Our list of Mafia, Crime-Themed BL Series features the best Boys’ Love stories. Our topic is crime and the mafia. I know this theme can sometimes be a bit weak, but we will focus primarily on love and romance, rather than the crime itself. I think there’s no need to overcomplicate it. You’re going to enjoy these BL series recommendations. They are quality productions.
✅ My Recommendation: Other BL watchlists. A unique collection.
Best BL Series with Mafia and Crime Themes
South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand—the locomotive of the BL genre—are all here. I’ve selected top-tier series featuring romance and love stories in the world of the mafia and crime. Quality productions. You’ll especially love the themes of inner growth and healing through love.
Long Time No See – 롱타임노씨 (2017) (South Korea)
A mini-series with 5 episodes, each 17 minutes long. An easy-to-watch South Korean BL drama. The subject matter and visuals carry a true K-BL minimalism. I believe it has a story well worth watching among crime-themed Boys’ Love dramas. It could even be considered a classic of this genre. The year 2017 might seem a bit old, but as I always say, series don’t have an expiration date—they can be watched anytime.
A Tiny Summary and Plot of the BL Series
Chi Soo, also known as Flying Dagger, works for Black Rose, who rescued him in high school from friends who treated him poorly because of his sexual orientation. He is a hitman. However, he is tired of his job and wants to quit.He starts writing his life story as a novel. He meets Gi Tea, who follows the story he publishes online. While their messaging friendship continues, they arrange to meet. However, due to a mishap, they fail to meet but cross paths on the street without recognizing each other. Flying Dagger is also a customer at Gi Tea’s mother’s restaurant.
While all this is happening, trouble arises between two mafia brothers. Chi Soo and Gi Tea, who have met, become lovers. As their relationship continues, Flying Dagger wants to quit being a hitman. However, he has one last job to handle. He will kill the rival mafia leader. Right at that moment, he faces Wild Dog, a hitman hired by the other side.And Wild Dog is someone very familiar.
The series also has a film version. With names, symbols, and a mafia group of only a few people, this theme might remain a bit weak in the series. Overall, the BL theme and romance are in place. The drama offers a story of love,struggle, and survival that you will enjoy. The symbols in the series are used intriguingly and mysteriously. I think it is a series that can be watched for those who love mafia-themed BL, and it will be over in no time because it is very short.Just watch it.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
KinnPorsche – คินน์พอร์ช เดอะซีรีส์ (2022) (Thailand)
KinnPorsche is one of the legendary crime and mafia-themed BL series. Perhaps one of the most loved and most watched series. This is certainly due to the chemistry between the “MileApo” couple. The duo really suits each other in this series. There’s not just mafia conflict; past secrets and power struggles between families are among the other themes in the series.
Porsche accidentally, or rather one evening, saves the life of someone he doesn’t know. The person he saves is one of the children of a major mafia family. Kinn offers this man who saved his life a proposition: he will be his personal bodyguard. Due to financial difficulties, Porsche accepts this offer, but entering this family, working for this family, and mafia conflicts are truly not easy at all.
Over time, a very intense and challenging relationship begins between the duo. As much as they love each other and want to get close, a stark tension begins between them, and this is where you will be locked onto the series. The duo balances each other very well as characters. Among the mafia conflicts, the relationship between Porsche, who actually has a huge secret, and the Kinn family is revealed. I won’t give too many details here because I’ve prepared a fantastic page for that; you can look there, there is a link below with character dynamics and much more.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
Kei×Yaku: Abunai Aibou – ケイ×ヤク －あぶない相棒 (2022) (Japan)
Adapted from a manga, this series has a bromance dynamic rather than a BL dynamic, which is a sub-genre of Boys’ Love. There is a constant romantic tension between the two. Watching this can be maddening. As a viewer, you will mostly be watching the very close friendship, the “bromance” story between Shiro and Ichiro, and how they protect and possess each other. You will also spend the whole series waiting for them to become a couple, perhaps even kiss or have intimate moments; I think this expectation keeps you watching the series.
Kei×Yaku: Abunai Aibou Plot and Summary
Ichiro, a detective who started working at the Ministry of Public Security, lost his parents in a train station bombing when he was a child. Therefore, he grew up in an orphanage. When his closest friend and superior, Senpai, is killed in an undercover assignment, he secretly starts investigating this murder. On the other hand, he is after the young leader of the Minegami gang. He infiltrates the gang and becomes friends with the gang leader.
While on an undercover assignment, he learns that the gang leader is the brother of his murdered superior. As they investigate the murder by making a deal, they encounter an incident involving the prime minister, his son, several politicians, and their children. This new connection, which is also closely related to the bombing years ago, also concerns Ichiro’s younger sister.
