Chase The Truth 黑白密码 (2023)

[abs-oluteM]

Chase The Truth

黑白密码

 

Police detective Chu Yi Han (played by Wang Zi Qi)  goes undercover to infiltrate a criminal organization in hopes of finding his mother. By chance, he encounters Gu Lin Na (played by Su Xiao Tong).

 

[Wang Zi Qi and Su Xiao Tong were both the leads in one of my favorite shows, The Imperial Coroner. Happy to see them reunite for this]

[abs-oluteM]

 

Episodes: 24

Aired: 16 Nov 2023 - 26 Nov 2023

Original Network: Tencent Video

 

Cast & Crew 

Screenwriter & Director - Jack Zhao

 

Main Role
Wang Zi Qi - Chu Yi Han
Su Xiao Tong - Gu Lin Na
Tian Yu - Cheng Fan

Support Role
Du Yuan - Tai Yong Zhong
Zhao Xun - Sha Xiao Fei
Xu Hong Hao - Pei Yin
Fu Cheng Peng - Zhou Ji
Zhang Zhi Jian - Gu Mu Lan
Liu Wei Wei - Lin Ke
Tang Xiao Tian - Yu Da Luo
Song Kai - Da Tou
 

Character Chart

[abs-oluteM]

Airing schedule

 

Trailer

 

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma As I am still on my Wang ZiQi  mode...guess who he is reuniting with?

 

[abs-oluteM]

New poster

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma @UnniSara

reunion of Imperial Coroner leads.

Airs tomorrow 

 

[UnniSara]

Will add this to mydramalist to watch later...  @abs-oluteM  thanks for imforming me. 

[40somethingahjumma]

Quick translation of trailer:

 

The Northwestern Wolf Cartel/Syndicate/Group

Arms trading

Drugs manufacturing

A short period of disaster on the online fringe (?)

The moment every weapon or bullet that gets into society

Will end in a fatal catastrophe

(We've) seized the weapons

Even Gu Mu Lan (?)

 

I am the most suitable candidate

Only about 50 hours

This is our only opportunity

We must create a new Long Qi

Conceal yourself beside Old Qiang

 

You can join us and become my brother/ one of us
 

Retreat!

[40somethingahjumma]

I've seen all the available episodes. 4 half hour episodes so far. It's an easy watch and loads of fun. In these 4 episodes there are already about 4 action sequences. The Imperial Coroner leads don't have a lot of scenes together yet and she's not really in it that much at this point. It's mainly a police procedural and Wang Ziqi's character is Chu Yihan who is going undercover to bring down the head of syndicate/gang known as The Northwestern Wolves named after the wolves in that region. There's also some nice desert landscape shots. He's also in search of his mother (also a cop) who was sent to infiltrate the gang a decade earlier but disappeared 5 years ago. Initially his superiors are reluctant to involve him (although he is raring to go) but after receiving a mysterious message, they send him to make contact with an individual called Lao Qiang or Gun. 

 

Su Xiaotong is Gu Lina -- a dancer from the northern region who has a couple of quick encounters with Yihan. She also happens to have the same surname as Gu Mulan the head of Northwestern Wolves.

 

Looks like this show will air for no more than 2 weeks. 

 

Another trailer with some spoilers...

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma I caught all 6 episodes available and I liked it! Not hard to watch and to follow the story.  Great action sequences and WZQ is perfect playing a hot headed but competent young cop in search of his mother. By episode 6 it will be very clear who SuXiaTong's character is though ahahah I am sure we both already knew who she was as soon they said her same surname is Gu . They will cross paths more in the future though I think her role here feels a lot more like a supporting character (if compared to the Imperial Coroner). 

 

Should they have sent Yihan in as the undercover agent? I can understand the hesitation from his superiors ( who are like his father figures/ mentors) given how emotional he is. Plus this is a case directly involving his mother- the conflict of interest will be there especially if she has crossed over to the the "dark side" . I wonder as well if his mother sent that coded message though. I agree that no mother would have wanted their child to join such a risky operations. And of course there's that mystery of whether she is still alive. 

 

Ep 5 to 8 trailers

 

[abs-oluteM]

 

WZQ worked hard on the action scenes.

[40somethingahjumma]

@abs-oluteM

I've seen all 8 episodes -- found the other two at a C streaming site. I'm enjoying the heck out of this most probably because of the fast-moving action-packed storyline. There's also enough unpredictability to keep the viewers on tenterhooks. Of all the gangster dramas I've watched this year, this is probably the most fun I'm having even with the body count.

