BL K-dramas are Korean films and series that focus on Boys’ Love. The best ones made global waves between 2021 and 2023, with most of the greatest ones coming out in 2022. They typically follow two young men either in college or in high school who may start out as enemies, strangers, and sometimes friends who begin developing undeniably strong feelings for one another. The social outcast, who joins a student group to make friends, meets the popular boy with perfect looks and a ton of friends. The unemployed rich kid moves into a villa owned by a stern employee, and so on. Each episode, or the course of the film, explores the relationship developing between them as they are faced with outside challenges that threaten to destroy what they have built, or prevent them from having it all together.
In just a few years, dozens of BL K-dramas have been released. Many are limited miniseries, with just one season that have fans begging for more. Others are interconnected series featuring different characters, often directed by the same person. Regardless, here are the 20 best Boys’ Love Korean dramas you need to watch next.
20 To My Star
With two seasons, To My Star is a romantic BL K-drama series starring Son Woo-hyun as actor Kang Seo-joon and Kim Kang-min as Han Ji-woo, a young chef. The series follows Kang Seo-joon as his career as one of South Korea’s biggest and most popular stars begins to decline. He believes his luck is turning when he meets a young and dashing chef. Though they have different personalities, the two begin a relationship. However, their love meets some trouble as they realize that their opposing personalities and outlook on life, love, and everything else are irrevocably different.
19 WISH YOU: Your Melody from My Heart
Starring Sang Lee, Kang In-soo, and Baek Seo-bin, WISH YOU: Your Melody from My Heart is a BL K-drama focusing on a free-spirited street singer named Kang In-soo whose life completely revolves around music. He hopes to turn his love of music into a career even though it is difficult. With the help of his best friend, Choi Min-sung, In-soo records his performances and uploads them to YouTube. Unbeknownst to them, In-soo’s performances have caught the attention of a keyboardist at a major record company. He’s invited to the company, and they begin to work together, live together, and become close. As their relationship begins, they are faced with trials preventing their love from fully blooming.
18 Color Rush
Color Rush is a South Korean mystery romance web series that premiered on December 30, 2020. Starring Yoo Jun and Hur Hyun-jun, the series follows the story of Yeon Woo who can only see the world in black and white. When he meets Yoo Han, he suddenly experiences a color rush where he’s able to see color. Yeon Woo is terrified that he would become obsessed with Yoo Han, so he avoids him. However, Yoo Han insists on approaching him.
17 You Make Me Dance
Starring Hyung Hoon-won as Jin Hong-seok and Young Woo-chu as Song Shi-on, You Make Me Dance is romantic Korean drama series released in 2021. The series follows Shi-on, an aspiring contemporary dancer who ends up sharing an apartment with the intimidating debt collector Jin Hong-seok. The action unfolds from there as their bond grows stronger, but outside forces threaten to derail their relationship.
16 Long Time No See
A story of two men who are not what they seem, Long Time No See is a Korean romantic action drama starring Seung Ho-yeon, Tak Woo-suk, and Kim Myung-hwan. Seung and Tak play hitmen, Wild Dog and Flying Dagger, respectively. The two bumps into each other and try to be incognito in their mission, but they cannot help but fall in love with each other. However, Wild Dog has a secret he can’t tell Flying Dagger.
15 Where Your Eyes Linger
Where Your Eyes Linger is a South Korean web series released in 2020. Starring Hang Gi-chan, Jang Eui-soo, Choi Kyu-ri, and Jeon Jae-young, the series follows an heir who is protected by his best friend of 15 years. While the two have a master-servant relationship, the bodyguard realizes that he has developed romantic feelings for his guard, but must keep it a secret.
The heir is confident and assertive, with a string of girlfriends in his wake. He enjoys pressing his best friend’s buttons, and their friendship is close enough to often blur the line between friends and something more. Then, a new female student joins their high school, showing an interest in the bodyguard, forcing the heir to confront his own feelings.
14 Semantic Error
Featured in Teen Vogue’s Best BL dramas of 2022, Semantic Error is a South Korean streaming television series. The series has its own theatrical version, titled Semantic Error: The Movie. Starring Park Seo-ham as Jang Jae-young and Park Jae-chan as Choo Sang-woo, the series follows an inflexible, no-nonsense computer science major and a popular campus star with everything, from skills and looks to family background and good relationships. Their personalities are like oil and water, but they must work together.
13 Blueming
Released in 2022, Bleuming is a South Korean BL romantic drama starring Jo Hyuk-joon as Hyeong Da-un and Kang Eun-bin as Cha Si-won. Si-won worked hard and diligently to become handsome after he was teased by his younger sister to be ugly. He is now in college, confident that he will be the most beloved person on campus. However, he meets Hyeong Da-un, who looks perfect, gets perfect grades, comes from a great family, and has a great personality. He’s everything Si-won wants to be, and is maybe the exact person Si-won wants.
12 Cherry Blossoms After Winter
Starring Jinwook Ok as Seo Hae Bom and Kang Hui as Jo Tae Sung, Cherry Blossoms After Winter is a BL K drama released in 2022. The series follows Hae Bom, a young boy who moves in with an adoptive family who happens to have a son the same age as him, Tae Sung. The two end up in the same high school class, which makes the situation more awkward than it already was. Living together 24/7 and having class together all day causes an unexpected romance to spark between them.
