BL's I've Watched From 2024 [Notes Included]

MDL Notes:

Literally my comfort show. I am SO FOND of the MCs so far.
The post-credits are absolutely necessary. Don't miss out on those.
Episode 9 was side character focused and I just wanted more of the MCs. Kinda sad about that...

THIS IS MY SHOW OF 2024. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS.
Am I sobbing? Sure. Do I hate such an open / sad / yet somehow hopeful ending? A smidgen. None of that will take away from my deeeeeep enjoyment of this.
It felt like such a GENUINE experience. I FELT those feelings when I was younger. (That said, I didn't feel the need to pull away due to the whole family schtick, but w/e I digress. Pfft.)
I am absolutely in love with this cast. Even the side characters.
Cannot sing praises loud enough.
Stepbrothers or not, I legit am just over the moon.
I'm SO close to giving this a 10 on my end. May come back and reconsider the rating later.

MDL Notes:

Fluffy slice of life. The 3 main couples are basically together halfway in (not officially but w/e) and the 4th happens near the end. Highly suggest this for the slice-of-life fans. Very family-friendly. The finale has the CUTEST / SILLIEST little blooper section. Quite enjoyable overall. There's nothing I'd change about it honestly. Makes a better binge. I think this would have been unbearable week to week. Nothing *really* ever happens but that's what makes it charming in its own way.
I think it's just super simple / sweet / easy to digest and made for a fun binge.

MDL Notes:

I adored this little drama. Yeowoon was such a puppy when he was happy. The first 4/5 episodes were such a lovely romp. But expect a wave of pain and sadness. I didn't understand why transmigration was at the top of the tag list until the finale but it makes sense now. It's a shame the plot needed to rush to a finale but I understand it's due to the ongoing webtoon. Overall I enjoyed it. Definitely not everyone's cuppa.

MDL Notes:

I really loved this. I thought the build-up was solid and the chemistry was nice. Height difference and chemi abound. I know a lot of peeps harped on the NC scene being edited terribly but w/e. Just a forewarning for friends I suppose. I thought it was fine, but I also don't particularly care one way or the other. Overall generally enjoyable.
Quite dark once in a while.

MDL Notes:

Red flag turned green. I love some manipulation in a drama and Up served that in spades as Ming.
I'd say this was about a 9 or 9.5 at times until maybe episodes 10-12. This just took such a hard turn into painfully rushed that I was not keen on it. I feel like *everyone* got a picture-perfect ending, even if they did not deserve it in my opinion. It was just not it for me. May and Tong's ending felt so undeserved, Sol even... Same for the brother. I don't know. It just wasn't my cuppa. It gets an 8 though for it being a good time overall. The last few episodes just rubbed me the wrong way.

MDL Notes:

Lots of angst, plenty of silly moments, and lovely chemistry. Outside of occasionally being quite frustrated with characters, I thought this was a wonderful binge. This would have made for a more fun viewing experience had I not been spoiled, so I highly recommend watching without looking anything up beforehand.
Daou continues to be my favourite of the pairing, but Offroad surprised me in this one. He did so well with the role he was given!
Love to see a Grumpy x Sunshine pairing. Always keen.
Gives me heavy lakorn vibes. Adore the period fits and costuming.
I feel like I've needed something like this since IFYLITA. Quite pleased overall.

MDL Notes:

The Monster Next Door boys being in the finale was kinda peak. Not gonna lie.
That being said, I thought this was a wonderful Warp Effect-esque drama, in that it felt like a sex-ed / romcom. Sweet and super silly. Loooove AlmondLatte so so much. I'll miss them.
Overall an enjoyable watch. Cringe here and there but I honestly found it pretty fun.
Also a fan of some pan representation.
Friends living under the same roof kinda drama. I do like that they are all close and enjoy one another's company. Very found family of them. Also supportive family trope. Chef's kiss.

MDL Notes:

Such a soft little binge! I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Cold main lead x soft shy (pseudo-stalker low key) lead. I liked watching Takara open up and let someone in despite his family trauma. It was floofy. I think this made for a fun binge. Unsure how I would have rated it week to week though.

