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A Journey Through Time, Without a Destination, Only a Direction - Towards You

I watched "Our 18x2 Youth: Journey Towards You" during the early afternoon hours of summer, in the sweltering heat, fighting against drowsy sleepiness, but miraculously, the 120-minute film still made me feel warm, right in the middle of a hot summer day. A Taiwanese film in collaboration with Japan, featuring names that guarantee youth cinema, should have set very high expectations for me, but strangely, before and while entering the theater, I still didn't expect too much excitement or surprise from this film. Perhaps thanks to that, I could let myself drift into Jimmy's journey without a destination to Japan, immerse in the love story of two people who loved each other but never expressed it in words, in an atmosphere full of poetry and beautiful, shimmering scenes set in misty Japan and Taiwan lit up with lights.

"Our 18x2 Youth" first and foremost is still a love story. It's not a different, unique story that has never appeared on screen, because essentially, any love story, whether in films or real life, is similar, all originating from the same wonderful feelings. Jia Ming's first love came unexpectedly amid such heartfelt stirrings; one could say he was struck by love at first sight on a clear day, when a basketball, which was also his childhood dream, slowly rolled to the feet of a Japanese girl. Then, the story is told through Jimmy's dreams, revisiting his memories, continuing like that, with summer seeming to stretch endlessly. Jimmy recalls the story of his first love, remembers Jia Ming, the young man full of passion but easily shy and embarrassed when standing before his first crush, remembers the trips on his motorbike around small Tainan, much smaller compared to places Jimmy visited later, but also more special, much more. At that time, Jia Ming was 18 years old, not knowing what he dreamed of, not knowing what the future would hold, what the destination of his life would be. Now, Jimmy is 36, pausing his career pursuit to embark on a new journey, to find himself, to find the woman he loves. The section with the shifting perspective and narrator, with the separate story from Ami's narrative, wasn't really surprising, but it was like the way something expected finally arrives, filling my soul and longing. It turns out both were oriented towards each other; it turns out there are loves in this world where no one confesses because they both understand, no need for words, no need for kisses, words of love, no need for affirmation or confirmation. They just loved each other, peacefully like that, sadly like that, soaked in tears. That was first love, those were the feelings, also the warmth, the light, the cherry blossom rain falling forever, the snowflakes covering their lives, until much later.

"Our 18x2 Youth" is also a story about trips, about journeys. The truth about itinerary in the film is a very poetic association, but extremely simple. Each trip is actually a stroll in a new land, to interact with new people, new cultures, to fall in love with a strange place, to look back at ourselves, to love ourselves, to love where we were born. Traveling is wandering, steps without a destination, feeling throughout the journey we take, preserving scenes only we can see, moments that exist only for an instant. Both Jimmy and Ami wished their journey would never stop; they wrote their wish on a lantern released into the sky. I believe their dream will come true and has already come true, because each life is a journey, we travel without knowing where we'll go, that journey is also like a visit, an expedition, observing humanity, feeling love, loving lands, people, life. More profound than a trip to Taiwan, Japan, or around the world, the film also conveys the human ideal of living, we keep moving forward, resting is to start a new journey, perhaps that's what the filmmaker wanted to convey?

And, finally, "Our 18x2 Youth" is a collaboration between Taiwan and Japan. Therefore, I could clearly feel the culture of both countries skillfully interwoven throughout the love story, about youth and growth, about messages in journeys. Taiwan, Tainan simple, vibrant, bright with lights from night markets, bearing the features of a rural area; Taipei hurried on electric trains, modern under neon lights, bustling, busy. Japan in a noodle shop at night, hidden in pure white snow, passing on trains crossing rivers, dreamy with cherry blossom rain, sparkling with lanterns released into the high sky. Not just cultural interchange in landmarks, geographical areas, the feeling and atmosphere have very slight changes, but harmonious throughout the film. The art of filming is distinct, soothing and gentle from beginning to end, the flexible tone shifting between cold and warm for scenes alternating between present-past, adulthood-youth, 18-18x2, frames creating a feeling of confinement in a box with settings stretching far away, the subtlety in mixing light, film rhythm fast and slow, colors... All contributed to creating a film as beautiful as a Japanese animation, covered with the nostalgic breath commonly seen in Japanese and Taiwanese films, a unique quality no one can copy.

Final words must praise the actors in the film. All were very natural; Greg Hsu perhaps has received enough praise to build several cities, truly a box office guarantee. I often joke that just having him participate in a role means the filmmaker has already succeeded halfway. The difference between Jimmy and Jia Ming sometimes made me think they were two different people (just exaggerating haha). The actress playing Ami was also very beautiful; she played her role perfectly, cute and full of first love vibes always. In general, the good chemistry comes from the accomplished acting of both actors :D

Despite all this praise, I don't think I really empathized much with the film, so it was hard for me to have as many emotions as I expected. I couldn't feel too much pleasure in traveling, although the film did make me want to travel a bit more, nor could I deeply absorb the profound love between the two (it had only been a month, sigh). I yawned quite a bit during the beginning, the storytelling wasn't very smooth, many shots made me wonder why they transitioned scenes like that, the tears near the end of the film were a bit forced... Anyway, the film deserves its current success, but perhaps it's not underrated at all.

