Someday I'll wish upon a star
I actually ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would, which is one of the best kind of surprises. I, for sure, thought this was going to falter halfway through (considering the number of episodes and the runtime of each) but for the most part, everything was as good as can get.Think it reminded me a lot of Taiwanese BLs, circa 2020/2021? What with the very melancholic tone and all the cameos, it immediately felt like the dramas that were released then. For what it's worth, it did stay that way until the end.
The story was quite simple - He Xia Yong wishes upon a shooting star that no one know who he is, and his wish is granted - but it was the execution that felt very genuine. Watching him heal the broken part of himself while no one knows who he is but his best friend, and then learning to love his broken self as he heals, it was very nicely done. Because he is surrounded by people he left behind at one point or another, his best friend, his father, and the love of his life Chen Hao Wei. And he needs to figure out how to reconcile with himself before he ever gains closure to all the doors he left open.
The logic is as logical as can be, which is not a lot but this story had a lot of heart and because they did it so well, it doesn't matter that I didn't understand half of the shooting star's workings.
Great acting, great chemistry, I don't really have any complaints except for the fact that the pacing can be a little slow at times but I guess that's also part of the calm, seaside setting.
Overall, a pretty good watch in my opinion :)
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A beautiful story of love, loss, and redemption, with a dash of magic realism
This is so deep and beautifully portrayed. While the story appears to revolve around two sweet love stories at the surface, its soul runs deep and brings out several philosophical life questions around love, loss, regrets and redemption.BL-Needle Score: 7.5 Reasonable BL-ness
He Xiang Yong and Chen Hao Wei were school-day friends with a promise of becoming more, but a misunderstanding around Chen Hao's behaviour, intentionally complicated by a girl in their class, leads them to fall apart. He Xiang Yong leaves behing the friendship and also their island home to work in the bigger main island and they no longer remain in touch. Cut to the present, He Xiang Yong comes back home after complications at his workplace and is afraid to share the truth with his father, who he sees as overtly critical of him. But he comes back and finds that Chen Hao is working with his father at their guesthouse. Chen Hao seems to be looking for his old friend, among other things. But He Xiang Yong and his childhood friend Le Wang Zhe, both seem frustrated with their lives and in a state of drunken frustration wish for what's troubling them most to go away - He Xiang Yong wanting to no longer live as himself with all the problems of his life and Le Wang Zhe wanting someone to love him truly. They wake up the next day to find their wish fulfilled and all hell break loose!
From hereon the story takes us through an unique experience for both these people who had their wishes fulfilled to realise that their lives may not have been that bad and all the ideas that they had about people in their lives were not correct after all...as they struggle with the changed reality and the absurdity of it all, they find their own wishes backfiring on them...and realise that the price to pay for a fulfilled wish is too high....He Xiang Yong struggles to convince Chen Hao he is He Xiang Yong and the love Chen Hao is waiting for and Le Wang Zhe is afraid that the love from Hama-chan will vanish somehow.
What transpires after this is a beautiful journey of them trying to find their selves back, their memories, families, love...people that love them instinctively feel that they know something , can remember memories that feel more like dreams than actual lived realities...He Xiang Yong understand his father's love and concern for him, Le Wang Zhe gets past his cowardice and tendency to run away everytime something goes wrong, and Che Hao realises that that He Xiang Yong is the same He Xiang Yong that he is pining for, even though he can't seem to remember anything - as if his heart and soul-memory is helping his cognitive senses to reconstruct a reality that didn't exist
The story is portrayed really beautifully.... the doubts, regrets, and frustrations of having lost one's own self and all memories, and emotions connected with that self....the wish to forget and run away, made them realise how much they loved and wanted the life that they were running from and yet, the same life seems unreachable because of their own doing...
I loved the twists, the portrayals, and the deep life questions this brings up. The love stories are cute too, but they are just the surface for this deeper tale. A BL from Taiwan after a long time didn't disappoint. Definitely recommended.
