it’s a love story with no romance
I can see why this has the low end of reviews but it is still a beautiful story of love, hardship and connection. if you watch the series expecting boys love it’s a 5/10 since there’s no real excitement or romantic scenes that make you giddy. but if you watch this series expecting love, hardship and connection, it’s a solid 8/10. minus 2 points for the abrupt plot turns.. but still lots to enjoy about this series. I’d still recommend it for the unique Japanese Korean boundary crossing mature acting and story. don’t let all the negative reviews deter you from watching this series! Reset your expectations and enjoy what this series offers.Was this review helpful to you?
Incredibly well written queerplatonic relationship (finally!!!)
I think this drama has been hit by misleading labels and expectations, and the fact that aspec relationships tend to be continuously mistreated by audiences who see any lack of explicitness in a relationship in media as something lacking.If you're aspec, though, or if you're in for a very deep, very profound, incredibly emotional queerplatonic relationship, this drama is for you (and me!).
I have seen the term "soulmate" used for queerplatonic relationships in Japanese media before (famously, the manga Banana Fish does so, for example) but I wasn't expecting to find that here, since a lot of the buzz around it made it seem like another regular BL. By episode 2, I was already starting to feel the qpr vibes and wondered if this was going to be sustained throughout or dropped somewhere along the line, but I'm happy to report that it's the heart of the narrative.
The drama tells the story of the relationship between Ryu, a Japanese ice hockey player struck by a very difficult personal situation (he isn't said to be explicitly aroace but what happens to him is very much a common problem among us, so read that as you may) and Johan, a South Koran boxer who is going through a personal crossroads that makes him choose between selling his integrity for financial stability or risking it all for his own truth.
That is just the starting point, since the entire drama spans years of Ryu's and Johan's relationship, focusing on pivotal moments in their lives and how their connection helps each other grow. Differently from other series where time skips make you feel you're missing the core of the story, this one uses the device really well and is able to showcase what you need to know to understand their dynamic. There's found family here, there's grief and loss, there's illness, there's career path changes. And, throughout it all, there's this intimate personal connection between two people who love each other, in the most genuine way possible, despite the expectations of what the allo-centric world (and audience) would like to label them as.
I don't know if the creator has spoken about whether they wanted to write a qpr or not, but that's exactly what it reads as. If you come in here looking for a regular allo BL, you're probably going to be disappointed (and join the squad of angry fujos in the comments and reviews) but if you're either looking for a qpr narrative or are willing to open your expectations to this kind of relationship, you're in for a treat (and some tears).
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Lovely leads, under developed stories
Loved the leads and there is a lot of interesting slots of life in this drama but there is something about this that failed to make it all the way in to my heart. As most of the twists could be smelled at least an episode in advance but I chose the word slots of life or maybe breezes of life as we never really truly get an invitation in to the life and true mindset of our leads making me feel left outside, making it hard tu fully immerse mysel in the story. Maybe they wanted to tell to many stories at once, maybe they felt like a medley of life from dramas past would make this feel refreshing and new... But all I felt was oh okay... so they went with that trope.That said again leads are lovely. And the binge was easy.
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THe drama gives me the same emotional feeling as dramas like I Told Sunset About You or Moonlight Chicken quieter, more intimate BLs that focus more on emotional connection than fanservice. The drama feels very soft and melancholic, almost like watching two lonely people slowly become each other’s safe place.
What really works is the chemistry. The relationship feels natural because the actors don’t overplay the romance . A lot of the emotional impact comes from small moments, silence, eye contact, and awkward conversations rather than huge dramatic scenes.
The atmosphere is probably the strongest part for me. The cinematography, lighting, and OST create this calm but emotionally heavy feeling that reminds me of indie romance films more than classic BL dramas.
My only issue is that the pacing can feel a little too slow sometimes, especially if you prefer more plot-driven stories. The drama spends a lot of time on emotions and mood rather than major events.
