This review may contain spoilers
Tissues Required: A Journey of Found Family
This isn’t the kind of drama I usually gravitate toward, because I just know it’s going to wreck me emotionally and leave me in need of a full-on crying detox. And yet—this story took me to places ...It’s a deeply touching tale of ordinary yet genuine people dealt a cruel hand of fate. At its heart, it reminds us that blood doesn’t always define family—sometimes family is found in the most unexpected corners, bound together by timeless, unshakable love.
What struck me most was how the chemistry between the leads transcends the need for physical intimacy. No kisses, no overt gestures—yet their emotional bond is so palpable, so magnetic, it pulls you in and leaves you breathless. For such young actors, the cast delivered a remarkable performance, capturing raw, layered emotions with brilliance. I found myself bawling through nearly every episode.
The ML shines as a pure, kind-hearted soul who gives selflessly to those he loves, while the FL—my poor girl—deserved the world and so much more. On the other hand, I don’t recall hating a character as much as her father (except maybe the uncle from The First Frost—they’re tied at the top of my “most despised” list).
The parallel modern storyline added unexpected depth, especially the narrative of their children, which kept me equally invested. And the ending? Surprisingly satisfying, better than I dared to hope for after such a turbulent journey.
All in all, if you’re in the mood for an emotional carousel—heartwarming yet heartbreaking, devastating yet wholesome—this drama is an experience worth surrendering to. Just don’t forget to keep a box of tissues close by.
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The unfairness of life
'Twelve letters' is one of the most underrated dramas of 2025. The story takes place in a remote town, full of emotions and suspense, wrapped in misery, with a hint of youthful romance.I am writing this review while the series in still airing as to avoid giving any spoilers by mistake. Feel free to read it if you wish.
The two main characters, Ye Haitang and Tang Yixun, have led anything but a worry‐free life. Ye Haitang was abused by her father who appeared sugar‐coated in front of any other person on the planet except his family. Her mom left Ye Yibo(her husband), leaving her young daughter to be the only victim of her father's outbursts. Tang Yixun, abandoned by his parents, grew up in an orphanage. He was later on bullied and had to "drop out" of school (I'm not going to go too deep into his past), and was forced to become a debt coletor in order to make ends meet.
Although most cdramas have around 20-40 episodes — more than enough time to develop the plot — this one has only 12. I do not find it lacking in this aspect, and it certainly does not feel rushed. To some, the main leads' relationships might be a little sudden, but we have to take into account that they are still children who get easly attached to someone who extends a helping hand.
The mystery, thriller and fantasy genres are deeply rooted in the story. The mystery of the appearance/disappearance of letters was excecuted well. Also, the criteria for traveling through space and time are a clever idea.
I don't have relevant enough complaints to be mentioned in this review, nor am I going to nitpicking at every corner.
The plot relies heavily on the traumatic factor, it also touches on subjects such as friendship and healing, showing that there's aways light at the end of the tunnel. A lot of us have probably found ourselves is a slump at least once in our lives, but we're still here, hopefully enjoying life, because we kept going. There is more to life than an abusive father; Ye Haitang must not put an end to everything to serve a scumbag of a man "justice". He will get his karma, and so will she.
I do not recommend this series if you can not understand the pain that lies under every smile. It may appeal boring or not make sense. I, personally, love this and I can tell it's going to be one of my favorites.
To sum it all up, give it a shot. Everything is worth a chance. Don't knock it till you try it.
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1Our origins don’t define us. It’s what we do with what we have.
Dear reader,What if you try to resist a fate that aims to separate you from your loved ones? How hard would you fight if the adults and the world kept letting you down? And what if despite the fragility of your memory and body, you still hold onto some moments because they are worth more than life itself?
This show is the answer.
It’s about this two highschooler, A' Tang and A' Xun who have yet to have the means to escape where they came from. In fact, everyone are the same in the small town of Meiwan. Surrounded by poverty, abuse, and desperation, yet their best and worst selves, packed in twelve short, unforgettable letters and episodes.
Main Characters:
The soul of this series lies in its two leads. I had just seen Wang Ying Lu in another role where she played a fierce and mischievous character, but her performance here is on another level. There’s a behind-the-scenes story where she accidentally hit her head on real concrete and just told the director, "Let's continue shooting." Read that line again cause she's a savage for being so professional and staying calm. I was also amazed at how she seamlessly portrayed a lot of heart wrenching emotions. Her as A'Tang who only wants freedom is full of angsty ride but still felt so familiar and relatable.
