BL Library - Platform: Tappytoon

Manhwa Review | Stigma by Marloong

Title: Stigma

Author(s): Marloong

Artist(s): Marloong

Sehyun's life is shrouded in darkness. He has little to no hope due to the terrible trauma he has experienced at the hands of his guardian, Michael. The only way he can find any semblance of peace is by plunging into the dirty underbelly of the city he lives in, having unsafe sex with strangers, and confirming to himself what everyone believes: he's trash. He has come to accept this lifestyle until he runs into Boris.

Boris is rude and standoffish, but when he finds a line to an open stall where Sehyun is being endlessly assaulted, he can't just walk away. Stepping to the front of the line, Boris fights off as many waiting men as possible. Once he's cleared them all out, he takes a worn Sehyun to a nearby hotel and lets him rest there. It is then that Sehyun admits that he wanted that to happen, which disgusts Boris. Still, Sehyun can't help being drawn to this bristly white knight.

Sehyun is far from a damsel in distress, but could he still be someone worthy of Boris?

Title: Spinel

Author(s): Baek Ji

Artist(s): Baek Ji

Rowell is the youngest duke in the empire due to the murder of his parents. His parents were murdered because they disapproved of the current acceptance of slavery in the empire. The world is made up of two races. The Pels, the ruling race, enslave and trade the Spinels like commodities. Despite his parent's murder, Rowell continues their legacy, refusing to take part in the buying and selling of humans.

However, all of that changes when Rowell is attacked by an escaped Spinel one evening. The Spinel has unique features, specifically his bright blue eyes, and Rowell is drawn to him. After the Spinel runs off, it is discovered he stole Rowell's pendant, one of the last gifts he received from his parents. He ends up going to meet the captured Spinel and, while negotiating the return of his pendant with Dev, the Spinel, Dev asks Rowell for a favor:

He wants Rowell to buy him. Despite his beliefs, Rowell can't bring himself to leave Dev there and decides to follow through with this agreement. So, Rowell brings Dev back to his estate, and the two learn to live with each other. All the while, Dev is trying to determine how best he can use Rowell to find his missing family.

Title: Behind the Desks

Author(s): Day7

Artist(s): Evy

Lee Taesung just got a job at his former high school. Naturally, he's a bit nervous about returning to a place after so long, but he's also nostalgic as he walks through its familiar gates. One key memory that still brings him joy is when he was in the infirmary, slacking off and napping. He woke up briefly to find a stranger sitting by his bedside. The stranger covered Taesung's eyes, keeping his identity somewhat vague and prompting Taesung to fall back asleep. From then on, Taesung was in love with this stranger, and even today longs to reunite with him.

To his surprise, while trying to find the main office for his first day, he runs into someone who looks very similar to his first love. He's not totally sure it's him, but he can't help but feel drawn to this fellow teacher because of their similarities. The teacher's name is Seo Sunny, also part of the science faculty (Taesung is the physics instructor, and Sunny is the chemistry instructor). Whether or not Sunny is the man Taesung has longed for all this time doesn't matter in the end. Taesung wants Sunny and will do what he can to get close to him.

Title: Mistaken Lover

Author(s): MeriG

Artist(s): MeriG

Jingeon has to protect his best friend. Heeseo, the friend in question, has a very set type regarding those he falls for. They're usually very pretty, cat-like, and always older than he is. So Jingeon doesn't expect any different when Heeseo asks him to help take his place at work while he helps out at another branch. That's where his love interest is, and he's very different from what Heeseo usually goes for. Jingeon doesn't believe Heeseo, but he's still going to help him out so he can be sure this guy isn't going to hurt his friend.

As soon as Jingeon meets Dongyeon, he's not worried about Heeseo being betrayed by his new love interest. If anything, he's terrified that he will hurt his friend. Dongyeon is exactly Jingeon's type, and with Heeseo out of the picture, Jingeon can't help but test the waters. Can Jingeon hold back his growing feelings for Dongyeon for the sake of his friendship? Or will he lose both of them because of his inability to choose?

Title: Melting Point

Author(s): Chamji

Artist(s): Chamji

Hyun has desperately been trying to get a job. He's been trying to get a stable job since he graduated, and since he's nearing his thirties, he's more desperate than ever to finally succeed in his career. Unfortunately, after many failed interviews, Hyun is down to the last company in the area and is determined to get in this time. Unfortunately, while heading to the interview room, he bumps into someone he hoped never to see again: Myungook.

Hyun fully accepts that he probably won't get the job because of Myungook, but to his surprise, he gets hired thanks to Myungook putting in a good word for him. While thankful for the job, he can't help but wonder why Myungook would go out of his way to help him. They didn't end their friendship on the best terms in high school, and Hyun considers them enemies. Does Myungook not feel the same way?

Title: Wish Me Love

Author(s): once

Artist(s): once

Yijin has always dreamed of opening his own restaurant. In order to learn the business and get in on the ground floor, he ends up landing an awesome position in a company under the prolific Joohyuk, a famous restaurant franchiser. Yijin has idolized Joohyuk for so long that, finally, being in his presence is a dream come true. While Joohyuk's accolades are well-known, something else that is very well-known around the office is his sexual orientation. Apparently, the prolific bossman is gay. Yijin refuses to believe it until he catches Joohyuk kissing another man in the hallway at work.

