Qian Yuan (2025)

Requires your full attention to follow along, but has Excellent acting by the cast.

Watching “Abyss Dweller” is all because I want to see Huang Xiao Ming again and it’s been a while since I last watched a somewhat serious Republican drama (those mini dramas and verticals don’t count..LOL). Halfway through the drama, I start to question if I have made the wrong decision. It’s not because it’s a bad drama per se, it’s just not my kind of Republican drama.

Plot/Pacing
The first couple episodes were jam packed with action when the male lead was introduced. We have a male lead who lost his memory and throughout the drama, he’s trying to figure out who he is. Liang Shuo (ML) was confused and I was confused WITH him. It was quite a disorientating process as he tries to navigate and remember where his allegiance belongs. It’s not until he was ‘discovered’ after being a superhero, do I feel like I got the grasp of what happened. Then the next 10 episodes were interesting and exciting. However, the action slows down with more talking and less fighting. Towards the second half, the pacing slows. I needed some action scenes to cut through the scheming and lies, talking and meeting. This whole drama requires all my brain cells to stay focused, especially with the back-and-forth switches of Mandarin and Japanese. Unfortunately, I became really bored in the last 7-10 episodes and really was just powering through because I want to finish it. The ending though…. That last episode was so unrealistic - the big event, the fights, the amount of people executing, the aftermath. The most unrealistic thing that can happen in this drama is that last scene.

Acting
Huang Xiao Ming did not disappoint. After a disappointing watch of his character (and ugly makeup) in “Alliance”, I am so glad to see him again in this role. He was awesome, as with everyone in the cast. The biggest selling point of “Abyss Dweller” is the acting, especially with such a veteran cast. I feel all of their emotions as they’re speaking their lines. Hey, no dubbing for the Chinese-speakers!

Romance
What romance? Don’t go looking for it! LOL. There isn’t even a slight romance. The characters are too busy focusing on the big and important task at hand and have no time expressing their feelings. I think this might be the only Republican drama that I can say there’s no romance at all, not even a small sub plot. However, that doesn’t mean Huang Xiao Ming does not have good chemistry with Karlina Zhang or Jian Ren Zi.

Other Relationships
Even though there’s no romance, the relationships/bonds between other characters are good. I enjoy the brotherhood between Liang Shuo and Cui Mo, the frenemies relationship between Liang Shuo and Lu Xi, and the chemistry between Japanese officer Ping Tian Xi Zi and Liang Shuo. Despite liking these connections, I feel that compared to other similar dramas I’ve watched, “Abyss Dweller” is not giving me enough ‘feels’ to care deeply about the characters as people. I also felt that I am missing the camaraderie between the officers. Usually, these are the bonds that stick out to me in a Republic drama, but it’s lacking here.

Propaganda
It should be no surprise that this drama is full of people dying for their beliefs and causes. It doesn’t matter if the character’s allegiance is to the Communist Party or Kuomintan, Chinese will sacrifice everything to fight the Japanese. If you don’t like this hero/martyr mentality, it’s best not to watch this drama.

Production
I am so glad that the actors are not dubbed (at least the Chinese characters). The experienced cast really brought their A-game and if this drama is dubbed, it would be a travesty. I am not sure how accurately the Japanese is spoken, but I do find them sounding realistic, especially with the accents switching from Japanese to Chinese and vice versa. The sets, costumes, designs look appropriate and natural. I can’t deny I really like seeing Huang Xiao Ming in suits. The fight scenes are OK. They are not the worst and not the best. There are a few green screens that are really obvious and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy “Abyss Dweller” as much as I had hoped for. The lack of romance (and I wasn’t even expecting much) and inability for me to care for the characters as people, are two big factors. I totally acknowledge this is a “ME” problem. If you enjoy historical events during that time and the political struggles, this might be the perfect drama for you.


Completed: 7/14/2025 Review #602

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