Best Yaoi Manhwa, Ranked

Key takeaways

• Shonen-ai in yaoi shows healthy, non-sexual male relationships with attractive stories.

• Yaoi manhwa features intricate plots despite focusing on explicit content and offers diverse narratives to readers.

• Different subgenres within yaoi, such as the supernatural or school life, offer a variety of stories beyond traditional romance plots.

Yaoi, often referred to as BL or Boys Love, is a genre that focuses on romantic relationships between two men. Like any romance genre, there are several subgenres, such as supernatural yaoi, school life yaoi, and comedy yaoi, to name a few. Within the yaoi category is shonen-ai, a subgenre that focuses on non-sexual relationships between same-sex male couples. While shonen-ai is noticeably less popular on reading platforms than pure yaoi, it features some great stories that focus on connection and emotional intimacy or even consist of romantic subplots, making the story more focused on romance. action or mystery.

Some high-performance yaoi are shonen-ai because the readers are not as stereotypical in the BL world. From serial killer neighbors to lifelong friends turned into something more, yaoi’s wholesome little brother has something to offer all readers and fans of the genre.

Updated on October 1, 2024 by Ahmed Rehan Nasir: While this category is often conflated with its BL counterpart, the Yaoi manhwa features a completely unique range of narratives. Even with its slightly more focused focus on explicit content, yaoi manhwa manages to present a solid balance between plot and fanservice. While most yaoi manhwa can be bogged down by unnecessary fanservice, these select few titles present gripping subtext without compromising the plot. For fans of the topic looking for a new manhwa to enjoy, this list has been updated with some more interesting entries.

10

No love zone

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.83/5

No love zone is a yaoi interpretation of the classic office romance between an intern and his new boss. As with any adventure with a power dynamic, Eunkyum’s relationship with her boss can be a bit controversial, especially with the manhwa’s recurring theme of blunt intimacy.

Due to his deep-rooted history, Jihyuk can be mean at times, both in the office and in bed. While this aspect of his personality makes him somewhat unlikeable, his eventual growth redeems him to some extent.

9

monstrous heart

Anime-Planet Score: 4.1/5

Jonathan is the first-year student representative at Agustine Academy, a prestigious and expensive private school that is full of monsters. Jonathan is one of the few special humans who was chosen to enter monster school to help them assimilate into a shared life with humans after graduating. On his first day of school, he is rudely awakened by a mysterious boy whom he later meets in class. His name is Lucien.

Their worlds are full of secrets and violence, but sharing life with someone makes it much easier. Or not? monstrous heart It is available to read in Tapas.

8

Killer Lewellyn’s Candlelight Dinner

Anime-Planet Score: 4.3/5

Killer Lewellyn’s Candlelight Dinner is a suspense drama set historically. It centers on Shavonne, a ghostwriter working on a deadline, and Lewellyn, a mysterious newcomer to town. Shavonne has been receiving creepy notes and knocking on his door all the time, but when he goes to the police, they laugh at him because there is a serial killer on the loose.

When Shavonne meets Lewellyn, who eats raw onions, things don’t go as planned and Lewellyn invites Shavonne to her apartment for dinner. Will Shavonne come face to face with the local serial killer?

7

friend of salt

Anime-Planet Score: 4.3/5

Thomas is a ruffian who was suspended from school for fighting, and Zachary is at the top of the class in grades. When Zachary walks in on Thomas crying in gym class, Thomas fears Zachary will tell the whole school that he was crying. After a day of anxiety over his secret getting out, Thomas decides to confront Zachary with bubble tea in hopes of tricking him into not saying a word. This plan backfires and Thomas ends up doing Zachary’s homework.

This opposites-attract romantic drama about school life features a bad boy and the valedictorian as potential romantic partners. Only, Zachary’s reason for interacting with Thomas more than necessary is a little more complicated than it seems.

6

Between the lines

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.32/5

Baek Dohu is a college student who writes BL novels on the side, and his favorite character archetype is sleazy, manipulative bastards. When he discovers that good boy Juheon is actually a jerk, Dohu becomes obsessed with making him his muse for his novel.

While Juheon starts out as a problematic character, he softens towards Dohu as their unconventional relationship begins to develop into something much deeper. Even as a yaoi manhwa with many explicit scenes, Between the lines It is very much a wholesome tale of two men falling sweetly in love.

5

Killer Crush

Anime-Planet Score: 4.3/5

Taeman is a hitman and good at it. Dahyeok is an actor who recently went from being the male lead in romantic comedies to wanting to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor. To expand his reach as an actor, Dahyeok looks to Taeman for inspiration. The only thing that could ruin their mutually beneficial agreement is if one of them fell in love with the other.

Killer Crush is an action comedy about two people from opposite worlds who come together for something totally epic. It is available to read on Lezhin.

4

The pizza delivery man and the golden palace

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.35/5

The pizza delivery man and the golden palace is another yaoi manhwa that forgoes the usual spicy antics for a more nuanced plot. Despite their polar opposite origins, Woo-Wan and Seo-An find refuge in each other and eventually heal from their past wounds by being vulnerable to each other.

From mental health issues to past trauma, The pizza delivery man and the golden palace tackles all kinds of nuanced themes, while also presenting a budding relationship between two men. Since the manhwa focuses primarily on the two characters and their fights, the story can often feel like a slow-moving manhwa, although the eventual crossover is certainly worth the wait.

3

strange charm

Anime-Planet Score: 4.4/5

When Yoon Jae meets his new neighbor, things are not what they seem. In the middle of their moving boxes is a box covered in talismans, and when Yoon Jae falls near that box, something strange happens. Now, Yoon Jae is being haunted by voices claiming to be his brother, sleep paralysis, and a dark shadow. Will his new neighbor be able to do something about these mysterious events?

strange charm is a supernatural drama about two college-aged men and their relationship as they deal with dark spirits. It is available to read on Lezhin.

2

Salad days/Pirouette in my heart

Anime-Planet Score: 4.4/5

Shen is a dancer and Jinyi is a boxer. They met at the age of 12 when their studies were next to each other and they got along well despite their major differences. Shen comes from a rural village and Jinyi comes from money. Both circumstances make them outcasts within their studies. Fortunately, you can support each other when the going gets tough.

Salad days, also called Pirouette in my heart, It follows Shen and Jinyi through adolescence and explores their respective careers as the two support each other in their endeavors. It is available to read in Tapas.

1

Our sunny days

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.52/5

Unlike most yaoi manhwa, Our sunny days It subverts expectations with a narrative that remains healthy until the end. With a childcare theme, the manhwa largely revolves around a single father’s new beginning in a distant village, which leads him to an unexpected encounter with a passionate man.

Childcare themes are quite rare in the yaoi landscape, making this manhwa one of the few comics that does the topic justice. Sung Ho and Haebom’s playful yet gentle dynamic is enough to hook readers, although the manhwa doubles down on the healthy side of things with its parenting themes.