BL Drama Lovers Club

Running Thoughts

Yes, I am about to invite you into my mind and bore you with my thoughts about this statement I just came across on X:

I have often come across the now popular statement that is, "Thailand produces quantity and not quality." Have I come to start believing this more and more? Yes. However I have never really stopped and thought about it. I just watch the lacklustre series, rant and move on to the next and hope for a better outcome, but now that I think about it Thailand has really started to move away from being  the revolutionary of the industry to now being unpopular, low quality (writing), static, popularity dependent, low quality shallow soft-core porn, predictable, etc. Now, I am not lambasting Thai BLs. It is just that I saw the above statement and really thought about it and now I am just very annoyed. 

Thailand is the trailblazer for BLs. They had set the foundation. Thailand crawled and walked so BLs could run today. Listen to me, back in those days when there was no surplus of BLs we took what we got and made the best of it. We did not have the luxury to drop BLs because who knows when the next would drop. Who remembers when GMMTV would drop a new BL; you know that it comes out every Friday or Saturday, on Fridays it could be released at 8 am (where I live) so you know the drill. The fans whose first BL is not Kinnporsche know what I am about to say. At 8 am you are at school or work, so if you go to school, your phone is under the desk, earphones in one ear, and try your best to not get caught. If you work, earphones in the ear away from your boss's view, the phone propped up on your desk discreetly and try to muffle your reactions. Then when we had some BLs starting to pour in more often around 2020 and even though some were low quality we were just so glad they almost seemed okay lol; I know I remember the series, So Much In Love, lol. Before we even go there though let's not forget Taiwan's History series. When each was only 4 episodes each, then it was 8 and then oh beautiful History 3 gave us 20 episodes, this was a moment. If we go back a little further though to Love Sick (this could have possibly been my first BL) we had to depend on those short films and movies mostly from South Korea, Thailand and Philippines some of which were low quality from the early 2000s. Hey there was this one about a bunch of male prostitutes in a brothel and one of the prostitutes fell in love but then the gang who owned the brothel caused trouble lol it had little to no subtitles lol I do not even remember the name. Of course China had less censorship and was making strides with series such as I Love You as a Man, Mr X and I and Yandai Byway No.10 (censorship killed this one from ending though *sad emoji*. I may be young but in terms of BLs I am an old bitch.

Anyway, my point is Thailand has fallen off. They are depending too much on the popularity of ships for the success of the series and it is failing; the most recent examples are MossBank and FortPeat. The series are getting predictable and unoriginal, while Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are pushing the limits with unique scripts. Fans used to say, "If only the other countries had the production resources of Thailand they would be a hit.", well times are changing. When you think about it Thailand has had more losses than wins this year. What are fans remembering about this BL year 2024. This is what:

Unkown, Love For Love's Sake, Jazz for Two, Meet You At The Blossom, Perfect Propose, The Boyfriend etc.

Thank God for We Are, Only Boo, My Stand-In and Century of Love.

You know out of all the series airing that I am currently watching most are Thai (5) but the one I look forward to the most is Taiwanese; The On1y One. How can this be?

Anyway, these were my random thoughts lol. If you read all of that you must be really bored lol but thanks for reading.

 p43425:

I would qualify them a bit

Basically the Thai industry has become a money making machine, milking visuals and couples without much artistic consideration (for the majority) leading to quantity which sensitises the public to BLs leading to more acceptance in society. 

This is both sad and beneficial depending how you look at it.

 p43425:

180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us

From the time this series aired and finished I have held off from watching. Reason being I learned that it had a sad ending. I need to put on my big boy pants and watch lol.

 p43425:

I admit it: I'm guilty!

Yes you are lol. You are a slave to cuteness. *cough* Fluke

 RXinw:

"Thailand produces quantity and not quality." Have I come to start believing this more and more? Yes. However I have never really stopped and thought about it. I just watch the lacklustre series, rant and move on to the next and hope for a better outcome, but now that I think about it Thailand has really started to move away from being  the revolutionary of the industry to now being unpopular, low quality (writing), static, popularity dependent, low quality shallow soft-core porn, predictable, etc.

I don't think I've seen enough BLs or watched them long enough to be able to make the same insightful evaluation of the BL industry. Like you said I also watch it and keep it moving; if it's not good I'm gonna drop it and find something worth watching. My first BL was "What The Duck" (god awful series would not recommend) but at the time I thought it was refreshing to see two men try to fall in love. 

When I started rewatching BLs that I had seen before I noticed that the product placement in shows like Love By Chance and Bad Buddy goes crazy! 

If they keep pumping out quantity and not quality...they'll get it together when their pockets start hurting because everyone else is making better content than them. I'd love to see more quality BLs but at the same time I'm ok with the crowd-pleasing fluffy ones because they make the really good ones seem that much better. 

