I am Nobody 2 (人之下之决战! 碧游村) Chinese drama review

In the second season of I Am Nobody, our heroes Zhang Chulan and Feng Bao Bao are tasked with capturing a rogue “temporary worker”: Chen Duo, who killed her handler.

However, she is being protected by the head of a mysterious village, which appears to be a haven for people with manufactured superpowers.

Characters

Zhang Chulan (played by Peng Yuchang): Zhang Chulan tries to pretend he’s just a “nobody” but he has actually inherited a much-coveted cultivation technique.

Feng Baobao (played by Wang Yinglu): A skilled Outsider with a deep connection to Zhang Chulan whose entire existence is a dangerous secret.

Wang Ye (played by Hou Minghao): A calm and powerful Outsider. He becomes entangled in the conflicts of Biyou Village while grappling with his own moral dilemmas.

Chen Duo (played by Wen Qi): A former task force employee who turns rogue, Chen Duo’s actions spark a chain of events that reveal dark secrets within the Outsider’s world.

Ma Xianhong (played by Yin Fang): The enigmatic leader of Biyou Village, Ma Xianhong harbours grand ambitions and a dangerous plan to alter the balance of power among the Outsiders.

Xiao Zizai (played by Yan Yikuan): The calm, bespectacled Outsider is both powerful and extremely efficient at hunting down enemies.

Lao Meng (played by Pan Binlong): A mild-mannered but seasoned Outsider with a complicated past tied to Chen Duo.

Liao Zhong (played by Zhao Da): The late head of the Southwest Region, Liao Zhong’s murder sets the story in motion, revealing deeper conflicts within the Inhuman community.

Zhuge Qing (played by Luo Zheng): The heir of Wuhou Qimen, Zhuge Qing faces personal and external trials in Biyou Village, ultimately confronting his inner demons.

What I liked

The drama is hilarious, yet it also delivers a profound, moving message about trust, camaraderie and agency.

The temporary workers were initially suspicious of each other, trained to distrust and kept isolated by their company. I expected a major showdown between them, but the story surprised me by delivering a heartwarming message.

The humor is another thing I loved about I Am Nobody. Its over-the-top brand of comedy could easily fall flat if mishandled, but the cast just does it so well. The special effects are also impressive, and Chen Duo’s actor, Wen Qi, delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance.

What I didn’t like

Near the end, there’s an abrupt info dump from Chulan, where he rattles off his actions in a way that feels disconnected from the show’s usual “show, don’t tell” storytelling. It’s a small misstep in an otherwise stellar drama. I honestly wondered why it even happened. Did the scriptwriters suddenly feel lazy?

Thoughts about the ending

It was an ending I really didn’t expect. I honestly thought our team would end up tearing each other apart because, after all, each had their own agenda.

However, they surprisingly united in a show of compassion as they watch Chen Duo choose death after years of terrible pain and suffering.

Despite the manipulation of their superiors, and their dangerous abilities and distrustful natures, they still formed genuine bonds, and that defied all my expectations.

Conclusion

I Am Nobody is a rare, well-executed urban fantasy from China, packed with hyperkinetic energy and emotional depth. It’s a bright spark of innovation in a CDrama landscape dominated by costumed dramas and modern romances.

Despite its short runtime, it delivers a powerful punch, proving that strong storytelling doesn’t need endless episodes. A beautiful, unusual drama that stands out in every way.

Story: Fast-paced, innovative and hilarious, it packs a lot of punch in a short number of episodes.
Acting: Pretty good overall!
Costumes and sets: Average.
Camerawork: Above average.
Rewatchability: High

Final rating: 9

The Princess’ Gambit (桃花映江山) Chinese drama review

To save her brother, Princess Jiang Taohua of Beiyuan offers herself as a bride in a political marriage to the Qi Kingdom.

Though born royalty, she is more prisoner than princess. Her entourage is not there to serve her but to guard her, and she is dogged by countless assassins.

In a twist of fate, she finds herself compelled to marry the formidable Shen Zaiye, a man widely feared for his ruthlessness and deep involvement in Qi’s power struggles.

Furious at being deceived into marriage, Shen Zaiye grows wary of his new concubine—especially when he discovers she is no pampered princess, but a woman with a Machiavellian cunning that can match his. Is she his most dangerous enemy, or his most perfect partner?

Characters

Shen Zaiye (Liu Xueyi): The ruthless and cruel “left” chancellor of the Qi Kingdom. Hated by the royal family and noble houses, but highly favoured by the emperor.

Jiang Taohua (Meng Ziyi): The princess of Beiyuan Kingdom. Ordered by the Queen of Beiyuan to marry into the Qi royal family to secure peace. (No, to act as a spy!)

Mu Wuyin (Gao Han): The Fourth Prince of Qi. He is not favoured by the King of Qi, appearing isolated in the power struggles of the court.

