LayarHijau – The drama Love Between Lines has recently become a hot topic among viewers, particularly due to its male lead, Xiao Zhiyu, who is seen as embodying the concept of a “guiding boyfriend.” In the story, Xiao Zhiyu not only serves as a guide in the female lead Hu Xiu’s career journey as an architect, but also plays a crucial role in helping her move on from the shadow of a failed past relationship.
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A similar phenomenon can be seen in the popular Korean drama Can This Love Be Translated. The male lead Joo Ho-jin has received widespread praise from viewers for fitting the “guiding boyfriend” archetype. The female lead, Cha Mu-hui, is portrayed as someone shaped by an unstable family background, making her hesitant and fearful in relationships. After suffering an injury during filming and later developing a personality disorder, Joo Ho-jin’s presence becomes her most reliable support, both emotionally and professionally.
Beyond these two dramas, comparable characters have also appeared in other works. Lin Yusen in Shine on Me, Zhou Sheng’an in the short drama Summer Rose, and Duan Xiuming in What a Good Girl have all drawn attention for portraying similar “guiding boyfriend” traits.
In general, this type of character is depicted as capable, respectful of their partner, and supportive of mutual growth. Their popularity is believed to align with contemporary audiences’ desire to maintain personal independence while still longing for a healthy and supportive romantic relationship.
From Chinese dramas to overseas productions, and from full-length series to short-form dramas, the “guiding boyfriend” concept is increasingly seen as a new path for male leads in urban romance stories. Many believe that more male characters with similar traits will continue to appear in future productions.
Although the term “guiding boyfriend” only gained popularity last year and spread rapidly, this type of character is not entirely new. As early as 2011, the drama Love Keeps Going featured Han Yilie, a male lead who, despite his dominant and decisive personality, respected the female lead and helped Cha Mele, who had people-pleasing tendencies, rebuild her sense of self and escape an unhealthy pattern of constant self-sacrifice. Another example can be found in the 2017 drama The First Half of My Life, where Luo Zijun, divorced and lacking the ability to live independently, gradually grows through the guidance and support of He Han.
This shows that such character types have existed for a long time, but have recently appeared more frequently across multiple productions and have been deliberately packaged under a unified label through marketing.
On closer examination, Xiao Zhiyu in Love Between Lines still carries the traits of a sharp-tongued, cold-faced CEO archetype, while Joo Ho-jin in Can This Love Be Translated continues the image of a gentle, mature man. The so-called “guiding boyfriend” is essentially a refinement of traditional male lead tropes, blended with qualities favored by modern audiences and amplified through promotional strategies.
While the sense of novelty may be limited, adding a fresh twist to male lead characterizations is still regarded as an experiment worth acknowledging.
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