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A Healing Love Story
I had been waiting for Soul Mate for over a year, and honestly, it was 100% worth the wait.At first, I thought this would be a BL series, but it feels more like a bromance although there’s clearly something much deeper between them. And honestly, that’s what makes the story feel so real and emotional.
What makes Soul Mate so beautiful is that it doesn’t only focus on the relationship between the two men. The series also gives attention to the people around them and their own struggles. One of the most emotional parts for me was the woman’s story — dealing with the loss of her husband while also becoming a mother. Her storyline added so much depth and showed that everyone in the story is trying to heal in their own way.
The series explores loneliness, trauma, healing, and real-life struggles in such a natural way. At first, the two main characters seem completely different, but as the story continues, you realize they were always connected. In the end, it becomes clear that he had always liked him all along, which made their bond feel even more emotional because they truly are soulmates.
The chemistry, cinematography, and emotional atmosphere make this series unforgettable. If you love slow-burn emotional stories with deep connections and healing themes, Soul Mate is definitely worth watching.
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Sad and complex bromance with problems
In my opinion, no one does a sad story quite like a Japanese series. Soul Mate is a beautiful and touching story, but marketing it, even if indirectly, as a BL was a mistake.We had 10Dance a few months ago, so we know Netflix can deliver a great Japanese BL story with big names. At the same time, we’ve seen two versions of Love in the Big City recently, proving that big Korean actors are doing BL. Because of these expectations, Soul Mate will likely disappoint many viewers since it ultimately ends up being a bromance.
That said, the characters are complex and the acting is strong. I didn't always agree with their choices, though, like a friend withholding from their best friend the fact that a former “roommate” has been seriously ill in the hospital.
The only element the series truly fumbles is Arata. His confession and the incident are the catalysts for the entire show and a major driving force behind Ryu’s journey. It’s the reason Ryu is in Berlin, why he tries to give up inside the church, and why he abandoned hockey. Yet, it’s resolved so briefly and forgotten so quickly that it feels like Arata didn’t even matter. Ironically, mishandling this plotline is exactly what allows Soul Mate to exist. In my opinion, a proper resolution would have likely inspired Ryu to live without regret, prompting him to confess his true feelings to Johan much earlier.
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You have to watch to know what it really is.
I heard about this series first i guess in 2024 , that it's gonna be a thing. And i was very excited cuz one of the actors was Ok Taec yeon. Even though it took me 2 days to finish(cuz of my schedule) but i enjoyed every second of it. I was not expecting anything like this. I mean even when i watched the trailer i was like yea okay it seems normal lets watch it. But when i started it yesterday, i couldn't help but giggle to every scene. Every thing seemed so cute and just natural that i just wanted it to never stop. Though i was sad about Arata, but I wouldn't call it anyone's fault, i would say that the situation wasn't good.All the characters went through thick and thin throughout the series, something searching for warmth , support and compassion, while at other time, not wanting to burden the person on the other side, isolating themselves. But everything proved to be beautiful as they all supported each other.
i am mainly very disappointed about the fact that why johan everytime. i mean he's been struggling since childhood and in the end he got als too... that was so heartbreaking. and also Seichi too TT
i swear i cried throughout the entire last episode cuz it was so painful yet so beautiful. I dont usually like these kind of endings but this one was worth everything, ignoring every other element.
this was a meaningful watch for me cuz i learned that love doesn't comes easily. you have to let it grow and flourish. you have to be patient. you have to support yourself and the person on the other side. you have to understand them. but most importantly , you have to be you.
this might sound like some random rant but it was an eye opener for me...
*Saranghae*
*Aishiteru*
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love and life is for brave ones
i personally was able to relate very much to it. The show truly captures human emotions and insecurities really well. The series try to spread the message to never give up and be brave enough to face what comes one's way. Additionally, it also portrays the found family trope adorably. The series ignites the hope of living life, giving people second chances and holding them dear to the heart, when they are still around.Ryu is definitely a conventional human being whom i hold near to the heart and the actor playing it has done an incredible job. Plus, Johan speech in the last episode is worth applauding.(literal tears)
The music is melodious which goes very well with the scenes and vibe of the show.
While the show may be low on the romance level(intimacy) but ryu and johan definitely are connected close through hearts and the similarities of how they have experienced life events and how they look up to each other in loneliness is what truly makes them SOULMATES. Eventually this does not let the queer elements of their story get downplayed. I can see myself returning to watch this series when i feel low or to just restore belief in human nature
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BL Or Not
BL or Not..this is a gem!Brilliant series....Acting Top Tier. The chemistry between the leads is off the charts, and the storyline, though simple in concept, is executed with such emotional depth and nuanced storytelling. It's a show that stays with you long after the credits roll, making it a truly special viewing experience.
Definitely worth watching.
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Not an 'any of the tag words' - story, but a beautiful adult love story
I just finished watching this in one go and just want to say that this is one of the most beautiful love stories I have seen yet.I don't watch any of the modern, copy and paste feminised BL dramas for many reasons I don't want to elaborate.
But I watched this and was deeply moved by the way this story was told, and by the fact it was NOT about cheap, repetitive, one-dimensional, childish, unrealistic romance mainly made for teenage girls.
In fact, this was not about sex and cheap butterflies in the stomach triggers at all. It was about human relationships and it was about love in different shades, and life coming in between in all sort of ways. I was touched by many things in this, by the FL with the story of her childhood with a mother who completely ignored her as well as I was touched by the main male characters and especially the last few episodes.
