Eyes on You

First Love, Six Years of Pain, Intense Kisses and a Reunion I Could Not Stop Watching!

I am usually not a fan of vertical dramas because I have to constantly hold my phone. Unfortunately, Eyes on You is not available on the iQIYI TV app and can only be watched through the mobile app. However, once I started watching, I completely forgot about that minor inconvenience. I was addicted from beginning to end and watched all 51 short episodes in one sitting. Yes, all 51 episodes in one go. I was completely hooked because it was just that good.

The story follows Junheng and Shiyu, who were each other's first love during high school and shared a passion for archery. Their relationship was torn apart six years earlier when Shiyu suddenly left Junheng. At the time, Junheng believed that Shiyu had chosen money over their relationship after his father offered Shiyu financial help while Shiyu's own father was seriously ill in hospital.

However, the truth was much more complicated. Shiyu made the painful decision to walk away because he wanted Junheng to focus on his future and pursue his archery career without the pressure and potential consequences surrounding their same sex relationship. Unfortunately, years of misunderstandings and unresolved pain left both of them deeply hurt.

When they reunite six years later, Junheng is now a successful archery champion and asks Shiyu to become his manager and work with him. Their relationship goes through a emotional journey from former lovers to enemies and eventually back to lovers again. Junheng initially wants to make Shiyu feel the pain he carried for years, but as they spend more time together, his anger slowly begins to turn into concern. The torment gradually becomes caring, protecting and rescuing Shiyu, as his heart slowly opens up again.

The basic premise is not particularly new. We have seen similar storylines countless times in K-dramas, especially the rich parent offering money to the poorer main lead and telling them to leave their child. But honestly, a familiar plot can still be incredibly enjoyable when it is executed well, and Eyes on You absolutely kept me entertained.

What really made this series work for me was the chemistry between the two leads. The acting was engaging, the tension between them was addictive, and their relationship kept me wanting to immediately watch the next episode. The kissing scenes were especially intense. Their early kisses were filled with anger, resentment and years of unresolved emotions, but once the misunderstandings began to clear, their relationship became incredibly cute and adorable.

The story itself is simple, but sometimes simple stories are exactly what you need when the acting and chemistry are strong enough to keep you invested. Despite being a short vertical series, I found myself completely absorbed in their journey from first love, to enemies, and finally finding their way back to each other.

If you enjoy first love reunions, lovers becoming enemies before falling in love again, athlete male leads, emotional misunderstandings, flashbacks, archery, intense kissing scenes and a story that hooks you from start to finish, this short series should definitely not be missed.

I honestly hope both actors get the opportunity to star together in a full length series in the future because I would absolutely support and watch them again.

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too much bullying (archery vertical series)

Overall: I wish we had more sweet moments in the past and the present, as I did not enjoy the duration and amount of bullying. 51 episodes about 2 minutes each, first 8 episodes free to watch. Aired on Shortime (my referral link is https://playground.shortime.en/invite/NKNIWI (all letters) and it should get you a bonus) & iQIYI app

Content Warnings: bullying, abuse, non con kissing, manhandling, non con kissing turned consensual, manipulation, drugging, held against will, torture

What I Liked
- archery integration
- visuals
- finally stood up to his dad
- sweet/caring moments
- watch episode 46-51

Room For Improvement
- brief montage did not establish their relationship enough in the past so it wasn't enough for me to root for them in the present
- love rivals
- cliche wannabe wife
- a character was so mad at another character who gave a very valid reason of not wanting to be a secret
- could have easily figured out what happened in the past
- noble idiot trope (twice!)

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A nice watch

That is my second-ever vertical series, I wasn't too hyped, and honestly, the expectations were low. But this series definitely surprised me, and I'd say it's a nice and enjoyable watch. The plot is nothing new, just the classic noble idiocy trope, but even then I'd say it wasn't annoying and rather satisfying to watch. Honestly, with it being a short vertical series, I really didn't have any expectations for the acting, but it definitely surprised me in the best way possible.

Things I liked:
1. Acting.
2. Good chemistry.
3. Cinematography.

Things I disliked:
1. Some inconsistencies in the plot and questions that needed answers. Was the father in the hospital for 6 years, or is it something new now? Asked for clothes yet somehow had pants on, and so on.
2. Si U's friend (?) giving out not only his address but also his passcode, like it's nothing.

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Too short for a story this good

This was such a pleasant surprise. I honestly wasn't expecting a vertical series to leave such a strong impression, but it completely proved me wrong. Despite its short format, it managed to tell an engaging story with characters I quickly became attached to. What impressed me the most was how much potential the drama had and, more importantly, how well it was executed. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable from the very beginning, making every scene between them feel natural and leaving me wanting so much more. That's probably my biggest complaint: there simply weren't enough episodes. The story deserved more time to breathe because there was so much left to explore.
Even with its limited runtime, it never felt like a cheap or rushed production. Instead, it showed that sometimes a short series can leave a bigger impact than dramas twice its length.

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