The Promise of the Soul

A Beautiful Concept Lost in Messy Execution

Imagine being straight for 70 years, then suddenly kissing someone your grandson’s age. If that’s not awkward enough, I don’t know what is

This one was so hard to rate. On one hand, the cast is absolutely stunning, and the concept is unique and intriguing. On the other hand, the execution left me frustrated more often than not.

Take episode 10, for example. I’ve been enjoying this drama since the beginning, but wow… Taiwan just cannot compete with China or Korea when it comes to fight choreography. That classroom fight looked so fake it honestly would have been better left out entirely.
And the logic? Completely gone. HaiYuan disappears for a couple of hours, and ZeFang acts like he’s been missing for days. Then suddenly bam an accident, and then right back to searching again. The ex goes full psycho and stuffs him in a locker (because apparently that’s a thing). But the real kicker? HaiYuan somehow tracks ZeFang’s exact location through an app like he’s got Find My Boyfriend installed. Please.

Then in episode 11, we suddenly get a third couple thrown in. Out of nowhere: “I had a dream you were with someone else. I don’t like it, so I’m jealous, which means I like you.” And then boom a kiss. Seriously? What was even the point? It was rushed, forced, and completely disconnected from the rest of the plot. Instead of spending time developing this random couple, it would have been so much better to focus on the main relationship that we’ve actually cared about since episode one.

But at its heart, the show did give us moments of beauty, and sometimes words fall short, so here’s a poem that captures it best: I wrote this poem

Xia Ze Fang pushed too hard,
a kiss not ready to be shared 💋
Ye Hai Yuan turned away,
heart untouched.

Then came the soul switch 🔄
and suddenly…
it wasn’t the face he saw anymore,
but the spirit within 🕊️
gentle, steady,
filled with quiet warmth.

This story teaches
love is not a chase,
not a force,
but a slow unfolding 🌱
If it’s meant,
time will lead it there.

Yet in reality,
a twenty-year-old loving a seventy-year-old?
Unlikely.
But here…
youth’s beauty hides a lifetime’s wisdom,
and a golden heart 💛 makes all the difference.

The series had so much potential, and there are still moments that shine, but the lack of consistency, unnecessary jealous scenes, and sloppy pacing keep it from being great.

Final verdict: 7.5/10. Stunning cast and unique idea, but a messy, uneven execution.

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Underrated

I understand the reason why some might dislike this drama. Yes, the soul swapping with a grandfather is a bit iffy but if you can get passed that in a similar way to a 1000 year vampire, a 3000 year goblin, then this might be enjoyable for you. Although you might still be a bit disappointed. The drama certainly kept me guessing.

I enjoy these types of genres so it was quite a fun ride. The writers did have me worried though. I wasn't sure if they would be able to give a reasonably good finale but it was quite heart-warming with lots of sweet moments. I found myself tearing up at times and smiling at other moments.

Looking back Martin Wong delivered a really good performance. I liked the two distinct versions that he played and he pulled it off quite well. The other cast members were great as well. I might even do a rewatch now that the show has finally concluded.

The OST is also quite enjoyable!

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stellar visuals with mediocre writing (watch suggestions)

Overall: it has a unique premise but the pacing was very slow and the writing was lackluster. 12 episodes about 23 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5405/the-promise-of-the-soul-2025-e01 (available in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia) ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/the-promise-of-the-soul-2025-w4opu9ieap and VBL Series YouTube channel with membership (not available in Japan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akfMhc4hIXw - VBL (Variety Between Love) has also produced: Fight For You, Eternal Butler, Stay By My Side, You Are Mine etc. There are sometimes bonus scenes at the end, including at the very end of the finale.

