- Drama Title: The Limbo
- Also Known As: 二十一天, Twenty One Days, Er Shi Yi Tian, Yan Mai De Zhen Xiang, 21天
- Director: Kenny Tse
- Genres: Mystery
- Cast: Wang Zhi Wen, Zhang Xue Ying, Ou Hao
- Number of Episodes: 12
- Date of Release: September 26, 2024
- Original Network: iQiyi
- Where to Watch: iQiyi
Hello dear readers! I hope everything went well for you. The season of unexpected weather has started at my place. You could hardly leave the house without hesitating. As I was getting ready, I often stared into the mirror and thought, “To go or not to go”. I was always afraid of getting caught in the terrible rain and thunderstorms.
And yesterday I was caught in one. Too scared to leave the parking lot, I sat on my car for over an hour waiting for the rain to subside. It felt like an eternity. So, dear readers… Please be careful when you go out and don’t forget to check the weather forecast. In the meantime, let’s start with this The Limbo drama review, that I wrote while watching the rain start to fall.
The Limbo Drama Synopsis
The Limbo is a Chinese mystery drama, released in September 2024. As the New Year was approaching, the people of Haizhou City were full of joy and happiness. They were busy enjoying the festivities. However, an unexpected disaster occurred at the long-established Luobai Department Store, trapping 13 people underground.
The rescue team races against time to save them all, unaware of the conflict unfolding beneath their feet. As they struggle to fight for their lives, the 13 people who have been trapped underground will undergo a profound test of their humanity, their morality, and their faith.
The Limbo Drama Review
Dear readers, looking back at the review, I realized that I’ve been watching too many romance dramas. Even though I AM a romance junkie, this site was not dedicated to romance dramas only. So I HAD to have a look at this drama.
And the reason why I chose to watch this drama is so very simple: The Limbo is very short, only 12 episodes. Perfect for me while waiting for The Story of Pearl Girls, Love Game of Eastern Fantasy, and Our Days episode releases.
iQiyi has always been my source for mystery dramas. It has always been my golden baby because it always has good original dramas. Unlike WeTV and Youku, which are mainly romantic drama, iQiyi is more diverse. For those of you who like mysteries or psychological dramas such as Criminal Minds or True Detective, this is the place where you can find the Asian version of them.
I am not a big fan of this genre, so I only watch some of them. You might want to check out my review for Echo or Interlaced Scenes, which along with The Limbo were part of the iQiyi Light On series. This is an exciting world of mystery, crime investigation, and psychological drama.
And another advantage of this series is that the dramas are short in length, ranging from about 6 to 24 episodes per series. It is perfect for those who have so little time or patience for the usual 30- or 40-episode dramas. Well, I was wondering if iQiyi would consider us to be their ambassadors, since I have written so many compliments for them 😆😆.
The Overall Storyline
The Limbo is a mystery that shows us the darkest side of humanity. When people are faced with a dead end and have to fight for their own lives, will they sacrifice the innocent to save themselves?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, limbo means a place of restraint or confinement. It is also the place of a state of neglect or oblivion. It also refers to limbo as a state of uncertainty. The title of the drama, The Limbo, represents all the above meanings.
After the huge building of Luobai Shopping Mall collapsed, 13 people were trapped for 21 days. The underground where He Xiao Guang and the others are trapped is a place that restricts their lives. They didn’t have enough food or water to live on. Nor did they know what was happening in the outside world. Being trapped in the ruins made their lives difficult.
And with their bodies weakened by lack of food and water, it’s only a matter of time before their minds would collapse. That alone would be enough. But The Limbo took the story to another level by adding hidden crimes that connected many people. So, overall… no one in this drama is a good person. They have hidden secrets that they want to keep from the world. In the end, few people are declared innocent.
Usually a mystery drama starts with the victims. But in this drama I had to guess who the last victim was. At the beginning, it was said that the death of one of the victims was suspicious. And later the police linked the disaster to the anonymous report. So when the fire department was busy with the rescue, the police started to investigate the Luobai Shopping Mall and its owner, Luo Hao Ran.
It was later discovered that there was a sinkhole under the building. And it’s only a matter of time before disaster strikes. That, and the fact that the building owner didn’t heed safety regulations, was enough for the police to launch an investigation.
Meanwhile, underneath the ground, the secret was slowly being revealed because Luo Hao Ran and his advisor, Wu Han Lei, were also trapped in the building. They were the only ones who knew about the sinkhole.
As if that was not enough. Luo Hao Ran and Wu Han Lei were also involved in the death of Wu Jian Jun, the engineering consultant who found out about the sinkhole 5 years ago.
The truth was slowly revealed in a roundabout way. On the contrary, since this drama consisted of only 12 episodes, the pace of the story was fast. However, I had a hard time understanding the timeline because the director mixed the present and the past.
