1 . Consisting of 39 episodes, the drama Knockout (狂飙) was directed by Xu Jizhou in 2021. It stars actors Zhang Songwen and Zhang Yi, who respectively play a fishmonger-turned-gang boss and a devoted police officer, recounting how they turn from friends to enemies over a period of two decades. Not only does it become a hit in China,     1    .

Set against the background of two decades of major social development in China and progress in it law-enforcement methods and capabilities, the story earned 8.6 points out of 10 on Douban and has won the market largely,     2    . Zhang Songwen’s character Gao appears as a humble fishmonger who relies on his small business to take care of two younger siblings.     3    . Luckily, he occasionally receives protective assistance from police officers he knew before. After tasting the benefits brought by guanxi, or “a special relationship” Gao is seduced (引诱) by the criminal underworld, a dark network that he once hated and fought against. In contrast, the police officer An Xin (played by Zhang Yi) is a lonely hero and idealist.     4    .

The show’s popularity index has reached 11,800—normally, 8000 marks a hit—on iQiyi.     5    . Despite describing the drama as “a shrimplike delicacy”, referring to its plain beginning and end, but with an excellent middle section, many viewers suggest the show signals the rise in quality of domestic TV offerings and express their hope that more, equally appealing, homegrown series will be forthcoming.