Whether you’re reading a book, watching a drama, or enjoying a film, there are always moments that leave an impression, moments that stick with a person long after the book, drama, or film has ended.

It is these moments we bring to you now. We at the BL Xpress are here to share our favorite BL scenes, from emotional, heartbreaking moments to heartwarming, touching ones.

Kdarling’s Favorites

Narrowing down favorite BL scenes was hard for me, especially considering how many romantic, happy moments have left my heart full of joy. Therefore, rather than offer the light moments that made me laugh and celebrate, I’m offering scenes that left me celebrating for an entirely different reason. It is much easier for me to narrow down powerful scenes that not only leave an impression but offer an in-depth look at the realities of being gay and the change many of these scenes may incite in others.

Jia-Han and Father Oliver – Your Name Engraved Herein [Taiwan]

Jia-Han: “You were the one who told me to live in the moment.”

Father Oliver: “I didn’t know you liked boys at the time.”

Jia-Han: “So you can like girls, but I can’t like boys? Is your love bigger than the love I give? Tell me. What’s the difference between your love and mine?”

Quite frankly one of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen in a movie/drama, the heated conversation between Jia-Han and Father Oliver in Your Name Engraved Herein touches on the power of love, confusion, and the misrepresented idea that homosexuals deserve to go to hell because of their feelings. The scene not only gives viewers something to ponder, it calls out those who set boundaries on love, those who chain us down with hate and prejudice.

Oh Aew and the red bra – I Told Sunset About You [Thailand]

I Told Sunset About You truly redefined BL dramas in Thailand. It not only represented a growing love between two young men, it explored the ups and downs of falling in love while also figuring yourself out. Lead character Oh Aew has a particularly potent scene where he tries on one of his mother’s red bras before weeping his heart out. It’s such an expressive moment that anyone in the community or outside of it can relate to. The need to be courageous while also fighting body dysphoria, in which you aren’t fully confident in your body for varying reasons. Because Oh Aew is in love with Teh, a young man who seems particularly fond of breasts, Oh Aew comes to see his lack of breasts as a flaw. It is such a defining moment, especially in a same sex relationship where one of the characters is gay, and the other is bisexual. We all question ourselves at some point in our lives, but never more so than we do in a relationship. Body dysphoria is a growing issue in the community, no matter your sexual orientation. Therefore, this scene represented so much for so many, leaving us all gasping and weeping along with Oh Aew in a genuinely personal way.

Nagisa and Chika – HIS: I Didn’t Think I Would Fall in Love [Japan]

In the final episode of this Japanese BL minidrama, Nagisa has a heart-to-heart conversation with his female friend, Chika. He explains his past, the conflicted feelings he’d endured over his attraction to men, and the reaction he received from others because of this attraction. It’s an enlightening scene that deftly explains what it means to be in love with the same sex and the ostracization, fears, and expectation to conform that arise from it. Beautifully set amidst a beach backdrop and his burgeoning love for his new friend, Shun, His: I Didn’t Think I Would Fall in Love manages to use this moment to convey the fear Nagisa faces while also expressing the hope rising in him.

Kiyoi and Hira – My Beautiful Man [Japan]

In a showdown between our two leads in the final episode of My Beautiful Man, the handsome, popular Kiyoi faces off with the man he loves, Hira. Hira, unlike Kiyoi, faced ridicule over his stutter and appearance growing up. While the drama’s first half is told from Hira’s POV, colored by his own bullied experiences, the end of the drama focuses on Kiyoi. What’s so powerful about the final stand-off scene between them is how it challenges the perception that beautiful people are untouchable, that they feel or think differently simply because others adore them. Kiyoi’s appearance has set him apart from the crowd, so much so that even the man he loves doesn’t believe he deserves to be with Kiyoi. Kiyoi calls Hira out, angrily and emotionally revealing that he doesn’t want to be a god. He wants to touch and be touched by the man he loves. Not only that, but he’s also the least dominating of the two when intimate, needing to receive love in a way that clearly defines how empty and lonely Kiyoi has felt. It’s a powerful moment that calls out beauty misconceptions and the idea that a specific personality or appearance has to be the more dominating one in the bedroom.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan – The Untamed [China]

Many people have been touched by the Chinese bromance The Untamed in one way or another. But while this drama is, in its entirety, a beautiful story about what it means to tread a fine line between what’s right and what’s wrong, it’s the scene in Episode 42 that touched me the most. While facing off against a crowd on the verge of persecuting Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan makes a powerful choice; protect the man he loves or stand with the crowd. His choice is monumental and filled with meaning. By fighting with Wei Wuxian, he chose a less accepted path toward love and loyalty rather than an expected one. While The Untamed is delivered as a bromance due to censorship, it is undeniable what this moment represented universally. It’s not only a resounding moment in the drama itself, it left an impression on everyone who watched. It expresses what it means to be in a relationship others might not understand or accept and shows the power of choosing to walk what others may view as an unacceptable path.

