This review may contain spoilers
If you enjoy crime solving murder mysteries in WuXia setting, you may enjoy this drama.
"Mysterious Lotus Casebook" is a Wuxia CSI drama that involves solving murder mysteries of various clans in a historical setting.The Synopsis: Ten years ago, Li Xiang Yi, the master of the Sigu Sect, dominated with his superior swordsmanship and was a symbol of light in the martial arts world. However, he suddenly disappeared along with Di Fei Sheng, the leader of the Jinyuan Alliance, after they arranged to battle in the East Sea. Ten years later, Li Lian Hua is a countryside doctor who travels dragging around a lotus tower. Li Lian Hua, Di Fei Sheng, and Fang Duo Bing gradually formed a deep friendship and joined hands in solving mysterious cases to uphold justice.
The acting and the kung fu in this drama were good; however, the first 30 episodes were about solving murders. I found it boring, fell asleep watching it, and even skipped around. It only got interesting from episode 32 onward, and the ending is a cliffhanger.
I don't enjoy it much, so I give it a 7.0 rating. The production quality was not good either; the background was too white.
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BEST WUXIA DRAMA WITH DETECTIVE THEME ...
i started this drama when it is airing and i have low expectations with this drama but as it passes 2-3 episode , i knows that it will break many records ..because it is perfect in cast , action scenes and dialouges and the best part of this drama that it does not have unnecessary love theme because it does not suit at all ...MLC is not the typical fast-paced drama, as it mainly focuses on solving individual mysteries that all contribute to the main storyline. While it might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially for viewers who like non-stop action and romantic entanglements, it presents a story and character-driven approach that is worth exploring.
i love to see more of cheng yi work like this and immortal samsara ...
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This review may contain spoilers
the cast is perfect
i’d say the story is pretty generic but the casting was done very well and everyone did well to tell the story so it’s really good. in my opinion i don’t see any romance in this show especially between the main 3 characters bc i think their love feels more familial.i think the ending is pretty good. it’s very sad but it’s doesn’t make it a bad ending. i like that they didn’t miraculously find a cure like how most dramas would. my interpretation of the ending is that llh was at the beach before the other two came but when they arrived he was gone (probably somewhere where he actually does die).
i think a season two isn’t necessary for this story. llh would’ve wanted it to end. however i would like the see the cast again.
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when the mind is at peace, Lotus blooms everywhere
This would be my forever favourite, it touched every inch of my soul. Chenese dramas are very well written protraying both the good and evil in one. for me , all the actors of MLC covered their roles well,specially cheng yi who thought he would be this much talented. all the episodes from 1-40 had their own essence seperately, undoubtly this once should become a legend. it truly covered a life of someone who once became a legend and yet fell from the peak to the lowest point. Li Lianhua's carefree life is something that everyone should at least experience once. It's been a while and i still can't get enough of it. If there's a season 2 , i hope all the actors return. And there are very well writte lines too. and few of them caught my eyes and heart."everyone must learn to forget themselves" - Li lianhua
"when mind is at peace lotus blooms everywhere" - Li xiangyi
"Li Xinagyi wasn't good, he was proud and arrogant, there's a fine line between proud and arrogance and arrogance isn't a good word" - Li Lianhua
"Maybe Li xiangyi was proud , but he was proud because he had faith.and faith is a good word. everywhere there's a light,there's also a shadow.so did he." - Fang Duobing
"No one can replace you in our promise" - Di Feishang
"some people abandoned their swords like trash, while others won't give up" - Zhang Yunfei
"people's ffaiths are ultimately different"-Li Lianhua
Literally there won't be any masterpiece like this ever again, this was a drama that conveyed deep massages about likfe to the viewers. hats off to the writer,actors and the drama crew .
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A pleasant surprise in this summer！
MLC is a wonderful TV series surprise in this summer. The series presents high quality of custom, settings, storyline, martial arts and actings to the audiences, together all of those elements created a exceptional TV series with beautiful cinematography.All actors contribute amazing performances， especially Cheng Yi, a great actor who I first noticed in XianXia romance drama L&R. So before MLC, I already knew that he’s a talented young actor. But in this series, not only did he prove his strength on tragedy scence once again, he also brought new surprises to the audience and showing us that he can do comedy and exceptional on fight sequences. O also want to bravo to him for using his own voice this time. In my opinion, actors using their own voices in period drama can really help on increasing the quality of the TV series. Cheng Yi as an actor just keeps bringing new surprises and showing his unlimited acting skills, so really looking forward to his future works.
