While the Asian BL Universe is abuzz with highly anticipated dramas that are set to premiere in the first quarter of 2020, “The BL Xpress” is stationed at all major hotspots, to take cue of the latest buzz and excitement.
While the Korean BL industry has seen a steep rise in the recently churned out Boy’s Love temptations, Thai BL are now focusing on quality content. Taiwanese BL Industry on the other hand is more focused on rebranding their popular dramas and restocking on the sensual romances. Get aboard as we take you for a fresh ride to find some old and new jewels that are soon going to light the BL skyline!
Chinese BL
Word of Honor
Possibly one of the most anticipated Chinese Bromances of 2021, “Word of Honor” (previously Faraway Wonderers) is all set to premiere on YouKu web portals on Feb 22nd, 2021 at 18:00 pm. The airing schedule for the show is as follows – a total of 36 episodes, ending on April 9th (for VIP members who purchase advanced viewing episodes) and May 5th (for VIP members). For international fans, “Word of Honor” will be available with English subtitles on Youku Official’s YouTube account from March 1, 2021.
Adapted from popular Chinese Author Priest’s BL novel “TianYaKe”, the drama focuses on Zhou Zi Shu is the leader of “Tian Chuang/Skylight,” an elite organization of gatherers and assassins who serve the Emperor. It’s hard to be recruited as a part of this organization and even more difficult to get out. Three years of bloodshed and remorse make our hero yearn for peace. He leaves the organization and roams the mountains of Jianghu in search of a calm life. But unfortunately, he meets our other lead Wen Ke Xing and gets embroiled in Jianghu’s chaotic existence.
Starring popular Chinese actors Zhang Zhe Han and Simon Gong in the lead roles, Word of Honor will focus on their character’s growing camaraderie and brotherhood. Obviously the homoerotic content from the BL novel if any, has been censored, but that’s how Chinese Bromances work. YouKu has released a trailer ahead of the show’s premiere and the variant character profiles have surely got me excited!
The first episode has premiered on Youku’s Official YouTube Channel and the English Subtitles will be available by 26th February, 2021.
Korean BL
You Make Me Dance
Following close on the heels of the recently on-air Korean BL “To My Star”, the anticipation for “You Make Me Dance” has skyrocketed. Comparisons are inevitable as the main leads in “To My Star” have stuck gold with their high compatibility and sensual romance. Starring Won Hyung Hoon and Chu Young Woo, “You Make Me Dance” focuses on the life and journey of University Student Song Shi On, who is majoring in contemporary dance. After a major row, he has been thrown out of the family home and is left with an emotional wound. He decides to pursue his ambition and ends up sharing a rooftop apartment with Jin Hong Seok. This cold but attentive man works as a debt collector for the lending firm Chachacha Capital and has abandoned his dream of becoming a pianist. As the duo forms a close bond, the affections of CEO Cha Sa Jang and the jealousy of Senior Student Jung Hun threaten to derail their fledgling love story. The miniseries premieres on 26th February, 2021 to high anticipation and will be available globally on Viki. The production house “W-Story” is setting a precedent with daily updates related to this mini drama and as such, the stakes are quite high.
While waiting for the premiere, let’s watch the teaser for this Korean BL and join in the excitement!
Thai BL
Lovely Writer
The immense popularity of the reincarnation saga “UWMA” skyrocketed main lead Kao Noppakao’s into the high league and as such, his loyal fans are awaiting the premiere of this adaptation. Paired opposite Up Poompat, the couple have a shy and adorable chemistry that promises to make your heart flutter! “Lovely Writer” follows the journey of popular Author Gene (Up). One day he is given a request by his publisher to try his hand at a new type of genre, which is Boys Love. Accepting this new challenge, Gene writes and publishes a Y novel that is well-received and becomes incredibly successful. So successful that it gets adapted into a BL drama. Gene is there by introduced to a budding actor Nubsib (Kao), who comes to audition for the lead role—pretending to be polite and good-natured while he is a wolf in reality through and through. The storyline focuses on their tumultuous romance as they steer through various controversies which might tear them apart. Lovely Writer premieres on 24th February, 2021 on “นับสิบจะจูบ Lovely Writer YouTube Channel”.
For now, let’s enjoy the trailer as we await the premiere!
