From Stage to Screen K-Pop Idols Taking Roles in BL Series
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Korean BL dramas have grown rapidly in recent years, attracting a global audience with stories centered on emotional connection, identity, and romance. As the genre expands, a growing number of K-pop idols have joined these productions, bringing their stage presence and fan followings into the acting world.
Some idols entered the entertainment industry as actors before debuting in music groups, while others explored BL dramas after establishing their careers on stage. Together, they have contributed to the genre’s rising visibility in Korean television and streaming platforms.
Kim Ji Woong of ZEROBASEONE
Before debuting with ZEROBASEONE, Kim Ji Woong had already been active in the drama industry. He appeared in the BL series Kissable Lips, a campus romance with supernatural elements, and later starred in Roommates of Poongduck 304, which combines office life and roommate tensions in a romantic storyline.
Junseo of ALPHA DRIVE ONE
Junseo, who previously debuted in 1THE9 and WEi, later returned to the spotlight through the survival program BOYS II PLANET before joining ALPHA DRIVE ONE. In 2025, he appeared in the BL drama Secret Relationships, portraying an office worker entangled in a complicated emotional triangle involving multiple colleagues.
Yoo Young Jae of B.A.P
Yoo Young Jae expanded his acting portfolio through the historical-themed BL Spring of Crush. In the drama, he plays Geum Sung, who enters an arranged marriage with a character secretly disguising his identity.
Jaechan of DKZ and Park Seo Ham
The webtoon-based drama Semantic Error became one of the most widely recognized Korean BL series. DKZ member Jaechan and actor Park Seo Ham lead the story as university students whose contrasting personalities gradually transform academic rivalry into romance.
OMEGA X Members Yechan and Jaehan
Members of the same idol group, Yechan and Jaehan appeared together in A Shoulder to Cry On. Adapted from a popular webtoon, the drama centers on two students whose relationship evolves after a misunderstanding leads to unexpected emotional closeness.
OMEGA X’s Kevin
Kevin later took part in the BL drama My Bias Is Showing. The story follows a high school student who hides his passion for K-pop until the idol he admires unexpectedly transfers into his school.
Gongchan of B1A4
Gongchan starred in Unintentional Love Story, playing an employee sent to reconnect with a ceramic artist favored by his company’s chairman. The assignment develops into a complex romantic relationship.
Jinkwon of Newkidd
In the 2024 drama Jazz for Two, Jinkwon portrays a pianist navigating rivalry and friendship while preparing for a music performance evaluation alongside another student.
Lee Minwook and Yongseung
Newkidd’s Lee Minwook and VERIVERY’s Yongseung collaborated in the short-form series You Want Some?. The vertical-format drama tells the story of two close friends whose relationship shifts when romantic jealousy emerges.
Hur Hyun Jun
Former THE BOYZ member Hur Hyun Jun appeared in the fantasy BL Color Rush, which imagines a world where certain individuals cannot perceive color until encountering their destined soulmate.
Hyuk of VIXX
VIXX’s Hyuk later joined the same fictional universe in Color Rush 2, continuing the story of “monos” searching for their missing “probes.”
Lee Tae Vin and Woongki
Former MYTEEN member Lee Tae Vin and AHOF’s Woongki led the fantasy romance Love for Love’s Sake. The drama follows a man who becomes trapped in a game world and must fulfill a mission to help another character achieve happiness.
Leo of VIXX
Leo starred in Happy Ending Romance, portraying a writer navigating professional struggles and complicated relationships within the publishing industry.
Junhee of A.C.E
Junhee appeared as the lead in Tinted with You, a drama that connects a modern art student’s life with the story of a dethroned king through a mysterious painting.
Jeon Minwook
After gaining recognition through the survival program PROJECT 7, Jeon Minwook appeared in Love Class 2, where he plays a university student who falls in love at first sight with his tutor.
Zuho of SF9
Zuho took on a lead role in Starstruck, a story about two childhood friends whose hidden feelings gradually surface.
Subin of VICTON
In the BL romantic comedy Peach Trap, Subin portrays a young man navigating complicated romantic situations with several potential partners.
Yoon Ji Sung of Wanna One
Yoon Ji Sung most recently entered the BL genre through the 2025 drama Thundercloud Rainstorm, which follows a relationship that slowly develops from empathy into a more intense emotional bond.
The growing presence of idols in BL dramas highlights the genre’s expanding influence in Korean entertainment. By crossing between music and acting, these performers continue to bring new audiences to the evolving BL landscape.
