1. The Birth of a Highly Anticipated Series Expanding the 'Someday or One Day' Universe For fans of Taiwanese dramas, Someday or One Day holds a significance that goes far beyond being just another show. Its intricate narrative, perfectly weaving time-slip romance with mystery, created a legion of "Sangchinja" (fans crazed about Someday or One Day) and served as a milestone that showcased the high caliber of Taiwanese content to the world. I, too, am a devoted fan who has rewatched the series countless times and even devoured the movie adaptation. While browsing Netflix for a new Taiwanese drama to fill the void, I stumbled upon a new title by fate: If I Hadn't Seen the Sun. The title alone, evoking a lyrical yet somewhat chilling atmosphere, immediately piqued my curiosity. Above all, it made me anticipate that unique Taiwanese emotional sensibility. With a fluttering heart, wondering if this work could follow in the colossal footsteps of Someday or One Day, I pressed play.
2. A Binge Started by Familiar Faces, and the Revelation of the Production Team To be honest, when I first chose this title, I had zero background information. I simply decided to watch the first couple of episodes because the actors in the poster looked familiar and the atmosphere they exuded felt attractive. However, as soon as the drama began and I watched the early episodes, I intuitively felt that this was no ordinary production. The directing power that commanded the screen and the depth of the dialogue were extraordinary. Unable to contain my curiosity, I looked up the production information and practically slapped my knee in realization. The person responsible for the script and co-directing was none other than Jian Qi Feng, the legendary writer of Someday or One Day. The moment I learned this, my simple curiosity turned into conviction, and my excitement amplified, wondering what kind of intricate worldview the writer would use to captivate viewers this time.
3. Serial Killings in a Rain-Soaked City, The Prologue of a Crime That Breaks Conventions The drama immediately plunges the audience into a dark, damp tension. Against the backdrop of gloomy weather with pouring rain, a serial murder case unfolds, but the nature of the crime is quite different from existing thrillers. Unlike the clichés of typical serial killer stories that target a specific gender—often women—the culprit in this work commits indiscriminate murders regardless of gender. This setting increases the unpredictability of the crime and doubles the fear. What is even more interesting is the process of catching the culprit. While the pursuit of the criminal is usually the main plot of a drama, this series begins with the news report that the culprit has been caught quickly. This seems to be a deliberate directorial choice to focus not on the 'resolution' of the case, but on the 'truth' and 'relationships' hidden beneath the surface.
4. Documentary Production and Isolated Encounters in the COVID Era At the center of the story is a broadcasting company that decides to produce a documentary featuring the notorious serial killer. The protagonist, 'Zhou Pin-yu' (played by Jiang Qi), works at this production company and is assigned to interview the criminal. The fact that the drama is set in 2023 is also very realistic and impressive. At a time when the aftermath of COVID-19 has not completely faded, the senior colleague who was supposed to accompany her on the interview day tests positive for the virus, leaving Zhou Pin-yu to face the killer alone. This setting serves as a device to maximize the isolation and tension the protagonist experiences, further highlighting the spatial claustrophobia of having to face a murderer one-on-one.
5. The Mystery of Li Ren-yao: Too Sorrowful to be a Killer's Gaze The serial killer Zhou Pin-yu meets in the detention center interview room, 'Li Ren-yao' (played by Tseng Jing-hua), is a character who completely overturns the viewer's expectations. It is hard to believe he is a criminal who committed brutal murders; his eyes are clear, deep, and even sorrowful. The madness or eerie smile typically depicted in crime thrillers cannot be found in him. Instead, his gaze towards Zhou Pin-yu, the interviewer, is moist and vague, as if he is looking at a long-lost lover. This heterogeneous character setting simultaneously evokes strong suspicion—'Is he really the culprit?'—and compassion—'Does he have an unspeakable story?'—in the viewer.
6. A Strange Current Rising Instead of Tension, and the Protagonist's Nightmares Li Ren-yao's handsome appearance and polite, kind attitude shake Zhou Pin-yu's heart. Instead of the tension that should flow in the extreme relationship between an interviewer and an interviewee—and a reporter and a serial killer at that—an inexplicable, strange emotional current begins to flow between the two. This creates a unique atmosphere that is neither a simple romance nor a typical thriller. Meanwhile, Zhou Pin-yu's personal situation also adds to the mystery. The house she newly moved into is rumored to be a place where a previous tenant died. After meeting Li Ren-yao, Zhou Pin-yu suffers from nightmares every night, and the ambiguity of whether these dreams are simply due to stress or a supernatural phenomenon related to Li Ren-yao stimulates fear.
7. The Silence Behind the Calm Confession, and the Appearance of a Ghost During the investigation, Li Ren-yao confesses to all his crimes with strange docility. He describes in detail what tools he used and how he killed, but he remains strictly silent about the motive—'why' he killed. This silence plunges the truth of the case further into a labyrinth. Then one day, a bizarre entity appears before Zhou Pin-yu's eyes. She begins to see a ghost. This entity, 'Zhang Xiao-tong' (played by Li Mu), is revealed to be not just a hallucination but a key figure deeply connected to Li Ren-yao. From this point on, the drama transforms into a complex genre mixing occult elements with crime investigation, displaying a unique progression that crosses between reality and the supernatural.
8. Intersecting Time, Past Tragedies, and Present Suspicions With the appearance of Zhang Xiao-tong, the drama begins to cross-edit the present timeline with Li Ren-yao's past. In this process, we can sense that the attitude of Lai Wen-zhen (played by Cheng Yu-xi), Zhou Pin-yu's aunt and a veteran detective, is unusual. She reveals an unknown anxiety and a dark expression when dealing with Li Ren-yao's case, implying that she is entangled with Li Ren-yao or his family through some dark connection or secret from the past. Li Ren-yao's life as revealed in the past was miserable. The narrative depicts a youth pushed to the brink, suffering severe bullying at school and tormented by his father's debts at home. These stories provide sad clues as to why he became a murderer, or perhaps why he had no choice but to become one.
9. A Fantastic Ensemble of Taiwan's Next-Generation Acting Powerhouses One of the greatest virtues of this drama is the opportunity to witness the outstanding performances of young actors currently garnering the most attention in Taiwan. Jiang Qi, playing Zhou Pin-yu, has solid skills, recently nominated for Best Actress for her delicate emotional acting in My Painful Love Story. Li Mu, who plays the ghost Zhang Xiao-tong, is also an actor who emerged as a "monster rookie," sweeping Best New Actress awards for the hit Netflix series The Victims' Game. Added to this is Tseng Jing-hua as the killer Li Ren-yao, who has proven his acting chops with nominations for Best Leading Actor in numerous works. The synergy emitted by these actors in their late 20s maximizes the immersion of the play and persuasively portrays the complex and subtle relationships between the characters.
10. Waiting for Season 2, The Irresistible Temptation to Binge-Watch As it is revealed that Zhang Xiao-tong and Li Ren-yao were friends in the past, and the tragic events that occurred between them and the real reason for the murders slowly surface, the drama races towards its climax. If I Hadn't Seen the Sun is a masterpiece where a solid script, sensuous directing, and the actors' passionate performances harmonize perfectly. With 10 episodes currently released, it is said that Season 2 is scheduled for release in December. If you haven't started this drama yet, now is the optimal time to start binge-watching before Season 2 comes out. I strongly recommend you immerse yourself in this strange story where mystery, thriller, and sad romance are intertwined.
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