GL dramas, also known as Girls Love, is a category like BL (Boys Love) — a genre that has rapidly been growing and catching everyone’s attention. Every year, we see an increase in BL dramas, and while there are not many GL dramas being created in comparison to that, there are still a lot more shows than there were before. Girls Love dramas usually do not have extended series compared to Boys Love, but despite that, here is a list of 10 GL dramas that are a must-watch if you want to dive more into this genre.
1. Happy Together (2015)
This drama is called one of the best dramas one can watch regarding GL since it features a beautiful, authentic plot line of three couples: gay, lesbian, and straight. It is a story of six friends living under the same roof together and their daily life and dynamics together.
2. Out Of Breath (2019)
This drama shows the realistic and probably bittersweet reality of LGBTQ+ relationships. It shows a story of our main lead who has just been broken up with because her ex-girlfriend did not want anyone to know about their relationship. We follow along to our lead’s story as her friend pushes her to join a dating app where she finds a match. Will it be enough to woo her to forget about her ex?
3. Afraid Of (2019)
Afraid Of is a story about a closeted girl who wants to protect her sexuality and hides it until one day when she meets a girl in her class who hands out her number and asks to meet up after classes. The story is based in South Korea, where being part of the community is not well accepted; therefore, this drama has a great storyline that shows it well. The drama discussed the confusion and constant fears of being a closeted lesbian who has started feeling things for her girl classmate.
4. Lily Fever (2015)
This sweet, short drama had all the potential to be bigger than what it was. It is a lovely short story that you will no doubt enjoy watching. It is a cute story about our main character, Kim Kyung Ju, who one day in the process of looking for her passport that she had misplaced, reaches her friend’s house. She meets our other main character, Jang Se Rang, who is openly queer, and from there, we only see the story develop into something charming and cute.
5. Don’t Say Sorry (2018)
Our main lead, Choi Yeon’s sexuality, is constantly made fun of; it is the material of jokes every time, and there are rumors about it, but she does not let them get to her at all. One day she meets Hagyeong, our second main lead, who is friendly to her, and shows her love, making her feel special and somehow, it makes Yeon feel things she had not yet before.
6. Love Tech (2021)
After being in a relationship for almost three years, our main characters, Jaeyoung, and Soohyun, start having relationship problems. One day, they suddenly receive a phone notification that shows them the date of their breakup and they feel conflicted. What will they do? Will their love win, or will they crash and burn?
7. My Dear Friend (2019)
This drama can probably be called one of the most accurate representations of how some GL goes in real life. It is a story about two high school best friends with unconditional love for each other. But with time they realize that their love for each other is more than just friendship as they initially thought. Not only does this drama show how their relationship works out but also how it does not. It shows how they get through the problems of falling for their best friend and ‘ruining’ their friendship.
8. Chasing Sunsets (2020)
This show tackles two topics that are very common but not talked about enough very well: mental illness and homosexuality. It is a story about two of our main leads who are lesbians and in love with each other. One has a mental illness, and she misses her boyfriend, but is he even real? This drama talks about two girls who have found a liking for each other despite one of them still being affected by her ex-boyfriend. As we keep watching, there are a lot of things that get cleared and the mystery that has been present since the start about the ex-boyfriend is talked about. This story talks about HIV and raises awareness towards that while also showing the problems in the GL spectrum besides the other issues.
9. Transit Girls (2015)
Transit Girls is the first ever girl-love-themed drama ever to be made in Japan, which is a stepping stone for Japan. It is a story about two girls who are opposites of each other and have been caught up in a problematic situation that revolves around family relationships. When their single parents decide to marry each other, they’re forced to become stepsisters. We follow along to watch what happens with their story.
10. Am I The Only One With Butterflies (2018)
This drama is about the sweet story of the employee who has started feeling something for her manager. It is a cliché story of falling for your boss but done beautifully that you cannot help but feel mesmerized. Although the drama is relatively short— just three episodes— you can still see how their relationship develops from employer and manager to something more.
