TVB to air first gay dating show 'boyscation' in November

TVB is airing its first dating show around gay men and their lives in early November. The show will be produced and hosted by Vinci Wong, an openly gay actor who has also worked for TVB before. 

The programme boyscation is expected to air on TVB's J2 channel in early November. Multiple Hong Kong reports said the programme will feature 10 men from all walks of life, including a flight attendant, an influencer, a chef, and a university lecturer. An Instagram account and a Facebook page have been created for the show. On 7 October, the Instagram account published its first post featuring Wong holding a glass of champagne which read, "It is the most important chapter in my TV career. It is the most extraordinary attempt in Hong Kong's TV history."

Two hashtags were added, including #pleasestaytuned and #Boyscation. 

A report from am730 said that Wong had discussed the idea of the programme with general manager (content operations) Eric Tsang Chi-wai and J2's creative director Cheng Sze-kwan. Both of them supported the idea immediately. Wong also told HK01 that boyscation not only helps pair the contestants, but also explores the younger generation of gay men sharing with the audience their realities and interaction with the society at large. He also said the programme is aimed at bringing out the positive messages from the gay community, adding that it is a channel for the young gay men to express themselves and for the public to know more about the community. 

Wong also said that while ViuTV's Ossan's Love (HK version) helped the public accept LGBT relationships; this programme is aimed at showcasing the reality to the audience in addition to bringing out positive messages. Ossan's Love (HK version) was aired in July on ViuTV, featuring MIRROR's Anson Lo and Edan Lui, as well as former TVB actor Kenny Wong.

Some brands leveraged the popularity of the TV programme to promote its products. For example, fast food chain Fairwood offered the "Creamed Corn Meat Rice" (nickname Show Me Your Love Rice) which caught the attention of netizens and quickly became a social media sensation. During the promotion, the "Show Me Your Love Rice" sales increased by more than 20% as the dish's nickname echoed the title of a popular TV show.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong is in recent years pushing the boundaries for the acceptance of the LGBTQ community. The Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 (GGHK), for one, is an event which has been making headlines this year, but due to the pandemic, the games have been postponed to November 2023.

(Photo Courtesy: Boyscation's Facebook)

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