A Simple and Heartwarming Youth BL
Started watching Smile After Tears on iQIYI and honestly, I enjoyed it more than I expected. Even though it has 12 episodes, each episode is very short, just a little over 20 minutes once you skip the intro and ending music video, so it is an easy watch during a short lunch break.This is another high school music romance, but with a three way love story that keeps things interesting. The series stays simple and light without trying too hard to be overly dramatic. All three main actors are young and fit their characters well. Jun Jia’s love at first sight for Yan Kai was especially cute to watch, and their interactions had a soft charm to them.
One thing I really enjoyed was the music aspect. The performances felt natural because the actors can actually sing and play instruments, which made the band scenes much more believable and enjoyable. The music videos and soundtrack also added a nice emotional touch to the series.
So far, the acting could still improve because some scenes feel predictable and slightly awkward at times. The story is also fairly straightforward, so it will not surprise viewers looking for something deep or intense. Still, the youthful energy and sweet atmosphere make it a relaxing watch.
At the moment, I would give it a solid 8/10. It is not groundbreaking, but it is charming, easy to watch, and perfect if you want a light BL with music, romance, and lovable young characters. Now I am curious to see how the remaining episodes develop the love triangle and emotional side of the story.
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This review may contain spoilers
love triangle
Overall: the series is losing me. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7410/smile-after-tears-2026-e01 and iQIYI also on iqiyi https://www.iq.com/album/smile-after-tears-2026-1azk7nql9t9Content Warnings: cyberbullying, past death, pet death, mental health struggles
What I Liked
- production value
- different personalities*
- supportive friends
Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused with that intro scene, does he not have his previous memories?
- love rival
- voicing inner thoughts
- poor communication trope in episode 5
- *the low affect is hurting their chemistry
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The acting is weak and painfully stiff, really bad!
The beginning reminded me of Duang… Ugh! I almost dropped it right away.Thankfully, that feeling only lasted for a moment… this is actually quite different.
It has a rather sad atmosphere, which worries me a bit. I really don’t like tragedies.
Still, despite the terrible runtime of only 23 minutes per episode, it’s worth giving it a chance…
27/05
Third episode in, and nothing has improved. The acting is weak and painfully stiff, and the characters are barely interesting. Unfortunately, I see very little potential here. Just really bad.
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