Webtoons are a new rage, and they definitely should not be ignored. Manga may be the OG storytelling medium in visuals as well as written text, but Manhwa has recently gained popularity, and rightfully so.

They present a refreshing take on the old form of narrative. Not only is the art style different, but it is colourful as well. Also, Manhwa and Webtoons are made for the internet, so their availability becomes worldwide. Sometimes, mangas cannot be found everywhere, especially if they have smut. Also, BL is still not gaining the popularity it deserves, with folks being apprehensive about it. With Webtoons, however, the popularity and availability have surely seen an increase.

Today we bring you a list of the Top 10 BL Webtoons that you should read. Summaries never do the story any justice. Everything is so much deeper than the words I will write here. However, I will provide you with the summaries with my two cents. All these titles are completed stories.

1. A Thousand Cranes by Jung Seokchan

The classic tale of a person who was present in the wrong place at the wrong time. Craig is a normal teenager with a painful past. Craig has an abusive father and only dreams of one thing: running away from the pain he does not deserve. The only thing that keeps him rooted to the spot is his little sibling. When his father suddenly disappears, he thinks all the pain has come to an end. But when debt collectors come knocking on his door making him responsible for his father’s debt, he realizes life is cruel that way. His life becomes even harder now that he has to pay off his father’s debt while taking care of his brother. One night, he walks in on someone committing a crime. Now, running for his life, he has to take care of his and his sibling’s safety. Will his life change for the better or for the worse?

A thousand cranes is a beautiful story of love and how love heals trauma. You can read the manhwa on Tapas.

2. Black Mirror by Muhwa and ugeun

This story belongs in my top 10 because of how amazing it is and how perfect the art is. Tae-jun has been plagued by horrific hallucinations and dreams since a traumatic tragedy led him to lose all the memories of the incident and everything related to it. Freud would call it repression. While he is searching for an apartment one day, a memory or strange hallucination leads him to Yeon-woo, an attractive man who remembers him immediately. Tae-jun begins to have reoccurring nightmares of bloodied, disembodied hands touching him after moving into Yeon-spare woo’s room. They soon start a romantic relationship, but Tae-jun is still missing a huge chunk of his memories, which makes him apprehensive. Will Tae-jun be able to unravel his previous secrets? Or maybe come to the painful realization that some secrets are better kept hidden?

The story is raw and the art is gory. It can be nightmare-inducing and will leave you with a heavy feeling. You will need some time to recover from the story, so read it at your own discretion. But it will change your life for sure.

3. Red Candy by HANSE

Shihyeon, also known as “Red Candy,” is a covert agent whose working title stems from soaking in the blood of his targets during deadly missions. Shihyeon has been assigned with wooing and gathering information from Hajun, a gorgeous college professor. Shihyeon can disarm opponents, but he wasn’t expecting to be disarmed by Hajun’s amazing physique. Shihyeon is now torn between duty to his intelligence agency and Hajun. Can Red Candy withstand the oncoming onslaught of adversaries while still enjoying the delicious thrill of Hajun’s embrace?

This story is about an SS rank spy who falls in love with his target and then slowly starts to lose brain cells. To the point where his target has to save him from the enemies. The target, who has no training, has to save the top spy who everybody is scared of. Literally. It is funny to see the hunter becoming the hunted, all for love. You can officially read it on Tappytoon.

4. Cover Up by Gya-Ga

Geum-hwa, a tattoo artist, travels to Japan to work for an unknown customer after leaving an unpleasant relationship with a dominating ex. When he arrives, he discovers that his customer, Ryusei Katamoto, is the attractive half-Korean son of the yakuza who needs a tattoo to conceal a scar. Though they both have feelings for each other, their situation grows increasingly difficult as the story progresses.

The story is about redemption, and that even bad guys can dream of a life where they are not running away from their demons. They can atone for their sins in this very life, and earn a second chance. It also tackles different kinds of abuse and how two people come to respect each other. You can read the story of Lezhin.

5. Walk on Water by Jang Mokdan and illustrated by JAXX

A normal man, Ed never had starred in gay porn on his bucket list. He’s straight, doesn’t put on a show, and has a respectable and secure career. That’s not saying that a career in porn is not respectable, but you need a not-a-care-in-the-world attitude which was not in Ed’s personality. However, he is drowning in debt. He has been making payments for years and is barely able to keep up with the interest that is accruing. To get out of that rabbit hole, he’s willing to be videotaped, even if it means stripping in front of the camera and starring in porn. However, Ed discovers that his debt problems are nothing compared to what he finds himself getting into when he meets Glenn, the charismatic CEO of the porn production company.

