Heated Rivalry has taken the world by storm, but it’s far from the first example of queer romance on TV. Thailand, in particular, has built a robust industry of boys love—or BL—dramas over the last decade, expounding on the Japanese yaoi culture that emerged in the 1970s. Other national TV industries are taking note. In 2020, Korea released what is considered the country’s first “mainstream” BL K-drama, Where Your Eyes Linger. Since then, the BL corner of the industry has been churning out stories of queer life and love (mostly centered around cis male characters).
As with many nascent formats, the Korean BL dramas produced so far tend to follow certain tried-and-true formulas. You’ll notice a high representation of student romance and enemies-to-lovers set-ups—both romance trope classics. To help fans find their next binge-watch and series to swoon over, we’ve rounded up the best Korean BL dramas to watch right now, organized by subgenre.
The Best Classic BL K-Dramas
'Where Your Eyes Linger' (2020)
With only eight episodes, each running at roughly 10 minutes, the drama is on the slight side. But what Where Your Eyes Linger lacks in runtime, it makes up for in yearnful chemistry—and in the drama’s role pushing queer storytelling forward in the South Korean TV industry. Typically considered Korea’s first BL drama (although shout out to short-form 2017 BL Long Time No See!), Where Your Eyes Linger follows teen chaebol heir Han Tae-joo (The Wedding Banquet’s Han Gi-chan) and his live-in bodyguard Kang Gook (Jang Eui-soo). The two have been friends for a long time, but when their connection turns romantic, they must figure out how to navigate these new feelings amidst family disapproval, a love triangle, and the confusion of young love. Where Your Eyes Linger was written and directed by Hwang Da-seul, who would go on to direct several entries on this list.
Episode count: 8 (10 minutes each)
'To My Star' (2021–2022)
When charismatic actor Kang Seo-joon (Son Woo-hyun) stumbles into the restaurant of introverted chef Han Ji-woo (Beyond the Bar’s Kim Kang-min), he isn’t looking for romance. The only thing he cares about is hiding from a recent scandal that has put his entire career in jeopardy. But when the two become temporary roommates, opposites attract. Hwang is back, elevating a relatively straightforward set-up with meaningful cinematography and insightful direction. Helmed by Hwang, To My Star is the rare Korean BL drama to get a second season, giving this story more time to breathe and for the central relationship to develop in complex ways.
Episode count: 9 episodes in season 1 (about 15 minutes each); 12 episodes in season 2 (about 25-40 minutes each)
'Semantic Error' (2022)
One of the first Korean drama BLs to get longer episode runtimes, Semantic Error used the additional storytelling space to build to its epic, enemies-to-lovers conclusion. The series follows two feuding university students who initially clash over a group project. Chu Sang-u (Check in Hanyang’s Park Jae-chan) is a rule-following computer science major, and design student Jang Jae-yeong (Our Universe’s Park Seo-ham) prioritizes the social aspects of college. As the vendetta between the two students grows, so does an attraction, building towards a conclusion that is among the best in Korean BL drama format so far. As funny as it is sweet in its well-rounded execution, Semantic Error marked a jump forward in the Korean BL industry.
Episodes: 8 (25 minutes each)
The Best Student Romance BL K-Dramas
'Blueming' (2022)
After To My Story, Hwang directed Blueming, which centers on two film students. Since he was young, Si-won (Kang Eun-bin) has strived to be handsome because he sees how differently the world treats someone based on their looks. When he meets the effortlessly beautiful Hyung Da-un (Jo Hyuk-joon), he initially prickles at how easily things seem to come to him. But as the two begin to work together on group projects, romance blooms.
Like other projects from this director, Blueming is relatively low-key in its setup. The drama comes not in drastic melodramatic twists, but rather in its lived-in groundedness and central relationship. Unlike some entries on this list, homophobia is not a major plot point here. Rather, Blueming is a simple, straightforward friends-to-lover romance, beautifully executed.
Episodes: 11 (14 minutes each)
'The Eighth Sense' (2023)
When small-town kid Kim Ji-hyeon (Oh Jun-taek) moves to the big city for college, he immediately feels out of his element. Luckily, he meets campus heartthrob Seo Jae-won (Lim Ji-sub) and finds the surfing club. The two grow closer—until, after sharing a kiss during a surf trip, Jae-won pretends as if nothing happened. Ji-hyeon begins to realize just how much Jae-won, who has recently completed his mandatory military service, is struggling with his mental health. A moving portrait of romantic connection amidst mental illness, The Eighth Sense is thematically ambitious compared to many of the other entries on this list.
Episodes: 10 (36 minutes each)
'Jazz For Two' (2024)
Come for the K-pop connection, stay for the angst! When jazz-loving homeschooler Yoon Se-heon (Kim Jin-kwon) enrolls at a prestigious arts academy, he’s excited to make friends who love music as much as he does. However, Han Tae-i (Ji Ho-geun) is not interested. The severely depressed teenager is struggling to find the will to go on following the death of his older brother. When Se-heon, whose music stylings remind Tae-i of his jazz pianist brother, comes into his life, Tae-i is actively hostile. When the two are put in the same arts academy group, they’ll have to figure it out—right?
Jazz For Two is a BL drama that has two queer couples. The second couple is played by Song Han-gyeom and Kim Jung-ha, the former of whom is a member of K-pop idol group Omega X, giving this drama an interesting K-pop connection. Though the first half of Jazz For Two is stronger than the latter, the BL drama is worth it for those who like angst and can tolerate some red-flag behavior in their romantic fiction.
