Stealth Walker (2021)

A great undercover police drama that plunges us into a dark and dangerous universe.

This drama is different from most regular dramas. It takes place in a different region than popular dramas and plunges us into the world of drugs and crime.

Story:
The story is pretty well written and the action and event sequences are thrilling. Sometimes an explanatory scene is missing for certain things but it remains a detail. The plot, the course of events, everything is well balanced.
The first two episodes, which serve as an introduction, would have deserved more clarity (apparently several scenes from the beginning of the drama have been cut) but remain correct in their introduction of the characters and the universe of the story.
The story really starts at the end of Episode 2 and from there it's a roller coaster ride. We live, like the heroine, the immersion in a sad, hard, cruel and dangerous world.

Characters:
The FL who, at first may seem like a hothead, will quickly find her way into our hearts with her ability to blend in with the surroundings, her resourcefulness and her badass attitude. She is different from the usual FLs. She knows how to fight, knows how to use her mind, has a lot of nerve. She also has a lot of empathy, strength of mind, and can be cute and innocent in certain situations.
ML meanwhile is more mysterious. It is difficult to truly understand who he is since most of his thoughts are not accessible to us at first. However, we are captivated by his charisma, the sensitive heart we feel under the mask he has created and, at the same time, just like the FL, we fear him and his intentions.

It's a drama that wants to portray life undercover and what it means to investigate. Therefore, the focus is on the FL. We also follow her whole team. It is the story of these police officers, of their courage, of their difficulty in arresting criminals that is told.
The bad guys are also important because the FL works with them and you have to feel all the danger that it represents to work in this environment.
The drama achieves the feat of humanizing the people living in this environment. There are the rotten ones, of course. We often have little empathy for them. But there are also those whom poverty and lack of perspective has thrown into this world. I applaud the writers for portraying human misery and the fact that we have to destroy drug trafficking for these people too, so that they have a chance.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend this drama to those who like action, police, crime and mafia stories. This drama is definitely worth it. If you like to try another kind of drama, go watch it! Its unique proposition in dramaland, its focus on a badass and resourceful FL and its subject made it a drama to be seen.
On the other hand, not everyone will appreciate this story given the subject and the way it is treated so don't waste your time if you don't like police drama or crime drama.

OST:
The OST is really good. It is not use at each episode like in most dramas but sublimates the scenes in which the songs are used. I have had chills and tears more than once thanks to the OST.

Conclusion:
It's one of the best dramas I've seen. From start to finish, I was glued to my screen. The story is interesting and the characters are well written and endearing. There is everything: action, investigation, romance, social painting.


What I liked the most:
- A strong and resourceful heroine who improves over time.
- A charismatic and enigmatic male character.
- An intense immersion in the world of crime.

What I liked the least:
- A lack of clarity during the introduction of the main characters.
- The dubbing of the voices, due to censorship and a rewriting of certain dialogues, is sometimes not perfectly synchronized in the beginning.
- Some somewhat confusing editing choices.

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"The rose walker"

This is surely one of my favorites to rewatch aftet some time. Actually it had been a very long time since i had found something this satisfying. The plot ,storyline nd the acting is amazing. Even the time period is kept in early 20s (2009) to male it seem more realistic. Actually i like mixed genres show. So this has action ,crime,thriller with a combo of romance so , it makes it more fun to watch. Tbe little girl in the drama is really adorable. Zhang ye chen is reallly very handsome. Tge romance between the leads is soo good. Their chemistry is top notch. And there are times when i cried, as i put my self in the characters place, which makea it more indulging and interesting to see.

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Very weak inconsistent or illogical police drama ,, frustrating really

I started this drama because of the male lead and I hoped of good Angsty police drama but I was really disappointed and bored by the whole thing ,, first ten episodes ,, nothing really interesting happening at all to the level of dropping it but I just hold on to anything interesting as it moves along ,, it started to get interesting around episode 15 and things were happening fast but I was annoyed by the female lead a lot ,, she should have been dead long ago with her attitude around gang members and the deceiving methods she used were really lame and very weak
her relationship with the male lead was weird not very obvious whose side he was on ,, she was from the get go with him like a lover all of the sudden ,, I felt her loving him even as a gang member ,, that was weird ,, I don't know the police force were helpless most of time ,, they needed her to inform them about every thing ,, there were no backup or obvious plan to follow
this drama as a criminal drama very unrealistic and a mess
the last ten episodes were good not the best but were better than the rest of the drama
I don't recommend it because I really didn't like it at all ,,just watched it for the male lead that's it

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For the people who love police dramas
This is another great drama about an undercover cop and drug smuggling gangs
For me, this is the second most beautiful undercover cop drama after Never Say Never .

