Fans of BL (Boys Love) content were recently treated to a new reality show, The Boyfriend, on Netflix. Japan’s first-ever same-sex dating show centered around nine male contestants looking for love. Previously, South Korea and Thailand, too, entertained viewers with some interesting BL dating shows like The Boyfriend.
Koran BL series, His Man, and Thailand’s Bromance are some of the popular variety shows based on a similar concept. However, The Boyfriend has grabbed attention from all around the world. Consisting of 10 episodes, it ended on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The official synopsis reads, “Over the course of a month, a group of men live under one roof and run a coffee truck together to connect and hopefully meet their one true boyfriend.”
Season 1 participants included Dai, Gensei, Ikuo, Usak, Shun, Kazuto, Ryota, and Alan. The show ended on a satisfying note as Shun and Dai walked out as a couple. Fans have been rooting for the two since the beginning. Moreover, Kazuto and Alan also left hand-in-hand and decided to explore their bond outside the show.
Let’s take a look at a few BL dating shows like The Boyfriend:
His Man
His Man is one of the famous BL dating shows like The Boyfriend. In this Korean series, eight good-looking single men stay together for a week. They get to know each other and share their feelings through a phone call. Season 1 was released in 2022, followed by the second season in 2023. None of the couples stayed together in the first installment, but season 2 had Shin Sung-Ho and Lee Jun-Seong. The pair is still together.
Currently, season 3 has aired 10 episodes out of 14 so far. The cast includes Kim Yo-Ho, Son Yeong-Jun, Kim Hwi, Hwang Min-Seon, Kim Jae-Seung, Kim Seung-Jin, Bae Seong-Min, and Cho Myeong-Gyun.
Bromance
Thailand BL reality show, Bromance, revolves around the concept of The Boyfriend in terms of finding love. However, the format is similar to the American reality TV series, The Bachelor. In the Thai version, 16 single men participate to win the heart of a “Dream Guy.” Throughout the episodes, the participants spend time with the Dream Guy alone and also in a group. In the end, the lead picks one partner who has made him fall in love.
With 10 episodes, season 1 was released in 2021. Fans can watch the show on GagaOOLala.
Boyscation
Boyscation is Hong Kong’s first-ever BL dating show that aired in 2022-2023. It consists of ten men who are on a journey to find love. It also focuses on the contestants’ struggles while coming out to their family and friends in a conservative Chinese society. The cast includes Carson Leung, Nelbon, Kevin Tsaii, Lan Yuanwei, and Kenny Yang. Meanwhile, fans can watch the show on YouTube.
Boys Like Boys
Boys Like Boys is a Taiwanese BL dating show like The Boyfriend and His Man. Just like the Netflix reality show, Boys Like Boys explores the concept of finding love while staying under one roof. And, similar to His Man, the Taiwanese show is a journey of six to seven days.
Meanwhile, the description reads, “Courageous men seek love in a six-day journey, discovering heart-stirring first love moments, dealing with unrequited emotions, misunderstandings, and conflicts. At the end of the journey, who will find their true match?” The contestants include BoBo, Guan Yu, Nio, Shih Feng, Gino, and Eri. It has 10 episodes, which aired in 2023.
Meanwhile, watch the latest BL dating show, The Boyfriend, on Netflix. It has become one of the highly anticipated reality series of this year on the streaming platform. The highlight of the show is Dai and Shun’s story.
Stay tuned for more updates!