Ishiro became the head of the gang to find his sister’s killers. Now they work together as very close friends. As events progress, the two men, who will also learn the truth about Senpai, will form a tighter bond with each other.
To criticize it a bit: A mafia and crime-themed drama without much depth, it is a low-budget and superficial production.Both the gang warfare and the structure of the security institution are quite simple. Generally, the crime and detective theme is handled very simply in similar Asian productions. This is also the case with this series.
However, the main subject of the series is actually the closeness between Shiro and Ichiro. The two men, who become increasingly bonded, reach a level where they would even give their lives for each other. Although the audience might want to see gay love or BL, they will encounter a story with a bromance flavor; I already mentioned this. I am sure the audience will find the bickering between the two men at the end of the episodes very cute. Perhaps the audience will even expect a declaration of love, a kiss, or even intimacy. Therefore, they will follow the series until the very last second of the final episode. Apart from this, as I already mentioned, the other themes are below average. Watch it, you have nothing to lose. I think you will make a good choice among hundreds of BLs. For a bit more detail, you can check the MDL site.
Unforgotten Night – ร้ายนักนะ รักของมาเฟีย(2022) (Thailand)
Unforgotten Night (2022) is a Thai BL series. In the drama, there is a love story of a mafia leader that is obsessive and surpasses passions. A forced togetherness, a one-night stand turns into love while mafia conflicts also get involved.
The series is adapted from the novel “Mafia’s Bad Love” (ร้ายนักนะ…รักของมาเฟีย!!). The page theme of the BL series is not deep, as always. But our focus will be on the emotional transformation of a mafia leader with dark passions and BDSM fantasies. Don’t let the low MDL score of the series fool you; the compatibility and chemistry of the characters are in place. Opposite and conflicting characters, love, and acceptance are in place. The series Love Syndrome III takes place in the same universe.
Kim, who has separated from his lover, will encounter mafia leader Kamol in the dark. Kim, who has an unexpected experience with Kamol, who has BDSM fantasies, wants to forget this night, but Kamol will pursue him. Because he has found exactly the man with the character he was looking for.
Even though Kim wants to escape, Kamol follows him. Kim, living with the ghost of his ex-lover, remains between Kamol’s coercive, possessive, and protective attitude. He becomes very confused. The BL theme in the series is built on this indecisiveness and trust. I can say the page and crime theme are the questions of the story.
Kamol wants to obtain and protect Kim. In the mafia world, his past, enemies, and close relatives begin to create obstacles to their relationship. Kim has seen Kamol’s true face. But will he be able to open his heart to such a dark person? Can such a person even know love, affection, and commitment? Although its setup contains simple mafia elements and is full of clichés, I liked the contrasts and character conflicts in the series. If you want to watch it, just watch it.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
Never Let Me Go – เพื่อนายแค่หนึ่งเดียว (2022-2023) Thailand
The Thai production Never Let Me Go (2022-2023) certainly presents the young master and his servant cliché. But the romance developing amidst mafia connections, crime, action, and conflicts fits the BL standards. Leaving aside inheritance, betrayal, and power struggles, the healing power of love is, in my opinion, the theme that makes the series unforgettable. And we must not forget the compatible chemistry of the “PhuwinPond” duo.
Series Summary and Plot
Nuengdiao, as the sole heir of the Kiattrakulmethee family, is shaken by the murder of his father; while the management passes to his mother, his uncle opposes this. A war has started between the family. Plans for control of the company and fortune begin. The uncle’s son is at the same school as Nuengdiao but is unhappy with his father’s intentions.
Chanon makes Palm Nuengdiao’s bodyguard and schoolmate. Class position, formality, and tension, the developing emotional bond, turns into a total psychological pressure and confusion. You will watch the emotions born within this confusion. An eerie family environment, revenge, and secrets to be revealed also add tension to the BL romance. You will also love this tension. Although the series is dated 2022, it is worth watching.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
Kiseki: Dear to Me – 奇蹟 (2023) (Taiwan)
A Story of Sacrifice and Self-Reinvention
Kiseki: Dear to Me is a 2023 Taiwanese BL series. The drama is on crime and mafia themes. Mafia themes in BL series are generally not very effective; I will get to this topic. But here, there’s not just crime and gang warfare. There are also themes of love, sacrifice, proving oneself, and personal freedom. 13 episodes and a 25-minute length are ideal.
Since series don’t have an expiration date, if you love the love and romantic tension born within crime and mafia, you should watch this series. It really is a good production among hundreds of BLs.
