A pleasant surprise.
I do not consider the second season in this review. This is only for the first season, that I think can be taken as a standalone. In my headcanon, season 2 doesn't exist anyway. I'm in denial. Now let's focus on the 1st.To get it out of the way, I found 90% of the cases boring. Themes of toxic/weird romances and of abused/permanently victimised women are just not on my top list of interests. If it were only 2-3 cases, varied with other types of stories, that would be perfectly fine and interesting. But here it's almost always one or the other. It's redundant. I have an appreciation for them knowing they are based on real life cases and they are very well acted out but they're just not my cup of tea. For those I would rate it like 6 or 7.
The way they are solved is extremely original and makes up for it, that's for sure. That's the whole premise and point of it. But it also leads to another issue : they sometimes reach their conclusions because the script demands it. It's neither logical nor very well written. Plot conveniences are common. However, it goes without saying that I was astounded learning that there actually exist real people like Shen Yi in China. Although maybe a bit less dramatic, it's actually a real thing and the process is shown well in the drama. I think it's incredible and made me appreciate the show even more.
So I watched until the end. And then watched again. I liked it the first time. I loved it the second. Because I've got used to the main characters, I realized at the second watch how well written and interesting they really were. The duo of Du Cheng and Shen Yi is simply wonderful. Complicated, funny, touching, with friendship and trust that are slowly but surely growing. As individual characters, they are just as awesome. Du Cheng is a great guy you just can't help but root for but he needs some flexibility in his life. Shen Yi has a fascinating view of the world and a very unique behaviour but he could definitely use some grounding. Their individual arc depends on one another to grow and transform together and it's well done. The rest of the cast, while discreet, is extremely likeable. They could be more developed but that's fine. They have their own distinct style and personality, that's what matters. Commissioner Zhang is my favourite side character. She's both strong and soft, in just the right ways. Very refreshing, as I'm used to corrupted power figures from K-dramas.
Because of everything I love and of how much I love it, I'll go with 8,5 for its rating. I don't like the cases. But I don't really care as long as these characters are here.
I won't say too much more, I think it's better to simply watch it. It's short, entertaining, sad, funny, hopeful and has a satisfying finale. I don't know exactly who is the artist behind Shen Yi's abilities, but he/she deserves recognition. The OST is good and the acting is praiseworthy.
It has its flaws. But what doesn't ? If you don't mind the occasional lack of realism and you love arts, psychology, thrillers, episodic criminal investigations, and/or unique and peculiar characters and great friendships at the centre of it all, definitely give this one a chance. I think it's worth it.
However as far as I'm concerned, this story ends here.
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woahhh it's really good
story:this is not a common storyline, and i'm pretty sure the director/screenwriters came up with this one and it's not based off of a book (i think). the cases were really interesting, and it was like a giant case going on during the whole entire drama, with smaller ones in each episode. also they left us off on a cliffhanger and i saw on 微博热搜 that they're filming season 2? sooo i'm excited!
acting/cast:
the acting was pretty good imo, crying scenes were great, just overall good actors. i didn't really recognize anyone in this drama before watching it, so i had no previous knowledge. however, 檀健次 had become really popular from this, and douyin's about him were all over my fyp, so i decided to watch this, nonetheless i was not disappointed!! his acting is really good, and he's also super talented? the other cast were also really good
music:
i think 檀健次 sang the ending song? not sure tho, i don't really pay attention to modern drama osts, i'm more of a historical ost person. but the songs were decent
rewatch value:
i don't really rewatch dramas, unless they're like 封神, so i wouldn't really take this rating into consideration.
overall:
good drama! stoked for season 2 :)
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Detective Story
Shen Yi was young and talented with potential to become a great artist as according to his art tutor. Additionally, he had the ability to read very accurately human behaviours.One day, a woman approached him to draw what a child on a photo would look like as an adult. This unfortunately led to the death of a detective Lei Yi Fei who was undercover to investigate a human trafficking ring.
Driven by guilt, Shen Yi joined the police force to help investigate into this case and to help solve serious crimes with his skills. There he met Du Cheng who was a subordinate and close friend of Lei Yi Fei who was killed. Du Cheng hated Shen Yi because he was unable to recall the face of the woman who approached him. As a result, they were unable to solve the case for over 5 years. However, the duo was forced to work together.
