Queer representation has always struggled to find a place within mainstream media, but emerging genres like BL have managed to completely take over the industry. From anime and manga to K-Dramas and webtoons, Boys Love fiction has become one of the most in-demand media of the last few years.
BL manhwa uses a large variety of genres and art styles to illustrate some of the most compelling stories out there. Whether it’s a sweet rom-com, a delightful coming-of-age story, or a steamy adventure, there is a must-read BL manhwa for every webtoon reader looking for their next favorite.
Updated April 2nd, 2023 by Gabriela Delgado: This article has been updated with even more BL manga fans don’t want to miss out on.
20 Love Is An Illusion
Created by popular illustrator Fargo, Love Is An Illusion follows the turbulent, drama-filled romance between the stubborn and materialistic Hyesung and Dojin, a second-generation chaebol moonlighting as a musician. The story takes place in an Omegaverse, where all characters have a secondary sex that mostly rules over their biology.
Love Is An Illusion is known for its beautiful black-and-white art, hilarious characters, and incredibly steamy scenes. The original story ran for forty-three chapters, but the creator has also produced several side stories and even a spin-off focusing on other fan-favorite characters.
19 Semantic Error
First released in 2018, Semantic Error focuses on two university students — the studious and strict Sangwoo, and the carefree senior, Jaeyoung — as they develop a project together. The two initially clash due to their opposite personalities, but as they learn more about each other, they become friends and eventually fall in love.
Semantic Error is written by J. Soori and illustrated by Angy Kim, and has been running for seventy-one chapters as of early 2023. In 2022, the story was adapted into an eight-episode live-action web drama starring Park Seoham as Jaeyoung and DKZ’s Park Jaechan as Sangwoo.
18 The New Recruit
The New Recruit tells the love story between Seunghyun, a twenty-something gay office worker, and his intimidating yet surprisingly affectionate boss, Jongchan. The BL manhwa was written by Moscareto, illustrated by the artist behind Lover Boy, Zec, and comprises forty episodes and four side stories.
The New Recruit is a full-color webtoon that blends romance with office intrigue and everyday struggles. It was adapted in 2022 into a seven-episode web drama starring Kiss Goblin’s Moon Jiyong as Seunghyun and Kwon Hyuk as Jongchan.
17 Walk On Water
In 2014, writer Jang Mokdan began publishing Walk On Water, a series of novels centering on a Korean-American character finding work in adult entertainment and falling in love with a fellow actor and director. Four years later, it was adapted into a sixty-two-chapter BL manhwa illustrated by Jaxx.
Also known by its acronym WOW, Walk On Water not only dives into the pros and cons of such a controversial industry, but also explores the lives of Asians in the United States. The BL series is beautifully illustrated and presents a more mature story than others in the genre.
16 For Your Love
For Your Love follows Yohan, a laid-back high school student in the travel planning club. After noticing that Moogyeong, one of his seniors, has a one-sided crush on a male club member, Yohan decides to help him woo his crush lest he ends up like Yohan’s older brother — alone and heartbroken.
Created by Park Nodeok, For Your Love is a sweet, slow-burn love story that also examines high school friendships and unrequited love. The manhwa started being serialized in 2017 and ended two years later, after eighty-five chapters.
15 On Or Off
Written and illustrated by Korean creator A1, On Or Off follows a young entrepreneur named Yiyoung, who’s doing his best to get his and his friends’ startup backed up by a big company. When he finally gets to present his proposal to Kang Daehyung, SJ Corporation’s director, sparks fly between the two, leading them to a change in their relationship.
On Or Off is a sweet office romance with plenty of sexy scenes and relatable side characters that add a touch of comedy to the story. It ran for ninety-one chapters and can be read on TappyToon.
14 BJ Alex
BJ Alex is easily one of the most popular BL stories of the past few years, becoming one of Lezhin’s most-read series since its original release toward the end of 2017. The webtoon, which was created by Mingwa, centers on Donggyun, a university student who becomes involved with his favorite masked “broadcast jockey” known simply as BJ Alex.
Published over a three-year period, BJ Alex ran for eighty-nine chapters and also included several side stories. It’s best known for its steamy scenes, charismatic characters, and intricate black-and-white art style.
13 Sign
Sign focuses on Soohwa, an older university student struggling to make ends meet. When he eventually finds a job as a part-timer at Café Goyo, a strange coffee shop known for its terrible coffee, he begins learning sign language in order to interact better with the deaf manager, Yohan.
Created by KER, Sign is a romantic comedy à la K-Drama with enough drama, mature content, and plot to keep BL readers invested. The series also gives insight into the experiences of hearing-impaired people and how they navigate the world around them.
12 Love Shuttle
Following the rising popularity of Omegaverse webtoons, Korean creator Aeju began publishing their own story called Love Shuttle. First released on Lezhin, the BL series follows the relationship between Doyun, a “late bloomer” Omega who doesn’t seem to present any traits related to his sex, and Taehan, his Alpha coworker.
Love Shuttle breaks some of the stereotypes of the Omegaverse subgenre, presenting readers with a fresh take on these types of stories. The webtoon comprises ninety chapters and a ten-chapter special focusing on a side couple.
