This review may contain spoilers
Realistic Portrayal of Anti-Trafficking Cases; No Sugar-Coating. Good Drama with a Shoddy Ending.
Originally wanted to watch for Reba stepping out of her comfort zone of pretty and taking a gritty role and it paid off. Also knew the ML and several supporting characters. This series was a heavy one but it was a very real portrayal of anti-trafficking cases, zilch sugarcoating. A good drama but sadly with a shoddy ending.Pros: For the first time in a long time it was the storyline and plots that took center stage not the actors themselves. Yes, they were important but they took a more sideline role here. The families, victims, the stories or abduction, captivity, abuse, sometimes torture, sometimes being sold more than once, release and reunion with family, which many a time took decades as the victims they focused on were children and women. You saw the absolute destruction of families when it happened, how they treated the anti-trafficking cops with panic and then rage which was very sad to see but understandable on both sides; families were frantic while the cops could only work when and if they got clues. Those didn't magically fall from the sky.
The FL or DY has childhood trauma of her own as she watched her best friend get kidnapped when she was no more than 8 years old. 24 some odd years later she still hasn't been found. That was why she joined the police force and eventually after getting successfully kidnapped on purpose and rescued, she was promoted to director of the anti-trafficking division. She also reconnected successfully with the mom of her kidnapped best friend who ran a simple noodle shop that doubled as a place where people with missing loved ones could come, pin their photos and write loving messages on the walls, they were also a community that held meetings where they branched out new ideas. As each case came along both sets joined in sorrow and gave the division something to work with. Turned out that they were essentially taking down a massive trafficking organization from the runner ants to finally the big boss (Cripple) himself at the end. It was he that kidnapped LR or DY's best friend and he had done it himself as his first time doing this.
Many were rescued or saved throughout but not without misery and sorrow. You really sometimes cried for these victims. Some were saved quickly, others not until decades later, and some were brought back no longer living but their families were still able to say their proper goodbyes. ML was a very enigmatic character who I'll speak more about in the cons but he did have his unfortunate realization that he lost his father who drowned saving a young boy who grew up to work as one of the middlemen for this trafficking organization. It took him a while but he finally was able to come to terms with it and decide that he in fact belonged following in his father's footsteps as a cop in this particular department. Sadly, we lost one officer and an elder on duty and that was a heavy hit for the department and viewers.
DY definitely was the brains but the team came together as a whole. There wasn't a time where they just sat there twirling their thumbs. Meanwhile the focus on the families was the most important and how they coped or didn't; divorce and even suicide was attempted, thankfully thwarted. Mom of LR was such an important part of the story and really the first case; she was the rallying force behind all families in the show. And her case was the last one solved. Every family and character, protagonist or antagonist were well portrayed; I can't think of one that was extra or unnecessary. The stories varied and many things felt unreal like even deaf and mute women were not off the table or because in poorer villages it seemed like they didn't know buying a human being was illegal. OSTs, small amount of makeup on everyone leads included made it more real. The twists in the story sometimes were pretty wild.
Cons: That ending made me pretty unhappy because DY and her friend's mom were the first case of this story and after everything they went through; the pain of 24 years of not knowing and than slowly inching closer, plus with the mom diagnosed with mid-stage Alzheimer's and starting to forget people and how she made her noodles causing one costumer to get sick because she put a cleaning solution in the noodles instead of what she thought was sugar. She even made the decision to go into a nursing home for proper care; so you would think once they found LR working in some field picking onions or greenery in some godforsaken village, they would have this amazing reunion; the three of them? Nope! DY called LR's name or nickname RanRan who picked up her head and smiled as she recognized the name and DY and than the camera panned away to a propaganda meeting where DY's division got an award and she made a speech where flashbacks of all the cases they solved and the families plus the officer they lost and her making some declaration about how they would keep working to bring more families back together. It was so unnecessary and made you feel cheated for the mom, DY, and LR! The entire show, there was barely any propaganda but now when it was the least needed, they packed it on and at the worst possible time. They could have had this wonderful reunion and than ended with a short ceremony in their office like they did the first time they got that award and then end out the show with flashbacks of everyone they saved with an OST. Why not? At least it would have done the three of them justice. This was just sad and inappropriate.
I had a problem with the ML; the man has virtually no expressions. He can be yelling or laughing and his face is frozen though his eyes do run around their sockets a lot. At first I thought when I saw him in Under the Skin that that's just his character but now I've noticed that nothing changes, even in real life when I saw him on an episode of Hi6. My assumption is that he's a high functioning autistic so these are the roles he takes. I do wish they had him practicing with the movement of his face more.
