Twelve Letters

Magical realism letter time-travel drama that is worth your time

Our offspring our strangers to us in the future and our parents are strangers to us in the past.

This little gem of a chinese drama series is well worth the small investment of time (only 12 episodes). I have been trying to figure out why it is unusual. And I think I've settled on this as the main reason - that it shows very clearly the truism of the fact that our offspring our strangers to us in the future and our parents are strangers to us in the past. If you could change your parent's past, would you?

I think it is also unusual because in a sea of polarising genres of either shamelessly shallow idol dramas or full on police crime dramas, this thoughtful and deep drama explores the harshness and brutality of certain parts of rural China (in the 90s and quite possible even now) without being a police crime drama. Trigger warning- there is exploration of familial abuse, triad gang war and small town thinking. The closest TV series I can think of that does a similar thing is Nobody Knows, but that drama had significant police-crime plot line. There is no doubt where the emphasis is in this drama - on the young coming of age couple in the early 90s living in a small town.

It is also unusual also because of its beautiful cinematography and the treatment each side character gets to tell the fully-orbed story. I thoroughly enjoyed the breadth and depth of each character and only wish a longer series could have been written - perhaps exploring more of the thoughts and feelings of the offspring as they discover more of their parent's past. Another follow-up series wouldn't be out of place when the series is this good!

As it is, I felt like a lot of Chinese series, the ending left rather a lot to be desired. It is a source of mystery to me that Chinese dramaland simply cannot deliver a Chinese series without some sort of deflation-of-souffle- ending. Seriously, why not? If only...

The acting on the other hand is stellar. I think most people will be blown away by the two young actors and I have come across many who have said this is Zhou Yiran's best work yet. I quite agree. I believed every moment. It helps when the character is written so well!

This drama was a real gift for christmas 2025.

P.s. On that note, couldn't they have released it 2026 to make it fit the timing in the drama?

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Needed a Long Epilogue

SO DEEPLY SPECIAL TO ME! There are a lot of things I think were underdeveloped, but the two leads kept me hooked the entire time. They were so cute and I cherished the happy moments they had together, but I wish we had gotten more of them. I also wish that the magical elements had more time. I would have loved for more correspondence between the past and present. Liked all of the characters, but also wish characters outside the main leads had more room for change and growth. I will remember the main leads for a long time, but the side characters probably won't stick around for me. I need someone to cast the main leads again in a happier story so we can get the full romance story from them.

Basically every scene the main leads have together is my favorite, but my absolute favorite scene between them was the fl sacrificing her house, despite how hard she fought for it, despite what it meant to her -- simply telling the ml, "You matter more." So simple and so effective. In that gesture, she is finding a new home for herself and starting over, while he experiences what it feels like for someone to value him and his safety. I could rant all day about how perfect they were together.

Overall, the drama was just a little too short for a lot of the story elements and characters. I loved the themes of sacrifice, love, and regret. The main leads were outstanding, and I'm glad they got their happy ending, even if we don't get to see it.

(Also, I know they rewrote time to save their parents, but wouldn't any parent be horrified to lose their child? I guess if they never met their children they would care less, but they seemed very casual about it at the end lol)

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A deeply emotional story about two lost souls finding hope in each other

I was drawn to the screen from beginning to end. There was not one scene I skipped, and that speaks to quality of the story and it's execution.

I loved everything about it - the plot, the characters and the music.

Haitang and Xun are both characters with a traumatic childhood, that have to endure the pain of having absent parents or even an abusive father. Yet, it's exactly this similarity that they both find comfort and love within each other.

I can't recommend this drama enough for people who look for something deeply emotional, but yet doesn't shy away from showing the pain the characters have to experience.

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Didn't understand the ending?

Can someone please tell me what really happened in the end? What became of Shen Cheng? And who was the guy that received the last letter? I’m honestly losing my mind over this. Deep down, I keep wondering—was it Shen Cheng?

This drama was absolutely unforgettable. I don’t even know how many times I cried watching each episode. Their suffering felt so real, and it broke my heart every single time. All they wanted was such a simple thing—a good life, a peaceful life. But the adults around them never allowed them even that small piece of happiness. It’s just so unfair, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

"Every Ye Hai Tang out there need someone like Tang Yi Xun"

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The Show That Sabotaged Itself

12 Letters can be split into two halves: episodes 1 to 5 are a brilliant romantic sci-fi; episodes 6 to 12 are a disaster.

It starts with a mysterious mailbox connecting 1991 and 2026, a fresh premise that immediately recalls Frequency (2000). In Frequency, a father and son spoke across time with a clear, consistent dilemma. 12 Letters had the same potential, but it quickly lost its way.

From episode 6 onward, everything falls apart: the mailbox is forgotten, cartoonish gangsters show up, school melodrama takes over, and Shen Cheng—once a key character—is reduced to an idiot by bad writing. Episodes 8 and 9 are pure filler, endless flashbacks explaining what we already knew.

The ending is even worse: a last-minute warning letter that magically fixes everything, Shen erased from existence, Yu Nian waking up in a luxurious bed with a different life, and a sad soundtrack to force emotions. What began as a tense sci-fi puzzle ends with a rushed “happily ever after.”

