Locking a group of young people once branded as "delinquents" inside a dorm overlooking the Okinawan sea, then challenging them to find real love within 14 days — that's the core premise of Bad Romance Season 2. Premiering August 4th, the second season shifts its setting from Season 1's mountain school to "Ryobu Josho Ocean Academy" in Okinawa, where 6 men and 5 women — 11 members total — move in together. Among them are people who once ran with bosozoku biker gangs, served in the Self-Defense Force, or spent time in the yakuza underworld — now working as bar owners, hairstylists, professional fighters, or rappers. That contrast is the season's biggest hook.
The season has 10 episodes total, releasing on Netflix in three weekly drops: episodes 1-4 on August 4th, episodes 5-7 on August 11th, and episodes 8-10 on August 18th.
The Men: Leo, Buddha Ali, Koma, Kazu, Tai, Osho
Leo (Yamamoto Leo), 25, from Kyoto, currently runs a bar. He went through a phase constantly caught up in conflicts, but is now described as calm and responsible. IG: @y_1leoyade
Buddha Ali (Kondo Ali), 29, from Kanagawa, of mixed Japanese-Pakistani heritage, formerly served in Japan's Self-Defense Force. He now works as a rapper and model, having been featured in the men's fashion magazine "men's egg." IG: @ari999__
Koma (Oda Yuya), 28, a professional fighter who once lived in the yakuza world before leaving for the sake of his family. He's competed in the fight event BreakingDown. His full-body tattoos and backstory drew immediate attention when the Season 2 teaser poster dropped. IG: @zzz.odmsy
Kazu (Shioda Kazuma), 29, runs a host club. His polished looks, tattoos, and dating history have made him a talking point — he describes himself as "handsome, wealthy, funny, and gentle," with no shortage of admirers since childhood. IG: @kazumasks
Tai (Taisei), 22, born in Hiroshima and raised in Tokyo, works as a hairstylist. His facial tattoos and sharp gaze give him a striking presence — he confidently declares he'll make every woman fall for him, yet turns indecisive when it comes to actual relationships, and is surprisingly scared of bugs. That contrast is his biggest draw. IG: @taisei_15_31
Osho (Noguchi Mizuki), 27, from Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture, currently works as a painter. He was once a bosozoku gang leader and went through juvenile detention and prison time — Netflix describes him as "starting fresh after life behind bars." His IG hasn't been made public yet.
The Women: Ayu, Hikaru, Marie, Ruru, Hazuki
Ayu (Oguri Ayuka), 30, from Nagoya, runs her own company while also working at a hostess club. She's the most well-known female cast member going in — she previously appeared on the hostess talent competition "LAST CALL," runs a bar and a clothing brand, and has over 300,000 Instagram followers. IG: @_assunsun_
Hikaru, 23, from Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, currently works at a hostess club. She's dated bad-boy types in the past and has never lacked suitors, but this time she's on the show hoping to seriously find someone she can marry. IG: @______hhh912
Marie (Takaoka Marina), 25, from Osaka, currently works at a bar. She's been through family abuse and intimate partner violence in the past, and joined the show to figure out what healthy, safe love actually looks like. IG: @maririn__dayo__
Ruru (Tanaka Ruru), 26, from Shizuoka, currently works as a model and was previously active in the gyaru fashion magazine "nuts." Deeply loyal with a strong sense of justice, she speaks up whenever she sees something unfair, making her the group's big-sister figure. IG: @u_r30
Hazuki (Abe Hazuki), 27, from Miyagi Prefecture, was revealed by Netflix later as the 11th cast member. She works as a kickboxing coach and previously spent time in a juvenile guidance facility. She says all her exes ended up getting arrested and locked up. IG: @hazuki_19980726
New Host Lineup, With Awich Repping Her Hometown Okinawa
Planner and producer MEGUMI, along with comedian Nagano, return as hosts. Season 1 host AK-69 isn't back this time, replaced by Okinawa-born rapper Awich. Season 2 was filmed right in her hometown, and she'll draw on her own experiences of major life turning points to observe the cast members' psychological states as they navigate conflict, romance, and self-protection.
On paper, this is a dating reality show about finding true love, but during the 14 days living together, the cast members often end up talking about past regrets, family relationships, and life choices instead — and rivals who initially couldn't stand each other might just become each other's closest allies by the end.
