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boyfriend material

Netflix’s ‘The Boyfriend’ already has fans in a chokehold with sparking romances & emotional goodbyes

By Cameron Scheetz July 18, 2024 at 12:00pm
Image Credit: ‘The Boyfriend,’ Netflix

We’re more than halfway through the season of Netflix’s revolutionary Japanese gay dating show The Boyfriend, and if you’re not keeping up, you’re missing out on some serious drama!

Oh, sure, no one ever raises their voice, and it’s all very sweet, gentle, and good-natured—but it’s drama nonetheless. And it’s really worth tuning in!

What makes The Boyfriend so groundbreaking is that it’s the first show to focus on queer romance in Japan, a country where same-sex marriage has yet to be legalized and very few celebrities and public figures are openly gay.

Given the reach of Netflix’s global platform, that means the series is elevating nuanced discussions between men who love men about sexuality, relationships, masculinity, emotional vulnerability, and so much more in a way millions of people may have never seen.

The fact that a show like The Boyfriend exists “shows a change in society,” according to Tokyo-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group Fair—and its clear that many involved with the series hope it can continue to push the conversation forward by normalizing the relationships between these men, whether they’re just friends or becomes something more.

*Caution: Spoilers ahead for The Boyfriend up through Episode 6.*

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Dai & Shun’s Will-They-Won’t-They Romance

That tension between friends and lovers is the crux of what’s become one of the show’s most talked about relationships thus far: That between 22-year-old student Dai and 23-year-old artist Shun.

The Boyfriend‘s refreshingly simple conceit brings a group of men (there are initially six of them) together under one roof in a seaside villa, where they’ll live together while also taking turns working in a coffee truck called Brewtiful U.

Almost immediately, Dai and Shun (the two youngest cast members) warmed to one another. The connection between them grew carefully, though the two got to bond while working alongside one another in the coffee truck. However, Dai showed a number of signs early on—including opening up that he’s had relationships with both men and women—that gave Shun pause, wondering if their energies were too different to be a romantic match.

Still, the pair became a favorite ‘ship among fans of the show, rooting for these two to look past any differences and recognize the true spark between them:

But in the most recent batch of episodes (Netflix is premiering the episodes in groups of two or three every Tuesday throughout July), when the houseguests were asked to select who they wanted to go on a date with, Dai was surprised Shun didn’t select him.

Shun decided to tell him he felt they weren’t a match and should just be friends, which Dai respected and responded to graciously. However, after more confusing behavior from Shun (anyone else get stressed out when he wanted to lie on Dai’s lap, but wouldn’t let him touch him?), Dai seemed eager to explore things when a new houseguest—22-year-old food industry worker Ikuo—showed interest.

As Dai and Ikuo got closer, Shun maintained he was cool with it, but also showed signs of annoyance having to watch them hit it off. The latest episode leaves things on a bit of a cliffhanger with them, and “DaiShun” ‘shippers can barely stand the wait for what’s next.

Go-go Dancer Usak’s Emotional Goodbye

Another of The Boyfriend‘s most talked about cast members has been Usak, the 36-year-old go-go dancer. It’s not hard to see why the most muscular houseguest might be a fan favorite, but he also proved to be quite shy since entering the series at the end of the first episode.

Despite the drool-worthy body and the confidence he might project while dancing on stage, it’s clear that there’s the go-go Usak and the real Usak—someone who’s a bit more soft-spoken and with confidence issues that one can infer stem from Japan’s more conservative view toward homosexuality.

Image Credit: ‘The Boyfriend,’ Netflix

Over time, Usak managed to warm up to the guys, especially 27-year-old chef Kazuto, who he got to spend time with while slinging coffee for Brewtiful U. Unfortunately, just as we began to see Usak opening himself up, it was time to say goodbye, as he revealed in the 5th episode he’d have to leave the house because of prior commitments abroad.

What followed was one of The Boyfriend‘s most sweetly emotional moments thus far, as Usak broke the news to the rest of the guys. Through tears, he said that he achieved his goal of coming to the show by sharing his true feelings with others.

@loversbl0 “I was able to have these feelings because you were here. Thank you.” Usak we gonna miss u, wish you the best in everything you gonna do. “We bought chicken breast too. Thank you”😭 Ps. Usak you are not only a great dancer and performer, you are an ARTIST full of talent, those characters you drew were incredibly beautiful. #theboyfriend #usak #theboyfriendnetflix ♬ suono originale – RAON

“It doesn’t matter if you’ve come here for love of friendship,” he said. “I think there are things you can only say here. I hope that all of you guys will cherish this opportunity, share your thoughts, be honest about your feelings, and enjoy each other.”

And therein lies the beauty—and true importance—of a show like The Boyfriend. Even despite his profession, gay men in Japan like Usak don’t always have the space to comfortably and safely share their feelings, their wants and desires. He realized that living in the house gave him the chance to do that, so he grabbed it—with moving results.

After he left, the others found the notebook of memories he left behind—including drawings of each of the guys, which was so cute it had as tearing up all over again.

It was sad to see Usak go so soon, but he clearly won over a lot of fans. We have a feeling plenty of viewers will be following him on Instagram and keeping up with his journey…

What’s next for The Boyfriend? Episodes 7 & 8 premiere July 23 on Netflix, and the final two episodes will drop on July 30.

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One Comment*

  • ingyaom

    If this guy had “prior commitments abroad”, then why did they let him on the show? Didn’t he have to sign a contract?

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