The BL Xpress

A Heartwarming Childhood Friends to Lovers Reconnect

Sometimes, the security and self-assurance we need is in a person who pushes us to feel secure and needed.

Living with Him, an adaptation of Miyata Toworu’s manga of the same name, finds security in love inside the complexities of friendship and need through the shared living arrangements of childhood friends Tanaka Kazuhito (Sato Ryuga) and Natsukawa Ryota (Sakai Sho) upon entering university. Ryota is reserved and accustomed to responsibility, whereas Kazuhito is outgoing and universally liked. Despite Kazuhito’s popularity and striking looks, his inability to sustain relationships confounds Ryota and sparks a journey of self-discovery. As Ryota probes the reasons behind Kazuhito’s fleeting relationships, he confronts his own emotions and insecurities.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/01/living-with-him-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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The First Thai GL Celebrated All Over the Globe

One of the first GL series from Thailand, "Gap The series" was a well-received and appreciated show, that broadened the scope of the GL industry. In an industry monopolized by the Boys’ Love genre which mostly focused on the love story between two boys, it was nice to see a lesbian love story. The show was nicely paced, being a sweet and cozy workplace romance between a boss and subordinate, with one being cold but sweet and other being a ray of sunshine.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/27/gap-the-series-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

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A Memorable Watch Indeed

Sometimes the only way to truly find oneself is to get lost first, to become disoriented by all the things that you have trouble facing until what you really want becomes the magnetic north that sets you free.

The Korean BL Boys Be Brave adapted from Seok Young’s webtoon Can’t Confess and starring actors Kim Sung Hyun (Kim Jin Woo), Nam Shi An (Jung Ki Sub), Jung Yeo Joon (Choi Bal Geum), and Ahn Se Min (Ji In Ho) is all about being found inside a lost place.

The synopsis of Boys Be Brave is simple. Four people, all of them opposites, each of them with very different lives and ways of dealing with those lives, coming together in an insightful, romantic way that reveals who each of them truly are beneath layers of insecurity, masked smiles, and pride.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/17/boys-be-brave-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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A Somber Love Story Hinging on Desperation

Shelter.
A place to be.
A roof.
A resting place.
A place to–what?

Shelter. What exactly is it? And why is it so hard to hold onto? Why is it so hard to define? Why is it so hard to understand?

Starring Lee Jae Bin as Lee Yoon Dae and Jang Woo Young as Cha Soo Hyuk, the Korean BL Gray Shelter is all about finding a haven amidst life’s storm, amidst domestic violence and emotional abuse. Yoon Dae is a domestic abuse victim who learned to avoid anger by becoming angry at himself and others, all while fearing being alone. Soo Hyuk is trying desperately to survive while supporting a family whose income is being sucked dry by his gambling-addict father.

And both are looking for the one thing neither has ever truly known.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/26/gray-shelter-series-review-ep-3-to-5/

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A Reflection of Queer Relationships

I could not sleep early on a Saturday morning, and this movie’s review came up on YouTube feed out of nowhere. So, on a whim, I decided to watch it. Before you know it, I had finished it and had become so engrossed in its plot and story, I found myself caring about these characters with a certain sense of affection. I found myself teary eyed and gently weeping for them. It is an intensely gut-wrenching film that is deeper than it is given credit for.

I was shocked and dismayed at how poor the reviews were for this movie. I do not understand. I loved it. To be sure, it does not move mountains, but it is not meant to do so. It is a story about two misfit loners who happen to find each other at exactly the right moment in their lives in exactly the right space that connected them to a feeling of fruition. They found each other’s treasured one.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/19/does-the-flower-bloom-movie-review/

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A Mature Depiction of Lesbian Relationships

Love, Friendship and Delicious Meals

Adapted from the manga of the same name, this drama is very down to earth, close to the real life journey of two women experiencing love, friendship and growth together while cooking delicious meals. Similar to Season One, this season also focuses on relationship between Nomoto (Higa Manami) and Kasuga (Nishino Emi), how they have this really heartwarming relationship that started on basis of sharing delicious meals. In the sequel, new secondary characters were introduced that made the season more interesting, not adding anything negative or cliche but making the show more realistic and endearing.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/18/she-loves-to-cook-and-she-loves-to-eat-season-2-series-review-ep-5-to-20/

