- Drama Title: Drifting Away
- Also Known As: 漂白, Bleaching, Piao Bai
- Director: Cao Kai
- Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime
- Cast: Guo Jing Fei, Wang Qian Yuan, Zhao Jin Mai,
- Episodes: 14
- Date of Release: January 17, 2025
- Original Network: iQiyi
- Where to Watch: iQIyi
- Adapted from the novel: “Bleaching” by Chen Ping
Dear readers… have you noticed how quickly time has gone by? It wasn’t long ago that I wished you a Happy New Year. But now January 2025 is almost over. It seemed like 2025 was going to be a fast-paced year, just like this Chinese drama, Drifting Away. This drama created quite a stir in real life and in my mind as well. Would you like to know why? Well, let’s get started with this Drifting Away drama review. Happy reading, dear readers!
Drifting Away Drama Synopsis
Drifting Away is Chinese thriller drama, with 14 total episodes. Bishui Residential Area is an ordinary neighborhood. But its peace was shattered when a gruesome murder was discovered in one of the houses. Even Peng Zhao Lin, an experienced detective, was horrified to see the crime scene.
The police who were guarding the neighborhood didn’t realize that they had just let a group of killers pass by. Especially Peng Zhao Lin, who let the leader Deng Li Gang escape right in front of him.
Deng Li Gang is a sadistic person who led a group of four and controlled the “Meat Processing Factory”. Their group would kidnap young women they met in a nightclub. They would lure the women and once they fell into their hands, these victims would be tortured. Deng Li Gang and his group would extort a large amount of money from their relatives and friends before brutally murdering the women.
Zhen Zhen, a young high school girl, crossed paths with Peng Zhao Lin and Deng Li Gang after running away from home. Zhen Zheng couldn’t stand her mother’s insulting remarks and decided to seek shelter at her friend’s house in another city. When her roommate was taken away by Deng Li Gang’s group, Zhen Zhen was dragged along and kidnapped as well. She was only one step away from death, but Zhen Zhen was able to escape.
Although there were survivors, Peng Zhao Lin was still unable to arrest the criminals. While Peng Zhao Lin and Zhen Zhen were haunted by the nightmares, Deng Li Gang and his group suddenly disappeared. They moved to another city, changed their identities through illegal means and lived a peaceful life. Years later, a small piece of information brings the hunter and the hunted together again. Will Peng Zhao Lin be able to catch them this time?
Drifting Away Drama Review
I found Drifting Away after writing about it in the New Chinese Drama Release in January 2025 article. I was tempted by the number of episodes and the cast. There are only 14 episodes and Zhao Jin Mai is in the lead role.
So I decided to take some time and prepare myself to watch Drifting Away. It took me 2 days to finish all the episodes. And man! It felt so exhausting that I had to take a break from binge-watching for a while.
Somehow, I tried to find more information about this drama. I visited Douban and with the help of Google Translator I found out that this drama is based on a real crime. The Bleach Case. However, the author of the novel/screenwriter, Cheng Ping, has been under accusation of plagiarism.
Then I visited the Global Times, a Chinese newspaper. They also wrote about it. I wouldn’t delve into the plagiarism issue because I haven’t studied enough about it. So I would leave it at that and let others have their say on the matter. My main concern right now is what my feelings are when I watch this drama.
The Story That Makes Me Shiver All Night Long
I had a nightmare after watching Drifting Away. At a certain point, this woman who was afraid of horror movies knew that she had to stop watching it. But alas! I was too stupid to guess how it was going to end. So I just kept on watching until the very last episode.
Drifting Away is a fast-paced drama. Even though the timeline of the story spans more than 9 years, it didn’t feel like that to me. Other than Zhao Jin Mei’s horrible wig, we didn’t see much difference in how the characters looked. I think they should give Guo Jing Fei some grey hair or wrinkles, since his job was very depressing and he rarely got enough sleep for years. 🙄
Drifting Away is a drama about the police against the bad guys. It is different from other dramas that often go the same way, where the police catch the bad guys almost immediately after a hard investigation. In Drifting Away, after a long investigation, the villains managed to outwit the police and escape.
We were able to see how frustrated Peng Zhao Lin was. He had enough leads to catch the murderers, but he kept failing. The simple theory that good always wins over evil didn’t come easily in this drama.
On the contrary, while the victims’ families were tormented by endless grief and good people like Peng Zhao Lin and Zhen Zhen were haunted by nightmares, the villains were able to continue their lives peacefully. Getting married, having children, or working like normal people. It is painful to see such injustice in life.
Watching Drifting Away drama has shaken my sense of humanity. The cruelty depicted in this drama made my stomach churn. The gruesome murder was never clearly shown. But the image of a wall covered in red blood, a meat grinder, and knives was enough to make my imagination run wild.
As I watched, I had goose bumps all over my body. Afterwards, I stayed away from my favorite cooking channel for a while and opted for a vegetarian dish when I ate. I guess if you have a vivid imagination like I do, you would feel the same way I did.
