It's Gay & It Slaps

Based on a Chinese wuxia web novel of the same name, this drama combines themes of adventure, fantasy, horror, romance, and found family. The main characters are canonically together. Censorship laws mean you don't see them kiss but like. It almost makes no difference? They're described as soulmates and are very obviously together in the show. 

This Thai drama follows the story of Pran and Pat, boys whose families have hated each other since before they were born (for reasons). The two have grown up as fierce rivals, pitted against each other at every opportunity. So of course the logical conclusion is to fall for each other, right? #duh This is a feel-good, funny romance that manages to be heartwarmingly real. 

Another Thai drama. Not Me starts with a twin-swap. When White's twin brother, Black, is attacked and falls into a coma, he takes his brother's place to try and find out who hurt him. As White becomes part of Black's gang - and a reluctant participant in their missions - he finds himself getting deeply involved with a particular member, Sean, who hates Black's guts.  This drama combines suspense, action, romance, and social activism. 

Another Japanese drama. Rumor has it that if you turn 30 without having lost your virginity, you gain magic powers. When Adachi's big day rolls around, he finds that he can hear the thoughts of anyone he touches. Juggling the added complication of becoming a contact telepath, Adachi tries to go about his life, until he finds out that his handsome and popular coworker Kurosawa has been crushing on him for a while. Cherry Magic is fluffy, cute, and heartwarming. You just sit and watch two adorable characters fall in love and grin all day. It's a great time. 

(Yet) another Thai drama (can you tell I like these?). This one has the famous heart-transplant trope. Tian has grown up rich, privileged, and sheltered. He also has a heart condition that puts a limit on his lifespan. So when a girl with a matching heart dies in a car accident, his parents pull strings to get him a new heart. The guilt of a possibly undeserved new life weighs on Tian, so he goes on to finish what his heart donor started - volunteering at a rural village as a teacher. The last thing Tian is prepared for is frustrating, handsome, and protective forest officer Phupa, who has unexpected ties to the heart in Tian's chest. This one is a meaningful, hopeful, swoon-worthy romance. There are some moments when it seems that Tian and Phupa's bond is compared to a heterosexual couple, but it's good for the most part.

In this Thai drama, Dr. Bun moves back to his hometown only to encounter a series of grisly murders. Things get personal when one of his best friends is murdered, but it's made to look like a case of suicide. When the victim's autopsy matches his suspicions, Bun tries to bring attention to the matter. Which turns out to be a bad idea, according to some very threatening messages. To complicate matters, the victim's boyfriend, Tan - and No. 1 suspect, if you ask Bun - has been strangely nice and even protective. It's almost like Tan likes Bun?? Bun is in denial very confused. If you want a murder mystery, some yummy kisses, and a plot that keeps you guessing, swipe right on this one.

My Love Mix-Up is a funny, cute, and feel-good Japanese drama. Set in high school, this manga adaptation begins when Aoki, our chaotic main character, borrows an eraser belonging to the girl he's crushing on. The eraser has "Ida," scrawled on it, the name of his very cute classmate. Aoki drops the eraser, Ida picks it up, and then comes to the conclusion that Aoki likes him. What follows is a series of misunderstandings and cute moments to make you smile :)

A bodyguard x rich boy romance, but make it sentimental with an extra large portion of pining. Never Let Me Go blends action, romance, and gorgeous cinematography to feed you an entire meal. The soundtrack was also amazing.

Slow and sweet. Our main character is held tightly in place by body image issues, anxieties, and what looks to be an unexpected attraction hostility towards the new popular boy in school. The cinematography here was also well done, with moody scenes and intimate montages.

Top tier storytelling in this one (and gorgeous scenes to boot). This show has an independent cinema vibe with a romance that's sweet, sexy, and tender. Characters are fully developed and have their own journeys outside the romance. We also see beautiful and varied portrayals of friendships here, which I adored. A solid 10/10.

I now need to make a separate list for queer dramas with gorgeous cinematography, with this starting the list. I Told Sunset About You follows Teh and Ohaew through the ups and downs of friendship, attraction, and growing pains. Both a coming of age story and a romance, every minute of this show has been thoughtfully planned, and emotionally portrayed. There were moments when I was flat-out sobbing (it was cathartic) because of how invested I was. A must watch, just make sure you have tissues nearby.

High school enemies-to-lovers done right, with a generous helping of pining. The love interest is initially a bully but that dynamic is handled pretty well, and overall, this was a show I was obsessed with watching while it was airing. Perfect for when you want a tropey romance that's pitch perfect.

What do you do when the boss you've always had a crush on admired goes through a mid-life crisis? Take him to a lot of dessert places and shamelessly flirt with him. Obviously. If you want a dessert-themed, slice-of-life office romance that manages to have depth & an undercurrent of sexiness, all while leaving you feeling hopeful about life, this is it. We also gets lots of screen time with a shirtless Togawa, and honestly, I should have led with that, because what else do we need?