The story seems very realistic. Circumstances push people to take drastic measures without caring about the consequences, and once you are out on the internet, you are forever out. It tells the tale of a man who is thrown into the toxic industry of nudity and his struggle to get out of it. With, of course, a bit of love. You can read the story on Lezhin.

6. On or Off by A1

Together with his college pals, Yiyoung is creating a startup. They have the opportunity to pitch their idea to SJ Corporation, one of the top businesses in the nation. However, when he sees Kang Daehyung, the incredibly attractive corporate executive who is so very much his type, in the conference room, Yiyoung’s heart begins to beat quickly. A technical problem prevents him from presenting his project. He becomes desperate while bearing the confidence of his teammates. Without another choice, he follows the CEO to a bar and suggests they go to bed together provided that the CEO approves of his project, of course. The rest, well the rest is up to the CEO.

The story is at the top simply because of how hilarious it is. There is love, it is a given. But, I can for a fact say that love in this story is secondary. Even the author has fun with the characters. Every panel in this story is meme-worthy, especially the encounters between the CEO and Yiyoung. You will never regret reading this. You can read the story on Tappytoon.

7. Love or Hate Artist: Bakdam / Writer: Youngha

Joowon is a well-known actor and Haesoo, his former stepbrother, is a sardonic romance columnist. The two have a complicated history together and are thrown together after their parents remarried. Brothers? Soulmates? Friend with benefits? Or absolutely nothing? Their relationship is characterized by a careful balance of lust and contempt, dates and breakups, aggravation and infatuation. Events start to get out of hand when the enigmatic photographer “K” shows interest in Hae-soo. What route will this story go as the boundaries separating art and truth become hazier? Low-cost romance? Virtuous erotica? Or perhaps something stranger?

Reading this webtoon was a journey. The art is amazing, and every panel taught me something. Even though I have never been in a situation as messed up as the characters in this story, I could still relate to it. The story was written in such a masterful way that it won a place in my heart. Each line was actual poetry. There are so many innuendoes that you will have to read between the lines to understand everything. This story is especially for those who do not just read a story for the plot but for the words and the feelings of the characters. You can read the story officially on Lezhin.

8. Assorted Wilderness

Mongryong is going through, shall we say, a rough moment. He is suddenly thrown out of the loop when he gets to know that his sister’s boyfriend is actually married. Not only that, but he is the son-in-law of a major mob family. To make matters worse, his sister runs away with the boyfriend leaving him to fend for himself. Mongryong is kidnapped by the offended wife’s brother as a ruse to draw the lovers out of hiding, which only makes the situation worse. While Mongryong persuades his captor to be kind to him, he realizes he won’t that simple and things may get a little rough. Will the chaos ever stop?

This story makes the list because of the comedy as well as the smut. There was not one moment when I did not laugh. Even their relationship is hilarious. The main character is crazy, and no, I am not talking about the mob boss. If you want to read something just for fun, this is the story for you. Be warned though, there might be a chance that you pass out from laughing too much.

9. Crash into me by Re-run

Seung-chan is very tense. With the long hours, he has to pull at his work, he already has too much on his plate; now he can’t even rest at home! He is kept awake at night by the obscene banging and lusty moaning from the apartment above. When he is about to lose all hope, he encounters the stunning, mysterious Hyesung right outside his building. Surely not from such a lovely mouth could all those vile noises be coming? But as Seung-chan quickly discovers, Hyesung is much more than meets the eye. Maybe they can “relieve their stress” together as a pair!

A story I specifically chose just for the smut. But of course, there are other very important elements like dealing with the trauma of past relationships, dealing with abuse and rape. All these issues are handled very maturely. Sometimes, when a story deals with sensitive issues and also has smut it can make the readers feel a little disgusted. Even the consensual parts can feel forced. But the author of this story has handled the issues in an incredible way. There are scenes where you will feel bad, but there are scenes which will make you happy as well. The story is officially available on Lezhin.

10. 10 Years That I Loved You the Most

Zhishu and Wenxu have been a couple since high school. Together, they start up a business and go through many ups and downs while enduring the icy looks that their parents gave them and the mocking of others. When their business is finally successful, Zhishu is requested to leave his job and stay at home while Wenxu Jiang changes and just has fun on the side. No matter what he does, Zhishu always forgives him. Even when Wenxu Jiang remains unconcerned as Zhishu develops an incurable illness, Zhishu, still forgives him. In the end, his love is just as incurable as his disease.

Be ready because you will cry while reading this story. It will rip your heart into tiny little pieces without any relief. But, it talks about a lot of things. It made me a better person. A lot more understanding and considerate. Reading this changed my life, but yes be warned that it is traumatizing and emotionally very heavy. If you are looking for fun things to read this is not for you, and if you get triggered very easily I would suggest you skip this one. It is the saddest thing I have ever read.