But honestly , that softness is also what makes it memorable. It feels less like a fantasy romance and more like a very human love story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Not a BL and that’s ok
Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge that they portrayed the characters v well, and I loved that the focus wasn’t solely on their sexuality but on isolation, loneliness, and need for human connection. And although this wasn’t necessarily a BL, it felt like they positioned it that way and for the most part, the romance was lacking. Even with the drawings and trips, these gestures and experiences still felt like a deep bromance. Two men completely comfortable with each other and sharing a beautiful bond. Skin-ship isn’t necessary to show romance, but there was barely any longing, tension, or intimacy while they were living together and growing closer. Part of me feels this may have been because Taecyeon was stepping outside his comfort zone as an idol-actor? Whilst he did well, the romantic chemistry didn’t fully land for me. These were grown (fine) men attracted to each other, and yet we never even got something as small as a face touch? Or an unnecessarily long and dragged out longing gaze? Thankfully, the ending redeemed it slightly in that aspect to confirm their romantic feelings for one another :(. Without that ending, it would simply be an incredibly touching bond between two queer male besties. I love but they definitely sold us a romance, so I’m a bit salty the chemistry and yearning was lacking.Was this review helpful to you?
Soulmates don't have to be romantic to love each other
The relationship between the two was amazing. I might be a little biased over this, since Taecyeon, Johan's actor, is one of my ult biases. I especially loved his acting, he was so good.I really loved the emotional connection between the two characters. What some people failed to realize is that two people do not have to interact romantically to be soulmates. The characters had a strong emotional connection and even if they didn't kiss or make out, you could sense the love they had each other. I'd argue even more than some BL couples.
The only thing I didn't like is that at one point, something happens that takes the attention from our Johan and Ryu. But that's the only negative I'd say.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Weight of Reality
[Spoilers will be tagged where they start]First of all, I know people were upset about this show for not having physical intimacy between the two leads, but frankly that is not the plot of this show at all. Is it still queer? Absolutely. This show explores the lives of two characters trapped by society and their own emotions, and how they try to overcome this together but are ultimately still victims of a harsh reality.
Ryu (Hayato), an ice hockey player, has no response when his friend and teammate confesses his feelings for Ryu. When the team learns of this, they make a mockery of the gay teammate, causing him to attempt suicide. Ryu, feeling guilty for not protecting his friend, runs away from his team and Japan to stay with his friend in Berlin. Burdened with the guilt of his friend's suicide attempt and dealing with the weight of coming to terms with his own sexuality, Ryu goes to a church to confess his sins. When the church catches fire, Ryu decides to burn with it until the man that overheard his confession saves him. This random encounter seems fleeting, until Ryu sees the man that saved him compete in a boxing match. In another chance encounter, Ryu meets Johan (Taecyeon), and the two become fast friends. Their lives become intertwined as they both deal with the hardships of being queer in an unaccepting society, and feel as though they need to find a way to save their souls through each other.
This show manages to hit you with a new tragedy every episode. I swear, any time someone seemed slightly happy, the writers decided to throw something horrible at them. I really loved the themes of found family and queer love, but my GOD they could not let any character be happy ever! As much as I love a sad drama, this one felt like a little TOO much.
[Spoilers start here]
I truly think the only positive takeaway from the show was the found family aspect. The way that Ryu steps in to support his best friend and everything she goes through, along with Johan, was truly the best part of the show, even when the entire group was having a rough time. However, for the finale to have Ryu marrying Sumiko for the sake of Kanau really hurt in an unexpected way. I understand why Johan left, and I think it made sense for all of the characters, but for Ryu to never truly be able to be with someone he loves because he knows it won't be accepted and frankly, even HE never accepted it himself, really really hurt. And honestly, I do not think the writing addressed this aspect well at all. I fully understand the idea that Ryu and Johan are never explicit about their relationship, even in private, considering what the two have been through. But for the show to end the way it did, with the "I love yous" right before Johan's death, felt cruel to the audience! It almost felt like a situation of "we're not allowed to really make this gay, so let's kill off the male love interest and have the main character marry a woman." While I don't think that was the intention, it still felt like they could have told this heartbreaking story of two queer men crushed by the reality they live in, but still manage to portray acceptance of oneself in these characters. All we see are two men being beat down over and over again, and never managing to live the lives they wanted. You REALLY need to want a sad show to watch this one.
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Soul Mates for Eternity
Soul Mate is unquestionably one of the most beautiful series I have ever watched. It tells the story of true love, what it really means to find your soul mate and spend your life with them. All the actors were wonderful and overall, the series was very high quality. RyuJohan is such a wholesome and beautiful couple of soul mates.Having watched Soul Mate, my worldview has once again been broadened.
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A queer story for queer people
Do NOT let the people telling you that this is a bromance dissuade you from watching.As a lot of people have stated before me, this series isn’t and will never be the bromance people depict it to be.
It is a raw story about realistic life experiences from a queer perspective.
