Soul Mate (Japanese: ソウルメイト, Hepburn: Sōrumeito) is a 2026 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 was released on Netflix on May 14, 2026.
Contents
Synopsis
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
Main
Hayato Isomura as Ryu Narutaki, an ice hockey player who left Japan following an accident
Ok Taec-yeon as Johan Hwang, a Korean boxer who saved Ryu
Supporting
Ai Hashimoto as Sumiko Shinonome, Ryu's childhood friend who moves to Germany to pursue a career as a fashion designer
Koshi Mizukami as Arata Oikawa, Ryu's best friend and ice hockey teammate from his youth
Yutaro Furutachi as Seiichi Aizawa, a fellow ice hockey teammate
Lee Jae-yi as Hwang Su-ah, Johan's younger sister and sole family member, who provides him with consistent support
Cent Chihiro Chittiii as Madoka Kadoya, a senior colleague at the nursing facility where Ryu is employed
Ken Yasuda as Kenichi Hayakawa, the coach of the ice hockey team
Kaho Minami as Ryu's mother
Tomokazu Miura as Ryu's father
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. Isomura noted that the production's three-country filming schedule was intended to provide a global setting for the ten-year story arc while Ok joined the project to explore the character's internal struggles.
Filming
Principal photography took place across three cities: Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo in 2024. To prepare for the role of a boxer, Ok Taec-yeon underwent a regimen of weight loss and boxing training that continued through the filming period.
Release
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.