Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island (2025)

beautiful cinematography & filled with symbolism

Overall: I would call this a coming of age story. It hurt at times, was beautiful at times and worth it in the end (ending spoiler in the comments). 7 episodes that varied between 12 and 23 minutes long. Aired on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-CWu74qAe0yVW9kUOx_UDuBzYdQl4fZ3&si=t4oKRorq2rzxDprd (note that the playlist is not in correct viewing order)

Content Warning: bullying, homophobia, vomiting, slaps

What I Liked
- acting
- production value (cinematography especially)
- symbolism (how blue/red represented each of them, with the artwork and putting/moving that black patterned overlay)

Room For Improvement
- not totally clear on the timeline/how much time passed
- who was the other guy in episode 7
- the beginning voice over was not subtitled and the hard coded subtitles were extremely small/difficult to read though I do appreciate there being subtitles

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Like a breath of fresh air, beautiful coming of age story....and yes, absolutely worth the hype

This is so pretty, and refreshingly unpretentious, with a storytelling that feels almost lyrical...the tension and anticipation all through, for the 'dam to break' is plain beautiful,....and then when it finally overflows, it's so damn satisfying

BL-needle Score: 8.5. High BL-ness

They got most things right in this one, an arresting story and script (even though nothing new), stunning locales, beautiful cinematography, great editing, and acting.....I also loved the way they use euphemisms and symbols to depict the hurdles of a queer life and the unrelenting gaze of the disapproving society all around....

The elder brother and his constant attempts to drive a wedge and keep his friend and brother at a arm's length, strikes a raw nerve with me....reminding me of all those family and friends who go out of their way to try 'control' and suppress queer lives in the name of 'all for your good'.....even when well-intentioned, it is an absolute abuse of power and privileges

The story is one that most queer individuals will identify with.....about how queer people are afraid to live their authentic lives, how expressing and living even the most obvious and commonplace emotions feel like a huge hurdle...and how almost everybody around seem hell bent on keeping up the 'make-believe' given their own insecurities and an absolute lack of understanding and empathy.......but that kiss and the 'dam-break' at the very end, was like a befitting reply to all of that ....felt so effing good......

To me the recurrent visuals of two lychees, the sudden rains, and shaking of the water-laden trees seemed to symbolise the queer gaze, resisting inertia, shaking up the 'status quo' and refusal to 'do the expected'...

Update: They are releasing short Special Episodes now...treating us to the delight of everyday cute life of Chen Li and Xhiaozhi.....it gives off such a comforting and purr-y vibe..sigh..this is beyond cute... I just raised the score to 9

Definitely recommended.

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Drama that speaks to the soul!

Finally, a Chinese BL that doesn’t end in tragedy and where we don't have to rely on scrutinizing micro-expressions to hint at romance. It’s right there, clear and unapologetic and I am here for it.

This drama had that charming indie vibe, short episodes, yes, but the emotional impact is massive. It proves that we don’t need a massive budget or big name studios to tell a good story. In fact, this one outshines a lot of mainstream BLs by a mile.

From the acting to the cinematography to the storytelling, everything feels intentional and intimate. There was heart in every frame and not once did it feel like it was holding back. I came in with cautious expectations, but I walked away genuinely impressed and honestly, a little moved.

The storyline itself isn’t anything particularly new. We have seen similar concepts before. But the way it was told here made all the difference. There was a quiet honesty in the execution that made it feel fresh, even if the idea wasn’t original. Sure, it could have been a bit more coherent in parts and maybe longer episodes would have helped the pacing and clarity. But given the production scale, it still managed to deliver something heartfelt. It knew what it wanted to say AND IT SAID IT WELL.

The cinematography is a quiet masterpiece on its own. It's deeply connected to nature, painting the drama in soft greens and in those warm earthy tones. The countryside setting is more than just a backdrop here, it feels like a character in itself. Tall green trees, birds chirping in the background, piles of fallen leaves on the ground, winding little roads, and calm water bodies with unexpected rains, it all felt like a breath of fresh air.
It’s the kind of visual storytelling that doesn't scream for attention but they get stuck with you in the best way.

On the acting part, everything felt natural, sometimes even a little chaotic, but in a way that fit their characters perfectly. It didn’t feel overly rehearsed or forced, which made the emotions hit even harder. You can tell it probably took a lot of courage from the actors to bring these roles to life and I am not here to nitpick because honestly, what they delivered on screen felt real and more than enough to carry the story.