As with a lot of detective stories, this drama held a lot of mysteries, surprises (or not so much of a surprise), and suspense to hold your attention. However, in some, it felt a bit shallow and a bit simplistic. Nevertheless, it is still entertaining.
Each crime story ended as the culprit was captured without any mention of what happened in court or the sentencing. I suspect this was to be very diplomatic and not to be drawn into any controversies.
I am typically generous with my ratings and my rating usually ends up higher than the average rating on mydramalist if I like the drama. I am a fan of Tan Jian Ci and I chose this drama because of him. An average rating of 8.7 is very high on mydramalist.com; this would place it among the top rated dramas. However, on my rating scale, it is worth 8.5 which to me is very good, but not among the top league of dramas I had watched.
Still, I say, it is worth watching if you like detective stories.
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Lacking some romance BUT it's fine! We got a good story with good acting!
What I really liked about this drama is that every actor here acted very naturally and professional in their roles. The leads as well didn't do too much out of character, just nice for Shen Yi's slightly oddball yet mysterious personality pairing with Du Cheng's initial headstrong character. I'm really thankful this drama didn't portray criminals like they are psychopaths like some recent dramas of the same genre. I really appreciate that the scriptwriter kept criminals' behavior and motives realistic and logical which many dramas really lacked these days...So for some parts I really didn't like is how they lack some realistic details when inspecting the crime sites... Such as the need for wearing gloves yet no SHOE COVERS when entering the victims' place... I was like "huh? seriously surely they must be kidding right..." A lot of the times, both the leads also didn't wear masks nor gloves when handling the dead bodies when the forensic was wearing it... I mean I kinda got distracted while being engrossed in the episode.
But overall this drama is one of the really good crime suspense production as compared to many released recently! Not mentioned I had quite a crushed on Shen Yi's charm that makes people open up to him and the desire to friends with such person XD Tan Jian Ci is really a rare actor that portrays his characters so well that made it charming and unique for every characters given the fact that he wasn't even professionally trained!
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When profiling meets pencil‑precision
This drama works because it anchors its narrative on two performances that feel lived‑in and emotionally precise. Tan Jian Ci’s Shen Yi carries a quiet, wounded stillness that never tips into melodrama; trauma is written into the way he moves, observes, and withdraws. In contrast, Jin Shi Jia’s cop is open, reactive, and unfiltered—wearing every frustration and flicker of empathy on his sleeve. Watching these two energies collide is half the appeal, especially as their early prejudices gradually give way to a reluctant, then genuine, understanding. Their differences aren’t just personality quirks—they drive the story forward and make the partnership’s eventual cohesion feel earned.The procedural side of the drama is equally compelling. Each case is crafted with enough detail to keep the tension sharp, and Shen Yi’s active involvement adds a unique spin to the usual crime‑drama formula. I’ll admit, sometimes I questioned the feasibility of an illustrator being so hands‑on at crime scenes; most portrayals have them in offices, working from witness statements. But the show leans into this premise convincingly enough that it never pulled me out of the story, and it adds a layer of forensic intrigue that became my main draw—bromance, if any, is just icing on the cake.
I also love how the drama handles its ensemble. The leads are magnetic, yes, but they don’t overshadow the supporting cast. Each secondary character has a purpose, a moment, or a small emotional beat that adds depth and texture to the world. That balance keeps the series grounded and prevents it from turning into a one‑man or one‑woman show, which can be rare in procedural dramas.
Overall, Under the Skin is a grounded, engaging crime drama that succeeds both as a character study and as a forensic thriller. The slow‑burn partnership between Shen Yi and his cop counterpart, the intricate casework, and the careful attention to ensemble dynamics make it a standout. I’m genuinely excited for the second season to see how the characters—and their dynamic—evolve from here.
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Overhyped and underwhelming
The premise had so much potential—which makes the end result even more disappointing.Unfortunately, the execution falls flat. I have to say, I think this drama is overrated. It was highly predictable from early on, and something crucial just felt missing throughout. There was no excitement pushing me to the next episode, no real thrill while watching. It simply felt... boring.
For a drama with such high ratings, I expected so much more. I forced myself to episode 5, but with 20 episodes total, I'd rather invest my time elsewhere.
It's a shame. I was genuinely looking forward to this one.
