Had I Not Seen the Sun

Romeo and Juliet.. But The Tortured and Murderous Kind..

First things first, this is not an easy watch.. It’s honestly an unpleasant drama to get through.. A lot of what happens here hurts you, breaks you and makes you want to break into the screen and take matters into your own hands.. Had I Not Seen the Sun embodies what a drama exists for, not just to tell a story but to immerse the audience completely.. The drama doesn’t try to entertain.. It just deeply affects us, shaking, frightening, unsettling, disturbing and jolting us.. It makes you feel the weight of what’s happening, not as fiction but as something real and close and that emotional discomfort is what the drama uses so effectively.. Simply put, Had I Not Seen the Sun has the power to shake you up, terrify you and leave you in a bewildered daze by the time it ends..

The director doesn’t soften any harsh realities, violence, cruelty, moral decay.. The drama is honest and in some ways even nihilistic.. It reveals the ugly, disturbing aspects of its subject matter in a sharp, precise way..

There is a lot to talk about here, but I will try to keep it simple.. The whole story unravels in the best possible way, starting with a gripping first episode which is intriguing, sharp and setting up the psychological thriller vibe perfectly.. The drama has a lot of little details in the present timeline about Chou Pin Yu that you might miss if you are not paying close attention, the mirror, the bag, the phone in the first episode, for example.. All of it quietly hints that everything is not as it seems..

I liked how the story shifted between the present and the past and that transition from past to present in Episode 2 was just wow.. The screenplay is ambitious in its framework.. It’s not just a serial killer story, but a character driven tragedy with real psychological depth and a touch of tragic romance.. I also loved the moth-butterfly-sun metaphor, especially the way the drama shows Li Jen Yao as the moth drawn to Chiang Hsiao Tung, his sun.. And Chou Pin Yu’s hallucinations are equally intriguing, they almost give the drama a supernatural feel even though it’s all happening in her mind..

The cast was actually perfect.. Tseng Ching Hua was just outstanding, his expressions, his presence and that calm menace, it was all so eerie.. Moon Lee as Chiang Hsiao Tung was the emotional core of the story and she was painfully convincing.. Chiang Chi as Chou Pin Yu didn’t get a lot of screen time.. Her performance was intriguing enough that it actually made me even more excited to see what she will do in the next part..

The cinematography is beautiful, in the most absolute sense of the word.. It has some seriously good visuals and color tones.. And the framing, the symmetry, was well structured and looks great on screen... And credit to the OST too, the music played such a huge part in setting the vibe..

One small detail bothered me.. Someone that meticulous, someone who didn’t want the FL linked to his crimes in any way, somehow left that one photo lying around?? That should have been the first thing he destroyed, I wonder why he missed that..

Overall, Had I Not Seen the Sun is a seriously good drama that you just can’t overlook, with a cinematic level of screenplay and storytelling.. It’s not an easy watch in any sense.. But if a drama can pull such an overwhelming reaction out of you, then it’s doing something right, isn’t it?? I actually thought these 10 episodes might feel draggy somewhere in the middle because there’s a Part 2 coming.. But not at all.. It’s very well paced and not bloated in any way..

Part 2 is where all the revenge is.. Hope they don't hold back and go all in, brutal, bloody and unapologetic.. There are still so many unanswered questions.. What’s the real identity of Pin Yu?? I thought she was the FL but then who is the girl at the end?? Ko Chia Yen’s character?? If she is the FL, then having three different faces for the same person feels a bit too much.. But I do have a few other guesses.. Let’s see.. Either way I am excitedly waiting for Part 2 and hoping it ends on a harsh, bloody note.. And yeah, I don’t want to debate whether his actions were right or wrong, they were scum, rotten to the core, they had it coming, every last bit of it..

I am expecting a stripped down, bare bones, no nonsense, brutal revenge story for Part 2..

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Because I hate the rain.

