Ripe Town Reviews

The film has a fantastic quality to it, although the overall tone is slightly dark. The first three episodes introduce the concept of the ancient yamen being composed of the "Three Classes and Six Houses," which consist of the Fast Class, Strong Class, and Soap Class, as well as the influential practices of "fang xing" and "da xing" in the folk.
The pacing is good and very realistic, and the character designs are not superficial. Each character has their own bright and dark sides.

The Chinese title of the drama is "繁城之下," and its English title is "ripetown." "Ripe" signifies maturity, richness, and the kind of fruit that is close to rotting.
Beneath the facade of the prosperous Jiangnan town lies a tragic metaphor of "watching him build tall buildings, and watching them collapse.

I feel like this drama isn't working. The plot is dry and dull, lacking engagement. The storyline feels scattered, and the pace is a bit slow. It lacks hooks to keep viewers interested, and the atmosphere of suspense and mystery is inadequate.
I'm not fond of the color tone filters used, and the portrayal of the lives and diverse characters of ordinary people fails to captivate. Bai Yu Fan doesn't quite carry the weight either. The so-called depiction of the mundane is not enough to make me continue watching.
I'm somewhat disappointed.

The first episode was a bit too boring, and it felt like a haphazard and repetitive account. Oh my, that performance by Zeng Li when she found out Leng Bu Tou died, it was so awkward.
It was the first time I felt her acting was really poor. Liu Yi Tong's role seemed to be injecting humor into the dullness, but it felt somewhat forced and out of place.
Bai Yu Fan was dull from beginning to end, exceptionally flat and uninteresting. Ning Li is truly suited for eccentric roles. Overall, the pacing and storyline just didn't captivate the audience.

Ning Li's acting skills are still masterful, and Bai Yu Fan's performance is also very good. The plot has a comfortable pace, not too fast but engaging.
The color tone has a lower saturation, which is a feeling I like. The slightly heavy story occasionally has a touch of dark humor. If they continue at this level, it could be the fourth excellent Chinese drama after "The Long Season," "Roaring Waves," and "Lotus Tower" this year.
It has reignited my hope for Chinese dramas.

It's not a groundbreaking epic, just a story set in the Wanli era involving the unexpected death of a small shop owner and the resulting entanglement of people.
Characters come and go seemingly unrelated, but the screenwriter cleverly weaves them together. I really enjoy this refreshing yet solid storytelling approach.
Additionally, the composed camera work, traditional Chinese visuals, and vivid set designs in the scenes are truly a breath of fresh air and make it one of the standout works of the year.

After watching the first three episodes, I feel that it's pretty good. The pacing is great, and there aren't too many unnecessary lines. The production design and attention to detail are impressive, and the editing is also okay.
The male lead seems to be a serious and growth-oriented character, fortunately not too foolish. The two storylines feel a bit formulaic with a revenge plot, but they might take a more sociopolitical direction later on.
I hope it doesn't end poorly, so I'll continue watching and see how it develops.

As a fan of the genre, there are too few original historical suspense dramas. Initially, I thought it would be just average, but I was moved by the sincerity of the production team.
The production quality is excellent, and the visuals are pleasing. The storyline expands from the main plot to old cases, providing explanations for each type of death. The script lays a solid foundation, and it deserves high praise.

Is the male lead a connected insider? Zombie-like expression, emotionless delivery of lines, and he turns out to be the main character. It feels like some young actors gathered together to recite lines, and coincidentally, the lines are somewhat in classical Chinese.
This torment is truly top-notch, too pure. No matter how brilliant the script may be in the future, I really can't continue to endure it.

Finally aired! Ancient costume suspense, realistic set design, delicate texture, grayish tones, a heavy story background, exploring the themes of sin and humanity between virtue and morality, with a touch of playful contrast in the characters' personalities and reactions.
Not bad.

The third episode is hard to watch without getting suspicious... This drama's style is a combination of coldness and humor.

