Is the Boys’ Love genre paving the way for LGBTQ acceptance in Asia and beyond? Fans welcome recognition, but critics push for creative controls

Hong Kong actor Godric Leung Man-yin started watching Thai drama series Bad Buddy two years ago to kill time during the Covid-19 pandemic and was soon hooked by the Boys’ Love (BL) genre.

“In the BL world, there are no traditional gender roles like in heterosexual dramas where the female character is weaker and the male character is the one that pursues and protects her,” the 29-year-old actor said.