Meng Zhenzhen (Liu Lingzhi): Shen Zaiye’s legal wife who has a kind and demure facade, but is a hidden viper of the Meng family planted next to Zaiye.

Mu Wuxia (Bian Cheng): A member of one of the princes and as shady as they come.

Xiang Qingying: Shen Zaiye’s sister. While she enjoys traveling the world as a hero, she can be quite naive.

What I liked

• Liu Xueyi’s acting, of course! Now, it would’ve been perfect if they had allowed him to use his original voice.
• I also admire the quiet restraint of Liu Lingzhi’s character, Meng Zhen Zhen, a conflicted schemer trapped by her duty to the clan. Great actress, and hope she gets more roles.
• The cinematography is above average. There is no heavy use of filters nor overly bright sets, so the drama is beautiful to look like.
• The costumes, which are made by the same stylists for the drama Kill Me Love Me, are beautiful.

What I didn’t like

• It was really, really tough getting used to Liu Xueyi’s dubbed voice. Liu Xueyi is one of those actors whom you really shouldn’t dub because he’s just that good. While the voice actor was not bad, he doesn’t hit the same emotional highs and tensions like Liu Xueyi can. (We know that he did those lines better as the trailers were dubbed by Liu Xueyi.)
• Oddly, for such a fast-paced drama, I found it difficult to really get into the drama. As a person who is more interested in character development than twisty plots, this could be the reason. I couldn’t connect with the characters in the first 8 episodes. They seem more like chest pieces than actual people.
• There was a lack of chemistry between Zaiye and Taohua … most probably because there were so few moments of emotional intimacy or vulnerabilities between the two. And this is probably due to …
• The story literally fell off the cliff after Taohua … fell off a cliff. But after that, the plot got stuck for 10 very long episodes in one spot with our characters going in circles, stuck in a tangle of misunderstandings. And we’re forced to endure …
• Excessive side-plots of supporting characters we don’t really care about. Case in point: Qingying, a paper-thin character who barely has any history or personality. And a very long story of the third prince and Empress Lu of Beiyuan.
• The last eight episodes was a mess of rushed and illogical plots. Even the set-up is illogical. For example, we get characters travelling one foreign country to another in mere days. And maybe I’m being pedantic, but I can’t get over the fact that Taohua travelled, on foot, to a dusty, dessert city, in an expensive hanfu, her head full of golden, dangling jewellery, her make-up perfect. How she was not robbed on the way to the desolate city, is a huge wonder.

Thoughts about the ending

Well, what can I say? It is a happy ending according to the script, which said that they “lived happily till the end of their days”, but it was shot in a way that could lead to some people thinking that it’s a dream, or in heaven or something. But since it ended like the script (though with some weird jokes from Qingtao edited out, thank god) I, like most of Chinese social media, believes it’s a happy ending.

But would it kill them to show us a happy montage of them in their new, simple lives in the mountains like they fantasized throughout the drama? That’s what we want the most after so much turmoil.

Conclusion

This drama had so much potential, but I suspect it fell victim to Chinese entertainment industry drama. Meaning, the drama was used as a promotional vehicle for younger idols, and that meant investment money directed the direction of the script.

Apparently around 11 scriptwriters had their turn butchering, I mean, writing their script. And it would seem that each of them had their own agenda, which meant one thing: Goodbye, cohesive plot!

It’s saying a lot that I think Kill Me Love Me had a better plot than this one, and that Love Never Fails is far more engaging! (Both are Liu Xueyi dramas.)

I do feel that it’s a waste of Liu Xueyi’s talent, but since this drama was taken up during his days with an unsupportive agency, and he hadn’t made much of a splash back then, it was understandable that he didn’t get the pick of his scripts.

My only prayer is that he gets better scripts soon!

If you’re interested in a quality drama starring Liu Xueyi, I highly recommend A Moment But Forever. It’s probably his best role so far, though I think Murong Jinghe in Kill Me Love Me is where he showed outstanding range.)

As for Meng Ziyi, I wasn’t super impressed with her acting abilities even in the hit drama Blossom. I suspect in that drama, she was directed well, but in this drama, she wasn’t. I hope she demonstrates a better range in her next project.

Story: Choppy, uneven, exaggerated and unsatisfying. I wish there was something good to be said about it …
Acting: Liu Xueyi, as usual, did very well. Meng Ziyi, aiks, not very well. I feel that she doesn’t have much range beyond widening her eyes.
Costumes and sets: The stylist is the one that styled for Si Teng and Kill Me Love Me, known for their lush costumes, so this one is as beautiful, though not as distinctive as those two dramas.
Camerawork: Slightly above average
Rewatchability: To be honest, very little, because the story arcs were not very enjoyable to me.

Final rating: 7.5