fave lgbtq+ shows/movies
i watch a fair amount of lgbtq+ content since i Crave That Shit but some of the ones i've watched i watch and then move on whilst others have remained constantly in my Thots™ since viewing (this is a list for those ones enjoy enjoy)
are in no particular order btw!!
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1. A Tale of Thousand Stars
Thai Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
m|m
absolutely ADORED this show and all the characters it was also my first thai show in general and im so glad i started with this one im aware there are some awful shows flitting about from thailand (especially lgbt ones) but this was wonderful
the main couples chemistry and dynamic is INCREDIBLE and built beautifully through use of the five love languages , u kno its good when a couple don't have kiss to show how very obviously drawn they are to eachother
the only reason this isn't a higher rating is they dropped the bar episode 9 with some completelty needless drama that really just wasted quite a bit of screentime that could've been put to good use with something else, but honestly i'd easily overlook that for rewatches it's a truly heartwarming story
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2. The Handmaiden
Korean Movie - 2016
w|w
an absolute STAPLE of queer media IMHO
the way the story tries to trick you not once but maybe thriCE?? amazing incredible showstoppingthe tender gay period drama aesthetic is phenomenal (we got UNBUTTONING,, WE GOT HANDS,, WE GOT MONOLOGUES) and this movie overall is a great example of how you can make a great story with a gripping plotline whilst having queer characters WITHOUT the focus being on the #struggles of being gay
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3. 30Sai made Doteida to Mahotsukai ni Narerurashi
Japanese Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
m|m
kurosawa and fujisaki are the blueprint for Humanity i dont make the rules they do
this show rly took one of the wackiest premises i've ever seen and made it so fun and heartwarming to watch
all the characters are very realistic and come with their own sets of flaws, which we learn about and come to understand a lot through adachi who has access to their innermost private thoughts - adachi himself is WONDERFULLY three dimensional for a main character, hes very awkward and unsure of himself which makes him endearing afi cannot stress how nice it was to see characters in their 30s explore love and relationships for the first time in their lives and it not being portrayed as weird but as completely fine and normal
only reason this isn't rated higher is im not TOO fond of the side couple?? but thats more a personal preference i think since most people seem okay with them (my personal issue is i cant pinpoint what their age difference is so it makes me slightly uncomfortable)
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4. Out of Breath
Korean Drama - 2019, 3 episodes
w|w
found this hidden gem on youtube the other day and i loved it SO MUCH they truly did the absolute most with a 3 person cast and short run time
all the characters are so loveable and realistic so you can really relate and understand the struggle the main character is going through in terms of being afraid to come out of the closet
it puts focus on how its important to be with someone you're truly comfortable with and that you can't live a lie your whole life if it's going to make you unhappy
honestly the story is so simple but so profound and well done i have been UNABLE to stop thinking about it go and SUPPORT its accessible to anyone on youtube w/ eng subs!!
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5. SF8: Spaceman Joanne
Korean Special - 2020, 1 episode
w|w
absolutely top tier dystopian lesbians with period drama style romance
the writer/director managed to tell a beautiful, tender love story in under an hour and i believed every second of it
very much said quality over quantity and i respect that but also would've LOVED perhaps a full web series of this story in particular it was so good
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6. Before Your Eyes Stop
Korean Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
m|m
i thought after SK started to release more m|m content that i would forget about this one and it would be deemed the worst one given it was the first (mainstream) one they released but i was wrong so here we are
the friends - lovers dynamic is usually a winner by itself to but to add an extra layer of bodyguard - charge in there was genius
all i can say is that the yearning,,, the yearning and the pinING is palpable in EVERY SCENE they share together they had such impactmy reasoning for this one not being rated higher since it otherwise ticks All my boxes is the absolutely needless top/bottom joke a character makes in the first episode i think?? like in real life u wouldn't say that to anyone let alone two High School Kids who walked into ur cafe so what_was_the_reason.mp3
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7. Color Rush
Korean Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
m|m
this show gets a lot of hate despite being beautifully shot and also attempting to tackle a very ambitious, unique plotline in a short runtime and tiny budget
basically two boys do the zing from hotel transylvania but heavier subject matter
very big on the inherent homoromanticism of hands, staring and words (also COLOURS)very refreshing to see a show where the characters sexuality/preferences are never mentioned!!
only reason(s) this is rated so low is the runtime not allowing it to reach its full potential and sometimes the acting is a little bit ropey (they all hit the emotional beats super well, it's only every once in a while it seems a bit awkward but that could easily be due to the fantasy/supernatural element of the show)
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8. Dear Uranus
Taiwanese Drama - 2021, 3 episodes
w|w
very cute mini series created by an actual w|w couple on youtube
not a lot happens its really just girls thirsting after one beautiful tall taekwondo lesbian which is honestly relatable af (its also shot v prettily)
another show that doesnt focus on their sexuality or preferences these are just girls being gays, all the girls are gay
it's got a fairly low ranking simply because it was too short for too much to really happen, and for me to truly get attached to all the characters HOWEVER it was left open-ended which i am hoping means there's a possibility for more instalments??