So if you want to watch The Limbo, you should pay close attention to the drama. Otherwise, you might miss some important points.
Although the premise was quite interesting, The Limbo also has some flaws. For example, the clichéd plot. What are the odds of someone being trapped in a disaster with a mortal enemy? Probably okay if it happens to only one person. But to more than one person? Really?
And some aspects of the story didn’t make sense to me. For example, Luo Hao Ran was supposed to be a person who believed in superstition. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have hired Wu Han Lei and put his trust in her. But throughout the drama, he didn’t seem to care much about those superstitious things. And if he didn’t believe in it at all, why did he put so much trust in Wu Han Lei?
And there is one thing that really bothers me. Shi Kai’s death. That supermarket manager died because he tried to force himself on Lin Yu Yang. And he did it in his office, which has doors with windows. Shi Kai didn’t even bother to look around and didn’t notice Tao Ye. Worse, Lin Zheng Kai was there as well. In the same room. Did that make sense? 🙄
The character development also needed to be revised. In The Limbo, He Xiao Guang seemed to be the only person who helped people. The screenwriter seemed to forget that Lin Yu Yang is a nurse. She didn’t help much during their survival time, and when her son, Lin Zheng Tai, had an asthma attack, Lin Yu Yang put him in a lying position.
Well, this is a mistake because lying down would make the symptoms worse. This is a rookie mistake that should not happen to a professional nurse.
Our main protagonist, He Xiao Guang, was the most important character who led the storyline. Hai Mei was also supposed to be a significant character like him. However, I did not have much of an impression of her. I did not like her at all because she pretended to be nice, but in reality she was just another hypocritical character.
Anyway, no matter how many flaws I saw in the story, I had to admit that the story flow was engaging. The scriptwriter managed to keep me going until the last episode. When the identity of the victim was revealed almost at the end of the drama, it was quite a shock for me.
The limbo ended with a not so happy ending. Well, bad people get what they deserve and good people get what is best for them. I didn’t say that I was really happy with it, but for this kind of drama genre, it was enough 😆.
The Cinematography
When we talked about the cinematography, the first thing that came to my mind was the bad CGI. The crack in the wall and the falling rock were far from convincing. However, I have to admit that the set did look real.
The director of this drama is Kenny Tse. This is his first time to direct a drama. Before this, Kenny Tse was an experienced cinematographer whose filmography consisted of many modern action, mystery and crime dramas. Therefore, it was not surprising that the cinematography aspect of this drama was excellent.
Although the background of the story took place in the underground, which should be dark and without light, I was able to see a lot of things. The lightings was arranged perfectly. I could feel the grim atmosphere, but I also managed to see the expressions of each actor. Kudos to Kenny Tse. I hope this drama will open a brighter career path for him.
The Characters
Ye Xiao
Ye Xiao (played by Wang Zhi Wen) was the captain of the criminal investigation team in Haizhou City. As a policeman, he had a high sense of justice, and his instincts were sharp. Ye Xiao may look like a kind uncle, but he is terrifying when he is determined to extort a confession from a suspect. As a detective, Ye Xiao knew how to read minds and understood human psychology well.
Normally, the Criminal Investigation Department is not involved in disasters. But an hour before the building collapsed, the police station received a mysterious phone call from an anonymous person about Luobai’s misconduct in building safety.
He Xiao Guang
He Xiao Guang (played by Ou Hao) used to be a firefighter before he retired and then worked as a wall climbing coach at Luobai Shopping Mall. . At first, He Xiao Guang was a good person who was righteous, kind, and loyal. Until an accident happened in Luobai Shopping Mall.
A fire broke out and killed his younger brother, He Xiao Liang. As his brother was burned alive, He Xiao Guang could only watch, but was unable to help. Since then, he was consumed with guilt and couldn’t keep his job as a firefighter, even though he really loved it. This became the source of his depression. He Xiao Guang could not get rid of that feeling.
Although he is no longer a firefighter, He Xiao Guang is still a dedicated firefighter whose first instinct is to help others. When the building starts to collapse, he runs into the building to save others.
Hai Mei
Hai Mei (played by Zhang Xue Ying) is the only daughter in her family. She lives with her mother, who sells liangpi for a living. Hai Mei is a junior student and lives a very simple life. She is intelligent and kind with a soft heart.
Hai Mei became friends with Ding Zi after she tutored her. In her eyes, Ding Zi is a lonely girl who needs some friends.
Luo Hao Ran
As the president of Luobai Shopping Mall, Luo Hao Ran (played by Wang Ting) was well aware of the problem with the collapse and what would happen in the future. But as a businessman, profit comes first. He was willing to sacrifice everything to make money. Luo Hao Ran is ruthless and cunning, and he didn’t try to hide his nature.
