500-in-akasaka-series-review-ep-3-to-10/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Beautiful Pairing with a Complicated Romance
Adapted from a novel of the same name, this mini-series is a spin-off of the famous GL “Gap The Series”. This an age-gap GL between Khun Nueng (Faye Peraya) and Anueng (Yoko Apasra), though I want to make it clear that the characters are at the right age to date, so the age difference doesn’t seem inappropriate. The series is a fresh breath of air in between lots of cringy and plain situations. The chemistry between the leads is cute and Yoko’s acting has an innocence to it that will make you adore her with all your heart. Faye as Khun Neung is brilliant, her acting is commendable, her expression doesn’t seem forced or awkward and is very detailed. She has put a lot of effort into her role and while watching the series you won’t find awkward pauses, forced acting, or expressions. Faye has grasped the very essence of Khun Neung’s character, who can mask her feelings.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/07/blank-series-review-ep-1-to-6/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Ludicrous Remake- Was it Worth the Wait??
The saying that ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ is not always true. This series proved that. I shall come right out and say it. This is one of the worst BLs I have ever seen and one of the worst supposed remakes I have ever seen as well. To put it bluntly, this version was fatuous. Everything about it is. The production. The acting. The story. The plot. Hardly any of it even resembles the originality of the Japanese version. That had humanity. It had heart. Most importantly, it had authenticity sprinkled with humor, grace, and tons of human emotions. I can categorically tell you that the original Japanese version of Ossan’s Love was a masterpiece. This is simply a farce. Before you start clutching your pearls and calling me names, let me explain my reasons.The original story of “Ossan’s Love” is when an older guy, namely a boss, falls in love with a younger employee of his. He goes through a mid-life crisis, which is very intense. But Haruta does not know how to say no to him until he must, and he does. Meanwhile, even though Haruta never thought of himself as gay, when he meets his new coworker, Maki, the two of them fall in love. THAT is the story. It is funny, warm, sincere, poignant, and quite moving. Their characterizations were real. The setups were relatable. While the surrounding people were quirky, they were all believable and relatable. And the outcomes were genuine, honest, and logical, even if they were comically gotten to. In that version, we could see and connect to those characters.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/04/09/ossans-love-thailand-series-review-ep-1-to-12/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
An Endearing Watch Indeed!
In a world where AI is seamlessly integrating into daily life, Eternal Butler presents a familiar yet heartwarming take on the concept of artificial intelligence and human connection. While it doesn’t redefine the genre, it delivers a touching, quietly compelling love story centered on the idea of dependability—a theme that resonates deeply throughout its conclusion.Starring Kevin Chang as Ever 4 and Eden Chen as Luo Bu Shi, the series follows the reluctant pairing of an AI butler and a spoiled yet deeply lonely heir. What begins as a tale of forced cohabitation gradually unfolds into something richer: a story of trust, growth, and the unexpected ways love can take root. Ever 4, once a passionate advocate for robot rights, finds himself navigating emotions beyond his programming, while Luo Bu Shi matures through their bond, learning to love and be loved in return.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/03/14/eternal-butler-series-review-ep-3-to-12/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not So Good, Not So Bad!!
This series is best described by the beginning line from Charles Dickens novel, “A Tale of Two Cities”: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” In other words, this story had such salient and poignant moments in it and then it slipped into cartoonish and hackneyed over-the-top silliness, not worthy of the story. It almost seemed schizophrenic in nature.No matter how hard I tried, however, I simply could not dislike this series. Perhaps I became enamored with the two main protagonists’ love story and conveniently then ignored the rest of it. Honestly, this could have been a great series and to some extent, it showed promise. But then there was always something that made it crash and burn.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/29/sky-valley-series-review-ep-1-to-13/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A GL Romance At its Best!
