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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Be careful what you wish for
This is one of those dramas where you love everything about it, yet you finish it feeling like something's missing, like the whole experience falls just short, and you can't clearly point out what went wrong and when exactly.The story is unique, and well made, chemistry was amazing and the whole drama was entertaining. I had too many questions about the end and how they wrapped everything up in a very anticlimactic way but it doesn't matter because i enjoyed the ride.
I just wish they had invested more in the script because the loose ends were too many to be ignored, but I'll not be harsh on it because Taiwanese BLs are my kryptonite.
IMO an average Taiwanese BL is better than a Top-tier, tightly written Korean/Thai BL, because they usually keep things consistent and precise to the point, i don't know how they do that, the story has a billion plothole but i generally don't care about anything enough to have beef with it.
Also this has one of the most beautiful sex scenes in a BL, like in my top10, not horny or explicit but really beautiful and lovely, I'm not delulu enough but if i was I'd believe anyone who says those two leads are actually in love, that's how emotionally pretty the scene was.
Overall, recommended and enjoyable, I'd definitely rewatch it ~
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emotional but a bit confusing journey
what to tell about this? actors were so good that i started to question are they really a couple. the story was so good the concept of wishing something and that might come true is so good. before wishing something think 100 times because it will come true here. yes if it really present i would surely wish for a rich life . when life becomes so hard that you just want to disappear but you forget the people who loves you are present and you are not lonely, that kind of story this is. the ending episode is really frustrating and confusing that i skipped few scenes. the raw romance that two couple have shown is just MUAHH.. i didn't expect such explicit scenes from them but i loved them.overall just watch it guys.Was this review helpful to you?
Good start very weak ending
Everything was decent until the last four episodes. The side couple ended up being far more interesting and had better chemistry than the main couple, which made it hard to stay invested in the leads. After episode 8, the story completely lost its direction and felt rushed and all over the place. So many plot points were either dropped or poorly wrapped up. And that ending? Genuinely one of the most disappointing endings I've seen in a while. It felt unsatisfying, lazy, and completely wasted the potential the show had built up in its first half.Was this review helpful to you?
what if you wished upon a shooting star?
ever thought about what would happen if you made a wish upon a shooting star, and it actually came true?i found the entire concept of wishing upon a shooting star and having it come true very intriguing. the fact that he wished for it, and it really came true, and now it’s making him realize that it was a mistake to wish for something like that. i love the underlying message : be careful what you wish for!
the cinematography is so mesmerizing. all the blue everywhere just makes me feel so warm💙 the island and its people are just so lovable. they are like one big family!
the actors are doing an amazing job. especially the one playing Zhongxing. and the actors playing their younger selves?? they are so good omg! i love that they actually casted teenagers to play those roles, instead of making the same actors play their younger selves pretending to be high schoolers.
the main couple have so much chemistry! we could feel all the love and regret, and their years of unresolved feelings. the scene of them getting together was so beautifully done. the lighting, the cinematography, the absolutely beautiful ost in the background…everything was just so beautiful. it has to be one of the bests I’ve ever seen in a BL!
the second couple is also amazing! I often find second couples annoying or unnecessary, but here I loved them just as much as the first couple. although I’m not a fan of “I’m clearly in love with you, but I’ll keep denying that no matter how much you try to win me over” trope initially , they really won my heart afterwards. i also just found out that the actor playing Hama is half Japanese! that makes me appreciate this cast even more ^_^
I have to mention the actors playing their younger selves once again. despite being so young, they were so good! they had such amazing chemistry as well. I would love to see them together in a BL when they grow older🥹
I was watching this drama every week while it was ongoing. watching it end made me somewhat emotional, i kinda grew attached to the beautiful island and its amazing people🥹💙
overall this was just so beautiful and soothing to watch. one of my most fav bls of this year so far!
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LOVE THIS SERIES!!
Taiwan absolutely delivered. This is a great series, it’s a clever, different storyline, the two main actors are fantastic and episode eight delivers better than so many of the shows out there right now. I’m not sure why it’s not getting a higher rating overall, but this is one of my favorites. the second couple is just as appealing and entertaining, I like the sort of magical side with Xi Xi and our little man with the watermelon candies. But it’s a love story at heart and just beautifully done.Was this review helpful to you?
Be Careful What You Wish For
Who hasn't wished at one time or another that they could just disappear or start over somewhere where no one knew them? But what would you do if it actually happened? What if that fleeting moment of frustration became the basis for your every day life? This series reminds us that even in our times of struggle and uncertainty, there are so many people around us whose lives would be forever changed if we weren't in it. It's so easy to get wrapped up in anxiety, grief, and depression, and we forget that the good times are there too. That we have people we love and who love us back. This series is a wonderful reminder to keep pressing forward and not take our loved ones for granted, and to also remember that it's ok to ask for help sometimes.Was this review helpful to you?
BRO, SOME GOOD BL!!! It's been a while
I don't care what other people say but this show???? It's so damn good for me! I'm a fan of slow burn and broken time lines. It's really one of those shows that I'm proud to recommend to people. Also, TAIWANESE BL COMEBACK!!!If you're someone who's looking for a comfort BL, I think this will appeal to you. Life is so hard. We fall down sometimes but that does not mean it's the end of the world. I love how I can relate to the characters a lot. T.T
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