And then there’s Zhou Yi Ran. I saw him in The Land Of Warriors and on When I Fly Towards You. But his portrayal of A' Xun was truly a painfully brilliant career milestone. Who said only Park Bo Gum could get to play best husband and father of 2025? At least Gwan Shik had a wife for him cause well, let me tell you that this yearner-of-thirty-freaking-years A' Xun exists. He was just a young man who loves giving and eating bread (with filling). Everyone was out to get him yet can still switch between dangerous to a green forest within a short second especially if his found-family needed him.
All throughout the drama bot these leads were not just cutting onions; he was eating them raw.
Now the supporting cast. I miss them all, specially the billiard house found-family. Their character development, along with the leads, let me see them not just as supporting casts but also as reliable and precious characters. They were a comfort place in Mei Wan but can also give you a gut-punch. And the villain... Oh you will hate him with every fiber of your being. He's worse than trash. And when you get to hate a villain role so much you pause just to curse them, you'd know the actors did a great job. Whoever cast them all and whoever decided to let their real raw voices be showcased in the drama needs to have a raise. I hope your pillow always stays cold when you sleep.
Within a few minutes of episode one alone, it has left me breathless, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon. And so I agree about the peeps on X demanding the cast receive at least an award for this one. Never mind the emotions you'll feel while watching, both of ZYR and WYL's eye-acting and facial expressions in this short drama deserves a broadway award. This drama honestly gave the cast a lot of opportunity to showcase their talent for acting; many peeps in C-ent must be aching to work with them again now. I'll surely be tuning in for their next projects.
Music:
It’s not just the acting, though. It’s the feel of the show. One song from 福祿壽 (Fu, Lu, and Shou), an indie band I admired since 2023 (thanks to Noel's bio), was featured here. It was 春暖花开去见你 (I'll see you when spring comes and flowers bloom). I hadn't heard any new releases or news from them since 2021, so the moment I heard it as a background track, I knew I had to see every scene it was in, no matter how heartbreaking. The other songs were so fitting for the vibe as well. Music was one of the reasons I can't rewatch these songs and the drama, because I know I'd just torture myself.
The cinematography is a character in itself; every ray of light, every shadow, and every drop of rain or flake of snow tells a story. You can feel the cold of Meiwan’s streets and the fleeting warmth of the characters’ sanctuary through the screen.
Overall: ♡
If this story were a movie, it would demand an IMAX screen, 3D glasses, and with a mountain of tissues by your side. Yet I watched this drama only for free within a week, and I never felt so guilty for not paying for something so masterfully made. If you want to feel melancholy for two youths and cheer for them despite the odds constantly going against their favor, and if you want to have a good, soul-cleansing cry, then this drama deserves to be in your watchlist.
I’m sorry if you found errors with my English, not my first language. This was a long read wasn't it. But thank you so much for visiting this review!
PS: The headline quote is from the series 'His Dark Materials,' spoken by the character Marisa Coulter. Ye Hai Tang reminded me a lot of this character so I had to add her quote as this headline and it was quiet fitting alongside one of my favorite scenes from the drama.
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It was better than therapy - what a gem
I had quite a difficult childhood with a lot of abuse, violence and trouble happen throughout my childhood/teenage years. All I could think about was escaping my hometown, and getting as far away as possible. My one comfort at that time was my first love, whom I met when I was 16-17. He was the kindest, most amazing human I have ever met, and I was incredibly lucky to have met him. Sadly we went to university in different cities and lost touch; he then passed away at age 21 in a freak accident (where he was trying to save someone's life, but he died instead). He died doing what he always did - trying to save everyone around him (including me).Apologies for the life story, but this drama brought out all these memories in a way I haven't experienced in years and years. The parallels between my own story and the FL's story/ML's behaviour were crazy to watch. I have had years of therapy to deal with childhood trauma, but this drama helped me remember everything I had suppressed, deal with it and hopefully, move on a little. The drama must have had such a profound impact on all its viewers, and I hope the makers realise how true-to-life some of the scenes were.
Chinese dramas have come a long way, and it's one of the best dramas of recent times (though heavy in its theme!).
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1
1
2A dozen tears, a dozen hope, a dozen letters and reasons to piece yourself back together!
