Boys Love, or BL for short is a genre that depicts romantic and/or sexual relationships between men. It’s a rich genre with stunning variety in its themes and due to its popularity, the English market gets a satisfactory number of localized titles. The trends and tropes change and evolve over time, however, certain broad strokes or fan favorites remain.
The word ‘trope’ has a negative connotation among anime and manga fans, but it is merely a tool whose outcome depends on its implementation. The romance genre especially runs on tropes, but it’s either a setting or a dynamic that helps the reader decide whether to invest in a series or not. In this corner, I want to highlight 5 Boys Love VSC that share the same trope. Today’s theme is age gap!
Point Shooting
Writer/Artist: IRONMASK
Platform: Lezhin (Mature)
Gun-seok feels his age finally catching up to him. After the passing of both his brother (who was like a father figure) and his wife, Gun-seok took their daughter in and raised her like his own. Now that she’s an adult and happily married, single and lonely Gun-seok feels tired, restless and aimless. The universe takes this as a challenge and crosses this lethargic old man’s path with someone who’s always been at the back of his mind but didn’t expect to reunite with.
Point Shooting is IRONMASK‘s first work to be licensed in English and was added to Lezhin’s library in September. It is currently in its second season, with 38 chapters.
Gun-seok is our kind and responsible main character. Since his parents also passed away when he was young, he knows how distressing and lonely one can feel. Se-hee’s only friend Jun-heon is also in the same boat, living with his grandmother, and the four become as close as family. That’s why Gun-seok is shaken when Jun-heon confesses his feelings and harshly rejects the now-university student. This rejection haunts Gun-seok, but Jun-heon seems to have completely bounced back!
So, safe to say that Point Shooting won’t be suitable for readers who find relationships between two characters who are involved in each other’s lives from a time when one of them was a little kid uncomfortable. But for the rest of us, a fun and intriguing comic awaits.
Jun-heon’s all-cards-on-table approach is adorable and refreshing to read, even when the story signals early on that there might be more than meets the eye. He never puts on the breaks with flirtatious remarks or skinship when he’s with Gun-seok and leaves the older man bewildered. Seasoned BL fans know when the leads get together early on in the series, the real angst will soon rear its head. I’m still halfway into the series, so I’m looking forward to my heart breaking into pieces!
I’d recommend this series to readers who love the “tired old man / puppy-eyed younger man with larger build” pairings. Without spoiling, I’ll add that there’s one more layer to the plot that makes the reader wonder how the relationship will proceed. Got my seal of approval!
Nothing But A Number
Writer: Anne, Mambo
Artist: Pigon-Tokki
Original Story: JamongSoda
Platform: Lezhin (Mature)
In his 40-something-year-long life, nothing could prepare Seung-oh for his decade-long partner Hyeonwoo’s search history. Seung-ho admits it’s not as easy to stay in shape compared to his 20s. But surely he’s not at a point to give Hyeonwoo the impression that he has erectile dysfunction?! He suddenly starts feeding Seung-ho food and drinks that have aphrodisiac effects and suggests they start experimenting in the bedroom. Hyeonwoo may be 12 years his junior, but he’s determined to make sure Seung-ho understands he’s a desirable man!
Among the creators involved in Nothing but a Number, only Mambo has another title they worked on, Mr. Kang’s Son-in-law, available in English. This comic is completed with 40 chapters and two side stories.
Nothing but a Number is unique in several ways and deserves more attention. Established relationships are already rare in the romance genre, however, a 10-year-long domestic relationship is unusual in and of itself. On top of that, the main focus of the series is Seung-oh’s insecurities that come with age and having a younger partner who’s in top shape.
So the journey is dedicated to helping Seung-ho realize that despite his worries about stamina or physical appearance, he’s still the man who gets Hyeonwoo all hot and bothered. Just like he did when they first met years ago. The series is also unique in its couple’s bedroom dynamics. Seung-ho and Hyeonwoo have never tried penetrative sex before, which was pleasantly surprising since sex in BL is so heavily focused on penetration. This is something they experiment with as well.
These unique points unfortunately cannot completely make up for the technical shortcomings. Possibly due to being adapted from a novel, the series relies too much on words to convey Seung-ho’s inner thoughts and concerns about his image. The creators could have tried to portray these scenes in more imaginative and less redundant ways. The panels and events could have flowed more seamlessly.
But I wanted to recommend Nothing but a Number despite the shortcomings I mentioned because aging people are usually side characters or an afterthought in fiction. The themes I mentioned above rarely find a place in stories and are topics I’d like to see more of!
Tied to You
Writer/Artist: WHAT
Original Story: Chelliace
Translator: Sarah
Platform: Tappytoon (Main Story & Side Stories), Ize Press (All-ages)
In a world where fated mates exist, people get by just fine without ever finding their partner. If one does meet their mate and the rings form, the parties suffer from insomnia unless they are together. It would’ve been a dream come true for Wooseo if his mate turned out to be his best friend and long-time crush Jiseok. But it’s too bitter of a twist for it to be Jiseok’s older brother Jigeon. Both suffering from severe insomnia, Jigeon suggests to Wooseo that they help each other sleep, on the condition that they keep it a secret from Jiseok.