This is definitely between an 8.5 and 9 for me. I'm erring on the side of a higher rating just due to how quickly I binged this. I didn't feel exhausted watching at any point in particular, nor did I ffwd really.

MDL Notes:

Mostly invested in the main couple. I did find the 'resolution' for couple two a bit rushed and unfinished. Couple 2 are a lot more toxic I suppose so if that's your cuppa, maybe give it a go.  May have to read the webtoon. Otherwise, I love an enemies-to-lovers story and this really hit the spot. Two really heart-flutter-y moments within that were just too sweet. One of my favourite dramas of early 2024 that I have seen.
Couple 2 kinda tanks where this is placed in my end of year list I *think*.

MDL Notes:

Flirty little Yongseung!! I loved this. Super lighthearted. I appreciate that the villain at the end didn't get a redemption arc. Also, holding hands and walking off into the sunset at the end essentially?! SO CUTE. The brobros deserved that "Yeah we're dating" moment. Cute.

MDL Notes:

Other than a (sometimes) slow story, it's just mostly pure fluff between two cute characters. I was so keen to see Big in a main role. That was kinda everything to me.
Every time they cut to this poor little turtle, Shy, it was in the tiniest little tank. That was something. Poor baby.
Some of the side couples etc were a bit infuriating. Mostly God's friends (and of those friends, I mean mostly Wan). I feel like that was just not it for me.
Some decent kisses littered throughout. Low spice but still there if that interests someone.
Overall a cute little week-to-week.

MDL Notes:

Doctor x Boxer saucy little show. I love a friends-with-benefits drama. That and the fake dating trope. Ooof. Very up my alley. Overall I genuinely LOVED this as a binge. Easy to digest and some fun flirting and back-and-forth sass. Shame Thor got a role that was basically there for advertisement's sake with Fluke...
Not particularly keen on them introducing an ace character and just throwing in a random coupling with no other context for the last 2 episodes as a second thought... That kinda blows. I was so keen for that as well. Ace rep (with more relationship buildup) would have been so cute... That said I REQUIRE ace Drake in something else. xD He's *the* vibe. Brobro does unbothered but also hella keen to date so well. That was meeeee. I felt seen.

MDL Notes:

Instant attachment/childhood crush kind of drama. It's very cutesy. By the first few episodes, you already get confessions and heavy flirting. It'll be for you if you don't mind 'necessary breakup' dramas with a fair amount of fluff. It's saccharine-sweet most of the time. It's an easy binge. It's not totally for me, but I did enjoy it overall. 2nd couple was pretty frustrating, as were some of the side characters. Milk's character was, by far, one of my favourites. I just want to pinch her.
Also will note the OST was honestly kinda good. I'm not usually a fan of the 'singing / instrumental' dramas generally, but it was a vibe.
That and I don't want to be too harsh on the main leads. They are new actors so I'm sure we'll see them develop more in the future.

***Side Couple / NOT Main Couple***
MDL Notes:

Kinda wish it had a real completion. Open endings aren't my ish. But fun overall. Ton of peeps I knew from it as well. Surprisingly fun. Goofy and dark!
As for the BL Side Couple:
In a world where 'men are prized' as much as they are in this dystopian world, it was so nice to see these 2 characters seek their own happiness. I thought it was just a gorgeous little side plot.

MDL Notes:

Super soft and solid. I think it's a little goofy. The premise that is. But it's a lovely little domestic drama if that's your schtick. Childhood friends -> strangers -> roommates -> lovers kinda drama. Soft and sweet with some workplace drama for one of the main leads. Overall just an enjoyable short watch. Not *super* my cuppa but maybe would be better as a binge vs a week-to-week. Would suggest.

MDL Notes:

Felt like a soft version of Venus in the Sky. Pfft. I have no way to explain that really other than just the -vibe-. Overall it was an unproblematic show. ALL "drama" is cleared up almost instantly and they actually communicate. Very cute. I wasn't super interested in the app concept once it reappeared near the end but w/e. Overall just a cute soft lil show.