 

I don't think the cops really have much of a choice in terms of a good undercover candidate. Yihan is probably the best suited because he is a bit of a loose cannon. He can think on his feet and make stuff up as he goes along. His survival instincts are firing on all cylinders. He's got the swagger and the bravado to pull off that perpetual defiance. Wang Ziqi is doing really well with everything so far. As for whether his mother is alive, I think the probability is quite high that she is. I don't think Xiao Fei (fake Gun) is privy to as much as he thinks.

 

Like Imperial Coroner I don't think romance is a big part although I like the way it's subtly inserted. Su Xiaotong's character Na Na is still at the periphery at this point because even she doesn't know what her family's up to. I imagine her role will expand once her brother-in-law inadvertently drags her into the mix. I liked the little girl who played her -- very cute and confident. I can't be sure but I suspect a Romeo and Juliet scenario here.

 

Things are bound to get hot and escalate even among the syndicate members. It seems there was a falling out in the past and the environment is very low trust as it is. There are at least the two families who may or may not start working together again.

 

I'm really liking all these short C dramas. Fake It, Ripe Town and now this one.

[40somethingahjumma]

The show just goes from strength to strength. The last few episodes have kept me on the edge of my seat. The cat and mouse game among the various interested parties intensified in Episode 11 and 12 with measures, countermeasures and shifting alliances. Some interesting reveals along the way as well. It's great to see all the threads beginning to coalesce in these two episodes. What's also endearing to see is how resourceful Nana is despite having no skills outside of dancing. She's also pretty level-headed for a lass her age in a crisis situation.

 

This show is far more unpredictable than I expected.

 

 

Previews for Episodes 11-14

 

 

[abs-oluteM]

12 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

The show just goes from strength to strength. The last few episodes have kept me on the edge of my seat. The cat and mouse game among the various interested parties intensified in Episode 11 and 12 with measures, countermeasures and shifting alliances. Some interesting reveals along the way as well. It's great to see all the threads beginning to coalesce in these two episodes. What's also endearing to see is how resourceful Nana is despite having no skills outside of dancing. She's also pretty level-headed for a lass her age in a crisis situation.

Agreed. I just caught up till eps 12 and have been looking for eps 13 and 14 everywhere, only to realise it will be released today..

This is a hardcore action packed police gangster show, and the plot is so unexpected. I did not think that The Northwest Gang would have so many stakeholders - there's already Gun and Linna's brother-in-law, Zhou Ji and now there's the 4th brother Pei Yin.  I think that it is probably why it has not been easy for the cops to infiltrate & bring the gang down. They are all after something left by the Desert Tiger- hmmm are those guns? And the question at the back of everyone's mind is whether this Gu Mulan is even alive. It doesn't even seem that Zhou Ji knows his whereabouts and has just been using his name to connect with Gun. 

 

Anyway, it was nice to finally see more scenes of Linna with YiHan. There's something developing ( I hope) but I am glad that Linna isn't a liability so far to their operations. I was actually quite worried given how naive Linna seems to be, but she was pretty calm while setting YiHan free at the warehouse. 

 

C drama crime shows have a different feel from the kdrama ones. They don't make it "sexy" or "glamorous". Editing here is a bit choppy at times . Like if I were to compare it with The Worst of Evil ,The Shadow Detective or Evilive - these shows played up the human / emotional aspect and the relationship dynamics of the key characters. Here, it feels like "efficiency" is their main goal; they have got to make sure you get the story rather than feel for the characters.  It isn't a bad thing since I find myself intrigued with how things are unfolding. But just how it affects me as viewer is not quite the same. 

[40somethingahjumma]

@abs-oluteM

The editing is definitely an issue and I'm inclined to think that there are scenes that didn't make the final cut one way or another. Frankly I could have done without all the mentors taking up a lot of the show's oxygen and focus more on the gangsters and the romance but it's a C drama. They have to moralize about everything. At least it's better than Johnny Huang's Chasing the Undercurrent. Usually the cop shows have to feature the older generation trying to keep the young ones in line.

[abs-oluteM]

@40somethingahjumma  what episode are you at ? I think they must have cut out a lot of scenes that the hinted romance seems just weird ? The leads barely have any scenes together and here she is in the bike with him asking about who he likes 😄. If it weren’t because they were the CP from the Imperial Coroner, I would be so against this underdeveloped love line 😂

 

Anyhow , this Pei Xin guy is really cunning. Don’t really know if the mum is even alive at this point . With deep fake technology etc, can’t trust that video was her . 

[40somethingahjumma]

8 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

@40somethingahjumma  what episode are you at ? I think they must have cut out a lot of scenes that the hinted romance seems just weird ? The leads barely have any scenes together and here she is in the bike with him asking about who he likes 😄. If it weren’t because they were the CP from the Imperial Coroner, I would be so against this underdeveloped love line 😂

 

Anyhow , this Pei Xin guy is really cunning. Don’t really know if the mum is even alive at this point . With deep fake technology etc, can’t trust that video was her . 