Starring Faye Peraya and Yoko Apasra in key roles as Khun Neeung and Aneung, Blank is an age-gap love story between two women, who find comfort and love in each other when no one around them understands their love. Whenever they feel like they have no one who understands them, they end up in each other arms where they feel complete, happy and at home. Of all the Thai GLs that I have watched I can say that “Blank” was one of the best. It has good acting, a moving plot, and hot chemistry between the actors.Since Season One, I have been appreciating Faye’s acting and I think as the series went forward, she has evolved more and more as an actress. Her expressions, the way she lets her eyes emote whenever she is with Anueng shows how much she has grasped the depth of character. The way Nueng expressed her love through radio was mesmerizing and adorable, the way she conveys her love shows that it’s alright to accept and love whoever you want without worrying about the world. Aneung’s adorableness has been a constant from Season One, and she always has hearts in her eyes for Nueng. She is beautiful, strong, mature, and clearly knows what she wants.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/08/21/blank-season-two-series-review-ep-3-to-6/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Must Watch for Ardent Gun Atthaphan Fans
This is a serendipitous find and what a find it is. Sometimes one needs to go back in order to proceed forward. Admittedly, this is a movie that goes way back and by today’s standards in the BL world might be considered ‘old’ and maybe thought of as remote. Its reviews were less than stellar, which is incredulous, and I think based on a misunderstanding of what this movie was all about. I hesitate to reference it as a BL, however. More aptly, it certainly is a gay film. A gay film highlighted by elucidations from the inner thoughts of a mind of a tortured young gay boy, struggling with his ‘coming out.’ If you see it as that, it will have more meaning.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/08/01/the-blue-hour-movie-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Did We Like it or Not
This is a surprisingly, shockingly smart, articulate, and very well-done BL with loads of moral precepts that I was not expecting. In other words, I loved this series through and through. It is very adult-like and tackles some sensitive issues in a veiled way that you have to peel away like an onion. The screenplay is very impressive. Sure, it has its weak moments, but they are few and far between and do not deflect from its core message.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/28/deep-night-series-review-ep-1-to-8/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Mother's Struggle For Her Son
“Monster” is an intriguing movie, told from the perspectives of 3 individuals, a single mother who is overprotective of her son and wants justice for him, a well-meaning teacher who finds himself in the middle of an almost impossible situation in which he is falsely accused of hitting a child, and a young boy who is coming to terms with himself and his feelings for a friend. Although not quite the psychological thriller one would expect, “Monster” does a great job in shifting our perspective, in as much as we are constantly being asked “who is the monster?”, while viewing the movie. We are not looking for a monster, but rather seeing victims of circumstances that we empathize with throughout the film and the question of who the monster is becomes the furthest from the audience’s concerns.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/03/monster-movie-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Be on Cloud's Attempt at Scripting a Thriller Fails
“Dead Friend Forever” (DFF) started out rather slowly paced, gained a lot of momentum in the middle, however, by episode 8, the show provided too much unnecessary exposition and plot that did not quite tie in, and fell short in their resolution which resulted in a subpar finale. However, as a slasher/horror series, it delivered on the scares, gore, and delved into the horrors of the human mind which acts as a cautionary tale against bullying and being complicit in the face of others’ wrongdoings.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/21/dead-friend-forever-series-review-ep-4-to-12/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Not Exactly An Entertaining Watch
I’ll be honest from the beginning. This is not going to be a very positive review. If you’re an OffGun fan who loved the show and don’t want to read anything negative about it, I would suggest to stop reading this review right now. If you’re an OffGun fan who was massively disappointed by the show like I was, go ahead.As a long-time fan of OffGun, I had literally teared up out of excitement when “Not Me” was first announced, and to this day it remains one of my favourite BL’s. I am a big fan of the magic that they have created before, not just in “Not Me” but in “Theory of Love” as well. After doing great shows together, as I said in the first impressions, I was simply confused as to why they would choose a project that seemed to pale a little in comparison.
Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/08/cooking-crush-series-review-ep-3-to-12-cut-version/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Pointless Drama and Over Melodramatic Storytelling
This series is marred by something, and I wrestled with trying to find the most appropriate word to describe that. A word that is strong enough and powerful enough to impart disconnect to what is happening in this series. Finally, I found the precise word: Eschew, which literally means ‘to keep away from or shun, avoid, circumvent, boycott, or dodge’. Quite literally everyone in this series does what he can to avoid telling the truth, or face reality, or abstain from communicating effectively, openly, or honestly. It seems to be the driving force of Thai BLs to be as evasive and elusive as you can to create artificial dramas. This is another sad example of that artifice.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/07/for-him-series-review-ep-1-to-12/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Short Slice of Life But Could Be Better
Strongberry, a name Boys’ Love fans know internationally as one of the most honest and profilic gay production companies in Korea comes back with a short series titled “Happy Ending”. After the success of “Choco Milk Shake” I was pleasantly pleased to see actor Kim Seong Hyuk who plays the silly Kang Dong Ho, in this new series. In the three episodic series, he is paired with Park Jun Mook who plays his good friend Hyun. The pair exist in a pre-established story already in progress which is how Strongberry normally does it.Read the complete article here-
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/02/happy-ending-series-review-ep-1-to-3/
Was this review helpful to you?
