Does any genre do stories about unrequited love and crushes better than BL? That’s going to be a tough one to dispute.
Sometimes crushes are sweet and exciting; other times they’re something you want to get over but can’t. Every experience looks different, but most of us know what it feels like to like someone.
If you’re in the mood for something relatable, whether it’s the painful moments of unrequited love or the funny realities of chasing someone who doesn’t have a clue, these five BL dramas prove this genre is an expert in crushes and one‑sided love.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
1. “Theory of Love”
Don’t let the 2019 release date of “Theory of Love” scare you off. This series is an oldie but a goodie, and it’s basically essential Thai BL viewing at this point. If you want to brush up on your Thai BL staples, this is one you have to watch.
“Theory of Love” is centered on Third’s (Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat) complicated but heartfelt journey to love. Third knows exactly what people mean when they say, “You can’t choose who you fall in love with.” For three years and counting, Third has had a persistently painful crush on best friend Khai (Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn).
Now in their third year of university, Khai, Third, and their two other friends make up the popular film-student friend group known as “the gangsters” on campus. Third fell hard for Khai from day one, but he’s spent every day since then keeping his crush under wraps.
Khai has a rule against dating friends, but, more importantly, he’s the opposite of a loyal, one-relationship-at-a-time sort of guy. He switches girlfriends on a weekly basis, and he prefers low-stakes, no-attachment relationships. Truth be told, Khai is quite the unlikeable guy, and he isn’t that good of a friend to Third at all. He repeatedly uses Third and hurts him without much thought.
This is therefore Third’s dilemma: he can’t just turn off his feelings for Khai, but he’s also been hurt constantly by how Khai treats him and endlessly reminded that they’d never work. He’s hung up on the idealized version of Khai, holding onto the few sweet moments they share and letting that make up for all the bad ones.
Right when Third has reached rock bottom, one of his friends accidentally finds out about his crush. Third is finally ready to give up and move on, but his friend vows to help him capture Khai’s heart. The question is, is Khai really worth it?
Why it’s worth the watch:
With Off and Gun as the leads, there’s no question the chemistry is top-tier, and it has a nostalgic vibe that newer Thai BLs just don’t fully capture anymore. It is from over seven years ago, so that makes sense.
What really stands out about this show is that the crush isn’t portrayed as all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it is largely something messy and painful, and it’s all on Third to go through it alone, because no one really knows what he is going through, at least not at first. You will most definitely dislike Khai for a long time before any redemption arc starts to form, and his journey to becoming a better guy is a long one. For an honest and quietly heartbreaking story of unrequited love that feels a little too real, this one is it. Just bring some tissues because you’ll need them.
Start watching “Theory of Love” now:
2. “After Moving Seats, the Boy Behind Me Has a Crush on Me“
The title, “After Moving Seats, the Boy Behind Me Has a Crush on Me,” perfectly explains the premise of this show, and it’s the simple way this story starts that makes it so fun.
The story begins with a seating change in class that puts Mayama Hare (Konishi Eito) in front of Asamiya Kosei (Gennosuke). Mayama is a loner by choice who prefers a quiet high school existence where no one bothers him. Asamiya is quite the opposite, at least on paper: he’s the handsome, cool, and stoic popular guy who hangs in a clique of other popular guys.
When the two are seated beside each other, Mayama assumes he can continue his loner school life in peace, but those hopes and dreams are quickly squashed. With zero warning or buildup, Asamiya hands him an assignment with a tiny yet extremely shocking note: “I like you.”
Mayama is rightfully in shock and tries to figure out who the note is for, but Asamiya wastes no time clarifying that it is most definitely for Mayama. Totally bewildered by this sudden confession, Mayama can’t understand why this popular guy he doesn’t know would like him. But it’s okay: Asamiya is ready to make his love for Mayama clear and known, even if it takes a lot of work.
Why it’s worth the watch:
This is a fictional drama, but it can also be taken as a real lesson on good communication, which is actually somewhat rare in a BL. The honesty and lack of fabricated drama in this BL make it feel like a breath of fresh air to watch. If you want all the cuteness and feel-good vibes without a complicated plot or characters stirring up drama, this is it.
Start watching “After Moving Seats, the Boy Behind Me Has a Crush on Me” now:
3. “My School President”
In “My School President,” a timid straight-A student finally gets his chance to chase his longtime high school crush after years of going unnoticed.
Tinn (Gemini Norawit Titicharoenrak) is a model student who has been crushing on distant classmate Gun (Fourth Nattawat Jirochtikul). Gun is quite the opposite of Tinn: he’s in the school music club and leads a band of misfits who aren’t afraid to break the rules to pursue their passion. All Tinn’s attempts at getting close to Gun have failed through the years, but a perfect opportunity finally falls into his lap.
Tinn’s mother, who also happens to be the principal, is set on abolishing clubs that don’t contribute to the school, and the music club is one such club. With his crush’s beloved club in jeopardy, Tinn devises a plan to save it by becoming student council president, since the president has a say in which clubs go and which stay. But there’s a hiccup: Gun gets the same idea, and both end up joining the race.
