If you just finished “Love Class 3” and are now left scrolling through a list of shows, trying to find your next watch that’ll fill that void, you aren’t alone. “Love Class 3” was about idols falling in love while chasing their dreams and navigating the extremely rough world of the K-pop industry. Luckily, there’s more of that already out there in BL to add to your watch list.
Whether you loved the music or the multilingual cast of “Love Class 3,” these are five BL recommendations based on the most iconic parts that made the show so good:
1. For another idol-cast drama: “A Shoulder to Cry on”
“Love Class 3” wasn’t only about idols and the K-pop industry. It also had real idols as some of the characters, including Lee Woo Jin of GHOST9 and Saebyeol of WAKER. As it happens, K-BLs have had quite a few dramas with idols cast in lead roles, including “A Shoulder to Cry on.”
Though “A Shoulder to Cry on” isn’t about idols, it stars OMEGA X’s Ye Chan and Jae Han as the leads.
Da Yeol (Jae Han) is a high school archer who is extremely talented but also a bit of a loner. Focusing only on school and his sport, he has no close friends and has slipped into a lifeless daily routine. Despite his talent, he doesn’t know exactly where his passions lie.
During a chance encounter and a series of unexpected events, Da Yeol ends up on the metaphorical hit list of the school’s golden boy, Tae Hyeon (Ye Chan). Completely opposite to Da Yeol, Tae Hyeon is a social butterfly with everyone, even the teachers, under his spell.
Drawn into Tae Hyeon’s world, Da Yeol quickly realizes that Tae Hyeon’s exemplary student act is just that—an act. Now in a sticky situation at school purely because Tae Hyeon wanted to stir up trouble, Da Yeol tries to forget and move on, but Tae Hyeon is nowhere near done messing with Da Yeol.
All of a sudden, Da Yeol’s life is filled with passion, but not in the way he ever expected.
Why it’s worth the watch:
This is a classic enemies-to-lovers set up with two guys living in totally different worlds: a bad boy hiding behind a good boy persona and a school outcast who sees right through his act. The line between outright bullying and playful flirting is extremely thin with these two. This is one to watch for an unexpected pairing and chemistry you can feel through the screen, especially if you’re an OMEGA X fan.
Start watching “A Shoulder to Cry on” now:
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2. For another multilingual love story: “Eccentric Romance”
The whole dynamic between Khun (Petch Panutuch Saelee) and Jae Min (Lee Woo Jin) in “Love Class 3” was absolutely adorable. Their language differences led to some funny moments of miscommunication, but it also led to a deeper connection. They even started learning each other’s languages to communicate better.
Though cross-cultural casts are generally still rare in K-BL, there are a few more out there, like “Eccentric Romance.” Technically, it is a Korean BL, but one of the two male leads is Thai, and the show’s premise plays into this.
Set at university, the story follows Jay (Save Saisawat), a Thai exchange student, and his Korean friend Sung Hoon (Yoon Jun Won). They’ve always been close and have had this “something more” atmosphere between them, but nothing has ever taken them past friendship.
Things change when the two are enrolled in a “Health and Happiness” class, and they must submit a physical assessment as part of a project. It’s not a love class, but it’s close.
While Sung Hoon is already a fitness buff who does sports and exercises frequently, Jay is the sort of person who doesn’t know how to use a single piece of gym equipment. Thanks to the class assignment, Jay suddenly wants to become fit too, so he asks Sung Hoon to take him to the gym and help him train.
Sung Hoon is ecstatic because he thinks this is a chance for them to get closer. But, plot twist, Jay is quickly convinced by a gym trainer to start personal training, leaving Sung Hoon to watch from afar.
It could be Sung Hoon’s imagination, or jealousy, or a little bit of both, but he picks up weird vibes from Jay’s trainer and decides to investigate. With a murder case being investigated on campus at the same time, there’s definitely something off.
Why it’s worth the watch:
This is a very lighthearted, fun, and funny Korean BL that’s easy to binge in one go. The mini murder mystery thrown in the mix might sound like it doesn’t fit the story, but it somehow works. For an unserious good time, this hits.
Start watching “Eccentric Romance” now:
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3. For another “what are we, really?”: “Something’s Not Right”
In “Something’s Not Right,” best friends Ba Woo (Choi Min Ho) and Jee Hoon (Jeong Je Hyeon) are a lot like Hyun Jae (Saebyeol) and Soo An (Seo Ihan) in the way they spend almost the entire show dodging real feelings and trying to answer the age-old BL question: is there really something between us, or are we just friends? In this case, it is largely the show’s whole plot.
Ba Woo and Jee Hoon have been as close as can be since they were kids, and all throughout high school they’ve lingered on that thin line between best friends and lovers. The secret of their suspicious relationship is that Ba Woo has always harbored a crush on Jee Hoon. Besides Jee Hoon being totally clueless, Ba Woo has kept his feelings hidden because he’s afraid to be rejected and to ruin their friendship.