As much as Yijin loves Joohyuk, he despises homosexuality more and begins to distance himself from the president he once adored. Yijin just can't understand why such a successful man couldn't find a woman he liked. His boss's sexual preferences, though, become the least of Yijin's worries when he gets a call from his parents. As it turns out, his parents own a restaurant and recently got a loan to upgrade their business. Unfortunately, while they were doing that, the property value skyrocketed, and the moneylenders, seeing a perfect opportunity, disappeared.

Without a way to make payments, Yijin's parents could lose their building to the moneylenders, which is all they have in the world. Yijin needs a solution and fast, but the only person with the resources and power to help him is none other than his boss. Yijin is willing to do anything to support his family, and Joohyuk will ask for the most.

Title: Intense

Author(s): Kyungha Yi

Artist(s): Kyungha Yi

Jiwoon Kang is nothing more than collateral. After his father, in debt to a large criminal organization, kills himself, the boss, Yoonshik, takes Jiwoon on as collateral. The boss trains him up so Jiwoon can someday work off the debt. In the meantime, Jiwoon learns to kill and becomes Yoonshik's right-hand man. In an open secret, Jiwoon also plays the cooperative, though the unenthusiastic role of Yoonshik's lover. When Yoonshik is sent to prison, Jiwoon is hidden in the redlight district, where he protects the working girls. There, he meets Soohan Lee.

Soohan Lee is mute. He just happened upon the redlight district years ago and, ever since, has taken up residence there, doing odd jobs for a little bit of cash and a roof over his head. His life is rather mundane, even in the bustling streets, that is, until he meets Jiwoon. After getting beaten up while defending a working girl from a customer, Jiwoon comes upon Soohan bloodied up on the ground. Despite their odd circumstances, Jiwoon is compelled to kiss Soohan, which he does. This sends them down a dangerous path fraught with jealousy, violence, crime, and more.

But in the end, will it be worth the struggle?

Title: Addiction

Author(s): JIRAC

Artist(s): Taesung

Kim Ho is on the prowl. He may look like a human, but he is far from it. He is actually part of a species of foxes that once owned large swaths of territory that humans have since taken over. To survive, the foxes have integrated into human society in the areas they once ruled and go on the hunt for mates in clubs. Ho is doing his duty for his species by mating with someone in the club bathroom, but a wolf breaks down the stall door just before he can complete his mission.

As it turns out, wolves also used to own territory in this area and had to fight for the same territory as the foxes. The alpha wolf Han Sirang happens to be the one to come upon Ho in the throes of passion. As soon as he figures out what Ho is doing, Sirang, to gain the upper hand, takes a photo of Ho mid-coitus and threatens him with the image. Unable to do anything else, Ho goes along with Sirang's demands, primarily sexual in nature, all the while trying to figure out how to get rid of the image so he can be free of Sirang's influence.

But what started as a game for Sirang appears to be becoming something more.

Title: All About Lust

Author(s): TIRANO KIM

Artist(s): TIRANO KIM

Wooseung is an art student who has never dated anyone. He never wanted to date anyone until he saw his upperclassman Sunjin's art. Without even meeting the artist, Wooseung feels drawn to Sunjin. Wooseung has never felt this way about anyone before, and he's determined to get closer to Sunjin, no matter what it takes. In his mission to get closer to Sunjin, Wooseung realizes that what he feels may be more than simple admiration but true love.

He doesn't have much hope that his beloved Sunjin could feel the same about him, but that doesn't stop him from trying. He randomly confesses to Sunjin on a bench in front of their college. To Wooseung's surprise, Sunjin admits that he has feelings for Wooseung. However, what Sunjin feels isn't innocent love. Sunjin wants nothing more than to get down and dirty with Wooseung. Can these two stick it out even though their way of loving each other is so different?

Title: The King and the Paladin

Author(s): IRINBI

Artist(s): Park JiEun

Ezekiel is a noble paladin. For years now, he has been steadily building up his reputation, wealth, and standing in society in hopes of one day reuniting with his long-lost love Calli, and finally establishing a life with her. However, before finding her, he is appointed as the heir to a dukedom as the illegitimate son. Ezekiel accepts his role, and as the heir, he meets with the newly appointed queen of the kingdom. To his surprise, though, the bloody queen Calliope is none other than his long-lost love Calli. Before he can even express his joy, Calli captures him and forces him into a marriage ceremony right then and there.

Calliope has suffered for years under the power of her father's concubine and her children. Her only reprieve from the suffering was the company of a mysterious man named Ezekiel, who was being kept and trained by the church. The two shared many sweet and intimate moments. After discovering the corrupt and salacious nature of the church, Calliope's goal is to help rescue Ezekiel and take over her rightful place on the throne as its only direct descendent. However, upon making this decision for herself, she discovers Ezekiel has disappeared, and all she has to go on is the rumors that he has left to become a noblewoman's concubine. Betrayed by her only love, Calliope goes on the warpath, ascends the throne, and with Ezekiel back under her thumb, she is determined to keep him by her side, even if it means destroying him in the process.

Platform: Tappytoon

Manhwa Review | Stigma by Marloong

Manhwa Review | Behind the Desks by Day7

Manhwa Review | Mistaken Lover by MeriG

Manhwa Review | Melting Point by Chamji

Manhwa Review | Intense by Kyungha Yi

Manhwa Review | All About Lust by TIRANO KIM

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