Felt the last few episodes were rushed as they were trying to get the rest of the rats caught in the net especially catching "Cripple" himself and his whole running for the border halfheartedly attempting to kidnap his supposed best friend's (whom he pushed off a building; dude lived, lord knows how) wife as he's obsessed with her, than holding her hostage at knifepoint and getting taken out by a SWAT sniper. Like what even? It was smooth going until those last few episodes, you could tell the pace picked up. It was still good up until this point and that BS ending.
Would I recommend it? Yes I would. Though the subject matter was heavy, it was also very hopeful. I'm proud of Reba here; she really played DY well and showed all of the proper emotions when needed. This was a realistic show and y'all should give it a shot.
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Sword Rose for a Mainstream Award
I'm a passerby and this drama is unusual for me. The story and acting/casting is top notch. I'm new to cdramas and have only ever been watching idol dramas, but I find this more interesting and captivating... the rewatch value is high. The beautiful and famous Dilraba is exceptionally good in this kind of genre. She's a great actress cos I'm seeing Deng Yan and not her. The supporting characters are superb and the director is insane. I hope it gets nominated for Mainstream award even though it's a very low budget drama (I heard), has little to zero promotion and not favoured by international cdrama fans.Was this review helpful to you?
strong start! intense first 15 minutes that pull you right in
At first I was only going to watch a few minutes to see if I would like this drama to my to watch list but the first 15 minutes just pulled you right in and having you look until the end of the first episode without realizing it’s finished and you’re clicking on episode two that’s how good it is.the cast is doing an amazing job!
fyi - so far not one hint of romances but the show is so good that you don’t even need it.
I’ve only finished the first 4 episodes. Let’s hope they keep up the good story telling
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Amazing show highlighting the impact of trafficking
Wow, loved the show. The story and cast are amazing and kept me interested throughout. I appreciate that they solved any "loose ends" at the end, though I think a longer last episode would have been better so that it would have a bigger emotional impact. Music was a little repetitive at times, and this isn't a "comfort" show, hence why I rated rewatch value lower. Strongly recommend watching, it does show the impact of trafficking on the victim and the victim's family.Was this review helpful to you?
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Great Actors, Bad Writing
I want to start with that the show actually started out really strong but declined a lot because of bad writing and scene balancing. I understand that they wanted to emphasize on the victims and families and not the police work but the priorities and balancing of scenes were still very off. Like I was waiting for them to solve that main case and then we got no reunion in the end??? Instead we had so many boring and way too long scenes of side characters that added nothing to the overall story. Like sorry, but after the 10th times of watching the villain drinking his wine for literally minute after minute of precious screentime, I know by now that he is an alcoholic. Why don't give this time to the actual "main character" to give them more depth? And yes, I'm using quotes cuz both of them could have benfitted from way more screentime. I'm especially angry about how bad the interrogation scenes were handled writing wise. They were written by someone who did not do their homework about interrogations.... anyway...That being said, every actor was really good, despite the writing flaws!!! Especially Zhang Jian Xin.... just wow. I cried a few times because it was really touching. Just from watching the trailer and also seeing the cover, I had different expectations of the series. I was sad that Jin Shijia barely had screen time and that his character barely had any story. I guess coming from “Under the Skin” I had higher expectations, especially towards the story writing. But it was still lovely to see him, even if his character was mostly used as pretty background decoration T_T (like seriously guys, you cast him and then not use this brilliant actor? why?) When he had scenes though, he was brilliant as always. So yeah acting wise the show had a lot to offer, but the writing... oof. I also appreciated that there was no romance! We need more strong female leads with no romance story! (but give them more screentime!)
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A strong drama, but the ending could be better
This drama tackles a very important yet rarely discussed topic in China – human trafficking, specifically the abduction of children and young women. The story follows police officer Hua Dengyan, who becomes the director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Office. Together with her team, she investigates missing persons cases, working to track down a figure known only as “Cripple,” the mastermind behind a regional trafficking network.For Dengyan, the mission is not just professional but deeply personal: twenty years earlier, “Cripple” abducted her friend Ranran right before her eyes. That event left a lasting scar and has driven her ever since to bring every missing person home and return their stolen life.
The first half of the drama is particularly strong. The portrayal of the Anti-Human Trafficking Office feels realistic—this isn’t one of those shows where the lead (à la Dilireba) single-handedly solves every case while others merely assist. Here, every team member plays a vital role in solving the cases. The structure also departs from the usual detective/police drama formula, where a new case begins only after the last one is resolved. Instead, several cases are investigated simultaneously, reflecting real police work more closely.
The cases themselves are brutal, emotional, and deeply affecting. It’s disturbing to see how cruel people can be, and at times it was painful to watch—yet it never felt gratuitous, and I know the real world can be far worse. Despite the darkness, there’s always a glimmer of hope. I think it’s important for dramas to shed light on such issues and foster empathy and understanding for the victims.
