Secret Lover (2025)

I Tried—But This Drama Tried Me: Started with a Bang, Ended in a Mess

You know, this drama had a good premise—at least based on the trailer. Fake dating? Pretending to be in a relationship to help Junxi with his "love lessons" so he could confess to his female best friend? Yes, please. But I was completely annoyed by the fact that it only lasted two or three episodes. Like, what am I supposed to watch next—their love story? 🤦‍♀️

I get that the whole plot is supposed to be about the romance (blah blah blah), but I wanted some tension. Maybe keep the fake dating going until the middle of the series? But nope. What do we get instead?

A Tuo, who has been in love with Junxi for, what, 10 years? And he’s been dating girls who liked Junxi just to keep them away from him. This guy is super duper jealous, and I hate it. I hate how he’s moving so fast and refuses to accommodate Junxi’s pace.

You want to kiss? Sure—let’s do it right now in the cinema bathroom.

You want space? Nope—let me apply ointment on your sunburn.

You’re not ready to date yet? Too bad.

You won the rock-paper-scissors game? (Junxi, I have to say, you are pathetic—you only won once.)

You want time? Nope.

You want no touching or dating for a month? Forget that. (Even though he won the rock-paper-scissors game) 

Let’s just skip straight to the sex part, shall we? 😳

And speaking of that—playing rock-paper-scissors in bed to decide who tops? We know who wins, because Junxi never wins that damn game. He loses and, yep, loses his V-card. I said it.

Another thing: why are there so many flashbacks about their childhood? I don’t want to see that—it’s just annoying. Two kids and how A Tuo fell in love? I already know that. One or two flashbacks were fine, but now it just feels like you’re trying to fill time.

The only good thing in this drama is the female friend from the trio of friends—she’s a ray of sunshine. But even she’s getting on my nerves for being overly protective of her two BFFs. Like, girl, chill the heck out. No, but on a serious note, this girl is the best. She understands her two BFFs and makes things easier for them.

Do you know that saying... absence makes the heart grow fonder?
Well, that’s exactly what happens in Episode 7. Junxi doesn’t see A Tuo for a few days because of his busy internship schedule, and suddenly—bam! He misses him. Not only that, but now he wants to live with A Tuo. Yep, same idea. Looks like A Tuo’s clinginess is starting to rub off on him. Great. Now we’ve got two emotionally impulsive people in one apartment.

And the jealousy... jealousy over a literal child. Like, man, can you grow up? You already have Junxi. He’s not going anywhere. You had your time. Chill, boy. 😤
Just kidding. Honestly? This part was hilarious. Like, seriously—he’s jealous of a kid. A literal child. Best part of the whole drama, unintentionally. He wants Junxi all to himself so badly that even a 5-year-old feels like a threat.
Can it get more pathetic? Actually… probably. But let’s not give the writers any ideas.

Let’s not forget A Tuo’s daddy and mommy issues. Like, poor you. Honestly, I don’t care. His dad’s barely around—but can you really blame him? He’s out there working hard, providing for your education. And let’s not pretend he’s the only one at fault—cough cough, your mom abandoned both of you, including your father. I get that A Tuo probably felt neglected growing up, and the only parental figures he had were Junxi’s parents. But now that you’re an adult, maybe try to understand your father’s perspective instead of holding onto that same resentment.

Now, acting-wise—sorry, not sorry—but Junxi looked constipated every time they had an intimate scene. His facial expressions were just not there. It was hard not to notice. Can they kiss without making it cringe? Most of the time, it was ok. Do they have chemistry? I’d say yes, it’s definitely there

I tried. I really tried with this drama. But for the love of me and my sanity, I just couldn’t keep watching. The pacing is way too fast, and the fake dating plot—one of the most interesting parts—was tossed aside almost immediately. Now, it’s just their love story (and yes, I get that romance is the main plot, but I wanted more than just that), and we’re stuck watching them awkwardly “navigate” it. A Tuo is extremely jealous and pushy, with no regard for Junxi’s pace or boundaries. Meanwhile, Junxi feels passive, inconsistent, and honestly just hard to root for. There’s barely any character development to keep me invested—just a repetitive cycle of jealousy, awkward moments, and misplaced drama. Honestly, it felt like a wasted opportunity.

