Drama Digest
The Murder in Kairoutei is a Chinese drama aired in 2022. The drama is based on the Japanese novel called The Murder in Kairotei, written by Japanese author, Higashino Keigo. The drama tells the story of Jiang Yuan Xing, who managed to survive a fire at the hotel, Kairoutei, in the middle of the night set by a man. However, the fire had left Jiang Yuan Xing with severe burns and there was also a mark of strangling on her neck, which led people to suspect her rich boyfriend, Cheng Cheng the person who did the gruesome acts. The fire alarm had the police involved in the arson case, resulting in the investigation behind the arson leading to the unraveling of truths.
The Feel-Good Part
The pace of the drama series is perfect and there is no unnecessary focus on irrelevant scenes, which makes the series the perfect watch for people who like to get straight into the business. The characters, especially the female lead character were written as strong, self-reliable women, which is commendable. The acting is truly commendable and all the actors did a commendable job in portraying their roles. The chemistry between the onscreen couple was outstanding. The background scores and music of the drama are a cherry on top and add hype to the scenes.
The Disappointing Factor
The major disappointing factor about The Murder in Kairoutei would be its poor editing, which ruined the whole screenplay of the series. The build-up of thrill and mystery was also missing, owing that the drama is a thriller-mystery genre. Also, the narrator’s voice might annoy many of the viewers.
In-Depth Analysis
The drama, instead of focusing on its said genre of thriller, focuses more on the dynamic of the complicated family. The development of the storyline happens late, in the later episodes. The makers couldn’t deliver a thriller-drama, and rather the drama incline more towards the genre of romance. The thriller element of the drama is not intense but decent, which is just enough to keep you hooked on for the next episodes. The drama depicts a rather mature relationship between the characters, which naturally caters to the mature audience.
Star Power
Deng Jia Jia and Zhang Xin Cheng play the role of Jiang Yuan Xing and Cheng Cheng, respectively. The supporting roles are played by actors Qian Bo as Gao Guang Yi, Gong Zheng Ye as Gao Zi Jian, Liang Ai Qi as Ji Dong Mei, Wang Yan as Lin Zhen Hui, Hai Yi Tian as Teng Jun, Liu Yi Wei as Gao Hong Jie, Chen Zi Han as Gao Shi Yao, Li Ya Nan as Gao Hong Zhi, Sun Sheng Hao as Li Si Xuan, Zhang Guo Qing as Cheng Da Wei, Shao Bing as Shi Qing, Wang Yi Lin as Liu Jia, Sun Yi as Zhang Lin, and Zheng Liu as Sun Jing. Actors Ding Xi He, Sun Can, and Gao Dong Ping had a guest appearance in the drama and played the characters of Li Hao, Gao Lin, and Gu Tao, respectively.
Overall Opinion
The drama adaption is slightly different from the original novel, and the changes in the plotline of the drama are well-suited for its screenplay and narration. The drama is entertaining and manages to get the audience hooked on it till the end, though it is not entirely unpredictable. The cinematography is wonderful, and will entirely please your eyes. Overall, The Murder in Kairoutei is a decent drama that has a mixture of a variety of genres and surely makes up for an entertaining watch. However, I would advise the viewers to not expect something extraordinary.