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To fall in love with a rival... but as for who that rival is, Wu Su Wei isn't telling.

"Revenged Love" is certainly a peculiar show. My viewing experience with it was very different from other series. It’s been a long time since I followed a show weekly as it aired, only to then take a long break and wait for it to finish before binging the final 10 episodes. It was a fragmented viewing journey and not my usual style, but thankfully, the show did not disappoint.

I think a series like "Revenged Love" in 2025 is a truly unique breath of fresh air. It combines character tropes straight out of 2015 with plot points that feel uniquely its own, all filtered through modern sensibilities. This blend creates a show that is simultaneously humorous, endearingly silly and cringey, cliché, and charming. The funny thing is, I always felt like I was watching novel characters performing a play, as the series is so strongly reminiscent of danmei (BL) from a decade ago. And I mean that as a compliment; it's been a while since I've seen a show that pushed its character archetypes to the absolute maximum like this.

When talking about "Revenged Love," I want to divide it into three parts—the beginning, middle, and end—each with its own adjective: Interesting, Conflicting, and Serene.

The first part, roughly the first 10 episodes, was perfectly paced for weekly viewing, leaving you eager to watch the behind-the-scenes footage while you waited. The character interactions were cute in that cringey, shy, and awkward way that makes you both laugh and squirm with delight. Wu Su Wei's journey to woo his rival was a process I’ve never seen in any show before, simply because the characters' train of thought is truly one-of-a-kind. It was incredibly cute and silly.

The second part began to unravel the past of the main trio: Chi Cheng, Wang Shuo, and Guo Cheng Yu. This is the section that made me put the series on hold. Partly because I didn't want my opinion to be swayed by others, and partly because the piled-up misunderstandings felt a bit illogical and weren't quite to my taste. I'm a big fan of angst, but these angsty arcs felt dragged out and the execution was peculiar, unfolding in ways I didn't expect. The complicated relationships of their past made me a bit hesitant.
Fortunately, when I binged the entire second half in one go, the initial warmth and charm returned, concluding the series with a sun-drenched warmth that successfully warmed my heart.

After saying all that, I just want to affirm that "Revenged Love" is a very different kind of show, both in my subjective viewing experience and in a more objective sense. It is a rare Chinese BL drama in today's market, pioneering a new path for a genre that has been "shunned" in mainland China. The show caused quite a stir during its run, and witnessing that, I feel it has truly laid a brick in the road ahead. Where that road leads is anyone's guess—it could be a resurgence of BL dramas in China and the world, or it could lead to even harsher censorship. But regardless of the path, I believe "Revenged Love" has undeniably etched its name onto the landscape of television.

Honestly, "Revenged Love" is a simple series, meant purely for entertainment. It succeeded in its role of delivering laughter, fluttery feelings, emotion, and food for thought to its audience. And that's everything a show like this needs to be.
As for the cast and characters, the chemistry is solid, especially the main couple in the early episodes and the side couple in the later ones (and throughout the whole show). I hate to admit it, but I found myself leaning a little more towards the side couple by the end. And, though I know it's an impossible wish, I often thought that Zi Yu and Tian Hu Ning would be perfect for a campus romance series; perhaps a role like that would feel more effortless than their characters here.

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They hired me to romance an assassin, but they didn't know I was the real heart killer.

This is a film that has ideas and has "da vibez," but lacks the ability to bring them to life. The Heart Killers came to me as a contradiction—in its expectations, in the reviews, and in the feelings of those who had seen it. There was praise and there was criticism, and it seemed this was not an easy watch for everyone. In other words, one’s feeling about the film is entirely a matter of taste, and this time, it fell outside of mine.

This is a strange film. I had to exclaim that it was "strange" multiple times while watching—it was beyond my imagination, beyond my threshold for acceptance, and yet simultaneously below it. This time, "strange" is not a compliment. Before I dwell on its strangeness, I want to talk about what the film did well. First, the idea: a freelance tattoo artist, whose main concern is his younger brother, is "hired" to seduce an assassin to uncover the mastermind behind the deaths of several high-society figures, all in exchange for having his criminal record wiped clean. Meanwhile, his friend, a car mechanic—a tough, somewhat reckless, defiant, and fearless soul—joins the plan to "seduce" another assassin to help his friend succeed. The "seduce them for the mission" trope is always an interesting one, offering a safe path to creating a film that is sufficiently humorous, dramatic, thrilling, and even heartbreaking. The moment the heart killer is discovered by the literal killer is also the moment he realizes the heart he just stabbed is his own—this is the "peak" moment I always anticipate, the turning point that activates a cascade of heightened emotions. This trope will always lead to that trigger—successfully or not—and I had every right to be hopeful. And indeed, The Heart Killers followed the roadmap perfectly. It wasn't innovative, but it was safe enough to keep me invested: there were clear motives, a lighthearted and humorous "seduction" phase, budding feelings, the thrill of nearly being discovered, the shattering moment of discovery, reconciliation, and finally, teaming up. It even threw in a sharp turn at the end to ramp up the pace for a completely satisfying conclusion. The film's color grading and cinematography also made an effort to build a fairly "cinematic" atmosphere; the scenes didn't feel "low-budget" and showed a certain level of investment.

