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 Boys Love for Life setting is university!
Dream Away
Writer/Artist: Lee Hana
Platform: Lezhin (Mature- expired)
Jihan has been having prophetic dreams ever since his childhood days, although they’ve always been about inconsequential stuff. Such as a puppy his mother will be getting as a gift or that his friend will pick up a piece of furniture and a cockroach will come out. He’s known as a “good but sort of weird at times” kind of guy… until he dreams of a car crash. At first, the young man in his dream has his back turned to Jihan, but he soon finds out that it’s a local barista, identifying him through a tattoo of Doyun. Thus begins his stalking-out-of-concern era. But little does he know that Doyun is gay, and he interprets Jihan’s actions differently than his intentions.
Lee Hana has three series, and two of them are licensed in English. My Brother’s Lover is currently in Tappytoon’s library with 65 chapters. I only found out after finishing the review that Dream Away‘s licence has expired, so technically, there aren’t any platforms that you can officially read it unless you’ve already bought the chapters on Lezhin when it was available. However, I still wanted to keep this on the list because I’m sure it’ll be picked up by another platform! Respectfully looking your way, Tappytoon!
Dream Away sprinkles the supernatural over an otherwise pretty standard university BL plotline. This doesn’t mean the execution is ineffective or boring though.
Lee Hana’s art style is super lovely: both the character designs and their deformed versions are so cute! If you prefer your fictional men all jacked like the Michelin tire mascot, Lee Hana’s style will look too stylized for you. However, I’d like to think the style fits the laid-back and fun air. It’s lovely and expressive!
Dream Away doesn’t get too heavy but still manages to convey the urgency. Jihan is burdened by this small window into the future. He doesn’t know when this dream will happen in real life or which event will trigger it, so he usually has no other choice but to let it go. He does lose sleep over it, and when it comes to Doyun, he finds himself all the more engaged. First, because what he foresaw was a huge car crash, unlike his other dreams. And then, because he’s such a kind guy and always runs to Jihan and meets his gaze with the warmest smile. How can Jihan not care?
Doyun interprets Jihan’s behavior as romantic interest and responds earnestly by creating chances to interact with him or extending kindness to Jihan’s close friends. The feelings bloom early on in the series and there’s even a second couple that are introduced as Doyun’s close friends. They’re an annoying bunch, but I know some readers enjoy assholes-turned-lovers!
Long story short, Dream Away would be great for people who prefer plot-oriented BL, who like their fictional man cute, kind and charismatic, appreciate a wholesome relationship and are ready to embark on a completed story with supernatural elements!
Nerd Project
Writer/Artist: g_jyeo
Translator: Helen Cho
Lettering: J Piquero
Primary & Secondary QC: Blaire Hawthorne, Abe Erskine
Platform: Tapas (All-ages & Mature)
Luke had to fight his way and sacrifice a lot to study theatre, but now he shines bright. He’s talented, has a large circle of friends who adore him, has an equally talented and beautiful girlfriend and he’s working towards his dream. All’s well until Stacy starts interfering with Luke’s fashion choices, mentioning fancying nerdy types nowadays. Luke doesn’t react positively at first, but anything to rekindle a long-term relationship, right? Down on his luck, there’s a guy in Luke’s class who fits Stacy’s preference to a T. Unlike a person of sound mind, Luke starts following the guy for tips, only for circumstances to snowball into unexpected territories.
Nerd Project is, to my knowledge, g_jyeo’s only commercial Boys Love series. Currently, there are 39 episodes available on Tapas and after almost a year-long hiatus, new chapters are added to the library!
With its second season finally returning to Tapas, it was inevitable for me to add Nerd Project to this list. In the beginning of the story, Luke and Andrew don’t see eye to eye, and for good reasons. But Luke’s warm personality, along with his having no place to stay other than the dorm room they share, leaves the two no choice but to find a middle ground and develop a friendship over time.
