Smile After Tears – Series Review

Jun Jia joins the school's music club.

Jun Jia is a sophomore who recently transferred to a new high school. On his first day, he befriends Diao Qin, a member of the basketball team. Jun Jia doesn't realize that they've actually met before. They were childhood friends until Jun Jia suddenly moved away. Years later, they reunite and even end up in the same class. Unfortunately, Jun Jia doesn't recognize Diao Qin at all.

Jun Jia decides to join the school's music club. That's where he meets He Yan Kai, a handsome upperclassman nicknamed Xiao He. Jun Jia leaves a bad first impression when he questions the lyrics to a song Xiao He wrote. His comments aren't exactly rude, but they still offend the grumpy senior. Xiao He assumes this new kid thinks he's better than everyone else. Xiao He instantly dislikes Jun Jia and makes it clear he's not welcome in the club. The club president, Yu Chen, is much friendlier. He's willing to give the newcomer a chance.

Jun Jia knows how to play the guitar! After discovering his musical talent, Yu Chen invites him to join his band, Backspace. The group already has three members, including Xiao He and their friend Tie. They need a guitarist, so Jun Jia seems like a good addition. Xiao He doesn't want Jun Jia to join, but Yu Chen overrules his objections. Afterward, Xiao He is so annoyed that he gives Jun Jia a snarky nickname, Plus One (pronounced Jiayi), to mock how this random guy suddenly got added to their group.

Jun Jia wins over Xiao He with sheer positivity.

Band practice begins, but things don't go smoothly. Jun Jia tries his best, but he still makes a few mistakes on guitar. Xiao He jumps at every opportunity to criticize him. He's so harsh that even Yu Chen and Tie call him out for picking on the new kid. They accuse Xiao He of ruining the mood. Yet, Xiao He isn't always such a jerk. When Jun Jia's fingers get sore from playing too much guitar, the older student notices and tends to them. Jun Jia learns that Xiao He has a softer side too.

Outside of school, Jun Jia works part-time at Hi-Life, a convenience store. His coworkers notice that something seems different about him lately. Jun Jia admits that he may have feelings for Xiao He. Even though they don't have the best relationship, Jun Jia is determined to win over his crush with sheer kindness. When Xiao He has a minor health scare, Jun Jia gets worried and prepares nutritious juices just for him. All that sweetness is starting to pay off. Jun Jia's cheerful personality rubs off on Xiao He, who isn't as coldhearted as he seems. In fact, this secret softie is growing quite fond of the new kid.

You'd never guess it from his cheerful personality, but Jun Jia has been through a lot of hardship. His parents died in an accident when he was a child. Jun Jia now lives with his aunt, who still struggles with depression after losing her family. She's not the warmest guardian either. The aunt has a harsh way of speaking to her nephew. Despite his unhappy home life, Jun Jia refuses to feel sorry for himself. His personal motto is to keep smiling, even after falling down. Better yet, he hopes to spread that happiness to everyone around him.

I feel kinda guilty for not liking Smile After Tears. It has such a meaningful message about healing from trauma. Jun Jia has suffered so much tragedy, but he won't let his grief get the best of him. Instead, he copes by… well, take a wild guess from the title. Yup, he smiles after shedding tears! Aww, how inspiring. I'm all for BL dramas that promote hope and positivity. Unfortunately, the actual story is SO BORING. What a snoozefest! After every episode, I'm not smiling. I only have tears in my eyes because I can't stop yawning.

The first half of the series focuses on Jun Jia & Xiao He's budding romance. I don't mind a little high school fluff, but their scenes are so cheesy. When the couple first meets, they make intense eye contact as sappy music plays in the background. A soft-focus lens flare exaggerates the romantic atmosphere. You better get used to this mushiness, because all their moments feel like that. Even though it's obvious they have feelings for each other, the relationship moves at a snail's pace. The story throws the usual annoying obstacles in their way. Here comes the obligatory love rival, arriving right on time to cause a misunderstanding!

The dull relationship scenes are made even worse by the amateurish acting. All three leads are newcomers to the entertainment industry. I suspect these are their first major roles, because their inexperience shows. Jun Jia's actor (Dennis) has a bad case of the Stepford smile. He tries so hard to look cheerful that his happiness comes across as fake. Whenever he shares a scene with Diao Qin (Brian), both guys seem so wooden. Xiao He's actor (Kai) is a little better, but not by much. Only the older actors in the supporting cast are delivering halfway decent performances.

Midway through the series, Smile After Tears drops a major plot twist. Look away if you don't wanna be spoiled… One of the main characters dies in an accident. Nope, the death doesn't get reversed. I kinda respect this move. Not many BL dramas have the guts to let the protagonist die in the middle of the story. Regrettably, they got rid of the best character! He has the most interesting personality. I actually enjoyed a few of his scenes. On a shallower note, he's also the eye candy. Did it really have to be him? Couldn't they have killed off one of the other boring leads instead?

After the death, Smile After Tears gets even MORE boring. I thought the first half was dull as dishwater, but the second half came along and said, "Hold my beer." The later episodes focus on the protagonist's grief, which means endless scenes of him moping around. The story tries to tug at our heartstrings, but the amateurish acting can't pull off the emotional moments. Worst of all, the new love interest is a downgrade. He has no personality! Whenever the couple is together, it's one sappy moment after another. Their relationship is just one big pile of mush.

I kinda expected Smile After Tears to pull out a plot twist and bring the dead character back to life. Surprise! He just woke up from a coma! That never happens. Instead, the protagonist accepts that his loved one is gone forever and learns to live with loss. I actually appreciate this mature message from the finale. But was it worth sitting through twelve painfully dull episodes just to reach that conclusion? I gotta finish this review with a sad smile and slowly shake my head… Sorry, I can't recommend Smile After Tears because it's one of the most boring BL dramas ever.