Had I Not Seen The Sun Part 1

I was halfway through episode 6 when I noticed that this is only part one of the story. Had I'd known the season was split, would I have waited for the other half? Probably not, as I added it to my watchlist just for the beautiful title and the fact that it starred Tsenf Ching Hua as a serial killer. They had me hooked right then and there, I was waiting eagerly checking that countdown days, hours, minutes. I know Netflix added that feature to tease impatient people like me.


The story of a man that chops up people into pieces shouldn't be this beautiful, but it is, it is so beautiful that I kept forgetting that he is a cold hearted murderer and when I did remember I wanted him to be innocent so badly!!

The cinematography is stunning, the soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, the cast is amazing,the symbolism of the moths and butterflies and the delightful manner in which he explained to her how they're different.

A man who killed people in such a gruesome way shouldn't be this relatable, but he is; I couldn't help but fall for him and that's where the plot faltered, too much time was spent in that backstory making this cold blooded killer far too sympathetic, far too human so Be warned if you're thinking of watching this, I may emphasizing the beauty of it all but at it's core this is a horrifying story, it isn't romance, it's not all sunshine, rainbows and butterflies It's about a series of gruesome murders and the events that led this man to commit such heinous acts of violence are gruesome, awful, vile so hard to watch and they're not afraid of showing how bad it was.

I had gut feeling, that something else happened, there's something the plot is hinting at that made me form a theory that the preview of what's to come have sort of spoiled/confirmed.

December 11 come quick because I need to know!!!

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"Had I not seen the sun, I could have borne the shade..." E Dickinson

Had I not Seen the Sun has been a difficult drama to rate and write a review for. Certain elements left me wanting and others I found completely engrossing. Also, given that we must wait until December for the second half to air, the drama ends on a cliffhanger meaning the story is not complete. I went out on a limb with my score hoping the writers bring everything to a satisfying ending.

Li Jen Yao turns himself in, confessing to several horrific murders. A small film company receives permission to do a documentary on him. Their goal is to discover the one thing the police were unable to ascertain…the motive for the grisly killings. Chou Pin Yu is the young film assistant. She’s moved into a haunted apartment and begins to be possessed by someone with a connection to Li. Pin Yu is given a ghostly guided tour of the lives of Li and the ballerina he loved.

The present time escapades did not work for me largely because the actress playing Pin Yu is extremely inexperienced and she lacked the ability to give any depth or nuance to a complex role. I rarely comment on acting abilities as it’s very subjective, but I nearly dropped this drama early on because I could not connect with her performance. When the drama largely moved to the past I fell into the story. The narrative may not have been original and was overtly melodramatic, but I don’t mind a little drama mama action. I’m tempted to say the writers were heavy-handed with their butterfly metaphors but can’t bring myself to criticize their uses of my namesake.

“Moths (at night) keep going in circles mistaking lights for the Moon…Butterflies only appear under the sun and go anywhere they want to.”

I’m curious to see how the writers will resolve the mysteries of which there appeared to be many. If nothing else, this drama was a strong motivation for cameras in classrooms and child advocacy programs and more.** With the exception of one girl’s family, there were no people deserving of children in their lives in this drama. Most of the teens involved lived in the darkness. They either basked in the sun hoping to learn how to walk in the light or attempted to drag the light into the darkness with them. We'll see if anyone sees the sun by story's end.

20 November 2025



Trigger warnings: SPOILERY






-a violent sexual assault, numerous beatings, and glimpses of disturbing murders.




**Spoiler comment below**












**** There is also a need for better protections for sexual assault victims with the police, schools, and more public education that girls/women who are raped are NOT sluts or responsible for the vile acts committed against them and they are not tainted goods. The protection of boys is not more important than the welfare of their victims and the victims deserve justice though it is too often denied. Li Jen Yao should have aimed lower.

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I may have cussed out Ouyang's entire family tree

Fuck this. I just wrote a whole review only for my stupid self to delete it.

