Drama Digest
The story follows the life of Gu Yaodong, a top-class law graduate from Dongwu University who grew up in a Shanghai alley. The story is set during the post-war era. China has just won the Anti-Japanese war and Gu Yaodong has become a Criminal Police Officer with a strong sense of Justice. His objective is to protect the people. A newcomer to the Criminal Investigation Division, he starts to get bullied by his peers. He also gets caught up in a battle between the Communist Party’s underground intelligence network and the Kuomintang police. Finally, with the assistance and training of the Shanghai Underground Party’s Xia Jicheng and Shen Qinghe, he achieved his ideals in the revolution’s voyage. He also got together with the love of his life.
The Feel-Good Part
The best part of this series is how they have made each character so well-rounded. Even the side characters have so much depth that it makes the show come alive. The way the inter-character interactions and relationships have been portrayed is so wholesome. The dialogues are very well-written and during the intense scenes, they pack quite the punch!
The Disappointing Factor
The pacing of the drama is somewhat exhausting. They have stretched the story across 51 episodes but they could have finished it slightly earlier. Even if the story’s development is interesting, you cannot watch it in one go. You need breaks to not lose interest because of the show’s length. Yet, the duration of each episode makes the length of the entire series bearable.
In-Depth Analysis
Unlike other political, post-war dramas, this series focused on the practical side of life for post-war citizens rather than exaggerating their bravery and self-sacrifice. The sub-plots concentrate on the lives of the citizens living in the era. Such as police officers who wanted to protect the citizens but realized that the government they worked for was corrupt. The lives of citizens who simply wanted to live their lives as normally as possible but the times did not allow them to do so. Lives of people that were fulfilled by the warmth of family and friends. By incorporating all these elements into their story-telling, the writers of this show made sure to produce a very unique and heartrending masterpiece.
Star Power
The drama’s casting was fantastic and so was everyone’s performance. Li Yifeng was an excellent actor in the role of Gu Yaodong. He conveyed Gu Yaodong’s naiveté and simplicity, as well as the gradual character development, admirably. All of the other actors cast for this production were likewise excellent. Gina Jin as Shen Qinghe, on the other hand, is arguably the best casting option. She had a lot riding on her shoulders as the main female lead. But she managed to do it all pretty well. She was able to perfectly convey Shen Qinghe’s composure and decisiveness.
Overall Opinion
Despite the debatable pacing of the show, the overall feel and vibe of the show were great. Once you get into the show, it gets addictive and you get hooked the more you watch. All the little details come together so well and the final result is this real and well-put-together world that takes your breath away. You can feel the raw emotions of not only the main characters but every single person in the show. It is undoubtedly a great watch whether or not you are a fan of these genres.