It's really good. The removal of the ancient costumes adds depth, and the story set in a small county explores broader societal and cultural aspects. The scale is not small... However, the male lead has a good appearance and his acting is fairly accurate, but unfortunately, his physique is too thin and weak...
Why is it that I see a drama filled with intricate details and a fast-paced plot, but during the period of watching, it's constantly criticized for being slow-paced? Even before the long-awaited climax of the season, the screen was filled with criticism...

The pacing is just too slow. How can a period suspense drama lack any sense of suspense? They start investigating a case and then divert to talk about other random things, making the pacing disjointed...
The deaths of each character also lack any excitement. It's neither thrilling nor suspenseful. Each episode lacks thrilling twists, and I find myself watching it at 1.5 times the speed, the same as other dramas at normal speed.
Xiang Han Zhi's appearance is like that of a maid, they really shouldn't act in period dramas anymore...

Lu Zhi, to be honest, is a bit too clever for his own good. He lacks worldly experience and believes he can manipulate everyone to his advantage. In the end, it's likely that he harmed both others and himself. He's like a replica of Song Gongming!
I don't like the character Qu San Geng either. It feels a bit detached from reality, and I think it would be better if Yin Zheng played the role.

There are very few suspense dramas that I lose interest in after just two episodes, but "Beneath the Bustling City" managed to do it. The director's lack of skill is evident, with a terrible pacing and a boring plot that lacks suspense.
And I don't know if it's Bai Yu Fan's lack of intelligence or acting ability, but he seems completely out of sync with the rest of the cast.

A period suspense drama that exudes charm. This is the first one of the year. The visuals combine some techniques from traditional Chinese painting, with just the right amount of white space and compact framing. The character development is multi-faceted, with a touch of Chinese flavor, blurring the lines between good and evil.
It's been a while since I've enjoyed such high-quality storytelling.

The scene where Sangeng visits the master's house after the incident was filmed brilliantly. The dialogue, lighting, color tones, costumes, and set design—all of these elements worked together to propel the story forward and create a cohesive whole.
This concise yet exquisite scene was enough to make me want to continue watching.

In the next couple of years, we'll probably see a wave of TV dramas with high literary value but low story appeal, where most of the energy is wasted on recreating historical details. The best representative of this trend is "The Long Seasons." Often, there's just a thin line between the grandeur of an era and the mediocrity of that era, and that's how they manage to receive high ratings on platforms like Douban.

I have watched many dramas by Ning Li before, and I really liked them! This time is no exception; it lives up to my expectations! The drama recommended by Peng You is truly fantastic!
The plot is tight, and the actors' performances are excellent! The color palette is refreshing, and as a suspense drama, it doesn't drag on. Every scene has a deeper meaning behind it!

It turns out that Song Chen personally experienced all those torturous execution methods while he was imprisoned. Such a talented genius, with vast knowledge, was completely erased. It's pitiful and tragic. Even after he returns to his position, he doesn't take much of the allowance provided by the court.
He is both righteous and kind, which makes him even more endearing.

The aesthetics of the Ming Dynasty are fully represented in the set design and the dialogue is also quite good. The male lead truly embodies the perspective of an ordinary constable, constantly experiencing the collapse and rebuilding of his beliefs...
When I saw the male lead apprehending someone and venting his frustrations, it felt as if I heard his master say, "You finally resemble a real constable now." Goosebumps instantly appeared.

After watching the scenes of Song Dianshi in the prison, I revisited the iconic moments of Li Fengtian. Through this comparison, I realized that although both characters are cunning, they have significant differences.
Li Fengtian's eyes exude the feeling of a psychopath who doesn't care about anyone's life and can explode at any moment. On the other hand, the fierceness in Song Dianshi's eyes is a resentful hatred towards villains.
Ning Li's versatility is remarkable; they deserve an award!