MDL Notes:

I ADORED the first 5 episodes of this show. I thought the chemistry was FIRE from these actors. I'm unsure how I felt about the end when it came to the body switch-esque shenanigans but I think if I watched it a second time, I'd find it kinda cute. Overall SACCHARINE sweet and would suggest it if someone was keen on adorable shenanigans.

MDL Notes:

Chef x Wannabee model / Enemies to lovers. I'm all about the second couple in this one. I love a pining villain x friend of MC moment. JJ and Methas were pretty great. Pfft. Kinda want Benz in more ish.
Pretty high heat level for those keen on that.
Otherwise just a fun little binge. I feel like the final episode did NOT live up to the rest of the show. Worst character by FAR though was Plawan. Yikes.
Power dynamics at play here so beware of that. Not for everyone.

MDL Notes:

• A cute little binge. A mildly-tsundere uni student x fluffy warmhearted cop. Toss in a sprinkle of *LIGHT* pining and a lot of food, and you've got this drama. (Age-gap)
• Koki's character starts off as a bit of a brat, so that may wear on some who aren't keen on that archetype, but it's incredibly lighthearted and he grows tremendously throughout the story.
• The ending felt like *just* enough for me. It errs on slow-burn territory but is short enough that it didn't 'drag'.
• It is family-friendly and has essentially zero heat so I highly suggest it for those keen on fluffy/soft stories.

MDL Notes:

So soft and sweet for a mini-drama. Takes only a half hour (if that) out of your day so easily digestible. I was happy to see Seonghyuk again in a drama from Strongberry. He has been a favourite for sure.
It's a vague ending but you can get the jist. If you're a friends-to-lovers fan, you might like this quite a lot!

MDL Notes:

Took what would have been about a 9 to an 8ish during episodes 5 and 6... I did not enjoy the random family drama during the last 2 episodes. It kinda came out of nowhere... I understand why it is there (I guess) but I wish this drama were not quite so short (so it could properly be established as a main plot point and not feel so last minute). Rush to the finish line never really does it for me... Lovely chemistry and adorable lines scattered throughout.

MDL Notes:

Get past the first couple of episodes and it's a rather fun campy show. Sweet but also angsty. Especially when it came to the 2nd couple. A lot of finance-related anxiety for them. But overall very sweet. I dunno. Cute and silly. Not too serious Enjoyable overall for the most part. Short enough for me to have binged in a day so it was definitely digestable.

MDL Notes:

It had its high points, but this was a subpar week-to-week show. It felt very slow sometimes which made me wish I had waited to binge. That said, this show had some phenomenal songs and a cute duo.  Soft and sweet once in a while but, again, pretty slow. Low heat. Age gap. Musicians romance. Thai character x Taiwanese character sides. That was definitely not my cuppa but nothing new having seen quite a few of these now.
Overall watchable but not something I'd give high praises to. Still would suggest depending on audience!

MDL Notes:

Angst / Family abuse / Trauma and some fluff between. Not for everyone. I honestly loved this minus a lot of time skipping. It is not for everyone and it's quite slow but it's short enough for a binge.

MDL Notes:

It is such a wholesome end to such a sad drama. I'm glad they got the ending they deserved after all of the trauma. If you're looking for an ending that's like SACCHARINE, you've come to the wrong drama entirely.
But if you like torture, angst, trauma, and some hurt/comfort, then hop onto this one, 100%.
Chihiro does so much to try and brighten up Haoren's life but terrible stuff follows them.
Trigger warnings galore for torture / self-harm / noncon (not main couple) / PTSD / Sadistic side character / etc

Probably deserves at least an 8 but this is also definitely not for everyone. Hard to rate this one. Quick binge but heartwrenching.

MDL Notes:

Saccharine sweet childhood friends to lovers. Sharing a bed and other fluffy tropes. But the Bluetooth kiss was not it. Not something I'd love but I know it has an audience for it, so rating it a bit higher for that alone.

