Beyond Campus Romance: Rakuten TV’s Top 10 BL Series for 2025 Signals a Genre Evolution

Thai dramas dominate the list, which heavily features fantasy, sci-fi, and the first-ever Chinese omegaverse series.

On December 17, streaming service Rakuten TV revealed its list of the "Most Popular BL (Boys’ Love) Series of 2025," offering fans a preview of the dramas set to dominate their watchlists. The lineup, sourced from Rakuten TV Next Page, points to two major trends: the continued dominance of Thai productions and a bold pivot towards high-concept fantasy and genre-bending narratives.

The list suggests the BL genre is rapidly moving beyond its traditional high school and university settings to explore more complex and imaginative worlds. Out of the ten series, seven are from Thailand, with two from China.

Thailand's Fantasy-Fueled Reign

Thailand continues to prove it's a BL powerhouse, securing seven spots. Many of these upcoming hits are infused with supernatural elements. My Golden Blood tells the story of a man whose rare "Golden Blood" is irresistible to vampires, leading to a forbidden romance with his 200-year-old protector. Similarly, KHEMJIRA involves a man fighting a family curse with a reluctant shaman, while My Magic Prophecy mixes medical drama with the supernatural, pairing a skeptical doctor with a clairvoyant tarot reader.

Sci-fi and royal intrigue also feature heavily. The Boy Next World introduces a college student whose cold boyfriend claims to be from a parallel universe, and The Next Prince follows a man who discovers he’s royalty and falls for his royal bodyguard. For fans of more traditional tropes, Top Form explores a rivals-to-lovers romance between two actors, and Your Sky uses the classic "fake relationship" plot. The list is rounded out by Pit Babe 2, the anticipated sequel to the popular racing-world drama.

China Explores Bold New Territory

Though fewer in number, the two C-dramas on the list stand out for their daring concepts. Revenged Love starts with a provocative premise: a man, after being dumped, plans revenge by seducing his ex-girlfriend's new, wealthy boyfriend.

However, the most notable entry is ABO Desire, the first Chinese BL set in an "omegaverse." This popular fan-fiction subgenre—where a virus creates secondary genders (Alpha, Beta, Omega) and male pregnancy is possible—is officially entering mainstream drama. According to the synopsis, the series will tell the story of an intense romance between a dominant Alpha CEO and a mysterious omega.

PRISM Insight: Rakuten TV's 2025 list confirms that the BL genre is graduating from its campus romance origins. The prevalence of fantasy, sci-fi, and niche subgenres like the omegaverse indicates a significant maturation. Storytellers are no longer just exploring the "coming-of-age" romance but are using the BL framework to build intricate worlds and tell more diverse, complex stories. This evolution is turning BL into a dynamic and innovative force in global drama.