Overall, this is the kind of BL I have been waiting for and asking for, real and refreshingly sincere. It may not be perfect but somehow it is!

I would 100% recommend this. The full series is on YouTube, so please watch it there and support the team directly. I will be sharing the channel link in the comments of my review.

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sensible, symbolism and real kisses ?

This was not on my radar, but good friends recommanded this series to me.

RANT: The worst part first: The subtitles. Who the fuck thought of this font and that they need to put pastel colored text on a pastel colored backgrond in the beginning of every episode? It's unreadable. Second the normal subtitles were a joke as well, it's 7pts and anyone, even with perfect eye-sight will have trouble to read such text if the person has a reasonable distance to the monitor/TV set. I needed to watch 50cm away from my 30" monitor which is annoying as hell! You can add normal subtitles on youtube easily and it would not have mattered. To hard encode subtitles is a crime as well. END OF RANT

Yeah, sorry I had to write the "real kisses" in the headline 🤣 This is a chinese production and I was expecting the censor-hammer coming down on them. In this case it didn't, which makes this a stand-out in itself. The good thing besides that, we get an actual story, with actual emotions. More or less a coming of age story but not from the gay lead but his soon to be boyfriend (soon means it's only 7 epsiodes 12-21 minutes long).

The cinematography was stunning, the symbolism worth noting and overall the actors did an excellent job. I won't spoil the story further, but it's sometimes painful (emotionally) to watch. Overall I can also only recommand to watch this, because it's an nice uplift compared to the crap thai companies are forcing on us (except two shows when I'm writing this review). I hope the extra episodes will be as good as this was.

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Two souls entwined

I absolutely loved the cinematography of this short series. Each shot was beautiful. It was also unusual in the way the story unfolded. I know some people prefer linear storytelling, but this nonlinear narrative worked for this short series. Xiao Zhi and Chen Li's story unfolded like a blooming flower, with every shared interaction giving sustenance to that flower...until the end of the summer has a fully bloomed flower enveloping them (and us) in a heady scent. The two main actors had wonderful chemistry, and I loved that the story was so focused on them.

The only thing I would change are related to making the texts stand out. When the English text is on the screen (beginning and end of each episode), it's often a light color with a light background, nearly impossible to read. Maybe if I were watching on a 60" screen instead of my laptop, I might have a chance of catching more than a word or two. It would have been better with bigger subtitles too. Other that that, I enjoyed everything else. The music and lighting were perfect. I loved the use of colors and the postcard-like images in the intro and credits.

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"Existence Is Just Existence"—But It Takes Courage to Accept That

Masterpiece (noun): A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.

I believe "masterpiece" is just a word—simple on its own, but complex in meaning. It shifts shape depending on who’s holding it. Some might say there’s no such thing, that perfection is too subjective to exist. But if I ever had to call something a masterpiece, it would be this.

This wasn’t just a drama. It was an experience—brief in time, but vast in depth. Something that settled into my chest and expanded until it touched parts of me I hadn’t realized were waiting. I won't regret watching it. I won't forget it either.

I began it, admittedly, for the poster. Simple, clean, with a quiet kind of pull. I’ve always had a soft spot for aesthetic bait. But what I found was something else entirely—something that reached beyond the surface, that refused to just be seen and instead insisted on being felt.

It was beautiful—not in the fluffy, feel-good way—but in the way something truthful is beautiful. Not cute, but sweet, like fruit with a bitter peel and a soft, ripe heart. Then again, is life ever truly sweet? Or do we only think it is when the pain is paused, the ache dulled for a moment? Maybe sweetness is just what we call less bitter days. Maybe, if there's lychee, we accept it as enough.

Visually, this was art. The colors were so alive—each frame could be paused and framed, every shot a painting. It wasn’t just cinematography, it was design, intent, emotion painted in pixels. The way lighting shifted with the mood, how symbols were tucked into corners, how the island setting became a character of its own—it all pulled me in.

I also couldn’t help but notice how the drama seemed to draw visual and thematic inspiration from the works of David Hockney—an influence that felt both subtle and deeply intentional. From the colors to the composition, it echoed his art in a way that made each frame feel like something painted rather than filmed.

There’s a moment where Chen Li is swimming in the pool while Xiao Zhi watches him from a distance, and it instantly called to mind Hockney’s “Pool with Two Figures.” That tension between the observer and the observed, between longing and restraint, was captured with such elegance. They even mention Hockney by name in the dialogue—such a small thing, but it felt like a quiet nod to the kind of emotional stillness he mastered.