Btw, the background music is very on poin. It follows the storyline very close, making a perfect combination.
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Extraordinary
I dont know what happened to the low rating, but this drama is amazing, impressive, and incredible! ChengYi is talented and he shows great prowess at acting. His acting makes me believe he's actually going through whatever his character is going through. The storyline of this drama is novel and full of quirky detail. A spiteful low rating review is disgraceful. I dont know what happened to the low rating, but this drama is amazing, impressive, and incredible! ChengYi is talented and he shows great prowess at acting. His acting makes me believe he's actually going through whatever his character is going through. The storyline of this drama is novel and full of quirky detail. A spiteful low rating review is disgraceful.Was this review helpful to you?
Very touching, no fast forward
A story about a long farewell of Li Lian Hua who used to be the No.1's Swordsman to his past & friends"It was good then, it's good now"
This is one of the 2 c-dramas which I highly recommend for 2023. Viewers will be touched by the effort spent on producing this drama. Every component just makes sense.
There is no need to fast forward as plot is fast-paced (kudos to screenwriter), the acting skills of all actors are online, scenes are well shot, settings & props are very well prepared, OSTs and BGMs are very suitable.
-Plot
Screenwriter has done a really good job. The rhythm is very fast. This is the only drama I don't fast forward. In fact, sometimes I need to pause for fear of missing some clues.
The author Teng Ping and Screenwriter Liu Fang also interpret respect to women very well through Li Lian Hua's character, which I really appreciate.
-Update based on ep20: Kudos to screenwriter
The screenwriter is really good. Now that we are at episode 20, I realise that the previous cases, such as Yipin Tomb & Li Xiang Yi's flashback to his return to Sigu Sect have had brief introductions to future cases. As a viewer, I just did not realise the significance. Not only do I not fast forward, I need to go back to prior episodes to find clues. I really love this drama.
-Acting skills
Very good acting skills, especially Cheng Yi, this is his best role yet. It's really not easy to potray Li Lian Hua's letting go. He used to be best swordsman and he's now living an ordinary life, with poor health.
Li Lian Hua is not an easy character to potray. Li Lian Hua is sickly, but tries his best to live happily to the best of his ability. He has a chivalrous spirit, but at the same time, a bit gossipy, like to talk nonsense. There is also no filter in this drama, so you can see the up & downs of his appearance very clearly. In short, there is no character buff.
FDB & DFS interactions are very fun.
-Martial Arts Scenes
There are many good martial arts scenes.
The first 10mins of the Battle of The East China Sea is really excellent. There are many more we haven't seen yet as we are only halfway through the drama.
-Cases
Focusing on human nature's worst vices. I won't give any spoiler, so please watch and try to guess the culprit.
We now have up to 8 episodes free on IQIYI. Some people who are used to suspense/detective may find ep1-3 a bit slow, so I recommend going directly to ep 6 Yipin Tomb. The cases got more complicated as we go. If you like ep 6-8, go back to watch ep1
-OSTs
There are only 4 OSTs for this drama.
The first love OST, a pot of lotus wine is fast-paced, but now I cry when hearing this song. Li Lian Hua & Qiao Wan Yu's farewell in ep 17-18 are just too emotional. How can a martial arts/suspense drama have one of the best BE asthetics?
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An existentialist Jianghu adventure
MLC is what I heard somebody described as classic wuxia. It’s got adventure and mystery, good-looking heroes with impressive martial arts abilities, and well-choreographed fight scenes. It's also got a good dash of humor.I was a bit hesitant going for this show because it has no female lead. I don’t particularly need romance, but I do like a strong FL to root for. However, after watching another show where I felt the romance detracted from an otherwise enjoyable story (Ancient Detective), I decided I could set aside my feminist leanings and just enjoy this story about men.
Ultimately what I really love about this show is its underlying existential crisis. From the beginning, Li Lianhua is waiting for his death. He just wants to tie up a few loose ends first. As I watched, I desperately hoped it would not happen, but I also understood that he was already on this path and it would be a win if he survived rather than a loss otherwise. At least his friends were right there with me, hoping and trying to turn this around.
This show contains a series of mystery cases strung together with an overarching storyline. I felt the cases themselves were a bit of a mess… they were so convoluted that they were hard to follow. There was often no chance of the audience solving it together with the characters, if only because the answer often involves strange magical feats. That aside, it just felt unrealistic that any detective could identify and then put together such a random set of clues to come up with such complicated explanations. But hey, our boy is a genius, so whatever- I just sat back and enjoyed watching them kick butt.