I also liked it was multilingual and shot in different countries, one of them my home country even. I loved that the two male lead looked ordinary, in a way of their natural complexion instead of chalky white makeup and pink lipstick. I liked that their hair was messy when they got up in the morning, that they had dark circles under their eyes when they were stressed and desperate. I simply liked they looked like real people for a change.
This was not something to watch in between or for escapism and feeling better, many things here were without words and explanations. Many things were about reading the room, about glances, about guessing what a character might think in one moment or another, so, in short, it was something for people with brains - which I crave so much and which is so very rare these days.
Of all the actors I only knew Ok Taecyeon, whom I liked because he was in one of the first dramas I watched and liked about ten years ago.
I think his role as Jo-han here was by far his most serious, adult and actingwise his best role.
I enjoyed this a lot and will certainly rewatch it some time.
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This Isn’t Romance. It’s Something Deeper.
I don’t think Soul Mate is the kind of drama you “watch” casually. It’s the kind that quietly settles into your chest and stays there long after the final episode ends.What impressed me most was how emotionally restrained yet deeply intimate it felt. So many dramas try to force emotion through dramatic speeches or constant romance, but Soul Mate trusted silence, distance, longing, guilt, and timing. The connection between Ryu and Johan felt painfully human — two lonely people carrying heavy emotional wounds, finding understanding in each other without always knowing how to express it.
The cinematography was beautiful without feeling artificial, and the atmosphere across Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo gave the story this drifting, almost dreamlike feeling. There were scenes where barely anything was said, yet I felt everything. The show understands emotional loneliness in a way that many romance dramas don’t.
Hayato Isomura and Ok Taec-yeon gave incredibly layered performances. Their chemistry wasn’t loud or flashy — it was quiet, aching, tender, and believable. I especially appreciated that the story focused more on emotional dependency, healing, grief, and companionship rather than trying to constantly “prove” romance to the audience. That choice will probably divide viewers, but for me, it made the story feel more mature and realistic.
I also loved how flawed everyone felt. Nobody was written as purely good or bad. Every character carried regret, fear, selfishness, and love at the same time. Arata’s storyline especially hit hard and added emotional weight to everything that followed.
My only reason for not giving it a perfect 10 is that the pacing occasionally became a little too restrained, and there were moments where I wanted the emotional tension to fully explode instead of remaining so subtle. Still, when the show landed emotionally, it landed HARD.
Soul Mate is less about labels and more about connection — the kind of bond that changes your life forever, whether the world fully understands it or not. Quietly devastating, deeply comforting, and one of the most emotionally memorable dramas I’ve watched in a long time.
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High Teir Gay Romance and bittersweet slice of life
I was right! What an amazing and beautiful gay romance.I was hooked from the beginning to the end. The acting, cinematography, and writing were superb and heartfelt.
Overall it was a bittersweet experience about love, loss, life’s struggles, sacrifices, and the bonds we form.
People who just skipped through for kissing or NC scenes are missing out on one of if not the best, BL/gay stories I have seen in a long while. One of the few where I was enraptured by the storytelling and didn’t find myself 2x or skipping through any scenes even ones that were focused on the secondary characters.
It definitely fits in the vein of other amazing stories like Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo or Blonde and Blue Eyes. If anyone doubts the romance they are missing the whole thing and clearly didn’t watch it through nor paid attention to the last episode which clearly lays it out. Or are they being disingenuous and obtuse about depictions of romance since there’s no “fan service” or dated stereotypical cliches?
Also, as a follower of Christ, I absolutely loved the characterization of Johan’s faith, the symbolism of God’s hand at work in their lives, and the foreshadowing of the main lead’s future together. From the sculptor who mentions liberation from the sins/struggles of life, the bathing scene, the cryptic elder’s words to Ryu, how by chance Ryu met Johan, and by “fate” becoming the perfect person to care for and love Johan… refreshing especially in this genre.
Oh and the closing lines was a perfect capstone for this beautiful journey.
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.
Wow. The tears really came with this one. 😭I was only planning to watch one episode, but somehow that turned into all eight. I just couldn’t stop watching.
This is a truly beautiful queer series, filled with emotion and heart. It stayed with me long after it ended.
Definitely worth watching. 🤍✨
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Life Just Happens
I loved this show. I was so excited to see a well known actor like Ok Taec Yeon main role in a queer show that didn't focus on family drama dynamics of a coming out story, but a story that focused on how life just fucking happens and you have to deal with it, and it's all about the choices you make.Ryu and Jo Han showed a different side of what being a soul mate can mean. Whether physical or emotional, you got to watch them build a connection that superseded time and space. But that it's the choices you make and the decisions you make on behalf of other people that shape your life and* the the lives around.
I did not anticipate this to be a BL story, because BL is a very specific fictional category (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys'_love) and fully anticipated it to be a queer show similar to Love in the Big City, I over all felt this show had the vibe of being a cross between Love in the Big City and Mr. Plankton. I was glad it did not end up a tragedy, but it was definitely bittersweet*.
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are you miserable
if you dislike this drama im so sorry that you're miserable. i do hope that you too get to experience love the way it exists in the simplest yet most complicated ways. and who knows maybe it will shift your heart so that you realise ah. so that's what it was all about. if you still don't get it i am so sorry. this masterpiece i'll never watch again, thank youWas this review helpful to you?
