Set within the cosmetics industry, this series offers a sweet, low-key romance. I can't think of another BL that has utilized this specific backdrop, which makes the premise feel fresh. However, once you look past the setting, the show reverts to a familiar pattern: two attractive leads fall in love, navigate a series of misunderstandings, resolve them, and unite by the end. Fortunately, this simplicity is effective, and the likable leads are able to carry the story. With only eight episodes at twenty five minutes each, it is a quick, easy watch. The story centers on Mamiya and Sahashi. A hardworking cosmetics consultant, Mamiya is warm, upbeat, and popular with his clients—a career path he has pursued since childhood after watching a dedicated man do the same job. That childhood admiration evolved into a crush on that very man, who is now his boss. In contrast, Sahashi is a former model who is relatively new to the company and tends to keep to himself. Despite this, Mamiya believes in him, constantly encouraging him to stay motivated and work hard. The plot takes an unexpected turn when Sahashi discovers Mamiya's crush on their boss; for reasons that remain somewhat unclear, Sahashi begins pushing Mamiya to put in more effort and actually pursue the man. As they both become popular sales consultants and drive real numbers for the company, the series follows their slow romance as they support each other's professional growth. Eventually, Mamiya is promoted to chief, while Sahashi is sent to the Tokyo head office for a few months. This…
This vertical drama leans heavily into every available gay vertical BL stereotype, bundling them all together for the viewer. Between the standard friends-to-lovers trope, the unhinged girlfriend of the supposedly straight lead, and an abundance of family drama, the formula is well-worn. While the typical mafia subplot is absent this time, you know exactly what kind of experience you are getting. The story centers on Cal and Ricky. As the wrestling team captain, Ricky makes a habit of constantly bullying Cal and hurling gay slurs at him at every opportunity. Because Cal's father is the wrestling coach, Cal lives in a state of genuine terror regarding him. Following a bullying incident that crosses a line, the coach mandates that Ricky begin training Cal personally. Ricky agrees to this arrangement because wrestling is vital to him; his home life is difficult, money is scarce, and his mother is physically abusive. What begins as a period of hostility and humiliation gradually evolves into a confusing tension, as their physical training blurs the boundary between rivalry and attraction. While Cal focuses on proving his worth in the ring, Ricky struggles to process emerging feelings. As the tournament approaches, both men face intense pressure, jealousy, and external expectations. When Ricky's girlfriend catches them kissing, she follows through on her threat to expose them. Cal fears his father's reaction, but in a surprising twist, his dad proves to be completely supportive. Following further drama, Ricky's mom eventually comes around, allowing the two of them to finally be together. Predictably, putting a bully and his victim…
It is hard to recall the last time a Thai BL rom-com brought me this much joy. While I have recently found myself rolling my eyes at the silliness often found in this genre, this particular series really got under my skin in the best possible way. Over ten episodes, with each one running about fifty to fifty five minutes, we witness an ordinary, down to earth guy completely upend the world of a ridiculously wealthy man. This man lives in a total bubble, believing money is the solution to everything and remaining completely disconnected from reality—though he is secretly obsessed with soap operas. When these two people from entirely different worlds collide, the result is a perfect blend of laughter, blushing, and emotional gut punches. Despite his immense wealth, Thee lives alone and manages his family's perfume business. His worldview is challenged when he attempts to use a massive amount of cash to sleep with a model employed by his company, only to be flatly rejected. This encounter brings Peach into the story; a photographer and close friend of that model, Peach serves to show Thee that money cannot buy everything. While Peach is initially intimidated by Thee, he is also stunned by Thee's constant, cheesy, soap opera style manner of speaking. Thee, conversely, finds himself drawn to Peach because he has never encountered anyone who stands up to him or speaks to him quite like Peach does. As they slowly get to know one another, Thee's awkwardness regarding love becomes apparent, as his entire understanding of romance and…
