This review may contain spoilers
A grim illustration of how corruption slowly destroys a civilisation
Once upon a time, they were young and innocent… but a corrupt world can ruin the sweetest souls…At the start of the show, our three main characters give a toast and exclaim to each other: “It’s really difficult to be a decent man!”
This statement gets more true as the show progresses.
Ripe Town is set during the 37th year of the Wan Li Period of the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Wanli is said to be the cause of the dynasty’s downfall.
His neglect of government affairs caused corruption to fester in the kingdom and had a trickle down effect. Ripe Town is a great illustration of how this corruption affected the lives of the common people.
When Ripe Town dropped, there was barely any buzz about the show. There weren’t any high-traffic idol actors, and the story didn’t seem enticing. A historical serial killer drama? Hmm. I wasn’t in the mood for something that dark.
Then, I saw the trailer, and my jaw dropped at how athmospheric and moody it all was, so different from the day-glo plasticky beauty of so many cdramas these days, that I couldn’t help but watch it. I was further motivated by the fact that it was only 12 episodes long.
In the end, I binged through the entire series in two days and I have to say it was totally worth it!
What I liked about the drama:
1. The high production quality
What a pleasure it is to watch Ripe Town. There is no overuse of filters (actually none that I can see), no over-bright lighting, and the costumes are fitting for the time.
In fact, I really like that people’s outfits have literal patches of fabric used to repair the outfit, which often than naught, appeared worn out on our characters. Talk about determination to portray things authentically. The lower classes rarely have pretty robes to wear and often mend their clothes over and over again.
2. The acting
It is? I enjoyed the heck out of the acting. Loved the actors who played Lu Zhi and Judge Song.
The tight plot
Ripe Town is a rare drama, not just because of its high production quality but that it is succinct. It is a 12-episode drama in an entertainment landscape littered with 40-episode, bloated dramas. (To think that a drama could get up to 80+ episodes in the “old days” before the government decided that 40 episodes was the maximum number of episodes allowed.)
Every minute of Ripe Town demands your complete attention. You can’t fast forward to skip ahead because you’ll probably miss an essential clue in a dialogue or a scene.
3. The complex characters
Of all the characters in Ripe Town, it is the honorouble Judge Song that catches my attention. Not just because of the excellent actor who played him, but because he has a streak of nobility and goodness that seemed incongruous at a time when law officers “partner” with criminal gangs to maintain “peace”.
But in this world, is anyone free of the stain of immorality?
4, The authentic mood
Ripe Town is filmed in an ancient town where the walls were covered in moss or patched over or grey with dirt, as if symbolising the decay in the society. It magnifies the feeling of decay pervasive not only in the crumbling society, but in the justice system.
It is like watching a historical Chinese version of a moody, serial killer drama, and they make sure that everything, from the sets, the color palette and the lighting, reflect that.
5. What I didn’t like, and thoughts about the ending (slight spoilers)
Before I finally watched the ending, I was a tad worried about how the show will end because someone on Mydramalist complained how disappointed they were with the ending.
But after watching it, I thought it was really appropriate and fitting. All in all it was a very satisfying ending.
The thought that came to my head was: I was sad for everyone, including the bad guys. Because they were the product of their brutal environment, and one must do what one must to survive. In this upside-down world, being honourable and just is a foolish way to live; the smart ones use deceit and subterfuge to get ahead.
Ripe Town also kept me guessing till the very end. I could not guess the identity of the killer until the very end and did not expect that person to be the big bad at all! The actor who played the person was excellent too. Totally threw me off.
The only thing I wasn’t so pleased about was the twist at the end where (warning: spoilers!) the Big Bad turned out to be someone unexpected.
It would’ve been far, far, far more satisfying if the writers had not made the unexpected twist. In fact, I thought it was a rather cheap twist. It was a flaw in an otherwise almost perfect drama.
Still, I was SO worried that Ripe Town would go the open-ended route that is so trendy these days with so many CDramas that I didn’t mind that extra twist. I was like, phew, at least we get some kind of definite closure!
Ripe Town really highlights how corruption was the downfall of the Ming dynasty, and what enabled the Manchus to take over. With the rot infecting the justice system, the entire foundation of the empire was going to crumble sooner or later as good men are sacrificed on the altars of deceit and vengeance, to the detriment of the entire civilisation.
All in all, a very worthwhile investment of your time. The very high Douban rating of 8.6* seems to agree with me!
Also blogged here: https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2023/11/01/ripe-town-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful and dark all around
This is a beautiful, dark and superb drama. It is dark both in subject matter and in aesthetics, but boy, what a treat ... No love interest present there, yet there is a quest for the truth which resembles the singlemindedness of a smittened lover. It is intense, it is fast paced, it is consistent and it is all rounded. And it is relativelly short, as Chinese series go. So, I am not saying anything other than: do watch it and enjoy it as much as I did.Was this review helpful to you?
well written + well acted = highly entertaining
If you're tired of the giant, mediocre celebrity machine, Ripe Town (or Under the Prosperous City) is a breath of fresh air. Qu Sangeng is a bailiff in the very early 1600's whose revered master is murdered as the start of a chain, leading him to re-investigate a 20 year old buried case of a mass murder of an entire wealthy family. With only a handful of trusted friends close to him, he battles not only gang leaders and hostile witnesses, but also hostile superiors and his own fellow bailiffs, in his discovery of shocking truths. The concept of justice gets blurred in a world of revenge, where very few have come by their successes honestly. Sangeng is smart and bold, but too naive to recognize what he's not able to control.Comparisons to A League of Noblemen came to mind as I started watching, but Ripe Town is more down to earth. It's only 12 eps long so there's no wasted time. However, many characters were introduced quickly, and flashbacks often were presented without warning, so it was hard to connect people and events until much later in the show. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; it made me pay closer attention to keep pace, and by the end it all comes together. I'm not familiar with the classical reference, Analects of Confucius, which is a major focus of the hunt for the serial killer, so I won't comment on its role in the story. But, I am one for whom a music score greatly affects my engagement with a show, and this show had interesting drum rhythms similar to that of A League of Nobleman (which featured an intriguing drum solo for its entire opening theme). It perfectly complemented an exciting chase scene as the Hunter Squad takes down a monkey demon thief on the run.
