Looking for a new show to obsess over? Here are our top picks
BY PATY RUIZ, IMAGE BY IDOLFACTORY
YouTube has revolutionized the entertainment industry and has become a major influence on pop culture. As the second most popular website worldwide, it has attracted many aspiring producers and filmmakers to create content for the platform. LGBTQIA content has particularly thrived on YouTube, including low-budget projects that may not have found opportunities elsewhere. Among the catalogue of queer content in the online video sharing platform, let me talk to you about five web series that stand out for diverse reasons.
Gap The Series (2022)
At the end of 2022, the first Thailand Girls’ Love Series premiered on YouTube just looking for a place in a genre dominated by boys. But they never imagined that the chemistry between the two leads (Becky Armstrong and Freen Sarocha) would create an international fandom that would give the series millions of views. The Yuri Novel adaptation follows Mon, a recent college graduate who joins a company led by her long-time idol Sam. But Mon’s perception of Sam changes after joining the company.
Mon and Sam’s eye contact is life-changing, making Gap The Series an unstoppable phenomenon as the girls rise with big projects and sponsorships.
23.5 (2023)
In 2021, a Boys’ Love Series called Bad Buddy introduced a popular side-couple featuring two girls. Fans requested more screen time for them, resulting in a miniseries and now their first big project. The Thai drama centres around Ongsa (Milk), an introverted individual who experiences love at first sight with the popular Sun (Love). To avoid potential rejection, she approaches Sun using the pseudonym “Earth.” This highly anticipated Girls’ Love Series is based on a novel of the same name. The pilot of 23.5 has been released building grand expectations for Love & Milk’s journey ahead.
She Makes My Heart Flutter (2022)
This South Korean drama is definitely an underrated queer series. The 5-episode mini-series follows the story of niece and aunt, Gang Seol and Jung One, who work at a women-only bar named Dickinson’s Room. Despite sharing the same sexual orientation, they have contrasting personalities and love stories. This clash of generations is funny, refreshing, and simply beautiful, making it truly enchanting despite its short length.
Flunk (2018)
Flunk has gained a solid fanbase and amassed thousands of views across its four seasons. The web series offers a diverse cast and explores classic teen drama themes from a queer perspective. Set in Melbourne, Australia, the show follows Ingrid, a shy sixteen-year-old girl as she navigates her sexuality and confronts challenges in her first relationship with her best friend Stella. Additionally, Flunk delves into the pressures of attending a conservative country high school and navigating a traditional Chinese-Australian family dynamic.
Be Mine The Series (2023)
Earlier this year, there was a plan to adapt four Thai novels written by Khun Phuying: Be My Baby, More & More, Be My Sugar and Be My Boo into individual series. However, due to logistical and budget constraints, the plan changed, and it became a 16-episode project that would cover every novel. Sometimes things do not go as planned, but in this case, the outcome seems promising.
The prologue of Be Mine: The Series has been released and has already surpassed the million views, indicating the potential success of this series. Filming appears to have started and it is expected to premiere at the end of the year.
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Highly recommend Gap The Series. Although the storyline may seem a little cheesy at first just like most Asian romcoms, the actresses’ chemistry is so natural and real (particularly beginning episode 5 onwards) that you will not regret watching it. The supporting cast members also deliver on light-hearted comedic moments that are rather enjoyable.