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The Most Entertaining Sequel in a Long Time

Constancy, consistency, and comedic. The three best words to describe this triumvirate of OSSAN’S LOVE, which is one of the best, if not the best BL series and franchises out there. It classically defines and shapes what this genre is all about. Perhaps not to a core of current fans who are zealots of the plethora of BLs with gorgeous young men in stories, that, for the most part, are forgettable and whose ‘love for one another’ is defined by the amount of ‘shipping performances’ they do together. This season and the ones before it are the true pioneers of what BL storytelling is all about and how to carry on with a narrative that remains as fresh and original as the first one. And as poignant.

This saga harkens back to its original roots of the love story between Haruta Sochi (Tanaka Kei) and Maki Ryota (Hayashi Kento). They are now fully entrenched in their relationship. So much so that they want to and plan for their ‘wedding’, which of course is merely ceremonial. Not unexpectedly, the full cast of characters return to reprise their roles, including Kurosawa Musashi (Yoshida Kotaro) as Chief. Only this time he is the head of a housekeeping service and manages to manipulate his way into the lives of Maki and Haruta with all the usual hilarity and goofy misunderstandings that this franchise is so good at portraying. You will be entertained from the beginning to the end with all of them.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/16/ossans-love-returns-season-3-2024-japan-9-episodes-2-special-episodes/

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A Journey of Reconciliation for Long Lost Lovers

“I love you” aren’t easy words to say. For many, expressing emotion through actions is much easier than putting emotion into words, especially when misunderstandings and miscommunication have colored how you feel about relationships.

In the Japanese BL Love is Better the Second Time Around, adapted from the manga series Koi wo Surunara Nidome ga Joto by Kinoshita Keiko, Hasegawa Makoto and Furuya Robin takes center stage as Miyata Akihiro and Iwanaga Takashi, two men on the verge of starting over after being torn apart in their youth over a misunderstanding.

Short and full of desire, Love is Better the Second Time Around finds editor Miyata Akihiro being forced to confront his first love when he is assigned to university professor Iwanaga Takashi, a confident, suave man he’d once loved enough to elope with. A man who Miyata believed played with his feelings.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/12/love-is-better-the-second-time-around-series-review-ep-3-to-6/

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A Teenage Romance full of Angst & Yearning

The world is a diverse place full of myriad emotions, and nowhere is this more evident than in the Japanese drama Strawberry Film.

Old film footage, nostalgic glimpses into the past, and growing friendships full of hidden desires lay the framework for a beautiful coming-of-age story that explores love in all its forms while accepting that love isn’t bound by societal rules. Instead, it belongs solely to the heart, to the person who holds it—to the joy love brings them and to the pain love causes.

From the opening scenes, Strawberry Film captivates with its evocative cinematography, transporting viewers into a world where individual emotions take center stage. Led by a talented cast including Fukada Ryusei (Ryo), Yabana Rei (Hikaru), Yoshida Mizuki (Chika), and Tanabe Ririka (Minami), the series seamlessly weaves together past and present, inviting audiences on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/04/10/my-strawberry-film-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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The Most Endearing Romantic Classic Ever

This story is a classic one as it reflects an age-old tale of a ‘mid-life’ crisis. While season one is 5 years and the sequel movie is 4 years ago, both ‘hold up’ today as being relevant, funny, and still charming. Beyond that, both are wondrously entertaining. My husband, by all accounts, is a movie buff, and when it comes to watching movies, he calls me an ‘old curmudgeon’. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, it means someone who is a faulter, grumpy, and a whiner, especially about comedies. They never hold my interest for very long. I proved him wrong not just with “Love or Dead” but with season one as well. It is funny. Very funny – throughout. And it completely held my attention. That is hard to do. To sustain a level of humor and constantly recreating realities that are funny is not easy to do, but this series and movie does so with great skill. The comedic timing is sheer perfection, and the physical comedy is outstanding especially for Tanaka Kei as Haruta Sochi. Many others also displayed great comedic timing as well. That is a reflection not only of good acting talent but also of exemplary directing.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/23/ossans-love-season-1-and-love-or-dead-2018-19/

