REVIEW: ‘The Boyfriend Season 1’ Lacks Drama But Has Alot of Heart

The Boyfriend is Netflix’s newest dating show. The groundbreaking same-sex reality dating show was the first of its kind in Japan, bringing nine men together to foster friendships and find love in a place where they could indeed be themselves. Although Japan has no laws prohibiting homosexual relationships, civil rights laws do not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Over one month, The Boyfriend followed housemates Usak, Gensai, Ryota, Dai, Alan, Shun, Gensai, Taehon, and Ikuo as they lived and ran a coffee truck together. The Boyfriend offers viewers a peak at the housemates’ attempts to find love, foster real connections, and touch on their struggles as gay men.

Overall, The Boyfriend is a very wholesome and endearing watch, which are adjectives rarely used to describe a reality dating show. The show’s tone is very different from most reality dating shows that are hypersexualized, scripted, offer cash prizes, or contestants are only in it to obtain clout and fame. This makes the show feel more authentic as the housemates seem to be there for the right intentions and do not seem to be on the show for ulterior motives.

However, while The Boyfriend feels authentic, it remains somewhat surface-level and focuses too much on only a few characters. The main couple of the season, Shun and Dai, dominate most of the air time, leaving the other housemates vying for Kazuto’s attention and affection. Shun and Dai’s relationship did not feel like it garnered so much attention that it took away focus from other members’ storylines and topics that could have benefitted from more attention.

Other topics, such as the double standards towards bisexual housemates and whether their sexuality affected others’ interest in them, could have been explored more, too. Or the various challenges gay men face in Japan. The subject was briefly touched on and never revisited after the first episode. While the show lacks depth and exploration of more profound topics, it truly shines when it allows the housemates to be vulnerable and express themselves openly.

Despite its authentic charm, The Boyfriend’s lack of drama does get a bit stale due to the lack of drama. The most dramatic moments stemmed from Usak’s chicken smoothies going over the house grocery budget and Shun and Dai’s on-again-off-again relationship and squabbles. What The Boyfriend lacks in messy drama, it makes up for it in the heart. One of the most heartfelt moments this season centers on Usak’s storyline and premature departure from the house. Although Usak claims his departure is due to work, he also discusses struggling to fit in with the group or be his true self.

Other poignant moments arise when Shun opens up about his family issues. Or when Kazuto and Taehon talk about their parents’ expectations and fears of coming out now that they have been on a reality show. These issues felt real and scripted, offering viewers a deeper look into each cast member’s challenges. Despite their differences, the cast members bond over their shared experiences, highlighting both their individuality and shared experiences.

The main issues with The Boyfriend lie within the pacing and execution. Not having all of the housemates arrive simultaneously made it hard for some newcomers like Ikuo and Usak to bond and form romantic connections. Not to mention, after the first few episodes, there were not enough activities or challenges to build romances. Besides working in pairs on the coffee truck and the occasional coffee class, picnic, and staying in the house all day, there weren’t many exciting settings to garner more meaningful interactions. It would also make the show more interesting.

If you want a more wholesome, less dramatic reality dating show, then The Boyfriend is for you. It is refreshing compared to Netflix’s myriad of dating shows. Although it is a nice change of pace for reality dating shows, that does not mean it is without its issues. If it returns for a second season, the show can significantly improve by fixing its pacing and execution and emphasizing other storylines and topics more.

The Boyfriend is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.