Japan’s first-ever same-sex dating show is captivating Netflix viewers around the world with its ultra-wholesome take on a well-worn format. It is also part of a growing number of reality shows shining a nuanced light on gay dating, the BBC reports.
The Boyfriend centres on a group of nine young men from diverse backgrounds, gathered together in the sleepy coastal city of Tateyama. On the show, the nine contestants work together to run a coffee truck and manage their household budget with its profits. Across the 10-episode series, the men fall in love and form friendships – while celebrity commentators provide a humorous running analysis of what goes on in their beach house.
Since the first episode dropped on 9 July, critics have welcomed what’s been described as a departure from the overproduced, conflict-driven dating shows generally made in the West, such as The Bachelor and Love Island.
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According to British TV critic and writer Scott Bryan, increasing global interest in non-English language media had contributed to the programme’s popularity. International audiences have grown more comfortable watching shows in languages other than English in recent years, a trend perhaps epitomised by the success of the dystopian South Korean drama Squid Game (Netflix’s most-watched show in 2021).
“Sometimes, watching a show with subtitles means that you actually become much more absorbed in it,” Bryan said. “Because you’re not scrolling on your phone or looking at another screen, you actually have to watch it.”
The critic also noted that The Boyfriend’s focus on constructive, open conversations between its gay contestants helped audiences understand “that there is no one-size-fits-all way to be queer.” Other LGBTQ reality TV shows to have done this successfully were last year’s British production I Kissed A Boy and its follow up I Kissed a Girl, said Bryan. I Kissed A Boy was the UK’s first gay dating show.
