'Derailment' tried to create an emotion-packed series, incorporating themes like romance, grief, self-discovery, slice of life, thriller and mystery. However, the subplots veered off in different directions and none of them built on each other, resulting in mostly an unsatisfying mess. Despite Wanyan Luo Rong's goose-bump raising performance as Huo Bo Yu, it was quite a disappointment in the thriller department. The aspect of the villain trying to get closer to FL and catch her was more of an annoyance than anything else. Not only was the romance not explored enough, but the slice of life seemed to drag out the mystery, which should have been quick-paced to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

Subplots aside, the show's ending strategically and successfully tied up the ends of all the build-up of mystery in the series. Its mystery was amazing and its deliverance well accomplished. However, it felt as if the mystery was competing against the slice of life and both aspects took away from each other. It was a good idea to fuel the mystery with the FL's journey to self discovery and reconciliation with her old self, and the slice of life with who she is in the present day and the person she is working towards being. But despite the series’ effort to balance them out, they didn't fall together into an enjoyable watch. Instead, the many tropes make it confusing to know where to steer your attention towards. Viewers may not know from where to gather hints, what it seems the show expects for them to be doing with their ‘time-travel’ trope that would keep one guessing. Because of many elements such as the FL’s hairdressing experience and the focus on Jiang Bo and his possibility in being a second love interest, it's hard to guess the conclusion that everything will lead to.

The first episode was especially overwhelming because it dives into the heavy ‘sci-fi’ elements right away. Consequently, viewers don’t have the chance to connect with the characters. Before properly developing the story, the series hints at potential possibilities for the mystery’s solutions. It puts forward clues without even providing a base for what has to be solved. Since the truth isn’t yet revealed, the characters are hard to be trusted in the face of all these possibilities, especially considering how little is presented of them. A viewer may not be tempted to continue on with the next episodes because it’s hard to process what’s going on, and at this point into the series they wouldn't have connected with characters. The show would have benefited from showing the characters before and without the context of the Lighthouse mystery disrupting everything. This would allow viewers to get a bit familiarized with the setting and the characters amidst the dizzying elements of mystery.

Maybe then would character development also be more evident, if it were to be incorporated. Instead, the character growth is very minimally depicted and only subtly scattered throughout episodes. For example, when Jiang went from forcefully denying her true identity to accepting the truth. Then there’s the time where Jiang got a new year’s gift from her friends, showcasing her first true, worthwhile friendship with other girls. Or how even though she kept her stubbornness all along in the series, she later on used it to stop others from getting in her way, prompting her to reach greater heights in her career instead of letting it be an annoying personality trait.

‘Derailment’ doesn’t delve into romance but rather skims the genre with its few stereotypical romantic scenes. The ML has proven to be very protective towards the FL, as shown when an old friend splashed her with a cup and he went to block her. He showcased his caring side by offering the FL his jacket to cover her period stain. Despite these moments, the chemistry was obviously lacking, and it seems that they tried to make up for this by heavily leaning into visual appeal. The many zoom-ins on the ML’s hands or closeups to his face were unnecessary for the series. Also, although there’s no reason for the ML to wear professional attire 24/7, he wears a suit all along the series’ 30 episodes and always has perfectly styled hair. These techniques were used to improve his visuals and attract viewers looking for eye-candy, inevitably attracting fans of romance. The advertising is misleading, a lot of people who have watched the show wanted romance because of the scenes that were used to promote the series and it seems to have missed the target audience. Instead, fans of romance were left searching the series for heart-fluttering moments and got disappointed in the end with only a few bland scenes.

The series steers more towards the mystery of the plot rather than exploration of the characters themselves, stopping the romance from developing. Self-expression is necessary for romance, and including a relationship was not a good choice for characters who don't have depth. Additionally, the opening song is mysterious, with colors giving off futuristic vibes, in contrast to the soft and light ending song that showcases the leads’ special moments together. Though it’s fitting for the romantic clips that are played, it sounds like an anthem for defeat in the theme of thriller and mystery. Regardless of how much of an enthralling watch the mix of romance and mystery would have made, ‘Derailment’ failed in successfully balancing them. The series should have leaned into its main genre rather than attempting to blend in various storylines.

Furthermore, it doesn’t make sense that the ML and FL’s attraction towards each other is put on pause whenever mystery overtakes the plot. Their actions, motivations, and interactions are only for the sake of the plot. The main characters are empty and don’t have a mind of their own, which is why the incorporation of romance is off-putting. The FL’s personality is a prime example of the leads following the plot instead of it building on their actions. Jiang is confident and has pride in herself all along, all that changes in the second half is that she ends up having the right to be so because the plot gives her reason for it. Something that additionally backs this lack of character is the ML’s sidekick, who doesn’t seem to exist without him. He sticks around at all times and does whatever he’s asked. Even though he doesn’t have any other interactions with the ML other than in the context of mystery solving, viewers are told that the both of them are best friends and forced to believe it without any proof. He’s completely dropped towards the end.

Another thing that doesn’t make sense is that despite being the boss of a hair salon studio, the ML somehow has the most practical connections anywhere he steps foot. There are always random people who are willing to risk it all just to bring him the information he needs.Also, the ML appears by the FL’s side whenever the plot calls for random romantic moments. More than anything, they just seemed forced and seem out of place with their empty personas that are there for the sake of the complicated mystery storyline.