The entire island setting felt like stepping into one of his canvases—vibrant yet soft, detailed yet dreamlike. One of my favorite Hockney pieces, “May Blossom on the Roman Road,” came to mind often. The island carried that same sense of suspended time, with roads that felt like journeys and blossoms that hinted at fleeting beauty. You could feel that idea of something temporary, something seasonal—just like love at the edge of becoming.

Even the trees held his presence. Hockney’s works like “The Tree No.1” and “The Bigger Tree” seem to live and breathe in the background of the drama. The way the trees framed scenes, stood still yet commanding, was so reminiscent of his studies of nature. There was a quiet grandeur to them—almost like they were silently witnessing everything unfolding beneath their branches. At times, it felt like the characters weren’t just moving through an island, but through a painted world—one where nature, like emotion, towered over them and wrapped them in something larger than themselves.

This is a coming-of-age BL drama—and easily one of the best I’ve encountered.

Chen Li, on a summer break he expected to spend idly, ends up entangled with his friend’s younger brother, Xiao Zhi. It begins with care—gentle, brotherly—but evolves. Quietly. Complicatedly. He doesn’t want to feel it, let alone name it. Xiao Zhi, who at first can’t even look at Chen Li in the shower, slowly becomes the one brave enough to cross the space between them.

The acting was nothing short of brilliant. The eyes, the silences, the subtle shifts in breath and posture. Desire hidden in glances. Tenderness caught in the curl of a hand. Their chemistry wasn’t loud, it wasn’t burning—it was real. Soft and slow and deep. A love that didn’t demand to be announced, but quietly insisted on existing anyway.

That breakdown scene—Xiao Zhi after the drink, unraveling in front of his brother—I felt that. Like a punch wrapped in silk. The emotional beats were hit with such sincerity. And the dialogue? Not the kind you'd say over morning coffee. It was thoughtful, poetic, almost philosophical at times. Lines that could have sounded awkward in lesser hands, but here—every word found its place.

I noticed how the color palette shifted too. It started bright, airy, soaked in sunlight. But as the story darkened, so did the tones. Shadows grew. And then, in the end, light returned. Not the same brightness from before—but something new. Something earned.

One scene that carved itself into my memory: the dream. They're running together, hand in hand, through the dark. But when light finds them, they drift apart. Kissing in the shadows, but separating under the spotlight. That scene said so much without saying anything. About society, about fear, about how love sometimes survives only in the spaces we create for it, not the ones we’re given.

This drama didn’t yell to be heard—it whispered. And somehow, that whisper echoed louder than most shouts.

The final kiss—oh, that kiss. It wasn’t just two people coming together. It was a decision. A choice. A declaration. Doubt pushed aside, love chosen in its place. The courage of that moment—it was everything.

I’m not getting over this anytime soon. I don’t want to. It left something with me—questions, warmth, ache, and clarity all at once.

To the entire team behind this: thank you. You created something unforgettable. I’ll be following whatever comes next with a heart still full from this.

If you haven’t watched this yet—or aren’t planning to—what are you even doing?

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You Should Have Watched This Yesterday

There's been a lot of garbage dramas this year, but once in a while you stumble across a little gem, and it brightens your whole day. This drama was beautiful, I loved every single moment of it and wished it was longer. Yes, even moments with that in-betweener brother, who meant well, but acted like he sniffed glue on his spare time. On second thought, if I catch him!

Listen, I wasn't even looking for this drama. I was scrolling my somewhere on tiktok when a video popped up and this sister was like, 'watch this, it's good.' Obviously, since most of what's currently airing is meh, I checked out the first episode and ended up benching the whole thing in one go. Sure, a story, a plot like this of love and pining and acceptance in our society isn't anything new, but the direction and execution of it made it worthwhile. Here's my quick review:

The main characters had great chemistry and made the show. I felt their longing behind the screen, all the words they couldn't say, and the stable touches and wants were so obvious it was painful. Kudos to them for making this short drama feel so complete. The side characters were also okay, though that brother needed to take a hike. I get that he was concerned and loved his brother, and in his own misguided way was looking out for him, but bro invented a whole arse girlfriend cuz he saw his friend with a girlfriend one time in freshmen year, really Susan, really?

