This review may contain spoilers
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.
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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