Twelve letters and I are definitely in a toxic relationship. It made me feel sad, mad, happy, and then mad again with ugly crying and somehow left me immensely happy at the end.If I dissect the premise, it reads like those retro-time travel fanfiction. It all starts with Ye Hiatang from 1991, finding a mailbox and somehow connecting with Tang Yixun of 2026 (Thanks to the orange cat delivery system). Letters were exchanged and so was hope, exhaustion and pain! Somehow it was both cheesy and haunting.
It was more about vibes and feels rather than major plot twists because once you figure out the time travel /fantasy aspect of it, it becomes fairly predictable. But it didn't take anything away from the story because somehow I was able to predict actions but not the consequences.
This is the story of Haitang, who somehow makes her way till the very end despite all the harsh realities surrounding her. From the first frame, I never mistook her for being fragile. She was resilient but tired. Imagine living with an abusive father like that. She is a victim of adults failing her, but she isn't the one to give up. You will feel sorry for her at times, but then you will wipe your tears seeing her get up everytime and bounce back.
Tang Yixun isn't your "knight in shining armour" either. Our debt collector is messy, chaotic and has demons of his own to deal with. But I didn't like him because he was trying to fix things for Haitang, but he was just being there and treating her like she mattered.
I did feel it was very convenient for him to be there whenever Haitang was in trouble, and their connection initially felt fast-paced, but then their love wasn't built on grand gestures or cute things. It grew out of shared pain and trauma. Maybe it really is easier to open up about what breaks you when the company is right and they get it. They were just right for each other. Not perfect, but just right, and they need to be bubble wrapped and protected at all costs.
All they wanted was a family, and they did get one.
Coming to antagonists, forget scary monsters when you have a father like Ye Yibo. Cruel, controlling and violent. At one point, he felt like a cage that Haitang can't escape. But he was let go too easily and too many times. I know 1991 wasn't a progressive time but being free of assault charges that easily was kind of annoying.
We have another set of villains too, making life difficult for the Billiards gang. They went a little overboard with their involvement but I wasn't bored.
But not everyone around them was shady and selfish. The little found family that Yixun has with Li Cha Dong and Zhang Hao was adorable. It was the rainbow hiding in the storm's aftermath. Both their love stories were also tiny escape from the darkness. Both for them and us. I wouldn't mind a spin off for them specially Cha and Tan Xin.
What got me the most was how when the moment finally came, nobody even flinched. No second guessing... just pure instinct to step up and shield the ones they cared about. There was no big speeches or flashy heroics, it was the certainty that said "your life matters more than mine". And they didn't do it out of obligation but for love. Watching them stand there like a wall was both devastating and beautiful. Yixun and Haitang were lucky to have them as their found family!
The adults (children) in 2026 were also key players here. Both Yu Nian and Sheng Cheng
brought different things to the table. They both were in search of their parents and to find answers as to what happened but I feel both of them went a little too overboard with emotions at times. But again, the position they were in, the panic and frustration is understandable.
I think they grew on gradually. Somehow even with all the bickering and disagreements , they were there for each other.
Acting-wise, the leads Zhou Yiran and Wang Yinglu nailed their roles. Zhou Yiran was spot on with his "protective but never overbearing" portrayal of Yixun. I cried when he cried and I smiled when he did! Wan Yinglu, as Hiatang, also did a great job. What made her exceptional was the whole hollowed-out-of-life vibe in emotional scenes.
The supporting cast also did a great job because I hate some of the characters to the T, and like they say, if you hate a character, the actor did a good job.
Cinematography was the real MVP. It was just so Pinterest-y. The whole '90s vibe was spot on with those strong colour grading and nostalgia vibe. The clear contrast between the past and present kept everything visually distinct and easy to follow.
Lastly, the flaws… If I am being real, my eyes were way too glossy to list them all out, but here we go. The pacing in the last four episodes did feel a bit rushed. The coherence slipped here and there and at times it was hard to piece everything together. That said, it picked up almost immediately after. Maybe a couple more episodes would have helped the story breathe better but then again, the title is Twelve Letters, so twelve episodes it is.
Also, they did ended it pretty neatly but did leave with some questions. But it was more like an invitation to imagine.
Overall, I did love it from start to finish. It was like a heartbreak wrapped in hope. More than romance, it’s a reminder that love is not just about two people, it’s about the way it ripples outward and affects around, shaping families, friendships...even futures.
Will I recommend it? OF COURSE. But don't go in expecting the fantasy element to woo you or expecting this to be fluffy romance because it is everything but that. It will wreck you most beautifully. I also strongly recommend a box of tissues with it. (You will need it. Trust me)
♡ Favourite Quote ♡
I want to give you a sunny day but I only have an umbrella woven from storm clouds!
