Bloody Smart is a Taiwanese horror thriller series released in 2026, directed and written by Hsieh Chun-yi. The ten-episode show is adapted from manga by Junji Ito and stars Hope Leung and Chen Yen-fei. It follows a single mother and her daughter who move to a secretive town known for its high university admission rates, where residents believe that only academic excellence earns the right to survive. Netflix released the series in Taiwan on July 28, 2026, and Viu offered it in Hong Kong the same day.
Production and adaptation
The series combines elements from several of Junji Ito's works, including Tomie, The Fragments of Evil and Slug Girl, within one fictional town. Writer Da Yu built the overall structure from a ten-episode outline after obtaining Japanese permission, and each draft was translated into Japanese for Ito's review. Filming took about seventy days and was completed in 2022, while post-production lasted around four years. Much of the shooting took place in Wanli District of New Taipei City, and visual effects later replaced a seaside view with mountains to match the story.
Reception and controversy
After its premiere, the series received largely negative reviews, especially from fans of the original manga, who felt it kept only the characters' appearances. Reports in 2021 also linked its earlier version to mainland Chinese funding and a production company, claims that director Hsieh Chun-yi denied, stating that the creative team, investment and production were all Taiwanese. Taiwan's Ministry of Culture subsequently investigated and, according to Hsieh, found no mainland capital involved.