GagaOOLala's ‘First Note of Love’ Fan Meet Strikes a Chord in Taipei, Kicking Off Asia Tour

From Left to Right: 'Jame' Kasama Kranjanawattana, Tim Liu, Charles Tu & Michael Chang

In an event organized at Westar, Taipei Taiwan on Saturday, 02 November 2024, GagaOOLala set the stage for a celebratory moment in Boys' Love (BL) entertainment and fan culture, hosting its first-ever fan meet for its original BL musical series First Note of Love. Drawing over 500 fervent fans from Taiwan, the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and China, the event marked the launch of the show’s regional fan meet tour, with future stops planned for Seoul, Hong Kong, Macau, Bangkok and more destinations throughout 2025. The event signifies a monumental moment in the burgeoning BL fandom space with GagaOOLala aiming to celebrate the series' unique blend of music and BL romance while fostering connections among the show’s fans across Asia through experiential fan meet-and-greet events.

From Left to Right: 'Jame' Kasama Kranjanawattana, Tim Liu, Director Chien Hung Lien , Michael Chang & Charles Tu

A Night of Music, Romance, and Cross-Cultural Harmony

The Taipei fan meet offered an unforgettable celebration of music, culture, and BL storytelling, reinforcing First Note of Love’s distinctive identity as Asia’s pioneering Taiwanese-Thai musical BL series. Known for its compelling blend of music and drama in collaboration with Warner Music Taiwan and Start Hunter Entertainment Thailand, the event saw lead actors Charles Tu, Michael Chang, Tim Liu, and Thai star ‘Jame’ Kasama Kranjanawattana showcase their  artistic talents, as they performed popular tracks from the series, choreographed dances, and fan-favorite duets, delivering more than ten entertaining acts over the course of the event. Furthermore, the fans were also treated to up-close interactions, exclusive behind-the-scenes stories, warm hugs, and exclusive gifts personally chosen by the actors. Touched by the support of the fans, Charles Tu and Michael Chang shared, “It’s hard to say goodbye, but continuing this journey with you all feels like our debut concert. This is just the beginning, with so much more to look forward to!” At the end of the night, the cast grew emotional watching a video fans had prepared. Moved to tears, each actor expressed gratitude, while director Chien Hung Lien read a heartfelt letter, "Little Love Confession" to thank fans, saying, “From filming to airing, and now today, you’ve encouraged us every step of the way, making this a perfect journey. Your support is our biggest motivation!”

Michael Chang & Charles Tu

'Jame' Kasama Kranjanawattana & Tim Liu

Music at the Heart

In a show of musical synergy, the fan meet featured live renditions of songs from First Note of Love’s original soundtrack, produced by Warner Music Taiwan as part of their diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. The partnership between GagaOOLala and Warner Music Taiwan provided a tailor-made original soundtrack featuring Warner Music artists, spanning diverse genres such as EDM pop, pop rock, soft rock, alternative, ballad, and indie rock and reflecting the series’ narrative and characters. These original songs were showcased and performed throughout the fan meet, further highlighting the unique synergy between music and storytelling brought to life by the event. Besides the performances by the lead cast, attendees were also greeted to a special performance from Warner Taiwan artist TAIYO, who performed his hit “I’m Not Afraid,” embodying the show’s themes of love and courage and highlighting the universal power of music to heal, connect, and strike a chord with audiences globally.

Charles Tu & Michael Chang

TAIYO

Strategic Partnerships Fueling Success

GagaOOLala’s innovative approach in First Note of Love also stands as an ambitious effort to foster strategic synergies among the three major Asian BL hubs of Taiwan, Thailand and Japan. This is reflected in the artistic and musical inputs for the cross-national series coming from Warner Music Taiwan and Warner Music Thailand, international 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 subsidy from the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development of the Taiwanese Ministry of Culture.

Once considered a niche, the BL genre has gained mainstream popularity, attracting a large audience and active fandom in Asia and beyond. In 2021, Japan's BL market was valued at approximately 21.2 billion yen ($192 million) (Yano Research Institute). The same year, Thailand's BL streaming rights generated 360 million baht ($10.2 million) in foreign investment, with its export value exceeding 1.5 billion baht ($42.6 million) in 2022 (Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion). In 2023 alone, a total of around 217 BL titles had aired, as per MyDramaList.

Jay Lin, founder and CEO of GagaOOLala and Portico Media, highlights the potential of BL and fan meets being a collaborative nexus between these key production hubs. He states, "At GagaOOLala, we are committed to producing high-quality, big-budget Originals like First Note of Love. To achieve this, we need local and global co-production partners to share the risks and rewards of these creative projects. These strategic partnerships are also essential for expanding our distribution beyond GagaOOLala, widening our audience reach, and exploring new opportunities for fan engagement through regional and international BL fan meets that we have planned for First Note of Love."

'Jame' Kasama Kranjanawattana & Tim Liu

The Future of BL Fan Meets in Asia

Elsewhere, Lin also views fan meets as an essential step toward creating deeper connections with the series' devoted fans. “This event was only the beginning," Lin stated. "The regional tour of First Note of Love represents our dedication to providing immersive, fan-centric experiences that celebrate the universal appeal of Boys' Love. As BL gains international traction, GagaOOLala aims to expand its reach and foster cross-cultural dialogues that celebrate diversity and love. Our commitment to the BL genre is more than just a creative venture—it’s an opportunity to foster collaboration among key Asian markets like Taiwan, Thailand, and Japan. The success of our Taipei fan meet is only the beginning of a journey to create new spaces for fans to engage, celebrate, and be inspired.”

The success of the Taipei fan meet underscores the burgeoning popularity of First Note of Love and the growing global demand for high-quality BL content. With its unique blend of music, romance, and cross-cultural collaboration, the series continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

All episodes of First Note of Love are available to stream globally 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.

From Left to Right: Tim Liu, ‘Jame’ Kasama Kranjanawattana, Charles Tu & Michael Chang

About First Note of Love

"An unsociable music prodigy and a down-and-out singer work together. After many twists and turns, they finally complete their love song."  – First Note of Love

Directed by Chien Hung Lien, First Note of Love centers on the story of Neil (Charles Tu), the frontman of the band ‘Magnet’, who withdraws from the spotlight, upon the tragic death of his brother cum bandmate, leaving his fans, including a young boy named Sea (Michael Chang), devastated. Six years later, Sea, who is now a reclusive yet talented music whiz, is unexpectedly invited to work with his childhood idol, who remains haunted by his brother’s death and is struggling with anxiety and stage fright. Together, the two embark on a journey of musical healing, rediscovering their passion and dreams and sharing their newfound tune with the world.

First Note of Love, GagaOOLala Originals.

First Note of Love (2024)
Director: Chien Hung Lien
Production Companies: GagaOOLala and GOL Studios
Executive Producers: Jay Lin, Derjk Wu and Samantha Chien
Music by: Elisa Lin
Music Supervisor: Victor Liu
Original Soundtrack by: Warner Music Taiwan
Format: 12 episodes of 25 minutes each
Cast: Charles Tu, Michael Chang, ‘Jame’ Kasama Kranjanawattana, Tim Liu, Kaia Lee, TAIYO, Ying Hung Lee, Amanda Liu. 

First Note of Love: https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4617/first-note-of-love-2024