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This review may contain spoilers
A Thrilling Yet Unique Story: Always Follow Your Heart, No Regrets!
Twelve Letters will having you questioning whether it's worth watching this drama until the very end, and let me tell you - YES it is. It's literally only 12 episodes, quite short for a cdrama, but every thing is all worth. It is set in both 1991 and 2026 where both leads in respective timelines are corresponding with one another through a very magical mailbox along with a special cat.
There is domestive violence involved as well as physical assault on underage children.
The drama follows two tragic senior high school students navigating through life without family and only have each other. We watch their love for one another grow from being just platonic, to being family, and then genuine romantic love. The thrill ride really had me on my seat because I was losing hope up until the final episode.
The acting was amazing! I think this is Zhou Yi Ran's best acting project to date, because there was one scene that stood out for me, yes he gets mad often but I could feel the desperation in his voice and expression! He wants to protect the one person he holds dear to his heart! The leads did not hit it off on the right foot, however, what surprised me is Tang Yi Xun (Zhou Yi Ran) is nothing as we initially thought he was. He's very empathetic, and protective towards Ye Hai Tang(Wang Yinglu, he understands how much she has suffered through hands of her horrendous father. Since that day forward, he swore that he will try his very best to protect his girl from hardship and give her the happiness she deserves. And he did not lie about that.
Ye Hai Tang's life is just tragic. Prepare your tissues because this girls deserves all the love in the world. Granted, there are times when I wish her teacher would put two and two together and see there is something wrong AT HOME. How does the teacher turn a blind eye when she sees Hai Tang outside of class - all happy especially with Yixun- but then with her father she goes BERSERK? The neighbors also turns a blind eye and knowing Chinese communities and their love for gossip, surely someone should've said something about the father going gambling and what not? What aboout the loan sharks that's always going to their house? It's just these situations that makes this drama a bit flawed in my opinion. Back to the acting, Wang Yinglu did a great in this role, I have seen the BTS on RedNote and she nearly injured herself badly just fighting with the dad. She put in a lot of effort into this role! Wang's portrayal of Haitang is very strong, and confrontation. However, she doesn't know her limits at all. She acts with her feelings a lot of the times, granted there are times when she doesn't. I honestly can't imagine her life without Yi Xun, because Yi Xun is usually there in the nick of time whenever she's in deep trouble with her father. I am just glad that she managed to live the life she wanted regardless of the ending.
The 2026 leads were a bit irritating to watch at times especially the future son, Shen Cheng (Ren You Lun). The way he kept talking to Yu Nian (Zheng He Hui Zi) was quite rude, and very entitled as if he's the smarter guy and he knows what's right and logical, etc. Bro couldn't let loose for one second and listen to the poor lady. And honestly, I feel like he wasn't even one of the 1991 leads' son because he might've been a step son. The final episode kind of confirmed my suspicions anyways.
Both timeline leads corresponded with one another, one needed answers to the puzzle of their missing parents while the other is just curous about the future. Without spoiling much, I would say this drama ended on a good note. I honestly wish there was more like an epilogue - well we got it, but I wanted more. LOL
Happy ending? Yes!
Would I recommend this drama?Definitely recommend if you enjoy watching thriller, suspense, and mysterious genres. There's romance but tthat is not the focus, it's just a very natural love story where the leads are always there for one another and protective of each other. But if you're looking for romance focused story, this is not for you.
There is domestive violence involved as well as physical assault on underage children.
The drama follows two tragic senior high school students navigating through life without family and only have each other. We watch their love for one another grow from being just platonic, to being family, and then genuine romantic love. The thrill ride really had me on my seat because I was losing hope up until the final episode.
The acting was amazing! I think this is Zhou Yi Ran's best acting project to date, because there was one scene that stood out for me, yes he gets mad often but I could feel the desperation in his voice and expression! He wants to protect the one person he holds dear to his heart! The leads did not hit it off on the right foot, however, what surprised me is Tang Yi Xun (Zhou Yi Ran) is nothing as we initially thought he was. He's very empathetic, and protective towards Ye Hai Tang(Wang Yinglu, he understands how much she has suffered through hands of her horrendous father. Since that day forward, he swore that he will try his very best to protect his girl from hardship and give her the happiness she deserves. And he did not lie about that.
Ye Hai Tang's life is just tragic. Prepare your tissues because this girls deserves all the love in the world. Granted, there are times when I wish her teacher would put two and two together and see there is something wrong AT HOME. How does the teacher turn a blind eye when she sees Hai Tang outside of class - all happy especially with Yixun- but then with her father she goes BERSERK? The neighbors also turns a blind eye and knowing Chinese communities and their love for gossip, surely someone should've said something about the father going gambling and what not? What aboout the loan sharks that's always going to their house? It's just these situations that makes this drama a bit flawed in my opinion. Back to the acting, Wang Yinglu did a great in this role, I have seen the BTS on RedNote and she nearly injured herself badly just fighting with the dad. She put in a lot of effort into this role! Wang's portrayal of Haitang is very strong, and confrontation. However, she doesn't know her limits at all. She acts with her feelings a lot of the times, granted there are times when she doesn't. I honestly can't imagine her life without Yi Xun, because Yi Xun is usually there in the nick of time whenever she's in deep trouble with her father. I am just glad that she managed to live the life she wanted regardless of the ending.
The 2026 leads were a bit irritating to watch at times especially the future son, Shen Cheng (Ren You Lun). The way he kept talking to Yu Nian (Zheng He Hui Zi) was quite rude, and very entitled as if he's the smarter guy and he knows what's right and logical, etc. Bro couldn't let loose for one second and listen to the poor lady. And honestly, I feel like he wasn't even one of the 1991 leads' son because he might've been a step son. The final episode kind of confirmed my suspicions anyways.
Both timeline leads corresponded with one another, one needed answers to the puzzle of their missing parents while the other is just curous about the future. Without spoiling much, I would say this drama ended on a good note. I honestly wish there was more like an epilogue - well we got it, but I wanted more. LOL
Happy ending? Yes!
Would I recommend this drama?Definitely recommend if you enjoy watching thriller, suspense, and mysterious genres. There's romance but tthat is not the focus, it's just a very natural love story where the leads are always there for one another and protective of each other. But if you're looking for romance focused story, this is not for you.
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