Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
We meet a cuddle expert, who talk sabot how he wasn't also aware of this service but now he gets clients who like this but the guy also emphasized on the importance of consent. We do overlook how little touch we get every day. And how it can be emotionally taxing as well trying to look for someone to be intimate with -- so hiring someone just makes a lot of sense. There is another guy who talks about how he provides mostly BDSM massage services and how he gets repeated clients and there is something there that he fulfills desires of his clients and he must be doing something ok that begets repeat customers. An interesting take is given by Raj on how he treats his disabled customers and how everyone has the right to feel pleasured and loved. He also talks about how he told his mother and family about what he does for work and how they have all been eventually very supportive of what he does.
As much as these subjects make sense, the logical side of my brain still thinks that these are somehow justifications for doing the job that you are doing. I mean, at one point we do say that no work is small or big, but then at the same point, why are we making documentaries where people have to justify what they are doing? There was not even larger motive where we could go maybe more deep into the history of sex work or even legalizing it; but it was simply lets talk to these 4 subjects, hears their point of view on why they do what they do and thats is. The makers themselves do not give any opinion whatsoever. Sure, it was interesting to watch something new, but personally I didn't get to hear or learn anything new (besides getting paid to be cuddled) that I did not know before. (3/10)
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