Why are there so many BL drama's and hardly any GL drama's in Asia? (1 Viewer)

[spicy_illusion]

I mean, we all know why there are so many hetero drama's, but you would think that they would even the Boys' Love and Girls' Love out a bit, right?
If you take a look at this site, which is an LGBTQ+ website for Asian drama titles, there is literally 90-95% of BL to just 5-10% GL ratio:

Asian LGBT Drama/Movie List - Kchat Jjigae

On these pages, we have a fairly comprehensive list of LGBT Asian movies and dramas. Well, all the ones that…

kchatjjigae.com

It's also pretty much the same for Yaoi (BL manga/anime) and Yuri (GL manga/anime) too.
I mean, I am not complaining about the amount of BL because I love gay stories and the struggles they have to go through to be with the one they love, but I also love lesbian stories and the struggles they have to go through to be with the one they love too.
There is also the fact that many lesbian drama/movies they have the gay woman dying, heartbreak or suffering, etc.

So, why do you think this is?

 

[QueenB]

I think it has to do with the fetishization of same-sex relationships and their genres. Like there is festishization of wlw relationships from men but they aren't as likely to watch shows where two love interest meet and slowly fall in love. A lot of women though are into BL relationships and are more likely to watch these shows.

So there's not much of an audience for GL since it would only appeal to a small group (not a lot of straight women will watch because let's face it they are scared of being called lesbians just as much as straight men fear being called gay).

 

[spicy_illusion]

I think it has to do with the fetishization of same-sex relationships and their genres. Like there is festishization of wlw relationships from men but they aren't as likely to watch shows where two love interest meet and slowly fall in love. A lot of women though are into BL relationships and are more likely to watch these shows.

So there's not much of an audience for GL since it would only appeal to a small group (not a lot of straight women will watch because let's face it they are scared of being called lesbians just as much as straight men fear being called gay).

Now that you say it, I will agree! When I was deeply into anime/manga and it came to the topic about Yaoi and Yuri, there were many people saying that girls like Yaoi and guys like Yuri, even though Yuri was actually originally created by women and for women.

I was thinking that since there are so many BL drama/movie, why not have one or two GL couples as side characters?
It's also one of the reasons why I like to write GL stories and in my latest GL story, I have added a side gay relationship who are really cute!

I do think things are changing though, I have seen a lot more GL drama's and movies than before and more women are interested in them, although I haven't seen that many men (unless they are into men) watch BL drama's/movies.

 

[QueenB]

Now that you say it, I will agree! When I was deeply into anime/manga and it came to the topic about Yaoi and Yuri, there were many people saying that girls like Yaoi and guys like Yuri, even though Yuri was actually originally created by women and for women.

I was thinking that since there are so many BL drama/movie, why not have one or two GL couples as side characters?
It's also one of the reasons why I like to write GL stories and in my latest GL story, I have added a side gay relationship who are really cute!

I do think things are changing though, I have seen a lot more GL drama's and movies than before and more women are interested in them, although I haven't seen that many men (unless they are into men) watch BL drama's/movies.

Yeah like I don't think every woman reads BL is a fetishy way (b/c straight women have been allies in a lot of ways throughout history) but there's a good bit that do and we'll buy merchandise and spread awareness of it so I think that's way its more widely produced.

Honestly, that's a good question and I don't get why they wouldn't do it. I know for The Untamed a lot of people shipped Wen Qing and Mian Mian even though they had no interactions so they could have made that ship happen in the show lol.

I think more women are open to watching GL dramas even if they aren't wlw themselves, whether its because there's less stigma for them or because they are in it for good romance i'm not sure but its nice either way.

 

[spicy_illusion]

Yeah like I don't think every woman reads BL is a fetishy way (b/c straight women have been allies in a lot of ways throughout history) but there's a good bit that do and we'll buy merchandise and spread awareness of it so I think that's way its more widely produced.

Honestly, that's a good question and I don't get why they wouldn't do it. I know for The Untamed a lot of people shipped Wen Qing and Mian Mian even though they had no interactions so they could have made that ship happen in the show lol.

I think more women are open to watching GL dramas even if they aren't wlw themselves, whether its because there's less stigma for them or because they are in it for good romance i'm not sure but its nice either way.

