ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider BL/GL Updates devider GagaOOLala surpasses 5 million members, unveils most watched BL, GL series in 2025

GagaOOLala surpasses 5 million members, unveils most watched BL, GL series in 2025

Published Feb 27, 2026 03:09 pm
(Clockwise from top left) "Desire," "School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close to," "Chase Game" and "Revenged Love" (GagaOOLala)
(Clockwise from top left) "Desire," "School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close to," "Chase Game" and "Revenged Love" (GagaOOLala)

GagaOOLala, the world’s leading LGBTQ+, BL (boys’ love), and GL (girls’ love) queer streaming platform, has surpassed five million members. 

The video streaming platform released its 2025 annual performance data, which showed it achieved robust growth last year. 

Paid subscribers grew by over 33 percent Year-over-Year (YoY), signaling that user retention and BL/GL viewership have reached record highs within the global "Pink Economy." 

Localized payments break barriers

Emerging markets showed incredible growth potential in 2025. In terms of YoY growth for "first-time subscribers," Indonesia led the pack with an upwards of 63 percent increase, followed closely by Thailand at over 57 percent and Malaysia exceeding 40 percent, with Western and Indian markets following.

The strong momentum is attributed to the local digital payment methods launched in late 2025. 

Jay Lin, founder and CEO of GagaOOLala, said: "We observed that users in emerging markets crave high-quality content but are often limited by cross-border payment barriers. By promoting local digital payment methods, we allow users to subscribe using preferred local digital wallets, moving beyond boundaries into Latin America and Africa." 

It currently covers Brazil, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, with more regions launching soon. 

Lin added, "This is more than a technical update; it is a step toward 'content equity,' ensuring fans worldwide can seamlessly connect with the stories they love."

Paid member distribution 

In terms of distribution, the US, Thailand, and Taiwan remain GagaOOLala’s top three markets for paid members. 

Performance in the US has been particularly remarkable; as of year-end 2025, US paid subscriptions account for over 35 percent of the global total, commanding more than one-third of the platform’s paying user base.

Lin noted that marketing automation platform was a primary driver, saying, "Since implementing marketing automation platform in 2024, we have been able to push content based on precise user behavior. Data shows that users transitioning into registered members grew by 179 percent. Utilizing serial codes to guide free users to upgrade to paid VIP status grew by 52 percent, while personalized content recommendations for VIPs drove a 137 percent increase in retention and watch targets."

"Revenged Love" (GagaOOLala)

Global BL/GL trends explode

According to research from institutions such as Credit Suisse, the global LGBTQ+ community holds an estimated $5.6 trillion in spending power. If viewed as a single economy, it would rank as the world’s fourth largest GDP. 

GagaOOLala notes that this cultural and economic shift is rapidly accelerating within the Asian entertainment industry.

Lin said that LGBTQ+, BL, and GL content represent the media sector’s fastest-growing segment, boasting immense export potential. Following the global success of breakout hits like “Heated Rivalry,” he identified this genre as the next major cultural phenomenon, rivaling Hallyu and Japanese Anime.

Since its late-2025 premiere, “Heated Rivalry” has dominated global markets, becoming the most-watched original series in Crave’s history and a top subscriber driver for HBO Max. 

This streaming success fueled a publishing phenomenon: weekly print sales of the original novel surged 80-fold, while author Rachel Reid’s entire “Game Changers” series saw a nearly 40-fold increase, totaling 650,000 copies sold. The powerful 'halo effect' has left industry players eager to tap into the lucrative original IP market.

"Secret Lover" (GagaOOLala)
"Our Youth" (GagaOOLala)
"When it rains, it pours" (GagaOOLala)

Thailand’s "Y-Series" value surpasses 4.9 billion THB

According to GagaOOLala’s observations from MyDramaList, the total volume of Asian BL and GL content has grown significantly. 

Thailand’s "Y-Series" is driving a new export wave and has been designated by the Thai government as a key focus for soft power and the creative economy. The SCB EIC (Siam Commercial Bank Economic Intelligence Center) projects that the share of "Y-Series" in Thailand's entertainment media output will grow from one percent in 2019 to four percent by 2025, with a total market value exceeding 4.9 billion THB (about $157.75 million). 

The success is mirrored across Asia: Japan is seeing a rise in production driven by TV stations adapting popular BL manga; South Korea’s industry is building on its mature K-drama infrastructure; and Taiwan continues to find success with realistic, original storytelling.

Exporting Taiwanese Content: U.S. Fans Lead Global Consumption

As a Strategic Commercial Hub for Global Creativity rooted in Taiwan, GagaOOLala serves as a vital engine for exporting Taiwanese content. Currently, the platform hosts over 240 Taiwanese titles, accounting for 21% of the total library. The top three regions consuming Taiwanese content are the USA (29%), Taiwan (16%), and Thailand (11%).

Jay concluded: "The Pink Economy is not a niche; it is the new mainstream of the entertainment industry. Taiwan’s supportive government and diverse, open society make us the hub for Asian queer content. As a Strategic Commercial Hub, GagaOOLala will continue to use precise data and diverse partnerships to facilitate the exchange of creative content between East and West."

Data insights 

The 2025 rankings confirmed that BL and GL content have emerged as the most explosive monetization engines within the Pink Economy. 

Notably, the top two hits, “Revenged Love” and “Desire,” amassed over one million watch hours in 2025. 

In addition, Japanese BL series dominated the global top 10 by securing six positions, demonstrating the staggering scale of traffic generated when high-quality content accurately reaches a global audience of five million members. 

GagaOOLala said this 'data depth' reflects more than just a one-time trend; it is a concrete manifestation of high re-watch rates. 

The data revealed that original IPs fueled by creative energy possess a powerful long-tail effect, not only driving annual viewership peaks but also effectively revitalizing the platform’s existing content library—showcasing the enduring vitality and high level of user loyalty inherent in creative content within the streaming market.

GagaOOLala Official Viewership Rankings 2025

GagaOOLala Global Top 10 BL Series 2025

1. Revenged Love - Singapore

2. Desire - Hong Kong

3. Secret Lover - Taiwan

4. Our Youth - Japan

5. When it rains, it pours - Japan

6. School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close to - Japan

7. Doctor's Mine - Thailand

8. At 25:00, in Akasaka Season 2 - Japan

9. Love Sea The Home for Lovers - Japan

10. Love in The Air -Premonition of Love- - Japan

GagaOOLala Global Top 10 BL Series 2025 (Japanese BL Top 5)

1. Our Youth

2. When it rains, it pours

3. School Trip: Joined a Group I'm Not Close to

4. At 25:00, in Akasaka Season 2

5. Love Sea The Home for Lovers

GagaOOLala Global Top 10 BL Series 2025 (Thai BL Top 5)

1. Doctor's Mine

2. Season of Love in Shimane

3. Love In The Moonlight

4. The Bangkok Boy

5. My Golden Blood

GagaOOLala Global Top 10 BL Series 2025 (Korean BL Top 5)

1. Secret Relationship

2. Tide of Love

3. My Bias is Showing

4. Ball Boy Tactics

5. Thundercloud Rainstorm

GagaOOLala Global Top 10 GL/Les Content 2025

1. Fragrance of the First Flower Season 2

2. AYAKA is in LOVE with HIROKO

3. Chaser Game

4. The Nipple Talk

5. Call Me By No Name

6. Behind the Scene of Fragrance of the First Flower S2

7. Apple My Love

8. AYAKA is in LOVE with HIROKO 2nd STAGE

9. Love Senior

10. Unlock Your Love

ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.