THE BOYFRIEND E1 - UNCUT
Added 2024-08-26 13:36:00 +0000 UTCFor the first time ever - ASWT are doing a Reality TV Show!
It's important to remember that representation exists beyond fiction - its everywhere and especially in reality shows like this
We are so excited for this journey as it starts some new discussions too, including problematic representation!
If you want us to continue, comment and like below!
we hope you enjoy Patrons!
xoxo
Comments
Ooh, I've watched this and thought it would be great to see your reactions!
beacan
2024-09-07 17:33:49 +0000 UTCplease continue, even if i have seen it all before it was a blast watching it again with you two especially with your wicked banter going on. i will admit the show took everyone who watched it for a rollercoaster ride emotionally so be prewarned about that.
velvettears 669
2024-09-06 14:04:15 +0000 UTCI subscribed to your Patreon as soon as I saw your YouTube version. It's interesting to see the show from a Western point of view. I'm looking forward to your reaction to episode 2! Love from Japan.
英里 上野
2024-09-03 05:19:08 +0000 UTCLoved that you guys are reacting to this show. I really hope you continue because it is so good. And I love hearing your perspectives on it. This was an amazing reaction!
GabbyB
2024-09-01 22:34:02 +0000 UTChonestly shun definitely meant dai has the “ideal body that shun likes” it was kinda obvious to me but I get that it can be differently perceived..
yo
2024-09-01 19:11:31 +0000 UTCI loved this show I really hope there is a season 2.
Vedia
2024-09-01 18:53:38 +0000 UTCI just subscribed to your patreon after seeing your reaction to the boyfriend on YouTube 🩷 I’m so excited ✨
Honey
2024-09-01 02:17:57 +0000 UTCContinue please - it is frustrating at times but really shows the difference between western and eastern cultures.
David Vriesenga
2024-08-31 07:03:31 +0000 UTCI’m so glad you guys are watching this!!! I would also love to your reaction to “His Man” that’s another great reality tv show.
Zoey Barnwell
2024-08-28 19:05:56 +0000 UTCI’m not familiar with this series but I did watch “I kissed a boy” with another reactor. Let’s see what happens here
Diane Furlong
2024-08-28 19:04:01 +0000 UTCI'm so glad I joined the Patreon right now, because I loved this show, and I'm so here for your reactions to it. The contestants are extremely polite, and for me that is part of the charm of the show. Looking forward to the rest of the episodes!
Francois Tredoux
2024-08-28 14:39:17 +0000 UTCI have watched a lot of the Asian gay dating shows available online . Most people agree Korean His Man season 2 (out of 3 ) is really worth watching . Parts of it have become iconic. I like Filipino Sparks Camp 1 and 2 , campy, very inclusive, moving, fun . They talk a lot about their past experience as gay or bi people, and the host is fantastic . I enjoyed Taiwanese "Boys like Boys"", the men were likeable . I haven't finished Boyscation yet , Chinese gay dating hit differently ! The Vietnamese one is the show I was least interested in, but it had a low budget.
Saye
2024-08-28 09:35:07 +0000 UTCThere' s a Thai esquivalent called "Bromance" . I might check the German one, out of curiosity and to practise my German .
Saye
2024-08-28 09:27:54 +0000 UTCIf you’re wanting to make recommendations, pop over to the Discord and share them there (please see the “Community Rules” on Discord for how to do this): https://discord.gg/vDZvuDv9vY Discord is the only place where Alex and Josh engage with recommendations, and we manage the official Recommendations List there. 🙂 -Moderator-
Sam S
2024-08-28 08:07:46 +0000 UTCI kept hearing about this and seeing clips on social media, but didn’t watch it. Excited to watch it with your commentary.
Ben
2024-08-28 03:10:00 +0000 UTCProbably already been told this but the commentators are just known celebrities in Japan. No psychologists involved. I like their input to break the tension of some of the scenes.