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I'm gonna miss my sun-kissed boys ♡
How refreshing this show was!I love how it escaped the stereotypes, trends, and the usual look of modern media with all the heavy makeup.
The cinematography, locations, scenery, and costumes were amazing. Everything felt so familiar, warm, comfortable, and enjoyable.
All the production and cast did a great job, everyone nailed their roles and the boys... I have no words. Both couples felt so drawn to each other all the time, yet delivered two of the most memorable NC scenes I've ever seen in a BL.
Cheers to Wishing Upon a Shooting Star, I am really going to miss them.
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Be careful what you wish for
Once again great series from Taiwanese production. The whole story got even better because of the Island and showed how people are living outside of mainland. Great actors, production and even if it’s not with highest budget, you couldn’t tell it and notice it. Make sure to be careful what you wish for, every wish is having their own price….Was this review helpful to you?
Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars: A Tale of Electric Chemistry and Uneven Pacing
When the trailer for Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars dropped, its promise of emotional depth and an intriguing premise immediately hooked me. This 12-episode Taiwanese drama, starring Jed Chung and Chu Meng-hsuan, kept me eagerly awaiting every weekly release.The Premise
Xingpu Island is anchored by an ancient legend: throw a stone into the sea, and your wish may come true. He Xiang-yong (Jed Chung) returns home from the city, crushed by failure, and wishes to be someone else. He wakes up with a new identity—Zhong Xiao-you—forgotten by everyone except his best friend. Complicating matters, he runs into his high-school crush, Chen Hao-wei (Chu Meng-hsuan), who is now working at Xiang-yong's family B&B, unaware of their shared history.
The Breakdown
The drama's greatest strength is the seamless weaving of past and present, anchored by the stellar chemistry between the lead pairing. The connection between the characters feels authentic, grounded in shared history, and bolstered by raw, emotional performances that elevate the production.
However, the series is not without its flaws. The secondary romantic arc feels forced and unearned, leading to "cringe-worthy" moments that disrupt the tone. Furthermore, inconsistent pacing and unnecessary filler scenes often stall the story whenever the spotlight moves away from the leads, breaking the show's momentum.
Final Verdict
Despite inconsistent pacing, gaps in character development, and uneven performances from the secondary leads, the show remains a compelling watch. The emotional core carried by the lead actors—and the standout work from the younger cast—more than makes up for the script's occasional missteps. This is definitely worth your time.
If you’re interested in more of my thoughts on this series and others, feel free to check out my profile.
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Heart-wrenching emotional depth
Spoilers below!He Xiangyong has a lot of emotional depth that I relate to, especially regarding his father. They have misunderstandings with each other in large part because Xiangyong looks down on himself and puts too much weight on other people's opinions, thinking they were putting pressure on him that he couldn't overcome nor amount to. I actually enjoyed how Xiangyong and his father indirectly worked out their issues as the son took on a new identity and was forced to face his inner turmoil. I was most interested in their relationship mending. I genuinely felt sadness when everyone completely forgot who Xiangyong was, 100% just thinking of how he was losing his family.
The epilogue scenes made me feel nostalgic and emotional.... easily my favorite parts of each episode. I think I would've cared more about Haowei's part if they added a little more depth to his story, like his family and work life, as we really only see his connection to Xiangyong. But honestly I only really started feeling that way toward the beginning of the end. I still wanted them to have a happy ending.
Like everyone else, I thought the second couple was very sweet. I enjoyed their storyline and that they began a relationship even without the wish because of Wanzhe's efforts.
The only part of the show I genuinely felt any sort of actual dissatisfaction was the last 30 mins of episode 12. They DEFINITELY needed to have the father and son have a reunion as soon as that Xiangyong regained his identity. Like wtf? So many times throughout the show it was "when I see my son again" and we don't see the moment they reconnect? They understood each other INDIRECTLY throughout the show because his father was speaking to Xiaoyou, not Xiangyong. By the time there was 10 minutes left in the show I was thinking "ARE WE SERIOUSLY NOT ADDRESSING THE FATHER?" I liked the scene that we got, but they could've had that PLUS a reunion after Xiangyong was able to see Haowei.
