Twelve Letters

What would you do for those that you love?

What would you do for those that you love? Would you give up your happiness? Would you give up your life?

These are the questions at the heart of Twelve Letters, a fantasy and mystery drama about love, found family, sacrifices, hope, and the power of choice. The story is set across two timelines — Meiwan Town in 1991 and Beixing City in 2026 — and it revolves around our two protagonists, Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun. The world was not kind to them in 1991; their lives were filled with pain, suffering, and darkness. The only glimmer of light was them meeting each other due to unfortunate circumstances. For reasons initially unknown to the audience, one moment changed the course of their lives forever, resulting in a heartbreaking separation and a lifetime of longing and regrets. That is, until one day when a letter from 1991 arrives via an abandoned and mysterious mailbox in the year 2026, opening a connection between the past and the future. Will fate intervene, alter the timeline, and rewrite this tragic love story?

Right off the bat, the first thing I notice about Twelve Letters is its gorgeous cinematography. It is intentional and artistic — flawlessly capturing the beauty of Meiwan Town in 1991, with its natural rivers and mountainous backdrop in every frame, along with the run-down buildings of its residents that even the breathtaking sceneries cannot hide. There is a greenish tint to the color grading, giving the feel of a different era, teleporting us back in time. The Cantonese music, VHS tapes of old HK movies, landline phones, fashion — everything adds to the 90s aesthetic, making this a believable and nostalgic period piece. With the hauntingly beautiful osts cleverly used throughout the drama, I can't help but praise the love and thought that was poured into this drama. However, the stunning visuals do more than just set the scene; they are a reflection of our protagonists' shattered inner worlds.

Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun are two broken souls who find solace in each other. At first glance, they seem like polar opposites — a bright student and a troubled delinquent — but they are actually two sides of the same coin. They are pitiful, weary, and yet still so loving, selfless, and kind. They make me want to wrap them both in my arms and protect them from the cruelty of this world. The way they care for each other, only wishing for the other's safety and happiness, is so pure. Their relationship proves that chosen family can be stronger than blood. Like beautiful mosaic art, these two broken souls feel whole together. The raw and powerful performances from Wang Ying Lu and Zhou Yi Ran truly stand out.

And it isn't just the main couple who embodies this spirit of unconditional love and sacrifice — the supporting characters are wonderful as well. I love Cha, Rat, Xin, Nian, Cheng, Manyu, Guan, and Miao Miao. Each has their own distinct personality; all of them are flawed but endearing. There is an overarching theme in this story about how ordinary people have the ability to ease the suffering of others even if they feel like they are insignificant. These characters are prime examples of that value. The sacrifices they make on the behalf of Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun are selfless and heart-wrenching.

This was not the type of drama I normally watch and it emotionally devastated me. It was dark, brutal, and at times painfully realistic, and I took a considerably long time to complete it despite its short 12-episode run because I had to keep taking breaks in between episodes to catch my breath due to its heavy themes. This drama did not shy away from showcasing domestic violence and toxic family dynamics, putting the ugly reality of growing up in broken homes on display for the world to see. There were many times when I felt sick to my stomach and I cried my eyes out until my shirts were drenched in my own tears. Twelve Letters is one of those stories that will touch your soul and make you feel a dozen emotions all at once, and it is not for the faint of heart. And yet, the story drew me in unlike any other.

Despite how dearly I loved this drama, I couldn't give it a perfect score for one main reason: the dual-timeline structure was tricky to follow at times. The 2026 timeline had a linear flow, meanwhile the 1991 timeline jumped a few months forward only to jump a few months back inconsistently. This created disjointed moments in the narrative, and I had to pause the drama a few times in order to understand the chronology of the events. Even with this issue though, it did not detract from the genuine impact this story had on me.

After a rollercoaster of emotions, and many days of dragging my feet, I can finally say that Twelve Letters is worth all the tears that were shed. This story will stay with me for a very long time. It is not a drama for everyone. It is triggering for those who are sensitive to topics such as domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, gambling addiction, and violence connected to poverty. But for those who love character-driven mysteries and are brave enough to watch and make it to the finish line, you will uncover a heartfelt and unforgettable journey of selfless sacrifices, persistent love, and hope shining through the darkness.

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Did the letters really matter?

The drama follows two timelines connected through cross-travel letter exchange. In 1991, we follow the main leads, who are teenagers suffering from daily hardships and injustice. In 2026, we follow two adults whose lives are directly connected to the leads.

POSITIVE:
- Romance. The relationship development was natural and so was the chemistry. I only wish we would have gotten a bit more fluffy scenes with them.
- Realistic story. If you remove the fantasy element with the letters, everything felt raw and real.
- Episode 8 was the best. In fact if it was the final episode, it would have impacted me greatly.
- All characters in 1991 were fleshed out well and felt like real people.

NEGATIVE:
- Side characters. The drama spent too much time on the 1991 bullies instead of the 2026 son and daughter (who for me were more important for the plot). My issue was especially with the little screen time the 2026 son received, because he played an important factor in the final episode and yet his character was so one dimension that I couldn’t really care about.
- Too much abuse. From start till the end. I get the set up and why it was important to show it, but at one point it was too much.
- The letters. My main reason for starting the drama was this fantasy aspect and yet in the end I felt like the letters didn’t really matter. It was just a “what if” scenario.
- Final episode. I expected something way, way more epic but it felt unfinished. I was quite disappointed and definitely knocked out a few points from my rating because of it.

OVERALL:
I went in completely blind, not reading the synopsis or watching the trailer. I knew this wasn’t my typical watch but still wanted to try it out. Objectively, it’s a good script and production but subjectively, I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. I’d be hesitant to recommend it because of how extremely emotionally heavy it is. I watch for entertainment and most of the episodes stressed me out too much. I actually love angsty historical cdramas, but modern hits too close to home. The final episode unfortunately didn’t give me the pay off that I needed to make me feel the stress was truly worth it.

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