This review may contain spoilers
(My first ever review)
This is one of the best C-Dramas I have ever seen, If not the best.First and foremost, this is just my opinion.
If you are expecting a romance story, then you will be disappointed, this is very plot-driven with romance almost as an accessory but never central to the story. The are both slow-burn romances and work so well within the plot.
The story telling:
It was very well written; it was interesting that it kept me curious and wanting to watch the next episode to find out what was happening. The cases even though they looked random were all intricate to the plot, explained well and logically. They tried to use modern forensic but how they made it to fit was plausible. It just wasn’t obvious from the get-go, complex but in a way that you are able to follow. The cases are linked so well within the plot that it doesn’t feel like sub-plot that take away from the story being portrayed. Even as the story went, the writing never became lazy. My only critics would be introducing some of the villains early on, as well as the last or maybe last 2 episodes, had a lot going on that could have been expanded maybe in a few more episodes to follow the rest of the pace for the drama.
The Characters:
I have only watched a few handfuls of C-Dramas, my list is growing, but out of all the dramas I have seen. There are my favourite characters to date.
The ML and Female lead I have found out are not well-known actors but could have fooled me. There acting was amazing both individually and when they were working together. The ML was believable as genius Prince/Judge that was very much led by justice, but it was important to be fair. FL was equality as amazing, although appearing naïve and innocent, did not take away from her character or make her a damsel in distress that needed saving in almost every scene. She was intelligent, kind-hearted but never to a point where she was stupid. Their communication was just the highlight, never hid anything from each other, discussed their issues almost immediately and it was very refreshing. Also, their re-enactment of the cases was just the highlight of the whole thing.
The second ML and FL were equally well-portrayed. The also had their talents and were respected equally in their own places. There was no jealousy or trying to compete. They were all just a team with the leads.
The female leads were just amazing portrayed, they held their own and were equally brave, as their counter parts. I absolutely loved their friendship and respect towards each other.
The other side characters and main villains worked so well within the drama. I’ve said this before on the feed, but the writers really understood the assignment. There so many characters I miss judged because they were somewhat ambiguous and just kept you guessing.
Visuals/Music:
The visuals weren’t amazing by any means but worked so well with the drama. I loved the animation that was included within and can’t complain. I liked the OST, felt that it fit well.
Another honourable mention must be the title page which changed I believe 4 times. It was quite cool and each so gave a clue to where they were in the story but never giving away any plot line. Again, refreshing and amazing.
Anyways, I would have guessed this to be a big budget drama, but it wasn’t which just shocked me. It is well-written with a few exceptions in the end. The characters were solid and just found it wholesome.
I just really love this drama and would 100% recommend it.
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INCREDIBLE story, just FL's personality is a little too weird-quirky sometimes
Genuinely think this is going to be one of the C-Dramas of the year to watch.The plot is impeccable. Everything flows into each other beautifully, and it's not a chore to watch the series at all. It's a very well paced drama with constant small arcs and overarching ones, so it's NOT like a Criminal Minds episodic but slightly tied together story.
The only issue is that I feel the FL is written a little too ditzy at times. She's intelligent and she empathetic, but sometimes she's written so... quirky? If manic pixie dream girls existed in the Tang Dynasty in China, she'd be the equivalent of one. That's not to say that I don't like her, but she simply lacks something that makes her three dimensional like other female protags of mystery costume dramas (like the protags of the Sword and the Brocade or Story in Yanxi Palace). I'm guessing she's supposed to be the "self insert" for viewers, hence why...
In general though, the characters are written fantastically, the plot is brilliant, the way crimes are solved are also interesting without being deus ex machina. The romance isn't a huge part but it feels good, and I love the chemistry between both the main pair and also the side couple!
This is a DEFINITE must see.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Imperial Coroner - Review
The Imperial Coroner is a smart, fun drama series that is really iquite nteresting. Chu chu, as an coroner, gets hired by the male lead, which is a prince. She becomes the imperial coroner. She and the prince travel together, going through everything together, and slowly fall in love. its rather surprising that the male lead was only a uni student when he acted in this, and the female lead new to the acting world, but they did well. this series has quite a high score out of ten, and would be the perfect show to watch with ur family and/or friends.Was this review helpful to you?
The Imperial Coroner - the dark horse that captivated me
In a Nutshell:The drama is set in the Tang Dynasty, where our main female character Chu Chu travels to Chang’An to take the Coroner entrance exam in order to work for the Capital’s legal department. The man in-charge of the Judicial Office is Prince Xiao Jin Yu (official title: Commandery Prince An), who takes an interest in Chu Chu’s natural talent for fact-finding and unique methods of performing autopsies. He hires her as his Coroner to solve a string of murders involving several high ranking officials. In the process of unravelling those mysteries, they uncover historical State secrets that cause them to question their own positions in the Empire.
