Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Sherlock Holmes vibe! For those who enjoy a murder mystery series!

I decided to make a review since I can't move on from this series. Haha! Its been a week since I've finished Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC) and I can't find another cdrama to watch.

Anyway, I am always facinated with the murder mystery genre since I was in high school. So, when I saw the trailer of MLC I was immediately captivated with it plus it features Cheng Yi and I am currently obsessing over him after watching Love and Redemption and Immortal Samsara!

The first few episodes got me hooked immediately. First off, I am enjoying the cases they are solving. The stories are unique and non-repetitive. Secondly, I am loving the camaraderie and "bromance" of Li Lian Hua (LLH) and Fang Duo Bing (FDB) and the "cat and mouse" bickering of FDB and Di Fei Sheng (DFS). It also doesn't hurt that the three mains are all good looking and eye candies! Thirdly, I love that there is no romance in this series so it can focus on the mystery solving part! Fourth, I am impressed on how each cases being solved are interconnected with each other. It gives a nice cohesive storyline. Fifth, the plot twist is an A+ for me as I was really not expecting it, which gave me the "wow" factor. Lastly, the ending was not rushed. Tho it was not the ending I want but it is better than what I was expecting! ♡

This series is definitely now part of my top 3 cdrama of all time! I hope to find and watch another one that is as engaging and as entertaining as MLC!

#4everfangir1 #4everfangir1review

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I will definitely miss LLH's sarcasm, superb martial arts skills and his to die for smirks

Hail Cheng Yi!!!! This is definitely one of the best Wuxia series I've ever watched in my entire journey as a Cdrama fan. Every element included in this series, to be made as complete and whole did their part amazingly and perfectly.

The story may be cliche with revenge, betrayal, good vs evil, but! they did it with a twist.

There's mystery, adventure, brotherhood, good camaraderie, perfectly executed fight scenes (which takes my breath away) and couldn't helped myself but to rewind it to watch that scene again, and a lot more. You'll cry, get frustrated, upset, laugh, be curious, be on edge on your seat and just simply be awed with Cheng Yi's acting on this series. I love how he portrayed LLH's character. I love the sprinkled jokes, his sarcastic jabs/remarks, his to die for smirks, and his growth as a person. From being a proud, kinda selfish but fiercely loyal person, and was oblivious on what's happening around him, him as an excellent person, a martial artist genius, to having experienced betrayal, his downfall and realisation as a mature person.

I love how Cheng Yi and Joseph Zeng interact on screen. It looks natural and convincing. How they bicker with each other but you'll know for sure that they're ready to save and protect one another if needed.


Let me say it again, the fights scenes here are all perfectly executed! Most especially LLH's fight scenes! OMG!!!! I simply love those scenes, they looked sooo convincing and natural! Kuddos to their hard work!

Also, I really love this drama because there's no unnecessary romance plot that sometimes, ruin a good series.

I hate all the villains, I wanted to skinned them alive, that's how good and convincing they are with their parts/roles. 😭😭😭

My only complain was the subtitles were too fast for a scene. I for an expert as a subtitle reader did had a hard time reading them all. 😂😂😂 I had to rewind some in order to understand some.

If you're still contemplating whether you have to watch this series, I can gladly say, go for it! Give it a chance and you'll never regret it. Just as I didn't regret buying the express package just to know what's gonna happen in the end.

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Watched till ep14 and i must say that cheng yi never fails us with his acting skills. Whether his appearance being strong or weak he look elegant in any outfit and his facial expressions are just killing it ? he is very expressive he can act even without saying any word ❤️❤️ even the other actors Joseph and shun yao didn't disappoint me especially dang duobing ? i just like their chemistry the 3 of them are really handsome and funny too pleasant to my eyes.also the plot is really interesting i like that in every case there's alot of investigation to reval the truth and they work together to solve the mysterious case my li lianhua is so smart and both of fang duobing and di feisheng protect him
Ik it might be boring for some ppl to watch and know every detail of the the case but for me it's really interesting even though there's no romance it's still good. that's what it makes it an amazing drama it doesn't necessary rely and focus on romance and love just Martial arts World which really took my attention the cinematography of the fight scenes are just fire 🔥 and the plot is flowing nicely. I like the plot twist too i didn't really expect it 😍
❤️ looking forward for the next eps ❤️❤️❤️
I completed this drama and I'll definitely watch again it's absolutely the hest drama for 2023 🔥