Content Warnings: non con touching/kissing/sexual assault multiple times, past deaths, death, bullying, punches, ex-partner intimate abuse, held against will, blood, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide (it's complicated)

Watch Suggestions (if you aren't into slow pacing/a cold ML and focus on their sweet/steamy parts)
- read the synopsis
- skip episodes 1-4
- episode 5 watch 5-11:10 and 19:45-end
- episode 6 end at 21:55
- episode 7 watch 4-10:35 and 13:20-end
- episode 8 watch beginning-19
- watch episode 9
- skip episode 10
- episode 11 watch beginning to 9:10
- episode 12 watch 3:30-5:15, 6:50-8:05 and 15:45-end

What I Liked
- visuals
- the grandpa
- that everyone knew what happened right away
- the GL couple
- VBL cameo with the dorm supervisor and his boyfriend

Room For Improvement
- slow pacing
- the sexual assault (multiple times) and then poorly done redemption arc
- tropey (the accidental kiss)
- nonsense (not talking about the premise) perfectly coiffed hair after waking up in the morning, he wasn't brought to the hospital at the beginning of episode 7
- in episode 8 our supposed hero acts exactly like an abuser

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This is akward...

First of all, the reincarnation tropé is nothing new, but to have that in an instant when the body of the grandpa dies is so strange that I could not comprehend that for a second or two, because I understand that Yuan did like the outside of Ze Fang, but I can't understand that he is quite in love the moment the souls switched. That the other soul is the hetero grandpa is the cherry on top which makes this ridicilous.

Production quality was good, cinematography was ok, but overall I did expect more. This is a again a taiwanese show which does disappoint.

I will not rant further, because storywise this was dumb. When I consider we have 2025 and there is still the hetero to gay tropé - a tropé which is sooooooooooo outdated and should not have a place in any BL. When I remove the obvious stupid parts of this story, it's a decent BL with no heights and quite everything is standard. It's pleasant to watch cute/handsome actors but that's it. Because of the story I have to downrank this show, because it makes no sense for me. If you like it, good for you, but I do expect more and of course, I'm not a girl. 🤣 I was never invested in the characters, so when I rate this as medicore, than it's because they went not the GMMTV/Domundi way which would make all worse... Watch it, if you have the time, skip it if the story is important to you.

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Can soulmates survive shaky writing ? Here they did but barely!

The premise and the whole idea of fate, reincarnation and love across generations was fresh and bold, but the execution was messy. The plot starts with 69-year-old Xia Cha waking up in the body of his grandson Xia Zefang. And somehow, he becomes the love interest of Ye Haiyuan (Zefang's love(?) interest too)

If I have to describe my experience of this drama, it would be -
Episodes 1-3: Awkward doesn't even begin to cover it.
Ep 4-9: Okay... we are heading somewhere.
EP 10-12: What… okay then. Not exactly good, not exactly bad...just kind of there.

The starting episodes are chaotic and a whole lot of awkward. I kept questioning myself as to what I was even watching. But then the randomness became entertaining. Xia Chia's adjustment as a teenager was the most fun part. He was dramatic, contradictory and a total hypocrite. One moment, he is protesting and reminding Haiyuan of boundaries, and the next moment cuddling. He was genuinely funny and without trying too hard.

Ye Haiyuan's character development wasn’t exactly great. The more we see of him, the more he just seems immature and have temper issues. I get that he is only 20, so I am not expecting him to be wise, but come on, he could at least try to read the situation better. Honestly, his relationship with Xia Cha was already pretty complicated and fragile from the get-go and his choices just made everything more chaotic. It felt like he had way too many expectations all the time without taking everything into account, especially Xia Cha's emotions. I kind of want to cut him some slack since his intentions were good, but he could be really annoying to watch at times.

Their love story somehow elevated the middle portion of the drama. I enjoyed their chemistry and their bickering. But to me, it doesn't seem like a healthy romance. There was tension and passion but also a whole lot of sudden possessiveness and impulsive outbursts. But once they settle down, it was pretty evident that care and concern was mutual.

