On July 28, the drama 《利剑·玫瑰》, starring Dilraba Dilmurat (迪丽热巴) and Jin Shijia (金世佳), premiered. However, based on the currently aired episodes, the series is riddled with problems: Jin Shijia’s character is poorly written, Dilraba’s acting is questionable, the script lacks coherent narrative logic, and the basic common sense of the story is flawed. In short, this drama can only be described as “full of holes.”
Let’s start with Jin Shijia’s character.
This is the first thing that puts viewers off. At the beginning of the drama, Dilraba’s character is parachuted in to become the head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. Jin Shijia’s character disapproves of her appointment and even complains to the higher-ups. This already violates the basic disciplinary requirements expected within a professional organization.
Later, during an investigation, the female lead assigns the male lead to check for surveillance footage at a crime scene. Instead of doing his job, he and a female colleague complain about the assignment and mock her leadership. This kind of behavior instantly destroys any goodwill viewers might have had for the character.
Staff in an anti-trafficking unit must adhere to organizational discipline and demonstrate strong personal ethics. However, based on what’s been aired so far, Jin Shijia’s character fails on both fronts. A self-righteous character like this would not realistically exist in a serious anti-trafficking team. His character design is a major issue in the show.
Next, let’s talk about Dilraba Dilmurat’s acting.
I usually try not to criticize idol actors—it often feels thankless. But Dilraba’s performance in this drama is visibly stiff. Watching her on a large TV screen is almost painful. An actor isn’t a robot reading lines; they must convey the emotions of their character in specific circumstances. Unfortunately, Dilraba lacks the ability to express emotional depth.
Take the opening scene where her character is kidnapped. Faced with the kidnappers, her flat tone and rigid body language fail to communicate any real fear or emotional turmoil. Fans might try to defend her, but here’s a direct question: What is the character supposed to be feeling in that moment? If the answer is unclear, the performance has failed. A blank expression simply doesn’t cut it.
Similar problems persist throughout 《利剑·玫瑰》. For example, at the end of Episode 2, Dilraba’s character delivers some supposedly passionate lines like “If I don’t solve the case, I’ll strip off my uniform,” but she delivers them with the same emotionless tone, as if it had nothing to do with her. Non-fans watching this will find it difficult to stay engaged.
Now, onto the script’s narrative issues.
One of the show’s biggest problems is the lack of coherent transitions between scenes. The writer clearly lacks experience in constructing a well-paced narrative. The first two episodes are a chaotic mess. For instance, the female lead is chasing traffickers in a park one minute, and the next she’s meeting two strangers for an intense conversation—without any time continuity. The timeline is all over the place, and this kind of confusion is frequent.
Moreover, the script suggests the writer has little understanding of anti-trafficking operations or even basic life experience, as if it was written entirely from behind a desk. Let’s look at a few examples:
Jin Shijia’s character goes undercover and meets two human traffickers. In real operations, police never go alone—they work in teams of at least two or more. Going solo, as he does, shows a lack of organizational discipline. Later, his success in the sting operation also strains credibility.
In another scene from Episode 2, a kindly old lady running a rice noodle shop can’t pay rent and needs others to pitch in. The writer seems unaware of basic life logic. If the lady opened the shop to help locate missing children, then she’d surely have the determination and planning to sustain the shop, including paying rent. The forced “tragic” scenario lacks realism.
And then, after identifying the key suspect—the trafficker nicknamed “Whiteboard”—the male lead still doesn’t arrest him. Instead, he continues his undercover operation smugly, even as the lives of trafficked women and children hang in the balance. His ignorance reflects poorly on the writing, not the character alone.
Conclusion
《利剑·玫瑰》 is riddled with serious problems—from plot holes to unconvincing character development and poor acting. A script this flawed should never have made it to production in the first place.