I loved the few songs we got in this as well, the background music and the nature all added to how much I enjoyed this drama. Personally, I'm not a bug person and would probably complain to high heavens if I should spend a whole summer here, but everything was so beautiful, it made me fall in love with their love and wanted to go summer camping with a lover, bugs be damned.

No really, they were out there: fruit picking, sunset watching, running around the woods and by the rivers, swimming, drawing, bonfires, playing in the rain, awwwwww, my heart was full and it wasn't even my relationship. Yes, I'm sure we all felt that kiss when they finally got together, the yearning and the pining really paid off, so congratulations to them I guess. Us single people would be in the corner.

I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone who loves bl, it's worth your time, and it's short and amazing, give it a chance. No really, watch it. Wish to see more of the two leads in the future. This is obviously going straight to one of my favourite dramas this year. Now off to watch the special episodes to see them be more lovey dovey in front of my salad.

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A pleasure for the eyes

Although it had a very simple plot, it was developed in the best way possible and made the most out of its short runtime, once again proving that you don't need a complicated plot to make a good story, and that even best plots will turn into trash if the production quality is not good enough. Also that it doesn't matter if the story is not new cuz one story can be told in millions of different ways.

The background music was a work of art, so in tune with the scenes and adding another layer of depth to the situations and increasing the tension. It was so good that in most of the scenes there was no need for words; the situations, actors body language and background music talked loud enough for us to hear it clearly.

But what steals attention the most is the scenery. The colors are so vivid and the location is so beautiful it's like it's straight out of a fairytale. And they have used it in the best way, with those spectacular frames and playing with light and darkness so masterfully that catches your breath. I loved it the most; especially that in episode 6 we saw what they meant by the light and darkness, and how in the last episode they came together in the place in the middle, not completely in the dark but also not completely out in the light. They found their common ground and finally found their way back together. Again, not much was said in that scene; but everything was clear enough.

I enjoyed this show so much.

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The BL That Defied All Expectations

Let me start by saying I went into this Chinese BL fully prepared for the usual censorship dance. You know the one where two guys stare longingly for eight episodes and the closest we get to romance is a suspiciously intense handshake? Yeah, not this time. Secrets Happened on Litchi Island looked at China's BL restrictions and said "Watch this."

The setup seems simple enough: two attractive men on a lychee farm (though let's be honest, the lychees are just set dressing). There's the obligatory forced proximity, the lingering eye contact, all the classic BL tropes we know and love. But here's where it gets wild they actually kiss. Like a real, proper kiss that leaves zero room for "are they just friends?" interpretations. I nearly choked on my snack when it happened.

What makes this even more impressive is the undeniable chemistry between the leads. These two manage to create more romantic tension in their shared glances than some BLs do in entire seasons. When they finally give in to the attraction, it feels earned rather than rushed. The way they navigate their growing feelings has that perfect blend of awkwardness and sincerity that makes BL so addictive.

At just a handful of episodes, it's remarkably efficient storytelling. There's no filler, no pointless side plots just two guys figuring out their feelings in beautiful surroundings. The shorter runtime actually works in its favor, keeping the pacing tight and the romance front and center.

Is it groundbreaking cinema? Of course not. But as a BL fan, I have to respect a series that delivers exactly what it promises with such confidence. In a landscape where so many BLs play it safe, Secrets Happened on Litchi Island feels almost rebellious in its willingness to show actual romance between its male leads.

Final verdict? If you're tired of Chinese BLs that tease but never deliver, this one's for you. It's sweet, surprisingly spicy, and proof that sometimes the best surprises come in small packages. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go figure out where I can buy lychees in bulk.

Rating: 8/10

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Hands Down - THE BEST!

Magnum Opus. Masterpiece. 伟大的工作. This is a prodigious and matchless piece of artistry and cinematic enchantment as well as a screenplay paragon. Honestly, I am not sure there are adequate words to describe this series or its brilliance, nor its impact that it has on the viewer. It is that cogent. Even more astonishingly, this is not one of those long belaboring BL series. It is only 7 episodes between 13 to 22 minutes in length, easily viewed in one setting. You will be transformed and transfixed and may never be able to see BLs in the same light again as this is how they should be done. This is art but its aim is heuristic. It is sublimity. Honestly, I had to watch it twice because I was so tantalized by its message that I wanted to be sure that what I was watching was genuine and I was not merely swept up by its spellbinding and intoxicating sentiments. Indeed, it is like watching a cinematic treasure

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