Shin Da On – Light On Me [S. Korea]

I’ll be honest and admit that every scene that involved Shin Da On in Light On Me was powerful for me, but two in particular stood out: the scene between him and his teacher, Seo Haet Bit, and his scene with a friend, Namgoong Shi Woon. While the love story between leads Taekyung and Shin Woo was beautiful in Light On Me, Da On’s character represented something that isn’t focused on quite as much in romantic BLs, internal homophobia and the struggle to love oneself. BLs tend to build up one particular couple, leaving second leads to endure hate and ridicule, especially if they are vying for the attention of one of the leads. What Light On Me does differently is present a second lead that needed to fall in love with himself through his awakening desires for another character. Da On found himself in Light On Me, and for me, that was more powerful than the romance in this drama. Nowhere is this more revealing than in two scenes where teacher Seo Haet Bit and friend Namgoong Shi Woon affectionately point out the importance of not being okay while also being okay with who you are. For me, there’s a powerful message in those scenes about what it means to come face-to-face with unrealized feelings and loving yourself while also dealing with personal expectations, familial and societal homophobia, and personal self-esteem issues.

Aoki and Okano Ryohei – Kieta Hatsukoi [Japan]

Even light comedies can offer intense, thoughtful, and powerful scenes, and Kieta Hatsukoi is a perfect example of this. When lead Aoki needs tutoring, he’s paired with teacher Okano Ryohei, a man he immediately bonds with and looks up to. However, when Ryohei discovers Aoki is in a relationship with another male student, he makes prejudiced and homophobic assumptions that leave Aoki blindsided. Not only does he assume Aoki is hitting on him every time Aoki teases him, but Ryohei also mistakenly assumes Aoki is sleeping with other men for money when he sees Aoki helping another man on the street. By standing up to Ryohei in a non-confrontational way, Aoki and his boyfriend, Ida, provide a powerful look at what it means to be viewed a certain way because of your sexuality while also proving that educating someone about the gay community can go a long way toward acceptance.

Ando Jun – Fujoshi, Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru [Japan]

In all honesty, this entire drama is powerful, but the most poignant scenes are between lead Ando Jun and an anonymous chat room user he knows only as Fahrenheit. Set to a soundtrack full of Queens songs, Fujoshi Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru is a vivid look at what it’s like to be a closeted gay in Japan and how deep in despair the need to meet familial and societal expectations can take a person. Although Ando Jun and Fahrenheit never meet in person, their lives entwine, forcing Jun to face the type of tragedy he could face in his own life if he cannot come to terms with his sexuality and his depression over it.

MychelleLove’s Favorites

BL’s are amazing to watch and can be turnex spectacular with just one memorable scene. We all have that one scene we replay again and again; because it makes us smile, laugh, scream with glee. We all have our favorites and here are some of mine.

Love By Chance

I adored this drama and it was my first BL. I loved all the interactions in this drama, but there are 3 scenes that stand out to me.

☆ Pete (Saint Suppapong) comes out to his mother. This scene was very powerful and quite explosive. Coming out is a very painstaking issue to address; especially in a country where it is extremely forbidden, it is even harder. When Pete hesitantly approaches his mother and asks “Can I ask you something? Can you please not hate me?”; my heart shattered. I cried through the entire scene, and I still do. Pete’s mother easily accepts him and it was truly heartwarming. This one scene says so much and it is always going to be one of my all-time favorites

☆ Pete confesses to Ae – When Ae finally catches upto Pete and confronts him on why he has not seen Pete for a while, Pete tries to assert the fact that it is ok to like Chompo. Pete doesn’t want anyone to harass Ae as they do to Pete. He ascertains that it is better if Ae like girls and not Pete. The pained expression on Ae’s face tells you he is deeply hurt by Pete’s words. Ae gets angry and confesses that he already likes Pete more than a friend. Later, when they are sitting in the football field, Pete admits “I like you Ae, what should I do?”. That spoke volumes about their feelings, as this was something Pete had wanted to say to Ae for a long time, but never had the courage to do so, up until that moment. This certainly brought a smile to my face.

☆ Ae asks Pete to be his boyfriend – I loved this scene as it shows a softer and gentler side to Ae. When he asks Pete to be his boyfriend – he hides his face but you can imagine the look of uncertainty because he hopes that Pete would accept his confession. When Pete finally says yes, Ae’s reaction is pure delight as he happily reconfirms their boyfriend status. Ae was ecstatic, because finally they were together!

2 Moons

This series was amazing as well. There were a few scenes I re-watched repeatedly. They were cute, funny, and simply adorable.

☆ When P’Pha takes Wayo out for dinner after a rehearsal and the waitress is too distracted by P’Pha. That moment was simply priceless and made me laugh so hard. The way Wayo tried to get her attention each time. The annoyance and jealousy on Wayo’s face were worthwhile.

☆ When the group goes on a little trip for the contest; the one scene that stands out is when Wayo comes out of the shower, walks into the room and sees P’Forth, P’Pha, and Ming. The look of awkwardness on Wayo’s face was priceless. The look on Forth and P’Pha’s face is extremely telling of how much they like what they are seeing. Ming, being the best friend as ever, tries to usher Wayo to the bathroom in an attempt to save him from embarrassment.

