#ryujinpatji

Introducing the DMD couples

Sounds about right🤣

This year was actually incredible. The level and standard of every single BL on this list is what the industry should be doing DMD is making itself known as the future of the industry. This is my personal ranking of just the 10 BLs announced today and there isn’t a bad one here:

10. Passenger Seat Number X (ZeeNuNew)

A young flight attendant sees his life change when, on one of his flights, he encounters his ex-boyfriend, who’s the new CEO of the airline. This year has a lot of second chance romance, which IS NOT my sort of trope and I don’t love planes as a series setting - so this just sadly just isn’t for me so it’s at the bottom, but I know the acting will be 10/10 so I’ll be watching!

9. Within the Kings Embrace (NorthOtto)

A rising star is falsely cancelled when he won’t sleep with a powerful figure, then his ex comes back into his life and gives him a job at his bar, can they give their love a second chance? Another second chance romance, I do really like NorthOtto and stories about the entertainment industry and villain Ohm - so i hope this is more my thing! I really want to love it.

8. The Scent of Sorrow (TutorYim)

In Post–World War II, a serial killer spirit possesses different bodies, but when a couple start dreaming of these crimes, can they uncover the truth? A co-production with DeeHup, so I have mixed feelings, but it looks genuinely scary and I’ve been begging for TutorYim to get a genuinely good series for years and I hope this is it! (sidecp: TleFirstOne)

7. No.1 Student (CopperFifa)

Alan transfers to Arthit’s school and they become roommates, then their battle for bottom rank of the class begins. But they realise each other’s slacker personas are fake. I wasn’t expecting CopperFifas series to be DMDs first highschool BL but it looks different from a typical school BL, I think it’ll be fun and I’m excited. (iQiyi co-production)

6. 20 Lists (RyujinPatji)

After an argument a rich troublemaker schemes to make the school presidents 12th grade miserable. After things go too far the president is told to tutor the rich kid. As they spend their final year together it goes from the worst year to best. I am trash for cute high school BLs and RyujinPatji are finally leads and with TheeWave as the side cp… this is gonna be everything!

5. Still Holding Up Like the Moon (KengNamping)

A junior actor in the present day travels back to 1982 and meets his favourite actor, that took his own life at 25. This looks like the complete perfect project for KengNamping! It’s gonna be real and painful with some insane performances. And taking a look at Thai entertainment in the 1980s.. Now PLEASE!!!

4. Unknown Lover (ThomasKong)

A boy goes to study in New York after his boyfriend repeatedly cheats on him. Whilst there he meets a playboy who takes him under his wing, and teaches him many new things. ThomasKong shooting a mature dark gritty romance drama in New York… DMD you are making me crazy! Ah! I actually just cannot believe it! Also loved seeing Leon!

3. My Merman (TleFirstOne)

A musical series about a merman who dreams of becoming a singer. When his life becomes intertwined with a human, he sees a chance to make his dream come true. I’m biased because this is my favourite cp, but if this is done right it’s gonna be such a funny, heartwarming, whimsical series! And I could listen TleFirstone sing all day! (side cp: LatteKim)

2. 30 Days of Us (NetJJ)

After almost 10 years a couple falls out of love. When one leaves to travel to Japan the other follows, they spend the next 30 days together to decide if this is it or if they can come back together. The way I fully cried during this… NetJJ woah! Also as a huge fan of japans modern films I’m obsessed that this has been shot in the style of one! My biggest surprise of the lineup!

1. Friend Benefit (TeeTeePor)

Friends since highschool, one has feelings for the other, but the other dates a constant cycle of people. Now in university they work to become idols. This is my number 1. It’s just every trope I LOVE in a romance. And the fact it’s TeeTeePor! AND that it’s with Dexx! This is all I’m going to be thinking about for the next year! (side cp: AuauSave)

But don’t you have backup choices? I just think that I’d rather follow my heart and do my best.