Andrew’s past and his reserved, almost invisible way of getting through university are also the topic of the first season, but the recent chapters insinuate there’s more to uncover. His demeanor mellows out the more he interacts with Luke, but whether there’s a tender and sweet core underneath the tough exterior or an unhinged one? We shall wait and see.
Another side to Nerd Project that’ll easily steal readers’ hearts is the art style. It’s impossible to tear your eyes away from panels, especially our two leads. They look unearthly with their flowy hair that effortlessly drapes over their forehead, beautiful eyes and sculpted bodies. There’s no getting enough of this series!
I’d recommend this series to any BL lover to be honest, you can never go wrong with insanely gorgeous men with their troubled pasts and hot sex scenes!
Lucky in Love
Writer/Artist: HaHae
Platform: Lezhin (Mature)
Hwibum has been playing this game called life on Very Hard mode. Not an hour goes by without something unfortunate happening. Sometimes it’s as inconsequential as mud splashed on his white sneakers, other times it can be life-threatening. How he’s still alive at his 20s should be researched by scientists!
But it all changes when he’s paired with the gloomy nerd Yeonwoo in the class. Suddenly pigeons leave Hwibum alone and flower pots don’t fall on his head anymore. Yeonwoo’s clinginess poses a problem, but Hwibum is determined to enjoy this accident-free life for as long as he can.
Lucky in Love is for my smut-loving fujins! More so if you love an overly clingy, jealous top with a bottom who can’t help but give in when he’s with his partner. Not everyone is comfortable with this dynamic, but if you are, this VSC is tailored for you. The series has just wrapped up the main story, and it’s the second BL VSC from the creator. Tell Me You Love Me is also available on Lezhin, and I will definitely highlight it in the future!
Similar to Dream Away, what brings Yeonwoo and Hwibum together can be considered a slightly supernatural element. But let me tell you, unlucky people like Hwibum exist! I am one! I’m not even surprised when a hundred people do something and it goes without a hitch, then I do it and 97398475 problems arise. Needless to say, I related hard to Hwibum.
My misfortunes aside, Lucky in Love wasn’t an earth shattering experience for me, but I had fun during my stay. I simply got into this series because I loved the artist’s previous work. Clingy characters that project their insecurities on their partner trying their best annoy me and you might wonder why I kept reading a series with a character like that in it. I guess I couldn’t have enough of Hwibum’s warmth and adorable smile!
I don’t want to be too hard on Yeonwoo though since he had his fair share of misfortunes that followed his good luck streak. He has his reasons for detaching himself from others, cutting off contact and not befriending other students at school. If you’re not sold on Yeonwoo in the beginning but there are other parts to the story that you find charming (a.k.a. Hwibum) you should consider sticking around a bit longer!
If the points and dynamics I highlighted above, and if you love this artist’s art style, a baby-faced top paired with a jacked bottom, look no further than Lucky in Love!
Who Can Define Popularity?
Writer/Artist: Takbon
Editor: woody
Producer: Biso & nana
Production: Kenaz
Platform: Manta (All-ages), Tappytoon (All-ages)
Big life changes provide the perfect opportunity for transformation and Siwon makes the most of this challenge. He completely transforms himself by putting in a tremendous amount of work and crafts an impeccably perfect facade, both physically and behaviorally. He already feels on top of the world with the amount of attention he receives until someone crashes the freshman welcoming party along with Siwon’s fragile mask. How dare this talented, handsome, kind, bright and smart angel gracing the earth leave Siwon in the dust and why does he assume Siwon’s in love with his annoying, narcissistic ass?
Takbon has four series credited to them. Two of them are romance VSCs and the others BL. This Wasn’t in My Adoption Plan where they team up with Il_won, is available to read on WEBTOON and A Deliberate Scandal on Tapas. Spring-Fallen Classroom and Two Fools was available on INKR and Pocket Comics, but got removed from sale on both platforms. Now, the only BL VSC available from Takbon is Who Can Define Popularity?, which can be read on Manta and Tappytoon. It’s completed with 96 chapters in total.