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Love in Little Movements

This series is full of pure sweetness from start to finish. What made it so special was the shift in their dynamic, because this time it was Jun Xi who chased after Tuo and kissed him first. Usually it is Tuo who takes the lead, so seeing Jun Xi step forward with that kind of bold affection made the moment even more heartfelt.
The way they opened up to each other touched me deeply. Tuo finally confessed why he used to date girls, not because he had feelings for them, but because he was young and naïve, and thought that distracting them would keep them from liking Jun Xi. His honesty showed how much he has grown, and when he apologized, it felt like a weight lifted between them. Communication like this is rare, and it made their bond shine even brighter.
The tender little details melted my heart. The soft cuddling, the gentle forehead kiss, and the comfort of waking up in the morning next to the one you love — those are the moments that make love feel real and alive. It was intimate yet innocent, simple yet overflowing with emotion. And then came the back hug, when Jun Xi quietly held Tuo after his painful fight with his father. Without a single word, Jun Xi gave Tuo warmth, safety, and reassurance. That embrace said everything: “I am here, and you are not alone.”
I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but I actually felt sympathy for Tuo’s father too. His wife left him, and he worked endlessly as a single dad to provide for Tuo. While Tuo often spent time at Jun Xi’s home, eating dinners there, he may not realize the sacrifices his father made to pay for the mortgage, the school fees, and all the bills. Carrying that responsibility alone is a heavy burden. But even so, his strict discipline and lack of emotional connection were not the right way to raise his son. What Tuo truly needed was understanding, not control. Thankfully, Jun Xi is there now to give him the love, comfort, and support he deserves.
And to those who label Tuo as “forced, obsessed, or controlling” with Jun Xi, I have to say they clearly haven’t seen episode 8 of ABO Desire. Compared to Hua Yong, who is manipulative, possessive, and even empowered by supernatural abilities, Tuo is nothing short of an angel.
I’m rating this series a solid 10/10 so far. It’s easily the best Taiwanese BL of 2025 in my eyes. We’re only at episode 6 out of 12, and while my decision might change depending on how the next six episodes unfold, right now this show has completely captured my heart.

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Toxic Friendship

I can not handle how much I dislike Tuo. He is so manipulative and toxic to Junxi. I get that he has had a mad crush on Junxi for their entire friendship and that he treats his 'friend' poorly because Tuo is worried about his own feelings, but he really doesn't give a crap about Junxi's feelings. It could just be because the show is rushed and there isn't a lot of talking going on before they move on to a new scene. Examples how Tuo doesn't truly care about Junxi. He basically SA Junxi in the movie theater bathroom. He non con touched and kissed him afterwards. When Junxi asked him to give him time to adjust to the idea of becoming boyfriends instead of just friends and to not kiss or touch him without his permission, this dude IGNORES his existence for days and treats him like a stranger or an enemy. Junxi is so confused about his own feelings and the fear of losing a friend he's had since he was a child that he acts like he's in the wrong instead of Tuo. And when confronted Tuo says he could never hate him and then gets mad at Junxi when another student tries to non con kiss him, and as punishment pressures him into having sex.
I opted out of the rest of the series after that. I don't get the whole 'I have a crush on my friend, so I'm going to punish that friend, treat them like crap, gaslight them into thinking they have to either date / sleep with me or our friendship is over' bs. Protecting your heart, definitely, but not by tearing the other person down to make you feel better or throwing tantrums to get what you want from them.

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Simple yet compelling friends turned lovers story.

Shraight forward love story about childhood friends turned lovers.

M/M couple's relationship is eashblished early on so hopefully the remaining episodes explores thier relationship dynamic.

The NC scenes and sweet moments are well done. The M/M couple have good chemistry, sultry yet endearing, passionate and sweet

The female supporting cast are entertaining. They add just the right amount of humor.

Nice OST which complements the storyline. There are no annoying sound effects. Thank You! 🥰

Easy to watch series, not a bad way to spend 30 minutes.

Longer episodes would have been better, at least 45 minutes each.

I suggest watching 2 or 3 episodes at at a time.

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Speedrun lover.

When I first saw the trailer and everything surrounding the release, I was super hyped. I genuinely thought, “This is the series for me, I’m going to love it with my whole heart.” The premise is exactly the kind of story I enjoy: childhood friends slowly falling in love. Sounds great, right? Well... it only sounds great.
The biggest issue that threw me off and made me lose interest was the pacing.
If I didn’t know the show was still ongoing, I would have honestly thought I accidentally skipped a few episodes, like I was watching episode 7 instead of episode 2. I understand that Tuo has been in love for a long time, but that still doesn’t justify everything happening so quickly, crammed into just the first five episodes.

