If you’re experiencing major “Boys Be Brave!” withdrawals ever since the show ended a couple of weeks ago, don’t worry—there are other fish in the sea. Every K-BL is unique in its own right, but you can find a lot of common themes like second chances at love, college romance, and opposites attract.
Here are five show recommendations if you need something just as good to watch.
Warning: light spoilers ahead!
If you like college romance: “Love Class 2”
If you’re looking for another college romance, “Love Class 2” might just be perfect for you. It features not one but three main couples, each with their own unique yet intertwined storylines. Oh Min Woo (Woo Hyo Won) has a long-time crush on his friend Shin Ma Ru (Lee Kwang Hee), but Ma Ru is oblivious to Min Woo’s real feelings. The second couple, Lee Hyun (J-Min) and Kim An (Kim Yong Seok), reconnect in college after developing feelings while in a student-and-tutor relationship. The final couple, teaching assistant Kim Sung Min (Jeong Woo Jae) and Yoo Joo Hyuk (An Jeong Gyun), meet in a changing room due to a funny mix-up.
This series explores the ups and downs of confessions, young love, and college life, a lot like “Boys Be Brave!” but with the addition of a mystery that you’ll need to call on your Scooby-Doo investigation skills to solve.
Start watching “Love Class 2” now:
If you like second chances at love: “A Breeze of Love”
If you enjoyed the story of Choi Balgeum (Jung Yeo Jun) and Ji In Ho (Ahn Se Min), Ban Dong Wook (Shin Jeong You) and Lee Do Hyun (Woo Ji Han) also get their second chance in “A Breeze of Love.”
The plain-spoken and sleep-deprived Dong Wook and basketball ace Do Hyun reconnect in college, but it isn’t exactly a happy reunion. Do Hyun hasn’t forgiven Dong Wook for what happened in their past, but Dong Wook wants to go back to the way things were. Like Balgeum and In Ho, this pair also gets their second chance at love after losing touch.
If you like a goofy lead with a big heart: “Love Tractor”
It’s unanimously agreed that Jung Ki Sub (Nam Si An) has a big heart, and, at times, he follows his heart and leaves his brain out of the picture! But he’s a lovable goofball with good intentions, so you can’t fault him. You’ll find the same energy in the warmhearted farm boy Ye Chan (Yoon Do Jin) in “Love Tractor.”
Ye Chan’s simple but happy small-town life is disrupted with the appearance of Seon Yul (Do Won), a hurting city boy trying to escape the pressures of his father’s expectations. It’s actually Ye Chan’s bright personality that turns out to be just what Seon Yul needs.
If you like the roommates-to-lovers scenario: “Roommates of Poongduck 304”
Two guys that might like each other moving in together isn’t new to the BL world. “Roommates of Poongduck 304” is about two guys moving in together, though under different circumstances from “Boys Be Brave!”
In this version, carefree chaebol Ji Ho Joon (Kim Ji Woong) is kicked out by his father after being too lax with his responsibilities as the company heir. Scrambling to find a place to live that meets his needs (a place with good shower pressure, to be exact), he ends up moving in with the reluctant Seo Jae Yoon (Yoon Seo Bin), the building owner, who has no choice but to let him stay. The two already start off on the wrong foot, but things get juicier when Ho Joon finds out his new roommate is actually his subordinate at work.
Start watching “Roommates of Poongduck 304” now:
If you like the opposites-attract dynamic: “Semantic Error”
Opposites attract is more common than not in BLs and even in other genres too. The idea of two people complementing each other and learning to understand and love someone different just works so well. Kim Jin Woo (Kim Sung Hyun) might be analytical and hard-working, focused almost exclusively on his studies, but Ki Sub’s bright and silly personality helps Jin Woo laugh and smile. They are a perfect match, maybe because of their differences!
Following a similar tune, “Semantic Error” shows how two major opposites—Chu Sang Woo (Jaechan) and Jang Jae Young (Park Seo Ham)—are able to learn from each other and grow, despite being so different. They definitely hit a few road bumps along the way though. But hey, it’s all part of the process.
Start watching “Semantic Error” now:
Who else is sad that “Boys Be Brave!” came to an end so soon? What are you watching now that it has ended? Let us know in the comments below!
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: “Love for Love’s Sake”
Looking forward to: “This Love Doesn’t Have Long Beans” and “Time of Fever”