Had I Not Seen the Sun Part 1 recap and ending explained: What happened to Chiang Hsiao Tung and how it led to Li Jen Yao's imprisonment?

The Taiwanese Netflix series Had I Not Seen the Sun is a 20-episode psychological thriller released in two parts. Part 1, covering episodes 1 to 10, premieres on November 13, 2025, while part 2 is set to release on December 11, 2025. It stars Tseng Ching Hua, Moon Lee, Chiang Chi and Lyan Cheng.

The story of Had I Not Seen the Sun centers on 25-year-old Li Jen Yao, a confessed serial killer known as the Rainstorm Killer. While behind bars, he agrees to an interview with assistant director Chou Pin Yu, pulling her into a narrative of past crimes, hidden motives, and the dark, intertwined secrets of love and revenge.

By the end of part 1 of Had I Not Seen the Sun, Chiang Hsiao Tung is assaulted by Ouyang Ti and his gang, leaving her traumatized. Li Jen Yao attacks Ouyang Ti in retaliation leading to his arrest and imprisonment.

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Had I Not Seen the Sun part 1 recap (episodes 1–10): Li Jen Yao’s past, Chiang Hsiao Tung’s struggles, and the haunting mystery unfold

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Had I Not Seen the Sun begins in 2023 with Chou Pin Yu, an assistant director working under a documentary filmmaker. One day, her work on the documentary leads her to Li Jen Yao, a death row prisoner who has confessed to killing ten people including his own father.

She visits him to seek permission to film his story and understand his motives that he has never revealed even while confessing his crimes. To her surprise, Li Jen Yao agrees immediately, smiling as he does so, leaving her curious about his reasons.

Meanwhile, Chou Pin Yu experiences recurring flashbacks of someone following and attempting to harm her, and for some reason, Li Jen Yao seems strangely familiar. As the documentary progresses, both she and the director question him about his undisclosed motive, but he avoids answering.

Chou Pin Yu discusses the documentary with her cousin, Shen Mu. Concerned for her safety, Shen Mu warns her to stay away from Li Jen Yao, but she continues to work passionately.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Around the same time, she learns that the apartment she rented is rumored to be haunted. She also begins seeing visions of a teenage girl in a school uniform, later revealed to be Chiang Hsiao Tung. After each sighting, Chou Pin Yu feels as if she is being possessed, losing control and finding herself in places she does not remember going.

Shen Mu then visits Li Jen Yao in prison, revealing that they know each other from before, and urges him to withdraw from the documentary. The project is then terminated, but the director and Chou Pin Yu unwilling to give up, begin their own investigation.

During an interview with Li Jen Yao’s mother, Chou Pin Yu discovers a photograph showing Li Jen Yao and Chiang Hsiao Tung together, realizing they are connected. She confronts Li Jen Yao about Chiang Hsiao Tung, asking what has happened to her.

He appears pained but insists that he only knows her as an acquaintance. Li Jen Yao then says goodbye, telling her they will never see each other again. Afterwards, Chou Pin Yu begins experiencing flashbacks.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Had I Not Seen the Sun then went back to Chiang Hsiao Tung and Li Jen Yao in 2007, when they were in school. Chiang Hsiao Tung was a model student and talented ballerina.

Li Jen Yao, in contrast, was a troubled teenager, involved in fights and abused at home by his father. When his parents left for Taipei for money, abandoning him, Li Jen Yao struggled to survive.

Chiang Hsiao Tung, who had cared for him, gave him her food and the two spent time together. Chiang Hsiao Tung’s best friend was Yun Chen who revealed to be Chou Pin Yu’s cousin Shen Mu.

She warned her about Li Jen Yao’s troubled past and his conflict with a student named Ouyang Ti, who had a crush on Chiang Hsiao Tung but kept being rejected. Yun Chen urged Chiang Hsiao Tung to stay away from Li Jen Yao.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Despite warnings, Chiang Hsiao Tung continued meeting Li Jen Yao. One day, while having lunch on the school rooftop, someone secretly recorded them and reported it to the administration. Both were summoned and Li Jen Yao and Chiang Hsiao Tung faced serious consequences, but Yun Chen stepped in and took the blame, claiming she was the one with him.

