Reviews

King of it's Kind!

My my my...WHAT A DRAMA! I have never seen anything of this sort before. As someone who is seriously against red flags and the entire manipulation thing, this drama shook my morals at least a good couple of times.

Fan Xiao-a, Fan Xiao, WHAT A MAN YOU ARE! I have no idea why I was watching you ruin a good human's life. Because honestly, I know clearly I was never on your side till the end, but I still couldn't help but want you next to You Shulang, at least a bit. Every second was a ticking bomb because I couldn't wait for your ridiculous plan to be revealed. But I must say, the second half into the groveling and redeeming was so satisfying and pleasing, not just because you had it coming, but also because I could finally, whole heartedly support you instead of fighting myself. I was just waiting for that. Fan Xiao is the kind of morally grey person with a solid backstory that has enough points to side him if you tried. I definitely wouldn't blame him for the break up of You Shulang with his ex or brother. But I just cannot with the entire "I'm the one who'll leave him once I'm done". Yes, he couldn't accept that goodness could exist because of what he's been through. But that gives him no license to mess up someone's life for fun. Yun Qi is a very good actor with real potential. Can we have another drama of him as a dom? Please? 😭
Now towards one of my favorite characters of all time, You Shulang. THIS IS WHAT I WANT IN A BL. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. Not a soft, obviously feminine, trying too hard, damsel in distress. But a strong, genuinely good human being - capable, smart, kind and every other possible good trait you could find in a human who tries to live his best possible life, no matter how hard life is. He's not an angel, not a sweetheart who's all sunshine. He is a boss who can beat you up without batting an eye if you crossed the line. Evident from how he doesn't break after being molested or knowing Fan Xiao's truth. I was all in for it!!! Altogether, I have to say he didn't deserve the pain he went through. But I don't know how he still has that good heart to love again. I mean, that part takes a lot of strength. And yes, Fan Xiao did change a lot (bless that) but ya, needs courage and a big heart to trust again. Hao Yiran, hats off to all that wonderful acting! It surely would have been so draining but thank you for sticking through 😭🙏

And I've heard from those who have read the novel that the redemption arc was a bit sped up and I agree with them. An extra episode or two wouldn't have felt like a lag 😁👍🏻 The chemistry between them? FIRE, LITERALLY FIRE! To think so much of skin is shown on a Chinese BL, DAMN! I don't even know why I went weak in my knees for the entire bodhisattva and the pendant thing 🫣 YES! The sparks were there from the beginning and it had already started to spill wayy before it finally burst. Good good good 😁

Side characters were good, not too much, but played their part. There wasn't much on the music side either. None caught my attention, also might partly be because my entire focus was on the story and acting.

Must say, you are a outstanding author, Su Er Liang! I seriously hope that someday, I can read the original novel - 'Si Mian Fu'. The direction by Ou Tan Kai that brought this world to life, is truly remarkable. The lighting was great. Loved it! Grateful for this work.

In a nutshell, Fan Xiao and You Shulang would definitely be the icons of 2025 BL dramas and for me, the best of all the manipulation dramas I've seen in a BL. Will never forget them! This is the kind of dynamic I want, a strong top and bottom 💪 And since as of recent, the whole morally grey, black flag trope is on the rise in the BL world, it would take quite a lot for another drama to dethrone this. To my shore has set the bar high!

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Style Over Character

The problem with many Chinese historical dramas is that they confuse style with character.
They give us a flawless twenty-year-old warrior with perfect hair, porcelain skin, no scars, no sun damage, and almost supernatural abilities, then expect us to be impressed because the camera films him in slow motion.

But a pose does not create a character.
Dirty Harry wasn't intimidating because of the pose.

The pose worked because the character had already earned it.
Here, it's the opposite.
First, they sell you the legend.
Then they expect you to believe it.
I didn't drop this drama because of the story.
I dropped it because it asked me to admire its characters before giving me a reason to do so.

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An incredible story

Never Forget Your Enemy was a drama I had been looking forward to ever since it started airing. I have always been a huge fan of stories centered around amnesia, and from the few clips I had come across over the weeks, the overall atmosphere immediately appealed to me. So I was eagerly waiting for it to finish airing so I could binge-watch it in one go.

And I have to admit that my instincts did not fail me once again, because this series has a remarkable psychological depth. One of the things I appreciated most was the decision to tell the story primarily through Gi Haneul’s perspective at first. Since he has lost his memory, we are thrown into the same confusion as him. We only have access to his childhood memories and those from before his first accident. Everything else, his adult life, his relationship with Yeo Saebyeok, and the seven years that followed, remains hidden from us. We gradually uncover the truth alongside him as his memories begin resurfacing. It constantly encourages us to form theories and piece together what really happened, how he ended up in this situation, and above all, what caused his second accident. The series does an excellent job of maintaining this mystery until its final reveal.

I also appreciated how believable the writers made his mental state. Gi Haneul does not behave like a man approaching thirty. Instead, he behaves like the young man he was when his memory stopped. He often reacts with naivety, immaturity, or excessive emotion, which feels completely logical. In his mind, he has only just recovered from his first accident. Suddenly, he discovers that he has lost nearly ten years of his life, that he can no longer pursue his dream of becoming a professional tennis player, and that he is now sharing a room with a man who claims to have been his partner for the last seven years. These are enormous changes to process in only a few days. Meanwhile, Yeo Saebyeok is facing the exact opposite situation. For him, all of these events belong to the past. He has already lived through the arguments, reconciliations, and hardships of their relationship. Yet he is suddenly dragged back to the beginning and forced to face once again the anger, distrust, and sometimes even hatred of the man he loves.

