Our current situation in the midst of the pandemic gives us a chance to explore various ways to spend our time in different activities including binge watching your favorite shows. Recently, one of the most-watched online drama now is the Boys’ Love (BL) series which became a big hit during this quarantine season for Filipinos particularly belonging to the LGBTQ+.
Palawenos from LGBTQ+ community continuously post on their social media about the different series belonging to the same genre. One of the more popular that most can relate to is the Thailand production of 2Gether which created a huge fandom early this year.
Young and upcoming designer Nino Terry Dumagan is one of those who religiously watches BL series as early as 2018. He even joined many fan groups and even planned to attend fan meet events until COVID-19 spoils it. For Dumagan watching BL inspired her to do well in life, and hope that she will find that one great love someday.
“BL story is actually a good way to visualize the real love story to the third sex, because of these series I’ve learned that someday I can find true love that I deserve, and BL series is one way to open the mindset of everyone that this love story is existing,” Dumagan said.
As for student and event staff Mark Andrie Belleca, the series shows what is happening in real life which makes it so relatable.
“As part of LGBTQ+ sobrang nakakarelate kami. Kasi po may mga times na nangyayari sa atin ‘yong mga ganoong situation, kasi minsan ng nangyari sa akin ‘yong magmahal nang sobra, ‘yong tipong kaibigan lang pala ‘yong turing niya sa ‘yo kahit anong effort ang gawin mo para sa kanya,” Belleca shares.
The said theme of Male loving male is also shown in the latest short film produced in Puerto Princesa by neophyte group called Palawan Production. Their first venture “I Fall In Love with My Best Friend” was uploaded in Facebook last June which earned some notion that these kinds of stories is now starting to be accepted as part of the new normal even in Palawan. The story aims to promote equality, and acceptance in order to be happy in life. The video is directed by Jeorgie Erika Villamor and it stars Albert Himpayan, Rafaela Mae Magallanes and Thordy Raff.
“This is for everyone, not only for men and women but also for our LGBTQ family, we are all deserve to be loved,” Himpayan said.
For now, there are numerous BL series you can watch online aside from 2Gether, you can check “Love by Chance”, “TharnType” and many more either from China, Taiwan or Japan. For those who wanted to watch Filipino-made series, there is one streaming for free on Youtube such as “Sakristan”, “Game Boys” and “Hello Stranger”
BL series is not new in the Philippine pop culture, as early as 2000 we’ve seen these kinds of shows bordering on different topics relating to Boys’ Love in “My Husband’s Lover”, “The Rich Man’s Daughter”, and “Destiny Rose” of GMA-7.
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