Drifting Away was not the only drama that had mention of a gruesome murder. At least I saw one drama that has a similarity, The Long Season. Both of these dramas show a mutilation murder. However, Drifting Away is different. For those who have a weak heart, I suggest skipping Drifting Away. And if you still want to watch mystery dramas, I suggest you watch Zhao Jin Mai’s 2022 drama Reset or Ma Si Chun’s The Crack of Dawn.
The murders in Drifting Away was a reminder that some people can lose their humanity. Or maybe they never had any in the first place. The killers saw another human being as an object that could be disposed of at any time.
As I watched this drama unfold, I grieved for those who died unjustly. They were helpless when their rights as human beings were taken away from them. The victims couldn’t afford a decent burial because there was nothing left of them. They were gone as if they had never existed, reduced to a pile of bones and flesh.
What upset me even more was that the killers always managed to elude the police. They’ve murdered many people. But Deng Li Gang was so smart that he knew how to escape without being noticed by the police. In addition, the group never goes back to their place of crime. The only thing that is out of their control is Zhen Zhen.
Zhen Zhen was not supposed to be in Qiu Feng’s apartment when Song Hong Yu arrived. She was not supposed to see her face. And that was not the only surprise she had in store for the rest of the group. When Shi Bi found out that Zhen Zhen was from Xuecheng, he began to panic.
Apparently, it was one of their ground rules that they would never return to the place where they had committed a crime or have any connection with that place. Zhen Zhen is the anomaly that is the cause of their system’s collapse.
The Drifting Away drama ended with satisfaction. The villains got the punishment they deserved, and all the victims got the justice they deserved.
The Well Written Characters
There weren’t many characters in Drifting Away. Peng Zhao Lin, Zhen Zhen and Deng Li Gang are the main characters of the story. You could see how well Guo Jing Fei, Zhao Jin Mai and Wang Qian Yuan portrayed them. Whenever they make an appearance, you can feel the raging emotions inside of them almost at once.
I could not forget the cold, frozen silence that enveloped Peng Zhao Lin when he realized that the villains had once again escaped from his grasp. You could feel how angry and hurt Zhen Zhen was when her mother, Shen Xia, humiliated her in front of her classmates at school. Or her strong will to be alive when she was under torture at the hands of Deng Li Gang and his group.
And I still remember the feeling of cold all over my body when the camera showed a close-up of Wang Qian Yuan’s face. Deng Li Gang was so terrifying, as if his whole body was radiating terror.
Zhen Zhen’s unfortunate meeting with Deng Li Gang happened because of her mother. Shen Xia is a woman with a sharp tongue, and she always says the meanest things to her husband and her daughter.
Shen Xia worked in a property management company and had to bow down to customers. But at home, she is the boss. She took out all her anger on her family, believing that she was the one who contributed the most to the family.
Zhen Zhen couldn’t take any more of the insults and decided to run away, which is what led her to the disaster. Only after Zhen Zhen was gone did Shen Xia realize that it was she who had driven her daughter away. Shen Xia was not happy with her life. But she made those close to her feel the same way.
It was hard for me to see Zhen Zhen being insulted by her mother. To be slapped and called a loser by her own mother in public was heartbreaking for me. 😭
In Cdramaland, there were many examples of bad mothers. Such as in The Forbidden Flower, Fireworks of My Heart, or Born to Run drama. Fortunately, these bad mothers ended up getting better after the drama ended. The best example of a bad mother turning good was in Best Choice Ever, which starred Yang Zi.
There wasn’t much change in Peng Zhao Lin. He has always been a good cop, a good father, and a good husband to begin with. I am really in love with his character. The way he takes care of his family and the way his wife and son reciprocate his efforts is very heart-warming. The stable family of Peng Zhao Lin is a counterbalance to the chaotic family of Zhen Zhen.
Unlike Deng Li Gang, who seemed to have no good qualities except for his filial piety, Song Hong Yu, Shi Bi and Ji Da Shun had their moment of regret. Deng Li Gang and his group used to be good citizens. In the beginning, there were only Deng Li Gang and Shi Bi.
Later, Song Hong Yu and Ji Da Shun joined the group. Shi Bi, Song Hong Yu, and Ji Da Shun knew that once they joined the group, there was no way they could escape from Deng Li Gang’s clutches. They treated killing as their job at the “Meat Processing Factory”. The money they extorted was their wages. But deep in their hearts, they must have had enough of this lifestyle.
This could be seen from Shi Bi’s hesitation in answering Deng Li Gang’s call, and Song Hong Yu’s eyes staring into space when she talked about life. Even though they were already numb to guilt, there was a time when they hoped to live a life without fear of being caught.
The Dark and Gloomy Visual
The director of Drifting Away is Cao Kai, who started his career as an actor. Last 2024, he played a supporting role in the drama Bank on Me. Cao Kai also worked as an assistant director in the drama The Heart of Genius. Drifting Away is his second drama where he worked as a director.