I really love the realistic filming style in the drama. The texture is fantastic. The tranquil and damp water towns of Jiangnan are portrayed beautifully. But as the creators have mentioned, it's like a ripe fruit on the verge of rotting, hiding how many worms within?
Compared to the long seasons, the multi-threaded storytelling and the intricate foreshadowing can be quite cryptic. It's a challenging aspect that makes it difficult to captivate the audience, but personally, I quite enjoy it.
The only thing is that I can't afford to be distracted while watching.

It's really good, even though the editing style may confuse people at the beginning of each episode, making them think they missed one. But overall, it's still very good. The suspense and the design of certain plot points and dialogue are well done!
Zhi Xian is actually Zong Jun Tao, and his mannerisms are so familiar, but his face is really hard to recognize.

Originally, I wasn't fond of watching period suspense dramas. However, when I saw that Ning Li was involved and considering the lack of other options, I casually gave it a try.
It turns out, it's not just the young heartthrobs who can deliver, as this drama has an excellent script despite being only 12 episodes long. The length of each episode is quite substantial, giving it a cinematic quality.
The plot is genuinely well-crafted and aligns perfectly with my taste.

The scene of Lin's mother's death strangely gives me a feeling of eerie yet aesthetic beauty... The luxurious and beautiful fabrics surround a beautiful and graceful body. On the screen, there's a red phrase that says, "In one's youth, when passions run high, beware of indulgence in desire." It's ironic that a sentence about abstaining from desire appears in a brothel setting...
The contrasting atmosphere created is absolutely stunning.

The intricate and mysterious plot makes me unconsciously analyze who the culprit is, with characters intertwining between the past and present. No one is definitively good or bad; human nature exists in a certain gray area.
There are many plot elements that draw parallels to current events, which I really enjoy. The young actor who plays Lu Zhi has a lot of charisma and spirit.

Finished watching it in two days, and I feel like the rating is a bit inflated. It started off strong but fizzled out quickly. There were too many unnecessary plot developments that gave the impression of wanting to expand but being constrained by the limited 12 episodes, resulting in a mishmash of plotlines.

Additionally, the later twists lacked sufficient foreshadowing in the earlier episodes.

1. The suspense is commendable. The connection between the murder cases and ancient texts is very intriguing, and the method of posing questions while decrypting is unique.

2. Each character has their own highlights. The actions and behaviors of both officials and civilians are logically sound, and the settings feel realistic.

3. The plot is the main focus. Each aspect of the case is intricately connected, and the pace of solving the cases is fast, with a wealth of information.

The choices and joys and sorrows of ordinary people beneath the vast and chaotic web of fate. The atmosphere of the bustling mortal world, the people confined to the mundane, I have to say the quality is impeccable.
Who would have thought that the screenwriter and director were not even originally from the film and television industry? "Justice is a long and winding road." The best C-drama of the month, without a doubt.

The genre of ancient costume detective is relatively rare, so I approached this drama with a judgmental attitude. In various aspects, it was acceptable to me. The story was engaging, and the actors didn't make me want to skip ahead.
However, it would have been better if the veteran actors had more prominent roles. The visuals and composition were indeed very pleasing.

It's still unknown whether Lu Zhi will turn out to be the ultimate culprit. If he does, I would feel quite regretful. He had once harbored good intentions, but repeated disappointments and mockery due to his background pushed him onto an extremist path.
Perhaps, this is just human nature.

It started off well, but I feel like the writers and directors tried to convey too much, and there's a high probability of things falling apart later on. Nowadays, most writers and directors are ambitious but lack the necessary talent.
I hope they prove me wrong. I find it hard to accept the merging of Tang Yin's experiences with Song Chen. It feels very presumptuous, as historically, talented scholars had corrupt officials and greedy bureaucrats, but the concept of a "cool and upright official" feels a bit far-fetched.

In addition to the suspenseful atmosphere, the fact that people from all walks of life can be seen in this drama is a major plus. Many previous suspense dramas have focused their perspectives on the upper class, but Fancheng's focus on ordinary people provides a strong sense of identification for the audience.
Especially, some of the interpersonal relationships depicted are very realistic, and it's always the people who make the cases, making the human nature the captivating aspect of the cases.