#cozy bl

[absolutebl]

Top 10 Cozy BLs!

Our Dating Sim made me realize we have a new sub genre of BLs happening right now: the cozy BL. 

I decided to invent/identify/name this new BL category because... I can. I crowd sourced (here in the hellhole) opinions of how to define it and what should go on it. The collective brainstormed and elected the following qualifications: 

low angst 

low stakes 

high domesticity 

a central relationship that is more cute than anything else

extra points for found family

AKA BLs that make you feel happy and comfortable. 

These BLs leave you feeling warm and safe, like a hot water bottle. I will list them in order of my personal preference when in the mood for “cozy.”

1. Our Dating Sim 

(Korea, Viki) 

Did I create this list for this show? Yes I did. It defines this category. It is a very low stakes, high domesticity, extremely warm and gentle second chance at love office romance. 

This is a fuzzy blanket of a story that perfectly suited KBL’s short-length tendencies. The pacing is... muuuuuah... chef’s kiss. 

2. Seven Days 

(Japan, grey in 2 parts Seven Days: Monday - Thursday | Seven Days - Friday - Sunday) 

 Popular first year Seiryo has a policy of going out with any girl who asks… for one week. On a lark, third year Yuzuru tests to see if that policy also applies to boys. Seiryo agrees that it does. Along the way they accidentally fall in love. Possibly my favorite BL of all time. It’s very gentle with us and its characters while still having that Japanese emo edge to it. 

A master class in quite yet riveting cinema. 

What, you doubted me? OF COURSE it’s on the list

3. My School President

(Thailand, YouTube)

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORED this, and that’s partly what makes it so comforting. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? 

4. See You After Quarantine?

(Taiwan, Viki) 

Be you never expected lockdown to be comforting? This under appreciated gem is Taiwan’s answer to Gameboys and is just as charming and adorable yet still as quintessentially Taiwanese as one might hope. It features a Japanese love interest and the cutest most confused disaster gay. Slow burn because the two have almost no actual screen time together and yet manage some truly amazing chemistry plus sweetly caring and earnest. Honestly how does Taiwan do it?

5. Ingredients 

(Thailand, YouTube) 

At the time (during lockdown) many of us referred to this as our “emotional support grocery store advertisement.” If all you want is two soft boys being domestic, cooking together, cuddling on the couch, cat sitting, and babysitting - just put this on and be comfy.

6. What Did You Eat Yesterday?

(Japan, grey) 

Basically the grown up version of Ingredients. Emotionally repressed, grumpy, salary man shows his hair dresser husband his love by cooking amazing meals. That’s it, that’s the whole show. There some queer fam drama, and blood-fam coming out drama, but mostly is husbands cooking and eating together and it’s great. Is it BL? Not really. Do we care? Not really. 

7. The New Employee

(Korea, Viki) 

This one is queer comfort, explicitly. If you aren’t queer you might not find it as warm and engaging. A near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also featuring found family and a lesbian bestie. Sweet & innocent (and out) Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams. On his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved (and also v gay) boss. 

As you do. 

But things get romantic pretty darn quickly. 

As you gay. 

8. En of Love: Tossera & Future the series

(Thailand, YouTube) 

Tossera = Younger boy wants to court older boy and does and… that’s it. No really that’s the WHOLE STORY. There is actually no angst, drama, or, indeed plot. But are they the softest bois ever to BL as a main couple? Yes, yes they are.

Future is... exactly the same thing. 

Are we mad about it? 

Nope. 

9. Oxygen 

(Thailand, YouTube) 

Softest seme in the universe sings his affection to the older boy at the cafe. Let the slow burn courting commence. Oxygen uses every BL trope in the playbook for one of the gentlest lowest angst BLs ever made. It’s a hyung romance (younger boy courts older boy) but very very earnest about it. Am I biased? Sure. This is probably one of my biggest comfort watches. 

10. Our Dining Table 

(Japan, Gaga)

Lonely salaryman and talented cook gets accidentally adopted by a college kid and his little brother. It’s a quiet cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me with the best of what Japan can do (like Restart After Come Back Home), it’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, it’s OK with me, but not totally BL.

