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The Confidence chinese drama review
Completed
The Confidence
1 people found this review helpful
by xia0yuer
May 28, 2023
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Cat and mouse, but who's the prey?

When a stop for help turns to an attempted rape and murder scene, Ke Ying's peaceful life is turned upside down. Seven months later, she is approached by a man with eyes eerily similar to the head honcho from that night, Shen Shijie. She quickly learns that this man is actually Feng Xiaosheng, the executive director of the Feng Corporation and a member of the largest crime family in her city. Feng Xiaosheng quickly develops an interest in her, beginning to set up some cat and mouse games with her and revealing his true identity as Shen Shijie to her. He threatens her, her fiancee, her family and her students but soon learns that Ke Ying is also a wild one and cannot be fully controlled, despite her meek and docile exterior.

What an intense drama - if the fighting and action scenes don't get your heart rate up, Peng Guan Ying's smouldering gaze certainly will! The chemistry between Peng Guan Ying and Cai Wen Jing is on fire and all three lead roles are well acted. Xiao Wu provides just the right amount of humor so this drama doesn't seem too dark and abusive, despite the undercurrent of rape and death. Ke Ying is the strong FL that you never knew was possible; calculating and intelligent; but willing to drop little suggestive hints, just to keep Feng Xiaosheng yearning for more. Peng Guan Ying is certainly the star of the show - his dark gaze flashing from intense hatred; emotionless disintrest; calculating suspicion; and gentle affection / desire for his one and only Ke Ying.

The story is well written, with some really interesting nuggets that I picked up on a second watch. For example, in multiple scenes, they show which car Feng Xiaosheng is using as a indicator of what type of mission. He only drives the white VW SUV when he doesn't want to be tracked (e.g. murder, evidence disposal, etc). Similarly, the show alludes to him having a secret hidden room, as they show him early on watching Ke Ying on camera from that room. They also shows his dissatisfaction with being a puppet in the Feng Corporation, and getting cut off when speaking but one of his executives. We later see that executive with a broken arm and hear that he was attacked in the garage, with Feng Xiaosheng flashing a small grin. With the small hidden nuggets, drama watchers will enjoy the rewatch.

My major complaint is that they should have cut of some of the side characters that really don't add value. Lian Lian was an illogical second female lead- she was hand fed every news lead she investigated but still managed to butcher them all, and she wasn't even loyal to her best friend, liking both of Ke Ying's fiance's. Chen Miaomiao got herself in trouble multiple times and drifted out of the story, ending up as just a convenient plot device.

Overall a strong story with a well resolved ending. There was no way Shen Shijie would have stayed docile in jail. Ke Ying would have lived her life on tenterhooks if he didn't die, knowing how devious and calculating he is. Similarly, we see both Ke Ying and Xiao Wu going back to their normal lives. When Ke Ying See's Xiao Wu, she just smiles and goes their separate ways. No longer partners to take down the crime boss Feng Xiaosheng, they are just strangers once again.
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