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9. We Best Love: Forever the First
Taiwanese Drama - 2021, 6 episodes
m|m
honestly absolutely adored this?? all the characters feel so real and flawed (especially the main pair + the doctor) im also a big fan of the fact it's set in university and not school because while i can watch school setting dramas, i'm no longer that age myself so i want to see stories about people MY AGE that i can relate to
i rly enjoy the main couples dynamic as it starts as a one sided rivalry meets long term unrequited love but even when they become a couple there's still that comfy bickering that comes with having a rivalry but there's just a more affectionate, loving undertone to it IDK the way they interact just feels so so real and natural
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10. We Best Love: The Runner-Up Strikes Back
Taiwanese Drama - 2021, 6 episodes
m|m
self explanatory but is the sequel to no1 for you
this one is a lot angstier than the first, and includes a few more irrational, controversial decisions but that honestly doesn't bother me since i feel their actions are very in character not only for them as people but in general - the show seems to want to explore different kinds of relationship dynamics as well as very human, flawed reactions to events and i'm here for it - i'm also a big fan of angsty/conflict resolution storylines when i know they're going to be resolved in a satisfying way so this is absolutely my cup of tea
this isn't ranked as high as s1 for a few reasons the main one is that they cut a scene from one of the recent episodes that was SO IMPORTANT and while its nice that they released it i think it ABSOLUTELY should've been in the final cut as it was such an important and needed convo
updating this having just finished s2 and overall v enjoyable i had a good time!! i just think the pacing rly started to suffer after maybe episode 3?? it's like the writers weren't sure how much screen time to give to each couple?? (the secondary couple in particular were a mess honestly, like they had some rly good scenes! but then then it would get undone by some confusing next scene)
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11. Perfect One-night Stand
Korean Movie - 2020
w|w
i went on a binge watch of a bunch of films from strongberry/matchbox a while back and this was one of the main ones that has stayed with me purely for how real and natural it was as a story
this girl wants to lose her virginity so she enlists her friend to help her go out on dates with various different types of women, we rly get to see that queer women dont need to 'look' a certain way to be deemed a lesbian/bi/etc
also her sexuality/preferences are mentioned but in an out and proud fashion not in a 'i cant do this because #the struggles of being gay'
honestly rly lovely short film that i wish was longer but it manages to pack so much into what i recall to be 20 minutes(?) of runtime??
if you're interested you can watch it on vimeo on either the strongberry or matchbox page!!
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12. To My Star
Korean Drama - 2021, 9 episodes
m|m
honestly next to nothing bad to say abt this one like the acting, the story, the Writing?? A+
their dynamic is rly natural and amusing since theyre both so different in how they act and present themselves to people it's truly just a very comforting lovely watch and it's also so nice that they're working adults out of the usual school setting
straight up just a good time!! not rated 10 just bc it's a bit on the short side like all SK lgbt releases but usually its more of a positive than a negative bc it means they can't mess dynamics up and cause unnecessary drama like can often happen in the usual 80 min x 16 ep runtime
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13. The Untamed
Chinese Drama - 2019, 50 episodes
m|m
there is rly not a lot i need to say abt this one everybody knows abt THEM i originally didnt include this in this list bc i guess i was keeping this list for more Explicit representation but ive changed my mind bc this show ruined my life for the entire week it took for me to watch it
i cant tell u what happens there is A Lot to cover in this show BUT if u have for some reason not heard of this yet then dont be put off by the censorship bc if anything it only adds to the experience bc the directors had to find ways of showing their mutual feelings without the usual romantic cues u get usually
its a wild 50 hours but wangxian r worth it and there is so much plot going on Outside of them as well which ironically ended up giving the gays one of the things they so desperately want more of which is storylines where there are queer characters but the story doesnt revolve around them being gay [on top of that most of the characters have been queer coded since it seems the directors have made it a world wherein being queer is the norm - similar to color rush u kno??] its good shit we love to see it
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14. Color Rush Season 2
Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
m|m
direct carry on from S1, while it is more mystery focused due to a cast member not returning, the MLs are both still very much lgbt and i think its just really neat of the creators to try and give us a show with more plot than just ' they are Looking at eachother oh they are in Love' like these characters are gay and solving a mystery babey fuck yeah
also in general obsessed with the whole mono probe lore and world i need more lets go s3