A great cast, the two heroes are great and harmonious, great action sences, a beautiful story, slight romance, and most importantly, the perfect ending that makes you wish for a second season

At the beginning I was afraid because the main lead is female and decided to not watch this drama but then i decided to give it a chance and it was good and i don't regret it

Actually I don't like the romance senses between the Male and female in any drama but in this one the romance was cute and beautiful with funny moments and i like that

I almost forgot about the beautiful ost in the ending
It was amazing

The story of a young cop from the police academy, Lin Qiang. Her parents were killed by a drug lord. The police force arranged for Lin Qiang to go undercover and start a covert mission to collect evidence from the drug dealer. She then meets the mysterious adopted son, Zhang Xian He of the current drug lord. She pretends to fall in love with him to obtain some vital information about the organization and at the same time feels torn. He, in turn, is also in turmoil when he figures out her identity.

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Good pacing and based on a real case in China

First of all, this drama is inspired by a true event that occurred in the 2000s when sale of drugs were at its peak and the story is focused on the incidents with the notorious drug lord. Please correct me if I'm wrong but the name should be Liu Zhao Hua.

Good points!
1. This drama is pretty fast paced and not draggy at all which I totally appreciate it. There are only 24 eps, so it's really easy to watch if you are those that get impatient or tired of chasing dramas.
2. All the actors did great in their roles here especially Lin Peng (FL) and Zheng Ye Cheng (ML) exceeded my expectations with their chemistry! I must say they actually look really good together even though there is quite a age difference between them! And I want to praise the child actor too! She is so cute and natural in her character, her interaction with her daddy literally just melts me away~
3. Though the story isn't all true to the arrest of the drug lord, it still makes a good crime drama! It has good thought process and logical scenes that I felt was handled well unlike many dramas these days.

Bad points...
1. Some of characters just faded out of the drama like Chu Jiao Jiao, she's like disappeared into thin air after the first case concluded and Cheng Jin Song also didn't had any scene on the last part.
2. Lacking some romance/ interactions between the main leads towards the as it was becoming more focus on the crime parts. I do hope for some more romance between them!
3. There are definitely some major plot holes such as whenever the FL gets into grave danger, things just solved too easily. I mean this kind tactics won't work in reality...

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Ho Hum but could have been exceptional...

Littered with too many plot holes as is expected from a mediocre script and small budget this drama still managed to keep me somewhat vested in the the leads' story arc. Unlike most action/thriller stories based on the police, this drama's lead is a female officer who goes undercover to bust a drug trafficking ring.

While the female lead's acting was quite wooden when it came to the romantic side of things, her poker face helped where it called for thrill/action. Her character was totally badass and I liked how her single goal in life was to bring down the drug organisation that killed her adopted father. She did not let romantic entanglements get in her way of achieving justice which was true to her character build-up.

Where I have a problem is her lack of emoting anything other than angst throughout the series. I didn't see any chemistry between her and her supposed romantic interest. The actor who played the romantic interest on the other hand did bang-up job of portraying all the emotions and stole the scenes whenever he was on screen. His daughter was also very cute and helped limp along the scenes where the couple shared screen with her.

The supporting cast felt mostly one dimensional with the exception of a few memorable characters such as Cao Yong Ming, the Vice-Captain of narcotics control who is assigned to lead this case. His resistance to the female lead in the initial episodes and later acceptance made complete sense however the way his character was made to handle the case was mind-boggling to me. Another character I found likeable was Chu Jiao Jiao, the woman kept by one of the bosses. Her character growth through the drama was interesting and portrayed really well by the actor.

The drama requires a complete suspension of disbelief and is held up only by an intriguing overarching story, the details as to how to get there are completely overlooked. The initial episodes were totally illogical but the feeling of disbelief reduced during the middle and came back full force in the last few episodes. The pace was gripping and helped overlook a lot of the flaws. The ending was justifiable and satisfactory with most lose ends getting resolved.

Overall this feels like a one time watch if you are into police/thrillers sporting an actually strong but somewhat hot tempered female lead who doesn't need a man to save her from every little encounter. Kudos to the writer for that!

A 6.5/10 only because of what I said about the FL. If this drama was a typical male dominated story it would be around 5/10 so you can understand how great the plot is...

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Classic thriller

OVERALL
For once in a long time, a binge-worthy crime & mystery C-drama. Watch it if 1) you're craving a gripping thriller with good pace, 2) you like strong and smart FLs. Reconsider if 1) you're looking for a well-developed romance, 2) you don't like plot flaws.

THE STORY
I binged this series in two days, and that might make it seem totally amazing. I guess it kind of is, but not really haha It's definitely a worthy drama, but it's also a very flawed drama.

