- Drama Title: Mobius
- Also Known As: 不眠日, Bu Mian Ri, Give Me Five, Ni Shi Zhen Cha Zu
- Director: Liu Zhang Mu
- Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi
- Cast: Bai Jing Ting, Janice Man, Song Yang
- Number of Episodes: 16
- Date of Release: September 17, 2025
- Original Network: iQiyi
- Where to Watch: iQiyi, Netflix, Viki
- Adapted from the novel “Ni Shi Zhen Cha Zu” by Zhang Xiao Mao.
Dear readers, so sorry for the late review post. I needed a bit more time to gather my thoughts and write something worth sharing. Mobius drama had so many layers that I needed extra time to organize my notes properly. Thank you for your patience, and I hope this review gives you a clearer view of this drama that’s too good to miss. Btw, we just started to add a News category to the site. Feel free to visit and check it out. Now let’s get into the business, here is Mobius drama review. Happy reading!
Read the Mobius drama review and ending explained here:
Mobius Synopsis
Ding Qi is no ordinary detective. For seven years, he has kept a secret that he is a time loop perceiver. There are days when the same 24 hours keep happening over and over. While others only experience a vague sense of déjà vu, Ding Qi remembers every detail of what has already happened.
After successfully altering a robbery case ending, Ding Qi faced another case. This time it’s involving the death of a biotechnology company executive. His investigation led him to another murder disguised as an accident that had occurred a month earlier.
Another executive from the same company died on his morning run. Soon after, the CEO of the same company received a death threat from the same killer. This case pushed Ding Qi to take on the job of protecting him.
Little did he know that this job would be the hardest time loop he had ever encountered. This time, Ding Qi finally met his match, another time loop perceiver like him. Ding Qi and Squid soon engaged in a battle of wits. In the middle of it was An Lan, Ding Qi’s one sided crush, who happened to work at the company.
It didn’t take long for Ding Qi and An Lan to realize that nothing was as it seemed. Everyone they met turned out to be different from what they appeared to be on the surface.
And the closer Ding Qi came to the mysterious Squid, he realized that the present was tightly linked to the past. Now Ding Qi and An Lan has to win the race against time and save their loved ones, who were trapped in a battle between truth and deception.
Mobius Drama Review
As I look back at my old review, I realized that I rarely watch mystery or thriller dramas. Most of the time, I ended up writing a review about romance or idol dramas. The last mystery drama that I reviewed was The Legend of Zang Hai.
Twelve Letters also falls under the mystery genre, but in my opinion, the story leaned more toward the romance. Thrillers are even rarer in my list, I’ve only written 2 reviews so far. The most recent one is Drifting Away drama, which I watched in January 2025.
As I mentioned in my Twelve Letters review, watching a drama genre other than romance felt like a mental workout to me. Even though it completely wears me out, it gave me a sense of balance. Exploring different genres keeps my reviews from becoming too one-sided and refreshes my perspective as a viewer.
However, I still choose my dramas according to my personal preferences. 😜
Mobius is the best example. Not gonna lie, I came here because of Bai Jing Ting. As an actor, Bai Jing Ting was familiar with time loop stories since he had already starred in Reset drama alongside Zhao Jin Mai. Back in 2022, Reset was considered as one of the most highly rated dramas.
The story follows a college student, Li Si Qing (Zhao Jin Mai), and Xiao He Yun (Bai Jing Ting), who find themselves trapped in a cycle where each time loop ended with their death. It remains one of my favourite dramas until today.
The drama was far from boring, the story pace was tight with a plot twist near the end. You could check out my review here if you want to know more about this drama.
Now, because of Reset, I started to pay more attention to Bai Jing Ting. I watch his comedy drama, New Life Begins, Destined, and also the melodrama one, The First Frost.
Bai Jing Ting, beneath his gentle and adoring appearance, showed us that he can do all kinds of roles, including a villain. You could watch it on Justifiable Défense drama. And in this one, Mobius, he becomes a super detective who is chasing a deadly killer, Squid.
In Mobius, you could see how he went from a dorky college student to a nouveau riche and then to the one who answers the calling. Bai Jing Ting is a versatile actor who truly belongs to the high-tier actors in China. He always nailed his role, and although he could easily shift from one expression to the other, one thing was never changed: his cinched waist, which always makes me envious 😁.