Trixy_loves_the _world
2024-08-28 00:17:11 +0000 UTC“Coming out”. What a great way to… 🤔kind of box your parents in. Society says it’s ok to put your son in an international series all about his sexuality😳🤔👍🏽. Hard to hold up any of their prejudice after that👏🏽👏🏼👏🏾👏🏻
Trixy_loves_the _world
2024-08-27 23:14:54 +0000 UTC🎉🥳🎊I’m so HAPPY! I was wanting to suggest this, and the other dating shows, but didn’t know the best way to go about it! This one has a uniques format. The Korean one “His Man”. Taiwanese “Boys like Boys” and then my favorite, from the Philippines, “Sparks Camp”. (Hope this isn’t considered a spoiler)
Trixy_loves_the _world
2024-08-27 22:57:06 +0000 UTCJust so you guys know, much of the show was cut out to create tension. So don't get too carried away with how some are portrayed.
Donta Scarlett
2024-08-27 21:30:10 +0000 UTC🫶🏽
Frances
2024-08-27 20:50:46 +0000 UTCaww decided to watch this with you guys and it's so good. I don't have Netflix anymore so I have to wait for you guys lol but I love kazuto and the awkward model boy.
Claudia
2024-08-27 14:27:47 +0000 UTCLoved The Boyfriend! If interested ya'll should check out Korean dating show HisMan seasons 1,2,3. All were fantastic.
MollAMill
2024-08-27 13:25:29 +0000 UTCTrue, sorry from Köln
David Vriesenga
2024-08-27 13:17:38 +0000 UTCI binged all 10 episodes over the course of last night and this morning. 😂 I definitely got more invested in this than I was expecting to.
Sam S
2024-08-27 10:26:40 +0000 UTCI'm not really into reality TV, but decided to watch the first episode before watching your reaction. And now I am invested after only a single episode!
Ivy Yap
2024-08-27 04:33:52 +0000 UTCI’m so excited for you guys to watch this show! I loved it.
Dani
2024-08-26 22:36:42 +0000 UTCI've watched a few episodes of it now and really enjoyed it. It's interesting to get to know a different culture.
Jayne Riley
2024-08-26 21:52:54 +0000 UTCI don't ever watch reality shows, but this was recommended by a friend, so I binged it and...I still hate reality shows, but there are a couple of the guys that are probably interesting when they're not on a show. It was interesting enough for me to finish the series, but I doubt I would bother to watch another season of this. It is always fun to see your reactions, mostly because they are so different from my own.
Michael Craig
2024-08-26 21:44:23 +0000 UTCLove that you're doing this! For some context, its very common for Japanese, Korean and Chinese variety/reality shows to have a panel. And you definitely have to watch them, they're part of the experience! Lol. The panel always makes me feel like I'm lowkey watching a reaction video. Love you guys 🧡
Nafnaf
2024-08-26 21:02:57 +0000 UTCI agree- if you pay attention to what they are saying through that lens they are also “analyse” the contestants in a way that frames them in a more palatable way- great take!
Jody
2024-08-26 20:53:56 +0000 UTCFrom my perspective there is also an element of making the gay experience palatable for a country of people who are culturally less open to it- framing gay relationships as fitting into a nuclear family style way of being shows just how aware of the impact the show might have they were when producing it. Kind of like a “Gay people can fit into our society without causing a disturbance” type of deal. I too liked the conversation about more diverse relationships in gay communities but I think Japan is definitely not ready for it yet!
Jody
2024-08-26 20:52:03 +0000 UTCOk, ich stimme zu. Diese Show bedeutet mir einfach sehr viel
David Vriesenga
2024-08-26 20:32:10 +0000 UTCI absolutely loved this show, you won't be disappointed 😀
Laura
2024-08-26 20:04:07 +0000 UTCI’ll be interested to see your interpretation of the difference in LGBTQIA+ ways of being and thinking in a different cultural context through the lens of “reality”. Something I found interesting is often the conversations they had about why they are attracted to people were focused on different personality traits than would potentially be “attractive”in a western sense- focusing more on being soft spoken as desirable than being confident etc. I’m so excited to hear your thoughts on Shuns journey, the internet had lots to say! i LOVED the boyfriend can’t wait to watch along with you!!
Jody
2024-08-26 20:03:53 +0000 UTCTrue but I also didn’t recommend to react to it 😉
Frances
2024-08-26 19:48:13 +0000 UTCYay, I was hoping you would watch this.
