The Boyfriend (TV series)

*The Boyfriend*
The Boyfriend
	Promotional poster
Japanese	ボーイフレンド
Genre	Reality television; Dating show;
Country of origin	Japan
Original language	Japanese
No. of episodes	10
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	July 9 –; July 30, 2024

The Boyfriend (Japanese: ボーイフレンド, Hepburn: Bōifurendo) is a Japanese reality dating show on Netflix.^[1]^[2]^[3] It is the nation's first same-sex dating program. It premiered on July 9, 2024.^[4]^[5]

Format

The show initially features a cast of 6 Japanese and East Asian men who identify as gay or bisexual living together in a house called "The Green Room". Three more cast members are added as the show progresses. Each day, one cast member is selected by the show's unseen producers to run a coffee truck; that cast member may select one other participant to run the truck with them that day. The coffee truck allows participants to deepen their relationship without interference from the rest of the cast, who remain at the Green Room and maintain the house, relax, or socialize. Periodically, the cast are allowed to indicate who they would like to take on a more conventional date; each participant gets only one vote, and only mutual matches get to go on the date. The show is not a competition and thus no participants are eliminated.

Periodically, the show cuts to a panel of commentators chaired by Megumi, who discuss the cast's actions and relationships, and offer their own opinions on who should date whom. They also provide additional commentary and insight regarding homosexuality in Japan and LGBT rights in Japan.

Cast

Contestants

Entrance	Name	Age	Occupation	Episodes
Entrance	Name	Age	Occupation	Episodes	1	Dai (ダイ)	23	university student	1–10
2	Taeheon (テホン)	34	Product designer	1–10
3	Ryota (リョウタ)	28	Model and barista	1–10
4	Gensei (ゲンセイ)	34	Hair and makeup artist	1–9
5	Shun (シュン)	23	Artist and DJ	1–10
6	Kazuto (カズト)	27	Japanese cuisine chef	1–10
7	Usak (ユーサク)	36	Go-go dancer	1–5
8	Alan (アラン)	28	IT worker	3–10
9	Ikuo (イクオ)	22	Burger shop worker	6–10