I'm just going to sum up what my long review was GOING to say.

-I cried a TON at the SA parts
When she was shoving her nail into the butterfly tattoo, I didn't really understand what it meant until it hit me that the butterfly would still have its wings but never be the same again. Even if the pain subsided, the damage would still remain.
What hurt me the most was probably how accurate the depiction of the assault was. When Hsiao Tung Chiang looked at the comments, everyone knew her family, background, friends, and so on. The idea that everyone knows what happened to you is just so frightening, and it would make everything ten times harder. It made me genuinely want to get in touch with those who had suffered from sexual assault, to truly help and understand their pain (if I even could). Additionally, watching that girl, who she came with, being forced to lie that her friend didn't call for help, really twisted me. It showed how those with power have so much control, and all you can really do in the end is absolutely nothing.

-BUT what was really the cherry on top was watching Jen Li Yao get beaten up by fucking gangsters while he knew his girlfriend (yes, she does fall into that category) was being sexually assaulted. It goes along with one big theme in this story, about how little we can do in the end. I have this speech, one that I wrote for speech and debate about firefighters, and at one point I say, "Have you ever been incapable of saving someone you loved?". I don't think I could find better words to describe how it looked like Jen Li Yao must have felt after seeing the person he cared about the most become an absolute shell of herself because he was unable to help her. I would like to think that if she hadn't gone with Ouyang, then maybe this whole event wouldn't have happened, yet in the end, I have to accept that it's a show, and I can't change anything.

- I would also like to take a moment to just appreciate how good the cinematography was (yes, I did have to look up this word). I didn't really take in how much the scenes make you feel like you're really there with them. It also helped that I was watching the show late at night, but the concept of rainy days did really fit the theme. Though Jen Li Yao and Hsiao Tung Chiang had sooo many moments that I was super jealous of. I really like the dark theme (physically and mentally), because it really added to the whole story. Also, THE CASTING? I mean, I would like to say that the casting for Jen Li Yao, Hsiao Tung Chiang, and Ouyang was amazing.

Jen Li Yao, played by Jing-Hua Tseng- he played the role so well, no one can convince me that someone could have done a better job than him. His face displayed every word he couldn't say, and his little-to-no-word demeanor fit him perfectly. He was definitely a main reason why some people started this show, and his acting was some of the best I've seen (just for this type of role, though)

Hsiao Tung Chiang, played by Moon Lee, I really like how every reaction she had conveyed so much emotion, the complete opposite of Jen Li Yao. She wasn't afraid to believe in what she wanted, and adding that dance aspect made everything just come together perfectly.

Ouyang, played by Chih-Tian Shih- this is honestly one I just thought of, but it fits so well. The way he was able to play a scared little kid in front of his parents and other adults, but was such a horrible and disgusting person, when they weren't around, absolutely shocked me. I had really good hopes for him in the beginning, but I have never felt this disgusted by a character. In the scene where his dad was beating him, I was like "maybe he's finally learning his mistakes and feeling like shit," but no, IT WAS ALL A MASK??? This dude through me off so hard. Great acting, so props to him.

There are honestly more characters I could rave about, but I'm going to cut it short. There is so much more I could talk about, but I just want to get this done with because it's 12:00 AM lol. It may seem like I'm overhyping this, and to some, I probably am, but I honestly fell in love with it. I'm usually a person who gets easily bored if the story isn't fast enough (warning, I did kind of skip through the first two episodes, BUT I wasn't watching them on a TV, which makes things better, in my opinion), but this show has a chokehold on me. I don't know when or how I realized this, but it somehow drew me in. I'm really excited for part 2 to come out, even if it's so far away. I will be finding out more about Jua Hua Tseng because he definitely pulled me in. Reminder to myself, hate the character, not the actor.

I think that's all lol. Don't mind the bad spelling, please

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Amazing Acting and Story Line

Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.
Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.
Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.Its has amazing story line and acting. Till end it was difficult to understand what actually has happened.

