This review may contain spoilers
Second Chances Of Life
Damn, I just finished WYL's other drama, and watching this right after made me like her even more. And honestly, it’s not just her carrying the whole show—the entire cast and the storyline worked together so well. I truly didn’t expect a happy ending here, because this drama had already traumatized me in some episodes (yes, I’m looking at you, Episode 8 👀).What really hit me was SC sacrificing himself to give his mother a good life, instead of letting her end it all because of that useless gambler father. That storyline hurt, but it was beautifully done. My favorite though? TYX’s loyalty to YHT—she literally had her own grave built beside TYX’s grave. That scene destroyed me. I cried. No regrets.
Now, here’s what I’m still wishing for: the story of Yu Nian and Shen Cheng. Don’t tell me they wouldn’t meet again in that lifetime, because I refuse to accept that. Also, can we talk about how they kept switching timelines each episode but somehow it never felt confusing? Rare blessing.
Sure, I still have a few questions about certain parts, but honestly? It doesn’t even matter anymore because the ending was solid. And a good ending in a C-drama? That’s already a miracle.
Highly recommended.
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Excellent masterpiece
Whatta drama oh.... Spellbound by the performances.... Itz like ... It'll take u to another world.... And the performances are damnn good 10/10.... Perfect casting... There are some violent scenes which may disturb light hearted people .... And the ending is excellent...also the concept is very unique.. never seen such thing in recent times... Hope even I get a chance to write letters and change things in past....Was this review helpful to you?
"goodbye, two family members we've never met."
The feeling of melancholy and somber is indescribable. So brutal yet so beautiful. So sweet yet so bitter.It has changed the dimension of how i view the world
Was worth the wait. I am happy and sad at the same time.
-hope I never forget this drama
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A Beautifully Performed Story That Rarely Lets the Light In
This drama is undeniably well-made, with powerful performances and a gripping storyline but it’s not one that made me smile or laugh across its 12 episodes. Instead, it evoked a constant sense of fear, sadness, and unease about what might happen next. I found myself constantly hoping for even a glimpse of happiness for Ah Tang and Tang Yi Xun.While I personally appreciated the drama for its talented cast especially Zhou Yi Ran and the lead actress the script felt overwhelmingly heavy. There should’ve been at least a sliver of light amidst all the darkness. Yes, Tang Yi Xun and Ye Hai Tang are each other’s rays of sunshine, and that was beautiful in itself. But as a viewer, I couldn’t shake the sadness I felt for them throughout.
Because of that, I wouldn’t rewatch this series or recommend it to anyone who prefers uplifting or light-hearted dramas. If you're already in a low mood, I’d suggest skipping this one. But if you're a fan of the lead actors, their performances might still make it worth watching.
That said, please remember this: “There will definitely be a ray of sunshine in your darkest moments.”
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just.. wow
trust me, just watch it. without hesitation one of the best dramas of 2025. go in blindly and be captured.the storyline was just so heartbreaking but beautiful at the same time. my heart felt heavy watching this but felt getting lighter somehow. i was hooked by how things will go and will they be able to change things? haven’t been this excited and curious for a drama for a while.
both FL and ML were amazing, their performances were incredible. i want to thank everyone involved for creating this masterpiece.
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THE BESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST
If I could rate this base on the story and the actors, I would diff rates them 10000000/10. Cause its legit good and underrated,.The actors portrayed the characters really well cause it feels so real the way they deliver their emotions and lines. Also as for the story line, it was indeed a masterpiece as u would really know what's next and it's so satisfying to see each episode. Thank you for the great series.
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It was worth the watch !
It was quite a journey following Tang Yi Xun & Ye Hai Tang story !If you're searching for a drama that will make you go through an emotional roller coaster than it's for you.
I can't count the amount of time I cried, go angry or happy toward one of the characters, they each played their role in the story and were well portrayed by the cast especially Wang Ying Lu acting ! It was my first time seeing her and she carried the drama with her acting. I loved how her character Ye Hai Tang & her relationship with Tang Yi Xun was. There was some love in the air yet it felt stronger; to me they were soulmates, family, each other's home. They were so emotionally connected, protective, loving.. Nothing scared them as long as they have the other it was enough !
I'm quite disappointed of some OST songs & how rushed the ending was, a lot of things were left without response especially how it was after they changed the timeline for each character and all the mysteries surrounding the mailbox
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This review may contain spoilers
Pulled my heart out and put it back in
I'll indicate where the spoiler is if you still decide to read after seeing the warning (not major if you've been watching cdrama's for years. You know how these dramas end)This drama is on the shorter side, but my God was it everything and more. Zhou Yiran really picks heart wrenching scripts... and delivers. Wang Ying Lu is also a phenomenal actress with range because she delivered on those tears, anger and screams and more. The pair did a great job. I refuse to believe anyone who says this drama was less than a 10.
First of this drama had three timelines but focused on mostly two, 1981, 1991 and 2026 (the latter two are the main years) I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into that first episode after all we find out that life in 1991 is vastly different to 2026. The tone of the drama was set from the first 10 minutes but managed to have moments of "thank God they are safe".
