I was thinking about one of the (many) strengths of Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars is its sense of place. It could not be set anywhere else. Not just the island, but the small town in a remote part of the island, the vibe of the people there, why you might want to go there to live or visit.
What are some other QL series that have this intense sense of place?
10 Great BLs with Setting as Character
BLs with a strong sense of place? Ooo, I've not done this before! I picked only shows where, if the setting was removed, the show would fall apart.
1 A Tale of Thousand Stars
Setting: Northern Thailand rural village near Myanmar border
This is the first show I thought of when reading your question. This BL depends on it's northern rural life setting and border politics for, well, everything. The characters jobs, struggles, internal conflicts, and life choices all ride on location, plus some spectacular cinematography. Without question this is GMMTV’s most mature, beautiful, and smart BL series. I think it should go down as one of the top BLs of all time, and its setting plays a significant role in my reasoning.
2 Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island
Setting: tropical orchard southern Chinese island.
Setting is almost the main character of this show. (You know it's important when it's in the title.) This is a beautifully atmospheric BL about a boy who falls in love with his older brother‘s best friend in an lush idyllic countryside jungle setting. It’s strangely charming in a very artistic, very queer, way. I quite enjoyed it but it is a modern symphony, not a pop song, it requires patience and relaxed immersion.
Setting: small village rural Japan
A whole part of this narrative is how Shun has withdrawn from the world into a small life in a small town full of elderly people, who simply will not allow it. As isolated as they are, they won't allow him to self isolate, almost aggressively enfolding and accepting him for who he is, and then doing the same for his estranged lover, that lover's child, and eventually them being gay. This movie is beautiful and the setting is unique and interesting but the the ending is a little vague.
4 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo
Setting: small comunity semi-rural Korea
I cannot picture this BL without seeing the starkness of it's setting in my brain. From the way the abusive father acts, on down through the chain of surrounding characters, the insular nature of the setting is part of the oppression of our boys and their romance. This atmosphere is not only a character, it's kind of the thematic villain. High school student Do Hoe lives with his brutal father who runs a Taekwondo gym in a small community. When cheerful Ju Young arrives to train, they fall in love.
(I'm not sure if it actually is meant to be a village or just a suburb or neighborhood, but it's so small-town mentality. And no, I refuse to ever rewatch this to figure it out, too hard. I can recognize the genius of a BL without enjoying it myself.)
5 Unintentional Love Story
Setting: Beach/tourist town, key to seme character (he's escaped for a reason) and to dynamic of uke (works in/around a tourist trap set of shops)
While the setting is key we watch this one for the plot! Uke forced into a totally understandable betrayal, falling in love despite himself, put into a corner he can't get out of, the AGONY, the PAIN in those gorgeous eyes. Gah. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). Full review.
Also The Time of Fever, this show's side quest prequel, also satisfies the brief.
Setting: Beach/tourist town, similar reasoning to Unintentional Love Story
Noodle shop on the beach! Broken dreams! This is a solid little KBL, with a good premise and cast. Manic pixie dream boy can get old fast but when contrasted with awkward grumpy chef? It’s a tasty combo that elevates both ingredients. Review here.
7 Restart After Come Back Home
Setting: small village rural Japan
An intimate portrayal of rural Japan meets complex family dynamics built on a framework of city boy meets country boy and grumpy/sunshine. This movie exemplifies Japan’s sweeping cinematic style, which they don’t often apply to BL resulting in something stunning and icy sweet. Full review here.
Japan kinda had a whole oeuvre of this kind of atmospheric setting BL pre-2020, I'm thinking of stuff like 2018's Does the Flower Bloom?
Setting: small town rural Thailand
Another one where the insular oppressive nature of isolated rural life is key to the plot and character's behavior. Doctor & Mafia Boy can't keep hands off each other, so also end up with chili plant baby. Am I making sense? No? Well neither does it, but ho boy is it fund to watch MaxTul do… whatever it is they're doing. It’s a great gay romantic suspense, although the mystery element is its weakness. MaxTul, the Kings of Chemistry, are, of course, perfect and perfectly cast (and chemically unfair), but their romance thread is more a distraction than an addition. Still, I could watch them make-out the phonebook and with this show, I kinda did. Watch along here.