MDL Notes:

Generally cute/lighthearted. The story switches always felt a bit abrupt, but it wasn't hard to follow by any means. I did like this a lot more than other TutorYim projects in the recent past. Yim felt more human vs clownish (in comparison to his other recent roles). The costuming, in the storybook world, is also quite pretty/fun.
It's a wholesome "friend group working on a project" story. I'm disappointed that some of the side couples just kinda felt thrown in there to exist (ie Sin & Jingjang). They were cute and all but felt more like an afterthought in the long run.
The finale didn't really add anything to the story IMO.
1.25x speed half of the show and the mushroom plot early on was a bit too silly for me.
Higher heat / much spicier than I was expecting. If that's one's cuppa then you might enjoy the abundance of kisses etc.
Overall, it was watchable and fun, but not something I'm obsessed with or anything.

MDL Notes:

Wtf was that last episode even? That said, I love a sports drama. Something about the friendships/growth as a team or group / etc. This was one of the stronger basketball ones as of late IMO. THAT SAID.... They really missed the opportunity for a supportive throuple. Rip Frank being given a less comedy-centric role and it is the forever third-wheel. I love that dude. Justice for Atom. Pfft.
But also Atom should have backed down at some point when there was obvious discomfort. Pfft. I know that's not for everyone. *I* still liked it, but fair warning for those that aren't keen on a pushy secondary lead.
Regardless, it was solid in the beginning and I did like it, but it had some pretty serious plot issues that just felt like fluff.

•  Story 1: I know these aren't related, but seeing the involvement of color and rain gives me such Colour Rush x La Pluie vibes. They aren't the same, but it reminded me of both in one way or another. I love a character that wants to love without being told they *need* to via a "soulmate" bond. I've such a fondness for this trope.
TWs: Emotional + Physical abuse (ex / not-MCs)

• Story 2: I'm an office romance/coworker shenanigans hoe. This was cute in general. No notes. Pfft. I *do* love the credits scene that gives you a little nod that these characters are actors though. That was fun.

• Story 3: TW: MC Death in this universe. I love a bit of pining, and that's 100% of the first episode. Just a lot of pining and lead-up to the angst mic-drop. You spend 30ish minutes in angsty crying hell but you finally get the 'these are actors' nod post-credits.

• Story 4: No notes. My least favourite of the 4 'movies'.

• MC Story: This follows story 4 directly, and it's full of "behind-the-scenes" with the leads. This is by and large my *favourite* of the storylines. I'm not terribly fond of a back-and-forth relationship trope, but they're playing these characters wonderfully. Plenty of pining from a second lead though, which is unexpected and fun. I love the friend dynamics that you finally get to see with these other characters. I wish we got more of this throughout.

• End Notes: The finale 2 episodes brought this from a 6 to a 7.5 for me. Overall, I think the acting *alone* is phenomenal. I think the leads really did their all to show their acting expertise. That said, the *stories* throughout did not fully keep me interested. Did they perform well? *Absolutely*. Did they interest me 100% of the time? Not by *any* means. I think I struggled with the nonlinear/parallel narrative plotline aspect more than anything.

MDL Notes:

WE GOT AN EAR MOMENT! YES! My heart. I live for it.
Okay. I've finished it now, and boy did this show drop off for me. It was still soft, with cute lil chemistry moments sprinkled throughout but I didn't like the drama portion of the plot. I dunno. It was just *fine* I guess. Spent like 2 whole episodes of MCs crying at the end so that felt rough... But otherwise okay. Would have been a better binge likely. This wasn't my favourite week-to-week.

MDL Notes:

Episode 7's POV switch was done so well. I LOVE a POV switch and j-dramas are peak with this. Chef's kiss. Not a huge fan of the misunderstanding trope and that's essentially the latter half. That being said, I'm glad they cleared it up before the very last moment of the last episode. It had a cute little 'living together' suggestion at the end and the tease that they get a sequel to their show in the last frame was adorable. The series in a series meta was also pretty cute ngl.