This time, Bai Jing Ting took up a role as a detective named Ding Qi, and Janice Man played the role of An Lan, a scientist. There isn’t a romance between them, but Ding Qi’s one-sided love is hard to miss. An Lan, on the contrary, treat him kindly yet keeps a certain distance. Still, there were fleeting moments when you can see her eyes lit up when she saw him.
This is the second time I’ve seen Janice Man in a leading role. The first one was in the 2017 drama, Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy. I barely remembered the story, but I still recall that I spent days finishing this 75-episode-long drama. Boy, that was the golden era of long episode dramas. The length of the drama truly gave the writer room to write even the smallest details with care. 😻
Janice Man is a Hong Konger. Aside from being an actress, she also works as a model. Janice Man was more of a movie actress because she has acted more in movies rather than dramas.
Unlike Bai Jing Ting, whose expressions are easier to read, Janice Man’s portrayal of An Lan is way more subtle. At first glance, her expression may seem unchanged. Yet, you could feel the shift in her emotions. That’s the reason I find her acting as An Lan was so compelling.
The understated style gave Janice Man’s acting a refined quality. She might not express her emotions as openly as some drama actors. But her quiet presence drew others’ attention. She is basically inviting you to pay closer attention to An Lan and discover the emotions hidden beneath the surface.
Now let’s talk about our third main role. Song Yang played as Mo Yuan Zhi, the CEO of Moma Biotechnology. I’ve only seen a few of his dramas, the last two are Later I Laughed and Born to Run. I must say that his characters often lean to morally ambiguous, but he always pulls them off perfectly.
In Mobius drama, I couldn’t help but become suspicious of Mo Yuan Zhi. Although he might be an innocent victim, there was something about him that made me think that he wasn’t completely trustworthy. And I am sure many of you will feel the same.
Mobius is not an action drama. There were some fighting scenes, but it was not enough to label it as an action drama. What really hooked me was the battle of wits between Ding Qi and Squid. I kept on hitting the pause and play buttons because the tension was too much to handle.
At times, I feel like watching a horror movie. The difference is, with horror movie, I will stop halfway and was glad I never return. But with Mobius, I couldn’t walk away because I needed to know who Squid really is.
Mobius is great because it has only 16 episodes. For me, all dramas under 20 episodes are a gem. I treat them as a precious interlude to keep myself from getting exhausted by those never-ending 40-episode series.
Shorter dramas are good because they have tighter storytelling, less filler, and a fast-paced story. And I really thought that Mobius fits the category perfectly. I was glued to the screen for 2 days in a row and still feel satisfied without feeling drained.
In this drama, Ding Qi always has five time-loops in one cycle. The last loop will be the final version of the day. While the first four give him a chance to change the outcome.
He got four chances to collect information and conduct experiments before coming up with the best solution for each case. Therefore, there was always something new in every loop that makes this drama far from boring.
After finishing all the episodes, I can say that Mobius delivered a full package of drama. It carried a dense atmosphere of mystery, a thrilling intensity that kept me on the edge of my chair, a touch of sweet romance, and a comforting warmth of friendship. The ending was happy, and I felt very content with how it all wrapped up.
One last thing, I noticed that some conversations didn’t use Mandarin but Cantonese. I don’t speak or read Chinese. But somehow, being a viewer of Cdramas for years made me able to recognize the sound and the dialect. You could see in episode 2, An Lan’s name was written On Laam in her graduation certificate. That sound like a Cantonese name. So, can somebody verify if I guessed that correctly?
The Story – Race Against the Unknown
The concept of time loop is the idea that a person could relive the same period of time repeatedly. This opens a chance for him/her to change the events in each repetition. It is a fascinating theme and there were many movies and dramas have explore it.
For example, the 1993 Hollywood movie, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Phil Connors was able to break free from the loop by becoming a better version of who he was.
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt’s movie Edge of Tomorrow is also about time loops. And then there’s a Korean movie titled A Day, which tells a story about a doctor who entered time loops. Every time the day restarts, he struggles to save his daughter from tragic accident. And of course, there was Reset drama as well.
Usually, those story focus on the main lead experiencing time loops for the very first time. However, Mobius tell a different story. Ding Qi has been experiencing time loops for seven years. And I like that this drama gives us flashbacks of Ding Qi’s confusion during his first loop.
The first episode will give you a good laugh. My favorite part was when Ding Qi used all his loops to get a perfect haircut. Every time it failed, his expressions were hilarious!
