A World of Asian "Boys Love" Drama

2020 Thai BL series Why R U The Series brings back adorable Love By Chance actor Saint to our screens, and boy have we missed him! He's the biggest drawcard here, and definitely the top reason for watching Why R U in the first place. So is it worth watching? Summary: University students and siblings Zon and Zol have a teasing rivalry. When Zon realises that Zol is writing BL stories about him being in an imaginary relationship with his nemesis Saifah, he insists that she delete them. She cheekily asks him to swear that he doesn't have conflicting feelings about Saifah (she saw them share an accidental kiss during a fight). He hesitates, but he swears to it anyway. Bad move! His obvious lie throws him into an upside-down BL alternate universe, where Zol's BL story about him looks like it's coming true, and he starts hallucinating some very famous BL characters. Meanwhile, Zon's friend Tutor starts to struggle in his own lifelong platonic friendship with beautiful p...

2019 Thai BL series Until We Meet Again (UWMA) aims at presenting a story at the more dramatic and romantic end of the BL spectrum, without straying far from the formula. You'll run the usual gamut of tentative first steps, painful uncertainties and long loving stares, but prepare yourselves for such intense longing that it can even overcome death. There's comedy here too, but, much like that other recent Thai BL success story He's Coming to Me, the true unifying emotional force and strength behind UWMA lies in its supernatural theme. SPOILERS WARNING: I go into a fair amount of detail about the evolution of some of this series' characters in this review, so this is a heads-up for some substantial spoilers. Summary: In the late 1980s, two young gay lovers at university Inn (also called Intouch) and Korn try to overcome obstacles that are preventing their relationship, especially their families. When their angry fathers make a final attempt to separate them for good,...

2019 Thai BL series TharnType The Series is a prequel to game-changer Love By Chance, so it has high expectations to live up to. It focuses on soccer team manager Type when he was a university freshman, and his gradual realisation that he's in love with a man. Played by Earth Pirapet, Type was my favourite character in Love By Chance; impatient, crass and blunt but also kind and generous, I loved him for his unconditional support of his friends and teammates, and for being a loving partner. It was a minor role with very little to do, so creating a prequel around him to develop his character better is already a winning decision. MINOR SPOILERS WARNING for the end of this review. Summary: University freshman Type is horrified when he hears a rumour that his new roommate Tharn is gay. An unrepentant homophobe, he wants Tharn out of the dorm room as soon as possible, so he sets about finding ways to torture Tharn with annoyances that range from pettiness to vandalism. Shaken by Typ...

Thai BL series Love by Chance was hyped well before it was finally broadcast in late 2018. Controversially, this is allegedly due to a postponed release date enforced by the show's creators, whose new executive team has apparently purged all gay content from its productions. If this allegation is true, it's a devastating policy reversal from the creative team behind BL classics such as Love Sick and Make It Right. (Check out blogger Queer Fudanshi's take on the scandal here .) So it's very fortunate that Love by Chance was picked up instead by GMMTV and Line TV and released at all, because this series is BL gold. Summary: timid, naive university student Pete is from a wealthy family. He's secretly gay and has had terrible luck dating guys; most of them have used him solely for his money. One day at university, he is accidentally knocked over by handsome soccer jock Ae riding past on his bicycle. Kind-hearted, decent Ae takes Pete to get medical attention, and over...