Taipei-based LGBTQ+ streaming service GagaOOLala has started production on a second season of hit lesbian drama series, Fragrance Of The First Flower, again starring ZaiZai Lin and Lyan Cheng.
The first award-winning season of the show revolves around a married woman with a son, who is reunited with a girl from her past, sparking a connection that opens the door to the possibility of escaping her monotonous married life.
The second 12-episode season follows her as a newly divorced single mother and career woman. Although Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in 2019, LGBTQ+ relationships are not always fully accepted in mainstream society and she faces challenges in navigating her new life.
Since its launch on the GagaOOLala streaming platform in 2021, the first season has sold to South Korea, Australia, Spain and Portugal, among other territories. It also became the first Taiwanese title to screen at Series Mania and was selected by more than ten international film festivals, including Tokyo, BFI Flare London, Frameline San Francisco, Outfest Fusion and Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
The series also won multiple prizes at Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards, including best writing, best actress and best supporting actress in a miniseries/TV movie.
“The strong demand for authentic and meaningful Asian LGBTQ+ content from both Eastern and Western audiences is evident in the interest in season two expressed by those who acquired the rights to the first season,” said Katie Chou, GagaOOLala’s head of acquisition and affiliate sales.
“Additionally, an increasing number of international distributors and OTT content buyers from the US, Asia, and Europe are considering acquiring both seasons, highlighting the global appeal of this unique Asian Lesbian IP.”
The second season of Fragrance Of The First Flower is scheduled for global release in 2024.
Launched in 2017 by Taiwan’s Portico Media, GagaOOLala offers more than 1,600 titles of queer content, including more than 60 originals, and has nearly 3 million members across more than 200 territories. Of these members, around 36% are from North America, 38% from Asia, 18% from Europe, and the rest from other regions.