☆ The scene where P’Pha finally lets Wayo know he remembers who he is and he likes him. While returning from their outing, P’Pha sends a Line message to Wayo and shows him the note they exchanged in high school together. That entire conversation was so adorable and cute. The look on both of their faces was endearing as Wayo realizes that P’Pha has always liked him and he is no longer afraid to show it.

☆ When P’Pha and Wayo went to eat sushi, the look on the Sushi maker’s face was so adorable. He knew what was going on and with his look; he approved.

2 Moons 2

Another one of my favorite BL’s and this show had several scenes that I really loved. The Six Moons (Earth, Ben, Joong, Nine, Pavel & Dome) were truly special to me.

☆ After rehearsal, P’Pha waits for Wayo and is offered a ride home. Ming hides to give them privacy. Once P’ Pha leaves, Ming pops up and gives Wayo the thumbs up. Wayo returns the gesture. When I was watching this scene, all I could think of is that these are such lovable dorks.

☆ When Kit brings Ming to his dorm as he is drunk and Ming kisses Kit. It was so beautiful and then Kit kicked him off the bed. This scene was truly adorable in the way Ming tricked Kit into helping him and kisses Kit. In Kit’s defense, he did warn Ming if he was faking he was going to kick him.

☆ When Kit finally agrees to be Ming’s boyfriend, they hug. Kit finally embraces the fact that he likes Ming. I enjoyed this scene as you get to see another side of Kit that he hides from everyone- his vulnerable side. Kit thinks he is unlovable and Ming looks past all of his shortcomings and loves him anyway.

Theory of Love

☆ When Third finds Khai still waiting at the train station, he is truly shocked. This scene was heartbreaking, but in a good way. Khai is trying extremely hard to get Third to trust him again. So they, along with his friends plan a trip that no one has the intention of going. Khai waits for hours for Third to show and when he finally does, Khai is happy and explains things to Third. When Third asks him the reason for waiting, Khai replies that he had promised they would go together. I cried at that moment – I felt Khai’s pain as he realizes that Third was not going to show up while Third realizes that Khai honestly does care about him and was trying to prove himself.

☆ When Khai asks Third to be his boyfriend in front of everyone; by talking to Third through posters, as Third had done to him. This was the most endearing and beautiful scene. Khai puts his heart on his sleeve and hopes that Third would accept his proposal. The way Khai did this proposal was extremely meaningful to Third.

Until We Meet Again

☆ The Swimming club trip – Team telling Pharm that he needed to eat the egg for protein was hilarious. Pharm is so innocent and naive- not truly understanding what Team was raving about. Pharm kept questioning Team and he kept lying, saying that it was for energy. Win asks if Pharm wants a sausage; Pharm innocently says no. Their interactions made me laugh so hard, as Pharm is quite sweet and innocent, something I adored about him. Whenever someone asks me about eggs and sausage, I laugh and no one understands.

☆ Where Pharm (InTouch) sees An (Dean’s Grandmother and In’s sister) for the first time. This scene was beautifully done, with the images of Pharm fading into InTouch, morphing the look of pure sorrow and happiness at the same time. The feeling of seeing someone who you haven’t met before, through the eyes of another. The pure emotions were written on their faces. You can see the love they had, the pain of losing her brother, the joy of being able to see and hug him. Imagine for a moment you had the chance to see a loved one more time.

☆ When Dean and Pharm are at Korn and InTouch’s condo, Pharm relives that fateful day where the one person he truly loved died right before his eyes. This was such a powerful scene and the forgiveness reiterated was so heartbreaking. This scene in particular was extremely dramatic and traumatic as it signalled the end of the pain, hurt, and sorrow everyone has felt. Intouch and Korn were finally together without pain.

Tharn Type The Series

☆ When Type breaks up with Tharn- This scene was the best scripted scene that I had watched in a long time. The pure heartbreak and pain on Tharn’s face was extremely painful to watch. When Type utters the words, “Don’t make me give up everything”, this is the point where you can feel the love Type has for Tharn and why he is going through with his plan. Watching Tharn beg Type was extremely hard for Type and spoke volumes to me. Type is struggling with his feelings for Tharn and is trying to make sure that Tharn isn’t hurt by Lhong ever again. I cry every time as I watch this scene. The most powerful and meaningful statement Type makes is “ Everything I do, I do for you Tharn.” These few words mean so much. When Type touches Tharn’s face, you can feel the extreme pain he experiences as he walks away from the one person he loves.

These are just a few of my favorite scenes that stand out and were memorable. Some were truly heartbreaking and I felt their pain. Whilst, others were hilarious and made me laugh endlessly. Hidden meanings in some of the well scripted scenes were too subtle, but they made the scene so much better. I hope you enjoyed reading my favorite scenes.

We will be back next week with the second edition of this feature. So till then, keep watching this space as we bring you more updates from the Asian BL World!