Later, Ding Qi begins to think more seriously about his ability. He uses it to chase better grades and quick money through the lottery and stock market. His desires were quite understandable. But then he realized that the money and luxury couldn’t fill the emptiness in his heart.
True fulfilment only came when Ding Qi used his ability to help people who suffered at the hands of others. Ding Qi could never choose when the loop days would start. But each time it happened, he used it to save people. This repeated battles not only gave his power a deeper meaning and slowly shaped his character.
The truth about why Ding Qi could enter the time loops is revealed near the end of the drama. He then also learned about the heavy consequences of his special ability.
Mobius begin its story with a powerful kick. The robbery case in the beginning of the drama gives a clear picture on how Ding Qi applies his unusual ability at work. What I really appreciate is that Mobius chooses to focus only on one case, the Squid.
While I wasn’t used to the idea of “meeting the final boss in the tutorial stage”, it actually felt refreshing compared to the other dramas that save the main villain for the finale. This early start gave Mobius plenty of time to explore the story in depth, down into the smallest details.
The main setting of the story is Moma Biotechnology, a pharmaceutical company. Moma has become the targets of many competitors due to its successful genetic technology called RAN. Mo Yuan Zhi is the founder of this company.
Now, he serves as the CEO and holds the largest share of the company. There were also several shareholders involved in the case. Han Song the COO, becomes the first victim to die. His share was inherited by his son, Han Yu Fei, making him the second biggest shareholder in the company.
Tang Shao Rong, the CTO also the principal scientist of Moma, was the second victim. His shares were inherited by his daughter Tang Xin.
After his father died, Han Yu Fei started working at Moma and took over his father’s office. However, aside from his title as a shareholder, Han Yu Fei is mostly idle and does very little at the company.
Meanwhile Tang Xin already worked as an intern researcher at Moma. Now she holds an unusual position of being both a low-level employee and the third-largest shareholder in Moma.
The complicated relationship between the company members was always a good spice that give the story a little bit of a kick. Money and power always lead to problems. There were always conflict, hidden agendas, and people willing to do whatever it takes to protect their interest.
Mo Yuan Zhi live a life that makes people envious. He was surrounded by luxury and is married to the beautiful Yu Shi Ya. She didn’t hold a specific position in Moma but listed as one of the company’s shareholders.
Together, they seem like the perfect couple. Their marriage appears flawless. But in truth, their love has already waned. This is something that keen eyes like Ding Qi’s wouldn’t miss.
Many people were involved in the case. Everyone seemed to have their own reasons for being the Squid. There were also some people who were hiding and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. I had a hard time guessing the Squid’s real identity. But this was the reason I stayed until the end.
The ending of Mobius is a happy one. But you have to be patient because watching Mobius is like a riding a roller coaster. The journey is thrilling, nerve wrecking, and full of ups and downs. The climb was slow and tiring. You might want to give up in the middle.
But hold on, because after the apex, there will be a moment of anticipation before you plunged downward at high speed. Keep your eyes open because the ending was complicated and surely there were plot twist around the way.
The Story – Keeping Them Safe
I really enjoyed watching the strong acting from Bai Jing Ting and Janice Man. However, I almost didn’t feel the chemistry sparking between them and I wondered if it was intentional. At the beginning of the story, Ding Qi and An Lan’s relationship was ambiguous. Ding Qi clearly has affection for her but too shy to express his feelings.
While An Lan liked him as well but was unsure of his feelings. Ding Qi also carried a deep sense of guilt because he had indirectly caused An Lan’s mother fall into a coma. Three years ago, during a chase, a criminal hit An Lan’s mother. Ding Qi had hoped that day would become a loop day. But after waiting until midnight, it was proved to be an ordinary day.
Over time, his guilt slowly turned into a genuine affection. Ding Qi always worried about An Lan’s safety. The main reason why he accepted the job as Mo Yuan Zhi’s protector was to keep her safe. He feared that Squid will involve the innocent employees at Moma Biotechnology. And An Lan could be one of them.
Surprisingly, the most interesting and enjoyable part is the camaraderie between Ding Qi and his fellow detectives. I especially liked the relationship between Ding Qi and his captain, Duan Zheng. They didn’t act like a superior and subordinate but more like best friends protecting each other.
Duan Zheng never restricted Ding Qi and always accommodated his absurd request and behaviour during investigation. Meanwhile, Ding Qi always let Duan Zheng took all the credit of his work.
Because the Squid case was a joint case of three different investigation, two divisions were merged. Yu Pei Shan, Gu Song, and Hao Xin were part of Huan Yuan’s Division One.