At its heart, this film is a moving story of identity, courage, and inner freedom, focusing on an intersex person's struggle to understand their true self. The decision to cast an actual intersex actor for the lead role deserves applause. This appears to be a remake of a classic film of same name released in 1972; however, because I haven't seen that version, I lack a point of comparison, which works in my favor. The story takes place in Spain and follows Adela, a woman in her twenties who is the only child of a conservative couple in a small provincial town. Most of her time is spent working in the family antique shop, living a life defined by her mother's total silence regarding Adela's intersex condition—a condition that has caused her significant social discrimination—and her mother's overprotectiveness. Adela finds small, strange pockets of normalcy despite these restrictions, finding her only real outlet for free conversation in a gay priest. This quiet existence is disrupted by the arrival of two new people. A male friend returns from London and shares a kiss with her, and around that same time, a lively lesbian physiotherapist enters her life. For the first time, Adela feels like herself and experiences true freedom while around the physiotherapist. Yet, she remains caught in a struggle over her own sexual and gender identity. Seeing the physiotherapist kiss another woman is a devastating blow. The situation reaches a breaking point when Adela learns the truth about her intersex condition: her parents had her undeveloped testicles removed without her…
The plot of this indie art film centers on a young gay man navigating a series of sexual encounters throughout Hong Kong. Rather than focusing on the sex, the interest lies in the surrounding context: the long, wandering dialogues between him and his partners that range from occasionally clichéd to quite profound, touching on life and their place in the world. Much like the protagonist, most of the men he encounters are transplants in the sprawling city, finding one another through a mobile app. With very little plot beyond this, it feels as though the director is utilizing a single man's hookup cycle as a lens to examine intimacy and isolation within this fragmented community of men. The protagonist is a gay, single man in his twenties who feels restless regarding his life's direction and is in a near-constant state of arousal. The film follows his journey from one encounter to the next, ensuring each feels unique. Interestingly, he seems to reinvent himself with every new partner, adopting traits from his recent lovers to craft the persona he presents to the next person. His journey includes an Iranian biologist, an architect whose boyfriend is a kink-oriented flight attendant, a Thai bartender working sex work to avoid returning home, a brief encounter with a delivery guy, and time spent with an older man visibly paralyzed by the grief of losing a partner. He eventually reunites with the aforementioned flight attendant and concludes with a Black dancer. Regardless of the partner, the dialogue consistently returns to themes of ambition, loss, and the…
Developed alongside Thailand's Ministry of Culture, this series focuses on Khon, a traditional Thai dance form based on a classic epic and listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. While the show avoids deep dives into the technicalities of the dance, it succeeds in beautifully intertwining past and present timelines. By utilizing the same cast for both eras, it demonstrates the enduring significance of Khon throughout history. The series consists of eight episodes, each running approximately twenty five minutes. In the past timeline, the narrative revolves around a noble family where two brothers are trained in Khon, alongside a commoner who is a classmate of the elder brother. However, the dance takes a secondary role to the plot as the elder brother falls for a female servant, while the younger brother develops a bond with the commoner boy. Both men realize that their struggle stems not only from being two men in love but also from the obstacles created by the class divide. Adding to the tension is a jealous classmate attempting to separate them, alongside typical family turmoil; the eldest brother is eventually banished, and the younger brother faces a forced marriage to a woman once his relationship with the commoner is revealed. Ultimately, everything reaches a peaceful resolution. Meanwhile, the present-day story follows Sandy and Lucky, two students with a shared passion for Khon but conflicting views on its execution: one demands strict adherence to tradition, while the other wants to modernize it for a younger generation. After a filmed argument between them goes viral, they are compelled…