Call It What You Want
Acclaimed Director Aam Anusorn returns to the BL Drama Genre after almost a year with his upcoming show “Call It What You Want”. Mr. Anusorn is well known for daringly highlighting controversial subjects and as such CIWYW focuses on major problems plaguing the Thai BL Industry. Starring Time Dhamawat as James, Michael Kiettisak as Bas, Daniel Chang as Marco, Kaprao Pongkorn as Kaprao and Benz Panupun Vongjorn as Ait, this show promises to reveal a “Never Seen Before Side of the Entertainment World”, that will leave you entirely shocked or exasperated. The story follows the life of BL Director, James, who has a secret on-set romance with one of his actors, Ait. The series will explore the darker side of the entertainment industry, and the pressure actors receive from talent agencies; revealing the corrupted BL industry that is indeed far from perfection. “CIWYW The Series” will premiere on popular streaming portal, GagaOOLala on 9th April, 2021. The trailer for the same-
Fish Upon the Sky
The currently on-air Thai BL “A Tale of Thousand Stars” was probably the most anticipated drama of the GMMTV roster. The show premiered to high expectations and is doing extremely well, all thanks to the sensual chemistry between main leads Earth Pirapat and Mix Sahaphap. As such, “Fish Upon the Sky” which will take over the ATOTS timeslot from 9th April, 2021 faces major competition on it’s homeground. Starring Phuwin Tangsakyuen as Pi and Pond Naravit as Mork, the show will focus on the age-old “Enemies to Lovers” trope. Pi has a crush on one of the hottest students Nan in the Allied Health Sciences Department but since he is not confident enough about his looks, he is helpless. At least until Duen and his friends help him get a makeover to boost his confidence. When Pi finally has the guts to approach his crush, he meets his love rival, Mork. Pi tries to surpass Mork in everything to get the attention of Nan, but he is not lucky enough to beat him. However, everything changes as Pi starts to develop feelings towards Mork and things become more complicated.
Will this show manage to garner the same kind of response and ratings that ATOTS is enjoying? Only time will tell, for now let’s refresh our memory with this unofficial trailer!
Taiwanese BL
We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd
We Best Love is obviously one of the best scripted Taiwanese BL dramas of the current times. Riding high on the success of the prequel, the Second Season “Fighting Mr. 2nd” is set to premiere on 5th March, 2020. The sequel to “No. 1 For You” takes place five years after Zhou Shu Yi (Yu) and Gao Shi De (Sam Lin) graduated from college. Their story will unfold as they juggle work responsibilities and personal life at the same time. Result Entertainment and WeTV have released the trailer for the same and the show promises a whirlwind of hurt, suffering, pain and angst. The new season will focus on our main lead’s tumultuous relationship as they Shi De meets Shu Yi for the first time since their last meeting in the prequel. It seems like they have alot of unresolved issues resulting from some major misunderstandings and as such, the current season focuses on how “Shi De will win back the love of his life, Shu Yi”. Alongside, the show will also focus on the romance of the second main lead couples Pei Shou Yi (Ray Chang) with Yu Zhen Xuan (Chih Tian Shih) and Liu Bing Wei (Evan Luo) with Shi Zhe Yu (Richard Lee).
Let’s enjoy the trailer for this show as we wait with bated breaths for the premiere!
HIStory4: Close to You
This show has been receiving alot of mixed reactions on the social media. The popular “HIStory” franchise has always been Line TV Taiwan’s trump card because of the highly sensual content that leaves you titillated. However, the show’s storyline has been receiving alot of flak because of the intrusive “Fujoshi Prelude”. Despite that, the buzz and excitement is still on par with the previous installments, as loyal audiences await the premiere of this drama. HIStory4: Close to You will start streaming on 14th Match, 2021 and we are still awaiting news regarding its streaming portal. Starring popular actors Charles Tu as Xiao Li Cheng, Anson Chen as Teng Mu Ren, An Jun Peng as Fu Yong Jie and Lin Chia Wei as Ye Xing Si, the drama focuses on the romance between the two main unusual couples. Also, HIStory3: MoDC star Cindy Chi reprises her role of BL Fujoshi Liu Mei Fang.
Hsiao Li Chen, the manager of the sales division in a wedding planning company, is straightforward and bold. In order to court his first love, Liu Mei Fang, a fujoshi, he asks another man Teng Mu Ren, to be his “date” as “ChenRen Couple” to get Mei Fang’s attention. But he ends up falling in love with Mu Ren instead. Fu Yong Jie is a medical student who has two faces – one for the public and another in private, especially towards his older stepbrother, who is innocent and warm.
A fresh trailer for the show was released last night and joining in the general consensus, I have mixed feelings about this show. Let’s wait and watch, if this drama can live upto the high standards set by it’s precedents!
Keep watching this space for further updates as we promise to keep you abreast with the latest buzz and excitement!
The BL Xpress 