While Geng Ze Kai, Fang Lu, and Ding Qi belonged to Division Four. Ding Qi did everything he could to win over Yu Pei Shan, the tech expert. He even bought a black van full of latest monitoring equipment with his own money to impress her.
Meanwhile, Duan Zheng also worked hard to poach the members of Division One, driven by his grudge against Huan Yuan.
I loved that this drama didn’t turn into a one-man show where Ding Qi become an OP (OverPowered) detective. The team formed a solid support for him and Duan Zheng acted Ding Qi’s protector.
The team members also showed their unwavering dedication to their job by responding to midnight calls from their team leader. Those detectives truly had no life outside their work. Yet their loyalty made their teamwork feel both convincing and compelling.
The Characters
Ding Qi (Played by Bai Jing Ting)
Ding Qi works as a detective. For him, it’s more than just a job. It’s was a calling that he answered after learning that his special ability could save others. Ding Qi always does his best to capture criminals, while protecting the innocents and his team.
He can do so flawlessly thanks to his intelligence, keen eyes, good analytical skill, persistence, and courage. What make him a good police officer is that he values justice and fairness.
He also has a good understanding of people’s emotion and a strong intuition. When catching a criminal, Ding Qi showed that he never gives up, even when the trails seemed cold. One more thing, Ding Qi is the wealthiest detective I’ve ever saw in Cdramaland. 😁
An Lan (Played by Janice Man)
An Lan works as the senior scientist in Moma Biotechnology. She is a hardworking and resilient person. Her mother is her biggest motivation. Due to a traffic accident, Mrs. An’s brain was severely injured and fell into a coma. An Lan worked hard because she hoped to find a way to cure her.
As a scientist, An Lan is an open-minded person and willing to consider new ideas, even if it sound hard to believe. Behind her cold and serious (sometimes a bit boring) nature, An Lan could be a warm and kind person.
That what makes Ding Qi’s heart skip a beat when he was with her. An Lan hides a secret. She never tells anyone that, aside from her mother, another reason she joined Moma was to find her friend who had disappeared without a trace.
Mo Yuan Zhi (Played by Song Yang)
Mo Yuan Zhi is the founder and CEO of Moma Biotechnology. Together with Han Song and Tang Sao Rong, he led the company to success. He is married to Yu Shi Ya and has no children.
As a scientist, Mo Yuan Zhi is intelligent, creative, and visionary. Personally, he is disciplined, stubborn, determined, and affectionate. To him, Moma is every drop of his effort. Therefore, Mo Yuan Zhi will do everything to keep the company going.
Jiang Yu Wen (Played by Liu Yi Jun)
Jiang Yu Wen was Mo Yuan Zhi’s mentor and supervisor during his postdoctoral studies at Ivy Bay University. Jiang Yu Wen initially refused him, but after reading Mo Yuan Zhi’s report on his experiment, he accepted him. Mo Yuan Zhi was excited because Jiang Yu Wen is the person he looks up to.
Squid
Squid is the main suspect in Tang Shao Rong and Han Song’s murder cases and also posed a threat to Mo Yuan Zhi. His identity remained a mystery because he never appeared in public.
According to Squid, Mo Yuan Zhi must be judged because he is a greedy evil and has killed people. During their battle of wits, Squid repeatedly tricked Ding Qi into believing that he was also a time loop perceiver.
The Conclusion
I still have so much to say about this Mobius drama. But I’ll stop here to avoid accidentally spoiling it. Mobius can be heavy at times, but it was completely worth my time. The story was engaging, and I was satisfied with the ending. As always, Bai Jing Ting gave a perfect performance for us to enjoy.
As an added bonus, Mobius also includes a sweet touch of romance. It wasn’t the main focus, but it adds a little flavor to the story. The comedy balances the intensity well. Making this drama perfect for a weekend binge. So, you definitely shouldn’t miss this one. Happy watching, dear readers!
as more things to say about this great drama. however, I should restrain my self a bit or else I could accidentally spoiler the drama. Mobius might be a bit heavy for me, but it was worth my time. the story was engaging and I was feeling satisfied with the ending.
for the bonus, Mobius drama also has a sweet romance in it. It wasn’t the focus, but it gives spiced up the story a little bit. the comedy provided by Ding Qi’s team balances everything. This drama is very suitable for a bigne wathing during the weekend, so you shouldn’t miss this one. Happy watching!