Mixing medical drama with emotional turmoil, Hard Shift is a fast paced vertical mini-series available on the NetShort app. The story follows a composed urologist whose calm demeanor unravels the second a rebellious race car driver enters his clinic. What follows is a tug-of-war between personal desire and professional reason. While the setting is fresh, the tropes remain the same, fitting perfectly into the vertical BL world you are already familiar with. The plot centers on Liam Summers, a famous race car driver and wealthy heir, who visits Dr Jasper's urology clinic to address erection problems. Jasper finds himself immediately attracted to him; during the examination, he suggests the issue could stem from racing stress or perhaps the possibility that Liam is actually into men rather than women. To test this, Liam tries gay porn, but since it doesn't work for him, he downloads an app to meet a man. Through a very convenient twist, Dr Jasper is staying at the same hotel where Liam's hookup is supposed to be, leading the two to spend the night together instead. This encounter upsets the man Liam was originally meant to meet, who begins pursuing both Liam and Jasper in increasingly weird ways. Meanwhile, Liam's girlfriend continues to push for marriage, throwing herself at him constantly. Amidst this confusion regarding his own sexuality, Liam finds Dr Jasper pushing past medical ethics until the two eventually become a couple. The relationship faces opposition from Liam's father, who refuses to accept them. In an attempt to destroy Dr Jasper's reputation, the rejected hookup and…
Rather than your standard BL, this is a grounded, mature story centered on two men finding connection through everyday conversations and quiet moments; it is slice of life rather than melodrama. The series explores the heavy social pressures and expectations of adult life in Japan. I had high expectations for this one, and it succeeds in meeting them. My only real gripe was that the transitions between episodes felt a bit clunky, though that may be a personal preference. The series consists of 10 episodes, with each running approximately 25 minutes. The plot centers on two men in their forties, former colleagues who lost contact only to reunite years later in an unexpected fashion. Azuma, a former medical representative who had mentally checked out of his job, eventually quit without any new plans. He moves in with his sister and her young nephew while her husband is away. Although a regular at a gay bar, Azuma is not out to anyone. One night, after a man at the bar begins taking advantage of his intoxication, Kuji—a colleague from eight years prior—steps in to help. Azuma instantly recalls that they had a one-night stand just before Kuji left the company, after which Kuji vanished. Having followed his father's path, Kuji is now a translator specializing in medical publications and highly precise Japanese terminology. Upon learning Azuma is unemployed, Kuji provides him with freelance translation tasks and lets him help out around the house. As they spend time together, old feelings resurface; Azuma becomes somewhat flirty, yet neither man labels their relationship.…
Right from the opening minute, the show signals that it shouldn't be taken seriously. This bizarre little sci-fi comedy is a Korean-Thai BL collaboration centered on an alien prince who crash-lands in the middle of a struggling bakery. Like many joint productions, it seems designed to appeal to audiences in both nations simultaneously. Despite having eight episodes of roughly 25 minutes each, the series feels undercooked. The production quality is unexpectedly low for such a collaboration, the editing feels awkwardly stitched together, and while the visual palette suggests goofy sci-fi fun, the show never quite delivers on that promise. Wooju is a young man attempting to revive his late father's bakery, though he lacks any actual baking talent. His life changes one night when a spaceship crashes directly onto the premises. From the debris emerge two aliens: a prince named Raon and his loyal canine servant Hachi, the latter of whom becomes obsessed with the quality of earth dog food. Following an awkward exchange regarding their alien status and their inability to pay for the damages, Wooju decides to keep them there and puts them to work. Through the use of magic, they begin producing various baked goods, which unexpectedly turns the bakery into a success. It is revealed that Raon's arrival on earth was no accident; he was searching for Wooju's father, who had been his close friend and mentor on the planet Kaunclion, where the father had also taught him how to bake. Meanwhile, Raon's fiancée arrives on earth to find him, only to fall for a cop…
