Summertime (2026)

Youth, Romance and Secret Feelings Wrapped in Beautiful Korean BL Magic

As soon as I found out Summertime was from Studio Oak Company, the same production company behind The Prosecutor’s Proposal, Thundercloud Rainstorm and Ball Boy Tactics, I was so happy. I already knew this had the potential to be another outstanding BL when it came to production quality, acting, storytelling and chemistry.

And DAMN, that opening scene was HOT! I absolutely was NOT expecting the series to start like that. What a way to grab my attention from the very beginning! They really said, here is your NC scene right from the start!

Even though each episode is only around 20 to 25 minutes long, the series never feels rushed or cheaply produced. The pacing is surprisingly smooth, and every episode makes great use of its short runtime. Everything looks polished and beautifully put together, from the cinematography and locations to the warm and colourful atmosphere. It has that clean Korean BL aesthetic while perfectly capturing the youthful summer vibe that makes the title Summertime feel even more fitting.

The cast is another major highlight. The chemistry between EunHo and DoHyeon feels incredibly natural, with the perfect balance of friendship, sweetness and underlying romantic tension. I especially love their childhood friends dynamic because you can genuinely feel how comfortable they are with each other after growing up together.

The youth and romance elements work beautifully together too. There is something nostalgic about watching two people who have known each other practically their entire lives slowly realise that their relationship could become something more. The childhood friends trope, secret crushes, student life and campus setting all give the story such a refreshing and youthful feeling.

DoHyeon has had feelings for EunHo for a long time, but because they are both boys, he has kept those feelings hidden. I absolutely loved the fantasy scene with DoHyeon’s wet dream, especially the way it came back to him when EunHo bent down in front of him in real life to tie his shoelace while looking up with that innocent expression. Connecting DoHyeon’s fantasy with what happened in reality was such a smart piece of storytelling. The way that moment immediately brought all those feelings back to the surface was so well done, and honestly, my jaw dropped watching it.

Then we have transfer student Yihyun coming in to shake everything up! My heart honestly hurt for him because he had already experienced bullying for being gay before transferring, only to face it again at his new school. I was so happy when EunHo stood up for him. What I loved even more was that when Yihyun told EunHo he was gay, EunHo never mocked him or treated him differently. He simply accepted him and showed him what a true friend should be like. This is what friendship should be about, supporting someone when they need it most.

And of course, I am ALWAYS here for a little jealousy and romantic tension! One person has secretly carried his feelings for almost 19 years, while another begins falling for EunHo after finally meeting someone who stood up for him and made him feel accepted. One love has been growing for nearly two decades while the other has only just begun. It adds the perfect amount of emotional tension without taking away from the sweetness of the story.

Episodes 7 and 8 were easily some of the biggest highlights for me and took EunHo and DoHyeon’s relationship to another level. Episode 7 gave us so many passionate kisses, including that thrilling moment in the teacher’s bathroom, but I also loved the softer side of their relationship, especially the note about their future after graduation and the yellow roses symbolising both friendship and eternal love. After 19 years together, it felt like they were finally beginning the next chapter of their lives.

Then Episode 8 completely blew me away. Their intimate scene against the window with the fireworks exploding behind them was easily one of the most memorable intimate scenes I have seen in a Korean BL. It was beautifully filmed, passionate and full of chemistry, and you could really feel the emotions between them. Their adorable winter date afterwards, with all the hand holding and endless kisses, made everything even sweeter. It is so hard to find a BL that manages to deliver both a story I genuinely care about and convincing romantic chemistry, but *Summertime* absolutely delivered both.

My only small criticism is the ending, but I’m going to ignore it because I really enjoyed the drama overall. 😂 Honestly, just don’t watch the last five minutes because I was NOT expecting THAT!

Overall, Summertime is beautiful, colourful, romantic and full of chemistry. The cinematography is gorgeous, the acting is strong, both male leads look fantastic together, and the story has exactly the kind of youthful romantic atmosphere I love.

If you love Korean BLs, youth romance, childhood friends to lovers, long held secret feelings, jealousy, love triangles and plenty of romantic tension, Summertime is definitely worth watching.

I’ve watched almost every high school BL released this year from Japan 🇯🇵, Thailand 🇹🇭 and Korea 🇰🇷, and Summertime has completely won me over. For me, it is the spiciest and boldest of them all and easily my favourite high school BL of 2026 so far! ❤️

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