I had to take 5 whole business days to process the entirety of the lineup because DAMN.

This is just my personal opinion!

Unknown Lover (ThomasKong)

This is absolutely #1 on my will-1000%-watch list. Being from the East Coast and having visited NYC several times, I was bracing myself for the level of belief I was going to have to suspend to be convinced by a campy green screen background version of Manhattan, but they filmed everything on site!! It feels slightly meta to see them in such recognizable locations, but NYC as the setting choice seems almost like an intentional metaphor for Kong's character losing and finding himself again in this sprawling crucible of a city that is the pop culture symbol of new beginnings and chance encounters. Plus the jazzy background music, beautiful color grading, sparse but intense dialogue, Anwar being a casual dater who is not portrayed as a one-dimensional piece of sht, the subtle, hushed acting... The storyline and location choice is ambitious, but the mature, indie-film aesthetic was absolutely the right move, and Domundi is truly expanding the horizons of Thai BL with this one. I need it yesterday!!

2. Still Holding Up Like the Moon (KengNamping)

Wow. This trailer absolutely blew me away, and KengNamping refuse to make bad shows because I know this one will be just as achingly beautiful and superbly crafted as Khemjira. The time-travel element is multilayered, and I loved how the trailer slowly revealed what actually happened as we got to find out, alongside Namping's character, the truth to Duean's story. Keng's acting sent chills down my spine, and although I really do not want to see Mean Phiravich in any BL again, I will not let that stop me from loving this show. It is not only a romance but a glimpse into the Thai film industry in the 80s, and its approach to navigating queer identity during those times feels similar to MileApo's Shine (give or take a decade) in the best way possible. 100% sat and ready to be emotionally wrecked!!

3. The Scent of Sorrow (TutorYim, TleFirstOne)

Not this being a literal horror story when I was so ready for a soft, fluffy period romance 🤡 But finally something that will showcase all that TutorYim have got to give!! I was reminded of how much I love TutorYim after starting ChermChey; that spark that I saw in CutiePie was finally back, and I dare say it is even stronger in this trailer. Dramatic, steamy, mysterious and gory was definitely not on my TutorYim bingo card for 2026, but it absolutely works, and the love triangle with Tle is kind of perfect. The folk horror element feels familiar but the historical setting gives it a fresh twist, and FirstOne in uniform is the cutest thing ever. Khemjira has increased my tolerance for horror/gore in BL, and TleFirstOne as the side couple could convince me to watch literally any show on this earth, so I'm definitely sat for this one.

4. 30 Days of Us (NetJJ)

Just hit me with a brick at this point, it would hurt less ☹️ I definitely did not see this type of plot coming for NetJJ, but I was sold from the moment I saw that first relationship snapshot sequence. I'm such a sucker for soft indie aesthetics, and the muted color palette, symbolism and framing are so perfect for this story. Another new location, and what is Japan if not for its emotionally damaging plots? The characters feel so raw and real, and I'm literally tearing up just thinking about them because that feeling of wanting something to work out so badly, and thinking it will, but also knowing that everything is fleeting and nothing is perfect and no one is guaranteed, is so painful yet so universal. I am definitely not ready for this one, but I know it will be so stunning.

5. Into Racha (NorthOtto)

Maybe it's the Duang With You recency bias, but I truly cannot get enough of NorthOtto's chemistry and dynamic. At first glance, RachaA-zhen might seem like they lean into more typical power imbalance dynamics unlike JamieMarvis (who are more on the "walk 'em like a dog" end of the scale), but them being exes levels out the playing field a bit. Scenes that might feel contrived or overdone, like Racha protecting A-zhen from touchy customers or cleaning his wound after hitting him with his car, have more layers because of their complicated relationship, and A-zhen is more than capable of protecting himself, which is why Racha doing it for him despite that feels like more than just the action itself. Plus Ohm playing the mean girl is the absolute cherry on top. Somebody get this man a partner asapppp

6. Passenger Seat Number X (ZeeNunew)

Domundi really said, "Go text your ex!!" This is cute, vibrant, and I love college sweethearts (well, at least for one of them). Though the CEO x flight attendant trope that it ultimately becomes is...a choice, I believe it's negligible in light of the exes-to-lovers trope, so in ZeeNunew's chemistry we trust. I do wish the captain trying to hit on Nunew's character was played by a different actor, but I'm sat as I always am for ZeeNunew shows, whether I intend to be or not.