The Highlights:
The Imperial Coroner is one of those rare gems with a meticulous screenplay that ensures a coherent plot. The result is a drama that doesn’t contain random filler episodes that add no value to the overall story. Character motivations remain consistent from start to finish and there is a good balance of comedy, action, suspense, slow burn romance and drama.
Despite this drama being promoted as a whodunit murder mystery, the heart of what drives its narrative is the timeless theme of identity and family relationships. The story connects with our innate desire as human beings to know where we come from, who we consider as family, and what our purpose in life is.
The drama is also a good example of an ensemble cast that work well together, with everyone playing their role to perfection. You can almost believe that these characters would exist in real life. Su Xiao Tong perfectly encapsulates the bright eyed and bushy-tailed curiosity of Chu Chu, yet at the same time is able to convey her natural knack for critical thinking and problem solving. Wang Zi Qi gives us a refreshing take on a male lead that doesn’t fall into the boring C-drama trope of an ice cold brooding dude who never smiles but is secretly in-love with the female lead. On the contrary, his character Xiao Jin Yu is not just highly intelligent and respectful of others, but is witty and actually has a good sense of humour.
The lowlights:
If there was one thing that bugged me throughout the whole drama, it was the caricature portrayal of the Eunach and his goons. Perhaps it was intended to be more of a comedic representation, but whatever it was, the performance of the role just didn’t gel with me. The OST/music was also pretty mediocre and largely forgettable.
The verdict:
The Imperial coroner was certainly the dark horse of 2021. With very basic promotional marketing and no big names attached to the production, the show definitely deserved its unexpected popularity and success.
FAQs
1. How many episodes? 36. Each 45 mins long
2. Where can I watch? All episodes with English subtitles on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8SnPKMwiCo&list=PLs3DOuT3JlGT3nMBwEzQzjUwOyuTgu3eU
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Delightful and Captivating
Once in a while, a fresh and unknown cast captures one's attention because of an excellent plot and superb acting.Found the storyline refreshing (a young, female coroner) and ended up binge watching and finished the 36 episodes over 2 days.
Plot intriguing and appropriately paced. Like the illustrations as FL (played by Su Xiao Tong) looked into the cause of death in each case.
Love the character of Prince An (played by Wang Zi Qi) - impressed by the character's logic and ability in solving the cases.
Fabulous chemistry between ML and FL. - no overdose of kissing scenes.
Good performance by supporting cast, especially the outstanding acting by Mu Huai Hu as the villian Grand Eunuch.
Gladly recommend to watch this drama
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Great Story & Cast
This drama was really well written and all of the actors did a great job. I watched every episode, eagerly awaiting where the story would go.The romance was well done, with no need for a love triangle to keep the viewers interest.
I loved how the intro changed at the beginning of new episodes drawing you into the story as it evolved.
I will definitely watch this again, I am sure I missed a lot.
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Worth the time to watch!
I really love series with substance, like not just about love story or plainly because the ML is handsome or cool. Also, aside from rom-com, I really love and enjoy watching suspense-thriller, mystery and action. This drama is more on the mystery and coolness side, what's with Chu Chu as your unconventional female Coroner. I really love her character as well as Prince An and the support characters, they really did a very good job with acting. Even the chief Eunuch is good with his role that you wanted to slay him personally. Anyway, the phasing of the story is fast phase, so you'll not notice, you're almost finished.Was this review helpful to you?
An entertaining detective story, no major complaints but didn’t fully captivate
Chu Chu, the imperial coroner of titular fame, is a bit annoying at the beginning of the show. She comes across as young and wide-eyed, but my major issue with her is that she kept fangirling the ML. She kept gushing and I was so embarrassed for her. It could be either the delivery or the character. I almost stopped watching, but then I read some reviews which validated my annoyance and assured me it would get better, which it did. The fangirling sort of fades away.The story actually seems to be more about the ML, Xiao Jinyu, who is one of those super-smart MLs who’s constantly outsmarting everyone. He’s also a stern prince, which is a bit tropey, but he’s sickly, which at least is not tropey. Chu Chu has her expertise and presents the evidence; it’s Jinyu who does the deductions and solves the mysteries. He’s also the one who wants them solved and directs their operations… she’s just his very capable coroner. It’s not quite a story about her as the title might imply.
The merry band of friends has other loveable characters (Jing Yi, Leng Yue, and others), each with their own personalities and backstories, though nothing too multidimensional or complicated. The main four are neatly split into two couples with no (or minor) silly love dramas, which is a plus.