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A Great Historical Experience, But Could Have Been Better

Indeed, this is a visually stunning movie that is certainly entertaining. With a big bag of popcorn (or snack of your choice) and a relaxing chair, you will thoroughly enjoy this movie. Filled with handsome men, a relatively interesting but a bit slow-plodding plot at times, elegant chorography, breathtaking cinematography, and beautiful costumes, you are in for a treat. Is it memorable? Well, no, not really, but it sure is fun to watch.

It is a story of two dancers. During a performance before officials, one is so impressive, not just for his dancing skills but also for his beauty and is asked to ‘personally perform’ for his uncle who is a high official. Khun (Apo Nattawin) and his companion Wan (Bas Asavapatr) are an interesting pair. Both young and handsome, but with Khun looking after Wan, almost like a brother. Their backstory is somewhat vague. Unfortunately, both are accused of killing the official Khun was asked to entertain even though they had attempted to intervene in the assassination. However, to gain pardons for the crime of murder that they will be charged with since they are phrai, (of the lower class), they agree to go to Siam to conduct a cloak-and-dagger operation and steal documents that are proving that the group of Chinese known as Tua Hia are plotting a rebellion.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/16/man-suang-movie-review/

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A Saucy Thriller With Raunchy Content

This series is an erotic roller-coaster ride through the world of gay love. If non-gay people want to know what it is like to be gay, then this is the series to watch. Not the idealized versions of BLs. This is what the world of gayness is, whether you want to believe it or not, accept it or not. It is what it is. Sure, it is the darker side, but it is no less real than the ornament sanitized version of what GAY love is via BL. In other words, this is its antithesis. This expresses the real world.

It is a potpourri story that is at times impossible to follow and logically makes absolutely no sense; it has a ‘soap-opera aspect to it. And I loved every minute of it. Why? Because, it presents the darker side of ‘BL’. And if you think for one second that this world either does not exist or is not real, then you are misinformed and mistaken. As it does. What this story does is capture all the issues facing gay men today in a raw, gritty, realistic fashion. Sometimes a bit over-the-top dramatically but never ever unrealistically. To be sure, the problems are overblown, but never its lasciviousness.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/14/playboyy-series-review-ep-1-to-14/

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An Intriguing Romance Between Two Long Lost Friends

Whether we realize it or not, we, as humans, are always looking for another person(s) to connect to. A person who understands us. A person who can become the place we come home to. A place to rest. A place to be.

Adapted from the manga of the same name by Tsurukame Mayo, the new Japanese BL Perfect Propose gives its characters a place to come home to—a place to be comfortable being themselves.


For six episodes, the series quickly traverses a seemingly simple but surprisingly profound and compelling story about two men who met and connected as children before reuniting years later. Hirokuni Watari (Kaneko Shunya) is an overworked corporate employee with little time outside the office. Fukaya Kai (Nomura Kota) is an orphan who works in the food industry for an older man who took him in after he tried to dash and dine. They come face-to-face when Hiro collapses from the weight of his responsibilities and finds himself peering up at Fukaya Kai, the face of the man he’d promised to marry when they were kids.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/06/perfect-propose-series-review-ep-3-to-6/

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A Phenomenal GL Romance With Stellar Casting

Adapted from the manga of the same name, “Tsukuitai Onna to Tabetai Onna/She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat” is a queer drama which focuses on the relationship of two women. More than relationship, it focuses on how a neat and genuine bond can be developed by friendship that progresses to a romantic inclination.

I have always admired the Japanese way of showing any relationship with so much simplicity yet leaving a message so deep that it affects you genuinely and this is not the first Japanese queer show that revolves around food as we all know. We all have already loved and watched “What did you eat yesterday?” and this show is on the same level as it. Because it is not too flashy or filled with unnecessary or complicated situations.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/02/22/she-loves-to-cook-and-she-loves-to-eat-season-one-series-review-ep-1-to-10/

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