Netflix’s “The Boyfriend” Official Thread!

I’ll save you the trouble and recap the first three episodes: “Let’s play a rousing game of chance, like Jenga or card-on-the-forehead, and whoever loses has to whisper the name of their secret crush to some other random player!”

And then a Greek chorus of z-list Japanese celebrities comments on the playback with whoppers like, “That was SO emotionally brave. You can tell he’s a deep and sensitive person looking for a forever soulmate!”

Any pixellated genitalia?

R1 that’s totally the point of these shows!

Yeah, that's the whole Terrace House model, an alternative for those who don't enjoy the vulgarity of Love Island and the like.

I'll give this a go, I've always been curious about Japanese gays and why they seem so incurious about the world outside of Japan. It's interesting how many of them are sporting staches in this cast photo.

Not even five minutes into the premiere and I can already see why OP's reviewer specifically mentioned rectangular watches, which I found odd at first. These homos have exquisite taste, you can't but look at their wristwatches. Just look at the way this one sticks out in that sea of pastels.

Everything is so languid and pleasant and nice and CLEAN.

Everyone going gaga over the hot go-go boy. But isn't the fact that he's a go-go boy at 36 a red flag?

I will definitely check this out. I’ve always been intrigued by Japanese culture and there is very little info on what gay life is actually like there.

Shun and Dai are adorable and I hope they end up together. The dumb gogo boy looks completely out of place, although I wouldn’t mind some steamy action between him and the Korean hunk. The others are forgettable.

Shun is a neurotic mess. Dai should run very quickly in the opposite direction.

So the gay Japanese men aren't having any sex either.

Go-go boy seriously thought they were gonna blow a third of their budget on his gross chicken smoothies. I get that his livelihood depends on his abs but seriously gurl, get a grip. He also misses out on so much of their social activity because he keeps working out. The curse of the gym rat! Glad Dai put his foot down. He and Kazuto are my faves so far.

Shun is neurotic and melancholic and a high-maintenance queen, a terrible combo. Who wants to be around that sort of energy? A New Yorker fell for him hard, but it wasn't enough for Shun because he (Shun) started having lofty ideals? The fuck does that even mean?

Anyway, here's Dai doing crunches the way they apparently do them in Japan. Shun kept staring at his semi the whole time, it was quite erotic.

Ryota is another dark cloud that needs an attitude adjustment. How is the least attractive one also the one who works as a model? He just looks Chinese to me?

Usak is hot

r5 but it's just an Apple Watch?

I don't mind Ryota, but I really want to slap Shun!

They could have used these guys as judges on Iron Chef.

New episodes dropped today and it’s getting so emotionally dramatic. Shun is a mess!!

Alan is a breath of fresh air! And cute also!

Devoured the next three episodes yesterday, this is so good. These gays, they're just like us! Well, for the most part, there's lots of whispering and bowing going on. I totally get the appeal of Terrace House now, which I've never seen because I'm kinda hetero'd out after so many seasons of the British Big Brother.

He's not my type because he's a total scene queen, but I love the Brazilian Big Sex energy Alan brings to the table, it's crazy to me that he's never actually been to Brazil. Guess it runs in the blood.

Usak got spurned by Kazuto and decided to leave. Whatever, but also I get it. At least that's the end of the damn chicken breast drama. Speaking of, Kazuto really isn't into anyone, is he?

The South Korean graphic designer is so alone in there, I feel bad for him. Barely even features anymore in the clips.

Dai needs to forget about Shun and his precious princess bussy already, some people just love wallowing in their own misery. He has amazing chemistry with the new guy, Ikuo. Notice how much more confident and relaxed these two are compared to the others (except for Alan)? The least Japanese, in a way. They're the youngest ones, too. It's gonna get so much better for them once Japan gets SSM because most of them seem so damaged by that shame and lack of acceptance.

That sleepover date was so pitiful and hard to watch, what was the point of that Huntington be so chaste. Also, Usak’s departure was so sad, what a sweet man. But I wonder if it was all an act as he’s a go-go boy. I don’t understand why the guy with the frosted hair isn’t getting any action - he’s very adorable.

I've read somewhere that Shun purged his Twitter of all shirtless thirst traps before entering the house. And he's gonna give Dai shit about his naked Grinds pics? Absolutely not. I'd get turned on if I opened Dai's dating folder and saw those pics, Shun's reaction was not one of a red-blooded man.

r19 I think they see both Taeheon and Gensei as too old. They're 34 and the gaylings see that as ancient. I thought the date was unusually sensual, for Japan. I'm sure they kissed and fooled around when they went to bed and the cameras left.

*Grindr

Nah, I'm good. Dubbing is awful.

Surprised that someone with a physique such as Usak’s would be such a bundle of insecurities, especially with Kazuto, who rightly so would have never imagined in a million years Usak was interested in him.

As for Shun, can someone viciously slap the neurosis out of him? Glad Dai walked away from this mess.

Is this a reimagining of the Twiggy musical?

Taeheon is one of the oldest ones in the group but I find him the most attractive as well, pretty much from the start.

I am watching the first episode, and I can tell you right now, I hate these peanut gallery commentators or whatever the fuck you call them. This show doesn’t need them!

