“Boyfriend” injects new ideas into reality show love – Lifestyle

Netflix’s favorite thing to do is bring people together to find love.

This time around, they’ve brought us a brand new concept – a fusion of Jersey Shore, Big Brother, and your favorite anime.

Forget “Perfect Match,” “Too Hot to Handle” and even “Love Is Blind,” and applaud Japan’s gay dating experiment, “Boyfriend.”

Eight men live together in a house called the Green Room for a month to find and cultivate romantic relationships and friendships. During this time, they also take turns operating a coffee cart and use the proceeds from the coffee cart for their own consumption.

What makes this show different from many other reality shows is that since it’s about gay people, the possibilities for who can relate to whom are endless. This adds to the drama as everyone is competing to be with the one person who makes their heart flutter.

Besides that, the way Japanese video editors produce the episodes is very soothing and unique.

Unlike the Western reality shows we’re used to, there’s no dramatic music or sudden jump cuts, and there’s little forced conflict or drama. A lot of it feels like a lo-fi Studio Ghibli dream.

Show creator Haruki Hashizume stressed the importance of building a community among the participants and said he made sure not to prioritize romance over friendship.

Besides being a source of curiosity and a love of peeking into people’s most private moments, the show also has a documentary-like effect, giving us a different perspective on love and healing. It also helps that “Boyfriend” showcases the beauty and tranquility of Japanese and Asian society.

Among the eight men are dancers, chefs, models, college students, makeup artists, internet celebrities and entrepreneurs. From the first day, the letter-writing activity brought them into a deep intimacy; then the coffee truck shifts allowed participants to get to know their roommates in a private space; and of course, the arrival of new faces kept changing everything.

If you’re like me and love watching people fall in love, this show is for you.

There are many moments that will make you feel anxious or tearful, but the show is so warm and sincere, with just the right amount of humor, that I finished watching all ten episodes in two days.

I think what helped was that a lot of the cameras were fixed and in certain locations around the house, which meant the actors could relax more and act as naturally as possible.

What we are presented with is a quaint human story about the power and might of love in breaking down barriers, healing trauma, and building strong connections.

The 2024 series is available to stream online, with multiple reunion specials courtesy of Netflix Japan.

– Anne Hambuda is a poet, writer and social critic. Follow her online or email her at annehambuda@gmail.com for more information.