2023 Drama Roundup
14 – Best bromance / womance

I was almost going to say the one from Bloodhounds, because I found it so endearing how instantaneous their friendship was and how they wouldn’t let anyone tell them they weren’t close just because they hadn’t known each other for long. But then I remembered that Alchemy of Souls part 2 is technically a drama from this year (kind of) and then I obviously had to go with CP Won and Jang Uk, both of whom still have my heart at the end of this long year of dramas. At the beginning of the drama I thought Won would end up an antagonist and Uk would have to vie for the throne or something, but I’ve never been happier to be wrong, and their weird, halting, reluctant respect for each other was truly a thing of beauty. I know Uk will eventually break down and go back to the capitol to be Won’s magical advisor and the bromance will live on and probably be recorded in a cryptic poem for future generations. As it should be.
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    I’d also like to cast a vote for the Crown Prince and his turtle.

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    I had them on my list last year. They were hilarious together.

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    This was the one I was going to go with! These two were great together, in both parts of the series.

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    Ooooh Won was such a little ball of grumpy cuteness. I’m still surprised that given both his parents and their glaringly obvious weaknesses, our Crown Prince turned out so well.

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      I was happy too that he turned out the way he did which was nothing short of magical. It might be because of good influence he got from being close to the Turtle of Goodness..

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    My vote for OTP sorry bromance goes to them too. 🥳 🎊 🎉

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      Maybe one day in drama land . . .

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        I get my BL fix from Taiwanese dramas. They have made it an entire genre. There are some Korean dramas too. Most are of course small web series – don’t think there’s anything by mainstream channels / actors.

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          I’m glad other Asian countries are now making dramas that tell legit LGBTQ+ stories, and I know Korea is slowly (very slowly) moving in that direction. It would be nice to see it become, as you say, a normal mainstream thing, as I get tired of watching shows filled with queer-coded characters and relationships that everyone is terrified to actually openly acknowledge (25-21, cough, cough).

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            What I like no actually love about the Taiwanese dramas is that they treat it just like another story – there is no awkwardness or self-consciousness. That is the real power imo of these dramas.

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            I love when shows do that too, but it’s still rarer than I’d like (and not just in Asia).

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