Shun grew up without both his parents and needs lots and lots of attention from his romantic partner to plug that giant hole in his heart. I empathise with his tragic background, but that hole is never getting filled that way. It's interesting because he seems like decent company in the clips we saw of him when he's with other guys. It's just that in a romantic context he's a nightmare best avoided until he deals with his trauma.

r25 Same, I'd be all over that South Korean cutie and his stylish Apple Watch. He seems so grounded and well-balanced. Although I wish he smiled more, like Kazuto.

r26 I was SO annoyed by the reaction panel at first, but I've grown to love it by now. To the point that I even prefer this format to the post-show companion shows I'm used to with Big Brother. You get an instant reaction and commentary from a group of fun people with nice insight. I feel like the show would be too dark otherwise, they provide some much-needed levity. I love how they bitched about Usak's gym edit at one point.

I'd like to single out this frau with the '90s hair, whose face is the very picture of freshness. She provides the least amount of commentary, but her perfect veneers are so nice to look at up close. Rylan Clark should definitely contact her teeth guy.

R22 - pause the show and use the settings to switch to the original Japanese with subtitles. Much better!

Can't imagine watching something like this dubbed, you lose basically half the cultural flavour, even more so than with regular scripted shows.

Terrace House was my first days of pandemic comfort watch. Yeah, you get used to the peanut gallery commentators. There was something sweet about it, I liked the pace. I need to read up on why all it imploded...last I checked in was Hana's suicide which certainly put things on pause. Would definitely watch a gay show like it .

I usually hate anything dubbed, but when we started watching it in Japanese, I couldn't really watch anything because I spent most of my time reading. We ended up switching to the dubbed version and it's far more relaxing. It's not like it's War and Peace, anyway...

I just don't get why you'd want to listen to your own accent on a Japanese show, surely your brain wants a break from that occasionally, just for the sheer variety's sake. Whatever, we're never gonna get to the bottom of this debate as it's mostly an American issue anyway.

r31 Yeah, the suicide did it. Also the reason this house was rebranded to the "Green Room", taking the word house out of it completely. Watching this show has kinda made me start hating my own city because of how much nicer everything looks in Japan. Sure, there are so many more old people shuffling around than in my city, but the sheer cleanliness of it all can't be beat.

Another fan of Taeheon here. I especially love his profile...

...although the front view is pretty breathtaking as well...

r34 Yeah, he's especially gorgeous from the profile, I've noticed that as well. And don't get me started on his insane body.

He seems happy in his recent pics, so that's nice.

R36, he was such an adorable twink who's now growing into quite the handsome stud.

r37 Omg, he was such a nerdy-looking twink! There is hope for me yet.

I've been saying since it started that he's the catch of the group. Dont understand why no one's going after him.

A study in contrasts. Dai and Ikuo living their best life while Shun, the human dark cloud, observes.

I'm learning so much about myself, watching this show, because I too have wasted so many years on depression. It becomes so comfortable at a certain point, you don't even want to try another approach and consider the possibility that life could be different. Anyway, sorry for being a downer.

Agreed. Love Taeheon. Not only he’s quite the hunk, but he also seems very well adjusted. Yet those gurls are all falling over themselves for neurotic Shun or chaste Kazuto. What’s wrong with them?

r41, it says a lot about gay men in general, particularly in regards to ageism. Taeheon’s is a hunk but I also saw from day one that he’s the most mature one. He would’ve been the ONLY one who got a letter from me.

From what I hear, Kazuto is not that chaste...

Usak and Taeheon would have been a perfect match. Taeheon saw it, but somehow Usak still went for twink Kazuto who already had plenty of suitors and then went on an overnight date while refusing any physical contact with Alan. How odd was that? What was the point of choosing him then?

At this point, I'd need to see Kazuto's previous boyfriends because I have no clue what type he's into. Animalistic facial features? What does that even mean? And doesn't Alan have a cat-like face? I'm kinda over him, he just seems to enjoy all the attention he's getting.

Usak and Taeheon both give me top vibes, I don't think they'd be right for each other.

I just watched the second episode in two things come to mind:

Just my opinion, but Ryoto is the most unattractive guy in the house yet he gets a fair share of play.

Still scratching my head at the lack of play that Taeheon, the most attractive guy in the house, receives.

Shun is definitely a drama queen. Dai, DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!

Episode 3: I get such bad vibes from Shun. Dai could do better.

'bated breathe'

Popper baited breathe for DL's resident Rice Queens

This Alan seems like a hot mess!

I thought so as well at first, but he's not, he just has the almighty spirit of Brazil flowing through his veins! He's actually alright.

Shun wants Dai to chase his precious porcelain ass for god knows how long before opening his legs. Sorry, sweetheart, you're not the emperor's little princess, there are more than enough twinks just like you out there for Dai to sample.

The one panelist showing up in full glam drag was hysterical

[quote] This Alan seems like a hot mess!

Kazuto chose Alan over muscular sweetheart Usak for the overnight date. WTAF?

Usak is sweet, has muscles and a gorgeous smile. HOWEVER, his kind is a dime a dozen over there. Alan is something new, exciting, exotic in Japan, both in his looks and his whole demeanour. Notice the customers at the coffee truck asking him about his background. So I was not surprised Kazutto chose him at all, he wanted to touch da fiyah!

Also – and by his own admission – there's a conflict between what Usak is deep down and how he presents himself to the world, leading to a vibe of self-consciousness. Not a good look on a 36-year-old muscle top. I have that same problem, so I totally get his frustration.

