☔ In the Name of Justice 以法之名 ☔ (2025) First Impression & Discussion: Episodes 1 - 3
Welcome
Welcome to the the episode discussion series for In the Name of Justice 以法之名. This series will be co-hosted with u/rabatjoie2 ☂, and we will be following platform's VIP release schedule.
Premiered: June 24, 2025 on Youku 👖 (MDL)
# of Episodes: 36
Genre: Internal Affairs | Legal | Crime | (Light) Suspense
Links: Announcement Post | Wiki Post | All Epi Discussions
❗ Please use Spoiler tags in comments if you are revealing info from future episodes ❗
Too many characters too many roles?
By the way, if you are getting overwhelmed like I was at the sheer number of characters and legal roles and departments that the drama is throwing at us in the first few dramas, here's a complementary "wiki post" that I have pulled together to provide some quick background info and character list.
So it begins
I have been waiting for this drama since the first rumoured air date for its bold (for a cdrama) subject matter. Unlike traditional crime dramas that focus mainly on taking down gangs, this one goes further and digs deep into the legal enforcement system itself, exposing the internal "protective umbrellas" shielding corruption.
So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how effectively the suspense and mystery in this drama have kept me hooked. The so-called “bad guys” are already in custody and standing trial right from the beginning, though things quickly spiral into chaos when the courtroom scene turns into a shouting match. One of the indicted lady (Zhang Wen Qin) suddenly yells that they are innocent and have been framed, while the supposed “mafia boss” looks visibly shocked by the outburst and the chaos that follows.
Back at the detention center, we see the two alleged masterminds of the Wan Group engaging in tense conversations with their respective defense lawyers. Interestingly, the two don’t seem to share legal counsel, and their lawyers clearly aren’t on the same page. Zhang Wen Qin’s lawyer seems genuinely surprised and uneasy about the turn of events, and even appears to be earnestly trying to help her, while Wan Hai’s lawyer gives off the impression of being more of a pawn, possibly planted by whoever is really pulling the strings.
Whatever the details might be, it's definitely starting to look like both Wan and Zhang have been set up or coerced into taking the fall as the masterminds behind the operation, while more powerful players remain hidden in the background.
This kicks off the drama’s central mystery: a high-stakes guessing game of “who’s the real protective umbrella” within the system. Nearly every character seems to walk the line between trustworthy and suspicious, and that tension is what makes the story so engaging.
So who have we got?
Prosecutor Hong Liang - Department 11 (Internal Affairs)
As per his superior, Sun Xiang Qun, there are only two types of people who would quit the Procuratorate:
- Those that have lost their passion for justice, and
- Those that have got some dirt to hide
According to what know now, Hong Liang seems to be quitting to have a better work-life-balance and likely away from the political and bureaucratic pressure as a prosecutor.
I mean, who won't want to spend more family time with such a witty girl?
... And especially when everyone at work is treating you as "Public Enemy" since you are part of Department 11?
Hong Liang, this is why you don't show up at dinner time uninvited!!
But Hong Liang, when your superior asks about your ideals before signing off on your resignation, launching into heartfelt stories and reciting inspirational slogans about why you became a prosecutor is only going to get you rehired!
Truth be told I think there was no way Hong Liang could have refused or gotten out of being part of the Guidance Group (aka Consultant Investigative Team) because Zhang and Sun has already picked him.
Prosecutor Li Ren Jun - Acting Chief Procurator of Dong Ping City
According to a leaked copy of the script (not really) that got passed very "discreetly" to the Provincial Chief Procurator, Zhang Fang while Li Ren Jun was sitting right across from him, Li is currently being reported (by an anonymous whistleblower) as the real protective umbrella in the Wan Hai case.
From what we know so far, Li Ren Jun seems to have been aware that Prosecutor Qiao, now deceased, had doubts about the Wan Hai case and believed more substantial evidence was needed. Despite this, Qiao was either pressured to move the case forward or removed from it entirely. It is unclear how much this implicates Li or how much he truly knew, but he definitely gives the impression of feeling guilty about what happened to Qiao and possibly fearful of what might come next.
Sun Fei - Dong Ping City Police, Ping Shan Sub-Region Assistant Chief
Lastly, we have perhaps the most suspicious-looking character so far, which usually means he’ll end up being the least corrupt of them all: Sun Fei. He appears well-connected and ambitious, which raises the question: could that ambition have driven him to seek alternative ways to advance within the system? And if so, would that potentially implicate Dongping City's Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission (PLAC), Lan Jingming?
Discussion Questions
- What are your first impressions of the drama?
- What did you find most unexpected?
- Who's on your "sus-list" at the moment and why?
- Who might be spying on our new Consultant Team?
- Bonus question: hmmm, ennnn, hmmmmm, mmmm, ennn?
Posted Jun 25, 2025, 5:59 AM UTC