12 Letters could have been the Chinese Frequency. Instead, it’s a collage of clichés and cheap melodrama—a show that sabotaged itself.

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Reading Between the Lines

Twelve Letters is a drama with a touching story and characters that are easy to care about. I really liked the main plot, and I enjoyed the show as a whole. The emotional moments are strong, and the relationships between the characters kept me interested from start to finish.

However, not everything in the story feels natural. There are many moments where things happen only to move the plot forward, and it sometimes takes away from the realism of the drama. Even so, the acting and the main storyline are good enough to keep the show enjoyable.

I also wish the drama had a special episode. The ending leaves a lot of questions open, especially about the main couple. Do they ever get married? What happens to the daughter and the son? Does Tang Yixun ever take care of the daughter? Does the son ever get born? The drama brings up these important questions, but it never fully answers them, which feels a little disappointing.

Overall, Twelve Letters is a good drama with a touching story. It has some flaws, but it is still worth watching. I would be excited if a special episode came out to give the characters the closure they deserve.

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Wow wow wow!

I had chills at the end...this drama was so impactful 😭 I don't think it's one I can rewatch because it was so emotional and the sadness/abuse was hard to stomach for a sensitive soul like mine 😅 but the characters I just got so invested in! It's sad to think about how the main leads lived is a reality for a lot of people 💔 broke my heart, and made me think more...I'm satisfied with the ending, but I would be happy with a spin off or second season too 😭 ending was a tad bit rushed, but I'm still happy with it. Such a thought provoking drama that will stick with me for a while.

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Twelve Letters Later: Pass Me the Tissues and Some Ice Cream

OMG this drama totally wrecked me. I went from aww, that’s sweet 💕 … to oh no, please no 😭 … to full-on ugly crying with hiccups and puffy eyes. Honestly, I had to fast-forward some scenes because the abuse and pain were unbearable, but then their tender moments made me pause and rewind like a fool.
It’s not your typical romance. It’s raw, tragic, and somehow still breathtakingly beautiful. The leads? Their chemistry is like soul-mates who can’t catch a break but still shine through the darkness. The ending -brace yourself -both of them die 😱💔… but weirdly, they also get their happy ending together. Don’t ask me how, just watch and you’ll understand. It’s devastating yet strangely comforting.
And the side message? Family isn’t always about blood -it’s about who chooses to stand by you. That hit me harder than I expected.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4.5/5 — half a star deducted for the emotional trauma, but hey, totally worth it. Bring tissues. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate. 🍫😭

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yalnızca dünyanın değil evrenin en üzücü dizisi

böyle bi üç kilo falan ağlamısımdır öyle söyliyim yani ama sonu için değdi ya benim kafada su an tang yixun ve ye haitang çatısı akmayan yeni evlerinde oturmuş böyle haitang ayakları üşüyünce yixun’un bacaklarının altına sokmuş falan konuşuyolar sohbet ediyolar günleri nasıl geçti onları anlatıyorlar haitang yixun’a okulda (üni) öğrendiği yeni ilginç bir şeyden bahsediyor yixun da ilgiyle dinliyor falan. canlarım benim göz bebeklerim.
şimdi heralde iki kişinin birbirinde ‘ev’i bulması trope’unu sevmeyen yoktur, gerçi trope deyince haitang ve yixun’a ayıp oluyo da iste lafın gelişi. bi de ben zamanda yolculuk fix it hikayelerine de bayılıyorum bu tuzağa kim yakalanır ben yakalanırım yani bayılıyorum en sevdiğim en sevdiğim.
gelecekte haitang’ın oğlu ve yixun’un kızı kendilerini onlar için feda etmeden önceki tüm geleceklerde böyle korkunç şeyler yaşadıkları için kahroluyorum. tang yixun çok özel bir karakterdi, zaten diziler sürekli sevgisinden bir şeyler yapan karakterleri anlatıyor ama sevgisinden ölen, bir hayalet olan onun gibi kaç kişi var?
sekizinci bölüm KORKUNÇTU korkunç. bi kere zaten beklemiyodum çünkü yedinci bölümün sonu bambaşka bitmişti ve sekizinci bölümde bölüm boyu hiçbir açıklama yoktu????? bir saniye bile ağlamayı bıraktığımı düşünmüyorum hatta ertesi gün gözlerim nasıl şişmişti ya. eğer sonda fix-it’lemeseydik cok ciddi sölüyorum kafayı yerdim he.
bilmiyorum yazdığım hiçbi şey bu karakterlere ve hikayeye olan sevgimi yeterince iyi anlatamayacak, bazen bir şeyleri o kadar çok seviyorum ki parmaklarımı onlara geçirmek istiyorum çünkü bu sevgi içimde bir boşluk, anlamlandıramadığım ve kelimelere dökemediğim bir vuslat olarak zuhur buluyor.
diyorum ya, a-xun ve a-tang (ikisini de ben doğurdum) şu an, bu evrende tatlı bir çöreği bölüşüyor, bir koltuğu paylaşıyor, bir evi paylaşıyor. o ikisini hep koca ve mutlu bir aile olarak hatırlamak istiyorum ve hatırlayacağım.
her şey için, tüm gözyaşları ve tüm gülücükler için, hissettirdiği her şey için bu diziye çok teşekkür ederim; unutmayacağım.

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