A Vivid Portrayal of Queer Struggles against Heteronormative Society

“With or without it, you’re still you.”

I should warn you now: this review may not make much sense. I’ve just finished Love in the Big City, and my thoughts and feelings are a bit scattered. But isn’t that what Love in the Big City is all about? It’s about thoughts, regrets, and emotions that seem all over the place, yet somehow come together in a relatable and bittersweet culmination of life’s chaotic realizations.

Adapted from Park Sang Young’s novel, Love in the Big City is less a love story and more a journey of finding peace and acceptance with yourself and your circumstances. It follows Ko Yeong (Nam Yoon Su), a gay man navigating multiple relationships, from his best friend Choi Mi Ae (Lee Soo Kyung) to his mother Eun Suk (Oh Hyun Kyung) to his lovers—Kim Nam Gyu (Kwon Hyuk), No Young-Soo (Na Hyun-Woo), and Gyu Ho (Jin Ho Eun)—all while coming to terms with his HIV diagnosis, which he refers to as “Kylie.”

It’s a story about failure, success, and facing the parts of yourself that’s been through both.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/23/love-in-the-big-city-series-review-ep-1-to-8/

Leggi di Più

The Best Sapphic Themed Romance in a Long Time

You were my dream, my longing and my one and only Prince!”

If someone had told me that a supporting character would rise to be the main lead’s love interest, I wouldn’t have believed them. That was until I watched “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” and was left mesmerized by the romance between Jeongnyeon and Jooran. A classic retelling of the webtoon “Jeong Nyeon” (정년이) written by Seo Irae (서이레) and illustrated by Namon (나몬). If you are worried that the show is a censored adaptation, so it won’t have the same romantic connotations as the original, fret not. “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” encompasses a spell binding romance in the midst of encapsulating the Korean art forms, Pansori & Gukgeuk. For those unaware, there is a difference between both. Pansori is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer, where the singer tells the story by singing and the drummer accompanies her on the drum. Gukgeuk refers to a theatrical performance that combines both singing and dancing. The show embodies the very essence of both art forms that were quite popular in the post-war era. Being an all women production, even the male roles were portrayed by females. We are going to talk about the different facets of this show that strongly betray its homoerotic context!

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/19/jeongnyeon-the-star-is-born-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

Leggi di Più

This could have been so much better

What can another trite, tropey, cliché-ridden Thai series centering around a cooking theme say that has not already been said? Both from a positive and negative perspective that seriously does not sound like a broken record (I know that dates me).

The story could have been an interesting one as it certainly did start out on an entertaining note. We have a struggling young man named Peach (Guide Kantapon) who developed a great understanding and finesse for baking from his Grandma (actress unknown). Both make a living by selling Grandma’s chiffon mini-cakes. Her chiffon mini-cakes have been instrumental in changing the direction of one individual in an orphanage where she has been delivering her cakes for many years. She gently dispenses, as a grandmother ought to, not just wise advice on baking but on how to live. She is pivotal to this whole story and is the fulcrum to Peach’s transition to fully realizing himself.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2023/12/30/bake-me-please-series-review-ep-1-to-6/

Leggi di Più

Quite a Disappointment

Love is an unpredictable journey that leaves a lot up to chance and complicated individual human emotions. We don’t choose who we fall in love with. Sometimes that leads to heartbreak. Other times, it leads to joy and healing.

Adapted from the manga Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka by Chiba Ryoko, the new Japanese BL Although I Love You, and You? tells the story of two men who find healing and new beginnings inside a love that takes them both by surprise. It follows Matsumoto Sakae (Kan Hideyoshi), a straightforward restaurant owner in Osaka, and Soga Hisashi (Nishiyama Jun), a shy, reserved office worker who instantly connect at Sakae’s restaurant before falling into a friendship that blooms into love.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/19/although-i-love-you-and-you-series-review-ep-3-to-10/

Leggi di Più

A Beautiful Romance with a Historical Backdrop

If we did a crossover between “I Feel You Linger in the Air” and “To Sir With Love”, the end result would be “After Sundown”.

Adapted from the novel “Dap Saeng Rawi” (ดับแสงรวี) by CEO, the movie is a rustic romance with a slight supernatural edge. The first thing I noticed about this movie is that, even though it was promoted as a horror thriller; the story is anything but that. The film is a delicately crafted romance between the main leads, Zee Pruk (Phraphloeng) and NuNew Chawarin (Rawi). The movie is full of cliche tropes- social divide, arranged marriage and revenge. This might make it sound old-fashioned, but that’s the charm of this movie which keeps you enthralled from the get-go. I wasn’t much invested in the horror aspect and only watched this because Zee & NuNew are a force to be reckoned with. And they do not disappoint, although their scenes here are a little less passionate (as compared to their romantic scenes in “Cutie Pie The Series), their chemistry shines through. Let me walk you through the best moments in this movie!