For me one of the hallmarks of cozy BL is that as a chronic rewatcher I find myself starting to rewatch these ones even as they are still airing. Oxygen was an icon of this (also my first watch-along and the reason I realized I really had a passion for BL)

Shorts

Summerdaze - Singapore & Korea, YouTube

The 8.2 Second Rule - Japan, YouTube 

A First Love Story - Korea, YouTube 

Some More - Korea, Gaga 

Quite a few other Strongberry offerings.

More like this?

Top 10 Most Romantic BLs for Valentine’s Day

Top 20 Softest Couples in BL

Top 10 Cutest BLs

Fluffy Sweet Soft Thai BL

10 BLs Best Enjoyed with Hot Tea & a Roaring Fire

MOAR RECS?

From the blog comments. If I agree I gave it a description. 

Boys Lockdown (YouTube) - actually on this list because it go so many votes by everyone else, I haven’t watched it. 

My Ride (GaGa) - Thai BL grew up with this pulp - a truly lovely and special little show featuring the extremely rare pairing of sunshine/sunshine AKA a cinnamon roll couple. Mature explorations of relationships using one of the softest, sweetest and most innocent friends to lovers vehicles. Kindly, overworked doctor meets broken-hearted motorcycle taxi driver in an “other side of the tracks” slow burn romance. The support cast is excellent, making for great friendship groups and family dynamics. With honest queer rep that adds to, but doesn’t impede the story, and genuine conversation about the nature of class, wealth, and classism, not to mention communication, honesty, and respect for boundaries, you can’t go wrong with this show. In other news, I am a sucker for a single dimple. Full review.

Takara-kun to Amagi-kun (Viki & Gaga) - yes, high school angst but so sweet about it. Review here.

2 Moons 3 Ambassador (grey) - I love this odd little pulp, it’s oddly satisfying for all it’s awkward cheese-fest. Maybe that is why I like it. Review here.

21 Days Theory (YouTube) 

About Youth (Gaga) - A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. Full review here.

Ai no Kotodama (Gaga) 

Be Loved In House: I Do (Viki) 

Cherry Blossoms After Winter (Viki warning dub con) - it’s here because a lot of people (like me) love it, but there are objections. Review here.

Cherry Magic (Japan, indie subbed) AKA Doutei dato Mahoutsukai ni narerurashii - the sweetest, fluffiest, most charming bit of adorable ever, full of found family and pastry and serious slapstick, the characters are utter spazzes, but so cute about it. Still that aspect makes me a little tense so I don’t find it as cozy as others do.  

Craving You (Viki) 

Destiny Seeker (grey) - see 2 Moons Ambassador 

DNA Says Love You (Gaga) - particularly the last few episodes. 

La Cuisine (GaGa) - sweet and kind of pure show, and like Thai desserts perhaps requires too much patience for a layperson. Because of the pacing and the focus on the bad girl character, I did dock it. But if you like stuff in the Oxygen vein, then this show is for you, and far better than most Thai BL pulps. That said, I suspect that I enjoyed it more than many would. Full review. 

Meet Me Outside (Gaga) 

Meow Ears Up (Gaga) 

Mr. Heart (Viki) 

Mr. Unlucky has no Choice but to Kiss (Viki) 

Nitiman (Thailand YouTube) - This Thai BL pulp had sympathetic characters, a solid tsundere uke redemption arc, and a fantastic pining seme who yearned without bullying, grooming, or gaslighting. Plus when they were together, they were ridiculously soft. But it also had a realistic portrayal of university life, bisexual awakening, and friendship groups. Ending is okay but a victim of lockdown.

Old Fashion Cupcake (Viki) 

Ocean Likes Me (Viki) 

Roommates of 304 (Viki) 

Wish You (Korea - Netflix or Viki, you want the movie version) AKA Wish You: Your Melody in My Heart - low stakes high pining romance about a pianist who falls in love with a busker who is on his way to being the next big idol.

There was quite a lively discussion coming up with this list, since everyone defines cozy differently but I am not alone in my top 10 choices, these mostly got the most votes. 

