Best BL Action And Crime Manhwa

Summary

• Action and crime BLs offer thrilling narratives with LGBTQ+ characters in dangerous situations.
• Many fans enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope in BL manhwas, adding excitement to action-packed storylines.
• Steamy scenes and graphic content in these manhwas balance romance with thrilling crime narratives.

BL, as the name implies, is known for its romantic storylines and steamy themes, but what many fans don’t realize is that there is an extremely abundant action and crime section to the genre. A good deal of crime and action BLs include romantic plots, or subplots, accompanied by fight scenes, gore, and mystery. While there is typically some romance or at least lust, these stories provide action and crime fans with what they want, while existing in an LGBTQ+ centered universe.

This subgenre features a lot of openly gay gang bosses, which seems to be a fan favorite judging from the amount of manhwas there are with this theme. Additionally, the audience can expect serial killers and spies that fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella as well.

Updated January 8, 2025 by Ahmed Rehan Nasir: Romantic relationships between two men are already filled with all sorts of predicaments, but with action and crime added into the mix, it becomes an entirely new ordeal. While romance and action don’t exactly tend to go hand-in-hand, several BL manhwa have cracked the code with narratives that feature equal parts gripping action and heartwarming romantic sentiments. For those who have exhausted their libraries, this list has been updated with a few more manhwa laced with crime, action, and BL affairs.

1

Neck To Neck

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.86/5

With an enemies to lovers trope and an undercover agent, Neck to Neck is bound to keep readers at the edge of their seats. After blowing his cover as a spy, Detective Yoo Jihan is left at the mercy of the second-in-command of the most dangerous cartel in Korea.

With a ton of steamy scenes packed into the narrative, Neck to Neck can trend toward a few unpalatable themes, especially with its abusive and coercive elements. Nevertheless, fans of action and crime manhwa who want a touch of boys love melodrama are sure to enjoy this enticing manhwa.

2

Bona Sort

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.92/5

Bona Sort is an entirely novel manhwa, whether it’s the unique location of Menorca, Spain, or the oddball relationship between a gangster and a café owner. One takes refuge on this stunning island, while the other somehow ends up giving shelter to a criminal, leading to an interesting relationship.

Despite its criminal themes, Bona Sort keeps its tonality rather lightweight. With a serene background of a Spanish island and a slow-paced storyline in a café, the manhwa is perfect for a lightweight read that mixes gangster themes with wholesome BL affairs.

3

Contractors of Pandora

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.02/5

Contractors of Pandora cranks up the absurdities with a BL affair set in another world, and that too, between a detective and a priest-vampire. With the world coming under threat, a detective sets out to quell the threats that are set to destroy Pandora.

While the manhwa promises BL elements alongside its action themes, it fails to deliver the romance side of things. Still, the odd and dynamic duo of a detective and a vampire fighting alongside each other while bearing a spark of intimacy is certainly a first, making Contractors of Pandora a worthwhile read.

4

Intimate Instinct

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.94/5

Rivals to lovers is a common trope in BL narratives, though Intimate Instinct manages to add a novel spin on this theme with its gripping premise and equally engaging characters. With two polar opposite detectives partnered together, the result is a series of squabbles that only bring the two closer.

Despite the manhwa’s action-centric premise and graphic content, the love affair between Haejoon and Seohun is rather wholesome and sweet. While an eventual pairing between the two might not be guaranteed, their journey of starting as hostile partners to heartstruck lovers is still well worth the read.

5

Stakeout

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.03/5

The BL landscape is brimming with crime manhwa, yet Stakeout stands out largely due to its two playful primary characters. A gifted prodigy partnered with a free-spirited detective is the perfect recipe for a racy yet enticing narrative, and this manhwa banks on this very aspect.

While the manhwa can teeter toward the raunchy side of things, the action and crime narrative balances out any racy antics. The manhwa’s art style might be a let-down for some, though it more than makes up for it through its storyline.

6

Mad Dog

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.22/5

When Hamin is kidnapped one day, the reality he has been hiding from begins to set in. He is the son of a well-known mafia boss, and although his attempts to get away from the family business were ernest, he gets pulled back in due to his father’s feuding with a rival gang. Now, Hamin is ordered by his father to let Kwon Sehyuk be his caretaker and bodyguard until the feud ends.

Mad Dog is an enemies-to-lovers, romantic action drama set during Hamin’s time after high school. It is available to read on Lezhin.

7

Killer Crush

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.35/5

Killer Crush is the story of people in opposite industries, coming together to help one man achieve his goal of becoming a movie star that will be taken seriously. Kang Dahyeok is a celebrity known for being the male lead in romantic dramas. Joo Taeman is a killer for hire who instantly falls for Dahyeok. Dahyeok decides to go a little method and get Taeman to help him with his acting for a drama where he plays a killer so that he’ll be taken seriously by critics and fans alike.

This is an action romantic comedy that details Taeman and Dahyeok’s lives as they intersect. It is available to read on Lezhin.