 

I've finished the entire series. The last six episodes are already available (but not subbed) so I watched them last night and this morning. LOL. Yeah, the romance was very underdeveloped but I think there's a bond between them because they're both looking for parents and answers about the past. But I think he liked her from the first moment he caught sight of her. They want to be forthcoming about liking each other but the Northwestern Western Wolves issue keeps hanging over their heads. She's also trying to protect him and his reputation as well by distancing herself from him.

 

The resolution wasn't too bad. I think they did drag it out a little with all the surviving gang members gathering in one place having a big pow wow and then double-crossing each other. But the plotting of this show is the highlight even if occasionally it requires some suspension of disbelief.

 

It's an easy watch with plenty of action and thankfully there's very little flag waving in this compared to other shows.

[abs-oluteM]

On 11/24/2023 at 5:04 PM, 40somethingahjumma said:

I think they did drag it out a little with all the surviving gang members gathering in one place having a big pow wow and then double-crossing each other.

If not for my love for Wang ZiQi, I may have just given up. The last few episodes went round and round with all the backstabbing and long drawn conversations about what went on in the past that I almost lost my patience. I did chuckle when they kept revealing new stakeholders to the gang - I am like who isn't part of this gang. LOL.  But what was quite sad for me was when Cheng Fan died or rather sacrificed himself at the end. The scene of what really went down in that room with YiHan was tragic ( somewhat heroic)  - it was sadder than when the mum died since Cheng Fan was the one who raised YH.

 

My greatest regret about this drama is  the poorly developed  romance or relationship between Lina and YiHan. Even Sha Fei and his lover had more scenes together . . I felt slightly deceived because the teasers sold this pair quite a bit but it was shocking how little scenes they had together. I guess I should be thankful they both survived and she came to see him at the end. 

[40somethingahjumma]

6 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

If not for my love for Wang ZiQi, I may have just given up. The last few episodes went round and round with all the backstabbing and long drawn conversations about what went on in the past that I almost lost my patience. I did chuckle when they kept revealing new stakeholders to the gang - I am like who isn't part of this gang. LOL.  But what was quite sad for me was when Cheng Fan died or rather sacrificed himself at the end. The scene of what really went down in that room with YiHan was tragic ( somewhat heroic)  - it was sadder than when the mum died since Cheng Fan was the one who raised YH.

 

My greatest regret about this drama is  the poorly developed  romance or relationship between Lina and YiHan. Even Sha Fei and his lover had more scenes together . . I felt slightly deceived because the teasers sold this pair quite a bit but it was shocking how little scenes they had together. I guess I should be thankful they both survived and she came to see him at the end. 

 

The reason why I wasn't as annoyed as you are about the show's final phase was because I pretty much assumed after Episode 15 that Yihan and Nana's romance wouldn't be given a lot of room to breath considering the situation that they're both in -- a kind of Romeo and Juliet situation. What however was more fascinating was that the other two couples which had a lot more time together ended badly/tragically. Cheng Fan and Xiaowan though it didn't seem so at first became the Romeo and Juliet couple because of what her father did. Xiaofei and Yiyi were separated in the end because his insatiable greed. At some point Xiaofei could have stopped in his insistence of going down the road of self-destruction but he didn't. Not even for Yiyi and their child. But the two youngsters who liked each other but were forced by circumstances to hold back for each other's sake, they were able to enjoy the freedom of being with each other in the end. Unencumbered by the past. 

 

For me that was kind of interesting.

 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by 40somethingahjumma

[PotatoChip]

Hello! Occasional lurker, happy to say "hello" and chat about this drama. Not many around me watched it because of the police/gangster theme. I grew up on HK dramas so I am used to this unrealistic but entertaining genre. It's like modern Wuxia to me. 

 

I like Wang Zi Qi's plasticity and how each character gives me a surprise. This time he was volatile, dangerous and the flirty moments had me laughing at his guts. Enjoyed the warm and funny scenes with Tian Yu, the sunny friendship with Tang Xiao Tian, the acting from Zhao Xun, and the actors who portrayed Lao Qiang and Pei Yin. Xiao Fei was a pitiful and fascinating character. I had too much fun when Chu Yi Han beat him but then I also rooted for him and was disappointed by his downfall. Yiyi turned out to be amazing too. I like this actress a lot. 

 

I expected the romance to be minimal, but even though I wanted more scenes with them, they gave such a beautiful, tragic Shakespearen aura. Yes, it only worked because of their previous Imperial Coroner connection. Reincarnated couple. When he said, "Na Na" for the first time, it reminded me of "Chu Chu". Loved their Romeo and Juliet inspired balcony scene. Motorcycle scene was weirdly timed, but still left a great poignant feel. The ending was the best for me. What an amazing and elegant confession line. "27 days.... And a half". If this drama had a stronger, tighter plot and was more popular, that line would be iconic. But at least it was one of the most memorable and hopeful ways to end a drama. 

