My Favourite Feel-Good BLs
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1. Bokura no Shokutaku
Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
God, these boys melt my heart. They couldn't be more adorable if they tried. I ache for their softness. I'd describe this as a domestic family drama mixed with a cooking show, which sounds odd but it totally works. Prepare for toothache when you watch!
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2. Enchante
Thai Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
Controversial opinion, I know. The first eight episodes are near-perfect; I get so weak at the knees for the pining childhood best friends to lovers trope and ForceBook's chemistry is so satisfying to watch. They established themselves here as the KINGS of the longing staring contest cliché. I am also a big fan of the overall visual aesthetic of this series; the cinematography is nothing short of utterly gorgeous in some scenes. But the last two episodes are angsty trash that I don't want to acknowledge the existence of. For the love of all that is holy, stop watching halfway through ep 9 if you don't want to ruin this series for yourself.
CW: Psychological manipulation, two brief mentions of SA, and victim-blaming in one conversation.
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3. Ingredients
Thai Special - 2020, 21 episodes
Thoroughly adorable. It's a simple roommates/friends to lovers story, featuring lots of yummy food, the cutest sphinx cat ever, and Jeff's beautiful songs. Though it's essentially a glorified supermarket advertisement, I still found the mains' relationship development really enjoyable to watch. I will forever mourn the loss of JeffGameplay.
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4. Mr. Heart
Korean Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
I've lost count of my rewatches. MDL reckons I've seen this 6 times over from start to end. I long for a second season, foolishly. They're just so cute. I wanna pick up Sangha and put him in my pocket. I'm usually not a sports drama fan but, Christ, these boys really are too cute to handle to the extent that I found myself invested in their sports antics. The plot is very simple, as with all short Korean BL webseries, but that doesn't detract from the overall feeling of fuzziness I get with every interaction from our leads.
CW: Some non-graphic violence (including one ML punching the other one time), but otherwise tame.
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5. Ossan's Love
Japanese Drama - 2018, 7 episodes
My all-time favourite Japanese BL for 6 years and counting. It can make me feel every emotion conceivable throughout the span of one episode. It's heaviest on comedy but also has its serious moments that it handles well. Haruta, our main ML, is the dictionary definition of an idiotic, oblivious himbo and I couldn't love him more if I tried. Be prepared for laughter, tears, frustration, and a mountain of plot twists as you watch this!
CW: There's a forced/non-consensual kiss and some slapstick violence, but no majorly triggering material.
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6. Ossan's Love Returns
Japanese Drama - 2024, 9 episodes
The sequel to Ossan's Love 2018. I was a squealing fangirl through half of this and shocked Pikachu made flesh through the other half. The story follows our newlywed protagonists navigating through the horrors of poor work-life balance and lingering unrequited love with, in true Ossan's Love fashion, a thousand plot twists thrown in to make them squirm. Yet, above all, it's an ultimately heartwarming story about found family and their lasting happiness.
CW: Brief depictions of gun violence, and mild amounts of blood.
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7. Tinted With You
Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
I can't deny that I'm a huge slut for historicals, but if that's not your thing, this might not be for you. Basically, a 2020s boy travels back in time to the Joseon era. Why? I cannot, for the life of me, remember if it is ever properly explained despite watching the entire series 5 times over. Anyhow, a fluffy romance with a sheltered prince ensues. It's a very simplistic watch that requires no sacrifice of any brain cells to comprehend. Also, they were definitely poly.
CW: Brief references to murder and some mild depictions of violence but nothing near graphic.