Taipei Fan Meet for Boys Love Series ‘First Note of Love’

The Boys Love (‘BL’) genre is growing. Big enough for producers to organize fan meetings, similar to those for mainstream TV shows or pop music stars in Asia.

At an event hosted in Westar, Taipei, Taiwan-based LGBTQI streaming platform GagaOOLala hosted its first fan meeting for BL original music series “First Note of Love” on Saturday. The event attracted around 500 spectators and marked the first leg of a planned tour that will visit Seoul, Hong Kong, Macau and Bangkok in 2025.

During the event, lead actors Charles Tu, Michael Chang, Tim Liu and Thai star ‘Jame’ Kasama Kranjanawattana showcased their artistic talents, performed popular songs from the series, choreographed dances and fan-favorite duets. They provided more than ten entertaining acts during the event.

The underlying series ‘First Note of Love’, directed by Chien Hung Lien, focuses on the story of Neil (Tu), the frontman of the band Magnet, who retreats from the spotlight after the tragic death of his brother and bandmate. Six years later, former fan Sea (Chang), who has become a reclusive but talented music expert, is unexpectedly invited to work with his childhood idol. Together the two embark on a journey of musical healing.

Produced by GagaOOLala and GOL Studios, “First Note of Love” consists of 12 episodes of 25 minutes each. It is available to stream worldwide on GagaOOLala (excluding Japan), along with Video Market and Rakuten TV in Japan, LINE TV and friDAY in Taiwan, Heavenly in South Korea, and Rakuten Viki in multiple territories. The series is available on GagaOOLala with English, Mandarin, Thai, Spanish and Bahasa subtitles.

The series attempts to draw input from Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, the three main centers of the BL genre. The series also counted artistic and musical input from Warner Music Taiwan and Warner Music Thailand, talents from Star Hunter Entertainment Thailand, investments from the Kaohsiung Film Fund, Video Market and Rakuten TV Japan and the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), as well as grant funding. ​from the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development of the Taiwan Ministry of Culture.

Once considered niche, the BL genre has entered mainstream popularity, attracting a large audience and dedicated fandom in Asia and beyond. Although the main characters are usually male and homosexual, the main target audiences for BL are likely to be heterosexual women. The girl love (GL) market is smaller, but it is also developing.

According to the Yano Research Institute, Japan’s BL market was valued at approximately JPY21.2 billion ($192 million) in 2021. In the same year, Thailand’s BL streaming rights generated THB360 million ($10.2 million) in foreign investment, with export value exceeding THB1.5 billion ($42.6 million) in 2022, according to Thailand’s Ministry of International Trade Promotion.

According to MyDramaList, a total of approximately 217 BL titles aired in 2023 alone. The promotion of pro-LGBTQ+ narratives in East Asia provides visibility and may have contributed to real-world changes for the community, such as the historic legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan in 2019 and the similar move in Thailand in June 2024.

“As BL gains international traction, GagaOOLala aims to expand its reach and promote cross-cultural dialogues that celebrate diversity and love. Our commitment to the BL genre is more than just a creative endeavor; it is an opportunity to promote collaboration between key Asian markets such as Taiwan, Thailand and Japan,” said Jay Lin, Founder and CEO of GagaOOLala and Portico Media. “The success of our fan meeting in Taipei is just the beginning of a journey to create new spaces where fans can engage, celebrate and be inspired.”