Influencer Lover – Series Review & Episode Guide

Influencer Lover is a Korean BL series about a fake social media couple.

Influencer Lover is a short Korean BL series about a fake social media couple and the guy who discovers their secret. The main character is a famous influencer who appears happily in love with his on-screen girlfriend. Behind the scenes, they've broken up and only pretend to date for their viewership. The protagonist is shocked when his school rival learns about the phony relationship. He must protect his image by obeying his blackmailer's demands.

Prepare to be underwhelmed by Influencer Lover. Besides the terrible vertical format, this BL drama bores me with predictable plots and annoying conflicts. The generic story recycles many overused tropes that you've already seen in better series. One of the protagonists behaves creepily, making it difficult to champion the romance. The relationship develops clunkily, while the actors don't share much on-screen chemistry.

Influencer Lover Summary

Title:

인플루언서 남친

Series Info:

South Korea (2025)

Length:

50 minutes

Total Episodes:

40 episodes

Genre:

School romance

About:

Influencer Lover is a spicy & romantic BL drama.

Plot

Eung Seong and Gang Woo confront each other at night.

Eun Seong is a popular online influencer. He is part of the famous Eunji Couple with his on-screen girlfriend, Ji Yeong. Their picture-perfect relationship has attracted a massive following, recently celebrating 800,000 subscribers. However, they harbour a secret. Eun Seong and Ji Yeong broke up months ago. They only pretend to be dating to maintain their viewership. Behind the cameras, their interactions are strained.

While filming a video, Eun Seong kisses Ji Yeong to appear affectionate on camera. She freezes and makes a face. Ji Yeong complains that he isn't allowed to give unnecessary kisses anymore since their breakup. Eun Seong argues that he's just trying to protect their image. He reminds her that maintaining the fake relationship is her idea. Although visibly annoyed, Ji Yeong doesn't escalate the argument any further.

Eun Seong is a photography student. After recently winning first place in a competition, his picture is displayed on the wall. He notices a classmate admiring his work and approaches him. However, Gang Woo, snaps back and seems unimpressed. Later, Eun Seong learns that Gang Woo was the runner-up in the competition. He is bitter over losing the coveted title to his rival.

Eun Seong and Gang Woo share mutual friends. They meet up to grab drinks. When Eun Seong gets too drunk, Gang Woo takes it upon himself to bring him home safely. The next morning, Eun Seong wakes up, startled to find Gang Woo in his room with a smirk. Gang Woo holds up Eun Seong's camera. He has discovered video footage of Eun Seong arguing with Ji Yeong earlier. He quickly pieces together the truth, realizing their on-screen relationship is a sham.

Gang Woo threatens to expose Eun Seong's secret, warning that his viewers will turn against him once they learn the truth about his fake relationship. Desperate to maintain his popularity, Eun Seong pleads for discretion, but Gang Woo only teases him. Finally, Gang Woo makes an offer. He'll return the incriminating footage, but only if Eun Seong agrees to be the model of a risqué photoshoot. Reluctantly, Eun Seong accepts the deal, determined to protect his secret.

Influencer Lover Trailer

Influencer Lover Cast

Characters

Eun Seong

Lee Ro Um (이로움)

Eun Seong is portrayed by Korean actor Lee Ro Um (이로움).

Eun Seong is a popular online influencer and one-half of the famous Eunji Couple with his on-screen girlfriend, Ji Yeong. Their picture-perfect relationship has attracted many followers. However, they have secretly broken up and only maintain the façade for viewership. Off-camera, Eun Seong is a photography student who recently won first place in a competition.

Lee Ro Um

Lee Ro Um (이로움) is a Korean actor.

Lee Ro Um (이로움) is a Korean actor. His first BL project is the 2025 short drama, Influencer Lover.

Gang Woo

Shin Yun Je (신윤제)

Gang Woo is portrayed by Korean actor Shin Yun Je (신윤제).

Gang Woo is a photography student who was the runner-up in a competition won by Eun Seong. Bitter over losing the title to his rival, he initially clashes with Eun Seong. Later, he uncovers the influencer's secret after stumbling upon video evidence of Eun Seong and Ji Yeong's fake relationship. Gang Woo blackmails Eun Seong to pose for a risqué photoshoot in exchange for keeping his secret safe.

Shin Yun Je

Shin Yun Je (신윤제) is a Korean actor. He is born on April 8, 1996.

Shin Yun Je (신윤제) is a Korean actor. He is born on April 8, 1996. His first BL leading role is the 2025 drama, Influencer Lover. He has a small gay role in the 2024 series, Bitter Sweet Hell.

Supporting Cast

Ji Yeon is portrayed by a Korean actress.