I have just watched a GL Vietnamese mini drama and it had a BL couple as well as a gay guy who also got a bf.
The girls didn't get together in the end though as one of the girls mother commanded her to leave town so she doesn't influence the other girl as she saw her kiss the other girl while she was sleeping.
That was just season 1 though and I think there will be a season 2.
But my point with this is that GL relationships in movies and drama are many times heartbreaking.

Yeah, you don't have to be gay to be interested in stories of the same sex, even when there is sex in it as sex can be meaningful and there could be a buildup to it. Plus you don't have to show the sex scenes like a porn movie lol

 

[QueenB]

I have just watched a GL Vietnamese mini drama and it had a BL couple as well as a gay guy who also got a bf.
The girls didn't get together in the end though as one of the girls mother commanded her to leave town so she doesn't influence the other girl as she saw her kiss the other girl while she was sleeping.
That was just season 1 though and I think there will be a season 2.
But my point with this is that GL relationships in movies and drama are many times heartbreaking.

Yeah, you don't have to be gay to be interested in stories of the same sex, even when there is sex in it as sex can be meaningful and there could be a buildup to it. Plus you don't have to show the sex scenes like a porn movie lol

oh yeah the trope of every WLW story ending in tragedy has been going for almost a century now. The book "Well of Loneliness" pretty much created the tragic lesbian story but censorship made it mandatory. Nowadays there's no reason for wlw stories to end badly just like tradition I guess lol.

I'm hoping for more stories with happy endings because a century of sad stories is a little much

 

[spicy_illusion]

oh yeah the trope of every WLW story ending in tragedy has been going for almost a century now. The book "Well of Loneliness" pretty much created the tragic lesbian story but censorship made it mandatory. Nowadays there's no reason for wlw stories to end badly just like tradition I guess lol.

I'm hoping for more stories with happy endings because a century of sad stories is a little much

Probably another reason why people won't watch it, because they don't want to go through that lol
But it also tells you that when there's is a heartbreak, a death involving wlw, etc, it gives out the impression that this is only what happens to girls who likes girls in real life and they don't see anything good happening so it could put a girl off going into a wlw relationship even though it's not always the truth and it can also happen to any relationship.

 

[Jimimis]

boys like gl
girls like bl
boys dont watch dramas
girls watch dramas

 

[QueenB]

Probably another reason why people won't watch it, because they don't want to go through that lol
But it also tells you that when there's is a heartbreak, a death involving wlw, etc, it gives out the impression that this is only what happens to girls who likes girls in real life and they don't see anything good happening so it could put a girl off going into a wlw relationship even though it's not always the truth and it can also happen to any relationship.

yep, yep! That's an issue I have with modern directors/writers making tragic love stories of wlw, there's absolutely no reason to make every wlw story end badly or keep up the trope they just choose to. A lot of these writers and staff aren't lgbt themselves and pretty much assume our lives are doom and gloom (especially in the past) when literally throughout history we've been like "if the straights would leave us alone we could be happy" and the straights keep saying ~we don't hear you~ lol

Its funny that wlw stories are the ones that always end badly as well because women actually didn't have the law keeping an eye on them like gay men did. Depending on their class too a woman from a rich family could refuse to get married keep her fortune and have her girlfriend come live with her lmao. Some historical lgbt figures actually lived pretty fulfilling and loved lives so we could get stories about them but I don't think the straights want to see it

 

[spicy_illusion]

yep, yep! That's an issue I have with modern directors/writers making tragic love stories of wlw, there's absolutely no reason to make every wlw story end badly or keep up the trope they just choose to. A lot of these writers and staff aren't lgbt themselves and pretty much assume our lives are doom and gloom (especially in the past) when literally throughout history we've been like "if the straights would leave us alone we could be happy" and the straights keep saying ~we don't hear you~ lol

Its funny that wlw stories are the ones that always end badly as well because women actually didn't have the law keeping an eye on them like gay men did. Depending on their class too a woman from a rich family could refuse to get married keep her fortune and have her girlfriend come live with her lmao. Some historical lgbt figures actually lived pretty fulfilling and loved lives so we could get stories about them but I don't think the straights want to see it

That is true. It seems like the writers/directors only create wlw couples and characters only because they feel like they would be doing a good service to the lesbian community, so they think 'let's have a lesbian to please all of the wlw fans but then kill her off half way through by having her girlfriend cheat on her with a guy, so she can then commit suicide and not be in the series/movie anymore, then that will be our good deed for wlw fans and they can't complain about not having any wlw characters then'.
Like, where is the struggles to be accepted, fall in love and then overcoming those struggles to be with the one you love?
If they are going to get killed off all the time, then doesn't that leave a bad impression on how wlw characters/couples are perceived?

