I love how Chinese BL is serving us mature adult drama without holding back on the toxicity! The messy power dynamics, emotional chaos, and deeply flawed characters make this story hit in a way few shows do.
To My Shore premiered this past weekend! The new Chinese BL series, co-produced with Thailand, will release two episodes per week on Saturdays and Sundays.
I’ll share some information about the show first, then my review, but let me say this upfront: don’t stop after the first episode! At the very least, watch the second episode to see if the vibe of the show works for you.
To My Shore Information
- Native Title: 吾岸
- Also Known As: Si Mian Fu , Tai Yang Zhi Cheng , 四面佛 , 太陽之城 , City of the Sun , 太阳之城
- Country: China
- Episodes: 15
- Aired: Nov 15, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026
- Aired On: Saturday, Sunday
- Duration: 40 min.
Watch on Gagaoolala, Viki
To My Shore Synopsis
You Shu Lang, a director at a pharmaceutical company, lives an ordinary, stable life. But that all comes crashing down after he gets into a car accident with Fan Xiao, the heir to a Thai conglomerate who’s returned to China for business. Unlike Shu Lang, Fan Xiao’s life has been marred by instability, leading to a twisted, manipulative worldview.
When Fan Xiao finds out that Shu Lang is interested in men, he devises plans to entice Shu Lang into a relationship, but ends up falling for Shu Lang for real. Shu Lang, on the other hand, is blindsided when he learns about Fan Xiao’s true colors. Will Fan Xiao destroy the only genuine love he’s ever had, or can he find a way to truly win Shu Lang’s heart? (Source: Viki)
Adapted from the novel “Four Faced Buddha” (四面佛) by Su Erliang (苏二两). You can read the novel here. Note: This is a fan translation, not an official licensed version.
To My Shore Trailer
To My Shore: Ep1 & Ep2 – My Review
To be honest, the first episode left me a little unsure, but I’m so glad I gave the second one a chance! By episode two, I was completely hooked. The tension between Fan Xiao’s dangerous, dark side and Shu Lang’s quiet yet insanely mysterious personality is electric—this push-and-pull dynamic totally grabbed me!
Fan Xiao and Shu Lang meet because of a small car accident. At first, it seems like a normal, mundane encounter—but then Fan Xiao quickly becomes obsessed with Shu Lang. Watching the way he asks questions, his indifferent attitude, and especially considering his childhood trauma (his father treating him as an illegitimate child, unloved, pushed around), it’s clear that Fan Xiao harbors deep prejudices against people; Shu Lang’s kind and sincere behavior comes across to him as fake. Shu Lang’s perfect, flawless exterior is, to Fan Xiao, just a mask—his goal is to expose the real person underneath.
Fan Xiao’s games start incredibly fast. After the crash, he follows Shu Lang, even orchestrating an incident that injures his arm. When he sees Shu Lang helping that desperate mother in the hospital, his fascination only grows.
Digging deeper, he discovers Shu Lang has a boyfriend. Learning that the partner is male, Fan Xiao sees it as the first “flaw.” Even though he’s a bit homophobic, he approaches Shu Lang’s boyfriend Lu Zhen, planning to interfere in their relationship, stir up chaos, and see You Shu Lang’s reaction—to drive him crazy and put him in a difficult situation.
Fan Xiao contacts Lu Zhen to model for him, presenting himself as powerful, rich, and charming—a partner anyone would envy—and successfully impresses him.
Meanwhile, Fan Xiao continues testing Shu Lang: he invests in his company and sets up a situation at a club where a girl’s drink is spiked. He gets seriously frustrated because Shu Lang won’t let the girl drink it.
When Shu Lang is under the drug’s influence, Fan Xiao first realizes he might have gone too far—and he’s drawn to Shu Lang’s vulnerable, desirous side. Watching the footage later, hearing Shu Lang mumble his partner’s name drives him insane.
Fan Xiao truly earns the title of a red flag—dark, unstable, greedy, and lustful. He doesn’t even realize his own desire and jealousy, and I’m sure he’ll try to rationalize it in later episodes, but he’ll never be able to stay away from Shu Lang.
What I agree with Fan Xiao on: Shu Lang isn’t the saint he appears to be—but that doesn’t make him bad. He’s genuinely kind and helpful to others, and caring, thoughtful, and mature toward his boyfriend Lu Zhen.
He’s just a closed book with suppressed emotions. From the trailers, it’s clear that Fan Xiao will be the one to bring out Shu Lang’s dangerous desires, his hidden darker side, and the passion he’s kept bottled up.
Even though he’s drawn to Fan Xiao, I don’t think Shu Lang will leave Lu Zhen—the breakup will most likely come from Lu Zhen.
Their chemistry is just so natural—it honestly doesn’t feel forced at all. The tension and attraction in every single scene are totally palpable and incredibly real. Plus, the characters are layered right from Episode 1; it feels like you’re discovering a whole new side of them every time they appear on screen. Visually, the series is stunning: cinematic and dramatic, yet grounded and realistic. And honestly? The slow pacing actually works here, because it intensifies that quiet tension and the magnetic pull between the two leads.