The love story between the ML and FL is actually not bad. I did find it weird to watch a child be in a relationship, and found it helpful to try to forget about some of her earlier behaviors. And I liked that the show didn’t focus too heavily on their romance. Many of the conversations between them are just business, nothing too mushy. This left me focusing on the mysteries, which is always fun (and I thought done fairly well in this show), and the political backstory, which required some untangling.
This show is set in the Tang dynasty. Somebody else’s review explained some of the history of the emperors, and I had to keep referring to it as I was watching to avoid total confusion (thank you, fellow drama watchers). This show does use real life historical figures, which is a bold move. I think the story is fairly correct about the overall climate with the eunuchs and power struggles, as well as of course the actual tangled mess succession of emperors, but it makes up things around it.
I did google briefly, but I wasn’t inspired to research to the same extent as for e.g. The Long Ballad. It might be because the historical figures didn’t factor as prominently, or I found them to be less interesting (like srsly, bunch of people killing each other), or maybe just the show was less beautifully done so it didn’t quite set off my imagination. It has a bit of a darker palette, which is not inherently bad but not my preference. And it is, after all, not really a high budget production.
The show doesn’t have a low budget feel per se, though I did notice things like the emperor always being in one room. I think they did well with what they had. The actors and actresses are also less well known, but I think they did fine. A lot of them went to film school, can’t be too bad.
This was a show I enjoyed, with decent humor and fun sprinkled throughout, but the story and characters didn’t fully captivate me. I was entertained but not obsessed. Only as it was nearing its end did I realize how much the characters had grown on me, and that I had enjoyed this show maybe more than I realized.
ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS
It’s probably not even a spoiler to say that they solve everything and defeat the enemy, and everything works out. I guess the show was not that suspenseful because I don’t remember ever doubting that they would triumph. But if I recall correctly, the ending was even fluffier than I anticipated, with minimal sacrifice. You don’t even feel bad for the enemy, like there was a whiff of that and they snuffed it out. And Chu Chu even gets to keep her job (which was in doubt for a minute). You know what, I don’t mind, sometimes I just want to feel good.
I wasn’t too concerned by lack of resolutions because I was convinced that there was a second season. I wouldn’t have thought this show needed a sequel, but S2 has a page on MDL. Only after I finished and went to look for it, did I realize that it doesn’t exist yet. As of Q1 2025, there are still fans regularly hyping up S2 on MDL… but I’ll believe it when I see it.
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Expected more.....
This series was ok - expected more with the high douban rating as well as mdl rating of 8.5.The story didn't draw me in that much and I was not anxiously waiting to see the next episode. Also no slow burn romance as there was no chemistry between the couples.
The head eunoch serving the emperor was really annoying and didn't come across as a villain - maybe he wasn't supposed to be seen as a villain? Historically eunochs did usurp power and believed themselves to have as much power as the emperor but this character did not portray that - more of a delusional crazy person if anything.
Everything else was just so so. Finished the series just for the sake of seeing how everything would unfold. The Coroner findings and how it was reached was interesting though.
Rewatch value 0
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A hidden must watch GEM!
I'm trying to keep it shortThe thing I really love :
1) Of course the healthy and matured relationship of Xiao Jinyu and Chu Chu <3
2) The brotherhood and sisterhood relationship were so strong and I love it sm, wishing for more!
3) How they make full use of all characters as they complete each other. Jinyu with his high IQ, Chu chu with her exceptional coroner skills, Jing Yi with his exceptional abilities to read facial expressions and light kungfu, Leng Yue with her martial arts and medical knowledge and our General Xiao Jinli as everyone bodyguard.
4) The plot was fast paced, every mysteries connect the dots and lastly the villians got turn over.
5) A non skip drama because every scene was important!
6) They don't just put the soldiers/armies as a standing still or dumb characters. This is really rare!!
7) I end up hating no one lmao that's really rare because the villians plot twist was kinda funny
Something you might want to know :
1) The romance is not the main focus
2) The ending was abrupt (SXT said they act cut A LOT of AFTER WEDDING SCENE because of 36 eps limits) ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
3) You'll know who's the villians pretty fast
4) yess there's some misunderstanding but solve by our lead face-to-face with matured talk!
5) A lot of palace ranks involved, might stress out by the characters name
THERE'S HOPE FOR SEASON TWO HEHE.