Saying that though, there have been a few movies/series where wlw has a happy ending, The Handmaiden is one of them and it's a great movie and an adaptation from the British novel 'Fingersmith'. I believe you can find it on Netflix now.

I know what you mean, which is pretty ironic.

Another thing which gets me is that people think that a woman needs a man to protect her as they are naturally more physically stronger but this isn't always true. Also, why do people always think that women always need to be protected? What is the use of an independent women then if she always needs someone to protect her?
Also, they are saying that women can't protect other women? Many times you don't need brute strength and women can also learn martial arts if we are talking about saving someone or yourself from being attacked from a male attacker and why do the attacker need to be male? They could be female.

 

[Darkseid]

More females watch BL I guess, and gay men too. I don't think most men watch GL stuff, so the target demographic is a lot smaller.

 

[QueenB]

That is true. It seems like the writers/directors only create wlw couples and characters only because they feel like they would be doing a good service to the lesbian community, so they think 'let's have a lesbian to please all of the wlw fans but then kill her off half way through by having her girlfriend cheat on her with a guy, so she can then commit suicide and not be in the series/movie anymore, then that will be our good deed for wlw fans and they can't complain about not having any wlw characters then'.
Like, where is the struggles to be accepted, fall in love and then overcoming those struggles to be with the one you love?
If they are going to get killed off all the time, then doesn't that leave a bad impression on how wlw characters/couples are perceived?

Saying that though, there have been a few movies/series where wlw has a happy ending, The Handmaiden is one of them and it's a great movie and an adaptation from the British novel 'Fingersmith'. I believe you can find it on Netflix now.

I know what you mean, which is pretty ironic.

Another thing which gets me is that people think that a woman needs a man to protect her as they are naturally more physically stronger but this isn't always true. Also, why do people always think that women always need to be protected? What is the use of an independent women then if she always needs someone to protect her?
Also, they are saying that women can't protect other women? Many times you don't need brute strength and women can also learn martial arts if we are talking about saving someone or yourself from being attacked from a male attacker and why do the attacker need to be male? They could be female.

Exactly!!! I feel like a lot of studios have that practice where they'll out an lgbt character in a show but do nothing with them except bait people in. Like I got into Voltron b/c I heard they were going to have representation in the next season so I started watching it to support the show only for "bury your gays" to happen lol.

I absolutely love The Handmaiden! I've watched it so many times lol. I'll have to check it out again if its on there. I liked Portrait of a Lady on Fire but its another sad ending (even though there was an opening for it to be happy).

If the original animated Mulan taught us anything its that Brains can beat brawn so women just have to be more clever than we are strong lol. For the most part I think women share tips and tricks to protecting ourselves with each other where we can be more clever.

 

[spicy_illusion]

Exactly!!! I feel like a lot of studios have that practice where they'll out an lgbt character in a show but do nothing with them except bait people in. Like I got into Voltron b/c I heard they were going to have representation in the next season so I started watching it to support the show only for "bury your gays" to happen lol.

I absolutely love The Handmaiden! I've watched it so many times lol. I'll have to check it out again if its on there. I liked Portrait of a Lady on Fire but its another sad ending (even though there was an opening for it to be happy).

If the original animated Mulan taught us anything its that Brains can beat brawn so women just have to be more clever than we are strong lol. For the most part I think women share tips and tricks to protecting ourselves with each other where we can be more clever.

Yeah, it's kinda fraudulent lol I mean, I guess it's a start though. I just wish there would be more wlw drama/movies where a woman who loves another female character gets her happiness! Especially when there aren't many wlw titles to begin with.

Wow! Really? I've literally been trying to get people on this forum to watch it but I have failed since I have asked so many times and they said they will watch it but they don't lol it's so annoying and in the end I just gave up.
One of the complaints about that movie was the fact that people say the sex scenes were created for men, but actually it was a gay woman who directed the lesbian scenes.
I agree though, the movie is a masterpiece where it can get you a few times before you work out what is actually going on and I think it's brilliant.

