This review may contain spoilers
Guilty Pleasure Watch of 2026
Never Ending Summer is an emotionally charged high school youth to adulthood drama with a 10 year time jump. It oozes chemistry and intense male lead yearning but the script is lacking. Extra half-point given for the beautiful OST.
What I Loved:
The Lead Dynamic: The show thrives on the interplay between a moody, deeply emotional male lead and a logical, mission-driven female lead. The male lead is emotionally armored due to his circumstances, and I enjoyed watching how quickly he drops his armor once the female lead becomes his North Star. He has his prickly, sulky retaliation moments from having his heart crushed but this is not long lasting because he is truly defenseless when it comes to her. Seeing him cry & yearn will especially break your heart! But be warned that he is not a complete green flag.
The Chemistry & Cinematography: I could genuinely feel their relationship through the screen. The cinematography is stunning at times, with beautiful shots such as the snowy bridge scene, that make the romantic moments feel like you’re intruding.
The Swoon Factor: It was an emotional roller coaster for me—I swooned, I cried, and I definitely had those kicking my legs in the air moments. The male lead knows what he’s doing and wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to her.
The Full Circle Arc: The ending is satisfying. Without spoilers, the payoff for the male lead’s character arc is pure emotional catharsis, bringing his journey full circle in the most beautiful way.
Focused Storytelling: I appreciated that the show mostly kept the focus on the main couple. We were spared from too much unnecessary background noise of meh secondary couples that so often clutters these types of dramas.
The Not-So-Perfect Bits:
Nonsensical Plotting: You have to suspend your disbelief—a lot. From bizarre stunts like releasing fish into a high school pool to repeated, repetitive kidnapping subplots, the unnecessary potential step sibling situation, and neighborhood loan shark wannabe thugs stirring up trouble, the writing definitely leans into the "dramatic for the sake of drama" tropes. The family drama also got annoying with the exception of his aunt.
Pacing & Gaps: The 10-year time jump feels quite jarring. It’s a shame we missed out on seeing their individual struggles and the character growth that happened during that decade. It spends the bulk of the episodes on their youth and too little time on the work to repair the relationship.
Missed Opportunities: The reunion phase could have used more deep-dive healing conversations. I would have loved to see more dialogue unpacking their years apart before rushing to the finish line. The forced cohabitation was a catalyst but not my favorite narrative choice towards a respectful and mature reunion.
Final Thoughts: It’s not a perfect story at all, but the leads make it a memorable one. If you want a drama that will break your heart and put it back together again with a gorgeous soundtrack and a swoon-worthy lead pairing, this is well worth the watch.
What I Loved:
The Lead Dynamic: The show thrives on the interplay between a moody, deeply emotional male lead and a logical, mission-driven female lead. The male lead is emotionally armored due to his circumstances, and I enjoyed watching how quickly he drops his armor once the female lead becomes his North Star. He has his prickly, sulky retaliation moments from having his heart crushed but this is not long lasting because he is truly defenseless when it comes to her. Seeing him cry & yearn will especially break your heart! But be warned that he is not a complete green flag.
The Chemistry & Cinematography: I could genuinely feel their relationship through the screen. The cinematography is stunning at times, with beautiful shots such as the snowy bridge scene, that make the romantic moments feel like you’re intruding.
The Swoon Factor: It was an emotional roller coaster for me—I swooned, I cried, and I definitely had those kicking my legs in the air moments. The male lead knows what he’s doing and wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to her.
The Full Circle Arc: The ending is satisfying. Without spoilers, the payoff for the male lead’s character arc is pure emotional catharsis, bringing his journey full circle in the most beautiful way.
Focused Storytelling: I appreciated that the show mostly kept the focus on the main couple. We were spared from too much unnecessary background noise of meh secondary couples that so often clutters these types of dramas.
The Not-So-Perfect Bits:
Nonsensical Plotting: You have to suspend your disbelief—a lot. From bizarre stunts like releasing fish into a high school pool to repeated, repetitive kidnapping subplots, the unnecessary potential step sibling situation, and neighborhood loan shark wannabe thugs stirring up trouble, the writing definitely leans into the "dramatic for the sake of drama" tropes. The family drama also got annoying with the exception of his aunt.
Pacing & Gaps: The 10-year time jump feels quite jarring. It’s a shame we missed out on seeing their individual struggles and the character growth that happened during that decade. It spends the bulk of the episodes on their youth and too little time on the work to repair the relationship.
Missed Opportunities: The reunion phase could have used more deep-dive healing conversations. I would have loved to see more dialogue unpacking their years apart before rushing to the finish line. The forced cohabitation was a catalyst but not my favorite narrative choice towards a respectful and mature reunion.
Final Thoughts: It’s not a perfect story at all, but the leads make it a memorable one. If you want a drama that will break your heart and put it back together again with a gorgeous soundtrack and a swoon-worthy lead pairing, this is well worth the watch.
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