This story is one of young people who were both dealt a bad hand in life, both traumatic childhoods that could have demolished their futures. They both started off on the wrong foot but quickly the relationship changed in a very realistic way. 12 episodes of a cdrama just makes you think that it's rushed but oh boi, you are wrong. I don't want to compare reborn but they both had the same vibes, and I feel like this was a stronger drama, but they were both 10's for me.
The weak part of the entirety of Twelve letters is the 2026 timeline, but it wasn't even that weak, it's just that 1991 was the juice of this story and 2026 is the rind. The switch between scenes were clipped perfectly where you weren't left questioning "where are we?" and "what's going on?" and "who's that?". This won't take much time out of your life, and you will appreciate the time you spent watching this. Nothing short of perfection.
SPOILER ALERT
Ye haitang and Tang Yixun became each other's family and though we couldn't see how they spent the rest of their life we can imagine that it can't possibly be as bad as the original timeline. The end was bittersweet, but sacrifices had to be made and were expected.
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New perspective of looking at Life
Its more than just a Love story. It has unfairness of fate ,friendship,life and a big IF...Its really intriguing to see sometimes how unfortunate people are but this gives them the most precious relationships beyond love . I love the story telling as its really hurting me and im almost devastated after watching but its a way of looking to Life. If you're sensitive you wont be able to rewatch it like me but its a must watch .
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This review may contain spoilers
It feels like I finished it and just got back to reality, like I just woke up from a dream
This drama made me feel a million emotions at once from beginning to the end. I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested emotionally in 2 fictional characters’ happinessThe story was gripping, the characters were so well developed, the actors did amazing! I really felt like this was real and I cried when they cried, laughed when they laughed, got angry when they were
Everyone is relatable, past and present, their pain and their happiness are tangible!
SPOILER:
I just finished and I don’t even know how I feel, happy for Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun but it’s a bit bittersweet because of Yu Nian and Shen Cheng
I really wanted them to change the past but when I realized at the end she lost her dad… it’s saying goodbye to someone but knowing they had a better life
It was the right ending, but it’s still a hard reality, so I’m happy and sad at the same time
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This review may contain spoilers
Tears, Trauma, Love that goes beyond time!
Twelve Letters wasn't a drama I planned to watch. I was ready to drop it just 15 mins into the first episode. I couldn't understand where it was going, with all the switches between present and past. But I decided to at least finish the first episode - and honestly, that was a good decision. (Though I cried buckets at the end of almost every episode after 6th?)This drama gives you a glimpse at what life really is: Things rarely turning out the way we want... Every time we hope for something good to happen, something bad or even worse happens.
Twelve letters is both realistic and unrealistic. Realistic, in how it portrays human relations and emotions. Unrealistic, because we don't get second chances at life like they did.
Shen Cheng deciding to give his mother a second chance at her life really touched my heart. He knew that if she gets another chance, he wouldn't exist yet he still chose it, because he wanted her to be happy with the love of her life. And Yu Nian... finding out the man she lived with her entire life actually wasn't her father — still calling him "dad", searching for his name in her contacts.
Ye Haitang & Tang Yixun — the trauma these two suffered. Watching everything unfold and crying at every scene because it hurt. Living your life with no one to care for you and then suddenly having someone who cares about you so deeply they would risk everything to protect you (even themselves). And not just the male lead — female lead did the same. Her visiting his grave every year? Divorcing her husband just to stay by his side? (Some might say that was wrong but it was not since he was and always would be, her family) She lived only for him. She tried to live his share of life, just like he wanted her to. [I would skip what he did for her since you need to see the drama to know that]
Ps. I remembered every thing while writing this, and now I am teary again.
Do watch the drama. It's worth it.
And yes — People may fear only trauma, but let me be clear: it's not all trauma. There's so much more.
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Depth, and darkness with very little light
This is one of those stories that grabs your heart and squeezes it over and over again, while keeping you guessing who is who and how did they get there. The first letter clearly shows that we are in for a ride in to the darkest depths of despair not knowing if we will ever be able to get back out of it.While some twists are mote predictable than others the way this drama unfolds bit by bit had me in a state of pain and fear throughout the whole drama, the mote I got to see the leads try to get out of the hell they lived in the more I got to know about them the more they made me feel stuff. As the writers really did a good job showing the human being behind the hooligan, how they got there and the bonds between the leads.
The two mains connections went beyond romance, beyond family, placing them somewhere between Better Days and Someday or One day type of storytelling brilliance. The mailbox, cat, past and present connecting timelines felt pretty secondary to the main story that took place in 1991.
The debt collectors, gang men got on my nerves more than once, however they had an important part in upholding the fear and contributing to the plot that I find myself appreciating the way they were written in to the story even though some of their parts where slightly rushed.
I do have one complaint and that is the casting of the older versions I get that they had a hard life but they looked closer to 75 than 55.
But other that that Id say this is one 0f 2025 best C dramas, it may even be one of the best drams released this year, the type of drama that really tells a story it may only be12 episodes long but it is nothing but a fast story , it is an easy binge but not an easy watch and there is not a single fast or fluffy carb in this only some slight hope of seeing some northern lights in the darkness.
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