Now that they are in college and their relationship has only gotten more unclear, Ba Woo decides it’s time to cut ties with Jee Hoon and avoid further heartbreak. But from Jee Hoon’s perspective, his best friend suddenly wants to end their relationship and is unwilling to give a reason, and that’s just not good enough for Jee Hoon. Besides being a little clueless about feelings, Jee Hoon is at least extremely persistent.
While all this is happening, Ba Woo accidentally leaves his diary detailing his one-sided crush at the library, and it ends up in the hands of art student Ha Min (Ji Min Seo). Ha Min, who happens to be on the lookout for a story to illustrate for a manhwa contest, thinks Ba Woo’s real-life story is a work of a genius fiction writer.
While Ba Woo tries to outrun his clingy best friend and one-sided crush, he’s also being chased down by Ha Min, who wants to publicize his story but who also has some pretty good relationship advice. Now it’s up to Ba Woo to find a way to solve both of his unwanted problems.
Why it’s worth the watch:
A silly order of events brings two best friends and a stranger into a chaotic story of unrequited love and friendship. The story comes from the unique perspective of Ba Woo; like his character, the viewer only sees his skewed view of Jee Hoon, so viewers are just as unsure as he is about how Jee Hoon really feels.
Start watching “Something’s Not Right” now:
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4. For more love in class: “Love Class 2”
“Love Class 2” is a no-brainer recommendation if you loved “Love Class 3.” It’s the second installment in the series, but a standalone story, so you don’t have to worry about watching them all in order. Of all the seasons so far, “Love Class 2” has the most love stories in one, all taking place on campus. All three couples have their own story and their own vibe, but they also intertwine with each other.
The first couple is filled with angst, a little mystery, and a “we can’t cross that line” feeling. It starts when Lee Hyun (Jeon Minwook) grows a crush on his high school tutor, Kim An (Kim Yong Seok). The potential for something romantic is definitely there, but because of the age difference and dynamic, Lee Hyun tries his best to keep their relationship a student-teacher one only.
They never really get to address their feelings because one day, Kim An just disappears. Lee Hyun has been searching for his face in crowds ever since, and one day he finds him sitting in one of his university classes. However, Kim An has changed into someone he doesn’t recognize, but that doesn’t mean he is giving up.
The second couple is Min Woo (Woo Hyo Won) and Ma Ru (Lee Kwang Hee). They’re best friends, but Min Woo has a secret crush on Ma Ru. However, Ma Ru might be the very last person to notice. While Ma Ru keeps leaning on Min Woo as his best friend, Min Woo can’t help wanting something more between them.
The third and last couple is another teacher-student situation, but this time it’s between a workaholic teaching assistant named Sung Min (Jeong Woo Jae) and a flirtatious undergrad named Ju Hyeok (An Jeong Gyun). Their silly meet-cute sparks Ju Hyeok’s interest in Sung Min, and he starts pursuing him. Sung Min, however, doesn’t get the message.
Why it’s worth the watch:
Romance just hits different when it happens in the setting of a college campus. This is for you if you love a multi-couple storyline, killer chemistry, and relationships that are worked for. It’s a super cozy comfort watch where picking your favorite couple of the three is part of the fun.
Start watching “Love Class 2” now:
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5. For more music: “First Note of Love”
In “First Note of Love,” Sea (Michael Chang) is a timid young man who hides that he is also secretly a popular music prodigy. He’s stayed out of the spotlight until an opportunity to produce music for Neil (Charles Tu) comes along.
Neil was super popular in his prime, but he has been on hiatus since losing his brother and bandmate. Still reeling from his loss, Neil wants to give up on his music career, but his team believes he should give it another shot. They set up a meeting between Neil and Sea to get the ball rolling, but the two clash right away.
Neil thinks Sea is too shy and inexperienced to work with. He is totally unaware that Sea is, in fact, his biggest fan. Sea has always put his idol on the highest pedestal, but Neil’s first impressions are far from what he had expected. Neil isn’t at all eager to try performing again, but then he hears Sea’s music.
Why it’s worth the watch:
A fanboy and an idol falling in love might be one of the best setups to exist, but it can go either of two ways: really well or really badly. After all, the saying “don’t meet your idols” exists for a reason. Compared to “Love Class 3,” this drama focuses more heavily on the music aspect, and the music is indeed really good. Prepare your tissues: the show explores the difficult and bumpy road to love and healing after a loss.
Start watching “First Note of Love” now:
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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: “Ticket to Heaven,” “Deep In,” “The Prosecutor’s Proposal,” “Don’t Be Too Emotional,” and “Mr. Kill.”
Looking forward to: “Love Scandal,” “Magic Lover,” “Mr. Fanboy,” “The Love Matter,” and “Be My Player Two.’’
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