The editorial team wracked their brains to find something to make you smile on this “Blue Monday,” officially “the most depressing day of the year.” Well, season 2 of The Boyfriend, the Japanese gay reality series, which has just landed on Netflix, might do the trick…
It’s one of the few gay shows, coming to us from Japan, and it’s a treat. In the vein of dating series to watch under the blanket like Terrace House or Offline Love, The Boyfriend returns for a season 2 on Netflix and it’s exactly what we needed to fight off the winter gloom that lurks…
The premise is simple: eight single gay men will share their daily lives for two months… and perhaps find love. For this season, they move into a snowy house on the island of Hokkaido called The Greenroom. In a sublime setting that makes you want to snuggle under the blanket or explore the surroundings on a snowmobile, the participants, aged 20 to 40, spend their days between the gym, sauna, hot baths, snow activities and cooking. They also have a mission: to run in pairs, in turn, a mobile café.
Une occupation qui rythme l’émission et crée l’un de ses ressorts : chaque jour, un des participants est désigné pour choisir celui qui l’accompagnera à bord du foodtruck pendant que les autres resteront à la maison. Évidemment, chacun choisit généralement celui sur lequel il a des vues, car c’est un moyen de mieux se connaître, d’explorer ses affinités et de resserrer les liens.
A little love and tenderness
We are far from the loud, closed-doors reality TV that thrives only on clashes and drama. It is for the pleasure of watching romantic feelings arise, for hearts that race, for hesitations and missteps that we watch The Boyfriend. And we continue for the kindness and frank discussions, but also for friendship and listening among the participants.
The on-set commentators – a very Japanese peculiarity – who react with humor and tenderness to what is happening on screen, contribute to this feeling of gentleness and empathy. Likewise for the opening credits, which fuse bubbly pop and drawings of the participants.
In a Japan lagging behind on LGBTQI+ rights, where same-sex marriage is not nationally recognized, The Boyfriend offers a generous and cliché-free vision of relationships between guys. The series also provides a hopeful look at dating for those who are tired or disappointed: with listening, honesty and mutual respect, encounters can lead to something healthy and pretty. A bit of a soft romantic vibe but not silly, cute without being reserved for teenagers, The Boyfriend is a small bubble of queer sweetness perfect for warming the heart through the winter.
