Soul Mate (TV series)

Soul Mate (TV series)

Soul Mate (Japanese: ソウルメイト, Hepburn: Sourumeito) is an upcoming Japanese romance boys' love television series written and directed by Shunki Hashizume. The series follows a ten-year relationship between Ryu Narutaki (Hayato Isomura) and Johan Hwang (Ok Taec-yeon) that traverses the cities of Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo. It is scheduled to be released on Netflix on May 14, 2026.

Synopsis

Soul Mate (TV series)

Ryu Narutaki, a young man who has left Japan, meets Korean boxer Johan Hwang. Their encounter initiates a decade-long relationship that spans Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo. As their lives remain intertwined, they navigate personal trauma and a developing romance.

Cast and characters

Soul Mate (TV series)

• Hayato Isomura as Ryu Narutaki • Ok Taec-yeon as Johan Hwang

Production

Development

Soul Mate was first announced by Netflix on June 28, 2024. The project originated from a discussion between director Shunki Hashizume and executive producer Dai Ota regarding the concept of a long-term relationship between individuals from different cultural backgrounds. According to Ota, the narrative was developed to explore the intersection of lives in foreign settings. The series is written and directed by Hashizume with production managed by Robot Communications and GTist.

Casting

Hayato Isomura and Ok Taec-yeon were confirmed in the lead roles. To prepare for the role of a boxer, Ok underwent a regimen of weight loss and boxing training that continued through the filming period. Isomura noted that the production's three-country filming schedule was intended to provide a global setting for the ten-year story arc.

Filming

Principal photography took place across three cities: Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo in 2024.

Release

Soul Mate (TV series)

Originally projected for an August 2025 release, Netflix Japan confirmed in January 2026, that the eight-episode series would premiere globally on May 14, 2026.