However, within these points of praise lie obvious flaws. What the film produced was a promising idea, a by-the-book plot progression, and polished scenes—but the one crucial element needed to make it a good film was invisible: connection. If making a film is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, The Heart Killers had the frame and all the pieces, but somehow, the person assembling it couldn't make them fit. The edges of the pieces were overlapping, misaligned, and unable to touch. Some parts were missing, others were superfluous. The final result is a clunky, uneven picture. To be precise, this picture lacks smoothness. The first time I noticed this was after finishing an episode and feeling no compulsion to watch the next (perhaps this would be less apparent if I watched it weekly, but when binged, this flaw becomes glaring). The plot points lack the glue to connect everything, including the viewer, to the film. The very structure, which clearly divides the narrative between two couples, makes the composition feel disjointed, dry, and disconnected. This lack of connection doesn't just exist within the film itself but also creates an emotional disconnect between the film and the viewer (not to mention that the interactions between characters sometimes feel lacking).

And in a film this "patchwork," the acting becomes a critical element to discuss. This time, First and Khaotung delivered solid performances. Perhaps thanks in part to a more fluid and fitting script, the loveline between their characters, Bison and Kant, felt more genuine, mature, and logical to me. From their initial impressions of each other to Bison falling into the trap and pulling the heart-killer Kant down with him, to the truth being revealed, Bison's desire for revenge (for hatred is a sign of lingering love), and Kant's own confirmation of his feelings (though the psychological development here felt a bit abrupt—resolved after a single conversation?), they reconcile and become an official couple. This arc was a relatively peaceful current, with only occasional moments meant to emphasize Bison's dangerous, unhinged nature. Otherwise, their relationship was low on drama. Even the BDSM element (beyond just adding aesthetic flair) was cleverly implemented to create a high-stakes payoff during the climax (the penguin), which made me appreciate its purpose and prevented it from feeling like mere fanservice or cringe. Yet, for some reason, First and Khaotung's chemistry this time around didn't feel explosive. They fulfilled their roles, and their relationship was stable, but it was missing that certain spark. Was it the maturity of the relationship? Or was this dynamic simply not to my taste?

Next, we must discuss Fadel and Style's storyline. In contrast to Kant and Bison, their relationship felt clunky, awkward, and far more turbulent. First, I must acknowledge the improvement in Joong and Dunk's acting (mostly Joong—the last film I saw him in was *Star in My Mind*, so his progress felt significant. Dunk also tried, but generally still came across as stiff and not fully immersed in his role). But for whatever reason, the romantic development between their characters felt forced. Fadel's psychological shift was present but difficult to trace, making him feel out of character at times. It was hard for me to pinpoint the specific "sparkle" moment between Fadel and Style; their relationship remained ambiguous and hard to define. I understood they were in love, but my own feelings were conflicted, which I found odd: at times it was cheesy, at others dry, sometimes logical, sometimes nonsensical. This, in turn, made me question their performance. What if Kant and Bison's storyline was smoother simply because the actors carried it?

Beyond these contradictions, the film suffers from several plot holes and logical inconsistencies. Why would the police send a tattoo artist with a prior theft conviction to investigate a dangerous assassin syndicate (a point many have raised)? Why would Kant lure his friend, Style, into a perilous plan involving contact with a killer? Why would the villainess behind it all murder an entire family just to adopt the child and train him as her assassin—why not just adopt an orphan? Why were there so few people involved in such critical missions (like the revenge plot in the final episode)? The scene where Fadel and Style meet the two uncles on the road was also very contrived (it existed only to resolve their conflict and set up the iconic bathtub scene). In short, it felt like the filmmakers came up with certain scenes first and then tried to build supporting details around them to justify their existence. These elements became mere tools to get to the "important" scenes they wanted, without investing equal effort into every part of the story. This turns certain details and characters into disposable plot devices, easily forgotten, and contributes to the lack of cohesion in the overall picture. This focus on specific puzzle pieces also obscures the ultimate meaning. The film's messages—letting go of the past, looking to the future, violence is not the solution, learn to love yourself and let yourself be loved—are mostly delivered through unnatural-sounding philosophical lines and are not clearly woven throughout the narrative. It all becomes incomprehensible when, after getting out of prison, Fadel and Bison—with Style, Kant, and their families watching—choose to kill Lily.

In conclusion, The Heart Killers has potential and many opportunities to stand out, but its filmmaking approach is clichéd and unpolished. This results in a journey that is bumpy, uneven, and ultimately not smooth or easy enough to swallow for my taste.

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