Boys Like Boys Picked up by Warner Bros Discovery, as GagaOOLala Expands LGBT Sales Slat

 Posted on July 2, 2024  |  5 minutes  |  1005 words  |  Larita Shotwell

Unscripted queer reality dating series “Boys Like Boys” is to air on Warner Bros. Discovery’s TLC channel in Taiwan in early 2024, making it the first local LGBTQ+ dating reality show to air on linear TV in the territory.

The show is an original production by GagaOOLala, Asia’s out and proud LGBTQ+ streaming service, which is pitching an expanded array of queer content at the Taiwan Creative Contents Fest (TCCF) that launches Tuesday in Taipei.

“Boys Like Boys” had its premiere at the Kaohsiung International Film Festival and is now available worldwide on GagaOOLala and WeTV in the Philippines and Thailand, where the ‘Boys Love’ genre has become highly popular. The show has also been licensed to Viu TV for play in Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

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GagaOOLala is also pitching the second season of lesbian-oriented “Fragrance of the First Flower” which previously picked up multiple honors at the 2022 Golden Bell Awards (best writing, best actress and best supporting actress in a mini-series/TV movie) and was hailed by Variety as one of its top international shows of 2021. “The series remains an exemplar of unapologetic storytelling,” the company said.

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A third original production is “First Note of Love,” a collaboration between GagaOOLala, leading BL production partner Star Hunter Entertainment from Thailand, and Warner Music Taiwan.

Set to start filming this month, predominantly in Kaohsiung, the series has support from the Ministry of Culture Taiwan’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development (BAMID), the Kaohsiung Film Fund and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA).

GagaOOLala recently added rights pickup “Playboyy” to its sales slate. The show is an R18+ BL offering, featuring a cast of 14 up-and-upcoming Thai BL actors. The uncensored version of the series will premiere globally on GagaOOLala, on Nov. 16. A trailer has already been viewed 1,500,000 times on YouTube, ahead of the uncensored series upload.

Produced by Thailand’s BL powerhouse, Copy A Bangkok, and directed by Cheewin Thanamin (“War of Y,” “Bed Friend”), the series claims to redefine the boundaries of the BL genre, while tracing a narrative of fame, fortune, sex and desire, and delving into themes that include the sex trade, illegal pornography, drugs, covert prostitution, addiction and revenge within the queer community.

Launched in early 2017 by Portico Media, GagaOOLala has become a significant LGBTQ+ brand. Based in Taiwan, which recognized same sex marriages in 2019, GagaOOLala #FindYourStory claims over 3 million members across the globe. It currently has a library of around 1,300 titles available in 249 territories, including films, series, documentaries, shorts, and anime, with new content added weekly.

“Since GagaOOLala went global in 2020, we are privileged to reach a wide audience of LGBTQ+ BL content; we take it as our responsibility now to create stories and characters that can be a part of the ever-changing cultural dialogue,” said Jay Lin, the founder of GagaOOLala. “Our commitment is to shape narratives that not only entertain but also contribute to the vital conversations surrounding diversity, inclusion, and love in all its forms.”

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