BL Drama Lovers Club

 autumn iris:

the movie version was said to be clickbaiting

Hmm, you raise a good point here. We have this strange situation with the two completely separate adaptations (movie and now series) coming out around the same time. I wasn't really considering the movie, but you raise the question: The movie also has fairly good reviews, but it is clickbait as to the gay themes? Has anyone watched it?

By "BL in the usual sense", I didn't mean guys kissing but rather the sort of idealised love story with guaranteed HEA that we usually expect from BLs. Also, if "kissed 15 guys" means that the ML is promiscuous, that's often realistic but not usually a BL thing, at least not in my mind. (As a guy, I have a lifetime of familiarity with the realities and ugly sides of the gay world, which is a big part of the appeal to me of the idealised BL world.)

 p43425:

(re "Love in the Big City") I'm also feeling a certain reluctance about watching it, although I'm sure I ultimately will (when I'm in the right mood). While the reviews are great, it seems it's not BL in the usual sense but rather a drama about the harsh realities of being gay in South Korea. I'll be interested in hearing feedback from others.

Yeah. I don’t mind serious themes, but more as to what mood it ends in. Like, if it’s tragic and heatbreaking, I rather not watch it right now. If it’s realistic but uplifting, then I would be more inclined to watch.

 Hannah:

I personally like until we meet again more, but that’s because I am more of DeanPharm person and I loved the idea of these reborn soul mates refinding each other

My feelings exactly. This is such a powerful theme - and of course, Ohm & Fluke were fantastic.

I also love "Between Us" - for the reasons you say, but also because it does a really good job of expanding on "UMWA" without too much repetition or (even worse) awkward retconning. (There are a few scenes that are glaringly taken from "UMWA", easily recognisable because Pharm's hair is so different - but that's a minor point.) 

 Hannah:

We really haven’t seen that plot a lot in BL done and done correctly in my opinion  

Oh ... add "Century of Love" to your PTW list right now!

There's also "Once Again" (already on your PTW list), although the ending left me unsatisfied.

"First Love Again" (which you already watched) is also a pretty good treatment of the theme (and Jeon Changha is such a cutie!) - although you're right, none gets it quite so right as "UWMA".

P.S. If a post is too long to quote, just quote a little piece by selecting the relevant text and clicking "Quote" right above it!

 autumn iris:

But sometimes the heavy-feeling BL drama could turn out fantastic and touching

Agreed - and in addition to your two excellent examples, there are some other heavier or non-HEA titles that I like and would also call "BL" (good examples: "My Bromance" original movie, "Eien no Kinou", "The Best Story"). I admit that there's a fine line for what's "BL" (by my vague definition) and what's "gay-themed drama", and I myself am not always consistent in how I apply it. Based on many Western gay-themed dramas over my lifetime (from the original "Boys in the Band" through the AIDS era, to "Brokeback Mountain" more recently), what most of them have in common is that they leave me feeling depressed.