Thank you for reading my review! I know it feels more like an emotional blabber but this is exactly how I felt throughout. I hope you enjoy and suffer (lol) this drama as much as I did :))
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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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Gutsy, fearless, and beautiful = cinematic mastery
Twelve Letters was directed by the same person who directed Love Me Love My Voice, a drama so all-around painful, in spite of the talent, that I now suspect hands must've been creatively tied with that one. Usually it's on the director's shoulders for whether a show is good or bad, but in 12 Letters it looks like this director was freed from any artistic restraint & was able to proceed on the road to cinematic mastery. This is easily one of the best made dramas I've seen this year.The drama is only 12 episodes & the story follows two teens who discover a mysterious mailbox which allows them to communicate across time & space via written letters with their future children. The premise of letter writing across time (The Lake House, Griffin & Sabine) is not original, but the presentation of this story took me by surprise.
This drama is gutsy, fearless, & beautiful. I felt very much in an international film festival vibe as I started watching. The first thing I noticed was the cinematography. Natural lighting & no CGI. The main characters meet in Meiwan, an economically depressed riverside town. Each scene reflected the harsh living conditions of the early 90's in the muted earth tones of the surrounding water, mountains, & wet streets. Each scene is a painting. The dark, damp rooms of crumbling apartments & homes contrasted with the brightly lit school room, signifying the sources of hope & despair. The 2 teenage protagonists withstand violent & tragic home lives while trying to see education & university as their way out.
The second thing I noticed was the quality of the acting. No idols here, with young actors obviously serious in their roles. Wang YingLu puts in a powerhouse performance as Ye HaiTang, bringing the audience to the knife edge of her sanity as the horrific stresses in her life threaten to crush her. Zhou YiRan subtly balances the struggles of Tang YiXun, a young man with a strong sense of right & wrong while trapped in a not so righteous living. Both are surrounded by adults they can't trust. They find connection in their shared dream of breaking free from Meiwan. The level of performance these two brought to the screen kept me glued to the show. In fact, the whole ensemble cast was amazing.
Third, the writing deftly interwove two complex timelines. The mysterious mailbox & it's workings became clearer, connecting a 35 year span between 1991 and 2026 in unexpected ways. The first half of the drama largely focused on events of 1991, an engaging story in itself even without the fantasy elements. But by the 5th episode the drama goes back and forth so smoothly that the storyline remained cohesive. Past unsolved questions get answered, with the final question reserved for whether or not to change the course of history, & accept the sacrifice that goes with making those changes. The ending leaves much ambiguity when the mailbox delivers its last letter in a short epilogue. Although it's strongly hinted at what the final outcomes would be for all the characters, the show leaves a suggestion that the mysterious mailbox has moved on. At least, the ending will make you think about it for a long time, which would be frustrating for a weaker drama, but fits this one perfectly.
A quick word on the soundtrack - if you were exposed to North American blues & folk, you'll appreciate the raw emotion of the songs which align very well with this drama. Another surprise that impressed me even more.
All in all, 12 Letters is a fantastic work that's well written, acted, & presented. This year's best for me.
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A Hidden Masterpiece: Raw, Heartfelt, and Criminally Underrated
I rarely write reviews, but this show is so GROSSLY UNDERRATED that I feel compelled to give it the attention it deserves. First of all, the cinematography is stunning. It perfectly captures the atmosphere of the 20th century, and honestly, it felt like watching a movie stretched across 12 episodes.What truly struck me, though, was how deeply the characters’ struggles were portrayed. The romance between the ML and FL wasn’t your typical “lovey-dovey” drama fluff—it grew naturally out of empathy for each other’s hardships, evolving into a companionship that felt genuine, profound, and unshakable. Watching their relationship develop slowly made their bond all the more powerful, and I could really feel their emotional connection.
Another highlight is how well the drama balanced all three couples’ storylines. I found myself equally invested in the side characters, like 张老师 and 茶哥 were SO CUTE! Their arcs added warmth and depth to the overall narrative.
This show captures the raw, unfiltered nature of love—both its pain and its beauty. I’ve never cried so hard watching a drama, and not just from the characters’ tragic backstories or struggles, but also from the joy of seeing them overcome adversity and stand by one another. If you’re someone who enjoys dramas that makes you cry, this one is a must-watch.