The Good
- In terms of crime & mystery, this drama's living up to expectations. You have fast pace, smart villains, a few action scenes, all the good's there.
- FL is cool and not for being cute and pretty (yay!) but for actually being smart, strong and capable.
- ML is also cool, though he doesn't stand out as much as FL.
- There are no annoying secondary characters, everyone is either likeable or realistic and useful.
- Cinematography is top notch thriller genre, the drama serves good quality production from beginning to end.

The Bad
- At the top of the list, there's the complete failure of a romance. It's not just bad, it's ugly. The drama starts out promising a love story, but as it goes on not only does the romance recede to the background, it becomes increasingly incoherent. Don't expect any developments or skinship on that end.
- The drama also promises character development for FL, because it starts out giving lots of backstory and showing us her struggles, but then it just...forgets about everything. Again, total failure to deliver. False advertisement.
- The ending is illogical. But actually, so are a few plot twists and events in the drama. Basically, the writing is as sloppy as the production is great.

THE ACTING
Good, all around. I think ML and FL even had a bit of chemistry at first, even though the drama makes sure by the end you don't remember it.

THE MUSIC
Typical suspenseful music, but the good kind. I liked it!

REWATCH VALUE
Eh...What hyped the series the most for me was the potential romance, but the ship got stuck at the harbor. I doubt I'll watch the drama again.

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I know the good guys will win in the end, but I hope ZYC's character will stay alive.

I like it!

I started this drama 'cause I was bored and had nothing better I wanted to watch. I'm in the early episodes of Zheng Yecheng's drama 'Love Under the Full Moon' and I'm waiting for all episodes to be free and with English subs. Then I stumbled upon Stealth Walker.

Best. Thing. Ever.

At on episode 6 of 24, I can feel that I'm gonna need more episodes before we get to the end.

This drama is really good. It's not great or award winning, but it has just the right amount of goodness. I'm liking the police action, the undercover storyline and the little cutie, Coco. She's so precious.

Episode 6 is the best and funniest so far and I just know it will get better. Let's hope I'm not disappointed.

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She may lose her heart but not her goal

In Stealth Walker, the focus is on the young aspiring police officer Lin Qiang, who unfortunately experiences one misfortune after another. First, she fails the exams at the police academy, and then her foster uncle (a police officer who raised her) is murdered during a mission related to a drug cartel. From that point on, Lin Qiang takes the investigation into her own hands. She is determined to find the murderer and is soon officially placed undercover by the police to bring down the drug dealers.

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The Characters:

FL - Lin Qiang (played by Lin Peng)

She is strong, fearless, and ready to fight. There were moments when I felt she acted impulsively and without much thought, and then there were moments where she was very deliberate, clever, and cautious before taking action. This made the drama exciting and fresh. The story is mostly told from her perspective. Although, surprisingly, she didn’t captivate me emotionally as much as I expected, I was rooting for her and hoping she would achieve the goal she was striving for.

Overall, I feel rather neutral about her. Something was missing, but I can't quite put my finger on what it was. Additionally, I found it unfortunate that her voice was dubbed. There were many moments when I felt the new voice didn’t really fit her. Over time, you get used to it, and I can imagine others might not find it as bothersome.

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ML - Zhang Xianhe (played by Zheng Yecheng)

For me, he was the highlight of the drama and definitely a scene-stealer.

Xianhe is the adopted son of a major drug lord and, as a result, is involved in the drug business in various ways. He also has a adopted daughter—I estimate she's of elementary school age, between 6 and 8 years old. The fact that he has a child made his story all the more intriguing for me. He’s a fascinating character that I kept questioning. What is he really like? What secrets does he hold? Early on, I realized that this man definitely has a soft heart, and it was a joy to get to know him little by little and see him as a father. He’s definitely caught in a complicated situation.

I can imagine that if the drama had been told primarily from his perspective, with the FL playing a secondary role, it would have been just as captivating—perhaps even more so for me. I see great potential there. On a side note, the truly stylish look and the fact that the actor kept his own voice made my enjoyment of this character even greater.

It’s sad that we won’t be getting a second season. I would have really liked more content, just to learn more about Xianhe's life.

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2nd ML - Cheng Jinsong (played by Li Zifeng)

A very lovable, caring, and selfless man. Initially, he's a member of a S.W.A.T. unit, but since he and the FL have been close friends since childhood and the murder at the beginning of the series also affects him (the victim is his biological uncle), he joins the undercover operation. He's a very likeable character who grows on you. He often provides great support and is crucial to FL's mission and being there for her after difficult situations.

