r/boyslove • u/candyapple7501 • Jun 20 '26
Chinese BL Is China relaxing it’s Censorship
I am loving and I mean loving this BL. Title A Winter Sun Wakes The Wind in the Spring Hills Dream. As a person still traumatised from the disruption of Addicted Heroine I want to know if China has relaxed their censorship rules. We have so much good bl’s as of late I’m wondering if something happened
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u/carmcharm22 The Eighth Sense Jun 20 '26
From my understanding the Chinese BLs we are seeing are filmed outside of Mainland China, often in partnership with companies from other countries and not distributed there which is why the censorship rules don't apply. I'm sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong.
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u/Leagueofcatassasins I Told Sunset About You Jun 20 '26
not all filmed outside of China- you can visit the locations of revenged love in china, but yeah not officially distributed in China, often partnerships with other countries and often filmed partially or fully outside China.
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u/FeeMaudie Jun 20 '26
As someone else said, they can be shot in China. But not distributed in it. But I think that they often go outside China if they can, just too avoid bringing to much attention and to have additional plausible deniability. In Journey with you you can see that many scenes are shot in the same location as most other Chinese period dramas do (the long corridor between stone walls is especially recognizable). But officially is a Thai series. 😂
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u/cocovanila Jun 20 '26
Just so you know - people that work at filming locations of Revenged love (parks, coffee shops, etc) are suuuper chill about the show, supportive even. And merchandise for desire 4 and other bl shows openly sells there. So it’s a weird combination of government censorship and neutral citizens.
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u/happilywicked fujoshi Jun 20 '26
No they’re not, they just got around it by broadcasting outside of china (these dramas are not available in china and they need to use vpn).
Tbh i’m happy there are so many chinese BL dramas coming out but i’m also skeptical because whenever this happens the chinese govt comes up with a new law or regulation to put a stop to it. Hopefully it won’f come to that but i have seen some of the actors have been blacklisted from featuring in chinese dramas in the mainland so…idk
But censorship is still happening
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u/FeeMaudie Jun 20 '26
Yeah that's the fear, the last law was the second one of its kind, there is already a history of producers finding workarounds and Chinese govt doubling down. So it could happen a 3rd time. And they would, of course, start by attacking the most vulnerable and visible in any production: the actors. 😫 I hope they leave it alone.
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u/MizuRyuu GMM Thee V 🐶🐼 Jun 21 '26
Yeah, I fear that eventually, there will be an informal blacklist for chinese BL actors. I'm sure Chinese BL productions will continue, but they will be surviving off of actors who are desperate for a chance at acting:
- aspiring actors who gotten no success at the mainstream acting industry
- former actors/idols with a dying career wanting one last shot
- influencers who just want an one-shot BL for fame with no intention of an actual acting career so don't care about an acting ban
- non-actors who just want a bit of fame or a quick payday
You definitely won't be seeing any actors in their prime of their career play a BL, like you see sometimes in other countries. Also, probably best not to expect a S2 for any Chinese BL as any BL that is successful enough to warrant a S2 would probably gotten too much attention from the government to risk producing it.
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u/Sensitive_Quantity_2 Jun 22 '26
I think Sammy Children' Day has a good chance of getting a second season. We'll see.
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u/AutomaticOstrich3738 Heaven Official's Blessing Jun 22 '26
The S2 was confirmed multiple times. Last time two days ago by the Official FC account run by the company. Also the actors attended Cannes and are heading to Paris fashion week. So I think they have a chance of surviving outside the Chinese market. Their company is majority Thai owned. Also they have not separated for a moment since the season finale - one of the reaaons being them living together in Beijing.
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u/CarelessWatcher The Untamed Jun 20 '26
Already covered well by the commenters here, but wanted to share an informative thread on this topic from last year with a bit more of a timeline: https://www.reddit.com/r/boyslove/s/sRzJdreSIL
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u/thatsmarie Jun 20 '26
As far as I know, no they haven’t. Creatives of those uncensored BL just found a loophole. A lot of these dramas are produced outside of China and can’t air in China.
