The growing world of online comics has been around for as long as we can remember. Since the alleged first manga was found dating back to the 12th century, comics have taken on the form of several different media over time. Whether it is superhero comics popularized in the United States during World War II or indie webtoons, anything related to illustrated fictional stories has been around for centuries.
Naturally, with the globalization of the internet, physical formats have turned into digital work, and South Korean comics got on with the times. Manhwa, the South Korean webtoon, has become a prevalent form of graphic novel, with BL (or Boys’ Love) as one of the most prominent genres within this medium. Known for usually colored illustrations, and having a vertical format, manhwa became one of the favored forms of storytelling in the BL community.
Manhwa is often tied to certain genres and themes. In the usual literacy form, manhwa is known for oftentimes including fantasy tropes and over-the-top elaborate illustrations. In the last few years, all stereotypes regarding this comic format have been exempt from South Korea, becoming a much wider platform than initially anticipated. For that reason, we have compiled a list ranging from historical settings to psychological stories, with some of the best BL Manhwa and Webtoons that every BL fan should become acquainted with.
10. 19 Days
The webcomic 19 Days is a Chinese webtoon originally published in 2013, written and illustrated by Old Xian. This Chinese manhua pursues the lives of four high school students who grow closer as time goes by. In an originally comedic story, 19 Days takes dark turns every once in a while as the story progresses and the character’s issues start surfacing. The story begins with one-off comedy sketches without dialogue, turning to short chapters showing the lives of these seemingly average students, until the story actually starts getting developed. The comedic factor, alongside the slender figurines with great art, make for a great webcomic for first-time readers, however, 19 Days is one of the webtoons that has been heavily affected by China’s censorship. For this reason, this manhwa, albeit with canonically queer characters, remains a story that is just heavily queer-coded.
8. BJ Alex
Quite possibly the BL Manhwa that put the genre on the map, BJ Alex became an overnight sensation with its unique black-and-white illustration and one-of-a-kind story, especially during a time when the genre was establishing itself as a prominent category in the South Korean comic industry. The Korean manhwa was first published on Lezhin Comics in 2017, written and illustrated by Mingwa, but it received its first physical format publication in 2021 when a BJ Alex All-Ages Edition was finally released. This explicit story follows the lives of Dong-Gyun, an average university student, and Ahn Jiwon, a student with a secret online identity, BJ Alex, that he uses to make sexual live streams. Dong-Gyun becomes infatuated with the man behind the mask, not knowing the person on the camera sits beside him in class.
7. Here U Are
Here U Are is a Chinese webcomic that was first published in 2017. This coming-of-age manhua was written by D. Jun, and this lengthy story became a staple for the BL genre. Touching on subjects like coming out, and even the passing of family members, Here U Are is a slow romance manhua about two university students who seemingly have very little in common at first glance. Li Huan is a gentle and kind newcomer at the university who intimidates everyone around him, whereas Yu Yang, his older schoolmate, appears confident even in his smaller frame. This manhwa, although still affected by China’s censorship laws, portrays evident and clear queer relationships, although its content of explicit moments never goes beyond a peck on the lips.
6. The Beast Must Die
Psychological thrillers are one of the most popular subgenres in BL, loved for their intensity and complex plots. In a large wave of psychological stories, The Beast Must Die is possibly one of the best stories belonging to that trope. This manhwa written by Lee Hyeon-Sook is actually a perfect example of an extremely well-researched story that includes incredibly sensible subjects, comprising sexual assault, revenge, psychopathy, and mental illness in one webcomic. The Beast Must Die is about Lee Kirin, who is looking for revenge after his sister was sexually assaulted by a group of fraternity men. In order to get close to that group of people, he’s forced to cooperate with Kang Moo, a manipulative psychopath who lacks empathy for everyone around him. This story has been praised time and time again for its in-depth psychological knowledge, as well as its non-romanticization of abusive relationships.
5. Sign Language
A great example of the wholesomeness in comics is Sign Language. This is a 2017 manhwa by Ker that defies the norm by introducing a deaf character in a world that prioritizes beauty and perfection. Manhwas are oftentimes known for their able-bodied and good-looking characters that represent the beauty standard in South Korea, but Sign Language chose to tear down the walls of normalcy. This manhwa introduces a café that is near bankruptcy for a few reasons: their terrible coffee, the customers who never order off the menu, and Go Yo, the café’s deaf manager. Soo Hwa is the main character who starts working at this chaotic place, never thinking that his manager’s deep voice would entice him.
4. Painter of the Night
In a historical setting happening in Ancient Korea, Painter of the Night quickly became everyone’s favorite BL. This is a violent and explicit story about Na-Kyum, a poor young painter with exceptional talent to sketch erotic images of men, and Seungho, a nobleman known for his insatiable lust. Byeonduck introduced this ongoing story in 2019, and the extraordinary art immediately won over the hearts of BL fans around the world. This Korean manhwa, however, shows a not-so-kind side of the BL genre, including sexual assault, cruelty, and violence, in a time when all of those tropes were excused in a hierarchical society.
3. At the End of the Road
With a supernatural element, At the End of the Road is a manhwa by Haribo that was first released in 2016. This story introduces two high school students who wake up to find themselves in each other’s bodies after a freak car accident. At the End of the Road, in spite of its quirky premise, is a fairly violent and complex series. Siwon is a character who is furiously bullied at school, carrying the baggage of a tragic past issued from child abandonment and abuse, as the cruelty translates into adulthood. Albeit violent, this manhwa is not sexually explicit, becoming a great option for everyone who is still searching for a complex plot not focused on lust.
2. Cherry Blossoms After Winter
Cherry Blossoms After Winter is a classic BL manhwa that perfectly encompasses the genre’s most beloved tropes. This story depicts the lives of Hae Bom and Tae Sung, two high school students who are living under the same roof due to a tragic incident involving Hae Bom and his parents. After his parents passed, the young boy was adopted by Tae Sung’s mom, severing the relationship between the two children up until high school, when they are forced to interact as classmates. This 2017 manhwa by Bam U went on to have 127 chapters after its immediate success, including beloved tropes like enemies to lovers, childhood friends, and protective characters. The manhwa is also initially released as an all-age series, solely including explicit scenes from the fourth season onwards
1. Painter Behind the Curtain
Painter Behind the Curtain is a 2015 manhwa series by Munamu that despite its status as an older series, has remained a fan-favorite amongst well-versed BL fans. This is a story that involves quite a few sensible themes, including domestic abuse, confinement, and sexual assault, all of which are touched on gracefully, yet heartbreakingly. Painter Behind the Curtain introduces Ian, an artist with a natural-born talent who is forced to work for a cruel and greedy family that abuses the young man until a wealthy merchant approaches the family to ask for a portrait. From then on out, Raymond notices the precariousness of Ian’s conditions, making it his mission to rescue the poor boy. This story includes a genius world build, that has been carefully planned from the start, showing Munamu’s strategic storytelling in a complex and phenomenal way, with simple artwork in contrast.
The world of BL manhwa is incredibly vast and rich in its content. Much like every literary genre, in BL one can easily discover stories that cover all kinds of themes, from psychological horror to supernatural and even fantasy or coming-of-age plots. However, BL is still growing in the Western communities, thus making it an overwhelming task to discover exactly how much there is out there, but with a little effort, anyone can find a BL manhwa to fit their taste.