Summer’s Tail

Summer’s Tail

Year: 2007

Runtime: 98 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Wen-Tang Cheng

DramaRomance

Her classmates see Yvette as a rock‑and‑roll girl, but a congenital heart condition forces her to leave school. She spends most of her days at home with her companion Summer, goofing off, playing guitar, and venturing out whenever she can.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Summer’s Tail (2007)

Trace every key event in Summer’s Tail (2007) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Yvette leaves school to seek life beyond classrooms

Yvette Chang, seen by classmates as a rock and roll girl, lives with a cat named Summer due to a congenital heart condition. After leaving school, she spends her days playing guitar, exploring, and getting out to discover the world around her. Her daily routine centers on joy, small adventures, and keeping Summer company.

Yvette's home / town
2

Jimmy Chan's expulsion and street life

Jimmy Chan, a specially gifted student, falls in love with a teacher and is expelled from school as a consequence. With school behind him, he moves onto the streets where freedom and uncertainty shape his days. His new path intersects with Yvette's world, drawing them closer.

School and streets
3

Yvette offers comfort to Jimmy

Yvette embraces Jimmy's emotions with warmth and compassion. Despite her own fragile health, she provides stability and hope, becoming a confidante as he navigates heartbreak and exile from the classroom. Their bond hints at a deeper friendship that can weather hardship.

Around town
4

A secret base is discovered

Two high school drop-outs ride bicycles and stumble upon a place free from adult control between rice paddies and irrigation canals. They uncover undeveloped land near the Taiwan High Speed Rail tracks and invite their classmates to join. The find becomes a secret base where they can be themselves away from pressure.

Between rice paddies and rail tracks (Taiwan High Speed Rail)
5

The group grows: Wendy and Akira join

The group expands to include Wendy, another gifted student, and Akira, a Japanese exchange student who loves soccer but lags academically. Their arrival deepens the dynamic and adds new energy to their gatherings. Together, they relax, play, and imagine a different future.

Secret base
6

Life at the secret base: laughter and learning

Forbidden from the adult world, they spend days at the base, enjoying carefree moments and supporting one another. The hideaway becomes a canvas for friendship, experimentation, and the slow formation of trust. They learn that companionship can be a lifeline.

Secret base near tracks
7

A mission to help an embittered father

The destiny that binds them leads to a mission: trying to save an embittered suicidal father. They rally around him, offering empathy and practical support in the face of despair. Their actions show how much they care for someone outside their own circle.

Town outskirts / near home
8

Facing the big questions: life, failure, and happiness

Under blue skies, they confront whether life is ordinary or exciting, exploring success, failure, and what happiness means. They discover that living fully is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated. The conversations turn their adventures into a philosophy of living.

Open skies / secret base
9

The tail metaphor and its meaning

A recurring metaphor compares happiness to a tail you wag for fun, a symbol of choosing joy whenever time allows. The characters reflect on this idea as they navigate adolescence and risk taking. The message crystallizes: happiness is something each person must pursue.

10

Riding away from adulthood: seeking freedom

They continue to inhabit the undeveloped land and the roads around town, cherishing the freedom to be themselves. The open spaces become laboratories for experimentation, friendship, and self-discovery. The world feels navigable because of their shared optimism.

Secret base area / countryside
11

Finding happiness: a personal quest

As the narrative closes, the characters acknowledge that happiness is a personal, ongoing quest rather than a destination. They commit to finding joy in everyday moments and in each other's company. The story ends on a hopeful note about choosing happiness.

12

Final image: skies, bicycles, and bright futures

In the final scenes, the group continues their journeys under clear skies, bikes at their side, and Summer's memory and Yvette's courage guiding them toward a brighter horizon. Their shared experiences have transformed ordinary high school dropouts into a small circle of resilient dreamers.

Open road

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 16:00

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Summer’s Tail Summary

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Summer’s Tail Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Summer’s Tail

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