Ossan’s Love: does Hong Kong television rom-com featuring Canto-pop stars from Mirror mark a shift in city attitudes to gay relationships?
- Show starring boy band singers Anson Lo and Edan Lui is first drama on mainstream Hong Kong television to focus on same-sex relationships
- Cultural observers say the 15-part series that aired this summer has reshaped public perceptions of city’s sexual minority groups
The love stories of gay men are rarely featured on Hong Kong television, but the recent popularity of a romantic comedy airing on a major channel suggests a shift in public attitudes to same-sex relationships.
The 15-episode series Ossan’s Love – a ViuTV remake of a Japanese show – marked the first time that a mainstream Hong Kong television station had produced and screened a drama focusing mainly on gay relationships.
Featuring two heartthrobs from the city’s hottest boy band, Mirror, the story follows a journey of self-discovery by Edan Lui Cheuk-on’s straight character “Tin Tin”, who comes to question his sexuality after being pursued romantically by his male boss. The show’s original title means “old men” in Japanese.
Anson Lo Hon-ting, another star from the 12-member Canto-pop group, plays “Ah Muk”, who is Tin Tin’s gay housemate and has a crush on him.
Lui’s character eventually falls for Ah Muk and he professes his love for his housemate in a scene that diehard fan Vivan Cheng found especially touching. “I just keep looping it,” she confessed. “It was really sweet.”
Cultural studies scholars and activists now suggest the significance of the show – which ran daily between late June and mid-July – has gone beyond its commercial and artistic value.
They argue the programme and its ensuing popularity is reshaping public perceptions of the city’s sexual minority groups, which are often marginalised by the local media.