Psych-Hunter

Hello drama family!

I am coming to you with one drama that I believe I have fallen in love with and would be willing to watch again if I could.

Title: Psych-Hunter

Apps: iQiyi

Release Year: 2020

Region: China

Episode Count: 36

Genres:

Psychological thriller, action, supernatural,

sci-fi/fantasy, romance

Just a note before I start, this drama was released on the iQiyi app and requires a VIP subscription in order to watch it. It will allow you to watch one episode to give you a taste of the drama, though.

Plot: Set in 1919, this psychological thriller will have you questioning what is or is not supernatural, who the villain really is, even your own deductive reasoning skills! Jiang Shuo is a man that makes money any way he can and one way was through selling homes that were apparently haunted. These "haunted" homes lead him down an even darker path when a serial killer begins to lay claim on his life, as well as the life of a doctor and others around them. Watch as Jiang Shuo, along with a doctor and police officer, attempt to thwart the plans of this mysterious killer all while exploring the minds of those involved.

This drama was extremely fun to watch! Before I begin babbling about this show, though, I'll start by introducing the three main characters.

First, we have Jiang Shuo played by Neo Hou. Jiang Shuo is a character that sometimes doesn't seem to take things very seriously and is very self confident. If you really pay attention, you can almost feel his confidence through his walk, expressions, and just how he holds himself. Jiang Shuo is rather special, too, as he can reach into one's innermost thoughts via hypnosis and reveal their secrets. The only secrets he really doesn't know are his own as he suffers from amnesia.

Next, we have Qin Yi Heng played by Liu Dong Qin. Yi Heng is a well put together doctor who is rather serious and fully focused on his work. His facial expressions and mannerisms give a coldness to his character, as well. He is separated from his family because of his profession and often has a sense of guilt related to this. Yi Heng and Jiang Shuo have a difficult relationship from the start, but as the story progresses they begin to develop a sort of brotherly bond.

Finally, we have Yuan Mu Qing played by Bambi Zhu. Mu Qing is a very confident and strong woman that desires to be a detective with the local police force. She is actually the daughter of a wealthy military family and tries to hide the fact that she is working with the police. Not only is she strong, but she is also girly and loves shopping - so she's not really set to one stereotype that you generally find for female characters. There is a misunderstanding between herself and Jiang Shuo in the beginning, but overtime that is resolved and develops into a slow-burn love story.

L to R: Qin Yi Heng, Jiang Shuo, and Yuan Mu Qing

I absolutely loved this drama! I thought 36 episodes was rather intimidating, but it was easy to watch. The storyline also kept me fully engaged and on the edge of my seat. The plot synopsis I read elsewhere for this drama was actually misleading in a way. I was expecting a supernatural drama about ghosts, haunted houses, and exorcisms, but I found it was so much more. The character development was fantastic, especially as you watch an amnesia ridden Jiang Shuo work through the mysteries that seem to be following him while trying to develop relationships with his companions. There are a lot of dramatic storylines within the main plot that eventually connect with one another. It's like a traditional crime drama, but with some more fantasy and science fiction elements involved. You get episodes that are stories and crimes to be solved within themselves while providing the puzzle pieces for the overall plot. One thing that makes this a more fantasy style drama, is Jiang Shuo's ability to hypnotize people. Jiang Shuo enters what they call the "psych", which is a person's mind, through hypnosis and you get this elaborate dream world with its own perils and risks. It was so fun to watch as they explored different minds because every single one was so different and you never knew what to expect. The special effects and the costumes were beautiful for those scenes as well. I believe those were my favorite parts and I just couldn’t get enough! I found this to be a very successful psychological thriller, as well, because I was left wondering and guessing how this drama would be resolved right until the very end.

I don’t really have too many negative points related to this drama. I did find it confusing from time to time on how some things were connected. It took a moment in the series for some of the events to make sense, leaving the series feeling a little disjointed or confusing from time to time. One thing that really threw me off, and I found a little mind blowing, was the ending, but I feel like that's the beauty of these psychological thrillers. You never know where you will end up or who the actual villain is, so it leaves you guessing until the very last second. The ending, although unexpected, really helps to bring together all of the information you're given throughout the episodes so it's not as disjointed by the end. A big twist for me is that the end was actually left at a sort of cliff hanger where the series could be continued or ended smoothly depending on whether or not the series will return. I really, really, hope for a second season because I want to see the resolution of this adventure!

Drama Mama Rating: 9/10 (I NEED MORE!)