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Had I Not Seen the Sun

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Had I Not Seen the Sun
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese如果我不曾見過太陽
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinRúguǒ wǒ bùcéng jiànguò tàiyáng
Southern Min
Tâi-lônā-sī guá m̄ bat kìnn--kuè li̍t-thâu
GenreCrime drama
Thriller
Written by
  • Lin Hsin-Hui
  • Chien Chi-Feng
Directed by
  • Jiang Ji-Zheng
  • Chien Chi-Feng
Starring
Country of originTaiwan
Original languagesTaiwanese Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Production
ProducerMa Yi-ting
Production companiesMake A Deal International Production Co., Ltd.
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseNovember 13, 2025 (2025-11-13) –
present

Had I Not Seen the Sun (Chinese: 如果我不曾見過太陽) is a Taiwanese coming-of-age romantic thriller television series produced by the team behind Someday or One Day and the studio Make A Deal International Production Co., Ltd. It is distributed by Netflix.[1]

The work will be released in two parts: Part 1 premiered on November 13, 2025, and Part 2 is scheduled for release on December 11, 2025. This comprises a single season. It is directed by Jiang Ji-Zheng and Chien Chi-Feng, written by Lin Hsin-Hui and Chien Chi-Feng, and stars Tseng Jing-Hua, Moon Lee, Chiang Chi, and Lyan Cheng. The series centers on campus incidents, traumatic memories, psychological states, and the truth behind a criminal case, blending elements of youth romance, coming-of-age drama, and psychological mystery.[2]

Premise

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Twenty-five-year-old Li Jen-yao (played by Tseng Jing-hua) turns himself in to the police, confessing involvement in several murders of his former high school classmates. His case quickly draws widespread media attention, and he is labeled by reporters as the "Rainstorm Killer". While he is interviewed in prison for a documentary, research assistant Chou Pin-yu (played by Chiang Chi) uncovers unexpected clues related to dreams, memory distortions, and conflicting truths. The appearance of the enigmatic girl Chiang Hsiao-tung (played by Moon Lee) gradually links past campus events with the present, revealing the deeper trauma and hidden truth beneath the case.[3]

Plot Summary

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Had I Not Seen the Sun follows Chou Pin-yu, a documentary production assistant suffering from insomnia, paranoia, and dissociative episodes while working on a film about convicted serial killer Li Jen-yao. As she interviews Li, who murdered several former classmates, Pin-yu experiences disturbing visions and relies heavily on her cousin Shen Mu for emotional support.

The investigation reveals that Li’s victims were involved in the sexual assault of a classmate, Chaing Hsiao-tung, whose abuse was covered up through political influence and intimidation. In flashbacks to 2007, Hsiao-tung befriends Li at school, drawing the attention of Ouyang Ti, the violent son of a powerful crime figure. After Li is framed on drug charges and Hsiao-tung is assaulted by Ouyang Ti and his associates, authorities discredit her account, forcing her family to change her appearance, erase her identity, and relocate.

Years later, Li is released from prison and reunites unknowingly with Hsiao-tung, now living under a new identity and suffering from dissociative identity disorder. As Li confirms the fate of her attackers, he begins murdering them in a series of revenge killings, assisted indirectly by Shen Mu. His actions escalate, ultimately resulting in innocent casualties, leading Li to turn himself in and receive a death sentence.

In the present, Pin-yu’s identities collapse when she encounters a woman who reveals that Pin-yu herself is one of Hsiao-tung’s dissociated personas. Regaining her memories, she realizes that the documentary investigation was a confrontation with her own trauma. The production is halted to protect her from renewed public scrutiny, while Li is executed after political pressure from the Ouyang family.

The series concludes with Hsiao-tung continuing her life under the Pin-yu identity, pursuing dance once more while mourning Li. A post-credits scene depicts the two reuniting in the afterlife, fulfilling a promise to meet again.

Cast

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Actor Role Description
Tseng Jing-hua Li Jen-yao Central character accused of involvement in multiple murders.[4]
Moon Lee Chiang Hsiao-tung A mysterious girl connected to Li Jen-yao's past.[5]
Lyan Cheng Lai Yun-chen Cousin of Chou Pin-yu and close friend of Chiang Hsiao-tung.
Chiang Chi Chou Pin-yu Documentary research assistant whose investigation propels the story.
Yao Chun-yao K-ge A debt collector.
Chih-Tian Shih Ouyang Ti Li Jen-yao's high school classmate.
Alice Ko Hsia Tien Ching A split personality of Chiang Hsiao Tung & Chou Pin Yu.

Production

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The series is produced by Ma Yi-ting and distributed by Netflix. Filming took place in multiple locations across Taiwan, including school campuses, prison facilities, and riverbank areas.[6] The series explores themes of psychological trauma, school bullying, and criminal psychology, combining suspenseful storytelling with coming-of-age elements.[7]

Songs

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No.TitleSingleLength
1."曾經見過太陽" (片頭曲[8])孫盛希 
2."Dance With You" (插曲[8])KAXA 
3."覆蓋回憶" (插曲、片尾曲[9])蔡承祐 


References

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  1. ^ Tan, Vivien (October 13, 2025). "Netflix 《如果我不曾見過太陽》 搶先釋出 〈太陽與驟夜〉 花絮 李沐認與曾敬驊是命中注定" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Netflix. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  2. ^ Marsh, James (November 13, 2025). "Netflix drama Had I Not Seen the Sun review: ridiculous serial killer romance from Taiwan". South China Morning Post. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  3. ^ Keller, Joel (November 13, 2025). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Had I Not Seen The Sun' On Netflix, Where A Filmmaker Has Hallucinations As She Interviews A Serial Killer". Decider. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  4. ^ Hung, Su-tsin (October 21, 2025). "曾敬驊新戲詮釋殺人魔 自認入戲成麻木殺手" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Central News Agency (Taiwan). Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  5. ^ 李欣容 (November 22, 2025). "《如果我不曾見過太陽》演什麼？曾敬驊變殺人犯　李沐慘被輪姦". NOW News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  6. ^ "影集《如果我不曾見過太陽》台中獨家分享會公開9大取景地！新聞局：感謝劇組拍出台中的美麗與溫暖" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taichung City Government. November 1, 2025. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  7. ^ Bythrow, Nick (November 13, 2025). "Had I Not Seen The Sun Part 1 Review: Emotional Taiwanese Drama Made Me Sympathize With A Killer". Screen Rant. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "PlayMusic音樂網 - 孫盛希、KAXA為《如果我不曾見過太陽》量身打造OST 李沐驚喜預告「這1事」". Play Music. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  9. ^ by, Written (November 23, 2025). "U:NUS 歲末補漆改編推〈刷到臉紅紅〉！蔡承祐為影集創作插曲〈覆蓋回憶〉". 一事無成的老編｜華語流行音樂媒體人 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved December 12, 2025.
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