7. Friend Benefit (TeeteePor, AuauSave)

Now, when I said I wanted red flag Teetee...I didn't mean I wanted emotional damage for Por and everyone watching, too 😭 This is giving me war flashbacks to Theory of Love in which Off's character was so insufferably selfish, ignorant, and overall such a terrible person that the story was essentially irredeemable and all I wanted was for Gun's character to end up with literally anyone else 🤡 While a complete 180 from Duang With You is one way to ward off any sort of typecasting, I think that as a fandom, we are collectively not yet ready to let go of the emerald green flag that is Duang Cheewin. Thankfully, we probably have 1-2 business years to wait for this show, but that does not guarantee that I will be at all emotionally nor mentally prepared to witness TeeteePor go through a Theory of Love-level friendzone emotional damage wringer. I will watch this for the Teeteepor and AuauSave content...but at what cost

8. 20 Lists (RyujinPatji, TheeWave(???))

I have a major soft spot for highschool BLs, and this one is no exception, even if it has basically the exact same plot and character dynamics that I have seen a million and one times. I sense a bit of Boys Over Flowers sprinkled in with the conversation about wealth disparities, the "social gathering", the very brief love triangle(?) with Phupha...it's cute, it's fluffy, and it suits RyujinPatji well. I very intensely wanted TheeWave in a university BL because I feel like they would have such good adult chemistry, but I'll take what I can get...! Will be watching primarily for the TheeWave crumbs (and I may be hallucinating but PeteReeonn????)

9. Did You Know (ClaudinePraew)

Domundi is (finally) venturing into the GL scene!! I love that they are immediately giving us working adults with complex conflicts. The color grading is gorgeous and vibrant, and I like the mixed settings of the hospital, the hotel and everywhere in between. I love a good yearner in a GL, and Claudine is already pulling it off flawlessly. While the plot is familiar, the faces are new and their chemistry is convincing, so I will definitely check out at least the first episode.

10. My Merman (TleFirstOne, LatteKim)

So...if I ignore the first 2.5 minutes of this trailer, it is an absolutely charming, soft-tinted, sparkly little gem of a show. I adore TleFirstOne with all my heart, and I have (slightly desperate) faith that the mermaid attire and special effects in the final cut will be much improved. Props to Domundi for always trying something new; I am hoping for The Next Prince level costumes and set design, as this show ultimately has so much potential, from its leads to its side couple to its unique twist on a literal fairytale.

11. No. 1 Student (CopperFifa)

I have to admit I am not super familiar with these faces, but their chemistry has piqued my interest. The family angst feels a bit contrived, but when done right, it can really add to a character's depth and provide necessary context (a recent Domundi example of this being Duang With You), so I will definitely be tuning in, especially if they overcome the initial angst/enemies arc earlier on (if it's a school BL, I'm here for the romance!!)

Bonus: UKE (Namping, Otto, Kim, Ohm, Plustor)

The way this almost made me cry?? This topic is clearly personal to many of the actors involved in this show, and I truly have to give hats off to Domundi for not only piloting something like this, but also casting the very people whom the conversation often involves to represent the unfortunately real experiences of feminine and/or queer men in the BL industry. This is a wakeup call for consumers of queer media; that these roles, expectations and stereotypes that have formed as a result of rigid frameworks for BLs have warped perceptions of what is ultimately the identity and lived experience of real people in this world. I am 1000% watching this, and I hope many others will, too.