 

Cheng Fan and Yi Han's last scene impressed me. Tian Yu signing but saying conflicting dialog while emotionally acting. My brain can't split itself like that. Really teared up with his death, Yi Han's anguish was palpable. And how cruel to not even let him hug his mother. 

 

I wish I fast forwarded all the dull police talk and Gu Mu Lan stuff. He was Na Na's childhood Boogie Monster and also the show's. Other weak parts were some plot logic, Aku, and the less engaging acting of #2. This character should have been more powerful. 

 

Other positives for me: Xiao Fei having no desire to avenge his real father was great and rare logical sense. Suspension Bridge Effect explains half of Cdrama couples, lol. And since I recently watched Bright Eyes in The Dark, seeing the 10+ overlapping actors in completely different roles were Easter Eggs for me. 

[abs-oluteM]

@PotatoChip welcome to Jang Haven.  Wahh so happy to read you here . This drama didn’t gain much traction compared to Imperial Coroner which became a sleeper hit . I too watched Bright Eyes in The Dark just before this & and I was half expecting Johnny Huang to turn up since everyone else from there was here 🤣🤣. 
 

@40somethingahjumma I thought Xiao Fei’s arc had a bit more depth than even the leads . 

[40somethingahjumma]

1 hour ago, abs-oluteM said:

 

@40somethingahjumma I thought Xiao Fei’s arc had a bit more depth than even the leads . 

 

I think the villains in general had more in-depth arcs because as you're well aware, they can't be too one-dimensional and also they need material to moralize about. For me, while I felt sorry for Xiaofei at certain points, in the end, he couldn't stop himself from the destructive path he was on. He was a bit of a loser -- poor guy but he made his choices. 

 

@PotatoChip Hello and another welcome from me. It is hard to find people to talk about this show because of the genre. The K drama Shadow Detective was another one that went under most people's radar. And the writing for S1 in particular was awesome.

 

As you can tell, @abs-oluteM and I are fans of The Imperial Coroner. I recently rewatched the whole thing again because of this show. I wasn't getting enough of the leads so I started watching Imperial Coroner again. :D

 

Interesting observation about the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene. I imagine you're talking about the one where she was standing outside the glass sliding door. Just as he tried to slide it open, she slid it closed. It was her way of protecting him and his integrity as a cop. 

 

Despite the flaws of this show, I think I enjoyed this show more than some of the more popular 

[PotatoChip]

@abs-oluteM @40somethingahjumma 

 

Thank you for the warm welcome! I loved Imperial Coroner a lot too. There really wasn't enough of the CP in Chase the Truth, but each scene was full of longing and touched me more than some full romantic dramas. I completely missed that she was trying to protect his integrity when she didn't want him to come outside. I am watching it again, but must say it was very subtle and I probably would still miss it if you didn't mention it. They don't say much to each other, but there is a lot of unspoken meaning behind every word, look, and body language. He seemed disappointed when she asked to leave. 

 

I do think the drama should have given her more reaction time when she identified her mother's body by the bracelet in the picture. It lacked impact, unless they meant for her bottle all that in until she exploded in the later episode. 

 

I haven't ventured to KDramas yet, but still keep that one in mind if I do. 

 

It's funny how all these police and gangsters went to be firefighters in Bright Eyes. The actor who played Lao Qiang is unrecognizable. My amusement is that both his character and Wang Zi Qi's character (Lou Ming Ye) shared the same "wife"... Instructor Lin Lu Xiao... Huang Jing Yu 🤣. Huang Jing Yu and Wang Zi Qi have such a cute bromance and they will be in another drama together. 

 

Pei Yin's actor bored me in Bright Eyes, but he is so amusing and dastardly here. 

 

Xiao Fei's arc was too tragic. I enjoyed his alliance with Yi Han and thought drama was going to redeem him.

 

Also loved seeing Jenga Master from Bright Eyes here. His arc made me cry there and his gruff character gave me a few laughs here. When he was digging Yi Han and Nana out from the bomb blast in Episode 13, I was getting reverse flashbacks from the other drama. 

[rocher22]

I loved all the rare scenes between Yihan and Nana. She is smart and calm. 

I also liked the ''27days..and a half'' confession ....

 

The last episode

I didnt understand the short conversation between the Police Chief and Nana about her sister. 

 Is the sister suspicious...

Maybe there will be S2.

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by rocher22

[abs-oluteM]

@rocher22 I blame all the editing & censorship- it felt like the leads could have had more scenes. 🥲