And can I just ask, why didn't he simply bring protein powder to the house for the duration of his stay, instead of eating (literally) into everyone's budget with those damn chicken breasts?

Episode 4: WTF Shun? Did you see the way he pushed Dai’s hand away? I’m starting to wonder if he deals with a form of depression.

Shun seems like the type of guy who will proclaim to hate drama but then frequently instigate it.

Alan’s moving too fast and being a little slutty. Chill dude! Kazuto doesn’t seem to be feeling that.

Usak is wearing that heart on his sleeve too hard.

[quote]Did you see the way he pushed Dai’s hand away?

It was a crazy overreaction, especially because he had his feet buried in Dai's crotch in that same scene. I personally found it hot, the way Dai was digging around Shun's hole through his back pocket, but maybe Shun thought that was too much for television. But yeah, slapping his hand away was so over the top.

Two new episodes have been added and yeah, Shun’s still a moody bitch. I wish Dai would think enough of himself to tell Shun to fuck off and go with the new guy Ikeu (sp?).

Is this in Japanese? Can't be doing with subtitles.

Finding Prince Charming was better. Who can forget Robert Repulveda Jnr?

These bitches keep skipping over Taehon. Astounding! Always immature puppy love drama over a classy mature and very handsome man. SMH

Shun is the worse!

Loved the peanut gallery squeeing when Ikuo picked up that adorable lil' boy, and exploding in laughter when Kazuto walked into the glass door.

That ending was seriously steamy, did you see the way he was jerking off Shun prior to the kiss? Hopefully now that Dai has sampled his moody bussy, he'll be able to finally move on.

r61 Seriously, what the fuck? He's so handsome and wise and no one will as much as sniff him, like he's a piece of trash. Maybe he gives off a really femmy vibe in person and they aren't into that? Or maybe they're just racist and ageist.

All the guys are adorable.

I immediately fell for Taeheon. He's just put together so well. Totally agree R61 and R63.

[quote] Maybe he gives off a really femmy vibe in person and they aren't into that? Or maybe they're just racist and ageist.

Alan gives off a big nelly vibe as well. I’m just not seeing the chemistry between him and Kazuto.

Shun gives serious bitch energy. Dai could do better.

If I was there, I would only have eyes for Taehon.

Loved Kazuto in full pyjamas next to Alan in his briefs and a wife beater. He was like "definitely no nookie tonight!"

I was stunned when Shun won the go-kart. How does that even happen? Those gays are so useless. His Atlanta anecdote was nice, though. I can't imagine how someone like him coped with a roomfull of loudmouth Americans. Talk about the mother of all culture shocks.

r60 If this were an American show, everyone would have fucked everyone else by now, I'm actually grateful for the relative chasteness of this show. Not to mention all the shouting and the yass kweens... I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it.

One person speaks, then stops. The others go “hmm.” Another person speaks. Then another person goes “hmm.” Lather, rinse, repeat. Is Japanese conversation really like this? Or is this just bad dubbing?

R62

Shun is the worse

Oh dear!

The hand job and kissing were erotic but too brief.

r70, I could care less about Shun and Dai. That’s a toxic relationship in the making.

I was quite moved by Gensei and Ryoto. They’ve always had good chemistry together. Ryoto is a lesson in how one could be looking in all the wrong places for love when the right one has been right by your side the whole time.

Not feeling Alan and Kazuto as well. Alan is too busy and Kazuto is so damn fickle.

Still astounded at how Taeheon, in my opinion the hottest and most mature man in the house, is being overlooked. Somebody posted earlier that maybe it’s because he gives fem vibes. Yeah, well so do a few of the others. Maybe him and Ikuo will bond since they were the ones left behind during the last dating round.

The only hot one is in the thumbnail, but he IS hot AF. The rest? NOPE. NEVER. NO WAY EVER.

I don't think most people understand how racist Asians can be to other Asians....With Taeheon being Korean and the history between Japan and Korea....A lot of Japanese are raised to look down on Koreans

[quote]The hand job and kissing were erotic but too brief.

I think they were told in advance that the mics and cameras would be turned off quickly if they ever started doing anything explicit on the show. Which I can totally get behind, because none of these people want to be seen fucking on TV. They have relatives and careers to consider, especially in such a society as Japan.

[quote]Ryoto is a lesson in how one could be looking in all the wrong places for love when the right one has been right by your side the whole time.

Also a lesson in not overreaching and instead settling for someone closer to you on the totem pole. It's cruel, but the sooner you come to terms with that in life, the smoother the ride will be and the less rejection you'll experience. I can say that because I'm a 7 and less attractive than either Ryoto or Gensei.

r73 Yep. We squabbling Euros pale in comparison to the way various Asian nations hate each other.

[quote]Maybe him and Ikuo will bond since they were the ones left behind during the last dating round.

Ikuo is a curios one. He said he was spoiled rotten in his previous relationship, so I assume it was an older rich (bottom) daddy. But now he's going after Kazuto who, let's be real, is the quintessential bottom. So I don't think he has any interest in Taeheon and his beautiful frosted tips and toned arms.

Wow r73, that’s interesting. I had no idea. Thanks did sharing that. Shame because Taeheon has been my favorite from day one. That advice he gave to Shun about apologizing to Dai was so wise and very touching. I hope Taeheon realizes that most viewers think very fondly of him.