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/01/12/after-sundown-movie-review/

Leggi di Più

Most Disappointing Watch of 2023

This is a touching, sentimental journey of young love that was brilliantly done in the beginning but then got lost in its time journeys to recapture its past. While in some ways the story was exceptional, its execution was unfortunately lacking in logic. Initially it had me hooked on the strength of its young actors playing the parts of their younger selves. Simply put, they were brilliant.


This is a story of destiny but not on a linear trajectory. It is a destiny of love between two young men who were meant to be together but had to traverse different directions to get to the promised land. The love story starts out so beautifully between Saunsoon (Mix Wanut) a pensive, withdrawn, perhaps a bit emotionally frail young man, pretty much a loner whose escape is to go the movies. His name literally means zero which adds to his feelings of self-loathing until he begins to realize the power and impact that the number zero has. Along the way, he meets Ongsa (Tor Supakorn) who is, without question, one of the most enigmatic and complex characters in any BL I have ever seen. Tor’s performance is one of the best as he has to traverse so many aspects to Ongsa’s dimensions.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/01/04/absolute-zero-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

Leggi di Più

An Enjoyable Ride As Always

The natural tendency is to want to compare this to the first season of “Ossan’s Love” or the movie. I know the mind naturally gravitates towards the comparison. But once you get into this second season, within about 5 minutes, your mind will readjust itself and begin to process that you are watching something very distinct, very different, and very original. For those of you who have not seen season one, you do not need to watch that to appreciate this series. It is nothing like the first season, yet it does feel recognizable. Some faces are indeed familiar. Tanaka Kei reprises his role as the bumbling Haruta Soichi while Yoshida Kotaro also remains as Kurosawa Musashi. However, the setting is very different. Kurosawa Musashi is a Captain for the Kenku Peach Airlines and by sheer luck and a little bit of personal tenacity, Haruta becomes a CA (cabin assistant). Typical of Haruta, he is ‘late’ on his first day on the job. Yet his lateness is for a reason that envelops Haruta like an aura – his compassion. His overriding need, almost compulsion to help people above anything else. And his unwillingness to explain/defend himself as he knows it is futile. He is unequivocally late.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/27/ossans-love-season-2-love-in-the-sky-2019-japan-8-episodes-2-special-episodes/

Leggi di Più

A Delectable Slice of Life

Short and Sweet, Coming of Age Story!!

“You and My Stars” is a Thai BL miniseries about three boys who are experiencing their first crush, first love & first confessions where you feel shy and worried (basically it is a depiction of puppy love at it’s cutest). The webseries is so sweet and short that you can watch it without thinking too much. Win (Poom Jittipat) has a crush on his classmate Time (BM Chanatip Aumpu), who instead has crush on Win’s best friend Hunter (Photo Patawee), who is a casanova. To confess his love to Hunter, Time asks Win to deliver 999 stars he handcrafted to Hunter. Even though Win feels heartbroken, he delivers them without any negative thoughts. Hunter in my opinion is a very good friend and Win, even though in love with Time does not show any negative emotions towards anyone which depict a healthy and positive personality. Time’s struggle with his first heartbreak and his emotional turmoil is well portrayed; the actors, who actually do look like high schoolers, did a good job in acting shy and awkward.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/01/20/you-and-my-stars-series-review-ep-1-2/

Leggi di Più

The Best Sequel in 2023

I’m literally in tears because the drama ended too soon and there is STILL so much left to explore!

Have you ever felt this inexplicable connect to a storyline or characters that keeps you coming back for more? If you are an ardent fan of the “What Did You Eat Yesterday?” franchise, you will understand the connection. I have been religiously following this show for almost 5 years now and everytime, they make an announcement, my heart skips a beat. That’s how much I love this melodrama and I’m really invested in each and every character in this show. Starring veteran Japanese actors Nishijima Hidetoshi & Uchino Seiyou in the lead roles, this slice-of-life romance focuses on the daily lives and struggles of a middle-aged gay couple. You ask, what is so special about them? Shiro and Kenji are probably the most realistic depiction of the problems faced by a gay couple, in an idealistic, closeted society. Their renditions are so heartwarming and inspiring, you can’t help but get roped in their lives. For now, join me as we reminisce some of the finest moments from the sequel!

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2023/12/27/what-did-you-eat-yesterday-2-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

Leggi di Più

An Angsty Saga of Lost Love & Redemption

For better or worse, we don’t choose who we fall in love with, but we can determine what we do with that love.

And there’s no better example of this than the Thai BL My Stand-In, a series that explores not only love but finding the path to starring in one’s own life.

Starring Poom Phuripan as a stuntman and double named Joe, My Stand-In takes viewers on an emotional ride as Joe develops feelings for Ming (Up Poompat), a complex figure who sees Joe only as a stand-in for the famous actor Tong (Mek Jirakit). Tragedy strikes when Joe dies in an accident, but fate intervenes, and he awakens in another man’s body, also named Joe. When he reencounters Ming, they start on a rocky path of love and forgiveness.

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/07/30/my-stand-in-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

Leggi di Più

One of the Most Mature Romances in a Long Time

It can be much easier to admit feelings while hiding behind a character who’s supposed to feel them than to admit them to someone real who has the power to break your heart.