I honestly don't mind sad endings if they are done in a way that benefits the lgbt community, like for instance, 'Love Among Us' is a Thai lesbian movie which has an extremely sad ending and has one of the women being killed in a car crash and leaves her wife behind (as they got married), then after she had died, everything was taken away from her, her business, her wife, the blame she had to endure from her wife's family, all her finances were given to her wife's family because she had a join account with her, her not being able to sign the consent form to save the one she loves because they don't recognise her as her family member although she was married to her and her marriage is not legally recognised, so she basically lost everything, but even though it's extremely sad, it's more like an education of lgbtq in asian countries, so I can understand and accept we need these types of sad movies and which makes me still love the movie since it was still beautiful.

Yes, exactly! Brawn is good to have in certain situations but so is brains. This is why I have seen many female tacticians in strategy based events/games, etc lol

 

[QueenB]

Yeah, it's kinda fraudulent lol I mean, I guess it's a start though. I just wish there would be more wlw drama/movies where a woman who loves another female character gets her happiness! Especially when there aren't many wlw titles to begin with.

Wow! Really? I've literally been trying to get people on this forum to watch it but I have failed since I have asked so many times and they said they will watch it but they don't lol it's so annoying and in the end I just gave up.
One of the complaints about that movie was the fact that people say the sex scenes were created for men, but actually it was a gay woman who directed the lesbian scenes.
I agree though, the movie is a masterpiece where it can get you a few times before you work out what is actually going on and I think it's brilliant.

I honestly don't mind sad endings if they are done in a way that benefits the lgbt community, like for instance, 'Love Among Us' is a Thai lesbian movie which has an extremely sad ending and has one of the women being killed in a car crash and leaves her wife behind (as they got married), then after she had died, everything was taken away from her, her business, her wife, the blame she had to endure from her wife's family, all her finances were given to her wife's family because she had a join account with her, her not being able to sign the consent form to save the one she loves because they don't recognise her as her family member although she was married to her and her marriage is not legally recognised, so she basically lost everything, but even though it's extremely sad, it's more like an education of lgbtq in asian countries, so I can understand and accept we need these types of sad movies and which makes me still love the movie since it was still beautiful.

Yes, exactly! Brawn is good to have in certain situations but so is brains. This is why I have seen many female tacticians in strategy based events/games, etc lol

It is. Queer baiting can be so frustrating when you are looking for lgbt content. Same I just want a cute story, it can be full of cliches and very basic but i'd be happy lol.

Yep! I watched it a year or two ago and loved it. The plot is so good, as well as the acting, and cinematography. The sex scenes were really long but I did not really get the male gaze vibe I get from other movies ("Blue is the Warmest Color" for one example), plus they tried making the two actresses really comfortable during the scene.

Same, like sad endings if done well can be brilliant but sometimes I feel like people make things sad for no other reason except to seem poignant. Bu that obviously doesn't work for every sad ending. I've never watched the movie but that sounds like a meaningful sad ending and its those types of endings I can appreciate.

 

[spicy_illusion]

It is. Queer baiting can be so frustrating when you are looking for lgbt content. Same I just want a cute story, it can be full of cliches and very basic but i'd be happy lol.

Yep! I watched it a year or two ago and loved it. The plot is so good, as well as the acting, and cinematography. The sex scenes were really long but I did not really get the male gaze vibe I get from other movies ("Blue is the Warmest Color" for one example), plus they tried making the two actresses really comfortable during the scene.

Same, like sad endings if done well can be brilliant but sometimes I feel like people make things sad for no other reason except to seem poignant. Bu that obviously doesn't work for every sad ending. I've never watched the movie but that sounds like a meaningful sad ending and its those types of endings I can appreciate.

Yes, definitely! All we want is some good content of same sex love since there are so many straight love stories out there.
Yeah, I felt the same way too! I didn't think it was for male gaze at all and I actually thought it was more for women and done in a tasteful way.
I absolutely love Sook Hee! The way she destroyed the Uncle's books was amazing! I just love the way they fell in love too and what at first seemed like the women were going to lose out, they then turned it around and actually fooled the men.
Usually I'm not for gender wars, but these men were disgusting to the highest regard, especially the uncle.

Yeah, I agree!
Well, here's the movie! This title has a different name for some reason but the actual movie is called 1448 Love Among Us.


Let me know on twitter what you think :)