Coming to the last arc, I think they missed an opportunity by not explicitly showing Haiyuan tied to Xia Cha's past. I mean, it's really hard to ignore the whole "grandfather in grandson's body" thing, it would have been easier to buy into the romance if Haiyuan was shown as a reincarnation too. That extra layer would have softened the absurdity and made the premise land better.
And the whole red thread theory kind of diluted the romance because at times, it felt like Xia Cha was only with him because of that.

Another thing that bothered me was Xia Zefang's arc. It just felt incomplete and the whole thing about growth, healing and closure felt rushed because we didn't witness majority of it on screen. Riqing as his love interest surprised me and kind of grew on me. I really feel for him because he actually liked Zefang for who he was. Maybe a spin-off for them? I would definitely watch it.

Last, the second couple was cute, but that's about it. I don't think they got enough screentime to have a fleshed-out story. I wouldn't have minded if they were friends with the main leads.

Acting-wise, Martin Wong as Xia Cha / Zenfang was really good. I found his portrait convincing both as a 69-year-old man and as a college-going brat. Also, his hair colour was iconic. The rest of them were decent. Not bad, but no one else stood out. Visually, all the cast were good-looking looking especially the leads.

Overall, it was definitely entertaining but with too many missed opportunities. I mean, if you have fate, reincarnation as a primary plot device, the storytelling was pretty weak. And also, the realisations could have a better impact. It felt very superficial with the whole past life connection not properly explained and used.
Will I recommend it? For the entertainment... maybe. But for the actual plot and storytelling, no.
The review may look like a rant, but I surprisingly don't dislike it.
7.25/10

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Total waste of time.

No matter how much you try to convince others that this plot makes sense or deserves a higher rating, let's be real—it’s trash. The idea that a grandparent would want their grandchild to sacrifice their life for them is not only unrealistic but also ignores the natural instinct of grandparents to protect and prioritize their grandchildren's well-being. No one in 2025 would make such a ridiculous choice. No grandparent would want their grandchild to give up their life for them in the name of love. Even if the grandchild decided to do so, no grandparent would accept it.

You're not going to make it seem okay for someone that old to get another chance at life while a young person in their 20s dies for love. This narrative glorifies self-sacrifice as the ultimate act of love, which can be harmful and promote unhealthy relationship dynamics. If they were truly destined to love each other, why didn’t the boy fall for him when he was older with grey hair? Why did he have to love him only when he was in a young body? Does love only become valid when it’s visually appealing? It seems like the narrative is prioritizing the older character's desires over the younger person's life, which is a concerning power dynamic.

I’ve been watching and reading danmei for years, and I’ve seen some plots defy common sense, but there was always a semblance of humanity. This is the worst plot I’ve seen in BL, and the way they justify everything is infuriating. There’s a limit to how much nonsense one can take, and this is where I draw the line. This is trash and shouldn’t be encouraged. To the writer, let this be your first and last attempt at this kind of plot.

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#SOULMATE

Theres no word to really sum up my thoughts about this show. Coming into this, I was quite..well, weirded out in a sense that when I read the description, I was very very concerned and confused on how this would go. Do I regret watching it? Absolutely not.

STORY:
After his 20 year old grandson Xia Zefang reveals plans for a gender transition, 69-year-old Xia Cha tragically falls down the stairs with him. In the aftermath, Xia Cha’s soul awakens inside his grandson’s body. While Xia Zefang remains dead, Xia Cha must navigate life as a 20-year-old student. Now sharing a dorm room with Ye Haiyuan,who is at once his neighbor, classmate, and roommate, Xia Cha experiences everything he has not before. College life, dorm arrangements, even the unexpected romantic feelings.



The show raises questions: Do we love the soul or the body? The central romance challenges viewers to consider identity and emotional connection beyond physical form. Generational contrast adds an extra layer as Xia Cha’s traditional values collide with the freer, younger world around him, resulting in both comedic and deep moments.