The Subject and Summary of the Series
To get to the subject of the series: Bai Zong Yi, striving to enter medical school and living alone, is an idealistic young man. He lives away from his sick father and sister with a very limited budget. He works various jobs in the evenings.Therefore, he has turned into a person with a stern demeanor.
Right at that moment, he is literally taken hostage in his own home by Fan Ze Rui, a mafia hitman who survived a gang conflict while injured. The tension between them and Fan Ze Rui, who is hiding in the house, begins to turn into romantic tension and then love over time.
But leaving the mafia and remaining amidst gang wars is not easy. Although the duo’s relationship progresses over time, leaving the gang is quite difficult. During this time, Bai Zong Yi will cast aside all his dreams and serve 4 years in prison by taking the blame for the crime committed by the man he loves.
Bai Zong Yi, who has lost his dreams and the chance to become a doctor, has realized his father’s organ transplant. Of course, this is not the only return; he waits for his lover in the patisserie he opened.
I accept in the series that the mafia theme is weak. But don’t expect a villain and mafia depth like in The Godfatherfilm. Or don’t expect a gladiatorial war either. This is a boys’ love story. The mafia theme is just the sauce of the story.The series has subtexts of not just sacrifice, but also the acceptance of sexual orientations, charting one’s own path,accepting love, and that gay people can also be a family. The important thing is the healing power of love and spending life together. Both main characters will learn to love over time and will overcome the difficulties of life. Other gay characters in the series also go through a similar process of change. Without forgetting, this series is one of my favorites. As I said, focus on love and sacrifice. More technical details are on the MyDramaList site.
My Dear Gangster Oppa – พี่นักเลงที่รัก (2023) (Thailand)
My Dear Gangster Oppa is a BL series adapted from a manga. The drama, a BL webtoon adaptation, is 8 episodes. I think 45-minute episodes were sufficient. Mafia conflicts, the story of a mafia hitman who wants to get out of the mafia and establish a calm life with his love. There are also themes like romance, the healing power of love, heartbreaks, and emotional and personal growth.
Mafia conflicts are, of course, a decoration here, as in the other series. Our main topic is love. Although the Thiu character is a stern mafia member, love transforms him, and he will want to get out of the dirty world he is in. This is a big transformation for him. Guy is a pure university student with ideals. I think the themes of resentment, missed loves,and self-acceptance are also well explained in the series.
A Short Summary and Review of the BL Series
Thiu is in love with his first and best friend, Wal, who has been with him almost all throughout his student life.However, Wal has chosen his side at the university with his girlfriend. Still, even though he is his best friend, Thiu’s love for his closest friend continues. During this time, Thiu, who has arranged an appointment to meet his online gaming friend group face-to-face, will introduce the team to Guy, who he gets along best with in the game.
Thiu, who has a calm personality with few friends outside of gaming, meets the very handsome Guy and other gaming friends. During this time, Guy has long fallen in love with his gaming friend. However, he will hide that he is a gangster, does illegal business, and is a member of a gang. He introduces himself as a restaurant owner and immediately sets about opening a restaurant.
On the other hand, the war with the members of the rival gang and competition within the same gang has also increased. Wal, on the other hand, has started to be jealous of Guy. Right at that moment, Thiu has learned the true job of his new friend. He will demand an explanation from him. Thiu will probably choose whom? Is Wal also in love with Thiu? Or are difficult days ahead for Thiu, who will have to make a choice between two loves and two men?
A watchable series for the sake of love, courage, and self-acceptance. The character chemistry is also in place. Perhaps in some places, the series is very lighthearted, like the familiar Thai university series. The Wal character, alternating between being very cute and being a nuisance, is actually someone who hides his sexual orientation and cannot overcome himself. He misses his high school love who loves him. On the other hand, Kenji’s revenge actually strengthens the love theme and drama in the series. An average BL story within mafia and crime themes, just watch it.It was one of the series I liked. I especially liked the name of the series. You can check the MDL site for technical details.
The Heart Killers – เขาจ้างให้ผมจีบนักฆ่า (2024-2025) (Thailand)
The Heart Killers (2024-2025) is a Thai BL series offering romance within crime and action. As always, the mafia or crime theme is weak. However, the cast is solid. Again, character chemistry is also good. There is a particularly ominous romance where trust and commitment are questioned. The basic clichés in BL series are also here. However,the theme of a fake relationship or fake emotions turning into reality, and the emotional development between betrayal and necessity, is good. The series is watchable. For this reason, it entered this list.
Although the subject is inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, it is closer to 10 Things I Hate About You. One of the reasons the series is loved, perhaps the best reason, is having popular actor couples like “FirstKhaotung” and “JoongDunk.”