To be clear, if you’re looking for your typical queer utopian bl where the romance is the focal point and they end up living happily ever after, this is not for you.
Because yes, god forbids we’re literally anything besides being gay and in love apparently.
It feels kind of surreal to me that some people on here were expecting them to just get together and be done with it when they’ve both struggled in life and with their identities.
“They could have made it more clear” but has anyone ever considered it wasn’t even clear to the characters themselves ???
They both went through traumatic experiences and somehow all people seem to think about is watching two men kiss.
Let me tell you in case you haven’t stepped foot outside in 10 years, this is not how relationships work.
Sometimes you have to lose someone to realize the real depth of your feelings, sometimes putting a label on a relationship is not a priority and it is all completely fine.
What matters is that they could rely on each other, trust each other and love each other in their own way.
Not every relationship looks the same, and this is a great reminder to everyone watching.
And if you still think this is queerbaiting somehow, yes they did confess their feelings to each other. No it wasn’t ambiguous. And yes you will remember this series for the rest of your life.
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Just give it a shot. Please.
it's my first actually feeling like I HAVE to write a review for something I've watched. I was so excited for Soul Mate but when I saw the negative reviews, I was a bit mixed but I still gave it a shot.Thanks God I did.
It's the first time in years that I've cried so much watching a series. My eyes are still red from how much I've cried nonstop those past few hours.
I saw people complaining that it's not a real bl, that it's disappointing since they don't kiss and I even saw someone calling it a "homophobic crap". In my opinion, those people didn't understand at all the whole point of the story. There's something between Ryu and Johan, it's a fact, but it's just that sometimes relationships are too complicated to be put in boxes like friendship or romantic love. A soulmate doesn't necessarily mean a romantic lover by the way. And I would argue that here, the soulmate aren't only Ryu and Johan because almost everything that happens is by chance, by coincidence. It's a miracle as Johan said.
I found this series truly beautiful. It reflected life so well. Even with everything that happens it didn't feel heavy. I liked everything about this series: the way it was shot, the acting, the ost...
Everything.
Of course, if you're starting it thinking you're in for a cute little bl, you'll be disappointed. But if you're starting it with an open mind and if you're able to see and understand human relationships that go beyond labels, you'll probably enjoy it as much as I did.
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A Journey Beyond Romance : Disappointed Reviews Miss the Realism of this Masterpiece
Key points:- Themes of friendship, hardships and societal pressure
- A deeper bond than lust and simple romance
- Impactful and moving storyline
* Most importantly, I highly recommend this series who wants to feel moved and grounded. Please do not let all negative comments alter your own evaluation of the TV show. You shall end up devouring this series while tears pouring out till the after the end. *
This series reveals the core foundation defining the themes of friendship, hardships and societal pressure. Through the characters’ relationships—queer and family related—that may appear unconventional from the societal norms, the term “soul mate” is defined as a bond that reaches a deep understanding that goes beyond linguistic communication.
The disappointed comments do not objectively portray the series’ worth. While I was also expecting a BL series from an honest point of view, the series show cases that love can go further than the lust and romance. I understand that many, me included, were expecting this TV show to be a Boys Love series with hot chemistry and love trope as seen in many previous Korean and Japanese gay romance tv shows. What brought some to be disappointed is the trailer and summary of the show that portrayed a different main idea.
However, the screenwriter and director successfully moves the audience through an impactful storyline. It is solid, moving and realistic to the context we live in today. The characters are well portrayed and support the main message; it is inevitable to attach yourself to them. While feelings of frustration and grief remain at the end of the watching, each event felt purposefully placed in this story line, completing the puzzle pieces together to form the whole of the message.
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The most beautiful love story I’ve ever seen
Wow. I just finished this and I don’t even have words for how beautiful it was. Best love story I’ve ever seen, truly touched my heart. Probably cried 10 times but worth it. This one will stick with me for a long time.Even though they never had romantic gestures like other shows, their love transcended romance honestly. It was deeper, and proves that not every love story has to be romantic/sexual in nature. This is not your average BL, in fact it isn’t a BL in my opinion, it’s so much more than that. I cannot even explain how good this show is, I truly will think about it for a long time. I cannot understate how beautiful this show was, please watch it, don’t listen to the bad reviews, they just wanted a “regular BL” which this is not.
BTW: If you want an idea of what this is like, it’s a bit like the anime movie “a silent voice” so if you like that, you will love this!
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