Synopsis
"The Bad Kids" is a 2020 suspense drama with a Douban rating of 8.8, directed by Xin Shuang and starring Qin Hao, Wang Jingchun, and Rong Zishan. Adapted from Zijin Chen's novel "Bad Kids," it tells the story of three children who accidentally record a murder while filming in a scenic area, plunging them into a dangerous game. As the inaugural work of iQiyi's "Light On" theater, the phrase "Want to go mountain climbing?" became a viral internet meme of the year.
Overview
"The Bad Kids" is a suspense drama that premiered on iQiyi's "Light On" theater on June 16, 2020. Directed by Xin Shuang and produced by Han Sanping, the series stars Qin Hao as Zhang Dongsheng, Wang Jingchun as Chen Guansheng, Rong Zishan as Zhu Chaoyang, Shi Pengyuan as Yan Liang, Wang Shengdi as Pupu, Zhang Songwen as Zhu Yongping, and Liu Lin as Zhou Chunhong. With 12 episodes, it holds a Douban rating of 8.8 (based on approximately 900,000 reviews), making it the highest-rated domestic suspense drama of 2020.
Adapted from Zijin Chen's mystery novel "Bad Kids," the story follows three children in the coastal town of Ningzhou who accidentally record a murder with their camera while playing in a scenic area, subsequently getting entangled in a series of dangerous events. "The Bad Kids" is the inaugural work of iQiyi's "Light On" theater and the breakthrough work for director Xin Shuang—who later directed "The Long Season," further proving his exceptional talent in the suspense genre.
Plot
The story takes place in the southern coastal town of Ningzhou. During summer vacation, three children—introverted top student Zhu Chaoyang (Rong Zishan), Yan Liang (Shi Pengyuan) who escaped from an orphanage, and Yan Liang's companion Pupu (Wang Shengdi)—accidentally record a video while playing in the Liufeng Mountain scenic area. The video captures children's palace math teacher Zhang Dongsheng (Qin Hao) pushing his parents-in-law off a cliff at the mountaintop.
Zhang Dongsheng is a seemingly gentle but inwardly sinister live-in son-in-law. When his wife Xu Jing proposes divorce, he meticulously plans the murder of his parents-in-law in an attempt to save his marriage and family by staging an accident. However, all of this is recorded by the three children's camera.
The children face a difficult choice—report to the police or use the video to extort money from Zhang Dongsheng to help Pupu's sick brother. As events unfold, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues between Zhang Dongsheng and the three children. Meanwhile, retired police officer Chen Guansheng (Wang Jingchun), who is investigating Yan Liang's escape from the orphanage, gradually gets drawn into this complex case.
Cast
| Actor | Character | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Qin Hao | Zhang Dongsheng | Children's palace math teacher, a seemingly gentle but inwardly sinister murderer |
| Wang Jingchun | Chen Guansheng | Retired police officer, investigating the truth of the case |
| Rong Zishan | Zhu Chaoyang | Introverted top student, meticulous and thoughtful |
| Shi Pengyuan | Yan Liang | Teenager who escaped from an orphanage, righteous and brave |
| Wang Shengdi | Pupu | Yan Liang's companion, innocent yet clever |
| Zhang Songwen | Zhu Yongping | Zhu Chaoyang's father, distant from his son after remarrying |
| Liu Lin | Zhou Chunhong | Zhu Chaoyang's mother, extremely controlling |
Qin Hao's portrayal of Zhang Dongsheng is the most memorable character in the series. He masterfully depicts this seemingly refined but inwardly twisted murderer. The scene where Zhang Dongsheng takes his parents-in-law hiking and smilingly asks if they want to take a photo together at the mountaintop has become one of the most chilling classic moments in Chinese film and television history. "Want to go hiking together?" subsequently became the hottest internet meme of 2020, widely referenced and parodied by countless netizens.
The performances of the three child actors are equally outstanding. Rong Zishan's portrayal of Zhu Chaoyang, who transforms from an obedient good student to reveal unfathomable cunning, is layered and chilling. Zhang Songwen's Zhu Yongping is a father torn between two families; his authentic and nuanced performance vividly portrays the weaknesses and contradictions of an ordinary person.
Production Features
"The Bad Kids" showcases several ingenious production elements. Director Xin Shuang, originally a musician (former member of the band Joyside), perfectly integrates music with narrative—the opening theme "Little White Boat" is a children's song but is given a chilling meaning in the series. The drama extensively uses metaphors and symbolism, with each episode's opening animation hinting at key plot points.
The narrative structure of the series is also cleverly crafted. On the surface, it is a story about children outsmarting a murderer, but attentive viewers will notice many details hinting at a darker truth. The director intentionally leaves ample room for interpretation and暗示, allowing the audience to piece together the complete story—this open-ended narrative sparked widespread discussion and analysis online.
Cultural Impact
After its release, "The Bad Kids" sparked nationwide discussion, becoming the hottest cultural phenomenon of the summer of 2020. "Want to go hiking together?" became one of the year's most popular internet phrases. The series also boosted tourism in its filming location, Zhanjiang, Guangdong. As the inaugural work of iQiyi's "Light On" theater, it demonstrated that Chinese online suspense dramas can achieve extremely high production standards, setting a benchmark for subsequent suspense drama creations.
References
- Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/33404425/
- Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/隐秘的角落
- Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/隐秘的角落_(电视剧)
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