Unfortunately, towards the end, the storytelling becomes a bit sloppy, and the finale left me disappointed. I would have preferred a proper reunion scene between Ranran, her mother Miss Zhang, and Dengyan—perhaps even a flashback montage showing everyone they managed to bring home. Instead, we got an unnecessary propaganda speech that broke the emotional flow.
One thing I appreciated was the complete absence of romance. This kept the focus entirely on the cases and the victims’ stories, which I think made the drama stronger. My favorite subplot was the case of lawyer Sun and his missing son—it was especially moving.
The cast delivered solid performances overall. They looked and felt like ordinary people you might pass on the street—no superhuman abilities, no over-the-top fight scenes, minimal makeup. The only weak point for me was Jin Shijia’s character, Chang Rui; at times, he felt like an unnecessary addition.
Despite its flaws, I truly enjoyed this show and would recommend it to anyone interested in a realistic, emotionally charged crime drama that isn’t afraid to address difficult truths.
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It's rare
I'm watching this drama because of Dilraba.I'm her fan.At first I'm never expecting much.Because of it's plot.A story about police fighting a human trafficking syndicate.Who would have thought,it's totally hook me.This is not just a typical police story but also emotions it's bring.I'm on ep 18 and still not seen any romantic kind of feeling develop from lead or supporting actors. No pretty dresses,no heavy make-up..no high heal..no rich ceo male..nothing like that..but trust me..it really worth to watch it.
This is a drama that tell a story about something that really happen.in real live.the struggle to find a lost love one,,the hope to find them safe and alive even after years they were taken..all this make this drama on of the kind.
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What A Good Investigation But Should've Been Better
This is exactly my type of drama — thriller, investigation, and zero romance. It’s actually my first Dilraba drama, and I’m not gonna lie, it’s good. The intensity is on point for this genre, and the cast? Not a single disappointment. Everyone delivered their roles perfectly.Some cases really stuck with me, like Lawyer Sun’s. The man who adopted his son was a genuinely good elder, and the boy couldn’t bear to leave his adoptive grandpa. It broke me a little seeing Lawyer Sun let his own son live with the adoptive father instead of him. Then there’s Xiao Xing’s case — equally heartbreaking.
But… I can’t ignore the flaws. Some cases felt like they were cut short. One moment I’m invested in a big, high-stakes investigation, then suddenly it’s solved without us seeing how they got there. Meanwhile, smaller, less important cases get the full intense treatment. It’s like the priorities got flipped.
And don’t even get me started on the ending. I’ve been waiting for Mrs. Zhang and Lin Ran’s reunion the entire time, only for it not to happen. That’s the case I was dying to see resolved — especially after showing Mrs. Zhang patiently waiting for her daughter. Honestly, I felt a little scammed. This drama deserved at least 33 episodes to wrap everything up.
Still, flaws aside, if you’re into thrillers like me, this is highly recommendable. Just be ready to feel both satisfied and mildly robbed at the same time.
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The noble fight continues
Set in 2009 Linshan in China, this series depicts a small anti-trafficking police team's efforts to uncover a sex/child trafficking operation. The drama shines when it focuses on the realistic portrayal of police work and the raw, devastating emotional toll on the police and victims and their families. Unfortunately, it cannot fully shake off some of its more melodramatic tendencies (particularly at the end) or the rah-rah support for the police that really is not necessary given the already huge amount of pathos the human stories hold for the audience. Still, I enjoyed it for allowing Dilraba to be in a very different kind of role (at least of late). Additionally, many of the guest/supporting characters (including the child actors) were outstanding.Was this review helpful to you?
A Bold Take on Society’s Dark Truths
The plot of Sword Rose was truly inspiring, shining a light on societal issues we often overlook, such as abduction and corruption. The female lead’s performance stood out her ability to express emotion with depth and clarity made the audience connect to the pain and struggles faced by many families. Her portrayal carried a sense of empathy and strength that gave the series authenticity.However, as the episodes progressed, the main male lead’s character became less engaging, which slowed the momentum. Still, the supporting cast, especially those in the anti-abduction department, added meaningful layers to the story and helped reinforce the central theme. The narrative was well-structured and reflective, though the ending fell short of expectations.
Overall, the series delivered a strong message and impactful storytelling, despite a few weak spots in execution.
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A Seminal Work for Dilraba, a Landmark Project for an Industry & Society
For the legion of people across the globe who have long recognized and appreciated Dilraba's exceptional talent, brilliant intellect, purity of character and tenacity of spirit, the resounding and transformative success of Sword Rose was a long-expected inevitability. In terms of acting, topic, plot, and presentation, Dilraba and her collaborators have set a new standard and benchmark for entertainment that is both engaging and socially conscious. I will continue to elaborate as I watch future episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