I like the way he arranged the camera angles. He made the drama visually far from boring and created a perfect atmosphere for the audience to enjoy. I do not like dark and gloomy looking dramas. However, mystery dramas needed them to enhance the atmosphere and support the story. The story of Drifting Away might be depressing to watch. But Cao Kai managed to make me feel that behind the dark scenes, there was another level of artistry that I could fully enjoy.
The Characters
Peng Zhao Lin
Peng Zhao Lin (played by Guo Jing Fei) is a righteous policeman. He has a high sense of justice and is dedicated to his job. For Captain Peng, capturing a criminal is a must for the sake of the people. There is no room for objection. He would do everything in his power to make sure that these despicable people wouldn’t be able to commit any more crimes.
Therefore, Peng Zhao Lin failure in the capture of Deng Li Gang and his gang was the cause of his heartbreak. The pain came from the frustration of not being able to give the victims the justice they deserved. Captain Peng was known for his kindness, strong analytical thinking, perceptive mind, strong memory, and was famous for his integrity and loyalty.
As a man, Peng Zhao Lin lived a good life with his wife and son. Mrs. Peng, Cheng Guo, always complained about his irregular long working hours. Because she and her son needed his presence as a husband and father. The anger often flared up.
But Peng Zhao Lin was a gentle husband who knew how to persuade his wife. He always made sure to smile when he walked in, even though he felt drained by his work. Luckily, Cheng Guo is a reasonable woman as well. As a result, their family was still considered to be a stable one.
Deng Li Gang
Deng Li Gang (played by Wang Qian Yuan) is the leader of this group of killers. He is a sadistic person and has a tendency to violence. His temper is explosive. Even his “colleagues” are traumatized by his atrocities.
Deng Li Gang is intimidating, manipulative and extremely controlling person. He enjoys making others fear and enjoys watching them suffer. Most of all, he felt no guilt because he was apathetic. Deciding the target and controlling the process was his role in the group.
However, Deng LI’s gang had a reputation for being filial. Although he never contacted his mother, Deng Li Gang sincerely cared for her. There are many reasons that make a person a serial killer. I think Deng Li Gang was born a psychopath with no empathy.
Zhen Zhen
Zhen Zhen (played by Zhao Jin Mai) is a brave and smart high school student. She is not even 18 years old at the moment. Zhen Zhen lives with her mother and her father. She is an only child, but grew up with her grandmother until she was 10.
Zhen Zhen’s mother is a sharp-tongued woman, while her father was used to facilitate his wife and was rarely at home. Zhen Yu Liang worked at a construction site, while Shen Xia worked at the property management company of Baihui Residential Area.
In her old village school, Zhen Zhen was one of the smartest students. Her mother paid a lot of money for her to attend the best high school in Xuecheng City. But due to the difference between the village and the city, Zhen Zhen became a mediocre student in her current school.
Still, Zhen Zhen has many great qualities. In the beginning, she was smart and sweet. This bitter personality was sharpened by her mother. Peng Zhao Lin found out that Zhen Zhen has a photographic memory and is a very observant person, a perfect quality to become a police officer. The only problem was that Zhen Zhen was just a high school girl.
Song Hong Yu
The only female member of Deng Li Gang’s group is Song Hong Yu (played by Esther Wang). She could be considered his girlfriend. However, the relationship itself doesn’t seem to be romantic at all. Song Hong Yu was almost going to be one of the victims. However, her stubbornness and courage attracted Deng Li Gang’s interest, and in the end she became one of them.
Song Hong Yu is the one that lures the victims. She would approach them in a friendly way so that they would believe her whole heartedly. Song Hong Yu has a brother and a father. She still cares for them, but Deng Li Gang has a strict rule about contacting the family.
Shi Bi
Shi Bi (played by Ren Zhong) used to be a beer delivery driver. He looked like the most normal person in the group. He is a gentle person, but his role is to be the one to do the killing.
Shi Bi is a person who endures everything and never complains. However, his wife used to nag Shi Bi for taking too long to think things over. It was said that his wife left him and went south to do business and was never heard from again.
Ji Da Shun
Ji Da Shun (played by Zong Jun Tao) is the clumsiest of the group. He has a weak personality and is often bullied by Deng Li Gang. Ji Da Shun is not the most prominent person in the group. He was often overlooked by others.
Even the police didn’t immediately recognize him and his role in the group. When they carried out their crimes, Ji Da Shun worked as a butcher whose specialty was deboning victims.
The Conclusion
All in all, despite all the controversies out there, I think Drifting Away is a must-see drama for those who like thrillers and mysteries. And the reason for that? The cast is doing a very good job in this drama. If you choose to add this drama to your watchlist, be prepared for the explosive emotions that are present throughout the drama, from the beginning to the end.
Drifting Away is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you like it, make sure you don’t have anything to eat while you’re binge watching, otherwise it’s a waste.
So dedar readers, are you going to choose this drama for your weekend binge-watching? Don’t forget to let me know what you think about this drama as well. I hope you all enjoyed this Drifting Away drama review. See you next time. Bye bye! 😁