The three main characters are really loveable and where I think a lot of the fanbase lies. The brotherhood and also the humor between them is really great. Li Lianhua’s casual lying is hilarious; people have complained about Cheng Yi mumbling (they all dubbed themselves) but I think it captures Li Lianhua well, and not a problem if you use subtitles! Fang Duobing is sillily naïve and lovable, and Joseph Zeng’s anime-like expressions had me laughing. Xiao Shunyao as Di Feisheng unfortunately gets less screentime, but he is so grumpy badass when he shows up. I think all three actors did a great job capturing the spirit of their characters and making them likable, and their looks and styling all suited their characters well.
The show doesn’t have a female lead, but it does have some female side characters who are not too useless. Fang Duobing’s mom is a fan favorite. Qiao Wanmian, who is Li Lianhua’s ex, got a bit of hate but I actually really sympathized with her situation. I felt her arc was handled very well, a breakup she doesn’t want but has to accept- like the rest of the story, it's sad in a realistic way. I just feel she got a little shortchanged because they could have let her show off a little more. Her one sword strike showed no technique at all. Su Xiaoyong, I saw one snippet from the actress saying “I am you, the audience!” and that’s a good description- Li Lianhua’s fangirl. But in the end, neither she nor the princess actually factors in much (not that I would have wanted some random love story muddling the waters). Probably the strongest female character is Jiao Liqiao, who is batshit crazy and whose sole purpose in life seems to be to get the man she likes. So, across 40 episodes, I’d say this one might not even pass the Bechdel test. But I guess that’s ok, it’s a story about men in a men’s world.
The fighting in this show is well choreographed, aside from a few nonsensical sword strokes. In general it’s also fairly well performed. Unfortunately Di Feisheng doesn’t really fight, he just swings his sword and everyone goes flying. Fang Duobing’s fights look great- this actor seems pretty athletic- but as a character, he leveled up a bit too quickly. I find it unbelievable that he was a sickly child… but, who needs logic.
In all these fight scenes, especially towards the end, I do think there was a bit too much strike-and-pose with hair blowing in the wind. Once upon a time I might have thought it was cool, now I find it cheesy.
Once again, I think the main draw of this show is its existential undertones. I really appreciated, under the very well-done humor and swashbuckling adventure, the sadly realistic tone of the entire saga. Li Xiangyi was a genius and admired by all, but also a legit difficult and arrogant person. Such a character is very realistic, reminding us that people at the top are not always perfect. Li Lianhua lives with guilt and memories and needs to find his peace; this is also something that we ordinary people struggle with. The realistic, life-isn’t-perfect message resonates with us as we navigate our own lives. This alone, to me, gives it a high rating, despite other flaws like nonsensical cases, dismissible female characters, and too much posing.
ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS
The ending is, controversially, a forced open ending. I think it broke a lot of peoples’ hearts, but at least it gives you the option to believe what you want. Lengthy critical analyses abound on the internet arguing one way or another, I could totally see a high schooler writing a 5-paragraph essay for English class.
Personally, although I wish it were simply a happy ending, I also think that would have been too forced for a show like this and might have cheapened it a bit.
…that aside, I don’t see why he couldn’t have just eaten the flower and then saved everyone else afterwards using yangzhouman. The Styx flower was not even in the book, it was a gimmick added to the drama. It gave us all hope, then was ultimately used to generate dramatic flare. Honestly, the self-sacrifice theme was so overused and tired by this point. In this context, the whole plot device of the Styx flower was also a bit cheap.
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A Beautifully Crafted Wuxia Mystery Full of Heart
Mysterious Lotus Casebook is an elegant wuxia drama that blends martial arts action with detective-style mysteries and emotional storytelling. At its heart, it’s not just about uncovering secrets, but also about healing, loyalty, and second chances. The pacing balances thrilling investigations with heartfelt character moments, creating a narrative that is both exciting and deeply moving.The cast shines, with Cheng Yi giving a nuanced portrayal that captures both strength and vulnerability. The relationships—whether built on trust, rivalry, or brotherhood—add depth to the unfolding mysteries, making every case feel personal. The production is polished, with gorgeous visuals and carefully choreographed action sequences that honor the wuxia tradition.
If you love dramas that combine martial arts, clever mysteries, and heartfelt emotion, Mysterious Lotus Casebook is a must-watch that lingers in both mind and heart.