This series breaks away from typical schoolboy romance by mixing fantasy, age-gap dynamics, and generational perspective. It's a more layered, genre-expansive addition to the well loved Taiwanese BLs. Although the concept isn’t entirely new with soul-swapping and age-gap dynamics, but the execution is what sets it apart. It's how it the story was told.


Before I conclude this, I just wanna say that in the end I did in fact feel bad for Quan Ri Qing even though I was upset at him in the beginning. Hai Yuan lost a guy who annoyed him, while Ri Qing lost the guy he inevitably loved. While it's sad, I sure do hope he finds the one!!

In the end, The Promise of the Soul is one of those dramas that leaves you unsettled in the best way, making you think long after the final episode ends. It’s messy, emotional, thought-provoking, and strangely beautiful in how it tackles themes most BLs wouldn’t dare to touch. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, for those who give it a chance, it’s a story that lingers, not because of its premise alone, but because of the heart, vulnerability, and sincerity poured into it.

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When Xia Cha, a 69-year-old man, wakes up in his 20-year-old grandson’s body, both he and Xia Ze Fang get a shot to overcome past traumas. Xia Cha has to face the promises he never fulfilled, and Xia Ze Fang has to learn what it really means to love. The script isn’t flawless, but the series is emotionally rich. The slower pace works perfectly to show that this is more about a spiritual bond across lifetimes than a whirlwind romance. Xia Ze Fang’s redemption scenes with Xia Cha and Guan Ri Qing were truly beautiful. Martin Wong and Kenji Fan shine, especially Martin Wong, who brings two layered characters to life. Haru and Hana were a delightful surprise: the first GL couple with real chemistry and and well-written characters, not just filler. If they had their own spin-off, I would definitely watch it. Even the cicadas aren’t just background noise in a Taiwanese summer. They symbolize transformation, the link between eras, and how fleeting life can be. No matter how long a soul prepares underground, the moment above ground deserves to be lived to its fullest. This is definitely a show to watch with both your heart and your mind wide open.

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The story was boring

The story was boring and the characters were unnatural and annoying, especially Xia Cha. The acting was terrible, but I still watched it until the end because the actor who played Ze Fang was handsome
I honestly don’t understand how Cha could be so emotionless, petty, and irritating, yet everyone liked him. Shouldn’t he be the most devastated after his grandson died, especially since his soul ended up inside his grandson’s body? The ending of this drama was truly awful. No matter how much you say Ze Fang was a bad person, he didn’t deserve to die at such a young age. And Cha had lived a long life—he was the one who raised Ze Fang, his only family and the only reminder of his child and wife. How could he not care at all and immediately start clinging to a young guy the same age as his grandson? I also really hate when many dramas portray old men as innocent and pure. In reality, old men probably have way more experiences than young people that strip away their innocence. Meanwhile, Cha acted like a little girl, even though he’s an eighty-something-year-old man. I honestly can’t recommend this drama at all. I just can’t accept that Cha, whose soul is in Ze Fang’s body, cared less about Ze Fang’s death than Guan Ri Qing did. It’s ridiculous. And the second couple was absolutely pointless—they contributed nothing to the story. If they hadn’t been there, it would have made no difference, since none of their relationship was even shown.

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Not the straight grandfather

I already dislike these body-swapping plots but here they turn the story into something so strange that it's hard to really root for them.

The fact that he falls in love with Zefang's grandfather is hilarious. There were so many paths the series could have taken, but they choose one that really doesn't work.

The actors have excellent chemistry and it's an easy-to-watch series. The short episodes keep the series from dragging but the story doesn't really go anywhere.

I really dislike Xia Cha; he's an older, more mature man, but for some reason he acts incredibly innocent and completely unaware of the world.

There are some interesting moments, but overall it doesn't work very well. The whole plot with the grandfather creates a strangeness that the series can't shake.

Which is disappointing because the actors look excellent together.

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