8

Peach Love

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.95/5

Sixteen-year-old Love is often mistaken for a delinquent or gang member due to his appearance, but all he really wants to do is collect his favorite collectible items and live in peace. When he’s mistaken for robbing people in the wrong neighborhood, he’s taken in by a group of young gangsters led by Peach. How will Love clear up this misunderstanding?

This is an action BL for older teens. It was created by Fujoking, a successful BL manhwa artist who typically writes mature works. Peach Love is available to read on Lezhin.

9

Murderous Lewellyn’s Candlelit Dinner

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.33/5

When ghostwriter Shavonne starts noticing notes outside his door in the middle of a deadline, he gets fed up and goes to the police. Unfortunately, the police have their hands full with a series of murders and don’t take him seriously. That’s when Shavonne meets his mysterious neighbor, Lewellyn.

This historically set psychological thriller is as enticing as it is creepy. It follows Shavonne as he gets to know his neighbor, learning things he wished he’d never known. It is available to read on Lezhin.

10

Interview With A Murderer

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.1/5

When the Triage Killer is on the loose, one reporter finds an opportunity to get close to him, but at what cost? When Clark’s psychologist friend tells him that he has a serial killer as his client and that he’s more than willing to talk, Clark sees this as a once in a lifetime opportunity and agrees to hear him out. The only thing is that the serial killer wants something in return for his words.

This is an intense, psychological BL that features manipulative relationships and abuse. It is an 18+ title available to read on Tapas.

11

Yakuza In Love

Anime-Planet Rating: 3.88/5

When Min Joon is swindled out of his assets while living abroad in Japan, he meets a little boy who calls him “mama.” It turns out this little boy is the son of a Yakuza boss by the name of Daiki Joe. After he’s done investigating Min Joon, Daiki comes up with an arrangement for him, in which Min Joon will look after his son, in exchange for room and board. The only thing is that Min Joon is really attracted to Daiki.

This is a love story with the backdrop of Japan’s underground, though there is some action, most of the story is about Min Joon slowly becoming a part of Daiki’s family. This 18+ story is for fans who want wholesome content set in an unwholesome environment. Yakuza In Love is available to read on Lezhin.

12

Red Candy

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.22/5

Red Candy is a spy drama that details the events of Shihyeon’s mission to get information on Hajun’s dad, a professor with top-priority intel. In doing so, Shihyeon finds himself in bed with Hajun, another professor who may or may not know the whereabouts of his father. There is action, there is betrayal, and there are lots of shootouts.

Red Candy is as sweet as it is intense. This 18+ title portrays two men with difficult circumstances, falling in love amidst the backset of a mission that holds a ton of secrets. It is available to read on Tapas.

13

Shutline

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.30/5

Shin is a jobless mechanic who works on the streets fixing cars whenever he can. Jake is a gangster who has car trouble in the same parking lot where Shin is parked. While Shin fixes Jake’s car, the tension builds. Shutline is a steamy 18+ BL about the gangster Jake and his new friend Shin. It features violence, gore, and is action-packed for fans wanting a mixture of BL and hardcore violence that isn’t abusive.

Shutline is more than just sex and violence, it portrays two men who are searching for more but don’t know where to find it other than in each other. Though their romance is of the “no strings attached” type, these two, rough around the edges types, slowly soften up when they’re around each other. Shutline is available to read on Lezhin.

14

Nevermore

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.0/5

Nevermore is the story of a spy, James Jung, who is sent undercover to high school to protect his principal from assassination attempts by Samuel “Black Mamba” Gyo. Despite their rivalry, James and Samuel have an intense chemistry that sometimes gets in the way of their feuding. Will James be able to keep everyone safe while potentially catching feelings for Samuel?

This is an action packed comedy BL that centers around James trying to keep his secret from the other students while keeping a watchful eye on Samuel, who is undercover as a teacher at his school. It is available to read on Tapas.

15

Hell & High Water

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.16/5

Adapted from the 2014 novel by Charlie Cochet, Hell & High Water takes place in a world where mutated humans called Therians exist. The protagonist, Dexter, has joined the THIRDS, or, The Therian-Human Intelligence, Recon, Defense Squadron, in which humans will work alongside Therians to prevent Therian-human violence.

This is a steamy, violent, and captivating story that dabbles with sci-fi. It provides fans with romance, action, and adventure and is for mature audiences. Volume One is available to grab on Amazon.

16

Max Mojave Case Files

Anime-Planet Rating: 4.18/5

Set in the United States, Max Mojave Case Files is a suspense-laden manhwa that showcases the relationship between a mafia assassin and a self-proclaimed detective. However, this manhwa is unlike its counterparts that opt for a more lightweight, gangster narrative, as Max Mojave Case Files keeps a grim tonality throughout its chapters.

Chris begins to investigate Max’s past and his criminal dealings, yet he ends up falling for him instead. While such a premise is commonplace in gangster manhwa, Max Mojave Case Files does things differently, whether it’s the slow-burn relationship between Max and Chris or the traumatic past lingering behind both characters.