From unexpected endings to original storylines, some BL dramas just aren’t like the rest. Think a mystery thriller with a complicated romance, unique settings like the world of ancient Chinese martial arts, and sweet, slow romance between older men without any glitz and glamour.
If you’re looking for something unique to add to your BL roster, check out these five unique BLs that just hit different.
Warning: Light plot spoilers ahead!
1. “Old Fashion Cupcake”
“Old Fashion Cupcake” is about the mundane life of two salary men and how their distant relationship as coworkers blossoms into something more over sharing sweet treats out of the office.
Soon to be 40, office worker Nozue (Takeda Kouhei) feels constrained by his routine life and being classified as an “old man.” He lives the same day over and over again, and nothing particularly good or bad happens in his life. But everything changes when his younger coworker Togawa (Kimura Tatsunari) takes him out to eat pancakes at a place usually frequented by young women.
Togawa vows to help Nozue start an anti-aging regime: embracing small joys through sweets and doing things they want to do regardless of their age or how people might see them.
As Togawa helps Nozue break out of his shell and try new things, Nozue grows an interest in Togawa’s life. All the while, Nozue is completely unaware that Togawa has long hidden his romantic feelings for Nozue.
Why it’s worth the watch:
There’s nothing grand or unrealistic about the two main characters’ lives, and their story is quite simple, but it’s the ways that this show is simple and mundane that make it different and memorable. BL dramas focused on the realistic lives of older men without a rose-colored lens are less common. If you’ve seen “Our Dining Table,” the vibes are similar.
Start watching “Old Fashion Cupcake” now:
2. “Spare Me Your Mercy”
“Spare Me Your Mercy” is a new Thai BL drama to join the ranks, but it already makes the list as one of the most unique BLs out there. From the approach to romance between the leads to the way it is filmed and the moral dilemmas it presents, it truly feels like a modern take on BL.
The story takes place in a rural town where the community is close-knit and secrets don’t stay a secret for long. Everyone in town loves Kan (Tor Thanapob Leeratanakachorn), a lead doctor who deals with terminally ill patients.
Thiu (JJ Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram) is a cop living in the city who returns to town to take care of his ill mother. When he gets there, he finds two unexpected things: mysterious deaths of terminally ill patients and a romantic spark between him and Doctor Kan.
With a conspiracy looming in the shadows, Thiu thinks there is something more to the deaths happening in town and is inclined to stay and solve the case. Though he can’t tell if Doctor Kan is friend or foe, he has an inkling that the doctor is related to the increasing death toll.
Why it’s worth the watch:
There’s a time and a place for cutesy and feel-good BL dramas, but this isn’t that. If you’re ready to branch out in the BL genre, this is a thrilling whodunit mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end, and it’s an ending you might not expect. The spooky vibes are immaculate, and the anti-hero concept is perfectly done.
3. “Eternal Yesterday”
“Eternal Yesterday” is about athletic and bright high school student Yamada Koichi (Komiya Rio) who has a sudden accident. It should have ended his life, but miraculously, he seems to survive.
Koichi’s newest friend, Oumi Mitsuru (Inoue Sora), witnesses the accident and is more shocked than Koichi. But surviving the accident isn’t the only mystery that the two must solve. Stranger things start happening to Koichi as time goes on, including the fact that people start forgetting he ever existed.
As the two friends enlist other classmates to keep their secret and help them solve the case of Koichi, Koichi and Mitsuru try to make sense of their growing connection, which feels like something more than friendship.
Why it’s worth the watch:
“Eternal Yesterday” has a very original, slightly odd premise that’s equal parts heartwarming and sad. Though the chemistry between the two opposite leads is amazing, the real star of this show is the story and emotions that come with it. The whole drama feels like a prolonged acceptance of loss and the difficult process of moving on.
Start watching “Eternal Yesterday” now:
4. “Meet You at the Blossom”
“Meet You At the Blossom” is the first of its kind: an uncensored Wuxia BL drama. It brings the fascinating realm of ancient Chinese martial arts to the BL genre. Picture ethereal outfits, espionage, secrets, and intricately choreographed action scenes.
The story follows the journey of Jin Xiao Bao (Wang Yun Kai), a wealthy ladies’ man that is frivolously enjoying his life. When he happens upon a beautiful woman fighting off attackers in the woods and falls in love at first sight, he’s determined to win her heart, but that’s not quite how the story goes.
Unbeknownst to Xiao Bao, this beauty in the woods is actually a man named Zong Zheng Huai En (Leslie Li), and he’s anything but the sweet woman Xiao Bao imagines him to be. He’s cold, ruthless, and certainly not looking for love.
Hiding his true identity and motives, Huai En gets entangled in Xiao Bao’s life as family drama and outside forces throw Xiao Bao’s once comfortable life into chaos.
Why it’s worth the watch:
The unique setting of this series sets it apart from other BL dramas. If you’re familiar with the shorter length that is typical of Korean and Japanese BLs, this one has a lot more depth, intertwined storylines, and characters as do most Chinese period dramas. There’s just about everything in this drama, and it’s beautiful to simply look at.
Start watching “Meet You at the Blossom” now:
5. “Love in the Big City”
Go Young (Nam Yoon Su), a gay man living in Seoul, is on a quest for true love in “Love in the Big City.” And it’s a quest that doesn’t come easily.
The drama focuses on the various relationships that Go Young experiences as he goes from a college student to a working adult. As he grows up, the heartbreaks, betrayals, lost loves, and second chances he experiences change who he is and his views on love.
With the guidance and support of his gay best friends and roommate, he embarks on a journey of love that’s funny, silly, heartbreaking, and ultimately about growth.
Why it’s worth the watch:
This K-BL drama gives an unfiltered, candid look at being gay in Korea that most other K-BLs don’t really do. The story and character portrayals feel more mature, realistic, and honest. The story is character-driven rather than plot-driven, so don’t expect a normal story arc or typical ending with this one.
Start watching “Love in the Big City” now:
Have you watched any of the BL dramas on this list yet? What BLs do you consider to have unique or atypical storylines? Let us know in the comments below!
Asya’s a BL-biased Soompi writer with a love of K-pop and all types of Asian dramas. Some of her favorite shows are “Psychopath Diary,” “Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!,” “Light On Me,” “The Untamed,” “Go Go Squid!,” and “Cherry Magic!”
Currently watching: “Spring of Youth,” “Boys in Love,” “The Next Prince,” “My Golden Blood,” “Sweetheart Service,” and “Good Boy”
Looking forward to: “Magic Lover,” “I’m the Most Beautiful Count,” “Love Carved in the Moonlight,” “Me and Thee,” and “The Love Matter”