11 Roommates of Poongduck 304
Roommates of Poongduck 304 is a romantic BL Korean series starring Ji Woong Kim as Ji Ho Joon and Seobin Yoon as Seo Jae Yoon. Within eight episodes, the series tells the story of Ho Jun and Jae Yoon’s unexpected relationship. Ho Jun is a happy-go-lucky third-generation chaebol of the Guemman Group. He receives an ultimate from his father to move out of the house penniless and become a successful team leader of the Guemman Broup. He must rent from the feisty Jae Yoon, who owns a villa. But in a twist of fate, Jae Yoon transfers to Ho Jun’s team and become his unwilling employee.
10 Mr. Heart
Released in 2020, Mr. Heart is a limited romantic drama series starring Seungho Cheon as Jin Won and Seijin Lee as Sang Ha. Jin Won and Sang Ha are as opposite as can be. Jin Won only cares about one thing: becoming a marathon superstar and running the next race. Sang Ha, while a remarkable member of the track team as well, always finds a reason to smile even if things never go his way. When Jin Won finds himself in a slump, his coach suggests Sang Ha as a pacemaker. Though Sang Ha is initially ignored, the two find themselves growing closer over time.
9 Light on Me
Based on a boys’ love dating sim mobile game of the same name, Light on Me is a 2021 Korean streaming series starring Lee Sae-on, Kang Yoo-seok, Choe Chan-yi, and Go Woo-jin. The series follows Woo Tae-kyung, an average boy with no friends, who joins the student council, though it’s not easy considering one of the members is Noh Shin-woo, who he previously had a bad encounter with.
The student council president tries to make them get along. Another student joins, the extroverted and humorous Namgoong Shi-won. Tae-Kyung is enjoying his new social life and new friends, though he may have developed a crush on one of his fellow council members.
8 Tinted With You
Tinted With You is a romantic Korean drama miniseries that ran from 2021 to 2022. The series stars Park Jun-Hee as Eun Ho, Kim Tae-Jung as Geum, and Huyn Woo Yoo as Heon and serves as Korea’s second sageuk BL web drama. It is a time slip fantasy detailing the meeting between Heon, who is in danger of death within a painting, his bodyguard, Geum, and present-day Eun Ho, a high school student who loves paintings.
7 Peach of Time
Starring Choi Jae-Hyeon as Yoon Oh and Karn Kritsanaphan as Peach, Peach of Time is a 10-episode romantic Korean drama that was released in 2021. The series follows Peach, a 22-year-old Thai boy who flies to Korea to meet his online friend, Yoon Oh. He stays in his friend’s house, so they can finally be together, though Yoon Oh’s mother seems to be cautious and harsh in Peach’s presence. Wanting to help his friend, Peach tries to mend the relationship. Soon, he realizes that he might like Yoon Oh.
6 In Between Seasons
In Between Seasons is a 2016 South Korean BL drama film that is adapted from director Leo Dong-eun’s graphic novel. The film stars Ji Yoon-ho as Soo-hyun, Lee Won-keun as Yong-joon, and Bae Jong-ok as Mi-kyung. While on a trip with Yong-joon, Soo-hyun has an accident and falls into a coma. Soon, Soo-hyn’s mother discovers that Yong-joon is more than her son’s close friend, he’s his boyfriend.
5 Oh! Boarding House
Starring Sung-Kyun Im, Yong-Seok Shin, Ho-jin, Seo-Ul Han, Hee Joong Kim, and Ki-Hwan Shin, Oh! Boarding House is a 2022 romantic drama miniseries. It follows a young man, named Sul Won, who is unemployed. His mother runs a cheap boarding house for students and men who do not have enough money to buy or rent a place of their own. But his mother suddenly has to return to her hometown, so she leaves Sul Won in charge of the boarding house.
The residents are a mixed bunch, including a high school senior, a former college friend, a high school teacher, and a third-year art student. As the young men spend more time together, they form a close bond of friendship. However, Sul Won discovers that some of the tenants have developed a crush on him.
4 Love Class
Streaming from 2022 to 2023, Love Class is a Korean romance drama series starring Han Hyun Jun, Kim Tae-Hwan, Hyuk Jae Yoo, Hye Jin Kim, Young Kyo Lee, and In-ah Ryu. The series is set in a university campus during the fall semester. Love Class follows a “Fling Class” where students have to do group assignments with a partner and go on dates.
3 Happy Ending Romance
Starring Jung Taek-woon and Jong-Woo Ha, Happy Ending Romance is a romantic Korean drama series that was released in 2022. The series follows Han Tae Young, a young CEO with a promising future, despite the challenges that come with work. He always sees the bright side of things with an unwavering positivity. At least until he met Kim Jung Hyun, a talented writer and one of the brightest stars in the publishing industry.
However, beneath his confident exterior, he holds a deep secret. Jung Hyun keeps the world at bay to hide this secret, but he’s drawn to Tae Young. The two can’t deny their inexplicable feelings for one another.
2 The Director Who Buys Me Dinner
A romantic drama miniseries released in 2022, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner stars Youngwoon Park and Jeong Woo Park. Hundreds of years prior to the start of the series, a child was named after god and then cursed. Four reincarnations later, this child, Yu Dam, finds his soulmate in the form of an employee of his company, Dong Baek. If they don’t date, then they’ll die. Dong Baek is the newest employee and thinks his director, Yu Dam is perfect in every way. Yet, he still thinks his boss is crazy, considering he’s lived three lives and because of that wants to date.
1 Individual Circumstances
Individual Circumstances is a 2023 BL Korean drama miniseries that stars Jung-Wan Han, Junq, and Shi-Hyuk Cha. The series centers on Ha Yeon Woo and Seong Woo Jae. Ha Yeon Woo is a movie director who used to be a promising prospect in Chungmuro. Seong Woo Jae is a writer to disappeared from his first love. The series depicts the war-like reunion between these two and the romantic relationship that sparks.