Everyone in Asia hates each other, and no one is more hated than Japan. It's a dirty little secret that's rarely discussed. And don't get me started on their anti-black racism, which is next level compared to Europe and America. Anyway, I didn't mean to go too off topic.

I was hoping we'd get the season finale this week already, but I can see why they opted for this release cadence, it keeps the conversation going. Hopefully we get (many) more seasons of this, I'm loving it so much!

[quote]Everyone in Asia hates each other, and no one is more hated than Japan

Hold my beer.

Yes, those individually hate each other, but they're all united in hating Japan, lol.

No, I’m insinuating that the rest of Asia couldn’t give a shit if a nuke took out the Indian subcontinent.

There was this scene where Dai is in his underpants and gives Shun a back and shoulder rub. I almost spat out my drink seeing Dai’s body. The guy is a HUNK. In addition to being sweet and relatively mature. He deserves so much better than whiny bitch Shun. Dai, ditch the bitch!

I don’t think Dai is particularly that good looking but he does have a good body. The main reason I side eye him is because of the way he puts up with Shun’s shit. It shows that he doesn’t think much of himself if he thinks he can’t fall for someone better than Shun.

I wonder who Taeheon chose to go on a date with. Probably Kazuto, I guess.

That scene with Shun and Dai in bed was so filled with tension! I talk back to this show so much which is something I rarely do lol.

I also thought Alan was so sexy laying there in bed with his white tank top and shorts. And did you notice how he grabbed his crotch over the covers? Alan’s instagram is delightful…yes I have a crush.

Which one will be most likely to do porn -- either studio or OnlyFans?

R86 Apparently Kazuto has done porn

I’ve rewatched the Dai/Shun kissing scene SO MANY TIMES! The tension, the longing looks, the head caress as they kiss. Regardless if they are right for each other, they do have palpable chemistry.

Apparently they are still dating to this day.

R87 I’ve read this too. Rumors are he and Usak are together now. Makes sense if they are both in the industry..

r88, poor Dai. Shun is a mental mess.

Muriel please refrain from your non stop pushing of Netflix shows.

[quote] Everyone in Asia hates each other, and no one is more hated than Japan. It's a dirty little secret that's rarely discussed. And don't get me started on their anti-black racism, which is next level compared to Europe and America. Anyway, I didn't mean to go too off topic.

You don’t even have a passport.

They should’ve gone with the original title: “Love is Bland.”

Seriously, Shun is rejecting Dai over a t-shirt? This guy has serious mental illness. Dai, run girl!

Episode 9: Ikuo’s a good friend to Dai. He’s telling Dai what needs to be said. In a very nice way, Ikuo’s telling him to stop giving Shun all that energy. He’s not worth it. If Dai wants to put up with that, then he deserves Shun’s bullshit. Shun is such a moody bitchy diva. I don’t like her.

I feel so sorry for Ikuo. He was just trying to help. Those two bitches Dai and Shun are bringing the whole house down.

I admire Ikuo for putting his feelings out there like that but you know Dai is going to stick with the moody bitchy narcissist.

They want us to like Dai and Shun so much but they bore me to tears and Shun is just a miserable bitch.

I wonder what kind of trauma Dai went through in his childhood (bullying maybe?) to accept as normal the relentless abuse Shun throws at him. The scene where he had to apologize to Shun for not measuring up to Shun's ex-bf was infuriating, and Shun so mean and immature. I really hope that Ikuo's confession will make him realize that he is worthy of love, and that what Shun is offering is toxicity.

Agree r99! If they do a second season, I’m not watching. I hate to see people like Dai put themselves through that and those very annoying commentators just ate it up.

Lovely finale. Can I just say, these gays, they are so introspective and eloquent. Very low on the drama, with few notable exceptions. Did you notice that the quietest frau in the peanut gallery became the chattiest by the end? She has a flawless personal style.

Not surprised to hear Kazuto has done porn, this is so common in the Japanese gay community, I'm honestly shocked most of them *haven't* done porn. Unlike in the US, it's usually just a video or two, it's rare for someone to have a steady output of porn. That's why it's so widespread.

Gensei moving out a couple of days before the end was kinda a bitch move, he should have stayed for that nice dinner at the end. But I guess seeing Ryota constantly pining after Kazuto was too much for him.

I was with Taeheon until the moment I saw him wearing those nasty Birkenstocks. Gurl, no. Joking aside, I still hate the way they treated him as this sexless fountain of wisdom. On the other hand, he made no moves of any kind himself. In life, if you want to play, you gotta hunt first. Especially if you're older than your surroundings.

Shun is a moody bitch, BUT I can totally see where he was coming from with that T-shirt. He wanted to mark Dai as his man! Assuming he comes from a poorer background, being an orphan and all, small gestures like those mean a lot to him. So obviously it hurt when Dai treated it as an afterthought.

Ikuo coming in between the two shows how messy this sort of living situation can get eventually. It's not natural to be caught with your new love in the same space like that for a long period of time. Having said that, Dai made the wrong choice and will come to regret it in time. I doubt he can ever fully tame Shun's moodiness.

r91 It's a reality show about homosexuals and you're on a homosexual message board. What part of that do you not understand?

I have to wonder if they're all just racist toward Taehwon because he's Korean. Koreans are like 2nd class citizens in Japan.