My biggest gripe was pacing but that might just be 100% me. I love how artsy some J-dramas can be, but sometimes the pacing just feels sluggish... It's a super short show, though, so it's an easy, fun little binge. This is not *my* kind of drama but I'd suggest it for others depending on their affinity to certain tropes. (i.e fake dating / college crush / multiple perspectives / coworkers / etc)

MDL Notes:

2nd (or tertiary I guess) couple was butt-ass naked for their random NC scene. I was not prepared. Pffft. That's more a me-problem, but TW I guess? Pfft.
Anyways, the show overall was fine, I guess? Not my favourite but not the worst thing I've ever seen. Would never rewatch it. I think the time jumps etc were a bit jarring and the screenwriting a bit lackluster but it was *very* pretty. I dunno. Just maybe not my cuppa but rating I guess fairly for overall audience? Unsure. Would suggest for those who enjoy this cast though!

MDL Notes:

I quite liked the 1st Lead's story in this adaptation but the 2nd leads I struggled with when it came to the villain arc specifically. I feel like episodes 7+8 were just an immediate downturn for me. I honestly quite liked this until then, which is a shame. Hard to rate this but overall, it was relatively enjoyable. Between an 8 and a 7 depending on which story arc I'm watching so averaging it out to a 7.5

MDL Notes:

Crack. Love triangle ending. Rippity do dah.  Still a fun time. Just what I expected from another round of this show.

MDL Notes:

I dunno, the last 3 episodes just were not my cup of tea. I love a younger character seeking a relationship with someone slightly older. Age gap is for sure my schtick (within reason) and I found it kinda cute initially. That said, the plot just felt very samesy. A lot of recycling of drama points, nonsense arguments, and general meh. It wasn't really my schtick.
Happy ending I guess and some cute scenes but I can't give this more than a 7 personally. Shame since I truly loved the first couple of episodes.
Short enough for a quick binge but it was not great week to week (IMO). [aka: I may have liked this more if it were a binge.]

MDL Notes:

It's giving strongberry-series but from another smaller production company. Boss that is pseudo-obsessed with his coworker (& low-key harasses him). Very light and bingeable. Nothing perfect or anything, but short enough.
Misunderstanding trope that doesn't last long (due to the teeny runtime).
Jealousy trope was low key kinda silly but cute.
There is a kiss sound pumped into the audio on episode 3 or 4 that really irks me. Otherwise, a fun little office-romance binge.
Power dynamics at play.

MDL Notes:

Short hour-long binge. The uncut bits are just extended kisses and a couple of short conversations. Not really necessary minus episode 7's I think. Either way, it was just okay. Nothing groundbreaking. Not keen on the multiple cheating plotlines but ya know. xD Just a pretty binge with some pretty actors + a pretty actress. I've seen much worse.

MDL Notes:

Dude. This one is so hard to rate. I thought I was having fun watching sometimes but this was kinda not it for *me* specifically. The GL felt forced even though I was *really* into it initially. Vivi and Muk essentially boil down to "Party A manipulates Party B into being around her / doing stuff". And that was 90% of their buildup. Like it wasn't cute... I dunno. That and the whole father plot was not it for me. I didn't understand his motivation at all until the end and even then it just felt off... Not for me but I *know*  it has an audience.
High heat if that is one's cuppa. The mains have wonderful chemistry.

MDL Notes:

This was *fine*. It was paced pretty slowly, so I watched it at 1.25 / 1.5 often, but that's okay. A cute little estranged childhood friends/crushes to lovers. A *LOT* of back and forth from past to present. So that's not ideal. Overall not something I'd rewatch and unsure I'd even suggest it. Would depend on the audience IMO. Lots of pining but like grumpy x sunshine pining.

MDL Notes:

A solid angsty coming-of-age drama. The 'romance' took a backseat to the character development of the main leads. I don't think that's bad (by any means), but not what I was expecting.
I struggled with episodes 2-4. Trigger warnings for hearing loss backstory.
Happy Ending? I suppose. The leads confess to one another right around the end of the final episode and everyone is moving forward with their lives.
Placing Maya as a roadblock didn't feel great. I think her character growth was cute though by the end.
I would not suggest this to a friend if they requested a "BL" but I *would* for a "Coming of age drama".
Gorgeous lighting and some pretty shots here and there. Aesthetically pleasing.

