Blue Road on Netflix: November 20 Release Date and Cast
Blue Road is a crime thriller series set to premiere on Netflix on November 20, 2026 (South Korea). Son Suk-ku and Eita Nagayama play detectives investigating a cross-border case.
Blue Road is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on November 20, 2026.
Son Suk-ku plays Kim Seok, a detective with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Eita Nagayama plays Inose, a detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
The series is based on a manga, directed by Han Jun-hee and adapted by Cho Yu-jin and Han Jun-hee.
The 130-minute runtime listed by the Busan International Film Festival is for the festival screening.
The Blue Road premieres on Netflix on November 20, 2026. Son Suk-ku and Eita Nagayama star as detectives. Set in 2002, this crime thriller series follows an investigation that crosses national borders.
The release schedule is based on Netflix's November 5, 2026 announcement.
Release Schedule and Key Information
The Blue Road is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on November 20. The main poster and trailer were released on November 5 (South Korea). That announcement does not specify the total number of episodes or the release time. The schedule is confirmed in Netflix's main poster and trailer announcement.
Item | Confirmed information
Title | The Blue Road
English title | The Blue Road
Scheduled release date | Friday, November 20, 2026
Viewing platform | Netflix
Genre | Crime thriller series
Setting | 2002
Director | Han Jun-hee
Adaptation | Cho Yu-jin, Han Jun-hee
Rating on the Korean title page | Adults only
The Blue Road Cast and Characters
Son Suk-ku and Eita Nagayama play the two detectives at the center of the joint investigation. Kim Shin-rok, Choi Sung-eun, and Jung Jae-young also appear in key roles. The roles below are based on the descriptions in Netflix's November 5 announcement.
Actor | Character | Basic character description
Son Suk-ku | Kim Seok | A detective with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency
Eita Nagayama | Inose | A detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
Kim Shin-rok | Ri Yun-ok | A businessperson from the Korean community in Japan
Choi Sung-eun | Yoon Soo-kyung | A government agent
Jung Jae-young | Seo Hyun-tae | A major figure in Japan's criminal underworld
Spoiler-Free Synopsis
The story centers on a joint investigation by a Korean detective and a Japanese detective. A series of murders spanning national borders sets the investigation in motion. The two detectives follow mysterious messages left at the crime scenes. Netflix's title description classifies the series as a thriller featuring a police duo.
The 2002 setting is also a basic part of the story. The main poster includes a scene of fans cheering during the Korea-Japan World Cup. Netflix described this in its poster announcement.
The Original Comic and the Working Title
The series is based on a comic of the same name that Kwon Ga-ya and Keishi Edogawa worked on. The Busan International Film Festival's program notes explain this connection to the source material. Cho Yu-jin and Han Jun-hee adapted the comic for the series. The details appear on the Busan International Film Festival title page.
The working title was "Road" when production was announced. Netflix announced production under that title on September 12, 2025. Later official release announcements used the title "The Blue Road." Early production information is available in the Road production announcement.
What to Watch For
The way the two detectives work together is a key point of interest. The production announcement explained that the adaptation would take the original story in a different direction. It is therefore difficult to assume that the comic and the series will follow the same course. The following are aspects to watch for based on the production announcement and festival introduction.
· How Kim Seok and Inose treat each other during the joint investigation.
· The relationship between the two detectives that emerges as they investigate the case.
· The adaptation and direction that bring the comic's story to the screen.
How to Watch and How Festival Screenings Differ
Netflix is the online viewing platform. The series was presented in the Busan International Film Festival's "On Screen" section. The festival schedule is separate from the Netflix release schedule. Its invitation to the festival is stated in Netflix's festival announcement.
Category | Official schedule | Viewing format
Netflix release | Scheduled for November 20, 2026 | Online streaming
Busan International Film Festival screenings | October 7, 8, and 12, 2026 | Viewing at designated theaters, screenings have ended
The individual festival screening dates are recorded on the official title page. Streaming information is available on the Netflix title page. The rating on the Korean title page is adults only.
Festival Runtime and Total Episode Information
The 130-minute runtime listed by the Busan International Film Festival refers to the festival screening. This figure cannot be used to calculate the total runtime on Netflix. It does not indicate the total number of episodes, either. It is important to distinguish which release format the figure refers to.
Information to check | What is confirmed
Festival runtime | Listed as 130 minutes on the 2026 Busan International Film Festival title page
Total number of Netflix episodes | Not stated in the November 5 announcement
Netflix release time | Not stated in the November 5 announcement
Runtime of each episode | To be checked in Netflix's episode list after release
These distinctions are based on the festival title information. The release date alone also does not establish that all episodes will be released at once. The release format must be confirmed through further announcements from Netflix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it a film or a drama series?
It is a Netflix drama series. The official title page also classifies it as a thriller series. Its festival screenings do not mean that it is a film.
Which of director Han Jun-hee's works is it connected to?
Han Jun-hee directed the Netflix series D.P. He also directs The Blue Road. He worked on the adaptation with Cho Yu-jin as well.
Do I need to read the original comic first?
The official description does not say that reading the original comic first is required. The series is an adaptation of the comic. If you want to compare it with the original, you can experience the two works separately.
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