Blue Road, Netflix’s Korean-Japanese crime thriller starring Son Suk-ku and Eita Nagayama, arrives on Friday, Nov 20 with all eight episodes. Korean outlets report a 5 p.m. KST release, which is midnight in Pacific time and 3 a.m. in Eastern time.
Information current as of Oct 19, 2026, based on Netflix Korea’s announcement and Korean press coverage.
What time Blue Road releases where you live
Korean reports put the release at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov 20, Korea Standard Time (UTC+9). US daylight saving time ended on Nov 1, so on release day Eastern time is UTC-5 and Pacific time is UTC-8. The times below are converted from 5 p.m. KST.
| City | Local time on Nov 20 |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles (Pacific) | 12:00 a.m. |
| New York (Eastern) | 3:00 a.m. |
| São Paulo | 5:00 a.m. |
| London | 8:00 a.m. |
| Paris or Berlin | 9:00 a.m. |
| Mumbai | 1:30 p.m. |
| Bangkok | 3:00 p.m. |
| Singapore or Manila | 4:00 p.m. |
| Tokyo | 5:00 p.m. |
| Sydney | 7:00 p.m. |
What the story is about
A body is found in Tokyo, its limbs twisted, with a message written in Korean beside it. A similar case turns up in Korea, and this time the message is in Japanese. The killings keep repeating across the border, so police in both countries open a joint investigation that takes the detectives from Seoul to Tokyo and beyond.
The two lead detectives differ in method and temperament, and their partnership carries as much friction as cooperation. Director Han Jun-hee has described the series as a transnational detective story about two detectives who go all out to catch the culprit. This article stays within the official synopsis and does not reveal later developments.
Everything here comes from Netflix’s synopsis and the festival coverage of the first three episodes. Nothing past the premise is discussed.
Cast and characters
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Son Suk-ku | Kim Seok, a detective with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s mobile investigation unit |
| Eita Nagayama | Inose Hiroshi, a detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigation Division. This is his first role in a Korean production. |
| Kim Shin-rok | Lee Yoon-ok, a Korean-Japanese (zainichi) businesswoman who helps solve the case |
| Choi Sung-eun | A government agent who looks into the case from a different angle |
| Jung Jae-young | A man whose identity is unknown |
Who made it
Han Jun-hee directs. He is known for D.P. and Weak Hero Class 1. The series is adapted from the manga Blue Road, and Han wrote the adaptation with Cho Yu-jin, the writer of the film Pilot. Short Cake produced it, with Nine-Tailed Fox Studio as co-producer.
Han is also the planning supervisor of Dead-End Job, an eight-episode Netflix series that arrives on Oct 30. Both series were invited to the On Screen section of this year’s Busan International Film Festival.
What the Busan screening showed
The first three episodes premiered in the On Screen section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Han, Son, Nagayama and Kim Shin-rok attended the opening red carpet, two audience Q&As and an open talk.
The two leads switch between Korean and Japanese in their scenes. Festival coverage reported that they rehearsed their lines on walks in a Japanese park, and that Son sent Nagayama recordings of his Korean dialogue. Son also said the two spent six months acting together.
Netflix announced the Nov 20 date on Oct 2, along with a poster and a trailer.
How to plan your watch
- Find your city in the time table and mark the local release time.
- Add Blue Road to your Netflix list so it shows up when it goes live.
- Set aside a weekend. All eight episodes arrive together, according to Korean reports.
- If you like to read up first, the synopsis above is all the plot you need.
Release time falls on Friday in Asia and Europe, but in the Americas it can fall in the early hours of the same Friday. Pacific time is midnight, so the show is live as soon as Friday begins there.
Quick answers
When does Blue Road release on Netflix?
On Friday, Nov 20, 2026. Korean outlets report a 5 p.m. KST start.
How many episodes are there?
Eight.
Who stars in it?
Son Suk-ku, Eita Nagayama and Kim Shin-rok lead the cast, with Choi Sung-eun and Jung Jae-young.
Is it based on a book?
It is adapted from the manga Blue Road.
Where was it shown first?
The first three episodes premiered at the 31st Busan International Film Festival.
Sources
- iMBC Entertainment: Blue Road cast and director at the Busan festival — Busan screening, Q&A and cast comments
- Sisaweek via Nate: Blue Road synopsis and cast — Synopsis, characters, adaptation credits
- WikiTree: Blue Road release time and production details — Nov 20, 5 p.m. release; production companies
- Harper’s Bazaar Korea: Netflix Korean series schedule — Episode count and Dead-End Job dates
- What’s on Netflix: new K-dramas on Netflix in November 2026 — English-language release listing
Information current as of Oct 19, 2026.