Episodes: 8 (32 minutes each)
The Best Slice of Life BL K-Dramas
'Love Tractor' (2023)
For all you farm-set romance fans out there: Love Tractor follows Seon-yul (Do Won), a law student overwhelmed by his father’s expectations and the city lifestyle, who escapes to the countryside. Once there, Seon-yul meets Suh Ye-chan (Yoon Do-jin), a friendly farmer who loves his rural home. When the two begin to fall for one another, Seon-yul has to decide what he truly wants for his future. If you’re looking for a low-stakes romance with beautiful scenery and a classic small-towns-solve-everything set-up, check out Love Tractor.
Episodes: 8 (25 minutes each)
'Love in the Big City' (2024)
I hesitated to put Love in the Big City on this list. Not because it isn’t great—in my opinion, the adaptation of the popular Sang Young Park novel of the same name is one of the best Korean TV dramas in recent years. But because it is not necessarily an example of BL drama, which firmly falls into the romance genre. While Love in the Big City includes its fair share of romantic storylines, its interests as a coming-of-age, slice-of-life drama differ from the other series on this list.
Still, the eight-episode series features great LGBTQ+ representation—following a decade in the life of queer man Ko Yeong (The King’s Affection’s Nam Yoon-su) as he moves from college kid to published writer. This includes a series of romantic relationships, as well as depictions of his friendship with roommate Choi Mi-ae (When Life Gives You Tangerines’s Lee Soo-kyung), a complicated mother-son dynamic, and life in a homophobic society. If you’re looking for a romance with a happy ending, Love in the Big City may not be for you right now. But if you’re interested in queer-centered storytelling outside of BL drama format, give Love in the Big City a try.
Episode count: 8 episodes (50 minutes each)
The Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Supernatural BL K-Dramas
'Choco Milk Shake' (2022)
Isn’t it weird when your pets turn into humans? Or maybe that’s just a thing in Choco Milk Shake, a unique BL drama that tests the limits of the romance format. When two mysterious men show up at Jeong-u’s (Ko Ho-jung) front door claiming to be humanoid versions of his childhood dog and cat, Choco and Milk, the man just has to deal. Choco Milk Shake soon settles into a cozy, albeit quirky slice-of-life format that is surprisingly complex in its exploration of grief and learning to live past loss. And, yes, Jeong-u does fall in love with one of his pets. Choco Milk Shake is proof that execution is everything, and of the kinds of experimentation that formats can get away with when they have yet to break into the mainstream.
Episodes: 11 (15 minutes each)
'Love For Love's Sake' (2024)
From Lost in Austen to Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, protagonist-falls-into-storyscape is one of my favorite drama set-ups. Love For Love’s Sake is a BL twist on the rich concept. In it, we see Tae Myung-ha (Lee Tae-vin) unexpectedly thrust into a high-school-set virtual game in which he is tasked with making track star teen Cha Yeo-woon (Cha Joo-wan) happy. As the game progresses, it becomes clear that this A) is not going to be easy and B) may lead to romance. Love For Love’s Sake uses video game mechanics to add additional stakes to a straightforward teen romance.
Episodes: 8 (34 minutes each)
'My Secret Vampire' (2025)
Do vampires exist? Yes, and they want to be your roommate so they can suck your blood! This is the basic premise behind My Secret Vampire, a BL drama about four vampires and their new human roommate. Initially oblivious to his roomie’s supernatural secret, sweet and sheltered Han Dong-ha (Park Dong-ju) is excited to get to know Ju-won (Yu Sin), Eun-ho (Lee Ju-young), Seon-jae (Lee Tae-hyung), and Gyu-min (Lee Dong-yeol). But, as the vampires work to fatten up Dong-ha to make him a better snack, at least one of them becomes conflicted about their vampiric intentions. Funny and fluffy, My Secret Vampire is for BL drama fans looking for a supernatural plot without the stakes. (No pun intended.)
Episodes: 8 (16 minutes each)
The Best Dark Romance BL K-Dramas
'Color Rush' (2020)
Color Rush is set in a fictional world where some people are born with a neurological condition that allows them only to see black, white, and grey. These “monos,” as they are known, will live their lives without color unless they meet their “probes,” their soulmate who brings with them a rush of color. When teen “mono” Choi Yeon Yoo (Yoo Jun) meets his “probe” in Go Yoo Han (Hur Hyun-jun), he thinks he will have color for the rest of his life. However, when it becomes clear that the color only lasts when Yu-han is physically near, Yeon Yoo must figure out how much of his desire to be close to Yu-han is a genuine connection and how much is wanting to see in color.
Color Rush is ambitious in its exploration of some pretty dark topics, including abandonment, self-harm, loneliness, and obsession. Given its short runtime, the series isn’t always able to pull it off, but this early example of Korean BL drama is worth a watch.
Episodes: 8 (15 minutes each)
'Secret Relationships' (2025)
If you’re looking for a BL drama that isn’t afraid to go toxic with its potential love lines, look no further than Secret Relationships. The series follows emotionally fragile Kim Jun-seo (Jung Da-on), an office worker with big plans for his future—both romantically and professionally. However, when he gets caught up in a chaotic love square involving new colleague Ju Seong-hyeon (Cha Sun-hyung), manipulative former tutor Shin Jae-min (Kim Ho-young), and wealthy blast from the past Kim Su-hyeon (Cha Jung-woo), things get messy. Secret Relationships is a red-flag rollercoaster in the most entertaining of ways.
Episodes: 8 (35 minutes each)