The acting was very good and I was especially impressed with the performance of 16 year old Yu Yao. Yu's role is listed as a support role, but so much time is spent on his character's backstory that he should be considered the 2nd lead. He was able to portray someone of high intelligence, and cunning, with surprising maturity. All of the young teenage characters are subdued, which adds to the ominous atmosphere of the story. Yu is definitely one to watch for in the future.
The story is not a bromance, which seems to be the going popular theme, but is still very male-centric. There was even a poke at the trope of females disguising themselves as males by simply wearing male attire. While this inexplicably works in too many shows, it's flat out rejected in Ripe Town in an amusing scene.
I wish more shows would have this level of writing, that challenge your assumptions of who is good or bad, your expectations of a main character as hero, as well as your ability to predict what will happen next. The scenes were beautifully shot, no sloppy editing, and the 12 ep length made for a nice, tight story. Overall, it was one of the more entertaining shows I've seen this year.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Ordinary in the most extraordinary way
A male lead that is ordinary in appearance but extraordinary in his analysisA county that is ordinary on the surface but hides an extraordinary history
Officials which are ordinary but hides so much extraordinary pain and suffering
An intriguing drama that weaves a compelling tale of how nothing is as it seems as truth after truth is revealed. Leaving you with the ultimate question - who is the villain? People who are intelligent and helpful turn out to be murderers and not just one or two! Victim of circumstances? Fate?
Beautifully shot and told, it made you feel like you were transported back in time with its realistic costumes and props. Actors were all great and I was glad to have a male lead that was more ordinary looking than his 2 sidekicks!
Was this review helpful to you?
─ justice that comes too late is not justice .
Ripe Town is the most poetic noir drama I've ever seen, captivating me from the very first scene. It unfolds its story in a mesmerizing manner, blending compelling dialogues, cinematography, aesthetics, and the use of natural sounds ─ and elements such as water. Despite the focus on fire due to main case of the drama, the scenes featuring water made me think how they reflected the story's flow and pacing so perfectly.The pacing of Ripe Town is notably unconventional ─ not slow per se, but each episode feels like a standalone movie, rich in mystery and depth. It's not the kind of drama you binge; it demands digestion between episodes, which, for me, enhanced the viewing experience. The final episode, in particular, left a lasting impression with its profound dialogue on justice, highlighting the drama's core theme. It's definitely one of my favourite episodes to watch.
The acting doesn't even need a comment, each actor delivers their role with precision. The gradual revelation of truths and the evolving perspectives on characters are beautifully shaped, deepening the narrative's complexity. The actors' voices also enrich the poetic dialogues, adding another layer of depth to them.
The OST is particularly memorable, it's such a hypnotizer. I couldn't skip it at the end of episodes.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching Ripe Town and I think I will return for a rewatch whenever I need something calm yet enigmatic.
Link to edit: https://youtu.be/8U2TTjxzcps
Was this review helpful to you?
One artsy series with high production and directing quality
I'm not so crazy about the story (to each's own), but some people might like it. I give it a 9 because this is one of the few martial arts series I've seen with a high-quality production value—especially the directing. The director is an artist. He did the slow motions perfectly, not over-abused and repetitious. The music is top-notch. Very fitting of the moods. The OS is excellent with a Blues undertone. The storytelling is a bit confusing., but due to the production value, you stick with it. This is not a typical roll-out martial arts series where the ending will spoil the entire series after you binge-watch and feel burnt out and disappointed. The length is just right. A build-up of surprising elements. As I mentioned, the director is someone to watch after. I am looking forward to his other works.Was this review helpful to you?
Good acting but I found the drama too draggy and boring.
Ripe Town is a historical crime investigation of the Ming Dynasty, where the apprentice Qu San Geng, Judge Song Chen, and Gao Shi Cong tried to find out who murdered San Geng's master, Captain Leng.The first 5 episodes were interesting, and the acting was good, but it got draggy and boring. I have watched 7 episodes but could not find myself to continue. After I listened to the review from the AvenueX YouTuber, she did not give it a high rating. I am dropping this drama and giving it a 6.0 rating because the plot is not interesting, and the scriptwriters and director did not make the drama engaging.
Was this review helpful to you?
excellent policier !
Cette superbe série me fait penser aux aventures du juge Ti, écrites par Robert Van Gulik.C'est une belle intrigue sur deux tableaux, à deux dates différentes, très bien structurée et très bien jouée, avec des acteurs très jeunes notamment Yu Yao.
La série n'est pas longue, 12 épisodes seulement, du coup on ne s'ennuie pas une seconde.
Les passages d'une époque à l'autre sont plutôt réussis.
Le rythme est fait pour donner une atmosphère lourde et pesante, angoissante mais pas effrayante.
Je ne connaissais pas Bai Yu Fan, c'est un excellent acteur qui délivre une belle prestation.
L'acteur vétéran Ning Li est bien connu de nos services, là aussi il est très convaincant.
Lancez vous !
Was this review helpful to you?