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This drama is quite different from the other crime investigation drama (at least for me). It's from the perspective of a criminal sketch artist and how he sees and analyses the cases. It was interesting. And not to mention, that it gave quite a heartfelt moment. The acting and cinematography were perfect. Only the plot felt a bit lacking.
Acting 10/10
Cinematography 10/10
OST 10/10
Chemistry 10/10 (The chemistry between Shen Yi and Du Cheng was seriously so good.)
Episode 16-18 made me so nervous. I felt like I was more anxious than the characters 😂
Overall, this is a very good drama. I'll rewatch it someday.
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Highly recommend!!
This is probably the best show I have seen this year and maybe in the past couple of years also. I was engaged throughout the whole show. With the shows that have been coming out, very few have I seen where I just watch from beginning to end without the need to fast-forward, but I watched every second of this show. I loved the plot and the characters and I kept feeling myself wanting to be physically sucked in to the show and be a part of what was happening. I've never vibed so hard with a show. Both Shen Yi and Du Cheng's personalities contain parts of mine and I really love how they were portrayed. The only reason it didn't get a full 10 stars is because there's one thing I can't for the life of me figure out. Either my mind wandered when they explained it or it never got explained. Also if there's never a second season or like bonus episodes to explain that ending, I might go insane. I want so much more of this!!Was this review helpful to you?
A painter as investigator, is unlikely but entertaining
I realy liked it, and am now waiting to watch Season 2, wich isn´t available in my country. The story is about a painter turned into an police investigatior. this is a unlikely fact. We never get so see, how he became a investigator. Did he go to police school? There are some plotholes for the story and also in the episodes for the cases. That´s sadly a no-go for an investigation story of any kind, so there are some minus points! But I liked the cast of the story. Tan Jianci did a very good job!Was this review helpful to you?
Typical but done very well
The story here is the typical two main male characters who does not get along due to past incident happened to end up working together to solve crimes.As crimes are solve, it also allowed for each other to settle and clarify their anger and frustrations with each other.
I wasnt invested jn this series at the start but as tje story got more mysterious and intriguing, I ended up binge watching it.
The role portrayal is good, wardrobe was in queue, location fits, direction and flow of story is good.
If you are not a fan of detective story this might not be for you but i suggest to give it a try til episode 3.
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This review may contain spoilers
This was amazing! I was drawn in from the very first episode and I just couldn’t. stop. watching! I burned through this drama in just a few days, that rarely happens to me. But it was so compelling, the stories, the acting, the cinematography, the music… It was the full package!My favorite part was definitely the deep friendship and trust that developed between Shen Yi & Du Cheng. Du Cheng started as Shen Yi’s, well, enemy is a strong word but definitely as someone who did not like Shen Yi all that much. And by the end, he laid down his life and his future in Shen Yi’s hands with absolute, unhesitant trust. It was truly a thing of beauty.
Also, what I loved was that both Shen Yi & Du Cheng were very, but very smart people, each in his own right. That Du Cheng wasn’t just Shen Yi’s plus one, his caretaker, the way these dramas about gifted individuals sometimes go.
Interesting, at least for me, was that one of the tensest moments of the whole drama was the speed chess game between Shen Yi and the main bad guy, that cat and mouse game where you didn’t know who was the cat and who the mouse. It reminded me so much of the amazing poker game scene between Bond and Le Chiffre in Casino Royale!
And then the ending! The set-up for something more! I really truly hope that there actually will be S2, that it won’t fall under the table like the sequels to SCI or When a Snail Falls in Love. That would irk me!
Overall, a fantastic, amazing, captivating drama!
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Good story but a bit too fast paced
The story itself is interesting with some veteran actors. 20 short episodes that could've been longer if they spend more on character development or spent more time on the supporting actors. There were quite a few potentially interesting supporting characters but they hardly had any screen time.Shen Yi (Artist) & Du Cheng started off as enemies but a bit too quickly Du Cheng's 7 years worth of anger towards him resolved?? ..... It felt rather instant so the subsequent bromance wasn't strong. It still worked well enough for the story line as it focused mainly on cases. Each case went by fast w/o many twists. It would've been better if they slow the pace down a bit.
The last 2 episode circles back to the original murder from 7 years ago to resolve unanswered questions.
Overall a great crime drama well worth the time for any viewers that enjoys this genre!
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