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The Romance:

First and foremost, this drama is not a love story. It’s a crime thriller with action and mystery. The romance is merely a subplot—but a lovely one, in my opinion. It's the little cherry on top that makes the series even more exciting. The push-and-pull dynamic between Lin Qiang and Zhang Xianhe is entertaining, fiery, emotional and often quite amusing.

I also appreciate that Lin Qiang always prioritizes her mission. Let's be honest... just because you suddenly develop feelings for someone while working undercover, especially someone on the opposing side, it’s definitely not a good idea to act on those feelings and jeopardize the investigation—or your own life. This is a major plus for the drama, as it feels quite realistic.

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The Undercover Mission:

The drama has 24 episodes, and the fact that I watched them all in just 3 days says a lot. The plot isn’t episodic; each episode flows smoothly into the next. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and action-packed. The beginning is a bit slow, but once the undercover work kicks into gear, there's no stopping it. For me, there wasn’t a single boring episode.

Of course, there are unrealistic situations, but that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of this thriller. And the fact that the FL has a bit too much plot armor and should have died several times by now doesn’t bother me too much. I just go with it and find amusement in her negotiation skills.

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My Conclusion:

I believe that if the ML hadn’t been such an endearing and complex character, and if the actor hadn’t fit the role so well, the drama would have only gotten an 8.5/10 from me. However, since Xianhe was such a major highlight for me and the plot kept me hooked until the very end, I’m giving it a rating of 9/10.

I highly recommend this drama to anyone out there who enjoys crime thrillers. Stealth Walker is a hidden gem.

[finished watching on 17 September 2024]

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An undercover cop and a drug bust...but with interesting characters and kick-butt FL

Great modern-ish drama on drug busts. It's definitely underrated but it's worth a watch. 8.5/10
TL;DR Good characters, chemistry, suspense but leaves some characters without a follow-up. Spoiler-free summary at bottom.

Pros:
1. Great Characters--The main lead, Li Qiang, is strong, smart, and capable. I loved watching her endurance as the situations become sticky and her intelligence in logically dealing with the case. She is physically strong and can fight well, but she also has a sympathetic side of her (often shown around her friends or a little girl named Coco). Cheng Jingsong, Li Qiang's close friend/brother, is a righteous and loyal police officer. He cares deeply for those around him and will put them before himself, even in trying situations. His morally rightness contrasted with the mission he found himself entangled in. Unlike Jingsong, Zhang Xian He is complicated. He seems like a playboy at times but is not. Sometimes he seems evil; sometimes he seems good. He uses others to help him achieve his unforeseen plans, but he wishes well of people. Overall, Zhang Xian He has many layers that are entertaining to watch throughout the show.
2. Good Chemistry--The characters' interactions with each other are believable and true to their personalities. For example, Jingsong and Qiang share a sibling bond that is evident in their interactions. Zhang Xian He is complicated, but he does not wish to hurt those close to him which is shown in his actions.
3. Suspense--Cops- and dealers-type conflict litter the drama, providing both mystery and action on a legal and illegal basis.

Cons:
Unfinished stories--some characters leave the screen without a follow-up story or background story. For example, Boss Hu's (a drug boss) girlfriend is pregnant, but the drama ends without expanding on her friendship with the FL or what happened to her after the FL excels in the case. Also, Captain Cao (the leading officer of the Narcotics division) and his relation to the other officers seems a bit flat, and his relation to Li Qiang's uncle and father are not clear.

Summary
A tough female lead, drug busts and bosses, illegal deals, lies and loop holes... Stealth Walker is a crime drama centered around a young lady named Li Qiang (Lin Peng) who aspires to be a police officer like her adopted father. Her friend Cheng Jingsong (Li Zi Feng) happens to be a member in the SWAT team. After a tragic accident during an undercover mission regarding a drug network, Ling Qiang goes undercover to discover her adopted father's murderer. Coincidentally, she meets Zhang Xian He (Zheng Ye Cheng) who is part of the drug dealing circle (but he deals with the financial part). They work together (or should I say...use each other), but Li Qiang struggles to hide her identity, knowing the cost of her secret. As she dives deeper into the illegal business, Li Qiang realizes that the case may not be as simple as the police initially believed...

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Gripping and satisfying

This show wowed me.

At first, I was confused why everyone had those ratchet old phones, till I realized the show took place in 2009. It was quite nice seeing some of that old iconic technology.

This show at times got confusing, there were a lot of characters, and it has a couple plot holes. But everything takes care of itself.

It really was suspenseful TBH.. like my heart was POUNDING for several episodes straight and it had me holding my breath for minutes on end.

Ending could be better, but it wasnt bad by any means.

Totally give it a shot! :D

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