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Refreshing piece amongst the masses of low quality dramas out there
At first one might think this drama is all about solving mysteries which all unlock pieces to the final puzzle at the end and everyone goes home happy. This is not that drama. It's so much more than that. MLC is ultimately a heartfelt drama where the writers gently invite us to go on an emotional journey with the main character Li Lian Hua aka Li Xiang Yi where he ends up being confronted by his past, the reality of his past self, and his reconciliation with all that he was during the height of his renowned fame and reputation.As many here have mentioned, it is a story that evokes a lot of emotion because it's centred around the themes of letting go, forgiveness, the chance to change, and that we are all but mere human beings, capable of mistakes, guilty of having a past that we might not be proud of, and appreciating the simplest things in life.
While the mysteries weren't executed in a way that allows the audience to delve into the stories and use our own deductions to solve the cases, the undeniable chemistry between the three leads, the brilliant and engimatic acting of Cheng Yi, the natural ease with which Joseph and Aero assumed their roles, and the concise and beautiful storytelling that is consistent with driving the plot forward all make MLC a profound viewing experience.
I think viewers would love to see more of this kind of theme-centred and mature narrative with strong character development in a sea of disappointing cdrama productions that has been saturated with use of vulgar clickbait videos or contrived romantic storylines with pretty faces as a means of garnering attention to an otherwise empty storyline.
MLC stands out amongst the rest because the writers and the production team seem to care about what they are doing and have put a lot of effort into delivering quality and consistency to its viewers, proving that China can produce noteworthy pieces that don't compromise on the authenticity of the narrative as a result of relying on cheap plot devices for the sake of guaranteed viewership ratings.
Watch MLC if you want something different to all that other stuff going on in subpar cdrama productions.
P.s. I absolutely loved the ending! (Unlike most!)
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Pure brotherhood and martial arts drama
lately, i’ve been wathcing xianxia drama revolved a lot of women and loveBut not for this drama
till the start of the drama till the end it was all about brotherhood and the value of person at the martial world
it would like to believe that xianyi is tired with the fame that he getting since young and that why he makes choice to not return back to the martial world and create his own world
he only come back because of her swords brothers
eventhough some say its has open ending but I think this ending is the great
He is the real master that only think about her clan till the end, even if he powerful but cant protect some of its member that why he do not want to come back to martial worlds
its the same with the real world even when you have everything but the most valuable thing is the peace of mind, that why when the plant that he planted bloomed he cry because its make his happy and he doesnt want to be sect leader again because the position make he arrogant eventhough he not feels its
after he die, he realised he realized that he hurting so many people in his life.
Cheng yi’s acting is become better then his last drama
in this drama his acting is consistent
i actually looking forward in his next project because he really suited the xianxia type of drama
for the male lead, i think if there any other option could be better but the Joseph actually good in this character
its kind of like the untamed brotherhood but more deep in their relationship
I would like to give round applause to the plotline
Before i watch this movie i thought this drama just like other detective drama BUT its not
all the cases that they solved in quite unpreditable, so it give like mysterios type
and i never thougth the enemy would be like his bestfriend at the end
all happen because of misunderstand between clan that the real enemy planted for them to fight
and i never thought the one that the evil is his Swords Brother that he really cared and loved
i cry at the scene he cry because of the betrayal of the brother
and Di sheifeng character is actually cute because he only cared to fight with Li XIANGYI
he doesnt care to have fight with other clan as long they do not disturbe his clan
and there is episode where he come back to his old hometown and avenged and released for all the pupil at the di mansion , its shown that actually he is really kind .
please watch this drama u will not dissapointed
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Great for bromance lovers, a story about friendship.
Mysterious Lotus Casebook is usually a drama I don't watch. I'm a romance buff so bromance dramas are kind of low on my list. There were a lot of high and praising reviews on this drama, so I decided to give it a go.Overall, the drama was pretty decent. I really like the story-telling and world building. I like that it was a detective kind of show, where about every 2-3 episodes there was a new and unique case to be solved. It really kept up the momentum. The win of the show was casting. I wasn't really sure on the dynamic duo of Cheng Yi and Joseph Zeng but they make a good pair. They each brought in their own personality and really gave life to the characters.
You can't forget the third bro, Xiao Shun Yao which basically rounded off the cast nicely. As for the romance aspect of the show, I wouldn't say there is any form of romance, except for a romance story / excerpt. I did find that brief part somewhat entertaining since it was different from the other stories I have been told.
This drama isn't for everyone, as in, I did find it a little boring at times and I was just waiting for some additional movement, but I think if you watch it like me, a few episodes here and there, then you can appreciate the overall drama. I like that it was low in angst and high on story telling. I really appreciate the character growth and loyalty. It truly will make you appreciate your friendships more.
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