Personally I felt that the pacing was just right and I actually liked that it was only 12 episodes because each episode nicely reveals something that connects the events together. And the OSTs? Absolute perfection—each track heightened the emotions at exactly the right moments.
Honestly, it’s such a shame that this drama wasn’t promoted better. With its unique plot, breathtaking execution, and emotional depth, it could have easily been a massive hit. To me, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.
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Love wins all...
"Twelve Letters" fearlessly explores a complex narrative. The show masterfully juggles multiple themes, including the solace of found family, the intrigue of time travel through a mysterious mailbox, and the central mystery of the leads' disappearance and its impact on their children. The series navigates broken families, lost hope, dreams, heartbreak, and the bonds of friendship. Its layered storytelling creates an emotional rollercoaster, offering a deep, engaging, and mysterious experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The time travel element feels refreshingly original.
The characters in "Twelve Letters" are profoundly tragic yet resilient, embodying the human spirit's capacity for hope amidst despair. The female lead, reeling from the loss of her grandmother and facing an abusive father, clings to the hope of university and escape. The male lead, an orphan, survives without future aspirations. Their relationship is a poignant testament to finding solace in shared pain, offering each other hope and protection.
The performances are exceptional. Wang Yinglu delivers a stunning portrayal, her emotional depth and natural talent leaving a lasting impact. Zhou Yiran complements her with a quiet intensity that anchors the narrative.
The narrative transcends timelines, starting in 2026 with the adult versions of the leads mysteriously disappearing, leaving their children to solve the puzzle. Then, we journey back to 1991 to meet the younger versions of our protagonists. A mailbox connects these timelines, adding another layer of intrigue. I won't spoil more, but this drama is a refreshing dose of originality and brilliance that's a must-watch!"
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This review may contain spoilers
Slow start, fast ending.
"...live well for me" - Tang Yi XunI've finished watching all 12 episodes, and as my headline and quote of my review suggests, it's gonna contain some spoilers. This was a good watch, didn't regret buying the express package at all to view the rest of the episodes.
I watched this drama with no expectations, since having expectations usually result in either making me rate it as normal or rate it as a disappointment since it doesn't match my expectations. But I did have my concerns, since usually short dramas that only have a few episodes will usually be rushed ending. Putting these thoughts aside, at first, the drama does hook me in a bit, some people might say that its not a good start, but the first 4 episodes provided a base (at least imo) to the leads' relationship. By watching the first few episodes, I thought that this drama would make me cry like More than Blue (the taiwan ver.), where both of the leads heal each other yet fate prevents them from being together. But they still fight fate and even though they failed, their love echoes and is not a forgotten memory. But it looks like this drama decided to not go that route I guess.
The story starts by showing the lives of both the main leads, a struggling orphan who uses his fighting skills to earn money by becoming a debt collector, and a girl who has a gambler father. Tang Yi Xun (Zhou Yiran), met Ye Hai Tang (Wang Ying Lu) on his usual day to collect debts. They forcefully took Ye Hai Tang's grandma money and left her to starve. Surprisingly, Tang Yi Xun's friend and boss, Zhang Hao (Zhao Run Nan) and Li Cha Dong (Jia Hong Xiao) are also actually decent people, who also has to resort to work as debt collectors to live on and get by their own lives. The main leads' first meeting was the worst way to meet your future "love interest", yet their next encounter was when Tan Xin (Chen Hao Lan), a teacher that Cha Dong liked, gave Tang Yi Xun an opportunity to finally come back to school so that he can one day have a legitimate job. They met again as "classmates" where they started as enemies, especially after Tang Yi Xun's presumed love letter towards her, that she took as a threat.
Their hate continues until one day Tang Yi Xun intervened on Ye Hai Tang's attempt to murder her own father, since Ye Yibo (Li Yi Xiang), took all of her money including the class funds, and used it for gambling. Seeing this, Tang Yi Xun saw that her condition was similar to him, and vows to help and protect her, no matter the cost. They tried to find out who wrote the "love letter", and found that the letter wasn't from their own timeline (1991), yet it came from 35 years in the future. Without knowing that the sender was actually himself (Tang Yi Xun) from 35 years in the future. They tried to send a letter, and it works, sending the letter to the future, also without knowing that the recipients are Yu Nian (Zheng He Hui Zi), Tang Yi Xun's adoptive daughter, and Shen Cheng (Ren You Lun), Ye Hai Tang's future son.