Ji Yeon

The professor is portrayed by a Korean actor.

Professor

Cast Highlights

Shin Yun Je

Gang Woo's actor plays a gay character in a minor role in the 2024 series Bitter Sweet Hell.

Influencer Lover Review

Review

Drama Review Score: 5.5

D+
Eun Seong and Gang Woo are kissing.

Influencer Lover is another vertically filmed BL series that squeezes its visuals into a tiny screen. This annoying format keeps popping up, much like weeds in the yard. None of us like their presence, but we must check on the infestation anyway. Most reel dramas are generally unenjoyable, so I never expect much from them. Despite the low standards, this one still seems worse than usual. With awkward writing and an uncomfortable romance, Influencer Lover sits at the lower end of the quality spectrum.

Early on, Influencer Lover sets up a few intriguing plots, like a social media couple being blackmailed over their fake relationship. This juicy scenario promises plenty of scandalous drama. However, the storylines are poorly executed. The series misses the chance to explore deeper themes like the fleeting nature of fame or the deception behind public personas. Instead, it does little with the premise and falls back on generic conflicts like jealousy. Ugh, why does BL always turn everything into a love triangle? It's a shame that Influencer Lover wastes time on overused tropes instead of more unique topics.

Another issue is that Gang Woo comes across as creepy. His character has far too many negative traits. He's a blackmailer, becomes obsessed with Eun Seong, and even stalks him around campus. Later, Gang Woo forces an unwilling Eun Seong into a risqué photoshoot, which makes him seem like a total pervert. While the story condemns the professor's character for being predatory, Gang Woo's behaviour is just as offensive. Due to his inappropriate actions and unlikeable personality, it's impossible to support him in a romance with Eun Seong.

The romance develops clunkily. At first, Gang Woo acts hostile toward Eun Seong because they're photography rivals. Suddenly, sexual desire appears without buildup. Their first kiss seems unexpected since the story doesn't establish their relationship beforehand. The couple barely spends time together, yet Eun Seong randomly returns Gang Woo's feelings. Where did his affection even come from? The dude was blackmailing you! Also, their kisses look awkward. Gang Woo tilts his head mechanically during each encounter, almost like he's counting: "1, 2, 3… Now, switch sides."

The acting is mostly decent. The cast members do their best despite the weak material and unlikeable characters. Gang Woo's actor (Shin Yun Je) brings a captivating intensity to his role, while his costar (Lee Ro Um) adds a lively spark to Eun Seong. Their individual performances are solid, but they lack romantic chemistry as a couple. Visually, I appreciate that the scenes always look bright, well-lit, and crystal clear. However, the vertical format ruins the viewing experience. Also, the low-budget production lacks the polish of bigger and more resourceful projects.

Influencer Lover feels very blah from start to finish. The only exciting moment is when Eun Seong lashes out at his professor. That confrontation makes him look badass, and I enjoy seeing his character's feisty side. Otherwise, the rest of the series bores me with predictable plots, annoying conflicts, and uninspiring relationship scenes. The biggest fault with this series is that it lacks originality. It's hard to feel invested when I've already seen these same old storylines in better dramas. Influencer Lover recycles stale tropes and fails to bring new ideas to the genre.

Summary

Generic story

Influencer Lover teases scandalous drama, but the series squanders its potential with predictable plots and overused tropes. The storylines seem generic, cliched, and uninspired.

Icky romance

The romance feels forced. Gang Woo is the love interest from hell due to his blackmail, obsession, and inappropriate behaviour. It's impossible to root for his relationship with Eun Seong.

Fine acting

The cast delivers decent performances. Shin Yun Je brings intensity to Gang Woo, and Lee Ro Um adds a spark to Eun Seong's character. Yet, their lack of romantic chemistry is evident.

Happy ending

Influencer Lover has a generic happy ending, but the conclusion feels predictable. It's hard to get excited about the couple's relationship bliss when the series has failed to develop them properly.

Basic artistry

The visuals are bright, well-lit, and easy on the eyes. However, the vertical format ruins the viewing experience. The low-budget production also pales in comparison to more refined projects.

55%

Influencer Lover is a bland and uninspired BL series that fails to stand out. It recycles generic plots, delivers an awkward romance, and bores me with overused relationship tropes.

Influencer Lover Episodes

Episode Guide

Eun Seong and Gang Woo kiss.

Influencer Lover has a total of 40 episodes. Each episode is around 1 to 2 minutes long. It is a short BL drama, and you can finish the entire series in under 50 minutes. Influencer Lover released all its episodes on January 6, 2025.

Influencer Lover Information

Director

Jeong Dami (정다미) is a Korean director whose portfolio of works include the 2025 short drama, Influencer Lover.

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