Best Sports BL Manhwa to Read on Lezhin

Within the BL fandom, there’s one kind of manga and anime genre we enjoy: Sports! I mean, who doesn’t love a sports manga or anime? Depending on the character roster and sport, we’re treated to the sight of muscular men doing rigorous physical activities. We see sweat flowing down their toned bodies and showing the audience how very close they are with each other. As the game comes to an intense climax, the bonds these men share grow even more homoerotic to the point that it’s all we think about.

Wait. Was I talking about sports? Or was I talking about sex? In BL, the line between sports and sex gets blurry. They’re both physical activities, after all.

As a manhwa reader, I’ve been enjoying so many sports BL. More importantly, it satisfies my desire to see gay romance blossom, which we don’t often see in mainstream manga and anime (save for Yuri on Ice and possibly Sk8 the Infinity).

Lezhin Comics offers a wide variety of sports BL titles. No matter what sport you’re interested in, whether it’s all ages or 18+, and if you’re in the mood for sweet and wholesome or rough and intense, there’s much to satisfy your appetite.

For this list, I will recommend titles that cover as many individual sports as I can (I can even write other articles based on one sport alone later). Without further ado, let’s dive into the list!

HIGH CLEAR by Yoon Byul (Status: Completed)

Sports: Taekwondo & Badminton

Want beefy gay college athletes? Want sweet, sometimes awkward, romance? Want to see the couple work through their misunderstandings? Want some hot, steamy gay sex? Look no further than HIGH CLEAR! One awkward day, Taekwondo athlete Han Juwon keeps pressing his hands against the big chest of Park Jeong-min, a badminton player. When the taekwondo and badminton teams share a gym together, Juwon and Jeong-min grow closer and learn to understand each other. HIGH CLEAR is a fun read for anyone interested in gay romance that takes its time to tell the story and develop the relationship. As for the cherry on top, you’ll be blown away by how steamy these beefy dudes get when they have sex. With 69 episodes (nice) and two side stories, it’s a fun story worth reading and you want to see these guys have the happiest relationship ever.

Lucky Paradise by Kangneuk (Status: Completed)

Sports: Track and Field & Volleyball

If HIGH CLEAR is sweet and wholesome, Lucky Paradise is the opposite. This BL is the longest title on this list. It has 81 episodes for the main story, 10 epilogue episodes, and 38 episodes for the side story, totaling up to 129 episodes. The story begins with track and field player Ho-in running late for class. With his fast pace, he literally runs volleyball player Chunwoo. Face first into his chest! After a series of embarrassing accidents with his senior, Ho-in gradually becomes attracted to the tall, handsome athlete. But it’s not an easy path, as both men deal with toxic relationships, past traumas, and figuring out a way to move forward.

Admittedly, the story is messy at times and pretty angsty. There are plenty of questionable choices every character makes. But there are plenty of positives. The art is gorgeous, the characters are attractive. Ho-in has puppy energy. And the relationship is younger seme/older uke, which is a unique dynamic we should see more of in BL. And more importantly, the sex between the main couple is extremely hot! Should you adhere to the warnings and read this story, I promise that the couple do find a happy ending (even when the road is a bumpy one).

What’s Wrong with Pure Love by Magoo (Status: Completed)

Sport: Judo

In my last article, I reviewed Woof Wolf and expressed my wish to see more of Magoo’s works. This is the third title from the artist to enter the Lezhin catalog, and it’s a short sweet BL that leaves you wanting more.

Former high school athlete Lim Seojin works as a judo instructor at a training center, focusing on teaching children. When national athlete Ahn Jaeha is invited to help teach at the center, things begin to feel awkward. After a night of drinking, Seojin finds Jaeha masturbating while calling out his name. What follows is a journey of reconnection between the two men. Many of these moments occur in a few private sparring practices, and I’m not referring to judo.

I love Seojin and Jaeha! They make a cute couple. Their sexual interactions are hot! And I love the pace of the story and how their shared past connects to their present so they can have a future together. While it is censored (much to my dismay), I assure you this is just as hot as the other artist’s comics on Lezhin.

