Calling all fans of excellent reality TV: Netflix is making history (and providing a much-needed breath of fresh air) with its new Japanese dating series The Boyfriend. Dubbed Japan's first-ever same-sex dating show, The Boyfriend, which premiered on July 9 and airs weekly, brings a group of queer men together for a month-long stay in a beach house in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. While living together in a space called "the Green Room" and running a mint-green coffee truck, the participants are set to make deep friendships—and maybe something more.
Netflix viewers know that the streaming giant usually goes for chaotic, jaw-dropping melodrama when it comes to its romantic series and dating hits. (See this summer's Perfect Match season 2, long-running favorites like Too Hot to Handle and Love Is Blind, which is now onto its seventh season, and even to a lesser extent the Korean reality series Single's Inferno.) The Boyfriend sets itself apart from the rest of the reality landscape thanks to its earnest, slice-of-life authenticity. It's a show where the most dramatic moments can come from the cast members' response to anonymous love letters, or seeing how a bit of phone snooping (yes, the cast gets to keep their phones!) can throw off a budding connection. Think Terrace House levels of coziness and intimacy. (One of Terrace Houses' hosts, Yoshimi Tokui, even shows up on The Boyfriend's panel, where he's joined by Megumi, Chiaki Horan, Thelma Aoyama, and Durian Lollobrigida.)
To cast the show, The Boyfriend's team found a group of men from relatively rural areas, who'll get the chance to focus on building connections and experiencing "a blend of romance, camaraderie, jealousy, and everything in between," as described by the show's synopsis. Most of the cast members have everyday jobs (though, yes, there is a model) and genuine hopes of finding love. Below, read on for everything to know about the cast of The Boyfriend (including their Instagrams).
Alan
29-year-old Alan is an IT worker who is of Brazilian, Italian, and Japanese heritage. He explains in episode 3, "I identify culturally as Brazilian, but the place I live is Japan." He also says that he's the "assertive" type, who will immediately tell someone if he likes them.
Dai
Dai, 22, is a university student. Despite his young age, he begins his introduction by saying, "I've been through so much that I believe I may never find love." Still, he quickly catches the eye of some Green Room residents because of his cheerful personality. As for his type, he says, "I'm attracted to people who are a bit eccentric."
Gensei
Gensei, 34, is a hair and makeup artist who enters the house with a realist's perspective: "The best thing is to meet someone compatible, but it'd be nice to find romance," he says. He also admits that his type is "someone who is good-looking and a bit masculine, but with a sensitive side."
Ikuo
Ikuo, 22, is introduced in the middle of the season. He's a food service worker and a total romantic, as he describes how he likes "feeling cherished."
"I love getting butterflies," he says during his intro in episode 6. "I want to sleep together, take baths together ... I'm the type of person who wants to take care of them. I'd like to play with the bubbles in their hair."
Kazuto
27-year-old Kazuto is a Japanese cuisine chef, who quickly stands out for his skills in the Green Room's kitchen. As someone who works afternoons and nights managing a restaurant, he came onto The Boyfriend for the opportunity to find a partner to come home to.
Ryota
Ryota, 28, is a model and a barista who doesn't think he "needs to decide" if he's "only attracted to men or only women." He says, "No matter who I love, that's who I am. I'd like to accept that part of me." He also admits that one of his goals for the show is to "become brave enough to make a move" if he likes the same person as someone else.
Shun
Shun, 23, is an artist and DJ who already has an ideal future in mind: He wants a "same-sex marriage" and to adopt kids. He adds, "Ending up with the person I love would make me happiest .... I'd like a relationship in which we can grow together."
Taeheon
34-year-old Taeheon is a designer who lives in South Korea. A believer in work-life balance, he says that he is looking for a partner who's not in the design field, so they can "broaden each other's perspectives." He also shares that he joined The Boyfriend partly to "openly express who he is" to his family, as he has not come out to them yet.
Usak
Usak, 36, is quickly recognized when he meets the other cast members, as he's one of the most popular male go-go dancers in Japan. Both his fame and his interesting eating habits become a topic of conversation among the panel. In episode 2, he says of his time on the show, "I'm hoping to be able to honestly express my feelings to others."
