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#BoysLove: Best Bets For Your First Thai BL Series
Boys' Love, commonly known as BL, is a media genre that has long enjoyed a steady following since it originated in Japan.
Within this year, the hit BL series "2gether" by Bangkok-based GMMTV has catapulted it into the Philippine mainstream, where discussions on Twitter can and have gone on forever and forever.
Talk of the town and easily accessible through YouTube, Thai BL dramas may have already piqued your interest by now, but where do you start? There are dozens of popular dramas to choose from — there's even a Filipino BL accessible on YouTube, too! — but here are your three best bets to help you get up to speed, and feel the sweetest dose of kilig.
Pro-tip: If this your first time to watch BL dramas, keep an open mind. The sight of persons comfortable with their gender and sexuality may initially unsettle the unacquainted. But perhaps it’s just the voice, telling us how much we’ve been missing out.
1. "2gether"
A boy starts college with bright hopes until he gains an unwanted suitor. Determined to get away, he goes after the guitar-slinging campus heartthrob to strike a special deal.
For those about to start their BL journey, the first series to watch is a certified no-brainer. Thorough yet deliciously paced, light yet grippingly upbeat, "2gether" pulls out all the stops to make you a pillow-hugging squealing teenager.
Running at 13 episodes, clocking around 45 minutes each, "2gether," like all good things that come to an end, will leave you wanting for more. It's the point of no return. Welcome to the club!
2. "Dark Blue Kiss"
A closeted couple in an engineering school was taking it easy until a high school student forces his way into their lives. Meanwhile, a struggling cafe sees something brewing between its uptight owner and a freewheeling employee.
"Dark Blue Kiss" (DBK) is the perfect follow-up to your growing BL appetite warmed by "2gether." While DBK gives more airtime to explore mature themes such as sexual pleasure and the role of economic privilege in LGBTQ+ acceptance, it still manages to retain the easy pacing and playfulness of "2gether."
While shorter at 12 episodes, do expect to process heavier emotions as the series dives deeper into the lives of its characters. You would also see a familiar face as one of the important characters also starred in "2gether."
3. "SOTUS"
Third year student Arthit introduces a batch of freshmen into their school's tradition of hazing. Everyone silently obeys him, until Kong challenges how things are done. Little do they know that this tension would soon lead to a tenderness within.
"SOTUS" departs from the easygoing formula of "DBK" and "2gether" to give you something that’s closer to Pinoy telenovelas. The episodes may feel dragging — the plot really takes its time to build up momentum — but rest assured that holding on is worth it. You’ll feel a point when the characters are all fleshed out, and by then you’re hooked.
Fifteen episodes strong, "SOTUS" tops our list by runtime. But if you need more reason to commit to the lengthy "SOTUS," you’ll be pleased to know that it is the only one in this list that has a sequel series: "SOTUS S." — LA, GMA News