Setting: Rural village, farming community
Another one where beautiful broken city boy has escaped to the country to lick his wounds, our love interest is a hot younger farmer, and there's some strawberry picking etc (not a euphemism). Hyung romance, puppy/cat pairing, open frankness meets jaded reserve, language play, water hose frolicking, only one bed, just all my favorite tropes. Full review.
Setting: Korean boarding house
Makes the list because the location is in the title and actually there are quite a few of these. (Roommates of Poongduck 304 or The Tasty Florida, spring to mind, not to mention Thai pulps like Location.) Spoiled rich kid in financial straights has to manage a boarding house full of quirky characters including: bratty cousin, wacko writer, adorable bestie with a crush, and the new hot jock (love interest). All in all, this show ended up being A LOT better than I expected. Review here.
High school, boarding school, university, historical, restaurant, sport, and office set BLs do not count, because the sub genre defines itself as reliant on setting (especially something like Tinted With You). And the list would grow too long. Also I'm sticking to the premise as defined my the original ask, a specific IRL location, as opposed to location as part of the BL sub-genre (like say Destiny Seeker or The Eclipse).
More BLs where setting is character but...
Your Dear Daddy (Thai 2026) - set on a tea plantation in northern Thailand, and it's vital to the show.
My Sweetheart Jom (Thai 2025) - oh yay know, this show happened rural
Began Beginning (Burmese 2024) - I mention this because it represents for shows I consider "travel log" style BL (e.g Cupid's Last Wish, I Promise I Will Come Back, even Never Let Me Go to a certain degree). Where part of the premise is showing someone around the local attractions (and thus showing the audience around them). Some of these out of Thailand are funded by a tourism fund. This particular BL is unique because it is, to date, the only BL we have out of Myanmar.
Sky in Your Heart (Thai 2022) basically just A Tail of Thousand Stars lite. Not recommended except for the setting.
Imma stop now as we are entering 7/10 rating territory, but there are more.
More Great BLs where setting is certainly a player
Minato's Laundromat - Japan 2022
I dithered, but while the setting is significant and plays hard as part of the show, it isn't integral to the story (i.e. I could imagine the same story taking place elsewhere).
He's Coming to Me - Thailand 2019
The first part of this show takes place in a specific graveyard of a specific type that is key to the story. I would be hard for this to work in any other location. However, eventually the show moves elsewhere. So...
See also: Ghost Host, Ghost House
The shaman's location is key to the story, particularly when it delves historical, and it does require a rural setting for execution. This is a diaphanous magical BL and the setting is key to that feel. Full review. Filming locations here.
See also: After Sundown, Caged Again, Goddess Bless You from Death
See You After Quarantine? - Taiwan 2021
See the title. But this is a GREAT BL. (Also would lump shows like Gameboys or Ingredients into this style of pandy BL.)
Addicted: Heroin - China 2016
This is a high school BL but the location of that school, not the usual well washed Chinese city, and one of the characters living quite poor lends a grittiness we rarely get from CBL, even the new crop. It makes this list because setting is one of it's distinguishing features, and I would argue, one of the many reasons it got censored so badly mid run.
It's 2026 follow up, Love After Addiction, also has setting as part of its DNA, but a fishing village more in the vein of Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars.
I dithered over BLs where the "poor neighborhood" setting is key, but finally decided there were too many, and it might be argued "any poor neighborhood" could work. Still A Sase could be made and I would not argue. I'm thinking about shows like:
Sammy's Children's Day (Hong Kong)
Moonlight Chicken (Thailand)
(From DNA Says Love You which also nearly made this list.
romaincrisis
kianamaiart
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
snowghoul
theartofmadeline
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