The Boyfriend episode 9- Recap and more details explored

Netflix's The Boyfriend is the first-ever Japanese reality TV series that shows nine young men from the LGBTQIA+ community looking for love. The finale episodes were aired on the streaming platform on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The series has the cast members living in a house, called the Green Room, near a beach. They make friends, fall in love, face heartbreak, and try to figure themselves out while seeking out a partner.

All the cast members bring their own unique personalities and backgrounds while showcasing the best versions of themselves to the others. Throughout the 10-episode show, each contestant had the chance to connect with others and form new friendships.

In episode 9, cast members Taeheon and Gensei had a heartfelt conversation about their experience in the house. Taeheon opened up about being scared to come out to his parents. Meanwhile, another cast member, Ikuo's efforts to help two of his friends backfired.

The Boyfriend episode 9 was released exclusively on Netflix and was titled Accepting You No Matter What. The synopsis of the episode reads:

"Dai confides in a few members for advice. Ikuo's good intentions backfire. As things cool down, a surprise announcement leaves the boys in tears.

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What happened on The Boyfriend episode 9?

In The Boyfriend episode 9, Taeheon expressed gratitude towards his friends and stated that his friendships on the show encouraged him to be more expressive of his true identity. He told them that his parents weren't aware that he was gay but added that he planned on coming out to them soon. Gensei encouraged him to do that and reassured Taeheon that he was doing "nothing wrong."

Referring to a hypothetical situation, Gensei asked Taeheon if he had previously planned on telling his parents. Taeheon responded by saying that being on the show had made him realize that he couldn't hide a major part of his identity. He noted that before that, he had nothing "specifically planned."

"I mean, I didn't have a road map or a specific time panned, to tell them about any of this so..." the cast member said.

Later in the episode, Gensei opened up about his ongoing situation with Ryota, stating that he had feelings for Ryota but wasn't sure how to communicate them. He added that his being unsure was because of how things were between him and Ryota.

Gensei told Taeheon that he would require some time to rethink what his decision would be, but Taeheon advised Gensei to not "think too hard."

The Boyfriend episode 9 also gave insight into the strong friendship between Ikuo and Dai. Viewers felt that there might be romantic chemistry between them, but Dai wasn't ready to give up on his romantic connection with Shun until he was "worn out." Unable to see his friend hurt, Ikuo discussed the situation with Shun and implied he should have a conversation with Dai.

However, Shun said he was ready to talk about everything, but in front of everyone else. This upset Dai, who wanted to resolve his and Shun's issues privately and have a one-on-one conversation.

Dai thought Ikuo was interfering in his relationship, which he didn't like. He also wanted Ikuo to clear things up with him without someone telling him to do so. Episode 10 will reveal what the future of their relationship will be. It will also show which couples made it in the real world and are still together.

Fans can stream The Boyfriend season 1 exclusively on Netflix. To see what the cast is up to, follow their respective Instagram accounts.