At some point, a group of guys appear at his house, foreshadowing the ML’s past experience in being a fighter, However, this was very subtle and needed to be reinforced to be properly understood. His situation with his parents can be confusing at first, but his little encounters with his Dad and the absence of his Mom become important parts of his development. His severed relationship with his parents is needed to understand his past. It also plays a crucial part in explaining his relationship with the FL as they slowly delve into their pasts together. The past is important because the series shows the consequences left by actions that were taken during a rough time in the leads’ lives. The events that take place in their current lives are led on by these impactful choices, which are only revealed towards the end. Despite its many incoherent ideas, the show succeeds in giving viewers the perfect amount of time to come up with theories for their future based on hints from the past. The only advantage to the many new conflicts that happen over the main ones is that they allow you to stay captivated in the moment.

The show’s continuous focus on the after-effects of big decisions is strange considering all the characters’ trains of thoughts that lead to nowhere. As a hairdresser salon’s boss, the ML pulls some strings for the FL and makes things work in her favor. They make you think things will change by breaking this consistency when he makes her fail the test she takes to get promoted, only to then request the opening of a new makeup branch under the company for the sake of her promotion instead. In addition to this, they show a scene where Qui Lian seems to sympathize with Jiang for also having no parents, but then don’t show the aftermath of this train of thought.

The characters can only be learnt about through their actions and those around them. This exploration of the main leads isn’t enough just on its own and doesn’t give them much of a realistic image. There is still much that remains unknown on their subject. Not because there are still things to learn, but because there’s nothing else to them than the way they are seen through others’ eyes.

From gathering hints from those he grew up with, the ML can be made out as a selfless individual who prioritizes others instead of his own self. We know this from the time his friend group from back in highschool shared their gratefulness towards him. They admitted that he helped them in starting their successful careers. The years he’s spent hooked on Xu’s case even though police were telling him there was no one by such name also show his determination and care towards his loved ones. However, a few of his moments with the FL highlighted an inconsistency within his character. He would use her for his own benefit and would become toxic whenever she disobeyed him. Then again, it is evident throughout the series that all he cares about is answers and resolutions. The ML is always on the search for new information and obsesses with any question mark that reveals itself. when Jiang appears, he starts taking care of her, even with her refute. These actions of his are led on by his curiosity as to why she claims not to remember him despite their time spent together in high school.

It’s clear that he knows himself only through those around him. Without the reassurance of others, it seems that he’s unsure of his own knowledge. This is obvious in how he’s always asking the police for answers even though he already has them. His obsession with satisfying his curiosity reflects the relationships he chooses to keep with other people since he benefits from them for the sake of solving the mystery. It’s almost as if the ML can’t exist on his own without his friends, and his personality is broken into pieces between them. Without those around him to carry his personality, he lacks one. His protective nature is seen through the FL, his determination through Xu Jin Yang, dedication through the policemen, and his hardworking personality through Chen Fang Zhou. It brought tears to my eyes to see how much he was losing his sense of self as those he cared about the most were slipping from his fingers. This emotional impact his grief had on viewers is the only advantage to how deeply he is affected by those around him.

Unlike the ML, the FL leaves an imprint on her environment. Her motivation to prove herself worthy of her place shows itself through the massages offered at the hairsalon and the competition between employees that arises from it. The theater is set free from someone holding them back thanks to her outspoken trait, and her dedication to get what’s best for everyone can be made out of her bickering with Jiang Bo. Also, her helpfulness was shown through how she helped fellow makeup artists pass their tests. So though it may have dragged out, the atmosphere of hairdressing was crucial for viewers to get to know her better.

Huang Sheng Chi, who played Jiang Bo, delivered an exceptional performance with his acting skills, and his role of which became of much importance later on, carried the show to its ending. His talent really stood out in comparison to the other characters, making it seem unbalanced. Next to him, Lin Yi who took on the role of the ML and Liu Hao Cun who played the FL were underwhelming in terms of acting. Liu Hao Cun’s facial expressions and tone of voice were over-exaggerated, making it hard for me to sink into the show without feeling like it's scripted. As for Lin Yi, he barely expressed any emotion on his face and seemed to lack many crucial characteristics in making a character appealing to viewers. He seemed like a filler character, which is not convenient because he should be the most interesting one and capture the viewers' attention because of all of his screen time. Even though Jiang Bo’s character was barely explored in comparison to how much of the main leads’ lives were shown and all the time spent on them, he simply gave off the vibe of his character, even when he wasn’t talking or taking action. This showed true embodiment of character and showcased his amazing skill in acting, which made me feel more things than the leads themselves.

Personal enjoyment aside, the show is definitely below average for its genre but my awe for Huang Sheng Chi’s exceptional embodiment of Jiang Bo and the Lighthouse system’s unique mystery is so strong that it overshadows all else, securing it a good 6.5/10.

With their choice of promotion and poor execution of many subplots, the question up for debate is, did everything happen for the sole appeal of the show towards the audience, or was there really something to be learnt from the show, or to admire the characters for? If you were to watch an actually good series, there'd be no need for this question to be asked.