(source)

#cozy bl #comforting bl #sweet bl #kind bl #soft bl #bl that won't hurt you #low stakes bl #high domesticity bl #Strongberry #Our Dining Table #Japanese bl #JBL #live action yaoi #Oxygen the series #Future the series #Thai BL #en of Love: Tossera #The New Employee #korean bl #What Did You Eat Yesterday? #Ingredients the series #JeffGame #Taiwanese bl #rakutan viki #See You After Quarantine? #GMMTV #My School President #Seven Days - Friday - Sunday #Seven Days: Monday - Thursday #Our Dating Sim

[gunsatthaphan]

#lost in translation.

#cooking crush #cooking crush the series #cooking crush ep1 #offgun #tenprem #ten x prem #off jumpol #gun atthaphan #neo trai #gmmtv #thai bl #bl drama #KJSHFKJDS lmaoooo #this part had me screaming 💀 #this show is so fun 🥺 #i love it #just what I need on a cozy sunday #i missed giffing them 🥹 #glad to have them back #<3

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

I just want to hold you. Just that.

#hidden agenda #hidden agenda the series #hidden agenda ep 6 #this was such a cute scene #and this hug looks so comfortable and cozy #I'm kinda jealous... #jokezo #zo x joke #joongdunk #thai bl #thai series #thai drama #bl drama #bl series #asianlgbtqdrama #myedit

[blmpff]

BILLY PATCHANON, BABE TANATAT, HENG ASAVARID, TACK PHONGSAKORN and POOM NUTTAPART at Saint's birthday event 21.04.24

#HENG BESTEST BOIIIIIIII #i love this cozy concept feat make up so much #billy patchanon #babe tanatat #billybabe #heng asavarid #tack phongsakorn #poom nuttapart #tackpoom #the sign the series #cast #BD26ySaintFansignParty #bl fashion irl #blmpff

[pharawee]

🖇️BL WATCHLIST MARCH

🎬To Be Continued - 3PLUS | NETFLIX - I won't be able to watch this as it airs which doesn't stop me from making heart eyes at Fluke Pongsapat. 🥰

🎬Close Friend 3: Soju Bomb - GAGAOOLALA - I really like this one so far actually.

🎬1000 Years Old - GAGAOOLALA - New favourite show detected.

🎬Two Worlds - IQIYI - Here for my cheesy mystical fantasy lakorn with Gun and Pak.

🎬Deep Night - IQIYI - This show is taking over from Playboyy (same slot, different company) and that hopefully means we won't go thirsty on spicy Thursday.

🎬City of Stars - IQIYI - This is going to be my new low-stakes comfort BL - in best Star Hunter tradition.

🎬A Secretly Love - WeTV - My long awaited oldschool uni BL with Kut and Kimmon is finally coming. If this doesn't have an inter release I'll cry.

🖇️COMING UP

⭐High Demand - YOUTUBE - I have no recollection of wanting to watch this. Apparently it's a movie (?) by Jinloe. Yikes.

⭐The Star - YOUTUBE - Another wayufilm indie production. If you like realism and grounded stories then be sure to give this a try.

🖇️FINISHED

🎬Dead Friend Forever | DFF - IQIYI - And maybe they're still trapped in that house to this day. The End.

🎬Time - GAGAOOLALA - I still don't understand what this series even was.

➕ MDL | ABOUT | ALL WATCHLISTS | COMMENTARY TAG | THAI BL NOVELS

#jane watches stuff #bl watchlist #looks like march will be a cozy month #maybe i can actually catch up with some older stuff???

[ardentlytess]

"I asked the person that I like about tenderness. It really seems to be something that people do for themselves. He said doing something for me is also doing something for himself."

SHOWING TENDERNESS in TAKARA-KUN TO AMAGI-KUN (2022), episode 5

#takara kun to amagi kun #takara kun and amagi kun #takara-kun to amagi-kun #takara x amagi #bl drama #jdrama #asian lgbtq dramas #mine #queue #the parallels in this show make me want to cry a little #actually this whole show does #it's just so so so nice & cozy

[grapejuicegay]

huh. I didn't expect Middleman's Love to make me feel anything other than vaguely entertained and yet Mai's coming out sequence has me feeling all sorts of ways. Not because of the acceptance of it all, but because of this little exchange right before

I love that Mai's older brother knowing exactly what he's up to because he's done it before for his crushes. And we've seen a lot of coming out sequences with acceptance but I can't remember one where the family understands their crush because they flirt the same way. They behave the exact same way with their crushes. Their flirting techniques stay the same despite gender. And I love that.