The Subject and Review of the Series
The series begins with a simple crime theme, featuring hitman brothers with uncertain mafia connections and goals.The brothers Bison and Fadel are under police pursuit. Bison has a one-night stand with Kant, who he met at a Rowling salon; although he hides his identity, he makes a careless mistake. This carelessness will turn into love over time.
Kant is under police supervision due to some crimes; he will make a deal with the police for his criminal record to be erased. Kant and Bison’s paths will cross again, but this time it is not a coincidence, a police deal unites them. In the series, you will watch the painful process of the two’s emotions turning into reality. The emotions of Kant, who is a police informant, will also change, but he is in a dilemma and has made a deal with the police.
Fadel is cautious; the fact that Bison finds the restaurants keeps his suspicions alive. Bison, on the other hand,continues to jeopardize secrecy with feelings of love. Being in love and emotionality is a feeling that should not be present for hitmen in the crime world.
Throughout the series, you will watch a fake relationship turn into reality, the development of characters, trust, and commitment. Of course, don’t forget the crime and mafia themes and the police pursuit. In my opinion, it’s a watchable BL series. Although it contains general BL clichés, it is satisfying as a romance.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
The Bangkok Boy (2025) (Thailand)
The Bangkok Boy presents a stern mafia-themed BL romance in 2025. Perhaps the classic BL audience will not like the series. Because there is no idealized gay universe, no “cutesy” youthful love. It is also not a university youth series where they run around smiling. The drama will include conflict, justice, and revenge.
The story of two young people who cannot be themselves, failing to create both their emotions and their identities.One, with the compulsion of his mafioso family and father, wants both to postpone his gay identity and career and get involved in dirty business. The other character is in pursuit of revenge. He also tries to exist in a dark crime world.
Sun, trying to finish high school, implements his own rules with his stepbrothers while not getting involved in his father’s gang. His father, who refuses to sell drugs, is executed by a powerful mafia.
Sun loses his friend in Madam Yao’s attack by Aim and his gang; he gets 3 years in prison for killing a man after the fight. The night his father was also killed is the beginning of the transformation.
While Sun is inside, his father’s group disperses; Aim and his gang take over the streets. Sun’s sister has been Aim’s prisoner for three years; first, he must rescue her, then take revenge for his father’s dead friend. A love story turning from revenge into true emotions. It portrays not just romance, but the struggle of the characters to break their molds and be themselves.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
The Journey to Killing You – あなたを殺す旅 (2025) (Japan)
The Journey to Killing You is a 2025 Japanese production crime and mafia-themed BL series. The mafia subject is a bit in the background, but the developing emotions on the journey are what matter. In the BL series, I can say there is average psychological tension or romantic tension with a minimal narrative. Character chemistry is also good. The themes of emotions turning from hate into love, the healing power of love, and facing true feelings are strong. You will also love the theme of leaving the burdens of the past and psychological healing. A hitman begins to discover the man he must kill.
While the mafia patron is dying, Kirii Keito gives Odajima the task of killing Kataoka, the second legal heir, to become the sole heir. They set out on a long journey; on this journey, the stepson of the mafia emperor absolutely must die.
Kataoka, while escaping from his family’s assassination, also takes Odajima with him; he is unaware of his traveling companion’s secret mission. On the journey, psychological war and the turmoil within their inner worlds emerge. The point I think you will love most in the series will be the two sharing their inner worlds and facing truths throughout the journey. This confrontation will acquaint them with love and the healing face of love. The acting and chemistry are very good. In my opinion, it’s a watchable BL.
✅ Continued: More details and characters are here.
Sammy’s Children’s Day – 初三的六一儿童节 (2026) (Hong Kong)
The mafia-themed series offers drama and slow romance with high character compatibility. There is a theme of suppressing emotions and inner turmoil, an ominous romance that develops slowly. The BL theme and love don’t develop and burn out all at once. Romance also changes and develops the characters. There is no passionate, driving-wild love. There is a cautious and very “reserved” romance that doesn’t reveal itself until the last moment. The mafia and crime themes are not very deep, as always…
He Chu San is a student raised by his stepfather, away from gangs; his family died in a gang war. Xia Liu Yi, besides leadership, will want to take him on as a scriptwriter while looking for a writer for a film. He Chu San will never be a gang leader’s man; a closed and distant romance will be born between the duo.
Even though the mafia theme is cliché, the relationship progressing between “bromance” and BL, inner reckonings, and the healing effect of love are found to be strong. You must wait until the end of the series to hear that magic “I love you” sentence for love.