There's no other explanation. Nobody's talking to him or even wants to be around him. It makes no god damn sense!

Maybe he didn’t put himself out there. Other than Dai chasing Shun, none of these guys are making a real effort. I get it’s their culture and they’re also being filmed but none of them seem to really try until Alan got there and provided an example.

r103, they were pretty kind to him and seem to truly appreciate his wise advice but yeah, they definitely didn’t see him as a romantic partner. Shame because I consider him an absolute catch: handsome, sweet and very mature. I thought he was the most attractive one in the house.

If Shun continues to treat Dai like crap, he deserves every bit of it.

Over halfway through. My general observations:

1. Very different sensibilities about what is attractive, I suppose, from American culture. Except obesity — none of the guys is fat.

2. Something about the range of ages is off-putting to me. Usak is 36 and Dai is 22. Everybody else falls between them. While Usak and Dai did not end up with each other, a 14 year difference would have been creepy.

3. If these guys represent Japanese gay men at large, what a bunch of passive-aggressive bullshit. Except for Alan, who presumably grew up in Brazil, the others do not say or do what they want, then get angry and hurt when others cannot read their minds. I guess there’s hope since Dai, the youngest one, started to be more direct.

4. The panel of observers is just weird. They talk in circles trying to make sense of the boys’ behavior and words but never succeed.

Specifics:

5. Shun is a misanthrope. What were the producers thinking? I might understand if he were also self loathing (and worthy of redemption), but he seems pleased with himself, so he’s just A Bad Guy.

6. Ryota is a model?! For what, Halloween masks?

7. Most of these boys have greasy faces and many are sporting yellow head zits. 🤮

I love this genre of reality TV, especially as this show appears to be unscripted, unlike most other dating shows. But I don’t find myself really rooting for any of them, except poor Dai and the Korean guy.

[quote] 4. The panel of observers is just weird. They talk in circles trying to make sense of the boys’ behavior and words but never succeed.

The way they fawned over Dai and Shun was tiresome and pathetic.

[quote] While Usak and Dai did not end up with each other, a 14 year difference would have been creepy.

Wha the hell are you talking about? STFU with that bullshit. It’s an outgrowth of some fucked up, Puritanical response to normal life.

The best thing that could ever happy to a 20 yea-old is them hooking up with a 34 year-old. That’s how gay culture, history, and snark are passed on to younger generations.

It this world is going to devolve into a bunch of 20 year-olds tweeting memes and dick pics to one another then gat culture deserves to die because the younger generation doesn’t deserve it.

[quote]Except for Alan, who presumably grew up in Brazil

I believe he moved to Japan when he was two and has never returned since, but wants to. Which is crazy to me because he is 100% Brazilian in his demeanour.

[quote]the others do not say or do what they want

I don't know about that, there was plenty of "I like you and I want to be with you" going around. Just look at how Ryota kept going after Kazuto even after getting rejected. There's lots of that in the latter half as well, which presumably you haven't seen yet.

[quote]The panel of observers is just weird. They talk in circles trying to make sense of the boys’ behavior and words but never succeed.

I disagree, they're very perceptive and relatable. It felt like being with my friends by the end. Their fawning over Dai and Shun did bother me, though what were they supposed to do – trash the only success story in the house?

[quote]a 14 year difference would have been creepy

I've never understood that viewpoint. Younger guys have been hooking up with (much) older men since time immemorial, it's perfectly natural to want someone who's mature and better at fucking than your peers. Again, a wholly personal preference.

[quote]Most of these boys have greasy faces and many are sporting yellow head zits.

Yeah, Dai, Ikuo and Kazuto have problematic skin. They need to ditch those sheet masks and just invest in niacinamide. And pop those damn zits before the cameras start rolling, they're very hard to look at.

[quote] Their fawning over Dai and Shun did bother me, though what were they supposed to do – trash the only success story in the house?

Is it though? It seems to have the potential of being pretty toxic, mostly from Shun. I hope I’m wrong but well, Dai’s a big boy. It’s his problem to deal with.

I think Shun is like a buck who calms down after being broken, because that conversation with Dai in the kitchen at the end really got to him. I can imagine Shun dropping the games on the outside, in a more natural environment. Dai will tolerate the drama as long as the bussy is worth it.

Somewhat related to those two, but I kinda love it when bottoms are taller than their tops. It's all very unorthodox and exciting.

Quote [6. Ryota is a model?! For what, Halloween masks?]

lol, brutal. It was quite cringeworthy though to see how he repeatedly hit on Kazuto, who is way out of his league. He needs a reality check. Gensei was definitely more suitable, but no, he had to go for the most popular guy in the house. Kazuto rejected him with grace and kindness though, which was lovely.

[quote] I have to wonder if they're all just racist toward Taehwon because he's Korean. Koreans are like 2nd class citizens in Japan.

If you’re used to looking at Japanese guys, Korean guys look “off”. Could also have something to do with it. It’s like when you see a picture of a bunch of Russian guys and you can’t help but think that their is something wrong with how they look but can’t put your finger on it.

And even after everything, Ryota asked Kazuto to leave the house with him in the finale. What the fuck was that? I agree with r112, he needs a good friend to tell him that even though he's a model, he's not that attractive at all.