#i'm sick and cozied up trying to catch up on shows #didn't expect to be slammed in the face like this with THIS one #damn #middleman's love #middleman's love series #also if there's any other shows that you know about that treat a coming out sequence like this lmk! #i'm but a lil bl baby

[lukaherehelp]

Yesterday night was a mess on my end, but I woke up to the greatest gift the world could give me: Middleman's Love.

I was a big girl and I didn't cry yesterday and I was rewarded with a trailer of my babies *wipes out a tear*

Jade keeps being the most adorable and iconic character in existence and I want to shake him around so he understands that he also deserves to be happy because there's not heterosexual explanation of why this Mai the Trainee is looking at him, sIR -

The husbands are husbanding with their rings and belts around necks, of course.

But they are not the only pets, we got another Domundi puppers and I'm begging we get to see Jade in those dog ears again in this series.

But it was this what made me stop the trailer for a whole minute:

*nods in approval as a glasses user* okey, fine, you both can join the apocathirst competition as well.

This trailer came out in Halloween to set as for the pumpkin spice boba tea MaiJade are going to be.

and I'm very, very happy.

#middleman's love #middleman's love the series #thai bl #thai drama #bl drama #I'm cozy in bed and is cozy in my heart now

[caelcstis]

[ nose ] an affectionate gesture where partners rub their noses together (for Mrithun and Raphael 🥺)

different ways to kiss // @r3dblccd accepting !!

it was later in the evening when he mildly heard the door click open and, as if the person entering knew, hushed close. raphael had taken liberty to at least make it to a larger piece of furniture before collapsing, rather than simply in a chair, or even on the floor, while waiting for mrithun to come home.

a white little head poked out from all the layers of knitted blankets and stolen clothes he managed to find. anything that could keep his scent wrapped around him. his eyes weren't even opened when he asked, " ...you home? " his voice, which was already nasally, sounded worse - stuffed, from being buried in all those layers. how he never suffocated, no one ever knew. raphael's eyes finally blinked open, blearily peaking through thick lashes to find his partner already walking over to him. he felt the fingers through his hair before he'd even seen mrithun reach for him, and just like that, raphael was already leaning into his touch like a puppy would to its owner.

he heard the shifting of his jeans and whatever still hung off mrithun as he settled down in front of raphael. he was about ready to pull himself up, to make room now that someone was home ( even if his body barked in protest to his deep-rooted exhaustion ), but he felt enough pressure on the back of his head that told him no. he huffed, nearly collapsing back into the couch. " i promise by spring i'll be back to myself. i know it's annoying being like this, and probably worrisome for you. " full lips pushed into a little pout as the angel glanced towards his lover. he could still see that little smile that, without words, told raphael to stop apologizing and fussing. he needed his rest, they both knew it.

letting out an exasperated sigh, he flung out his arms to hold mrithun close. his grip was still strong despite his depleted energy, and he was close enough to hear the little skip in mrithun's chest. he smiled and tipped his head up to look at him properly. raphael then leaned close enough for their foreheads to touch and their noses barely brushed together. he normally did this for younger angels in his care . . . but the sentiment was still the same: love and adoration, closeness that assured the other was protected.

" i missed you. " he whispered.

#letters received &&. sent out ⸢ 𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐗 / asks &&. answers ⸥ #r3dblccd #your voice tickles me making my heart feel cozy ⸢ raphael + mrithun / r3dblccd ⸥ #had to put in some of the things we talked about bc bls #why are they so cute

[absolutebl]

Quick Pitch

It happens so rarely, but guess what? New member of the 10/10 club!!! 

Our Dating Sim

South Korea 2023 - on Viki 

Tropes: second chance AKA reunion romance, office setting, nerds in love, sunshine/tsundere

From production house Heavenly (and it was). Where did this BL come from? Well Korea, but seriously. I had no idea it was happening until it started dropping and then I was ALL IN. It’s so stinking cute. 

I loved this little gem of a show. 