That is precisely what touched me so deeply about this story. The series does not only explore the suffering of the person who has lost their memories. It also explores the suffering of the one left behind. Watching your partner forget your story, your memories, and the years you spent together is just as heartbreaking. Yeo Saebyeok was actually one of my favorite characters. Throughout his life, he consistently put their relationship before himself. He even gave up a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity in order to stay by Gi Haneul’s side. Since childhood, he has always supported him quietly through countless small gestures. He respects his space, gives him time to find his bearings again, and continues taking care of him despite the pain it causes. Even when giving him that space is emotionally destroying him to the point that he begins neglecting himself, he still does it because loving Gi Haneul is the most important thing in his life.

Gi Haneul, on the other hand, takes much longer to understand everything happening around him. But by observing Yeo Saebyeok, he slowly begins to notice things that had escaped him in the past. He reflects on their childhood and realizes that some behaviors he once interpreted as cruelty had very different motivations. When Yeo Saebyeok stole his girlfriends, it was never out of malice. It was because he was jealous and already in love with him. Little by little, Gi Haneul comes to understand that this love had always existed and that it had always been mutual. He even regrets not realizing it sooner. And when he sees everything Yeo Saebyeok continues to do for him despite the amnesia, he gradually falls in love with him all over again.

I also loved that the story did not revolve around amnesia alone. Behind the memory loss lies a much darker plot involving obsessive stalking. We gradually discover that a woman suffering from erotomania has been obsessively pursuing Yeo Saebyeok for over seven years. She harassed him, attempted to harm Gi Haneul, and ultimately destroyed part of their lives. Her obsession becomes so extreme that she continues manipulating events even from prison, going as far as using her own brother to carry out her wishes. It is this storyline that eventually leads to Gi Haneul’s second accident and subsequent amnesia. I found it particularly interesting that the series chose to reveal part of this story through the stalker’s perspective. It is an unusual narrative choice, but it allows us to better understand the full extent of the damage she caused and offers another perspective on the evolution of their relationship.

That being said, I do have one small reservation regarding the emotional side of the story. To be clear, this is not a drama that lacks emotion. Quite the opposite. It deals with incredibly painful situations. However, I sometimes felt that it moved a little too quickly through certain key moments. I would have liked to see more reactions, more tears, and more time devoted to the various emotional shocks the characters experience. The series does a fantastic job portraying the different stages of amnesia: denial, confusion, shock, gradual acceptance, and even the idea that the body remembers before the mind does. But I also would have liked it to spend more time exploring Yeo Saebyeok’s pain and what he goes through emotionally. That is probably my only real frustration. In a way, I feel this drama is almost a victim of its own quality. The development is excellent, but it would have benefited greatly from a few additional episodes to explore its themes even further.

Overall, Never Forget Your Enemy was a genuine hidden gem for me. Between its story, its psychological depth, its lovable characters, and the wide range of emotions it conveys, whether sadness, anger, or even the occasional funny and heartwarming childhood memory, I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved experiencing this story through the eyes of a man who has forgotten everything and must relearn how to understand the people around him. Even though their relationship is already established when the series begins, I still felt as though I was witnessing their first love all over again. And thanks to the actors’ wonderful performances, a single glance is enough to communicate the love they feel for each other. In the end, I only have one thing left to say: it was a beautiful story. A little too short for my taste, but beautiful nonetheless.

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A MASTERPIECE DRAMA OF YANGZI?❤️

Wow, just WOW—I honestly cannot believe I flew through all 42 episodes without skipping a single second or ever feeling bored! From the very first six episodes, Yang Zi absolutely ate this role; she did so well, and I cried so much my eyes were literally swollen over how much her family suffered. I deeply admired her character for being such a strong girl—even when fate was incredibly hard on her, she kept smiling and stayed resilient. On top of the emotional story, I actually learned so much about Chinese ink and culture, which added such a beautiful layer to the background. The entire cast deserves an award because you can truly feel the sheer effort, intense love, and deep hatred they poured into their characters. At its core, the drama highlights a powerful life lesson: even if you love your family members deeply, they will be gone one day, but you still have to continue your life and do better to make them proud. The male lead was also phenomenal; you could completely feel the pain in his eyes and understand his drive for revenge after losing his father and watching his older brother die right in front of him. While I absolutely hated the villains, the writing gave them reasons for their actions too. This is hands down a must-watch of 2026—a total 10/10 that I highly recommend!

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Drama Of The Year!

A romance drama without any of the clichés we're tired of seeing. Just a couple of mature adults who are capable of resolving their issues without unnecessary breakups, no childhood connection tying them together, and no serial killer or psychopath chasing the female lead. The writing is solid from start to finish, and the romantic scenes are absolutely breathtaking, far from those awkward pecks that make it seem like the actors don't even want to be there. The workplace dynamic was also genuinely interesting to watch, and there wasn't a single moment where I felt bored or wanted to pause. For me, this is the drama of the year.

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