4
10
1
2
This review may contain spoilers
love triangle not done well (watch suggestions)
Overall: there is room for a love story after loss, but writers can spend half the series building a relationship up, then 2 episodes of grief and have an open ending. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired 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-2026-1azk7nql9t9
Content Warnings: cyberbullying, past death, pet death, mental health struggles, death, grief
Watch Suggestion Path 1 - if you like a black cat type protagonist
- start episode 1 at 2 minutes
- watch episode 3
- episode 4 start at 11 min to 14:30 and then watch 17-end (to avoid pet death)
- episode 5 watch 4:30-10
- episode 6 watch 6:20-23:45
Watch Suggestion Path 2 - if you like a caring childhood friend
- watch episode 9, skip 16:30-17:15
- episode 10 watch beginning-10:10, 11:40-20 and 21:10-end
- episode 11 watch 10:45-12 and 15:30-15:50
- skip episode 12
What I Liked
- production value
- different personalities*
- supportive friends
- caring moments
Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused with that intro scene, does he not have his previous memories? (the scifi element did not make sense)
- love rival not done well, they can't spend 6 episodes getting the audience invested in 1 pairing then then try to switch
- voicing inner thoughts
- poor communication trope in episode 5
- *the low affect hurt their chemistry a bit
- waaaayyy too many flashbacks
- open ending
Content Warnings: cyberbullying, past death, pet death, mental health struggles, death, grief
Watch Suggestion Path 1 - if you like a black cat type protagonist
- start episode 1 at 2 minutes
- watch episode 3
- episode 4 start at 11 min to 14:30 and then watch 17-end (to avoid pet death)
- episode 5 watch 4:30-10
- episode 6 watch 6:20-23:45
Watch Suggestion Path 2 - if you like a caring childhood friend
- watch episode 9, skip 16:30-17:15
- episode 10 watch beginning-10:10, 11:40-20 and 21:10-end
- episode 11 watch 10:45-12 and 15:30-15:50
- skip episode 12
What I Liked
- production value
- different personalities*
- supportive friends
- caring moments
Room For Improvement
- I was a bit confused with that intro scene, does he not have his previous memories? (the scifi element did not make sense)
- love rival not done well, they can't spend 6 episodes getting the audience invested in 1 pairing then then try to switch
- voicing inner thoughts
- poor communication trope in episode 5
- *the low affect hurt their chemistry a bit
- waaaayyy too many flashbacks
- open ending
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