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After dropping at ep 16 I restarted it again cause couldnt find ny other good drama to watch and I like wuxia drama
Let me make it straight compare to otehr wuxia drama this one is just average
it starts good but loses its temp in between
suddenly everything become illogical repetitive
specially in the middle that village where they meet cannibel's was completely lifter from MDZS /untamed the Yi city arc , same kind of village, misty dangling of bell, woman walking alone on desrted street , I was expecting even Lin Hua to cook a porridge
Feels like writer didnt have ny idea how to make it 40 episodes series
Acting wise Joseph zhang has impressed me. alot in an eagerly loving young boy and his loyalty to Li Lan Hua is commendable
Chengyi was better than all his previous drama
among females only that evil princess in red impress me
worst part all seniors make up was v bad some just have put one strip white hair as wig to look old but tehir face had no wrinkle and full makeup
I dont think i will rewatch it again

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Best drama, extradionary casts

This is the first time i wrote a review for any drama. This drama is a surprise for me. I saw it on you tube and decide to give it a try. Since then i got caught and can´t stop. Never once i fast forward . It really a refreshing to see a drama that is different from other drama. It about life journey and friendship while investigate all this weird cases. You laugh, angry, cry together with the characters. The feeling is real. It done beautifully and i would give a BIG applaud to all who involved in this production. Hats of to all the actors/ actresses esp. Cheng Yi, Jospeh Zeng and Xiao Shunyao. Cheng Yi is so amazing with his expression , body language and the way he talk. He is really a remarkable actor, a gem. He prefect for this character . I watched few of his dramas but this make me a fan. A new fan of him. A best drama so far in 2023.

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Seemingly lighthearted story of wasted lives

Great and enjoyable story where there are no heroes and mostly flawed humans even if you have your moustache twirling, maddly laughing, perpetually monologing villains. The fact that they made the celebrated Sigu sect populated with nothing but idiots and self-involved characters with LXY as their uncontested leader will forever be dear to my heart. Especially as they were all written as likeable or at least understandable.

I enjoyed most the slow peeling of layers of hero-worship that clouded the narrative - for the character and viewer alike. Considering the main motivation of the LXY is not being able to deal with said hero worship (and his perceived inability to fulfil it with healthy dash of burn-out wonderchild), that was very nicely done. This is also a reason why I wasnt annoyed about the fact that everybody was obssessed with our LXY. It was ridiculous but played nicely to the whole theme of hero worship, meeting expectations and child geniuses dealing with glitches.
LXY can´t deal with the whole thing and runs away to live a simple life. But no matter what, he cannot escape fame and his past, which ultimately results into his death (the irony is - the legends remains). On this note, I loved the dynamic between LXY and DFS (the guy in general) - for me it created an option of carefree future where LXY is alive and well, where he truly let go of his past (as opposite to the zen-like statements LLH is spewing all over the place whilst living in this own portable tomb). DFS is another prodigy who, contrary to LXY, has much healtier approach to his past traumas, i.e. confronting them. and dealing with them.
In this sense, him pestering LXY for another match is sort of... asking him to live and be f*cking less sucidal, to let go of the guilt and truly move on, i.e. not throwing everything away just because of one mistake. Unfortunatelly... LXY is and awfully stubborn and arrogant man, so - there goes the ending. (Side note: the little side-story about the two drinking-fighting budies was a nice mirror to this LXY-DFS motif).

You could watch it as a hero´s journey where the MC is FDB on his road to adulthood (it´s rather explicit) - which could be to some extent viewed as casting off the rose-coloured glasses. All his heroes are f*ck-ups, most of the adults are rather useless and the whole martial world is filled with selfish, scheming or just hurt and confused people. And the boy goes through a journey and grows up while magically protecting his bubbly personality, just somewhat temepered, Which is cool and plausible.
And then there is the ending. Our bubbly boy forever optimistic and... nothing had seemingly changed. We are back on the starting point where the legend lives and people who should live their lives keep pining for one scared and scarred person who is too wrapped up in past for anybody´s well-being (dont get me wrong, i like LXY and accept the validity of his issues, but he is a deeply flawed creature - which makes him so wonderful, i guess).

Side note to this - the whole show can be viewed just as a prolonged and higly aeshetized suicide, basically. LXY most of the show talks about letting go of the past but he is unable to do so when it comes to himself (no matter what he says). He gives great advice, just doesnt live according to it, as it usually happens.