I've never heard or watched any drama's played by Wang Ying Lu, yet her performance here is superb. Her chemistry with Zhou Yiran is unexpectedly not that bad, successfully portraying both Tang Yi Xun and Ye Hai Tang's pain, sadness, and helplessness (especially in episode 8). Hui Zi and You Lun also plays a "big" role, giving the story from the children's perpective. I personally felt confused since they are only impacting their story nearing the end episodes, especially in the ultimatum, but I don't know what to say. Their appearance was a bit underwhelming, but I don't think it's personally their fault, they played their role quite well. Other than that all the other casts did a great job, especially Li Yi Xiang who successfully made me hate his character. And my philosophy stands, a good villain means that the actor/actress portraying them are talented and played their character well.
Based on the synopsis and seeing that it was their children from the future, I thought that they would impact their story a lot or at least a notable amount, yet they barely did anything until the last few episodes (this includes Shen Cheng's impact okay). I know that they did alter the future, but I think that this drama is super rushed. They basically had a lot of things to expand on, yet decided to call it a day. Which is okay, but I think it makes it lose A LOT of things. What about Yu Nian current future? How is she kinda living in luxury? Isn't her father in jail and will soon die of an illness there? Her grandma also died quite quickly and shouldn't have been able to take care for her that long with Tang Yi Xun's absence in the altered timeline. Who took care of her if Tang Yi Xun isn't there? Not to mention that Yu Nian's final reaction is only being sad that Tang Yi Xun and Shen Cheng is gone from her phone contacts without attempting to somehow connect/contact to Tang Yi Xun to see him in the current future (I mean it's literally her stepdad who she was trying so hard to find in the previous timeline, shouldn't you at least find out how he's living his life right now?). What happens to Tang Yi Xun and Ye Hai Tang is also left for us to imagine freely, since it's a "happy" ending considering their final letter sent through that mailbox. A lot of other things are also left out from the drama, but basically these are scenes that I think should've been inside of the drama IF they can somehow fit them in, which they didn't or can't fit them in since it's only 12 episodes.
I've said it before (in my previous reviews), I like both sad and happy endings, but I REALLY despise rushed endings. And I think this is a super "forced" rushed happy ending. I'm not saying this is a bad drama, it's still a good watch, but I personally felt disappointed in the last episodes.
Note that this is my PERSONAL opinion, and I am Human, so I can make mistakes, if I missed out/was wrong on a bunch of things I apologize. That's all for my review.
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Hurts like hell but I would watch it all over again
I had been waiting for this drama for so long and it was absolutely worth it. Not only did it meet my expectations, it far exceeded them. This was nothing short of a masterpiece, the best cdrama of 2025 in my eyes. Every single episode had me in tears, i was sobbing from start to finish. The last time i cried this much was for the same writer’s previous work, Angels Fall Sometimes. Both of them truly have a gift for storytelling.The journey of the two leads broke me completely, their misery, their pain and their sadness cut right through my heart. Zhou Yiran and Wang Yinglu delivered outstanding performances, bringing every emotion to life. I still get chills thinking about Wang Yinglu’s brilliance in episode , her range was breathtaking.
While i absolutely loved the Ye Haitang and A Xun, there were characters i utterly despised, especially that vile father Ye Yibo, one of the most hateful characters i have ever seen in any drama. On the other hand, i really liked Shen Cheng and Yu Nian. Without Shen Cheng’s sacrifice, both the leads would never have earned their hard fought happy ending.
Beyond the heartbreak, the mystery fantasy elements were also masterfully done. The suspense kept me hooked until the very end, constantly guessing about the past, the twists and what would unfold next.
In the end, this drama is a rare gem, an unforgettable experience that no one should miss.
And in my heart, i believe Ye Haitang and A Xun are living their well deserved happily ever after.
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a glimpse of hope in a "what if?" world
I'm writing this while getting myself together after watching the last episode. I had high expectations for Twelve Letters and I'm glad I did.I'm not gonna lie to you: it is a painful watch. But it also gives you a sense of warmth, a new perspective of found family amidst the unfairness of the world. It will hurt. But it needs to hurt so you can truly feel like you belong with their lives too, and you'll root for them. And get angry on behalf of them. And feel hope, despair and happiness with them.
The actors did such a great job, all of them. No one felt lacking. And you can see in the way they portrayed their characters that they truly care for the story they're bringing to life – and that's something you get from the whole production crew as well. Everyone involved in Twelve Letters clearly cared for it, loved it, respected it.
Ye Haitang, Tang Yixun... you always deserved a kinder world and I hope you're having one now.
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