Dark/Psychological BLs
This list includes:
-Dramas/Movies with some BL contents and a complicated plot
-Dark or mature dramas/movies with BL contents (but without sexual contents)
-Psychological thrillers with some BL contents
- Mature BLs with or without sexual contents (read the description of each title)
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1. Kabe-Koji-Nekoyashiki-kun Deseja Ser Reconhecido
Japanese Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
Even if this one should be a comedy, I found it, somehow, way more mature than others BL. It isn't dark but psychological heavy: it gives a pretty realistic view on the lives of people with depression. Both the two MLs are depressed (even if they act in a completely different way) and both of them have a lot of traumas.
TW: depression, family issues (cheating, divorce), bullying, homophobia.
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2. 180 Graus de Longitude Entre Nós
Thai Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
This is, without doubt, the best thai BL I've ever watched. The plot is sad and the ending very realistic. It starts like a funny story, but it becomes darker very fast.
TW: death, internalized homophobia, family issues.
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3. Killing Curriculum: Jinroh Shokei Game - Prologue
Japanese Movie - 2015
Incredible to say, I loved this movie. It is so bad that it's good. The weird cannibalistic/masochistic yet innocent relationship between the MLs was the cherry on top.
TW: death, suicide, bullying, sexual violence/incest.
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4. Jinroh Shokei Game
Japanese Movie - 2015
Sadly, I liked this one less than its prequel.
TW: sexual contents (main couple), death, suicide, violence, bullying, domestic abuse.
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5. Summer Vacation 1999
Japanese Movie - 1988
This movie is a must watch. It's weird, absurd, complicated and confusing.
TW: suicide, unrequired love.
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6. Double
Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
It's difficult to describe what is this drama. It isn't exactly a BL, it isn't exactly a psychological drama. It isn't even a bromance, since one of the ML confesses his feelings. Anyway, it's such a good drama. The plot revolvs around the unusual relationship between the two MLs who are completely dependent on each other; things become difficult when they are forced to split up: they want to stay together (maybe even as a couple) but, at the same time, they know that their relationship is unhealty.
TW: emotional dependence, self-destructive behaviors, selective mutism.
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7. Método
Korean Movie - 2017
This movie is a masterpiece. It's about two actors who need to get into their roles, but, while tring to do it, the roles and their actual personalities starts to blend together. The movie can be interpreted in different ways. This is how I interpreted it ( Contains SPOILERS + English is not my first language so it might cointan mistakes): First if all: the method doesn't exist and it never existed. The only reason why Jae Ha is such a good actor is because he is the role that he interprets. In the movie he does exactly this: he become his role, cheating on his wife with a young man. Yeong Woo, by his side, isn't really interested in the acting career, and he isn't even interested in fame. The only reason why he continued to play is because he liked the new life he's into. He started living like Singer (his character) and he slowly become him. For Jae Ha this was such a good thing, since he wanted him to play well his role. In the end both of them are "defeated": Jae Ha ruined his relationship with his wife (she might give him another chanche, but things will never be the same) and his reputation; Yeong Woo is now confused about his real persinality and about what he wants to do next. At this point there's still a question: Did they liked each other? In my opinion, they where so into their roles that they didn't really reflected on this. We don't know what happened next but, if they had the chance to met again, Jae Ha would definetely cheat on his wife with him again (but, maybe, Yeong Woo wouldn't want him).
TW: Cheating, love triangle, suicide, torture, blood.
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8. Dead Friend Forever - DFF
Thai Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
Horror drama with a complex plot and an open ending. It deals with many sensitive topics and it's a bit gory.
TW: Sexual content (between all the different couples), death, suicide, revenge, blood (and a bit of gore), torture (physical and mental).
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9. Journey to the Shore
Korean Movie - 2020
Sad and dark short movie. The ending can be interpreted in different ways, but it still a very sad movie.
TW: internalized homophobia, bullying, self harm, depression.
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10. Black Art Collection -Testimony-
Japanese Special - 2020, 1 episode
Dark movie about a cheating husband and the terrible conseguences of his actions. I really liked this movie even if it's a bit predictable. Even if cointans sexual contents and violence , they aren't explicit at all (in most of the cases, nothing is shown).
TW: death, homicide, suicide, cheating, sexual contents (main couple).
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11. Kaibutsu
Japanese Movie - 2023
I don't know if this movie can be considered BL, but it's pretty close. About the other contents, it's definetely dark.
TW: child abuse, internalized homophobia, homicide, death, bullying
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12. One Room Angel
Japanese Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
This one isn't exactly a BL- the bond between the two MLs is so strong that they want to stay together forever- but it has an heavy plot based on death and suicide. It's quite dark and the ending is bittersweet.
TW: depression, bullying, suicide, internalized homophobia, death.
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13. The Spell
Thai Drama - 2024, 6 episodes
This drama is like 1% horror and 99% pay gorn. It's very dark and twisted, but all those spicy scenes were so useless. The plot itself is kinda confused and many of the things that happen don't make any sense. Some scenes very pretty disturbing as well.
TW: sexual content (a lot of sexual content), cheating (multiple times with litterally everyone), sexual violence (everyone got, at least, sexually molested), rape, necrophilia, homicide, violence (even against people who were already dead), public indecency, body snatching.
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14. O Efeito
Thai Drama - 2019, 3 episodes
This drama starts like a romcom and becomes very dark fast. I tought it was about cyberbullying, but it was way worse. The best part is that all the "bad things" that happen are romanticized: in the past I saw some movies/dramas romanticizing abuse, but that's not the case.
TW: sexual abuse, rape, stalking, cyberbullying, violence, psychological torture, depressin, suicide.
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15. Bungee Jumping of their Own
Korean Movie - 2001