Li Jen Yao faced further threats from Big K, who worked under Ouyang Ti’s father. Following Ouyang Ti’s orders, Big K coerced Li Jen Yao into taking drugs and Ouyang Ti photographed him while under the influence. When Li Jen Yao sobered up, Big K warned him to leave town immediately, or he would be ordered to face something even worse next time.

Meanwhile, Yun Zhen Her strict grandmother abused her when she learned the truth, by making her drop out of school and locking her in her room. Yun Zhen, somehow ran away from the home and with Chiang Hsiao Tung, went to Taipei. There, they ran into Li Jen Yao, who also ran away from home, taking Big K's advice.

In Taipei, the three spent some time together, roaming around and having food and drinks. Yun Zhen went to stay with her mother, who her grandmother had never let her meet. Later, before Chiang Hsiao Tung returned home Li Jen Yao bid her goodbye but promised that he would return to watch her recital.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

However, Li Jen Yao eventually returned home sooner, after his mother called him back, saying their debts had finally been cleared. Although he hesitated, he stayed for a few days to spend time with her and reconnect with Chiang Hsiao Tung.

However, Ouyang Ti noticed the two together and once again plotted against Li Jen Yao. With his father’s help, Qu Yang Ti and Big K framed Li Jen Yao as a drug dealer. When the police came to arrest him, he managed to escape and took refuge in an empty house owned by Chiang Hsiao Tung’s aunt.

While in hiding, he confided in Chiang Hsiao Tung about the incriminating photos Ouyang Ti had taken while he was drugged, realizing they could be used as false evidence. Determined to protect him, Chiang Hsiao Tung decided to confront Qu Yang Ti directly.

She arranged to meet him and his friends, hoping to retrieve or delete the photos. However, the meeting took a tragic turn as Ouyang Ti and his group attacked and s**ually assaulted her.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Li Jen Yao rushed to help her but was beaten by Big K and his men until barely conscious. When he regained consciousness, he finds Chiang Hsiao Tung devastated and in shambles, avoiding him as she returned home.

Her parents, alarmed, took her to the hospital after she recounted the names of those responsible. Li Jen Yao, still injured got hospitalized. Chiang Hsiao Tung isolated herself in her room, while Li Jen Yao began to recover.

The authorities began questioning everyone involved, but Ouyang Ti and his group falsely claimed the encounter was consensual, and blamed Chiang Hsiao Tung entirely.

Ouyang Ti’s mother offers hush money to her family, which they refused and Chiang Hsiao Tung’s father tried to avenge his daughter with the family truck. However, the attackers escaped with minor injuries.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Ouyang Ti’s mother then pressured Chiang Hsiao Tung’s mother to drop the case, threatening that they would file charges against her father for his attack. She further said that her son and his friends would go free while Chiang Hsiao Tung’s life would be ruined.

Frightened, her mother convinced Chiang Hsiao Tung to sign a pledge not to press charges. Emotionally shattered, Chiang Hsiao Tung goes to a park but encountering Ouyang Ti’s group again on the way she fled to the school rooftop.

On the rooftop, Li Jen Yao found her and reminded her of his promise to always be with her, comforting her. Some time later, Chiang Hsiao Tung told him her family was moving to Taipei and asked him to meet her on the same rooftop in five years, on Christmas.

Later, at the ballet recital, Li Jen Yao attacked Ouyang Ti and stabbed him infront of everyone, resulting in Li Jen Yao’s arrest. Ouyang Ti’s mother visits him at the prison and confronted him, but he showed no remorse.

Still from Had I Not Seen the Sun (Image via Instagram/@hadinotseenthesun1225)

Instead, Li Jen Yao warned her that he would stab her son again once released. Wang Qi’s mother intervened and ensured that Li Zhenyao’s sentence was extended.

Finally, Li Jen Yao was released in 2014. Returning home, he went to the school rooftop and saw Christmas decorations. He realized that Chiang Hsiao Tung had been there for the Christmas they promised, breaking down in tears.

8 months later, Li Jen Yao was working as a construction laborer. One evening, he mistook a blind woman as Chiang Hsiao Tung.

Li Jen Yao helped her reach her destination and as she prepared to leave, he noticed a butterfly tattoo on her middle finger. It was the same as Chiang Hsiao Tung’s, leaving him suspicious. This marks the conclusion of Part 1 of Had I Not Seen the Sun.

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Part 1 of Had I Not Seen the Sun can now be streamed on Netflix.

Edited by Adrija Chakraborty