That’s precisely the kind of safety Hayama Asami (Komagine Kiita) hides behind when he offers to fake date his new costar Shirasaki Yuki (Niihara Taisuke) in order to help him learn about love.

In the Japanese BL At 25:00 in Akasaka, adapted from Natsuno Hiroko’s manga series 25 Ji, Akasaka de, the lines between art and life begin to blur for insecure but passionate rookie actor Shirasaki Yuki (Niihara Taisuke), after he lands a role in a BL drama opposite a famous actor he knew in his university days, Hayama Asami.

As the series unfolds in an interesting alternating POV that highlights both characters’ insecurities and growing feelings, viewers are thrown into an intense look at the unrequited love for Shirasaki Hayama has carried since university while Shirasaki discovers love for the first time with Hayama.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/22/at-2500-in-akasaka-series-review-ep-3-to-10/

Leggi di Più

PingXie Romance Spanning over a Decade!

Wu Xie- I will keep him company from now, solve his problems and lead an ordinary life with him.

This is one of those love stories, that never gets old. I have watched it umpteenth times and still I’m always absorbed in their world like it is my first time. The intriguing sequel to “Ultimate Note” where Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling face separation, “Adventure behind the Bronze Door” is a resonating saga of love nevertheless. The only glitch being that our loving couple, PingXie don’t have much scenes together. The show solely focuses on retracing Zhang Qiling’s life and memories; Wu Xie spends the entire time trying to figure out Qiling’s origins and solve problems that might affect their future. It might sound astoundingly boring, because the franchise banks on the chemistry between the actors playing the protagonists (which is like a revolving door with each installment featuring a different set of actors). “Adventure behind the Bronze Door” didn’t have too many scenes between the lead couple; it was a solemn journey with Wu Xie waiting for Zhang Qiling to return from the Bronze Door. He took it upon himself to figure out Qiling’s origins and clear the issues that have been plaguing the Zhang family. The show is a story of two lovers separated by age and time, reuniting and existing peacefully. If you are looking for PingXie romance, you will be disappointed. But if you want to learn more about our superhero, Zhang Qiling; then “Adventure behind the Bronze Door” has all the answers!

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/04/adventure-behind-the-bronze-door-series-review-ep-1-to-32/

Leggi di Più

Could Have Been Better

“They gave us the privilege to know about their feelings.” – Quote from The Rebound

The above phrase was uttered by Grandma (actress unknown) and while it may be a throw-away line, it created an epiphany for me. I had never thought of ‘coming out’ quite like in those revelatory terms. That statement, given by a simple woman in a simple context, has such a complexity to it. It is indeed a communion of the most intimate feelings for another shared in the most vulnerable approach possible. Perhaps if we think of it like that, then the hysterical stigma about whom the love is shared with simply diminishes. They have created now a whole new world. It is indeed a declaration that someone has given freely to us, and we are being asked by them to participate in it. That really ought to be an honor; not some type of burden. We are becoming a part of their circle of life.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/09/12/the-rebound-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

Leggi di Più

One of the Best Thai GLs in 2024!

"The Secret Of Us” is an emotional journey detailing the complexities of what it truly means to love and be loved.

Quick Summary: Dr. Fahlada Thananusak (Lingling Sirilak) is a highly accomplished doctor, fluent in several languages and affectionately known as the “angel doctor” for her exceptional skills and nice disposition. Working at her parents’ hospital, Dr. Fahlada’s world is turned upside down when she encounters her ex-girlfriend, Earn (Orm Kornnaphat), who broke her heart years ago. As Earn joins the hospital staff, unresolved emotions, and painful truths resurface threatening to disrupt Dr. Fahlada’s life once more.

The main problem Fahlada and Earn have is that they don’t talk to each other. Their inability to communicate with one another is one of the root causes of their breakup. After being manipulated by Lada’s homophobic mother, Earn chooses not to tell Lada that she was pressured into ending their relationship to secure her mother’s medical care, instead, she chooses to lie and keep everything to herself. This creates a big riff between the two that leaves both heartbroken.

Lada and Earn are also both a bit immature throughout most of the series. While both have stable jobs and are responsible in other areas of their lives, they still have much to learn as it relates to romantic relationships. Throughout the series, they engage in petty attempts to make each other jealous, resorting to childish tactics like holding hands with or feeding other people.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/09/03/the-secret-of-us-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

Leggi di Più

A Must Watch for Ardent Gun Atthaphan Fans

This is a serendipitous find and what a find it is. Sometimes one needs to go back in order to proceed forward. Admittedly, this is a movie that goes way back and by today’s standards in the BL world might be considered ‘old’ and maybe thought of as remote. Its reviews were less than stellar, which is incredulous, and I think based on a misunderstanding of what this movie was all about. I hesitate to reference it as a BL, however. More aptly, it certainly is a gay film. A gay film highlighted by elucidations from the inner thoughts of a mind of a tortured young gay boy, struggling with his ‘coming out.’ If you see it as that, it will have more meaning.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/08/01/the-blue-hour-movie-review/

Leggi di Più