Tied to You is a completed vertical-scrolling comic that you can read both digitally and in print! While the original author Chelliace has other stories adapted into a comic such as Guilty Affection on Lezhin or Scentless Trail on Tapas, Tied to You is WHAT‘s very first series.
Unfortunately, WHAT’s inexperience shows in its characters’ stiff bodies or the occasional changes in the proportions of their faces. The hues predominantly consist of earthy tones that give the series a melancholy feel. I like the grainy texture that provides a subtle movement to panels that would otherwise feel flat.
Tied to You is a “classic” in the sense that Jigeon is the manipulator top. It’s easy to guess his position in the story or feelings towards Wooseo from the initial chapters. Wooseo is the bottom, stuck in between his feelings and urges. Even Jiseok is clearly not buying his brother’s lies. The beats of the story are obvious, however, it still scratches a very specific itch that I know some of the fans will love.
If fated partners and forced proximity are your jam, like your tops waving red flags at you, or if you’re looking for a BL vertical-scrolling comic in print, Tied to You would be a good choice!
Love on the Clock
Writer: CHE-OH
Artist: Tan Geum
Platform: Lezhin (All-ages)
Woojin has lost count of how many times he was proposed by Eunsoo. He’s always been the cute kid next door to Woojin given their big age gap and it was fun and games until Eunsoo grew up to be a young adult. What was supposed to be a naive affection and marriage proposal now has turned into genuine stares and honest declarations of love. When the game project Woojin is working on suddenly needs an illustrator Eunsoo volunteers, with ulterior motives of course.
Love on the Clock is a completed series as well, and it’s CHE-OH‘s first commercial BL while Tan Geum‘s previous comic, Fake Romance, is available in English on Lezhin. It’s a short read, with 30 episodes in total.
This is definitely the funniest series on the list! Eunsoo cannot last more than 10 minutes without running off to his Delulu Land. When Woojin is seriously in a pinch because their illustrator got into an accident, the only reason he pesters his crush is to plunge into an office romance! Or the second Woojin behaves in a remotely favorable way, Eunsoo has already ascended in a parallel plane where they’re dating. This side of Eunsoo is portrayed sympathetically so it never feels jarring.
The biggest charm of this series is how honest and upfront Eunsoo is. Woojin picks up on Eunsoo’s thoughts or schemes as well, though his brain is a bit slow to catch up on the true nature of his own feelings. The fact that the two spent all these years together and understand each other is incorporated into the story skillfully. So as the reader, all you have to do is relax and enjoy as one tries to score points and get closer to his crush while the other tries his damnedest to not catch feelings.
While the backgrounds, especially the objects, seem to clash with the characters style-wise, the rough outer lines with inconsistent line weight worked in my favor. I love it when the lines are bold and appear to be sketchy! The characters, but especially Eunsoo, are so emotive. It certainly adds to the fun.
I’d recommend this series to anyone, to be honest, but especially to readers who love a persistent, cute puppy trying to woo a cat-like older man who loves cute things and has a kind side but has trouble admitting it.
Caught in the Act
Writer/Artist: Wen
Original Story: Jingangquan
Platform: INKR (All-ages), Tapas (All-ages)
Xia Xingchen is popular, no doubt about that, but his acting skills leave much to be desired. When he’s offered a co-lead role in a movie where he’ll act alongside Yang Youming, it sends him to the moon and back. Youming is not only an experienced A-list actor but also Xingchen’s idol. He needs to get up close and personal with Youming for the role, and the skilled actor is unexpectedly sweet and accommodating to a newbie like him. However, the second the director shouts “Cut!” he adopts the coldest exterior. Will Xingchen be able to handle the hot and cold?
Caught in the Act is the longest completed series on the list with 121 chapters and the only title from the creators that’s made it into English. Both INKR and Tapas have their own localization team, so you might encounter different names used for the characters.
This is my first time recommending a vertical-scrolling comic originating from China! They have a narrative and characterization style that is different from South Korea, so plot-wise they are a hit or miss for me. However, you can always count on the panels to look absolutely gorgeous! I’m particularly fond of the way they use light and you will not be disappointed when you’re reading Caught in the Act as well.
The initial chapters of the series felt somehow disjointed. We’re thrown into the story without proper build-up and the second they arrive on the set, the filming starts with intimate scenes. The panels don’t flow well at first but soon settle into a more coherent and seamless pace. So, it needs a bit of sticking with it.
“Are my feelings for you the real deal or did I sink too deep into my role?” The co-actors trope that’s as old as time! If you’re interested in lines blurring between the leads and enjoy prolonged will-they/won’t-they and looking for beautifully drawn panels that’ll make you take serial screenshots, Caught in the Act is waiting for you!
Boys Love: Aged like fine wine.
I definitely deserve a pat on the shoulder for not adding Love for Sale to this list. If you know me, you know I can’t get through a day without gushing about it at least once. I aimed for variety on this list rather than only adding titles that are tailored to my taste. However, in the end, I’m just a mere mortal who has succumbed to the addictive pleasure that comes from age difference in fiction. I don’t sweat the petty details, I read ’em all!!
As always, please recommend your favorite comics below with bitter, wrinkly old men. From your Senior Citizen Appreciation Club President, with love. ✿
Catch up with previous entries in K-Comics Beat’s Boys Love for Life series by clicking here!
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