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A Heartbreaking Battle Between Love and Fate

Had I Not Seen the Sun starts like a gripping mystery but slowly turns into one of the most heartbreaking love stories I’ve ever watched. The ending left me with so many questions — Who is she really? Did the heroine die and return in another body? What happened to Chou Pin Yu? Is the politician’s son still alive? Will the hero destroy the entire gang for her?
The drama keeps you guessing until the very last scene, but the emotions hit you like a storm.

Every actor delivered an amazing performance, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning — dark, raw, and poetic. This series is not just a thriller; it’s a painful, beautiful fight between love and destiny.

I’m desperately waiting for Part 2 because the twists left my heart in pieces.
If you love intense, emotional, mystery-packed dramas, this one is a must-watch.

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valid- valid- valid

i have been watching for this drama ever since the poster was released! and tseng jinghua never disappoints.

i would say the beginning of the story leaves you craving for more. from a slight seeing of the killing to meeting li jenyao - the murderer to know more to suddenly viewing the story. it was an interesting of unfolding the story, if you ask me. but i was able to see what was going to happen... i was proved right lmao.

after watching this series, hsiaoteng is legit a sunshine to everyone, from jenyao to pinyu. she was there for everyone, spreading her love and chasing rays away from people. but, it sadden me to see what has happened to her. should the victim feel guilty that it happened and she should feel dirty? no. and im glad that hisaoteng actually told names instead of trying to settle it herself... but power still plays a huge part... making it realistic.

li jenyao's actions are freaking valid and i admire him for being able to handle so much because if it is me, i will make sure everyone goes down with. like, what do these bullies expect when they bully people? the victims bowing and thanking for bullying them? they had it coming.

the acting for this drama was superb. from jinghua to li mu, they made the character come to life.

with that, i am super excited for the second season because i am looking forward at how the story unfolds and how jenyao kills them as it will be so satisfying!

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Bold take? I LOVED IT

This Taiwanese drama hits that perfect blend of soft angst and grown-up tenderness that feels like a warm sunrise after a long, cold night. The chemistry is loud, the emotional beats are louder, and the little everyday moments between the leads are written with that signature Taiwanese sincerity — the kind that makes you stop, breathe, and go “ok… this hurts, but in a good way 🥹🔥.” What I adored most is how the series treats loneliness as something you don’t just “fix,” but slowly walk out of… with someone who sees you. The glances? Electric. The silences? Loaded. The confessions? Absolutely fatal in the best possible way.

By the time the story reaches its emotional peak, it feels like watching two people learn how to stand in the sun again, together. And listen — the production doesn’t exaggerate; instead, it trusts the actors, and they deliver. Even the side characters feel like lived-in pieces of the world, not filler. If you love BLs with heartfelt writing, beautifully restrained passion, and that unmistakable Taiwanese soul, this one slips right under your skin. Tender, intimate, and quietly devastating — exactly my type.

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notation provisoire en attente de la saison 2

Cette série est compliquée à noter car la "saison" 1 consiste en fait à tout ce qui précède les crimes. On y voit les différents personnages se rapprocher ou se détester.
Il y a deux périodes de temps, la première se situe de nos jours, où des journalistes veulent faire un documentaire sur un sérial killer. La deuxième se situe plus tôt, quand les protagonistes étaient au lycée.
On sait qu'il y aura une troisième période dans la saison 2, entre ces 2 périodes, où les crimes auront lieu.
On part d'une histoire de serial killer, à quelque chose de bien plus compliqué qu'il n'y paraît.
Je vais revoir ma notation quand la saison 2 sera là (arrivée le 11 décembre 2025).
Ce que j'ai aimé : les acteurs ! Ils sont tous très bons, les gentils comme les méchants. C'est vraiment la qualité de cette série, le casting.
L'histoire des personnages tire en longueur parfois, d'où ma note de 9/10

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