Also, not all models are 10s, some are genuinely hired because they look a little fucked up and out of the ordinary, for the exotic factor. I don't mean to be nasty, but it's hard to watch someone who doesn't know where they land on the attractiveness scale.

[quote]If you’re used to looking at Japanese guys, Korean guys look “off”.

I imagine much the same would happen if you put a Native American gay guy on the US version of this show. Or a Mexican.

It seems that Kazuto and Usak are a couple. Their Instagram accounts have shown them at the same places, at the same time (Pattaya, Paris, Tokyo tower). They also wear matching bracelets. I’m happy for them, they look good together. And poor Ryota thought he could compete against Usak?

Usak might have a banging body but he is a bundle of insecurities for being older. Fine for a roll in the hay but terrible as a partner.

When the Japanese men won gold at the Olympics for team gymnastics I was glad because these depressed Japanese queens need something, anything, to bring a little happiness into their lives.

Watching this show all I could think was, “How in the world did a nation that produced this bunch of wet wash rags almost conquer the Eastern Hemisphere?”

On the last episode, Tae said that he wasn't interested in anyone romantically, but I was so curious who he put down for date nights, the three times they had to do it.

These boys were all so nice to their elders, I loved seeing that. And in turn, older folk were never being difficult, and I saw no fats either. Extreme societal harmony has its drawbacks, but I can totally see its appeal as well.

And yeah, they need to loosen up. Dai and Ikuo are good examples of new generations of Japanese gays that are more confident and chill. This will only improve in the future as societal stigma around homosexuality subsides.

It should be noted however that one of them once mentioned during their drive to the coffee truck that most of the cast are transplants from smaller towns and villages. So who knows, Tokyo's scene queens might be completely different beasts. I imagine the drag queen in the peanut gallery is one of those.

Unsurprisingly, Tae was interested in Usak and Dai.

Then why didn't he make a move?! He's like me, waiting eternally for someone to scoop up my precious ass as I slowly turn into an old maiden.

It's wild how extroverted and out there Alan is considering he's never lived in Brazil. But maybe he's been able to have a 'pass' and get away with things more because he's not 100% Japanese - and Japanese identify that right away.

What I also found weird was when he had to read the tablet he was like - My Japanese isn't very good. ??? You were born and raised in Japan? I didn't understand that at all.

I feel like the structure of this show just wasn't good for interaction. But if this is how most Japanese younger people are - no wonder nobody is fucking or in relationships.

He meant his Japanese *writing system* wasn't good, not his spoken Japanese. I totally get that because even kids of immigrant parents I went to school with struggled with our language because they spoke their own language back home. Which is their right, of course, but it tends to close certain opportunities later on in life.

He was born in Brazil, but moved to Japan when he was two. I might be misremembering, but I think he grew up only with his Brazilian mom. So that would be enough of an influence to turn him into the vivacious Brazilian who constantly stands out.

You can still see his Japanese side butting in when he's having a serious conversation and he becomes all contemplative and shit.

If Usak was really drinking so many chicken smoothies, I bet that house didn't smell very good after a while.

Flatulence is mostly associated with protein powder, and even that goes away after a month or so of starting it. At least that's been my experience.

He seriously could have just brought protein and collagen powder for that month they were in the house, his muscles wouldn't have known the difference. I'd be embarrassed to even ask about blowing a full third of the budget on my particular diet if I were in there. And he just kept doing it! At least Kazuto seems to enjoy tapping all that muscle.

R123 - no, his mom is Japanese and his Dad his half Italian/half Brazliian.

There was no outside culture influencing him - he grew up in Japan with a Japanese mother.

r126 No. His mother is Japanese-Brazilian. So both she and his father (until he was six) gave him the Brazilian influence. Take it from the horse's mouth.

Confidence is fine, but you need to have your fact straight first.

*facts

But he told one elderly woman at the coffee truck that his mom was Japanese and his Dad was Italian/Brazilian?

And they keep mentioning he's from Brazil - when he's lived in Japan since he was 2. They call him a Brazilian IT worker, as if he lived his whole life in Brazil. He didn't.

They've been less than clear about all of this. I still don't understand how you have problems reading Japanese when you've lived in the country since 2 - particularly non-technical script. He was just reading out who was going on a date - not some thick legal or technical document.

The boys watch themselves. Made around seven months after the filming of the series, apparently. No English captions (yet), but half a million views in one day is a decent number, hoping it gets renewed.

Alan looks so much better with more natural hair. Dai's and Shun's & Alan's and Kazuto's hugs were so perfunctory, you can tell they're dating just from that.

Well damn r130! I wish they either had English subtitles or dubbing. Why bother watching this? I don’t speak or read Japanese.

Reunion show is scheduled for tomorrow, I think that one might be available on Netflix on English.

*in English

r131 It was posted on the Netflix Japan channel, which is geared towards the Japanese audience. They also don't translate stuff on its Spanish and French and other YouTube channels. It's a shame because there's obviously an interest in this stuff, looking at the comment section. And it can't possibly take more than a day's work for a translator either.

Kazuto has deleted his Twitter account. Probably got tired of people asking about his porn past.

Japanese and Brazilian are nationalities. Japanese can also be an ethnicity or race, but Brazilian cannot (like "American" cannot.) Brazil is a country populated mostly by the descendants of people who emigrated from elsehwere. So people are from a mixture of European, African, Asian, and indigenous ethnicities.