Luo Hao Ran was married twice and divorced twice. His daughter Ding Zi was born to his first wife. His second wife is Yuan Mei, his former subordinate.
Ding Zi
Ding Zi (played by Chang Shi Xin) is Luo Hao Ran’s only daughter. She is stubborn and has a sharp tongue. Ding Zi hated Luo Hao Ran because he didn’t treat her mother well. Although she looks fierce, Ding Zi is a lonely girl. She didn’t have many friends except for Hai Mei. Ding Zi holds a grudge against Luo Hao Ran and Yuan Mei for setting her mother up.
Ding Zi is the reason why Zhou Yi didn’t proceed with his report about the cracked walls to Luo Hao Ran. He felt uncomfortable and decided that it wouldn’t be good if he filed a report after listening to the father-daughter quarrel.
Zhou Yi
Zhou Yi (played by Jiang Wu) worked as the manager of the engineering department of Luobai Shopping Mall. He is a good family man and was waiting for his wife’s delivery.
Zhou Yi was the one who tried to report the crack in the basement pillar to Luo Hao Ran. Zhou Yi is a simple man. But no one, not even the simplest mind, was susceptible to temptation.
Chang Xiang Ning
Chang Xiang Ning (played by Kong Lin) was saved by He Xiao Guang when the building collapsed. She is the customer who refuses to leave the noodles restaurant.
Chang Xiang Ning used to be a judge. She is a heartbroken middle-aged woman who has lost her husband and is on the verge of terminal illness.
Guo Hao Yu
Guo Hao Yu (played by Samuel Gu) is the second son of the president of Guo Group in Haizhou City. He is a spoiled rich kid who thinks everyone can be brought by money. He likes to drink and treat women like toys.
In other words, Guo Hao Yu is a bad guy who needs a beating. Feel free to hate him…😁.
Tao Ye
Tao Ye (played by Sun Shao Long) worked for Luobai Supermarket in Luobai Shopping Mall. He is a hardworking and diligent person. However, life was not in his favor. Despite working hard, he couldn’t escape poverty. He became acquainted with Lin Yu Yan and Lin Zheng Tai after he had helped them in their fight against Shi Kai’s evil deeds.
However, Tao Ye and Lin Yu Yang’s first meeting was a long time before the disaster. It was back when he worked as a cashier, and Lin Yu Yang often came to buy something. Tao Ye had long liked her. During the time when they were trapped, Tao Ye had done his best to protect Lin Yu Yang and her son.
Lin Yu Yang and Lin Zheng Tai
This mother and son were shopping at the supermarket when the disaster happened. Lin Yu Yang (played by Bao Wen Jing) is a nurse and a divorcee. She lived with her only son, Lin Zheng Tai (played by Chen Tian Yu), who suffers from asthma.
They got into trouble when Shi Kai found Lin Zheng Tai’s hand on the supermarket floor. He then accused Lin Zheng Tai of stealing. Lin Yu Yang is a good mother and Lin Zheng Tai is a good and obedient child.
Yang Bing
As a security guard at Luobai Shopping Mall, Yang Bing (played by Han Shuo) has a small stationed office in the basement. He was in charge of the parking gate and the security around the basement.
But it was quite a convenient job for him, as there were many CCTV cameras around to help him monitor the basement. Yang Bing is deceitful by nature. His greed knows no bounds.
Wu Han Lei
Wu Han Lei (played by Xiao Bing) is an advisor at Luobai Shopping Mall. He was the trusted advisor of Luo Hao Ran. There are very few things that Luo Hao Ran hides from him.
Even though Wu Han Lei is said to be a consultant. The thing he is good at is spiritualism. So we could say that Luo Hao Ran’s superstitious nature was nurtured by Wu Han Lei.
Zhu Wei
Zhu Wei (played by Wang Zheng) is the captain of the Haizhou Rescue Team in Xinkai District, Haizhou City. He was He Xiao Guang’s best buddy when they served on the same team before He Xiao Guang retired.
Zhu Wei is a dedicated firefighter and a good friend, he firmly believes in He Xiao Guang’s words and always tries his best to help him.
The Conclusion
The Limbo is a good mystery drama if you need something to pass the time. Even though the flow of the story was good, you should be ready to notice a few flaws. Yes, I know that this is a very difficult thing to do. But if you managed to overlook it all, The Limbo was a pretty good entertainment for those who love mystery dramas. Especially if you didn’t have much time to watch a 40-episode drama.
So, dear readers… are you ready to watch this? Normally, I would advise you to stock up on food and drinks for your binge-watching companion. But not this time. It’s better for you to skip any food while watching this drama. Anyway… thanks for stopping by. I’ll see you in another drama review post. Happy watching!
