The Boyfriend season 1: 3 key moments in the journey of the contestants

Japan's first gay dating reality show, The Boyfriend, debuted on Netflix on July 9, 2024. Season 1 featured a cast of 9 men, including Alan, Dai, Gensei, Ikuo, Kazuto, Ryota, Shun, Taeheon, and Usak. Each of them brought their own different stories and life experiences.

The show focuses on the exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery in a society where queer representation is still new in the mainstream media. This season included moments where contestants left before the show ended, including Usak and Gensei. Love confessions between the ultimate couples, including Alan and Kazuto, Shun and Dai.

The official synopsis of The Boyfriend reads:

"Located by the sea, the "Green Room" beach house sets the stage for nine men to find love. For a month, they live together and take turns working shifts at a peppermint green coffee truck, forging deep friendships and learning about themselves along the way."

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The 3 key moments in the journey of The Boyfriend

Usak's unexpected goodbye in The Boyfriend

Usak left the show midway through the fifth episode of The Boyfriend. This left fellow participants, the audience, and the commentators in shock. Due to his pre-planned work trip overseas, he had no option but to leave. He also revealed that he knew his time on the show was limited.

He confessed to all the cast members that he was able to confess to the one he liked. Referring to working on the coffee truck with Kazuto and sharing his feelings. He can leave the show, feeling good about that. He continued saying:

"It doesn't matter if you have come here, for love or friendship. There are things, you can only say here. I hope that all of guys will cherish this opportunity, share your thoughts and be honest about your feelings, and enjoy each other for the rest of the time you have here."

Everyone got emotional and hugged him. They all said goodbye, and Usak left with a lot of good moments and happy memories.

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Gensei's emotional Graduation in The Boyfriend

Gensei in The Boyfriend (Image source via Instagram/@gensei.am)

Gensei's decision to leave the 'Green Room' in episode 9 is another key moment in the show. Throughout the season, he tries to build a connection with Ryota, believing that there is potential in their bond. But, as the episodes progressed, Ryota did not reciprocate Gensei's feelings.

He decided to bid a final goodbye to Ryota and 'graduate from the green room' as he thought his time had come. He informed Ryota about it on their shift while working on the coffee truck and then revealed the same to others, later on. He said while crying:

"Looking into my heart, I'm pretty satisfied with myself, and how I saw it through. I gained a lot. I'm just grateful. I've said everything I wanted to say. I was able to enjoy the party with everyone on my last night in this house."

He concluded by saying he had no regrets, thanking everyone for their support, and walked out of the house.

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Shun and Dai's romantic revelation in the final episode

Dai and Shun from The Boyfriend (Image source via Instagram/@shun._.nakanishi/@dainakai)

The finale episode included a proposal from Shun to Dai in front of the beach during sunset. Dai has openly expressed his feelings toward Shun throughout the season, but in the finale, it happens the other way around. Shun said:

"When I look back, I knew early on that, you had feelings for me Dai. I always wondered what you liked about me."

He stated that he initially wanted to be friends but later developed feelings for him. He confessed about falling for him and said he loves Dai. Dai smiled and responded that he loved him too. They were seen kissing each other and walking away from the camera.

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All the episodes of The Boyfriend are currently streaming on Netflix.