GagaOOLala's Western Subscribers Over 65% Revealing High Demand for Asian LGBTQ+ Streaming Content in Western Pink Economy Market
Taipei, Taiwan - As streaming services become more accessible worldwide, there is a growing demand for Asian films and TV shows, including those in the LGBTQ+ genre. GagaOOLala, Asia's leading LGBTQ+ and BL streaming platform since 2017, has witnessed the strong appetite for Asian content among the Western pink economy market. According to its latest data, 36% of its subscribers are from the US, nearly 20% from Europe, and more than 65% from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and Latin America.
“We are thrilled to see the increasing demand for Asian content, particularly from the LGBTQ+ community. Our platform serves as a conduit for cross-cultural understanding and acceptance, and we are humbled to play a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity and diversity,” says Jay Lin, CEO of GagaOOLala. In early 2023, GagaOOlala’s parent company, Portico Media, also launched Glocal Talents, an artist agency that aims to bridge local talents with regional creative hubs to create diverse and exciting content for the global audience through LGBTQ+ originals produced or initiated by GagaOOLala, Portico Media, and their international partners, to accelerate the ecosystem for mainstreaming LGBTQ+ entertainment.
In the global streaming wars, Lin believes his platform has a niche, although GagaOOLala is a bit player compared to the other giants. LGBT Capital estimates the pink economy is worth 3.9 trillion dollars and continues to grow. “While there are LGBT-focused services in Europe and the U.S., they're almost exclusively Western,” Lin points out. “There are few Asian titles, and if they appear, they are more Asian American or are from a Western or U.S. perspective. GagaOOLala is the first LGBTQ+ and BL OTT service available globally with such a high concentration of Asian content."
According to the Editorial Team at SBS On Demand, one of GagaOOLala's acquisition partners, “It’s exciting to see so much high quality drama being produced in Asia. A greater focus on web-series and dramas rather than high volume soaps has helped broaden interest in Asian content and make it more accessible to new audiences.” SBS On Demand acquired two originals from GagaOOLala: Season one of "Fragrance of the First Flower '' a lesbian IP, which has been released in March 2023, and "Taiwan Equals Love," a documentary slated for new year release in 2024 in Australia.
“Fragrance of the First Flower,” Season One: ZaiZai Lin (right) portrays Yi-Ming, and Lyan Cheng (left) plays Ting-Ting, the special person who rekindled Yi-Ming's suppressed love in the past. The two leading actresses reunite on "Fragrance of the First Flower'' Season Two, scheduled to debut globally in 2024.
“Fragrance of the First Flower was a wonderful representation of a queer romance that spoke to the heart of our purpose as a network – to platform both local and global stories that resonate with Australians of all backgrounds and diversities. This one off documentary, Taiwan Equals Love, is the perfect addition to our SBS On Demand platform with its intimate look at the LGBTQI+ landscape in Taiwan. It also highlights important stories about inclusivity and rights that we saw in Australia around the 2017 Marriage Equality referendum that would resonate with our audience,” say Alex Walkden, the Programmer, and Haidee Ireland, the Channel Manager, for SBS On Demand & World Movies.
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With the increasing interest in Asian content from western audiences, GagaOOLala has more originals underway. In 2023, the second season of its original lesbian IP, “Fragrance of the First Flower,” started filming during Pride Month and is set to premiere globally in 2024; “Boys Like Boys,” the first no-script and no-host dating reality show in Taiwan, will debut globally in October 2023, where eight guys with unique charms were chosen from an open call from October 14 to November 11, 2022, nearly one thousand applicants from 18 countries responded to this open call; “First Note of Love,” will begin filming in October 2023 and debut in 2024, a musical BL series that GagaOOLala will collaborate with Thai partners and Warner Music Taiwan, hoping to push the LGBTQ+ entertainment to the mainstream by bringing together talents across the globe.
GagaOOLala, a leading LGBTQ+ and BL streaming platform with an Asian focus, has reached a milestone of nearly three million members worldwide. Launched in early 2017, the platform currently houses over 1,600 titles from around the world, including 60 originals. GagaOOLala is available for streaming worldwide on website, mobile apps, and TV apps. The OTT platform is committed to delivering LGBTQ+ stories and characters that resonate with audiences everywhere, irrespective of gender, race, nationality, or sexual orientation.