When Tinn wins the race, he unintentionally kickstarts a rivalry with Gun, who assumes Tinn has it out for him and wants to destroy his club. If being a rival means a chance at getting closer to Gun, Tinn is ready to play the part. Keeping his true feelings hidden, though, that’s the real challenge.
Why it’s worth the watch:
To Gun, they’re rivals. To Tinn, Gun is the guy he wants to protect and take care of. This crush story is so unexpectedly funny and heartwarming, with the added benefits of great music from the school band, a large cast of hilarious characters, lots of side romances, and two leads who have proven time and time again that their chemistry is naturally amazing — you can also watch “Ticket to Heaven” and “My Love Mix-Up!” if you need more proof.
Start watching “My School President” now:
4. “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me”
In the adorable Japanese BL “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me,” a BL-loving boy becomes the main character in a real-life love story, but he doesn’t have a clue.
Suzuki Hajime (Koizumi Kosaku) is an awkward and shy boy who lives and breathes BL, but at school he has to hide his passion because he doesn’t want to be judged. He’s already without friends, so he can usually sneak off to a secluded corner in the library to write BL and not be noticed. That is, until Serizawa Haruto (Shisaka Ryoto) notices him.
Suzuki has generally been successful in keeping his private life of BL a secret, until the one person who should never have found out does: Serizawa. Serizawa is the school’s most handsome, social, and popular guy, and he happens to be the main character in the BL Suzuki is writing. Suzuki couldn’t help but use him as the main character because of how perfect for BL he is. As a BL watcher, you’ll probably totally get where he is coming from.
Serizawa coincidentally finds Suzuki’s BL journal, and instead of being shocked or mad, he’s delighted. What Suzuki doesn’t know is that Serizawa has already been watching him from afar. Finding his book is the exact opportunity Serizawa needs to get closer to Suzuki, so he asks Suzuki to let him read his BL as he writes it. After all, he is the main character!
Why it’s worth the watch:
This has a similar vibe to J-BLs like “Takara-kun & Amagi-kun” and “School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To.” If you loved those, you’ll probably like this one too. The romance between the leads is definitely hard-won, since Suzuki is totally oblivious. It’s filled with missed chances and minor misunderstandings, but the journey makes the payoff all the more satisfying. This adorable couple is definitely worth fighting for.
Start watching “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me” now:
5. “Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!”
Most BL fans have already seen “Cherry Magic!” because it’s that iconic of a BL, but even then, it’s always worth a rewatch.
What would you do if you could read other people’s thoughts through touch? Well, in this world, 30 years of virginity grants you magical powers that let you do just that. It certainly sounds like an oddly random scenario, but it isn’t even the biggest twist in this show.
(Mostly) happily living without a romantic life, Adachi Kiyoshi (Akaso Eiji) has never been in a relationship. His generally carefree life changes when he wakes up on his 30th birthday and realizes the silly rumors he’s been told are true: if you are a virgin by the age of 30, you’ll become a wizard who can read minds.
This seems like a pretty cool gift, but Adachi, who is naturally timid and avoidant, immediately gets overwhelmed. Every accidental touch or bump into someone leads to a flood of thoughts he doesn’t want to hear. His immediate solution is to simply avoid people, which he is already pretty good at, but it all comes crashing down.
On a routine elevator ride up to the office, he runs into his colleague and the office’s ace, Kurosawa Yuichi (Machida Keita). To Adachi, Kurosawa is the perfect man who likely lives a life of great popularity. He is the total opposite of Adachi, and Adachi is left to watch him from afar, having no idea what that sort of life is like.
However, this is when the twist comes: in the elevator, Adachi gets pushed against Kurosawa and stumbles upon information he can’t just easily ignore: Kurosawa has a crush on him! Adachi thought his newfound magical abilities were unbelievable, but this most definitely tops that.
Why it’s worth the watch:
In this staple Japanese BL, the roles of a traditional crush storyline are reversed: it gives the unique perspective of someone being crushed on instead of someone with a crush. Poor Adachi is left trying to figure out how to handle knowing that someone totally unreachable likes him in secret. If you’re also looking forward to Akaso Eiji’s upcoming film “One Year to Live, Buy a Man,” this is an excellent show to watch in the meantime.
Start watching “Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!” now:
Asya’s a BL-biased Soompi writer with a love of K-pop and all types of Asian dramas. Some of her favorite shows are “Psychopath Diary,” “Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss!,” “Light On Me,” “The Untamed,” “Go Go Squid!,” and “Cherry Magic!“
Currently watching: “Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me,” “Match Point,” “Nour,” “Mr. Fanboy,” “Unlucky Bae,” “Class Crush Crisis,” “Boy, with Caution,” “Fool in Love,” and “Twisted Tie.”
Looking forward to: “Love Scandal,” “Magic Lover,” “The Love Matter,” “School Trip: Joined a Group I’m Not Close To Season 2,” and “One Year to Live, Buy a Man.”