Unmissable for dark crime/thriller fans
Despite not being a stranger to the genre having seen plenty of kdramas (such as Sherlock, Sketch, Taxi Driver and Signal), The Truth Within happens to be my first Chinese crime/thriller drama.
Since having discovered Luo Yunxi thanks to TTEOTM, I had secretly hoped he would choose a thriller project someday (and a villain role in a modern project!) but didn't think that wish would be fulfilled so quickly - it's safe to say it did NOT DISSAPOINT.
It's been a long time since I binged a drama - even the best ones begs a slower watch at times. It wasn't so much about the action, which is reserved for the final explosive two episodes towards the finale, but it was the moments of absolute reflective quiet that draws the viewer in like bugs to a spider's cocoon. This is one of the strong highlights of Bojian.
Before you know it, you've been ensnared. 5 episodes are past you, and you've discovered another gem in Cdrama world.
What strikes Bojian different than the other crime works is the sheer creativity of each case relating to the Raw Diamond mystery, which remains as a larger, unresolved picture throughout the drama. Each victim and concept evokes the extremeties of both gut-lurching horror and reluctant fascination from the viewer, exploring the bounds of immorality humans are more than capable of.
The perpetrators and cases are fantastic in drawing a blend of thought provoking themes including moral ambiguity, grief, reasoning, justice and psychology. It ties all nicely together once the pattern is recognised. There are some taboo themes associated with some that are worth the praise for its inclusivity.
It's one thing to guess the perpertrators, and another layer of complexity behind how the crime was carried out. It's truly a feast for those who love mysteries, whodunnits, and analysing human behaviour.
There was a particular scene in EP16 where it was apparent Luo Yunxi's quiet voice adds an extra layer to the nail biting suspense, making the registration of what he is implying in an interrogation sequence far more foreboding and chilling than if he had shouted. It goes without saying his screen presence is immaculate, and in that few minutes it was like the feeling of watching the first scene of TTEOTM all over again, where the subtleties in his performance commands one's attention. I can assume it only appears as an effortless feat to those with no performance knowledge.
However that is not to say Bojian is without minor flaws. The drama is suprisingly shorter than anticipated, and the truth behind Fei's accident was underwhelming personally - it felt too clear cut and quick without specificities. Hence resolving the case felt too abrupt despite its full closure.
The drama ended up breaking my usual no-binge routine. The dark atmosphere, the slow, mellow music paired with undertones of depravity, and the ultimate hunger for truth makes it difficult to pull away from the story. Despite the flaws and hiccup with pacing at the final runs to Ep21, it's well worth the watch.
Since having discovered Luo Yunxi thanks to TTEOTM, I had secretly hoped he would choose a thriller project someday (and a villain role in a modern project!) but didn't think that wish would be fulfilled so quickly - it's safe to say it did NOT DISSAPOINT.
It's been a long time since I binged a drama - even the best ones begs a slower watch at times. It wasn't so much about the action, which is reserved for the final explosive two episodes towards the finale, but it was the moments of absolute reflective quiet that draws the viewer in like bugs to a spider's cocoon. This is one of the strong highlights of Bojian.
Before you know it, you've been ensnared. 5 episodes are past you, and you've discovered another gem in Cdrama world.
What strikes Bojian different than the other crime works is the sheer creativity of each case relating to the Raw Diamond mystery, which remains as a larger, unresolved picture throughout the drama. Each victim and concept evokes the extremeties of both gut-lurching horror and reluctant fascination from the viewer, exploring the bounds of immorality humans are more than capable of.
The perpetrators and cases are fantastic in drawing a blend of thought provoking themes including moral ambiguity, grief, reasoning, justice and psychology. It ties all nicely together once the pattern is recognised. There are some taboo themes associated with some that are worth the praise for its inclusivity.
It's one thing to guess the perpertrators, and another layer of complexity behind how the crime was carried out. It's truly a feast for those who love mysteries, whodunnits, and analysing human behaviour.
There was a particular scene in EP16 where it was apparent Luo Yunxi's quiet voice adds an extra layer to the nail biting suspense, making the registration of what he is implying in an interrogation sequence far more foreboding and chilling than if he had shouted. It goes without saying his screen presence is immaculate, and in that few minutes it was like the feeling of watching the first scene of TTEOTM all over again, where the subtleties in his performance commands one's attention. I can assume it only appears as an effortless feat to those with no performance knowledge.
However that is not to say Bojian is without minor flaws. The drama is suprisingly shorter than anticipated, and the truth behind Fei's accident was underwhelming personally - it felt too clear cut and quick without specificities. Hence resolving the case felt too abrupt despite its full closure.
The drama ended up breaking my usual no-binge routine. The dark atmosphere, the slow, mellow music paired with undertones of depravity, and the ultimate hunger for truth makes it difficult to pull away from the story. Despite the flaws and hiccup with pacing at the final runs to Ep21, it's well worth the watch.
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