Right now, vertical BLs—mostly originating from the US—are popping up everywhere, and it feels inevitable that AI-generated versions will soon start flooding the market. Until that nightmare becomes a reality, I find myself unable to stop watching these guilty pleasures. Even as I roll my eyes and give them low ratings because they all feel so much the same, I just can't quit them. That is simply my life at this point. The story follows Donovan and Kaden. Kaden is the student body president with a twink-coded aesthetic who is openly gay, while Donovan is the stereotypical straight macho quarterback. Kaden is attracted to Donovan, but he faces bullying and mockery from Donovan, much like the rest of the school. Tensions rise during budget planning after Kaden fails to allocate sufficient funds to the football team, which intensifies the harassment. Following a prank gone wrong, Kaden is punished by being assigned as the water boy for the football team. It is in this role that Donovan begins secretly flirting with him, even though he continues to act as if Kaden doesn't exist in public. They eventually kiss, and Donovan admits he cannot afford to be seen with another man due to the potential impact on his future; however, he does begin intervening to prevent others from bullying Kaden. While Kaden enjoys the attention, he isn't blind to the reality that Donovan will never acknowledge him publicly. After their first night together, they are caught by a girl—the typical evil girlfriend archetype—who blackmails Donovan into pretending to be her boyfriend so…
Set within a performing arts program, this GMMTV series tracks university students navigating jealousy, ambition, desire, and complicated relationships. It feels as though the studio gathered nearly every lead actor from their previous projects, resulting in a cast filled with familiar faces. The narrative centers on three main couples alongside several side characters who play significant roles in the plot. Each of the 12 episodes lasts approximately 55-60 minutes. The plot kicks off as students prepare for a stage production of Romeo and Romeo, with Jack directing and holding open auditions. While Jack's ex, Dean, used to secure lead roles automatically in Jack's productions, Jack declares that this time, roles are earned through the best audition. Dean attempts to seduce Jack in hopes of winning him back, but Jack rejects him. Meanwhile, Raffy hopes that landing a role will allow him to get close to Jack, though Jack shows no interest in him. This creates a cycle where Raffy, after being rejected by Jack, hooks up with Jack's stepbrother, Rome, who has feelings for Raffy but is constantly brushed off. The third couple involves Rua and Arnold; Rua, who is Dean's roommate, friend, and the show's costume designer, has a crush on Arnold and encourages him to audition for the lead. Ultimately, Arnold and Dean secure the two lead roles, leaving Raffy with only a side part. As rehearsals progress, the boundaries between vulnerability, rivalry, jealousy, and love begin to blur. The series captures how emotions overflow when people collaborate on a creative project, as ego, ambition, insecurity, attraction, and…
Just Not Naked Enough (USA)Alex and David are married but living in a state of quiet separation. On the morning of their shared birthday, they meet again at the Los Angeles home they once occupied together. What begins as a polite conversation by the pool gradually exposes the deep fractures in their marriage, including professional imbalance, depression, sexual estrangement, and unresolved betrayal. The rising tension culminates in the discovery of a devastating detail—a stranger's watch found by their bed—which forces them to face the reality of infidelity and their growing emotional distance. Throughout this single morning, the couple faces a choice: let pride and resentment drive them apart, or become emotionally "naked enough" to fight for their relationship. IUS Del Tiempo (Spain) [IUS of Time]A young photography student travels to a remote village in northern Spain to reconnect with his roots, where he meets Xuan, an aging cheesemaker burdened by long‑standing rumors regarding his sexuality. As Luca's camera captures Xuan's craftsmanship, an unexpected and quiet connection develops between the two men, uncovering unspoken histories, old wounds, and the prejudices of Xuan's past. This gentle bond begins to form, slowly challenging a lifetime of silence, shame, and gossip. Yr Alwad (UK/Wales) [The Call]Have you ever felt unsafe while walking down a street at night? For many in the LGBTQIA+ community, this is a familiar and sad reality. While speaking on the phone with his mother (Emma), Dylan realizes that former classmates are currently following and taunting him. The Call builds powerful tension by utilizing the helplessness of being physically distant from…
