Kill My Sins review

Kill My Sins stood out to me because it is an original script and is played by more mature actors. This is unique in the realm of Chinese costumed dramas.

Tip: You can read my episode-by-episode detailed analysis of Kill My Sins while watching it.

The story

The wandering physician Ye Ping An arrives in Chang’an to set up a clinic where she quickly earns a reputation as a witch for her mysterious treatments. When she gets accused of murder, the ruthless magistrate Yuan Shao Cheng, a low-born man who is quickly rising the ranks of power, sets his eyes on her. But he doesn’t realise that this is part of Ping An’s 18-year journey of revenge.

Characters

Ye Ping An (played by Liu Shi Shi): A physician specializing in psychological conditions, but seen as a witch by most.

Yuan Shao Cheng (played by Shawn Dou): A ruthless official in the Justice department who is eager to cement his power and gain more power.

Wu An Kang (played by Zheng Ye Cheng): An accomplished general who is loyal to the Emperor, and is a scion of the prominent Wu family.

Lu Dan Xin (played by Xuan Lu): Ping’an’s loyal friend and fellow sleuth who is focused on seeking revenge.

Cai Lan (played by Ding Jie): Another friend of Ping’an who is also seeking justice for wronged women.

What I liked

Yuan Shaocheng and his glorious cloaks!

Complex villains: I appreciated that the villains were layered and multidimensional.

Strong female lead character: Ping’an’s character is a unique female character and there should be more strong women like her in Chinese dramas.

Equal relationship between the male and female protaganists: I love the equal and balanced relationship between Yuan Shaochen and Ping’an. They really regarded as equals in intelligence and ability and have such healthy regard for each other’s abilities. I loved how they just trusted each other to make the right (or wrong) decisions.

Original script: This is based on an original script, not adapted from a webnovel! And with a plot this complex, I’m impressed. I hope that the producers were not discouraged by the less-than-ideal viewership and would continue to create dramas like these. (FYI, some of the producers created In Blossom, which is also an original script.)

Production quality: The camera work and art direction are excellent. Fans of Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty will recognize the signature style, which I really appreciate.

What I didn’t like

Overwhelming narrative: The narrative feels very confusing, even for someone like me who usually doesn’t struggle with heavy, detailed dramas like We Are Criminal Police. There are too many details and characters to keep track of, and it’s easy to feel lost.

Lack of emotional anchor at the start of the drama: In the first few episodes of the drama, the story was told in a way that doesn’t give me a strong emotional connection to the characters. Why should I care about their revenge or their traumatic pasts? The flashbacks were also frustratingly vague, offering only glimpses instead of a full narrative. For example, I wish there had been a proper flashback episode showing how the three girls met during the fire and how Yuan is connected to them. This would have helped establish a stronger emotional foundation.

Convenient plot twists: The plot sometimes feels too convenient, with twists and turns that rely heavily on things going exactly as Ping’an expects. It feels like the plot has “plot armour”.

Exhausting to watch: This drama is not an easy watch. It’s heavy, with its themes of death, revenge, and abuse, and it requires a lot of mental energy to keep up with all the details. After a tough day at work, I often find myself reaching for something lighter, like Love of the Divine Tree, where I can just zone out and enjoy the pretty visuals.

Not relaxing: This drama is definitely not relaxing. It’s exhausting to watch, especially when I’m already busy and tired. I don’t blame people for dropping it because it demands so much attention and emotional investment.

Thoughts about the ending

> Click to reveal ending

Kill My Sins ended very satisfyingly, with most threads tied, and our hero and heroine safe after achieving their goals. One can’t wish for more! (Well, okay, maybe a less rushed story.)

Sure, I wished romance happened between them, but I think they would’ve gotten into each other’s way. I think love would’ve complicated their already difficult missions and it would’ve made it almost typical in terms of plot.

Conclusion

Ultimately, this drama is a tale of how people who started out with honourable intentions, who can be defined as “good” people, ended up losing their way and causing much evil.

Sure, this drama was topsy-turvy in many ways, with the first 7 episodes being so overwhelming that those not committed to figuring out the tale ended up dropping off.

I also think original scripts like these should be celebrated.

For so long, Cdramaland depended on webnovels to adapt, and this is something I grieved. Because, honestly, not every webnovel should be turned into a TV series.

Although this drama wasn’t perfect, it showed us that CDramaland is still capable of producing original, non-webnovel adapted work, so I hope they continue to produce these.

Final rating: 3 out of 5

#3Stars #CDrama #CDramas #ChineseDrama #CostumedDrama #KillMySins #LiuShiShi #ShaunDou #TV