That's not really relevant to anything and you're starting to sound like Trump. He says his mom is Japanese-Brazilian and that's that. Let's just get back to the show, before this discussion gets even weirder than it already is.

I love how Shun is the 'really tall one' - at 5'11. That means most of these guys are 5'5" to 5'9 max.

Could someone repost the Kazuto porn clips? thx

I haven't been able to find them. I did find one, non-explicit still, and it was obviously Kazuto - who looked uncomfortably young.

The Dai-Shun dynamic reminds me of a "relationship" that I had in the late 90s-early aughts. The guy kept me on the hook for ages. We would get close, fool around or have sex, then he would push me away, we should just be friends, I don't want a relationship right now, blah, blah, blah. Then, when I started to pull away - especially if I met someone else - he would reel me back in, being all attentive, and loving, spending lots of time with me, and eventually we would end up back in bed again, and the cycle would repeat. Eventually, some guy, who it turns out had my guy on HIS hook, reeled him in, and decided that they could be in a relationship after all. Fortunately, that ended it, and I was eventually able to see the pattern, and be disgusted with myself for falling for it.

I don't know that Shun was doing that to Dai intentionally, or if he was even aware that he was doing it, but man, I wanted Dai to walk away from that mess. Hopefully, that won't continue after the show. I know from reports from the reunion that they are still together and living together. I'm waiting for subtitles to be added so I can watch it myself. I really wanted Dai to dumb Shun and go for Ikuo instead. They seemed to really hit it off when Ikuo joined the house.

[quote] I really wanted Dai to dumb Shun and go for Ikuo instead. They seemed to really hit it off when Ikuo joined the house.

I wanted that as well. It would’ve made for better drama. Shun was clearly bothered. I liked Ikuo. He would’ve treated Dai so much better.

Shun is a pretty young thing which leads people to do all sorts of stuff. But I hate to say it - but he's sooo deeply damaged from his upbringing, I don't think he will ever trust or bond with anyone ever.

What's worse is that - he's very pretty - so he'll always get attention and won't be alone. He knows he can make people dance for him - and he likes that after a life of no family or support.

Reunion episode was livestreamed earlier today on YouTube and Twitter, without subtitles. It will be added to Netflix, at which point subtitles will be available.

I've never watched the show so I don't know who is who, but the guy in the orange trunks looks like a concentration camp survivor. Is he on the Karen Carpenter Diet?

Damn, Shun has a rocking body!

r140 Just reading that anecdote made me angry, hot people get away with the most outrageous shit.

However, Shun also said he got burned by a player once, so I wonder how much that affects his current behaviour.

R145, Dai’s is better.

Usak is legit built like a bull, but what the fuck am I supposed to do with a 36-year-old go-go boy? I'm not loaded enough to use him as a playtoy and parade him around at soirees.

I wonder how much this gig pays. It's implied he escorts on the side, right?

[quote]I'm not loaded enough to use him as a playtoy and parade him around at soirees.

I am! Send him my way!

R139, google “kazuto the boyfriend porn.”

r150 Oh my god, he actually got gangbanged and everything. Looked like he was in seventh heaven as well, good for him!

Find me a man who's a chef during the day and a voracious whore at night, but also has the demeanour of a sweet small-town boy on top.

No wonder Kazuto was so popular, his reputation preceded him.

Kazuto behaved conservatively and implied Alan was too sexually aggressive. Interesting considering his porn past.

He looks underage in those films. He's much sexier now. How much did he get for that - like 2000 yen?

He doesn't look underage to me at all, just boyish. You can immediately tell from the pubes – even when pixelated – that it's a grown man.

I wonder if he did it for the pleasure, not the money. He looked quite unfazed by and proficient handling all those cocks sticking in his face, so this probably wasn't his first gangbang either.

English subs have been added to the Reunion special on YouTube

What does Japanese porn think it’s doing by pixelating cock and balls. I mean, anyone who wants to watch gay porn is perfectly fine looking at dick and hole. Whose sensibility is being honored by the pixelation?

They pixellate ALL porn -- not just gay stuff.

Shun is a bipolar bitch. I can’t believe anyone willing to put up with his hot and cold attitude. He’s the best looking with the shittiest personality.

But if you ever see a Japanese man getting rimmed, they do not pixelate the asshole. I guess the Japanese censors never thought of taint and hole as erogenous.

No one told them that it's where the man goes up in the man.

Most Japanese don't do anal, primarily they kiss, cuddle, and suck.

r158 Japan has very strict decency/obscenity laws, hence the pixellation in porn, which is actually preemptive self-censorship by the porn producers. That's only for domestic porn though, the (much) smaller segment of Japanese porn that's made exclusively for export has no pixellation. I believe holes can be uncensored if they're not hairy, but I'm not 100% sure about it. Unfortunately, when Americans rammed through freedom of speech laws in Japan after WWII, they left this particular legislation in place.

r163 I don't think that's true? There's almost always been anal in all the Japanese porn I've watched. And mostly raw, too. They do act up the pain aspect with anal, which I kinda hate but I guess that turns them on.

r157 Thanks for the heads-up! They added subs to the video at r130 as well, we shat on Netflix too quickly.

I know what I'm watching during my breakfast today.

Does anyone else think that Dorian Lollobrigida is pretty handsome out of drag? The nails were a turn off, but he's very good looking.

