Drama Digest
A group of girls used to be roommates in college. They are all grown-up adults in their 30s and are busy with their lives. Lin Ji hosts a small get-together party for themselves. They chat about their old college days and memories. But before calling them for the party, she received a video of Jiang Yuanyuan. Yuanyuan committed suicide one summer when they were in college. In the video, she speaks about how devastated she was after discovering her best friend’s betrayal. Lin Ji was surprised to find this anonymous video after 15 years. She also feels watched and tracked continuously by someone. While having the party, she notices a car parked outside her house. Later she mentions that incident to the girls. Even after repeatedly bringing up that topic, they try to ignore it. Eventually, one of them tries to leave, but to her surprise, the door is locked from the outside. Lin Ji has no idea how and why it happened. It is only the beginning of something hidden behind Yuanyuan’s suicide, and it isn’t as simple as it looks.
The Feel-Good Part
As a mystery drama, it delivers a lot of chilling moments to keep one glued to it.
The Disappointing Factor
Despite its gripping contour, the drama slightly lengthened the mystery factor by restricting the circumstances within a room. It eventually becomes a three-hour-long discussion of a 15-year-old incident.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama begins with a pique point- a video confession. It plays a relevant role and sets the tone in motion. Casting a 15-year-old incident enhances the surprising element and mysteriousness. Even when the women meet at the little party hosted by Lin Ji, there looms an aura of secrecy. Soon their conversation flows from nostalgic memories to the incident. The drama uses glimpses from the past to introduce the happenings to the viewer. Thus they are made to perceive the viewpoint different from the women. It engages the viewer with the occurrence and calls for their attention in solving the case. As it progresses, the mystery deepens with strange incidents around the girls. Mystery dramas need to grasp plot points to keep the viewer hooked to the case. Furthermore, the presence of one or more anonymous person(s) behind this adds to creating a criminal atmosphere. The narration thus gains momentum amidst these. Leaving clues and hints from the beginning makes it more exciting. It engages the viewer to try and solve it with the protagonists. Alongside this narrative strategy, the editing and writing were on point. It defined the drama but also didn’t give away too many explanations. The central plot twist at the end was uncalled for and heightened the drama to its peak. It lay in an experimental zone, which needed some polishing for a better portrayal.
Star Power
Li Yi Chen, Qin Yu, and Ni Ke Xin acted exemplarily in ruling out the mystery. Wang Bing Xiang and Wu Hao Ze as Zheng Yi and Doctor Nie were also great. The supporting cast beautifully brought depth to the situation. Li Mo’s direction gave exhilarating fluency to the narration.
Overall Opinion
For any thriller mini-series lover, it can be another addition to your list.
