Given the popularity of the Korean entertainment industry, BLs are still a slowly evolving trope. But they are known to consistently produce exquisite dramas, with good stories & even better casting. Gone are the days when actors used BL dramas as their debut arena. Let’s take a look at the “Best Picks” for the year 2025!!

Thundercloud Rainstorm

Raunchy romances are the need of the hour. Toxic relationships are winning the day and audiences are vying for such overtly sensuous love stories. Il Jo (Yoon Ji Sung), an unfortunate illegitimate son, gets abused by his half-brother Seo Jeong In at their father’s funeral and ends up relying on his cousin, Seo Jeong Han (Jeong Ri U). Soon after, Il Jo is hospitalized and the prickly Jeong Han pays the 4-million-won surgery bill for him. Jeong Han then tells him to “pay it back with his body.” Jeong Han is a grumpy character, quite arrogant and indifferent. But as they spend time together, Jeong Han is invariably drawn to Il Jo’s sweet nature & innocence. Their relationship goes through many trials & tribulations before they admit their feelings for each other. Yoon Ji Sung & Jeong Ri U had a fiery chemistry, one of the best highlights of this show!

Ball Boy Tactics

What happens when an injured world-class athlete returns to university? People are enamored with his success but they also remind him of his failure to play a sport that he once loved. After retiring from gymnastics, Han Ji Won (Yeom Min Hyeok) thought his biggest challenges were behind him. Turns out, winning Olympic medals was easy compared to surviving university as a painfully shy ex-superstar. Things change when he meets Kwon Jeong U (Choi Jae Hyeok), campus heartthrob & basketball star. Jeong U is handsome, quite liked by everyone on the campus and seemingly invested in Ji Won. As they spend time together, feelings blossom and, they start to fall in love. This was one of those simple romances where we get to see two individuals overcome their differences, understand each other and become a solemn couple. No unwarranted drama, but hell lot of sweet kissing scenes. Min Hyeok & Jae Hyeok’s chemistry was so appreciated that the audiences are dying to see them again in another drama soon!!

Secret Relationships

This was my first time watching a harem romance in Korean. This trope is quite infamous in Chinese circles. So, I wasn’t expecting Korea to be invested in such a mind-boggling theme. The story focuses on Da On (Kim Jun Seo), a smart and handsome salary man, who often clashes with his new colleague Seong Hyeon (Cha Sun Hyung). They have their own differences of opinions but in the midst of their arguments, somehow Seong Hyeon is drawn to Da On. Chaos ensues when the company heir, Su Hyeon (Cha Jung Woo) returns from abroad. Da On & Su Hyeon have a tense relationship and Su Hyeon doesn’t miss a single chance to provoke Da On. In the midst of this turmoil, Da On’s old tutor Sin Jae Min (Kim Ho Young) spends his time manipulating Da On, so he doesn’t choose anyone else. Obviously, all this madness drives Da On up the wall and the only sane person around him is Seong Hyeon. As Da On grows dependent on Seong Hyeon, their relationship begins to change. This show is a classic example of toxic relationships on the rise!!

Heesu in Class 2

There were quite a few people, disappointed by the lack of NC scenes in this show. If you ask me, I won’t refute that but I’m guessing it all depends on the comfort levels shared by the actors. If they aren’t comfortable doing those scenes, it is better to exclude them. The story follows Hui Su (Ahn Ji Ho), an ordinary high school student who considers himself a “dating expert,” though he has never been in a relationship and has been single since birth. Secretly, he harbors feelings for his best friend of ten years, Chan Yeong (Cho Jun Young), but keeps this heavy secret to himself, nurturing his feelings alone. Things spiral out of control when Chan Yeong discovers that Ji Yu, a fellow student at their school, is his favorite singer, Summer. As they get closer, Hui Su starts panicking at the thought of losing Chan Yeong. As such, Hui Su teams up with class president Seung Won, who he assumes has a crush on Ji Yu. Unbeknownst to him, Seung Won doesn’t have a crush on Ji Yu, but likes Hui Su instead. This was a lively romance peppered with typical teenage anxiety and aspirations!!

Business As Usual

This was one of my favorite BLs in 2025, simply because I loved the main pairing; their chemistry spoke volumes. Kim Min Jun (Chae Jong Hyeok), a 30-year-old office worker, is stuck in the repetitive cycle of his 9-to-5 job and can’t shake the feeling that something is missing from his life. As he grows older, he feels increasing pressure to accomplish more, but everything feels stagnant. Things take an unexpected turn when his ex-boyfriend Jin Hwan (Seong Seung Ha), whom he hasn’t seen in 8 years, suddenly reappears at his office as a new colleague. Jin Hwan is still as attractive and confident as ever, while Min Jun feels like he hasn’t progressed since their breakup. The show revisits their old memories as we watch their budding romance in their college days. An unwarranted misunderstanding tears them apart and Jin Hwan returns so he can reconcile with Min Jun. As past & present collide, it brings forth unfavorable circumstances as our main leads traverse a difficult path before reconciling properly.

Keep watching this space for the next feature!