That brings me to another issue: Tuo himself.
I find him overly jealous. To the point where it actually made me uncomfortable. Some scenes were genuinely hard to watch because of how intense and possessive his behavior was.
As for their chemistry, it’s really inconsistent. Sometimes it works well and feels natural, but other times it’s completely off or unconvincing.

Of course, the series isn’t fully out yet, which is the only reason I’m still a little intrigued and hopeful that it might improve over time.

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not worth the watch

I was really excited to watch this series, especially because of the amazing off-screen chemistry between the leads, which had built up a lot of anticipation. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. The storyline is practically nonexistent—most of the episodes revolve around the same repetitive cycle: the characters fight every two minutes, one storms off, the other chases after them, and then they reconcile without actually addressing or resolving any of their issues. After a while, it feels frustrating and exhausting to watch because nothing meaningful ever progresses.

On top of that, the character development is extremely poor. We never really get to understand their personalities, backgrounds, or motivations in a way that would make us connect with them emotionally. Instead of evolving or showing growth, the characters remain stuck in the same loop, which makes it hard to care about their journey.

Overall, the series feels like a wasted opportunity. With such a promising cast, it could have been engaging and impactful, but instead, it ends up being repetitive and shallow. Honestly, watching it feels like a complete waste of time.

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First Impression: Secret Lover

Overall: I wasn't surprised to see it is based on a manga ("Itte Owarina Wake ga nai!" by Komeoka Shigu). It has that bodice-ripper, aggressive pursuit and confused/reluctant pursuee vibe. I haven't read the manga and am reviewing the series based on its own merits. 12 episodes about 22 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala (not in Taiwan, Korea or Japan) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5526/secret-lover-2025-e01 ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/secret-lover-2025-1gamo9acu1d and GTV Drama YouTube channel (not in Korea or Japan) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk2gvyPpHLRfYzaDVqGeGwr7LPZlWNZQd&si=bCMJZNrnkEEwkbHx

Content Warnings: non con touching, non con touching/kissing turned consensual-ish, non con kisses, manhandling

What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
- the kids are cute
- ML said he was fine with either

Room For Improvement
- started with a flash forward, then went to a flashback before landing in the present
- ignoring boundaries
- glad he told him the truth early-ish on but then he ghosted him
- nonsense fever after being in the rain
- asking to slow down/pause on intimacy (a reasonable request) didn't mean ghosting (felt coercive)
- comedy sound effects didn't make things funny

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One of the Best Sensual Romances in Recent Times!!

Someone commented on our Twitter/X post that “We have another Sorn & Jun on our hands” and I laughed out loud because it is so true!!

This show starts with a punch, the pilot episode begins with the main leads kissing each other passionately (*ahem* in a restroom). You are left with questions like “What? How? Why? Who are these two? Where is the character introduction?”. And thus begins this story. Starring Chance & Wang Jyun Hao in lead roles, the story focuses on childhood friends, Han Tuo & Lu Jun Xi. They are actually a trio with Lin Xiao Yang (Lin Yen Tzu). They became friends when ten years ago, Han Tuo moved to their neighborhood. Shy and reserved, Han Tuo didn’t speak much because his mother had abandoned him. That was until Jun Xi gatecrashed into his life, and they became close friends. In the current scenario, Han Tuo grows to become the college heartthrob, moving through relationships at a fastening speed while poor Jun Xi finds it difficult to even confess his feelings to his childhood crush, Xiao Yang (or, so he assumes).

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2025/07/24/secret-lover-first-impressions-ep-1-2/

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It’s a no for me

Don’t waste your time with this one
It’s terrible through and through
The acting is prolly the worst for Taiwanese bl
I get it the bar in already on the ground when it comes to bl but come on 😂
This was just painful to watch
4 episodes was the most I could do

This story is terrible
It’s not love
It’s a crime to even call it bl
If I had a friend like Atuo, id definitely end that friendship

Spoilers ‼️


I was shocked by the sa in the theatre bathroom, and the way Atuo had the audacity to excuse himself from any accountability claiming that’s what close friends do 🙄
I don’t think forcingly kissing and jerking your friend off is something that close friends do
You having a one sided crush on your friend who prolly thinks he’s straight doesn’t excuse your behavior

Jianxi seemed very uncomfortable during most of those scenes, as if he was just putting up with Atuo in order not to lose their friend ship
I dropped at ep 4, didn’t even finish that episode
The acting is terrible,
Don’t know who told the director tgat throwing kiss scenes every too seconds would save this show.
I get some people are horny and would eat up any bl, but it’s a no for me 👎

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