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An Excellent Gem
There are so many good things to say about this drama! It may not have the highest budget but it has a lot of brains and heart which more than make up for it.Plot: it's been a while (or ever) since I've seen a drama with such good pacing. The plot never slows down and keeps going right until the end. No time is wasted on silly, unnecessary drama. I blink and the episode is over. One mystery leads right into another. All the clues fit together and even link back up to previous ones and more importantly, it all make logical sense (aside from a coupleee of nit picky things). While the answer often require some deep deduction, the rationale is sound.
Characters: I really appreciate the fact that everyone in our main crew of 4 (technically 6?) has their strengths and weaknesses and they all have to work together, each with their own chance to shine. I also appreciate that despite the fast pace, each character gets to have his or her own personality and they more or less act like normal people. I like how while the main male lead is smart and clearly the brains of the group, he does not overshadow everyone.
And finally, a drama writer that knows the difference between being naïve and stupid. I feel like a lot of drama writers tend to struggle with this distinction, which is why many of these naive/sweet/innocent female leads in drama tend to come across as dumb. No such problem here! Our main female lead, despite being a little unworldly and cute as a button, is an expert in her field and stays that way until the very end of the show. What she knows and does not know aligns very well with her character setting.
The romance and chemistry between our main leads was so sweet. I loved the trust and open communication. Their chemistry was so sweet and the group chemistry as a whole was amazing. I also really appreciated the camaraderie between the two female leads. While deep friendships between females do exist, oftentimes "the best friend" is a side character whose purpose if to be the FL's best friend. Or, especially in historical dramas, she is a servant or someone under the female lead's care. It was nice to see a friendship between two females on equal grounds where both have their own development.
Acting: The actors are all pretty new but they did a very good job and displayed the emotions they needed to display. I will admit the the FL tended to carry a deer-in-headlights look a few times more than needed, but unsure if this was her or what she was instructed to do.
Music: added to the watching experience nicely. I really liked the how they recapped the previous episode and kept changing the intros. Not a big fan of the second intro though.
Rewatch: While this is rewatchable, because it is a mystery drama, it just will not carry the same punch.
Overall: tldr, this drama shines with a well-paced mystery story where the clues fit together and sequence of events (for the most part) make sense, great characters with quality teamwork, multiple intelligent female (and male) leads and cute romances.
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Must watch!
After watching Coroner’s diary, I was looking for a similar drama and stumbled upon this one. I wasn’t expecting much starting it, but imagine my surprise when I found out what a gem this drama is. It’s one of those dramas where you go in not knowing what to expect but you are blown away by the thoughtfulness that went into the script. It may not be as romance heavy as the coroner’s diary, but it has the superior script imo. I don’t even think the romance is lacking, the couple had a very calm and mature chemistry, and I loved all their scenes together, especially because it was quite realistic and it didn’t interfere unnecessarily with the plot.The female lead is one of the cutest fls I’ve had the pleasure to view on screen. She is very smart and resourceful, but naive, which is unfortunately because she has been shunned and looked down on, all her life for being a coroner’s daughter. But this experience doesn’t make her bitter, instead she just took it in her stride and remained so optimistic, ambitious, and above all, very kind and sweet. It’s easy to see why ML adores her.
The Male lead is the star of this show imo. He doesn’t have the classical idol actor looks, but as the show went on, his intelligence, charisma, and aura would make it impossible for you to imagine anyone else playing Prince An. He is one of the smartest cdrama MLs I’ve seen, the way he pieces seemingly unrelated clues together is awe inspiring and he is great at plotting too, I completely understood why everyone respected and feared him. What’s unique about him is that, he is not the typical cold male lead. On the contrary, the way he carries himself shows the prestige and aura of his title, yet he is very upright, down to earth and fair to everyone. With the fl, he was not a simp, but he was not overbearing either. Even before he fell in love with her, he genuinely respected and appreciated her talents, and he was so accommodating to her from the first day they met. When he realised he was in love with her, he acted on it without hesitation. There was no unnecessary misunderstanding, love triangles or the likes, just a wholesome and sweet couple that mutually trusted, loved and respected each other.
Also, one good trait of a great show is how well fleshed out the supporting characters are. In this drama, although the ML is definitely the brains, the supporting characters are equally smart, and the villains definitely gave the ML a run for his money in the battle fields of wits. I also adored the relationship between the second couple, they were really sweet. And one of the best parts of the show is the utterly adorable relationship between the ML and his elder brother, the sweetest brotherhood I’ve seen on screen.
The only con of the drama is that the last episode was quite rushed, but since the drama ended well and everything was resolved, I don’t mind it so much. Anyways, if you are in the mood for a cdrama with a completely engaging plot encompassing brotherhood, friendship, betrayal, political intrigue, romance, etc, you can’t go wrong with this one.
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