Seti
2024-08-26 19:33:46 +0000 UTCI love the idea of "coming out" by not actually coming out but just by living your life and if people didnt know it already they can digest it however they like but thats their problem to deal with! The idea of "COMING OUT" shouldnt even be a thing but unfortunately we live in a world where we have to make ourselves uncomfortable in order to make other people comfortable with our lives...which is WILD. I mean why do we need to sit people down and tell them hey...i use my genitals (the same genitals you never cared about before) this way and i hope you accept that. I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who one day was married to my dad and then after their divorce dated men but also sometimes dated women. I also grew up with an Aunt i called Uncle Sue....so i didnt have to experience the "coming out" as a pan woman. And i think thats also why i can see the whole spectacle of it as unnecessary and so archaic! The idea of putting your mental state in any sort of disarray just for the sake of someone elses comfort....couldnt be me!
Aleisha Layne
2024-08-26 19:05:13 +0000 UTCI also binge watched this. It was really interesting and so different from a typical gay reality dating show. I found myself shedding some tears with them which says a lot about how connected you get with them. You just want them to be happy. Glad to see you two jumping into this!
DC
2024-08-26 18:53:01 +0000 UTCThanks for recognising the importance of this show - there are still crap people but it shows the progression and the lengths they still need to go to be LBGTQ++++ positive in Japan.
David Vriesenga
2024-08-26 18:37:49 +0000 UTCBut it is more like the Bachelor, really light, and lacks the social significance of the Boyfriend. Also, I do not think RTL has english subtitles which would be necessary to mass market this.
David Vriesenga
2024-08-26 18:16:01 +0000 UTCThank you - I taught English in Japan for almost 15 years (80s and 90s) - this show really shows the progression of gay recognition and respect in the Japanese community.
David Vriesenga
2024-08-26 18:05:46 +0000 UTCAlex is absolutely right about the Boyfriend reinforcing certain set ideas about what relationships should be . But let's face it, if this show is seen as a bold move for Netflix, then Netflix is far from ready yet for lovely Thruple Daily from Taiwan, no matter how wholesome , mature and educational they are .
Saye
2024-08-26 18:03:45 +0000 UTCAHHHHHH so cool that you're reacting to The Boyfriend!! I love that show!
AliGe
2024-08-26 17:44:08 +0000 UTCIn Germany we have two quite popular dating shows: Prince Charming and the equivalent Princess Charming. They’re also pretty great.
Frances
2024-08-26 17:41:59 +0000 UTCThe panel is nothing like you imagine ! You can check their profiles on MyDramaList. They are actors, entertainers, and one of them has hosted the mainstream show "the Terrace House" for years ( that served as a format model for the Boyfriend) . I think it is partly meant to reassure their audience, because japan is indeed very conservative . So by commenting on the action exactly like they do for straight dating shows, they normalize it.
Saye
2024-08-26 17:19:19 +0000 UTCAs someone who has never watched a gay reality show, this is going to be a new and interesting experience for me! I think shows like this are important in terms of levelling the playing field, as there’s plenty of straight reality dating shows out there with sometimes a token gay person thrown in as a kind of arch gesture, which to me at least seems very patronising and self-congratulatory in a ‘look how woke we’re being’ sort of way. Can’t wait to see you guys reacting to the inevitable drama, if the shows already out there are anything to go by. I’m not sure what you-or I- will make of this, but I’m here for it!
Ruth May
2024-08-26 17:18:37 +0000 UTCI watched this whole series with the dubbing on and it was actually really good that way.
Matthew Binczek
2024-08-26 16:57:50 +0000 UTCahhhh I am so excited you are watching this! I binged it all in a few days and there is so much good in it. gonna dive into your reaction right now!
Janine M Hall
2024-08-26 16:54:30 +0000 UTCI'm not going "Why" but rather "what took you so long" !
Saye
2024-08-26 16:30:22 +0000 UTCNow we are watching you watching others watching a dating show.
Rabidnav
2024-08-26 16:29:50 +0000 UTCIf you do another reality show you guys should the lgbt season of Are You The One? It’s messy and problematic but I think could lead to fun reactions and good conversations.
Jessica Silagi
2024-08-26 16:19:46 +0000 UTCThailand just legalized same-sex marriage. Several BLs have actually mentioned it in a storyline.
