7 Reasons To Add Animated BL “One-Room TA” To Your Watchlist

Returning to college for his sophomore year, Uyun finds himself falling for the handsome introverted TA, Jin Hyeong. After impulsively confessing his feelings, Uyun is surprised when the two unexpectedly become roommates. However, living together quickly reveals that Jin Hyeong is very different from the calm and composed TA Uyun knows on campus. As Jin Hyeong’s eccentric personality begins to come out, Uyun learns a whole new meaning to the word “introvert.”

Based on the manhwa of the same name by Jibung, the animated series “One-Room TA” offers a BL romance that is equal parts sweet, chaotic, and funny.

If you’re looking for a new BL to add to your watchlist, here are seven reasons to watch “One-Room TA.”

Warning: spoilers ahead!

“One-Room TA” is a fast-paced BL

If you are someone who gets bored when a romance takes 10 episodes to go from “Do they like each other?” to “Maybe they like each other,” then “One-Room TA” might be exactly what you are looking for.

The series moves at a pretty fast pace, and it doesn’t spend too much time dragging out situations that could easily be resolved. Because the episodes adapt the shorter arcs from the manhwa, there is always something happening, whether it is a new comedic situation, a development in Uyun and Jin Hyeong’s relationship, or another ridiculous thing Jin Hyeong manages to do.

Jin Hyeong is not what he seems

The series “One-Room TA” opens with a short sequence of Uyun confessing his feelings to Jin Hyeong, whom Uyun knows as his TA. Jin Hyeong looks calm, composed, and mature, and those are the qualities that initially catch Uyun’s attention. However, right after Uyun’s confession, Jin Hyeong tells him that he is not the person Uyun thinks he is. And, oh boy… is he 100 percent right.

If you heard a character say that they are “not what they seem,” what would you think? Probably that they have a dark secret they’ve been hiding from the world and that their kind demeanor is just an act. But when it comes to Jin Hyeong, his confession simply means that he is weird.

He is the literal embodiment of the meme, “She’s so crazy, you can’t take her anywhere,” except his weirdness only comes to life when he is at home in his safe space, where he would even shamelessly walk around on all fours. Yes, you read that right.

Uyun is more than just a cardboard cutout of a male lead

While both the manhwa and the series focus heavily on Jin Hyeong’s weird personality, Uyun getting used to it, and gradually falling deeper in love with him, Uyun is not simply there to make Jin Hyeong shine. In fact, he plays an important role in helping Jin Hyeong come out of his shell and become more comfortable with himself.

But Uyun also gets his own character development along the way. As he gets closer to Jin Hyeong, he grows as a person and becomes more open about his own feelings and desires. Their relationship isn’t just about Uyun learning to accept Jin Hyeong’s weirdness; it is also about the two of them bringing out different sides of each other and growing together.

Situations funny enough to make you burst out laughing

While “One-Room TA” is categorized under the BL and animation genres, the true genre of this series is undoubtedly rom-com. But beware: this is not your average rom-com where romance takes center stage while comedy occasionally appears in the background. “One-Room TA” is every bit as much comedy as it is romance.

Each chapter of the original story typically features a short arc that wraps up by the end of the chapter. Since each chapter is adapted into an individual episode, the series has both episodic arcs and an overarching storyline, with the comedy shining brightest in those smaller, self-contained arcs. Much of the humor comes from the characters simply being themselves.

For example, in the very first episode, Jin Hyeong asks Uyun whether he thinks the excessive PDA trope seen in BLs and romance stories is actually possible in real life. According to Jin Hyeong, if a couple was showing that much affection in public, someone would probably notice. But, just to be sure, he decides he wants to try it with Uyun.

And by the end of the episode, the plot unfolds in the funniest way that makes Jin Hyeong very glad they didn’t actually try it in public.

More than just a fluffy romance

Romance stories, whether they are straight romance, BL, or GL, usually follow a similar structure. The story starts with one character or both characters falling for each other, and the rest of the story is about them slowly finding their way toward each other. However, “One-Room TA” starts with Jin Hyeong and Uyun already getting into a relationship. That might make viewers assume that the rest of the story is simply about the two leads cohabiting and having a fluffy romance. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

While the relationship between Uyun and Jin Hyeong is at the center of the story, the series also takes its time developing the characters individually, exploring their insecurities, and showing how they grow through their relationship. So, while there are plenty of cute and fluffy moments, the story doesn’t completely rely on romance to keep things interesting.

A healthy relationship that makes you feel single

If there is one thing that might make single viewers hate “One-Room TA,” it is how well the series portrays a relationship that is genuinely sweet and healthy without making it boring.

Despite all the comedic scenes and the cohabitation, Uyun and Jin Hyeong actually communicate with each other, respect each other’s boundaries, and make an effort to understand one another. Their relationship isn’t built around unnecessary misunderstandings or dramatic breakups that could have been solved with one five-minute conversation. Instead, you get two people who genuinely like each other and are slowly figuring out how to be together.

And watching them communicate this well might make you feel a little single.

The “One-Room TA” opening has a fandom of its own

The opening of “One-Room TA” has somehow managed to have a fandom of its own, and it is difficult to explain why without just telling you to watch it yourself. From the song to the animation, the character introductions, and the way every character gets their moment to shine, there is just something about it that makes you want to watch the opening again and again.

With its lovable characters, hilarious situations, healthy romance, and surprisingly heartfelt character development, “One-Room TA” has plenty to offer beyond its fluffy premise. Whether you’re here for Jin Hyeong’s eccentricity, Uyun’s growing affection, or the comedy, this fast-paced BL is definitely worth adding to your watchlist.

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Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of clichés are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN SEVENTEEN SEVENTEEN is a self-producing boy group with 13 members, divided into hip-hop, vocal, and performance units, known for intricate choreography and songwriting. .

Currently watching: “My Bias My Boss,” “Your Summer, My Storm,” and, “One-Room TA,” “Four Hands, Two Sonatas”Looking forward to: “The Whimsical Return,” “Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” “A Love Other Than Yours.”