_motoshige_kanai_

The acting is bad then you’re saying the plot is interesting what!

Honestly I feel like some of the extreme reactions are less about the actual quality of the drama and more about people being uncomfortable with the queer undertones or their expectations not being met

It’s definitely emotional and bittersweet, but I think a lot of the reactions come from people expecting a very different type of drama 😭 many went in expecting a more obvious or typical BL romance, while the show focused much more on emotional connection, longing, and atmosphere instead

the drama already gave so many emotional and intimate moments through the looks, tension, chemistry, and dialogue that I honestly never felt like it needed explicit scenes to make the relationship feel real. And you’re right, Korean and Japanese dramas in general are usually much more subtle with intimacy anyway, even in straight romances, so I never expected this drama to suddenly become extremely explicit either

sometimes it feels like when people watch stories about two men, the first thing they look for is kisses or sex scenes to “prove” the relationship is real, when emotional attachment, longing, vulnerability, and the way the characters care for each other can already say so much on their own. Not every queer story needs to be extremely explicit to feel meaningful or romantic

Exactly, and I think that’s what a lot of people are missing intimacy doesn’t always have to mean explicit scenes or physical fanservice. The drama already gave so many emotionally close moments, subtle tension, and vulnerable interactions that made their relationship feel deeper than just ordinary friendship to many viewers

Yeah exactly. I feel like people sometimes reduce emotional relationships down to only physical proof, when a lot of the strongest connections in stories are shown through emotions, sacrifice, and attachment instead

Honestly same this drama felt much more focused on emotions, longing, and soul-level connection than just romance, and that’s exactly what made it hit so hard for me

Honestly same whether people see it as BL or not, the emotional impact of this drama was genuinely insane. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since finishing it

I agree a lot of people seem to think a story only counts as BL if there are kisses or explicit scenes, when emotional intimacy and chemistry can say just as much

replying with “zzz” instead of an actual argument kinda proves my point

I felt they had too many short shots; they should have had more, even if it was the side couple.

Honestly I stopped taking MDL ratings and comment sections too seriously a long time ago, especially for dramas that are slower, more artistic, emotionally subtle, or different from the usual fanservice-heavy BL style. A lot of viewers go into these shows with one very specific expectation in mind, and when the drama chooses a quieter or more ambiguous approach instead, they immediately label it “boring” or “bad” without really engaging with what the story is actually trying to convey.

I also think the tags created very different expectations for a lot of people here. From the trailers alone, Soul Mate already felt much more like an emotional film-style drama than a typical fast-paced BL romance. So honestly, I’m much more interested in seeing how the drama is discussed on other sites too, because the conversations there usually feel less reactionary and more thoughtful

more toward emotional bromance/soulmate vibes

Not every drama needs to be loud or fast-paced to be good though this one was clearly more focused on emotional tension and atmosphere

Yeah exactly from the trailers alone it already felt much more like a quiet emotional film/drama than a typical fast-paced BL with obvious fanservice. I also think a lot of people went in with completely different expectations because of the tags, so when the drama turned out to be slower, more subtle, and emotionally ambiguous, they immediately dismissed it or rated it unfairly

Honestly after reading your explanation, I can completely understand why so many people consider the ending romantic especially if that specific phrase is rarely used platonically in Japanese. I still think the drama spent most of its time in that emotional soulmate/bromance space, but the finale definitely makes the romantic interpretation feel much more intentional

Saying “I love you” or confessing feelings doesn’t automatically make something a BL though deep soulmate/bromance relationships can also involve emotional confessions and intense attachment without being an explicitly romantic couple

I think a lot of viewers went into this drama expecting a typical BL with obvious romance, flirting, and fanservice so when they got something quieter, slower, and emotionally subtle instead, they immediately labeled it “boring” without really connecting to what the drama was actually trying to do

Wish all hopes comes true 😔🙌