Homerun Hearts by Ha TaeJin and Magoo (Status: Completed)

Sports: Judo & Baseball

Surprise! It’s another sports BL drawn by Magoo! Two sports are listed in this entry because one of the manhwa’s themes is centered around baseball fandom while judo is a sport played by the main protagonist, Dohun. He and his friend Ik-su became friends as schoolchildren after bonding over a local baseball team that has ranked low in the Korean baseball leagues. Ik-su’s yearly trips to the baseball game with Dohun end when the former starts a relationship with one of his male classmates. This causes stress with Dohun, who begins to struggle with judo practice as a result. He then goes soul-searching within himself to understand what Ik-su means to him, all while experiencing gay panic and wet dreams.

Homerun Hearts is another short manhwa with 21 episodes. And it’s also uncensored! Thank you Magoo for the sausage plate you’ve been serving with this and Sugar Trap. Thank you for the food!

Driver’s High by Pyogo (Status: Completed)

Sport: Formula 1-style racing

This BL is a unique in terms of how the relationship is portrayed. At the beginning of the story, Leo, an Italian L1 driver, and J.J., a Korean American mechanic for his team, are currently in a relationship. At least they were when J.J. was offered to work in Germany on an experimental engine. This causes tension between the couple as they work out how to move forward. The main story, which is 21 episodes long, jumps between the past and present as we learn how Leo and J.J. met and how they manage their relationship. A 12-episode side story helps resolve some of the story threads and gives us a happier ending!

Without spoiling anything, I enjoy this story and couple. Leo is a spoiled kid, having come from a celebrity family himself. But I enjoy his character development as he learns to be more open and considerate of others. And as for J.J.: HE’S HOT! No notes, just a sexy stud. Thank goodness this comic is uncensored so we can see his naked body in all its glory.

Water Polo Prince by Toeisa and Haechi (Status: Complete)

Sport: Water Polo (of course)

If you’re a fan of tsudere characters or the anime Free!, then Water Polo Prince is an excellent read. The comic opens with a flashback to Lee Chae-yoon’s embarrassing wardrobe malfunction during a match, which leads him to quit the sport. Despite having a career as a model, Lee still deals with a negative attitude because of his public pantsing. Lee then runs into Ham Suho, his former teammate, and the guy responsible for pulling down Lee’s speedo. Lee is then brought in to join Suho’s professional water polo team and resumes his athletic career. As Lee struggles to move on from his past, he learns to find his spark again and rebuilds his relationship with Suho, which becomes steamier as they end up being roommates at the sports facility.

A BL that shows us some half-naked dudes? How can one possibly say no? Speaking from personal experience, Free! started my love for sports anime while also awakening my sexuality. However you feel about tsundere characters, this is a fun read. And at 40 episodes, it won’t take too long to read the whole story. We need more swimming BL! We need to tell the creators in Japan and South Korea to make more!

Ballboy Tactics by Beep-beep, Yajii, and Ji seung hyun (Status: Ongoing)

Sport: Basketball

And here is the most recent title on this list, and I just want to say this: IT’S SO CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!

Following an injury, Han Jiwon retires from gymnastics and enrolls as a photography major at university. Unfortunately, Jiwon gets a lot of unwanted attention because of his celebrity status as a former athlete. Between that and his shyness, Jiwon’s college life is not as peaceful as he wanted. He then ends up encountering star basketball player, Kwon Jungwoo. After many encounters, Jiwon ends up joining a study group with Jungwoo and his friends/teammates for a class project. As the semester passes by, Jiwon and Jungwoo grow closer to each other. They start off as friends, but their relationship slowly grows into a more romantic one. Will Jiwon overcome his shyness and open his heart to this muscular sweetheart? We’ll have to see as the manhwa continues to upload more English translations.

I am falling in love with this title and I love these two athletes! Jiwon is so cute and his shyness makes him adorable. As for Kwon Jungwoo, he is a prince! In every chapter I’ve read, he is kind, selfless, and charming. I adore his interactions with Jiwon! From his small flirtations to his desire to hold Jiwon’s hand, I love how Jungwoo is taking things slow and is very considerate of Jiwon’s feelings. He may wear a blue jersey, but he’s a walking green flag. The pace of the manhwa allows character growth and I know we’re in for a treat later down the line.

And those are some of my sports BL recommendations! Are there any I missed? Any that you recommend? Feel free to share with us. We may even review it in a future article!

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