This is my ideal BL! A classic second chance romance of two nerds in love with a workplace reunion and good kisses. I’ve been waiting for KBL to give us exactly this for a long time. 

I enjoyed every aspect from the casting to the very simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s very low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story. The thing it reminded me of most was To My Star. 

Do we call this cozy BL? Why not? This one is going to live in my rewatch pile, I can tell already, and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping episodes with this one. It might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. It perfectly suited KBL’s short-length tendencies. 

10/10 

I cannot recommend this show highly enough. 

(source)

#korean bl #bl review #our dating sim #recommended bl #best bl #top bl #to my star #i jsut loved it so much #so cute #the cutest #cozy bl

[gunsatthaphan]

[I thought ray was my 25th hour. but the truth everyone only has 24 hours. and I'm not a part of ray's.]

#only friends #only friends series #only friends the series #only friends ep5 #ofts #firstkhao #sanray #sand x ray #first kanaphan #khaotung thanawat #gmmtv #thai bl #bl drama #IM OKAY IM NOT CRYING #(not affectionate) #shits about to hit the fan and i am NOT okay with it #i just want them to have soft record store moments #and cozy motorbike rides #and cute concert singalongs #and domesticated breakfast moments #and cuddly clingy moments when high djgkh #for the rest of the season #please :(

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Soon...

#choco milk shake #this should by my cozy watch #now it got really angsty! #I don't want them to leave #I want all of them to be happy! #korean series #korean drama #korean bl #kdrama #bl drama #bl series #lgbtqia+ #asianlgbtqdrama #myedit

[blmpff]

PERTH NAKHUN 10.03.24

#he looks so cozy #perth nakhun #thai actors #bl fashion irl #blmpff

[alien-ally]

The sweetest warmest coziest hug, that was sing my crush. or should i say ddara-baram~ i guess that's also what I'm really in need of that i keep getting enticed by simple straightforward dramas. Light but well done. With the sweetest most pleasant loveliest characters. Hantae and Baram, you'll go a loong way.

#sing my crush #kbl #korean bl #something that could envelope you in coziness all at once and not cm by cm #maybe it dropping all at once wasn't so bad #I'd say it's like a cute little angel dropping from the sky #binged it just now it's 5 in the morn i should just sleep #gooodnight #aa mine #thingamabob

[sweaterbob]

just lowered hoodie prices go buy one

🌀

to all who have ordered something from me, thank you.

#hoodies #merch #shmackrealm.com #shmack realm #clothing brand #clothing shopping #black artist #support black owned #black owned #support black creators #black tumblr #support black business #support black artists #buy black #bl merch #demitreez #drawing #hoodie #cozy #outfit #black hoodie #emo #trap #hustle #trippy #designs #colorways #nikes #jordans #crashclub

[maybemockingbird]

Come Check Out My Cozy Slice-of-Sci-Fi, BL Web Novel!

Did you know that my cozy, queer, slice-of-sci-fi BL web novel The Wayward Souls of Avalon has THREE free chapters for you to read? This is my longest running web novel, with 58 currently available chapters (there will be 80 in total, with scheduled posts going up bi-weekly all the way to OCTOBER of 2024!) that you can dive into RIGHT NOW while the series is on a holiday hiatus!

The Wayward Souls of Avalon is set aboard a space ship called The Avalon and it follows the journey of two men, Jocasta Thorne and Troy McNamara, two strangers who find themselves on a year long journey to Mars after the collapse of Earth. Featuring queer and disability rep, a slow burn romance, a cozy sci-fi setting, and spicy bonus chapters for those who are interested, this series is perfect for fans of cozy BL webcomics/webtoons, stories with realistic romance, and cats!

You can read chapters 1-3 for FREE on my Patreon which is on sale for the holidays, and get instant access to the entire series alongside TWO more cozy genre-blending web novels by becoming a Cosmonaut today! If you love cozy books and boys' love stories, you'll LOVE Wayward Souls, so come on over and give it a read! We'd love for you to come get lost in space with us!

Patreon.com/AlyciaDavidsonAuthor

#lgbtq books #lgbtq authors #queer stories #boys love #sci fi books #webcomic #web novel #sci fi romance #cozy sci fi #cozy books #bl series #boys' love #soft yaoi #slice of life