Kristina Shands
2024-08-26 15:27:01 +0000 UTCA couple of reminders to everyone: 1. Please avoid ANY spoilers about upcoming episodes. Even “hints” are considered spoilers, and you will be asked to edit or remove your comment. 2. As stated in the (pinned) Community Guidelines, ASWT only engage with recommendations for other content (movies/shows/music videos) if they are posted within the ASWT Discord server. The official Recommendations List is managed over there. Any recommendations posted here on Patreon WILL NOT be added to that list, so please pop over to the Discord and share them there (please see the “Community Rules” on Discord for how to do this): https://discord.gg/vDZvuDv9vY Thanks all, and happy viewing! - The Moderating Team -
Sam S
2024-08-26 15:21:51 +0000 UTComg i love this show please continue!!! try and avoid spoilers so you can watch the reunion after all the episodes and be surprised
Jenny
2024-08-26 15:18:07 +0000 UTCOMG OMG so excited you are doing the boyfriend!! I saw this notification and immediately dropped everything to watch! This show is one of my favourite gay reality shows and can’t wait for you to watch all the eps!!
Claire
2024-08-26 15:13:52 +0000 UTCOoh! I haven’t seen this yet, so I’ll be excited to watch along with you guys. Yes, Japan still has a very long way to go with queer rights and representation. I’m glad this show exists as a step to further normalise things and it’s actually pretty brave of the cast (especially the one who isn’t out to his family) to appear on a show like this! I love how openly they were talking about bisexuality. And I think you may have been looking away at the time, but when they were writing ideas in the blackboard, one of them asked everyone their pronouns and if anyone doesn’t identify as a man, which was also very beautiful to see (they all said they use he/him btw).
CC
2024-08-26 15:10:28 +0000 UTCLove that you are reacting to The Boyfriend! Keep in mind that not only is it new as in a gay dating show on the world wide Netflix streaming site, but it is also asian which brings in a whole different cultural angle to a lot of things. I believe it is another push towards opening up very traditional societies to LGBTQ+ acceptance. BL has been influential in that way in Thailand which has legislated in favor of same sex marriage this year, so even if views are not as open as in western society, it is a good start.
Maxi_heart
2024-08-26 15:01:41 +0000 UTCI did a double take when i saw this appear on my feed. Definitely continue. It's so worth watching. I wasn't sure this would be my cup of tea at forst but then it turned out sooo good and it just goes way beyond some random dating show. By the end I honestly had so much respect and love for the cast and their journey.
GabbyB
2024-08-26 14:47:29 +0000 UTCyessss i was wondering if you guys were going to watch it!!!!!
Laura S.
2024-08-26 14:12:13 +0000 UTCLiterally same. I don’t really care for reality tv shows ( except drag race lol) but this is So good!
Dijon Hawkins
2024-08-26 14:07:39 +0000 UTCI’m so excited for you two to reacts to this show. Literally one of my fav shows this year!!
Dijon Hawkins
2024-08-26 14:05:38 +0000 UTCYesss, I’m so excited for this 🫶🏻
ola
2024-08-26 13:53:31 +0000 UTCEXCITED ☺️ Haven't had time to watch yet, but from what you're writing Alex, I'm intrigued. From where I'm sitting it's a new(ish) concept, and I hope they treat the participants with respect. Also curious because my impression is that queer people in Japan have struggled to get equal rights and fair treatment.
Stian Kristoffersen
2024-08-26 13:48:32 +0000 UTCYesss! I don’t normally watch reality shows but I fell in love with The Boyfriend!! So excited for this one🫶🏽🫶🏽
Ciera Howard
2024-08-26 13:48:25 +0000 UTCOMG, thank you for reacting to this reality show, you won't regret it. There is also a Korean "His Man" show.
Lizeth Morpal
2024-08-26 13:42:49 +0000 UTCAHH SO EXCITED!! can’t wait to rewatch these episodes with you💜
Angela
2024-08-26 13:41:52 +0000 UTCOoh, looking forward to this new adventure with you!
Charlie
2024-08-26 13:40:39 +0000 UTCExciting!!! I enjoyed this show!
Lisa
2024-08-26 13:39:46 +0000 UTCOooo! Looking forward to this!
Bellibel
2024-08-26 13:39:13 +0000 UTCIM SOOOOOOO EXCITED YEEEEEES
Arwen
2024-08-26 13:37:40 +0000 UTC