MDL Notes:

Short enough that I wasn't too bothered about all the cringe-inducing bits. The last episode was like 50% just kiss scenes though. So if that's your schtick that's all up in there.
Dunno what they were thinking about adding that cliffhanger in a strongberry show though...

MDL Notes:

It was a generally forgettable plot but overall a very silly / fun watch I suppose. Chef at a small restaurant x office worker from a different prefecture. The instant attraction to someone different etc while they work out their differences. There's a plotline with an ex that tries to disrupt their new romance which is also kinda just eh. Not my cuppa. But overall just a chill watch. Better than most 7s I have but I personally wouldn't give it an 8.

MDL Notes:

This was *fine*. If you like GemFourth, I'm sure you'll probably be keen. I feel like it lost some of the shine of the original maybe? But it was w/e. Watchable.
Random Chinzilla moment. Was not prepared for that.
Soft and goofy. Nothing to write home about. I think I *may* have liked this more as a week-to-week.

MDL Notes:

As a romance show, this is a 6.5.
As a slice of life, friendship drama, this is about a 7.5 perhaps.

All of the main characters were given 2 episodes to express a struggle, then overcome it. 2 episodes for Pie / 2 for Pah / 2 for Ryan / 2 for Bahmee / 2 for Tae during the return of their relationship then the finale episodes with Jane.

That being said, I felt incredibly let down by the plot. It felt like a significant amount of filler by the last episode / second to last episode.
Glad everyone got their happy-go-lucky endings.

I feel like the biggest complaint online was the semi-queerbait-y gl.
I kinda understand that based on how it was advertised but I suppose it'll be a to-each-their-own situation.

I wouldn't really suggest this if you were looking for an "OffGun romance", but if you like friend groups growing together and learning over time or are just a HUGE slice of life fan, then pop off.

MDL Notes:

Honestly, not a great show. Lemme be 110% real. The couples were all pretty darn cute overall. Just fluffy lil nuggets.
The show is HELLA campy sometimes and tried to push a mythos plot that just did not work for me. The show overall is pretty high heat, which I guess expected since it's MosBank.
Dancing With The Devil in the finale triggered me. xD I still would like Big Dragon season 2. Pfffft.
Overall not a great show but watchable. Shame since I was just excited for more from some of my favs.
Adorable GL though after they kinda calm down. Cutesy.
Side note: Tenon looked great in this drama. I *KNEW* I hadn't seen him in a hot minute. Good for him I suppose.

MDL Notes:

Just sub-par. I mean, I only finished for the cast. That plot was oof / just meh in general. Not about it. Shame. I would *not* suggest this one.

MDL Notes:

Oh boy. This sure was a show. If you're keen on a toxic male lead **as well as** the neverending cycle of break-up -> have sex -> break it off again -> have sex to make up for whatever argument they had next -> and so on, then perhaps this might be your cuppa. The plot in the background felt so lifeless and by the end, I just wish we had more time with Fei Long and Run. I would not suggest this one.
I also could not stop looking at James' eyebrows during this show. Bro uses 50% eyebrow lifting and 50% smirking to show any emotion which ho boy. It's distracting personally. No shade to him as a *person* by any means, but it *is* his debut role so perhaps things will change in the future.

MDL Notes:

I watched it for the memes. I do not suggest this in any way honestly. It's pretty insufferable and cringy but some may like that kinda thing. If that's the case, go for it. Finished it for Frank and Lee.
Pure goofball energy the entire way through.

MDL Notes:

Fake kisses / awful acting / generally just cringe. Skipped through most of this and the episodes are like 4 mins long. It's bad bad. Do not rec at all. I've seen much worse but jeeez.... 5 is being incredibly kind IMO... I'm so sorry.

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