I'm really scared. And I won't deny it, I would at least expect a romantic scene, there's nothing wrong with that. However, we will finally be able to see the result of this, regardless of what happens or it doesn't happen
Let's be honest, if this had been a series about two good friends who are soulmates, it wouldn't have had any trouble premiering — we would have seen it a long time ago.
It’s a shame what has happened with this series — or rather, what hasn’t happened at all. If there’s queerbaiting involved, I won’t be watching even a single episode. It’s quite disappointing to see a story that was promoted as a romance between two men who are soulmates take such a clear turn into a simple friendship.
Considering Alice in Borderland Season 3 is set to release in late September, it’s possible Netflix Japan might be strategically holding Soul Mate until after the hype dies down. This would allow them to give it a proper marketing push, possibly aiming for a November or December premiere, taking advantage of the holiday streaming boom and keeping Hayato Isomura fresh in the public’s mind.
Honestly, at this point, looking at the current situation, I don’t think Soul Mate will just “drop” on Netflix without any promotion. With two high-profile actors like Hayato Isomura and Ok Taecyeon, it would be a waste to release it quietly. My guess is that Netflix has decided to delay the premiere to give it a proper marketing campaign — probably closer to the end of the year or even early next year.
Right now, the complete silence (no trailer, no posters, no social media updates) feels intentional. It’s possible they’re either fine-tuning the post-production or reworking their marketing strategy to maximize its impact. Considering the themes and the fact that neither actor has headlined an LGBTQ+ drama before, Netflix Japan might also be planning a careful rollout to avoid unnecessary controversy and to ensure the series reaches the widest possible audience.
In short: I see this as a strategic delay, not a cancellation. The quieter the pre-release phase, the louder the eventual premiere might be. Stay positive!
One possible reason for the delay and lack of promotion could be censorship. While Hayato Isomura has appeared in a LGBTQ+-themed series before, neither he nor Taecyeon has played a main role in a production with explicit LGBTQ+ themes. Their agencies might have requested edits to protect their image, leading to cuts of certain scenes. This kind of self-censorship has happened in other Asian productions, and it could explain why Netflix has been so quiet about Soul Mate.
However, we will finally be able to see the result of this, regardless of what happens or it doesn't happen
Good luck.
https://www.studiodragon.net/en/ir/activities/
Also, yesterday when I was checking Netflix, the series appeared as “it's official, it will premiere.”
Right now, the complete silence (no trailer, no posters, no social media updates) feels intentional. It’s possible they’re either fine-tuning the post-production or reworking their marketing strategy to maximize its impact. Considering the themes and the fact that neither actor has headlined an LGBTQ+ drama before, Netflix Japan might also be planning a careful rollout to avoid unnecessary controversy and to ensure the series reaches the widest possible audience.
In short: I see this as a strategic delay, not a cancellation. The quieter the pre-release phase, the louder the eventual premiere might be. Stay positive!