“When two narcissistic boys collide” from the official summary is the best way to describe Who Can Define Popularity?. Both Daun and Siwon uphold an image, the one that is polished to perfection, shaped by the expectations of society and family. Siwon was a heavy kid and confessing his feelings to the cute girl of the school spelled his end. Fat shamed and alienated, Siwon felt like the only option he had on hand was to rebuild himself from scratch.
In Siwon’s eyes, Daun is his ideal. The real, perfect version. He’s so effortlessly popular and loved that his mere presence holds a mirror to Siwon, which is truly unnerving. The unexpected rivalry can only rear its head away from the eyes, because when they’re under the spotlight, they need to be on their best behavior. We get to find out about Daun and his past later in the story, but when it comes to confessing, he’s quick on his feet!
What’s truly charming about Who Can Define Popularity? is both its witty and meme-y humor, and the grounded portrayal of the fragility of a facade that’s created to cater to others. Siwon is constantly on his guard, compares himself to others and while on the outside he politely smiles, internally, he’s suspicious of others’ good intentions. His interactions with Daun both frustrate and comfort Siwon.
I’d recommend this series to readers who are looking for a series that’s predominantly comedic in tone, comfortable with reading body image issues and full of flawed, lovable characters!
Spicy Mints
Writer/Artist: Remmul, Jess
Platform: WEBTOON Canvas (Young Adult), Tapas (Young Adult)
Being a photography major and having to pass a calculus class is already daunting for Mint. You’d expect a cute guy with a flaming bright red mohawk would cheer Mint up but the guy seems to chat girls up at every chance he finds. Is he bi? Strictly straight? While Mint ponders the possibilities, our Mother Fate creates a chance for the two to meet. The road to becoming friends-turned-lovers is an uphill battle with no victory promised at the end.
Spicy Mints, compared to many BL VSCs that originate from East Asia, focus on an ensemble of characters and circle of friends and family rather than the main couple. If that works for you, there’s a lot to love and explore in Spicy Mints! The series is co-created by two queer artists, Remmul and Jess. The series is currently ongoing with 121 chapters available.
Whether Mint and Tsurai get together is not exactly secondary, but it isn’t the centerpiece either. There’s a lot Mint has to work through and with regards to certain missteps he takes during his friendship with Tsurai. Tsurai himself is shrouded in mystery, for lack of a better word, at least up to the point I’ve read. Spicy Mint is proudly a slow burn, but it’s a satisfying ride.
The series is diverse when it comes to bodies, race, neurodivergence and sexual identity. All the characters are charming no matter how small their places are in the narrative, and you end up caring about them, which is a big plus with a series focused on a large cast.
The creators’ approach to certain touchy topics such as alcohol abuse, adoption, and trauma is tender and respectful, though you should still keep in mind that these topics are touched upon throughout the series in varying degrees of depth.
Spicy Mints will be perfect for readers who prefer a diverse cast, friendship and sensitive topics explored in their comics! The cartoony art style is lovely and the series is bursting with colors, and it’s available to read on WEBTOON! What more can one need?
Boys Love for Life: Is anyone ever studying in these comics?
Except for dating purposes, I mean? We stan kings who do the bare minimum and still manage to get ahead in life! University setting, similar to my previous column’s high school setting, is highly popular and provides the creator a space where the characters aren’t bogged down by work and have time to play around yet, but are adults who can live alone, drink, work part-time and all that jazz. It’s the sweetest spot in life, if you ask me!
Hopefully this list has brought at least one title you haven’t heard of before, or you had fun reading my take on them and are planning a reread right about now. As always, looking forward to hear your suggestions and theme/trope suggestions for our Boys Love for Life column in the comments and see you next time!
Catch up with previous entries in K-Comics Beat’s Boys Love for Life series by clicking here!
