Our Times 2002

In this heartfelt film, we follow the journey of Lin Truly, an ordinary office worker whose name reflects her sincere and diligent personality. Her life is filled with daily stresses and pressures that often leave her feeling overwhelmed and overlooked. One nostalgic moment involves her listening to an old cassette recording of an Andy Lau song, which transports her back to her high school days—an era when she was a simple, carefree girl idolizing the famous singer and living without worries. During those youthful years, she had a crush on Ouyang Fei-Fan, the popular boy at school, and was supported by her two close friends, creating a world filled with innocence and hope.

The story takes a turn when young Lin, at just seventeen, receives a mysterious chain letter warning of disaster unless she passes it along. Naively, she shares it with several classmates, including Hsu Tai-yu, a notorious school gangster portrayed by reza-davoudnejad, her math teacher, and Tao Min-min, the most popular girl in school, played by pegah-ahangarani. Soon after, Hsu Tai-yu gets hit by a car, which sparks a series of events that draw Lin into a complicated web of relationships and conflicts. Desperate to protect her friend Ouyang, Lin tricks Tai-yu into becoming her ally by revealing her knowledge of his past.

Through her investigations, she uncovers that both Ouyang and Tai-yu were once close friends, torn apart by a tragic event that led Tai-yu to turn to a life of crime. Driven by her feelings and a desire to help him, Lin challenges Tai-yu to a roller-skating race, where the stakes involve a request from the loser. With perseverance, she wins the race and uses this moment to encourage him to rediscover his true self beyond the gangster persona. Her words deeply move Tai-yu, prompting him to improve his conduct and even study alongside Lin Truly. A genuine understanding begins forming between the two, evolving from friendship to something more tender and romantic.

As their relationship deepens, Tai-yu surprises everyone by placing tenth in the school’s mock exams—an achievement that highlights his personal growth. However, the journey remains fraught with challenges. When the school’s new director suspectingly accuses Tai-yu of cheating, he is unfairly punished and collapses from heat stroke during a grueling punishment run. This injustice fuels Lin Truly’s activism, inspiring her to rally students to protest against the director’s unfair treatment, culminating in a school festival protest that results in positive change.

Their bond solidifies during a school camping trip, where both promise to never forget each other, even as they prepare to part ways after graduation. Just before Lin Truly’s birthday, she receives a special recording from Tai-yu, secretly left for her to listen to after her university entrance exam. On her birthday, she hopes to see Tai-yu again and gets him to sign her yearbook, only to be heartbroken when dino-lee’s character, Ouyang Fei-Fan, reveals that he is now together with Tao Min-min. Despite her feelings of devastation, she congratulates them and quietly breaks down.

Later, Tai-yu discovers he has a dangerous blood clot, a lingering injury from the accident. His parents decide to send him abroad for treatment, cutting off contact with Lin Truly. After completing her exams, she finally listens to Tai-yu’s recording, where he confesses his enduring feelings for her, despite their complex history. He encourages her to remember him always in her heart, closing the chapter on their youthful love.

Decades later, Lin Truly, having left her job and her previous relationship behind, encounters an unexpected opportunity when she attempts to buy a ticket for an upcoming Andy Lau concert in Taipei. Fate takes a twist when she bumps into Andy Lau himself, who, recognizing her admiration, provides her with a contact that can secure her access to the concert. On the day of the event, she makes a call to that contact, which unexpectedly turns out to be jerry-yan’s Hsu Tai-yu, alive in a different form, fulfilling the promise made in their youth.

This poignant story beautifully captures themes of nostalgia, growth, love, and the enduring power of dreams, illustrating how early connections and heartfelt promises can shape our lives—even decades later. Each character’s journey reflects a blend of innocence lost and rediscovered, all set against a backdrop of music, friendship, and the resilience of the human spirit.