11 Heesu In Class 2
Created by Lily Suzu, Heesu In Class 2 tells the story of the title character, Heesu, a teen who becomes popular in his school as the go-to counselor when it comes to love problems. Heesu attempts to help his classmates, all while dealing with his own crush on his best friend and a mysterious student who has just caught his eye.
Unlike other BLs, Heesu In Class 2 doesn’t feature any mature content and mostly focuses on the characters’ growth. It ran for seventy-nine chapters and was praised for its charming art style and soft color palette.
10 Painter Of The Night
Byeonduck’s Painter Of The Night follows a young painter called Nakyum, who is exceptionally talented in a particular genre, and a young nobleman by the name of Seungho, who is infamous for his insatiable lust.
Nakyum decides to quit painting after his teacher, who he looks up to, rejects him. As he crosses paths with Seungho, he enters into a completely different world from what he is used to. With a realistic art style that uses warm tones, this manhwa quickly rose to fame.
9 Cherry Blossoms After Winter
Cherry Blossoms After Winter was an instant hit among readers. Bamwoo’s manhwa has managed to touch the hearts of many fans. Haebom, after losing his parents in a terrible mishap at a very young age, was adopted by the Jo family. Haebom became fast friends with their only son, Taesung.
This manhwa is a coming-of-age story and a compelling teen romance neatly wrapped within a single cover. A cutesy art style and smooth storytelling, along with relatable characters and situations, make it quite a pleasing read.
8 Legs That Won’t Walk
Created by Black Apricot, Legs That Won’t Walk is about a former boxer who is forced to retire due to a crippling leg injury. Held accountable by a private moneylender known as Taeseung to pay off his father’s debt, Sooyoung finds himself in a dire predicament.
Forced to choose between living in poverty for the rest of his life while paying off his debt or working under this notorious moneylender, Sooyoung tries to make the best choice for himself. Legs That Won’t Walk’sblack-and-white art style perfectly portrays danger, lust, and fear.
7 Blood Link
One of the more popular manhwas by Brothers Without A Tomorrow, Blood Link adds to the myths of vampires, Lycans, and their enmity. Hwa Gok, an ordinary university student witnesses a girl being attacked by the school heartthrob, Lee Bin. Diving into the situation headfirst to save the girl, Hwa Gok gets bitten by Lee Bin, who turns out to be a vampire.
As the various events unfold, the plot thickens, revealing secrets and conspiracies in the supernatural world. Blood Link also has enough tall and buff characters with gorgeous eyes to catch the eye of most readers.
6 Pearl Boy
Pearl Boy is unique and largely popular. Inking’s manhwa tells the story of Dooshik, who is on the run and hiding in a coastal town after stealing from his previous workplace, and Jooha, who is perpetually trying to pay off debt while holding onto his mother’s last memory.
Exploited without any concern for his health, Jooha finds solace in Dooshik and agrees to accept his help after much persuasion. Vivid imagery and light shades give the manhwa a fantastic look.
5 Third Ending
Chovom spins a heart-wrenching tale in Third Ending. Yoonseul has always had a fairly easy life. He’s smart, popular, and good at his job. Kang Jun, a baker, had confessed to Yoonseul when they were in high school, only to be rejected.
As they cross paths again, Yoonseul finds himself confronting his feelings toward Kang Jun. Kang Jun has had it with Yoonseul and is determined not to get too close to him. Yoonseul, on the other hand, pursues him relentlessly. Beautifully inked, this manhwa is a fan favorite.
4 Turn Off The Camera!
Jihoon, a member of an idol group, is given a chance to save his failing group in Turn Off The Camera! Written by Kang Unnie, this manhwa captures Jihoon’s anxieties as he films a reality show with top stars Yohan and Yoojin, who make his life very difficult.
MissPM’s art aptly captures the beauty of the characters. As Jihoon tries to navigate his way through filming and avoid any scandal, he tries to make some sense of his feelings. Conflicted and worried about being played for a fool, he tries his best to pull through.
3 Jazz For Two
Clarju’s Jazz For Two is the story of Taeyi, who lost his brother to suicide. Absorbed in grief, he finds some slight solace in music, which his brother loved. Seheon the transfer student loves music, especially jazz. Taeyi hears Seheon play his brother’s favorite song on the piano and wonders if his brother is back.
To his disappointment, he finds a stranger at the piano. Grief and anger well up inside him as he shouts at Seheon and threatens him. A heart-wrenching story to its core, this manhwa has a very soft art style.
2 Two Sizes, Too Small
Ben, a tall and broad nerd, develops a crush on Keaton, a veterinarian student of below-average stature, in Mizore’s Two Size, Too Small. Currently ongoing, this manhwa portrays the start and the development of the relationship between Ben and Keaton.
Keaton’s brother, Karl, is too overprotective of his baby brother due to his sensitive past. Problems arise because of Karl’s meddling in Ben and Keaton’s relationship. With short chapters and a vibrant art style, this manhwa is too cute to skip.
1 Under The Green Light
Under The Green Light is a currently ongoing manhwa by Jaxx. Matthew, a sculpture student who prefers to live in isolation, is taken by Jin’s captivating body at first glance. Matthew asks Jin to be his model for a sculpture as he wants to preserve this perfection.
Somewhat reluctantly, Jin agrees to this request. Thus begins an unintentional, twisted relationship between the two. An art style that enhances the dark themes of the plot portrays the two protagonists with beautiful faces, detailed eyes, and tall builds.