I definitely think the show went a little awry with the supernatural occurrences. If I were Xiangyong in episodes 11-12 I definitely would be having a bigger existential crisis about human life LMAO. I'm also ignoring Haowei drowning for that rock.... like girl wtf was that. Xixi's role was somehow the least strange among the supernatural elements. Her sudden appearance was a bit off-putting and confusing, but we get the gist of her character as the show went on. Soooo I'm mostly ignoring the supernatural aspects of the show because it was a little much without real explanation but it didn't impact my opinion too heavily.
I enjoyed like 90% of my watch and am glad I gave it a chance. Some people seemed to have a hard time getting into it, but I never felt bored. I was most intrigued by the epilogue scenes from when Xiangyong and Haowei were classmates and Xiangyong's introspection throughout the show. After the ending of the epilogue parts, I cared most about how the father and son would reach an understanding (which is why I'm SO disappointed they didn't have a reunion).
Overall, the moments of Xiangyong's desperation were heart-wrenching and kept me watching more than the romance, which was definitely intriguing for the first half of the show but by the second half I cared more about the father! Like why was that shit making me tear up fr. I can definitely see myself rewatching parts of this show for inspiration, definitely got my emotions flowing!
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Confusing storyline
Although i understood what they wanted to convey it really wasnt well thought about. The main character still had the same face but the double character didn’t really go well with the storyline, maybe just maybe if they had another person playing the same person it wouldve been better. Same with the second lead, usually the sedond lead has a good too but this was’st something i would recommend as a must watch. It’s something i would watch just to pass timesince i skipped alot to reach the end.I liked the father character and i believe the actors did their best, the storyline not very strong which directly impacted the viewers interest rather than the acting
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An underated masterpiece BL! Thank you once again, Taiwan!
This review is a loud shout out to the team that created a great series! It is one that encapsulates a good BL drama - great chemistry between both acting pairs, compelling characters, NC scenes that were on point and authentic, interesting plot and story. In my opinion, a feel-good drama that is pure, romantic escapism. You find yourself emotionally invested in it from the start. Thank you cast and team for an unforgettable, thoroughly enjoyable 12 weeks!Was this review helpful to you?
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i am not sure about ending
the first half of the series was very good. the actors' performances were excellent, especially hao wei, who was perfect. he was a fantastic character in terms of personality and vibe. many people said the series was too long, but they tied it up too quickly again. so the ending was a disappointment for me. xiang yong accidentally found himself in a mess, and the worst thing that happened to him wasn't hao wei forgetting him, but wan zhe forgetting him. when wan zhe forgot him, all the ties were broken. as I said, hao wei was a perfect character, and the cinematography and color of the series were very beautiful.their love was so sweet and pure. hao wei's loyalty to xiang yong all these years impressed me. not every ending had to be happy. frankly, i think an unhappy ending would have been more impactful.