The detective cases and their reasoning is sometimes awfully farfetched but given the genre, it´s not really that much of an issue. On the positive note, in the initial stories not everything was explained in various explanatory monologues, which was nice. Not that there were none, but at least initially they offered some clues to chase for the viewers first.

There are some tiresome parts in the later part of the story where they try to keep up the detective structure which doesnt add much to the supposedly rising tension of the story. The main consipracy was interesting especially for the emotional impact. The final siege got a bit ridiculous.

However, if you want to see strong or even interesting female characters, don´t botther with this story. I greatly appreciate that the past love interest had some agency, but it doesnt change the fact that all the female characters are written either as fawning over one of the three main guys or/and having no personality and agency aside from helping them. Main evil lady is obssessed with a man, another woman marries a person after couple of days to aledgedly piss of another guy, young girl plays the wikipedia role to impress the guy and so on, and so on. The only one who maintained some levelheadedness was always faithful to LXY and pops up usually just to resolve some administrative issue (especially at first).
Still, it is a good and enjoyablel show. Just watch it for the boys.

As for acting, music, visual apeal etc - all nice and withtout much issue. the cgi is sometimes slightly subpar but nothing to cause much bother.

To sum this unexpected rambling up - there are many annoying tropes in this show but despite that, it´s very enjoyable and good watch because of the story (so many fix-it musings, so many...), the slight subversion of certain tropes and mostly the characters.
It could be viewed as tragedy, hidden behind the grand schemes and light elegant tones. Same as LXY hides his own issues with jest and diversions and never speaks of them, the show never overanalyzes (or even explicitly states) many of the issues he or others face . Whether that is done because dwelling too much on such things would only cheapen them or to forcibly preserve the elegant and rosy image, that is up to interpretation.

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I need more

One of the best cdramas i've watched with amazing fight choreography. The choreographer and director really know how to film an exciting wuxia martial arts series. It actually reminded me of Ip Man a lot with the way the fight scenes were filmed. The sword fighting was beautiful I can't help replay them multiple times. Choreography reminded me of the live action version of Rurouni Kenshin. Fast sword work makes for a very satisfying fight. I hate it when they slow down the fight scenes(ahem immortal samsara).

A lot of wuxia and xianxia dramas the fight choreography mostly made up of flashy skills and sword glares and CGI but otherwise don't look particular skilled but chengyi did such a wonderful job with the overall choreo. The lines of his body extended beautifully in wide motions to give the illusion of skill and grace when fighting. I can't stop watching and rewatching those scenes. Especially when he uses a stick of bamboo and still dominated his opponents it was soooo satisfying to watch.

I actually clicked on this cdrama by accident and got hooked by chengyi's acting and now i'm a huge fan of his. The fact that he does the fight scenes himself is also admirable.

The one gripe i have about this series is that iT'S NOT ENOUGH i need a sequel and a happy ending and I feel like we really missed watching Li Xiangyi / Li Lianhua at full power. We got hints of it and a very very satisfying last boss fight at the end (again beautiful choreography it was like watching art) but it's not enough. I need more of his prowess, i want to see him recovered and go on with his nonsense. Throughout the series he was never at 100%. He was either poisoned or had one last burst of power before it faded. I want to know what his 100% looked like. And let Lao Di get his life's wish!!!

I also love that the romance wasn't the main trope and it wasn't overdone. It ended cleanly (more or less). Tho tbh i didn't need the romance at all. The cases, the fighting, the deadpan jokes and the bromance was more than enough to satisfy me endlessly.

Overall, i'm recommending this series to everyone i know. It's been a week since I finished it but It's just so good i had to get it off my chest.

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Masterpiece of a martial arts chinese drama

A wonderful heart warming series focused on heroism and the true spirit of the wuxia world. Let go of fame, power and the past. A great story with powerful acting, great action and flawless production. There's not much romance, but that's ok. The focus of the story is the solving of cases and bromance. The tropes are classic, but delivered so well. It's truly a one of a kind chinese drama. And as with many chinese dramas these days, the special episode is a must watch.

I personally thought the ending was fitting and true to the main character. A must watch!

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Best drama of 2023

Just completed it. Cheng yi looks extra handsome here. i loved this trio. They played their roles very very well. Story and every episodes case solving they nailed it. I really love this kind of wuxia drama where are enough fighting, comedy, pain everything is well combined and entertaining. Surely going to rewatch this again after a few weeks. Don't miss this drama if you like to watch wuxia dramas like me.

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