What's inside...

Japan Dominates GagaOOLala’s 2025 BL Rankings; Chinese-Language Dramas Sweep Top Three BL Series, Taiwan and Japan Lead GL List
Japan dominates GagaOOLala’s 2025 Global Top 10 boys’ love (BL) series list, taking six of the 10 spots, although Chinese-language titles claim the top three positions on the Taiwan-based global LGBTQ+ streamer. Japan’s dominance signals a shift in the competitive landscape as producers refine storytelling, broaden themes and tap into international demand. The strong showing also underscores Japan’s increasingly confident role in the BL ecosystem, a space historically associated with Thailand’s prolific production pipeline. Thailand’s “Doctor’s Mine" represents the country’s established BL export pipeline, while Korea’s “Secret Relationship” leads the Korean titles with a more emotionally restrained, cinematic style. GagaOOLala’s 2025 GL list reflects a genre that is expanding both geographically and creatively, with Taiwan and Japan leading the charge while other Asian markets begin to develop their own GL storytelling ecosystems. ▶ Read the full story here

Countdown to Hong Kong Filmart; Government Muscle Drives China-heavy Market
The 30th edition of Hong Kong Filmart opens on Tuesday (17 March) with heavy government messaging from across Asia and mainland China in particular and robust creative flag-waving from Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia. Show organisers expect approx 790 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions, with about 30 country pavilions. ▶ Read the full story here

ContentAsia Awards Focus: The Making of... “Deep Current: Architecture of Taiwan”
ContentAsia’s interview series goes behind the trophies, into the decisions, risks and creative calls that turned shortlisted ideas into ContentAsia Awards’ winners. As we count down to the launch of this year’s Awards ceremony in Bangkok on 27 August 2026, we lift the lid on how Asia’s standout projects actually get made. TaiwanPlus factual series, “Deep Current: Architecture of Taiwan” – winner of the ContentAsia Awards 2025 Best Factual Programme Made in Asia for Multiple Asian and/or International Markets category – is an eight-episode docuseries tracing the fusion of history and global influences on Taiwan’s architecture. The winning episode – “Missionaries’ New World” – explores the impact of Protestant and Catholic missions, from European missionaries to the visionary works of I. M. Pei and Japan’s Kenzo Tange, who left lasting footprints on Taiwan’s landscape. We spoke to director C.F. Fu about the series... ▶ Read the full story here

Plus more. ▶ Download ContentAsia's 9 March 2026 eNewsletter here