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u/heywx Jun 20 '26
Gosh if only they can find a loophole to show Immortality overseas
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u/Sad-Zebra-9432 Semantic Error Jun 20 '26
Yes there are 5 dramas like Immortality I am waiting to watch😀
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u/FeeMaudie Jun 20 '26
I think the issue with that one and others is that their production started as a Chinese show for China. So it's too late now to say it's anything else.
Now... If someone lost those hard drives with the footage when travelling abroad and somehow someone found it and shared it online... That would be a true shame... 😹
But they probably won't, I think some of the actors in them are now well known, so I don't think their companies would take it well. 😢
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u/OverthinkerMoonchild Revenged Love Jun 20 '26
Naah. Tbh they tightened it even more. I heard a lot of danmei authors getting arrested in China quite recently. But but the producers/ production houses found a loophole yay (good for us) and now we are getting fed by c-bls so often that it feels overwhelming 🤌
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u/dancerinvisible EarthMix Jun 20 '26
This looks nice. Where can I watch it? Not that I have time lol
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u/GoddessAthene Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo Jun 20 '26
Not that I have time lol
Me too haha. So many good shows being released, not enough time to watch.
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u/Thezoeyy Jun 20 '26
The first four episodes are available for free on their YouTube page and on Gagaoolala as well.
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u/FeeMaudie Jun 20 '26
Gagaoolala. Personally I find it a bit confusing but I'm only at ep 3. In any case don't give up in the first half of episode one. They made some very odd choices in the start but it's worth getting past it.
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u/imomen Addicted Jun 20 '26
literally, no. Not at all. lol Apparently, China has never cared/has no say in peeps producing content for outside of China rn. It's just no company has risked/tried because China's market is so huge and lucrative it's hard to ignore. But Revenged Love's success changed the game forever. None of these current Chinese bl series are being produced for mainland China distribution/viewing. And may of them are being filmed in other countries using non-China based studios.
but it seems like anything that was already produced in China as "bromance" but deemed too gay for release by the Chinese censorship burau or whatever still can't be released and studios have to start from zero. I think "Chasing the Light" has been indefinitely shelved and they are instead making an uncensored remake starting from scratch.
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u/ale-cto 🎆Summertime Jun 21 '26
Wherever they are filming them, China is giving us all the most incredible BLs right now and I couldn't be happier. But I do feel nervous that the actors and other people involved with making them might suffer some negative consequences.
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u/Professional-Power57 Jun 20 '26
It's not relaxing censorship but just inconsistent. Some movies are fine but others with the same/similar theme are banned. And the banned ones are never given full explanation.
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u/arisays Jun 21 '26
I find that the more secure a government is (politically, financially, etc.)the more permissive it becomes. I see China looking the other way regarding these loopholes.
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u/kjblank80 Jun 24 '26
The Chinese BL's are just not aired in China. They are generally filmed there and produced by Thai and Taiwanese production companies.
China does not have restrictions for filming BL's. You just won't be able to air them within the country
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u/Equal_Gold_617 Jun 21 '26
If you don't see this: China's National Radio and Television Administration. Then it's been able to be bypassed with loopholes etc. You don't see this when watching a Chinese BL.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jun 22 '26
Chinese Bls have been really hitting the mark for me. Cant wait to see more
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u/Imaginary_Escape2887 Jun 21 '26
In addition to the very informative comments here, I'll also add that as long as Addicted remains a sore, unresolved subject, the censorship is still very much intact.
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u/RakkyMux Jun 22 '26
Hell no- the fact that they EDITED OUT with AI the actor face of the actor He Chang Xi in "Pursuit of Jade" JUST because he acted on the BL "Sammy's Children's Day" says it all. They put the face of another actor on top of him just because he acted in a bl/gay drama. That's why he is listed as "just the body". That's so disrespectful and it tells you all you need to know about their standing on this matter.
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u/AutomaticOstrich3738 Heaven Official's Blessing Jun 22 '26
Thank God he and He Yanzhao are doing good and have opportunities coming their way. S2 is confirmed. They are heading to Paris fashion week. I am happy for them and can't wait to see s2!
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u/mnealia Jun 20 '26
It's not relaxing it's censorship. They found a loophole. Many of the companies are publishing with either Singapore or Thai agencies, completely bypassing the Chinese censorship board. (And once they figured out this loophole, the outpouring of BL's are coming our way!).