BL / Gay - New Movies and Dramas 2020-2021

Sequel to drama "Skinship". 

Upcoming April 24th (?)

Short.

Supposedly has gay character(s).

LGBTQ theme, with one of the MCs being gay.

Short mini series of the super sweet and innocent kind. Had some small flaws, but I really liked it. (And I'm a sucker for all sports BL--which is weird since I absolutely hate most sports IRL...)

Special episode for drama "Mr. Heart". Nothing much. Behind-the-scenes kind of interview thingy that bored me half to death but I guess it fills its purpose. 

Special episodes for drama "2gether".

Special episodes for drama "2gether".

Hmm. I think I actually like these better than the original drama. EVEN though they're even cheesier. Probably because the direction is better and the balance between the couples is more fluid and not so whiplash-inducing. And I'm fond of "everyday life" in BLs.

It still bothers me that it's this innocent--I don't quite see the point of that, considering that even the tamest Thai BLs take stuff further than this. Not that it necessarily needs to be tons of graphic stuff, but somehow it feels a bit odd that it's pretty abundant in hints and innuendoes--while the kissing and stuff keeps to this level. Well, whatever. That one kiss with the Pocky-looking candy--was sooo aesthetically pleasing ;P 

And... the main guys are still cute together. And still gorgeous. (So gorgeous it's distracting, actually. Not my personal type of guys, but these boys are BEAUTIFUL to look at.) 

And... I still love Toptap. I want him for a kid brother.

And... I will probably never get enough of Drake and Frank. (First pairing up; 'Cause You're My Boy", from 2018). They have among the best chemistry among all Thai BL couples, ever. Just devastatingly adorable together. 

And... Gunsmile still bugs me. Albeit not as much this time around. 

But yeah. It's cheesy. Too cheesy for my taste. And not even close to the quality I prefer to my BL. 

But I still enjoy it.

Huge plus for an awesome intro! (As in visuals. The super-catchy song is old news by now.)

Not BL, it seems--but with a central gay theme.

Short.

Special episode for drama "Theory of Love".

No release date available as of right now.

Well... 

I wasn't really expecting much from this second season. Their story was "complete" in season one, IMO. It wouldn't have needed more. But since the couple is insanely popular and there IS a second novel--why not. Even if I didn't "need" a S2--I'm still deliriously happy that I get to see more of them. And that--we get. 

It's pretty much like the second season of "SOTUS". Not all that much to say, not all that much to elaborate, not all that much to develop nor explore. The journey was completed in the first season since the premise was that two opposites needed to meet in the middle. This just is that kind of story--the kind that works the best with the climax that was already achieved in season one. But this couple just is one of those that one can't quite get enough of. So it doesn't matter to me that the storyline of this sequel season is (so far) "boring" and more or less non-existent. Just to see them is enough :) 

So yes--I love it. Because it's Tharn and Type. (AND because it's Mew and Gulf.) But there is absolutely no way that I will rate it as high as S1. Because S1 was a bull's-eye. A idiotic, compelling and funny story--that was tight, complete and lacked nothing. The ultimate romcom BL.
S2 is just... milking it. 

But I'm totally fine with that. <3

Special for second season of drama "TharnType". 

Okay, this should, in one way, be counted as part of the main series, which started airing 2019 and therefore shouldn't be on the list--but on the other hand, it IS a special disconnected from the first 12 episodes. So let's include it. 

Review is available in my "Thai BL" list as well as the "Asian BL" list.

Mini-mini-drama.

Based on one of the best BL/gay-themed mangas ever written.
(Two volumes, by mangaka Mizushiro Setona--which recently were released in English by Seven Seas. And immediately landed in my book shelf. I had to wait 10 years for that...) 

I was equal parts thrilled--and nervous--before watching it. But I was pretty sure that even if it might turn out crappy, it's still an adaptation of a phenomenally good comic--so I would probably love it no matter what.

So... how'd it end up, then...?

I loved it. 

Not just because I'm happy every time I get live action adaptations of my favourites--but because it's GOOD. I have absolutely no idea why some people disliked it, and the ratings are fairly low. It caught the manga very well, and the direction and acting was pretty great.

I'll definitely update with an elaborated mini-review when I find the time...

Previously stated to be released 2020 but the info has since been removed. 

Sequel to mini-drama "The Moment". 

Not BL, per se, and seems to revolve around BL fandom and includes female-male body-swap, but also has "gay character/relationship" listed, so probably a bit of both.
Either way, the themes qualify it for the list... (And it has Ohm. That in itself, is enough.)

Movie version of the drama "To My Star".

Upcoming May 2021. (Probably.)

Short.

No release date available as of now.

Short special episode for the drama "30-sai made Dotei dato Mahotsukai ni Narerurashii", following the side couple Tsuge and Minato.  

Pointless, stupid and forgettable. But specials usually are...

So far--I love this. Love it. Love, love, love it.

Love the story, love the direction, love the OST/score, love the cinematography, love the setting, love the script (for most part), love the acting, love the cozy, lovely, happy, sunny feel, love how it makes me smile.
I even kind of love Earth in this one--and THAT'S a first for me...

