Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Short verdict for this longer edition? The Boyfriend Season 2 proved to be more dramatic, and romantic than the first one!
The Japanese dating reality show exclusively for queer men is set this time in snowy Hokkaidu, offering some stunning winter-wonderland style shots. Even though the setting is cold and chilly, the mood of the show is of-course all heat, fire, and sparks.
While in season 1, nine contestants participated in the dating reality show for a month, The Boyfriend Season 2 features 10 men (three of them enter a little later) living under the same roof for two months, while they get to go on dates and run a cute coffee truck together. Episode one kicks of with cinematic entry scenes for each member, who come by air, land, and water, to find love in the ‘Green Room’, the property that’s supposed to be their home for the next 60 days.
Also Read: The Boyfriend Season 1 Review – Coffee, Crushes, Conflicts Brew
The format for the Boyfriend season 2 remains the same: ten men live under one roof for eight weeks, take turns running a coffee truck together, cook for everybody, go on dates, play games, and hopefully fall head over heels for someone. Most of the contestants look like they could play leads in a Japanese romance, although the age gap between the youngest and the eldest member is once again quite stark. The oldest contestant is 40, while the youngest is 20, a college student.
From international athletes to project managers, the participants represent a wide spectrum of backgrounds, adding a vibrant diversity to the show. Just like Season 1, this season welcomed a dynamic panel of five celebrity guests who watched the men in the Green House and offered humorous, entertaining commentary on everything that unfolded. The celebrity guests squealing in delight at lovey-dovey moments, or exclaiming surprise loudly when contestants behaved unexpectedly, definitely is amusing to watch. On the other hand, maybe not having live reactions wouldn’t really take away from the show either.
One of the more surprising things about The Boyfriend Season 2 is that quite a few contestants already know each other, and two of them had even briefly gone on dates before. It might remind viewers of His Man Season 3, the Korean gay dating show, where things got awkward pretty quickly because two contestants who knew each other bur pretended they didn’t for a while.
Thankfully, the The Boyfriend Season 2 cast is far more honest and upfront, greeting people they already know right away without making things uncomfortable for everyone else. That said, thanks to this former “almost couple,” there is plenty of romantic tension and drama generated in the first half of the series. The opening episode is aptly titled ‘This Winter We Meet Again’, which works both as a welcome-back for the show and a clever hint at old flames crossing paths again.
Just when the house settles into a rhythm, and the viewer begins to think things are going to stretch into last few episodes, the Boyfriend Season 2 drops its biggest bomb yet. A familiar face to everybody in The Green Room enters late, sparking a fresh wave of excitement and suspicion. This isn’t just any contestant. This is a catfish: charming, calculated, and designed to disrupt everything.
While more often than not, a few contestants on dating reality shows like these are only there for screentime and fame (‘Love is Blind Germany’ had a few of those) everybody in The Boyfriend Season 2 felt genuine in their quest to find their next partner. This was proven when two contestants who fell hard for each other, decided to date seriously mid-show, and left the show early on to see how their relationship progresses away from the cameras. The decision made perfect sense: why continue to be on the show if they’ve already found what they were looking for.
But of course, there were also some love triangles, with some of them having to face crushing heart breaks when their romantic interest did not reciprocate their feelings. One pair took a long time to confirm their feelings for each other, but both of them were young, had a hard time expressing their feelings and watching them go on dates and struggle with their dating journey felt like watching a satisfactory slow-burn Japanese BL show.
Not only do a surprising number of contestants make lasting connections, it’s heartwarming to watch them become friends, confidantes, and offer each other platonic love, support, and some great advice, each time someone is having a hard time. 15 episodes long, the editors sometimes go overboard with the dramatic music, but overall, this ends on a great note of love, hugs, tears, and heartfelt goodbyes.
If you enjoyed watching Season 1, the Boyfriend Season 2 is also worth a watch.
Watch it on Netflix.
Read Next: Run Away Review: Drugs, Murders & Contrived Twists (Audio Version Below)