Yin Hong Photo: Courtesy of Yi Dan

One of the most watched Chinese drama series of 2021, Crime Crackdown has set the example for the crime genre by emphasizing stories based on real-life cases of organized crime, according to a seminar hosted by China's Motion Picture and Arts Committee on Friday.  

The first TV series to mark the victory of China's three-year campaign against organized crime, Crime Crackdown, starring Zhang Yixing and Liu Yijun, has captured public attention and sparked discussion on social media with its true crime stories. 

The success of the TV series lies in its "attempt at a dramatic expression under the premise of rational thought and truth," according to Wang Meng from information office at the Committee of Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, which oversees production of legal-related TV and film projects. 

The popularity and success of the drama were acknowledged not only by representatives from streaming platform Tencent Video and TV stations including China Central Television and Beijing TV, but also by cultural critics and scholars.   

In the eyes of Yin Hong, vice chairman of the China Film Association, the depictions of villain roles in the drama come across as very natural and show "the deep roots in their lives that explain their actions, which can act as a warning for others."

Yi Kai, secretary-general of China's Motion Picture and Arts Committee, concluded that "we need to express people's real lives in the form of TV series."