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The Secondary Couple Completely Stole My Heart
Produced in Taiwan, Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars (2026) is a whimsical, 12-episode romantic fantasy series that revolves around a mysterious legend on Xingpu Island. The main plot focuses on He Xiang-yong, a frustrated young man who makes a magical wish to disappear, waking up the next day with a completely new identity while trying to navigate a bittersweet romance with his old high school crush, Chen Hao-wei. While the overall production, beautiful seaside aesthetics, and magical realism elements are wonderfully done, the main storyline wasn't the biggest hook for me. Instead, I tuned in and stayed glued to the screen strictly for the phenomenal secondary couple.The absolute highlight of the entire series is the parallel romance between Xiang-yong's loyal best friend, Li Wan-zhe (played by the charismatic JN Yu / Yu Jie-en), and a local fisherman nicknamed Xiao Hai / Aomi Hamaguchi (played by Japanese actor Kota Kagami). Triggered by a meteor shower wish for a "passionate love," their dynamic shifts into a delightfully chaotic, sweet, and earnest pursuit. The chemistry between Yu Jie-en and Kota Kagami is purely electric and feels completely organic. Aomi’s intense, heart-eyes devotion combined with Wan-zhe’s charming confusion creates the most endearing and magnetic dynamic on the show. They served pure comfort and raw chemistry that instantly overshadowed everything elseThe biggest and most frustrating flaw of Wishing Upon the Shooting Stars is just how criminally little we got to see of them. Because the script spent so much time establishing the complex identity crisis and heavy angst of the main couple, Wan-zhe and Aomi were pushed into the background for long stretches. It was genuinely sad and disappointing to sit through episodes realizing their beautifully written progress was reduced to mere minutes of filler content. Their storyline carried an immense amount of narrative potential, and leaving them with such limited screen time felt like a massive disservice to the actors' incredible on-screen synergyUltimately, the series lands at a 7.5/10. It is a lovely, cozy adult bedtime story with a great magical premise, but it severely misjudged which couple the audience would fall in love with. Wan-zhe and Aomi completely stole the spotlight. The finale leaves fans with a massive craving for more of their domestic, passionate romance. One can only cross their fingers and desperately hope that a production company realizes their immense star power and grants these two actors their own independent spin-off series. They proved they have more than enough charm and chemistry to successfully lead a show of their own.Was this review helpful to you?
After watching this, I'll be a lot more careful about what I wish for?
Just completed watching this one and honestly, I'm so glad I randomly stumbled upon it while looking for my next watch. The concept immediately caught my attention, and since I've always had a soft spot for Taiwanese BLs, I decided to give it a try. Safe to say, I don't regret it at all.What drew me in the most was how unique and fun the premise was. I'm exactly the kind of person who stays awake at 3 a.m. thinking about random "what if" scenarios, so a story revolving around wishes and shooting stars was right up my alley 🫣✨
In fact, after watching this series, I'm pretty sure I'll be a lot more careful about what I wish for 🥹
Going into it, I expected a light fantasy romance and nothing more. The concept felt playful, so I definitely wasn't prepared for any real angst. That's why when the story started dropping hints about what was actually happening, I literally had to pause and scream, "WHATTT???" 😭 I genuinely could not believe it. The shift caught me completely off guard and made me even more invested in the story.
What surprised me even more was the ending. I was convinced they were heading toward a typical cliché conclusion, but they ended up taking a different route, and I really appreciated that. It wasn't perfect. The ending did feel a bit rushed. But at this point, rushed endings are almost a trademark of Taiwanese BLs, so I've learned to make peace with it 😅
One thing I absolutely have to praise is the directing, especially in the final episode. There was something about the way those last scenes were shot that just elevated everything. Even if the ending felt a little rushed, the directing made it memorable, and honestly, the last episode ended up being my favorite because of it 🤌🔥
Overall, Wishing Upon The Shooting Star was a pleasant surprise. It starts off as a fun fantasy story, throws in emotions you don't see coming, and leaves you thinking long after it's over.
If you're into fantasy dramas and want something a little different, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a chance ❤️
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The side couple steals the show!
The premise was so good, the cast was amazing, location was stunning, but the story did get a bit lost.The chemistry between the actors was the best, the side couple actually stole the show for me but they only had like 5% screen time, and they were just the cutest... I really hope they get their own BL show one day.
They should have focused 50-50 on them.
But the story, started so well, but the lore was not very well established.. We only find out about the Gods in the end, for a brief moment, and the rules of the star wishing quite randomly in the show. I would have added a bit more comedy to it.
But I still enjoyed this show very much! Great job guys!
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