I just watched the watch party at r130. Was a bit apprehensive about the quality of the translation at first – you don't say "Nice to meet you" to a roomful of people you already know, that's like English 101 – but it's actually pretty good. I just wanted to comment on two superficial things. First, Ryota the model came with those horrible mom jeans and black lady shoes, horrible look. Also, Usak's moth-eaten T-shirt is something you wear at home or at the gym, not on a programme millions of people will see.

Now onto the reunion. A million views in one day isn't bad at all.

Yes, Dorian is very cute and fresh looking. Shame there aren't any pics of him on Google.

The pixelated porn has to do with pubic hair. I’ve seen Japanese gay porn in which they have a piece of cardboard about the size of a sheet of paper with a hole cut in the middle. They stick their dicks through the hole and get sucked so the dick doesn’t have to be pixelated.

It's a common myth that it's about pubic hair, but it isn't true. It's about genitalia, otherwise producers could obviate this requirement by just having their performers shave their genitals. Also the reason you'll sometimes see black bars over hard cocks in the promo material.

You probably watched Japanese porn that was produced for abroad, but not available domestically, which is why there was no pixellation.

I felt so bad for Dai watching himself eat his heart out over that little cunt Shun and seeing the tears stream down his face while Shun was kiki-ing with the others. Shun's childhood trauma doesn't give him a license to treat people so poorly.

I don't get the Shun obsession at all. As my father used to say, he must have a snapper.

There has to be some cultural context we're missing when it comes to Shun's appeal. It has to be considered some sort of an accomplishment for a Japanese guy to nab his precious stoic geisha ass that only opens up after a prolonged chase. A bit like the football jock in America going after the prom queen. So, a status thing.

R173 - I'll bite - what's a snapper? Never heard that phrase.

Shun looks like the face of many print ads I saw in Tokyo subways. He's very good looking - buuuut - how much makeup did he have on? Not just foundation and cover, I'm looking at his lips that look like he has lip liner on and some color?

Oh - and almost all of them had skin issues of varying degrees - quite a bit of breakout acne among most of them.

Good looking people get away with everything. That’s why Shun wasn’t being called out for his cunty behavior. If I was on that show, I would have bitch-slapped Shun by the end of the first episode.

Snapper is slang for a special kind of cunt that makes all the trouble worth it. Magic pussy. Hypnovadge. You get the gist.

R176 - ok, but if you google slang for 'snapper' you're gonna go for a wild ride. "The climatic end of a story" "a baby" "a street name for inhalants" "a dumb person". It's all over the map.

R175 - the problem is that he was that way primarily to Dai and from later clips looks to have been subdued but fun and laughing. He was only putting Dai through hell - and Dai was all too willing to take it.

[quote] I felt so bad for Dai watching himself eat his heart out over that little cunt Shun and seeing the tears stream down his face while Shun was kiki-ing with the others.

If Dai is unhappy in his relationship with Shun behind closed doors then he can only blame himself. I don’t feel sorry for him. He saw, as everyone else did, the type of person Shun is.

I don’t like Shun but in the words of Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

No it wasn’t just to Dai. At the end of the first episode when everyone wrote a note to someone they had the best impression of, he was the only one being a cunt and didn’t write to anybody. He said there wasn’t anyone he’s interested in basically implying that he’s too good for all of them. He continued to proclaim that despite being passive aggressive with Dai in later episodes. The epitome of my shit don’t stink. He’s not in love with Dai, but he turns into a possessive bitch as soon as he feels threatened by someone else potentially steeling his man.

r177 Yes! Shun seemed perfectly normal with everyone else, he seemed like good company.

It's just that in a romantic context, he turns into this female songbird that waits until her potential mate damn near dies from exhaustion, dancing so hard to impress her. And all those tests as well. I really don't like that.

I really hated how the commentators just ate the whole Dai and Shun “romanc”e up. It was quite annoying.

I don’t feel sorry for Dai one bit. He’s a little slut that wants to bone Shun at all costs despite the red flags. This will end in tears.

r181 They were so desperate for a success story, the producers probably told them to latch onto it and go overboard with their reactions.

r182 Agreed, Dai is a young playa and will inevitably get tired of that moody problematic bussy. Tick friggin' tock, Shun.

I hope they never stumble on this thread because we are being quite mean to these boys.

Ching ching chow chow.

Watching the reunion now. Not even five minutes in and that panel is absolutely unhinged (in a good way!), losing their shit as the boys start walking in. One of them said she hadn't slept that night from all the excitement and I could actually see the dark circles under her eyes.

Loved when the straight guy panelist said his sister reconnected with him after several years after watching the show.

Dai is dressed like bacon for some reason.

What a boring show. None of them are hot.

[quote]"The climatic end of a story"

Did it end in a thunderstorm?

I don’t get why people feel sorry for Dai.

He had his eyes on Shun day one and Shun has publicly admitted he’s a mess. With all the back and forth shenanigans between the two, they are now officially a couple. Since people are beating their pussies to this new coupling ,they are now making money off of it.

Don’t feel sorry for Dai, he knows exactly what he’s doing.

r189 Exactly so. Dai apparently now works at Shun's place. They're also now going into YouTube couple vlogging, with their first video coming out tomorrow, August 13th.

First vlog, with subs. Already dressing the same way. Dai's skin looks so much better.

Who’s the top?

The cameraman.