Historical BL

Joseon dynasty.

A sweet little short film. Because of its duration and limited budget, it's lacking in several departments, hence my low rating. The plot wasn't explained thoroughly enough for my liking and a few scenes dragged on for too long. Still worth the watch, though.

Also, the 18+ rating really isn't warranted. They show a nipple and a hickey, as well as a bit of male-male intimacy that isn't particularly graphic.

1300s.

Not my cup of tea, but a good film nonetheless. This story focuses on the developing het relationship more than it does the established gay relationship, so if you're looking for pure BL, you might want to skip this one. I wasn't a fan of how it ended.

CW: Violence, blood/gore, murder, nudity, explicit sexual content, infidelity.

1930s.

Not a BL but it centres around a character's homosexuality. It's so worth a watch. This devastatingly realistic film is exquisitely shot and I was gripped by the actors' performances. I would have rated it even higher had the ending not broken my heart. Even so, I found it to be beautifully poignant.

CW: Sexual abuse (not committed by the male leads), physical abuse (not committed by the male leads), abuse of authority (not committed by the male leads), partial nudity, murder, tragedy.

500s.

This one was...messy. The couple were fluffy enough for me to ignore the wacky pacing and plot holes for the first half of the film, but the second half absolutely threw me. If you're starved of historical BLs like I am, then go for it, but don't expect much. Note the English subtitles on the widely-available version on YouTube aren't the clearest nor the most accurate.

CW: When the two leads begin their romantic and sexual relationship, one character is 16 and the other is 32. While historically accurate (as this is based on a true story), this is off-putting for many, myself included. The movie glosses over this fact.

1928.

Oh, boy. I did NOT expect this to be SO good!!! The character depth, the storyline, the writing, the cinematography, the soundtrack, everything about it is near-perfect. It has stolen my heart and will not let go. The ending is hella confusing and I was a bit disappointed by some of my fave supporting characters kinda being forgotten towards the end, but I still 100% recommend this regardless; it's such an engaging watch. Also, LETS GO LESBIANS!!! FINALLY SOME DAMN GOOD REPRESENTATION!!!

CW: Sexual assault & rape (not committed by the male leads), domestic abuse (not committed by the male leads), corporal punishment, non-consensual prostitution (mentioned, not seen on screen), forced marriage, arson, traffic accident, NSFW scenes (not graphic but you will need privacy).

1700s.

This was supposedly coming in 2023, but one of the leads who was cast has since left the acting industry, so as of 2024 it's hanging in the balance.

Honestly, I have no idea when this is meant to be set, but it's definitely historical.

This one is not without its flaws, but I quite enjoyed it regardless. The romance is satisfying to watch, and I question how the hell this Chinese production saw the light of day while featuring such a large amount of male-male intimacy. The time skip towards the end felt very sudden, though I figure this was something to do with budget issues (which are evident in the crappy wigs -  sorry). The ending itself was extremely confusing until I read an explanation as to what had happened - don't worry, it's not sad.

CW: Blood, violence, execution, murder, slavery (only mentioned, not seen on-screen), infidelity, nudity, sexual content. The merman lead is 120 years old (notably young for his kind) and in a romantic and sexual relationship with a human who is evidently a great deal younger (but most certainly an adult).

Joseon dynasty.

If you throw away your brain cells for an hour or so, this is a really fun watch. I love it just for how blatantly silly and unrealistic it is. Nevertheless, I felt the love triangle dragged on for too long and that more focus should've been put on the situation with Hoseon's family. My only other gripe is that this is far too short! I'd love to see a sequel someday.

Joseon dynasty.

This is just the drama converted into movie format with some extra scenes adding an extra 15 minutes or so to the run time. I'm yet to find it subbed in English, and therefore am yet to watch this in its entirety.

200s BC.

I really enjoyed this one! It's rare to see a Chinese BL with some hot and heavy scenes and a happy ending. I felt the conflict near the end was fairly rushed and that not every issue was solved, but the final scene kinda makes up for that. Make sure to watch the uncut version for maximum BL content!

CW: Blood/gore, violence, torture, murder, mild sexual content, sexual assault (touching and kissing the neck and nipples without consent - not committed by the male leads).

1920s.

Coming to GagaOOLala in April 2024.

Based on the promo images and some comments, I'm guessing this is similar to A Frozen Flower in that it's some kind of toxic love triangle between an established gay couple met with a new wife.

Supposedly upcoming. It's a Thai-Chinese co-production, but given China's track record of strictly censoring anything even vaguely queer, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

1860s.

This one left me confused, but I rather think that was the intent. Almost everything is ambiguous, so if being left with more questions than answers is a turn-off for you, I wouldn't recommend this film. The romance is more of a background aspect, but it is very much present. I would not call this BL, but it does centre around gay relationships, so it gets a place on this list. It's a nice time-killer, but I don't think I'll be rewatching.

CW: Blood/mild gore, violence, execution, murder, infidelity, sexual content (one scene - not graphic but you will need privacy and earphones).

756 / 2010s.

Note: I'm not sure if this can be considered true BL due to the whole soul transmigration concept. I'm including it simply because it shows a romantic relationship between two male-bodied, masc-presenting people.

The concept is great, but the execution is poor. It's very campy, which may put some people off. The acting isn't the best. I'm not a fan of the whole jealous, vindictive woman sabotaging a happy mlm relationship trope which I've seen far too many times for comfort. Be warned that the ending is objectively unsatisfying and leaves the story on a cliffhanger/up to interpretation.

CW: Blood, mild violence (a few slaps and shoves, really), traffic accidents.

Joseon dynasty.

I have a big soft spot for this one. It's adorable. Yes, it's rough around the edges (budget issues, I assume) and there are plenty of plot holes, but it's fluffy enough to overlook. Just don't go into this expecting a groundbreaking cinematic masterpiece; instead, appreciate it for what it is as an easily digestible feel-good romance that requires very little brainpower to understand.

CW: Brief depictions of blood, violence, murder, and attempted murder. Nothing particularly graphic.

Joseon dynasty.

The drama converted into movie format. I think a few non-dialogue scenes are slightly extended to make the movie flow better, but there are no major changes worth noting.

1940s.

Not a BL but a lakorn (Thai soap opera) that revolves around the male lead's homosexuality. I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it is! It's silly and overdramatic and unrealistic, in typical lakorn fashion, but so entertaining. Although, it does drag at times. The chemistry between the male leads is insane! They had me grinning and kicking my feet like an idiot just by looking at each other. And the sibling relationships are so adorable and wholesome. Definitely worth watching.

CW: Child abuse (physical and mental), *very* mild sexual content, drugging, violence, blood/gore, body horror, murder, suicide.

This was meant to be coming in 2023, provided the company could crowdfund the budget, but it unfortunately doesn't seem to be moving forward as of March 2024.