Basically; a whole lotta' love.

This one's a keeper, even if there is potential for a derailing further down the line.

Sequel for 2019 drama "Love Poison". 

No releasedate available as of now.

I literally went "OHMYGAWD!" when I saw that this is coming as a drama. YES! YES! YES!
Based on an absolutely lovely one-shot manga--and this mini-drama turned out quite lovely, too. A bit of a different flavour compared to the earlier years of Japanese BL--fully in line with the freshness and "closer to reality makes it more beautiful, not less so", that they've delivered during the past couple of years. 

Sweet, quite simplistic and lacking all that over-the-top melodrama/exaggeration in acting and direction, that used to wreck far too many Japanese productions. An EXCELLENT choice of manga to adapt to a Live Action--and an excellent result, as well. It managed to catch the air and feel of the original work, bringing it to life with dedicated and believable acting and script.

Yay!

(Btw; If you read comics and decide to read/have read the one this is based on--do not miss out on the larger work which this one has more or less copied. "Complex", by Manda Ringo. Get through the first, messy part--and you will be rewarded with a knock-out of a BL...)

DO NOTICE the extremely gratifying cameo in the end--our (at least my) beloved boys from Taiwanese BL-drama "HIStory 3: Make Our Days Count" make a quick appearance! :D (I literally shouted and jumped up and down). Without spoiling too much--it was somehow a little bit of comfort to see them in an "alternative universe" as opposed to the actual drama...

Mini-drama.

Hmm. For some reason, I didn't like this. I enjoyed the other recent Korean mini dramas more, even though they were less qualitative... I'll give a decent rating because it's pretty well produced and there's nothing WRONG with it--it just didn't hit home with me. I get annoyed with unrealistic plot/relationship developments--and here, it's too much for me. Sure,when talking about BL--realistic stories are rare. But as long as it's built up and elaborated from the haphazard meeting/hook-up, it's fine. Especially if it's the sillier kind of BL. 

But this isn't silly--so it becomes awkward. And the relationship dynamics are fuzzy and somehow... the characters keep their feelings and thoughts to themselves. There is no need to write it on the nose, but some kind of outreach, explanation, voicing out what takes place in their minds and hearts--is kind of crucial to make us believe what happens on the screen.
This doesn't. 

It's cute and all that... but it's flat. The characters are flat and the story is told in that shallow and "let's show a little bit of this and a little bit of that, screw the fluidity" kind of way.
Which is a pity, since the plot premise was kind of unique. 

Acting was fair, but not in any way exceptional. 

Random cred; The far-from-acceptable dancing by the MC, was edited quite cleverly and smoothly and almost pulled off fooling an experienced and critical eye.
Tech work was quite nice with some extra lovely shots. 

And above all; Cred to South Korea for developing their BL, and managing to dig out a path of their own, with a distinct flavour that differs from the Japanese and Taiwanese productions, even though they have similarities.

Upcoming sequel season for "Wake Up Ladies". (Not BL but the MC is gay.)

Special episode for the first season of "We Best Love".

I reluctantly love this...

Okay, this isn't that GOOD, per se--it's messy and far from perfect in execution, but it's more like... a parade of BL, BL, BL.
I can't resist this shameless poking fun at the BL fandom. Here you have ALL the tropes,  ALL the stereotypes, all which is ridiculous about BL, fanservice and insane Fangirls/Boys. Served with a huge portion of sarcasm and self-awareness--it's just pretty much hilarious. 

I'm a Fangirl, but still, I despise a lot about the BL fandom. I see real and troubling issues in many of the tendencies surrounding shipping and delusional fantasies. At the same time, I can't help but laugh my ass off at the insanity. Because it IS funny. 

So to make a drama that highlights the stupidity--is entertaining. Though, this one does it lovingly, not nearly as venomously as I do :P 

So, you are served; A shitload of couples (too many) of different types, in every single super-trope scenario/coupling you can think of--generously sprinkled with intense kissing, a bit of groping, silly crotch-shots and jokes, sweaty/freshly-out-of-the-shower male bodies, slip-and-catches, running-in-the-rain, accidental "kisses", piggy-back rides, bed-baths, an army of engineer boys, guys-with-guitars and soccer players, gratuitous-but-oh-so-rewarding cameos by iconic BL couples, super-cheesy dialogues and sugar-sweet moments, crude sexual innuendoes and everything else.

Huge plus for some of the hottest scenes in any Thai BL to date. I will never be able to wrap my head around how Saint, with his innocent baby-face looks, can look so lethal when he turns the switch. (And his crazy versatility. I mean... from Pete in LBC, to this?)

I love it.

NOTE; Watch the special episode before you watch the drama. It will make everything easier to follow.

Watch this before you watch the drama. 

It'll make things a hell of a lot clearer, since the first episode of the drama leaves you kind of "huh, wait, what, umm, what was that supposed to.,..?, say what?" until the picture becomes clearer in following episodes.

Movie version of the drama "Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart".

Upcoming 2021. (Probably?)

Upcoming 2021.

Upcoming 2020? (Release date yet to be announced.)

No release date available.

Special episodes for drama "YYY". 

Special for drama "YYY".