Back when the Boys Love genre exploded in popularity, South Korea didn’t start producing too many Korean BL dramas at first. Unlike other countries in the nearby regions, Korean BL series have only caught interest and gained traction in recent years. You’ll notice a flurry of new dramas and series coming out around 2020 and 2021.
Since then, Korean BL dramas have quickly gained popularity among fans, thanks to their high production values and interesting storylines. Although the romances tend to be a little more culturally conservative, they are quite sweet and wholesome. The dramas also tend to be short in length, making them easy to finish in one go.
You’ll enjoy Korean BL dramas if you like:
- Good production values
- Emotionally charged storylines
- Sweet and wholesome romances
Check out the list of Korean BL dramas and series from South Korea made over the years! Read the reviews of each series for in-depth information about the plot, cast, episode guides, and scene analysis.
List of BL Dramas in South Korea
2021
2020
Pre-2020
Korean BL Dramas in 2021
Light On Me (2021)
Light On Me is a Korean BL drama that takes place in an all-boys high school. The main character is a lonely outcast until he joins the school’s student council. Although he is welcomed by a new group of friends, there’s one particular student who clashes with him and makes his life more volatile. As they get to know each other better, the line between their feud and friendship becomes blurred.
Recommended for BL fans, Light On Me is an incredibly bubbly series packed with lots of vibrant charisma. This innocent high school romance is supported by its charming story, the captivating characters, and a perpetually cheerful energy. You’ll have fun throughout the sixteen half-hour episodes, which are capped off with a sweet and satisfying conclusion.
Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (2021)
Historical BL dramas are very rare, and the unique setting in Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding is a major selling point for this innovative Korean series. The story begins on the day of an arranged marriage, except the runaway bride got cold feet on her wedding day. In an unconventional arrangement, the bride’s brother will impersonate her and pretend to be loved-up newlyweds in front of the groom’s family.
I wanted to like Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding so badly. The historic setting is exciting, the premise is completely unique, and the actors are all familiar faces that I recognize from other Korean BL dramas. Unfortunately, the romance is just too lacklustre, while the story failed to capitalize on its immense potential. This series is a promising start for the genre, but there’s a lot of room for improvement.
To My Star (2021)
To My Star is a Korean BL drama about a famous celebrity who goes into hiding after he’s rocked by a public scandal. In his hideout, he gets acquainted with his new roommate, an ordinary man who leads a modest, unassuming life. As they spend time together, a romance blossoms between these two roommates from very different walks of life.
Carried by an energetic lead actor, To My Star manages to put a fun, vibrant spin to a classic and familiar story. This is a solid BL series that plays out exactly as you’d expect, but it remains enjoyable nonetheless.
You Make Me Dance (2021)
You Make Me Dance is a Korean BL drama about a student dancer and the unlikely romance with his loan shark. Yes, you read that right, he falls in love with the guy who chases him over his debt payments.
Even for the BL genre, this pairing seems like such an odd combination between two characters from very different walks of life. If you’re curious, find out how the world of dance could ever overlap with the world of debt!
Korean BL Dramas in 2020
Color Rush (2020)
Color Rush is an interesting BL drama that will captivate you from the start. The story features a colorblind protagonist who regains the colours in his vision, but only when he’s in proximity to his soulmate.
There’s hope and excitement every time the colours appear, yet he also experiences loss and despair watching them fade away from his world. With its unique premise, Color Rush explores many psychological themes in an emotionally charged journey.
Mr. Heart (2020)
Mr. Heart is a Korean BL drama about a university athlete who competes in marathons. This upbeat love story begins when he’s introduced to a cute guy who motivates him to do better, and you can pretty much guess what happens next.
Actually, this series does take a sudden dramatic turn in its second half, but it remains fairly lighthearted for the most part. Mr. Heart doesn’t exactly break new ground, but it’s a pleasant BL series with enough delightful moments to satisfy your appetite.
Sweet Munchies is a Korean drama featuring a restaurant chef, who pretends to be gay in order to land a lucrative TV hosting gig. As the show becomes popular, he struggles to cope with his lie when romantic feelings grow towards his female producer. Meanwhile, he is unaware that his male friend has a crush on him, creating a love triangle made complicated by the public spotlight.
The best way to enjoy Sweet Munchies is to keep your expectations low, especially in terms of anticipating any meaningful LGBT representation. Although this series displays rare moments of brilliance, the quality is inconsistent as the plot gets more and more infuriating near the end.
Where Your Eyes Linger (2020)
Where Your Eyes Linger is a Korean BL drama about a wealthy student and his devoted live-in bodyguard. Their close friendship intensifies as the two of them navigate through coy, confusing, and complicated feelings for each other.
Despite its straightforward premise, Where Your Eyes Linger tells a compelling adolescent love story that is packed with heightened emotions. Originally released as an eight-episode BL drama, it was later compiled into a movie version with minor changes in the music soundtrack.
Wish You (2020)
WISH YOU: Your Melody From My Heart is a Korean BL drama about an aspiring musician at the start of a promising career, and the obstacles that he faces along the way. Wish You was initially released as an eight-episode BL series, but was also released in a movie version, which came out later. Apparently, the movie has some extra scenes, but it’s pretty much the same content as the series, just combined into one big package.
Wish You is packaged very well with beautiful cinematography and lovely music, but the romance here is severely lacking in depth. You’ll get all style and no substance in this very basic love story.
Korean BL Dramas Pre-2020
Long Time No See (2017)
Long Time No See is a Korean BL drama about an assassin whose life changes course after he falls in love. The drama was originally released as a short five-episode series, but there’s also a movie version available with the same content.
Although Long Time No See is slightly rough around the edges, it tells a super ambitious story backed by solid acting performances. There are some creative ideas and pleasant surprises found in this little gem of a series.