Quarantine threw me into a loop of rabbit holes on YouTube and the best thing I discovered last may is the boy love series. If you are not homophobic and want some great entertainment this is the best thing you can watch to pass your time. Boys Love is a relatively new concept that broadly refers to manga, anime, or fanworks depicting love between men, and it features relationships that are frequently intimate and have ascertained and visibly promulgated “top” and “bottom” roles.
Boy Love Series
Among the many explanations why BL is so popular around the world is that it tries to focus on the romantic and less problematic aspects of a story. As a fan of several BL shows, I’ve noticed that one thing most, if not all, of them, have in common is that they rarely focus on the “heavy” aspects of life but it mostly tells a light-hearted, warm-hearted story that, while not as well-rounded or flawlessly told as many other high-budget and long-lasting movie franchises or TV shows, is still impactful and consequential.
Yes, some shows try to be somewhat more daring in contexts of the plot-line, but at their core, BL shows are simply comforting and have a general “feel good” vibe to them. This article is exclusively about the BL series produced in Thailand though there are many other countries now that have their own share of Boy Love series.
Now that you have an idea about what I am talking about, here are some recommendations for the Boy Love series and where they are available:
1. SOTUS The Series
This is one of the best BL’s ever according to me. Sotus tells us the story about the senior-junior bond. Freshmen have just finished high school and are adjusting to college years; they’ve arrived at their new university and are greeted by their intimidating seniors. Despite their (kind of) unreasonable actions, the seniors genuinely cared about their underclassmen. Then we have Arthit and Kongpob, a senior and junior respectively, who have completely different dynamics which plays out very interestingly. There are two seasons and both are available on YouTube.
Where to watch: YouTube
2. 2gether The Series
Because of its enormous popularity, the series is regarded as a major participant to having brought the boys’ love genre to global fame. Tine, an undergraduate, wishes to expel a gay suitor. His buddies advise him to get a fake boyfriend – Sarawat. Sarawat, on the other hand, plays hard to get before he consents. The two grew close, and intense emotions quickly erupted. It’s funny, cute, heartwarming and honestly too good to be true. There are two seasons and both are available on YouTube.
Where to watch: YouTube
3. Until We Meet Again
A brief synopsis of the show explains that somewhere in the late 1980s, two university-aged guys named Korn and In fell madly in love. Their dads, on the other hand, were opposed, and Korn’s dad was a mob boss who exercised strict control over his son. Korn kills himself in hopelessness, and In follows, sick with sorrow. Then, in the present day, we meet Pharm and Dean, who we quickly realise are the reincarnations of In and Korn. It’s Pharm’s first day in the college, and while he’s there getting acquainted, he meets his potential close buddies, Team and Manaow, and looks Dean in the eyes. Love blooms and the past is revealed. It’s a real tearjerker, but it’s also very sweet. The first season is available on YouTube in its entirety.
Where to watch: YouTube
4. TharnType
Out of a purely objective standpoint, TharnType’s plot may not be the most amazing or even innovative premise we’ve had in BL. It is, in fact, slightly problematic, but let us not get into that. The only reason this made my list was because of the chemistry between the leads. The plot can be summarised as follows: Type is an attractive freshman in college who is homophobic as a result of being molested by a man as a child. He has to share a room with Tharn, an openly gay guy and what follows is a treat to the eyes and emotional roller coaster! There are two seasons both of which are available on the LineTV.
Where to watch: LineTV
5. Theory of Love The Series
Third, the lead character, and his three friends are all talented film students. He is in love with one of his three best friends, Khai, who is unaware. He is unaware of Third’s feelings for him and thus is unaware of how much his flaunting his numerous girlfriends affects Third. But that shouldn’t account for all of the other ways Khai is a truly awful, uncaring friend. All seems gloomy and Third( along with the audience) eventually leave hope. Then from there, it turns into a showcase of Khai’s increasingly desperate attempts to win back Third’s – and the audience’s – affections. This series is available for free on YouTube.
Where to watch: YouTube
6. A Tale of Thousand stars
Tian is a wealthy and irresponsible young man who has grown accustomed to the extravagances that come with his dad’s influential position in government. Tian, on the other hand, has a faulty heart and collapses one fateful night while partying with friends. He then embarks on a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, he discovers a sweet and innocent romance with Phupha, a forest officer. If you notice all the series before this one are based on University life but this series is really thought-provoking and mature. The series can be found on YouTube.
Where to watch: YouTube
I hope this helps your quarantine to get more interesting.