Luckily I have you guys recommending so many good shows for me to watch. *Feeling protected* 

 p43425:

but my heart loves it. I admit it: I'm guilty!

You're not alone. 

 RXinw:

Anyway, my point is Thailand has fallen off. They are depending too much on the popularity of ships for the success of the series and it is failing; the most recent examples are MossBank and FortPeat. The series are getting predictable and unoriginal, while Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are pushing the limits with unique scripts. Fans used to say, "If only the other countries had the production resources of Thailand they would be a hit.", well times are changing. When you think about it Thailand has had more losses than wins this year.

I only discovered Thai BL's in 2022 and I do agree wholeheartedly with you. 

I've said this before but I'll say it again. I'm bisexual and I knew that from puberty but I've only recently learned of demi sexuality. Because of this, I never went looking for lgbt media, I just found it. 

My first 'real' lgbt films were The King and the Clown and No Regret, both S.Korean. I have seen other films that I'm slowly recollecting throughout the years, chinese and Japanese. Lan Yu is the most recent recall. So my order of BL's went Japan, S. Korea, China, Thailand, and now Taiwan.

It was thanks to S.K's Semantic Error that I found Thailand's BL genre and was unfortunately, and immediately really disappointed. Since I have access to the internet, I understood the whole shipping scenario but I come across so many kpop ships, I never investigate who the guys are. I just see two asian men being shipped together and moved on.  

Thai BL's have always been a sore spot for the short length of time I've known of them. It's why I was so genuinely gobsmacked that The Sign got a whole 10 out of me. Thailand is sitting in the last spot of my list, with the highest drop rate and the most shows watched. Meanwhile China is sitting in first place with only 2 shows. That absolutely screams quantity over quality to me. 

Everything you've mentioned in your post, is how I've always seen Thai BL's. Maybe I need to watch some older shows? But I watched Don't Say No and TharnType shortly before Kinnporsche, so all I know of Thai Bl's is the very sexually lead plot. And dare I say that Kinnporsche may even have a set a bar for what seems to be now the very pornographic content.

No Regret is still a highly regarded film for me and it has NC scenes. But the difference I feel is that the plot lead to it, in it's own s.k melodramatic way. It was the explosion of feelings. There was a reason for that kind of scene.

I don't get that in Thai BL's. Like Love Sea, they just jump right in. No build up, no effort, no emotional reasoning other than we want to. And that's what gives it that porn feeling for me and really sullies the industry. It's just a random scenario that leads to sex. 

I think more and more viewers are starting to realise that, we dont want that anymore, and some of us never did. LGBT media should be about our relationships set in whatever story the writer has imagined. From your post, I gathered that's how you were feeling watching the older BL's? 

I was never into shipping so I can't add my thoughts there as I don't understand it LOL But I do agree in that the shipping is the main selling point, which again, takes away from any plot. It's just hey, we've put these two guys together, got them to film a few sex scenes, what do you think? ~ like a porno.

I think at this point, with Taiwan esp creating some genuine competition, it will take some losses for the bosses to realise that their audience have changed. If they keep focusing on the sex and random pairings, then they will keep falling off the radar and will just have a stereotypical Thai reputation. 

Maybe we need to see another Kinnporsche level of fame, only from another country, with plot, to get the Thai bosses to realise that they need to switch their methods of writing and selling?

Just my random 2 cents LOL

I think it was Simi Tutu that had never heard the phrase 'skid mark' before and Onewe use it in their new single lmao Divine timing and it's sense of humour lol

 I think Onewe might be the s.k musical bias now. I think Onewe and The Rose might have to battle it out for a bit but I'm happy to let them share the top spot. 

Guys, this baby is making her way to 40 BLs and has a musical bias now. LOL the growth LOL 

Nothing to do with BLs, I'm sorry, I just wanted to tell someone lol

 p43425:

There are certainly Thai BLs (e.g. "I Told Sunset About You", "180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us" to name just two that jump to mind) that don't conform to the stereotype (business model) exemplified by GMMTV (visuals-oriented crowd pleasers aimed to make large profits, notably through heavy fan service and heavy-handed product placements/promotions).

(P.S. to my post from prior page adding to RXinw's thoughts)
Since my two examples aren't really current (respectively 2020 and 2022), and RXinw was focusing on the current trend, here's a third example from this year (2024) which I think fits: "Memory in the Letter". Although not without flaws, it's an interesting and very original, non-cookie-cutter story which really comes together in the last two episodes, with focus on the story rather than visuals - and as far as I remember, zero product placements or monetisation through couple-shipping. (Note: As a love story, it's better in theory than in the actual chemistry between the actors, and there's zero steam - but I still enjoyed it. It also has the virtue of being a short series by Thai standards, another way in which it proves to be the exception to the rule.)

Has anyone claimed Liu Dong Qin yet? Lol ♡