The Lion’s Secret Review

The Lion’s Secret (赖猫的狮子倒影) seems like a pretty low-key drama as I have not seen much promotion for it. I initially thought this is a rom-com as the male protagonist is kind of a joker. But I was wrong! It has quite a bit of action with some flashbacks that have a traumatic undertone to it. The drama is not depressing or melodramatic because of that in case you are worried that it will weigh you down emotionally. You can check out The Lion’s Secret review below for more details about this drama. For a start, it has a more matured theme and the CEO isn’t the typical domineering man but a woman!

My rating: 7/10
Episodes: 33
Type: Action Romance
Aired: December 2021
Images Credit: iQIYI

The Cast Of The Lion’s Secret 2021

• Zhu Ya Wen as Liu Qing
• Yang Zi Shan as Mu Wan Qing
• Li Yuan as Fu Jun Die
• Mike He Jun Xiang as Lei Shuo
• Lan Man Yu as Li Yu Ting
• Li Guang Fu as Gu Xiong Chuan
• Zhang Shen as Mu Jian Jun
• Sui Yong Liang as Feng Cong
• Jian Ze Zheng as Li Na
• Qin Bo Kun as Wu Feng Yu
• Kira Shi Meng Jiao as Yu Man Shan
• Chang Han as Yang Zhen Tian

Main Characters

Liu Qing

Liu Qing is a former black ops officer in a clandestine security organization. He hides a traumatic past due to a botched mission but is a jovial person by nature. Liu Qing always appears as non-serious with a smiling face but is highly observant of others around him. Wan Qing is the love of his life.

Mu Wan Qing

Wan Qing is the General Manager of Maoyuan Heavy Industries. She is a career-minded woman with a professional and stern outlook. She appears tough in public but has her vulnerabilities which are only exposed to those closest to her. Wan Qing is independent-minded and can be stubborn at times.

Fu Jun Die

Jun Die runs a martial arts training club. She was an orphan who was taken in by the Mu family. Hence, she grew up with Wan Qing and they are the best of friends. Jun Die is a tomboy with little interest in dating and relationships.

Lei Shuo

Lei Shuo is the owner of a security consulting firm and Liu Qing’s ex-comrade. He appears as a suave gentleman but has wide experience as a former black ops officer. He is also an antique collector. Lei Shuo’s love interest is Jun Die.

Supporting Characters

Li Yu Ting

Yu Ting is the younger sister of Li Mo who was Liu Qing’s ex-comrade. Her brother had died during a mission and she is the only one left in the family. Yu Ting is a part-time worker and student. She is independent but can be willful.

Gu Xiong Chuan/ Director Gu

Director Gu is the owner of Gu Group which is a conglomerate. He has retired and appointed professionals to run his business. However, Director Gu is still very influential and respected in the business circle. He is an easy-going man who knows how to read people.

Mu Jian Jun / President Mu

President Mu is the owner of Maoyuan and Wan Qing is his only child. He has retired and handed over the day-to-day operations of the company to Wan Qing. He and Liu Qing’s father were good friends from their army days.

Feng Cong

Feng Cong is the country manager for Weikai Investments which is an investor in industrial projects. He is also Wan Qing’s ex-boyfriend. He still has feelings for her and intends to woo her back.

Li Na

Li Na is Wan Qing’s executive assistant. He is a capable subordinate who knows what needs to be done and delivers the work. He is supportive and protective of his boss.

Wu Feng Yu

Feng Yu is a mechanic with his own garage and team of underlings. He is also Liu Qing and Lei Shuo’s ex-teammate in the black ops outfit. He is married with a young autistic daughter named You You. His wife is a full-time housewife but used to dabble in quantum physics.

Yu Man Shan

Man Shan is in the R&D department of Maoyuan. She is one of the key staff of the department which is building an advanced aviation engine. She is talented in her field and has Wan Qing’s support but is implicated in the company’s lab explosion case. Her rival in the department is Qian Chang who has the backing of Director Guan.

Yang Zhen Tian

Zhen Tian runs the Zhen Tian Group which is Maoyuan’s competitor. He has always wanted to take over Maoyuan to prove himself worthy to the extent of using illegal means. He is married to Yu Lu who is the daughter of a tycoon who owns the Yu Group.

Synopsis

Wan Qing has taken over the helm of Maoyuan Heavy Industries from her father who has retired. But she is facing obstacles and threats from people within the company. So, her father arranged for her to marry Liu Qing whom he believes could protect his daughter. Wan Qing agreed in order to maintain stability in the company but she hated him on sight.

Liu Qing is a former special ops soldier and his late father was a good friend of the Mu family. He has feelings for Wan Qing and would risk his life to keep her safe although he would always puts on a jovial and non-serious face when he is with her. But behind the facade, he had a traumatic experience during a failed mission while he was a soldier.

After the marriage, Liu Qing’s past seems to have caught up with him when he crosses path with his old comrades again. The meetings are too much of a coincidence when Wan Qing is also dragged into mess with threats to her life. Her rivals are also conspiring against her as Li Qing rushes to flush out the mastermind behind all the troubles.

The Lion’s Secret Ending (Spoilers Alert!)

The Lion’s Secret has a happy ending. 3 months after all the problems were resolved and the underground arms trading network in Drago was busted, Liu Qing and the rest are back to visit the charity school in Bazhen. They are there to spend time with the kids and there are happy faces all around. As Wan Qing stares at the balloons floating upwards towards the sky, she seems to recall the time when Liu Qing released a ballon for her to catch when they were kids. The last scene is that flashback of a smiling Wan Qing as a little girl with the balloon Liu Qing gave her.

When Did They Get Together?

Wan Qing and Liu Qing got married right at the beginning of the drama. Her father picked Liu Qing because he trusts the latter will protect Wan Qing no matter what happens. Wan Qing agreed to it because she just wants to get on with her job at Maoyuan whereby she is under constant attack from both internal and external enemies. Hence, her father was worried about her safety and insisted on the marriage.

Wan Qing didn’t really like Liu Qing in the beginning. She treated him rather coldly until she found out that he saved her from a kidnapper in Episode 8. That is when her heart softened a little for him. Gradually, she likes him more and more. She even rejects Feng Cong who wants to get back with her in Episode 18.

However, Wan Qing gets really angry with Liu Qing when her grandmother dies in Episode 19. This is because he knew her grandmother was ill with cancer but hid it from her as requested by the patient. Wan Qing and Liu Qing finally become a real couple in Episode 26 after the experience in Bazhen. She decides to go there to take a look at the charity school that her grandmother has left her.

Liu Qing is worried about her safety and quietly follows her to Bazhen. While there, they encounter threats to their lives by a drug syndicate. Wan Qing understands Liu Qing better during their time there and he also risks his life to protect her. After the Bazhen trip, Wan Qing begins to be more proactive in their relationship and confesses her feelings in Episode 26.

Is There A Breakup?

Yes, but brief. Liu Qing breaks up with Wan Qing in Episode 30 because he is worried that he will bring her danger. He is also unsure if he will be able to come back alive when he decides to go to Drago to confront Li Mo. Hence, he leaves a divorce agreement behind and quietly flies out of the country.

However, Wan Qing is smart enough to figure out what is going on and tails Lei Shuo and Feng Yu to Drago. She reunites with Liu Qing in Episode 32.

Love Triangle

Feng Cong who is Wan Qing’s ex-boyfriend reappears in her life in Episode 13. He makes it clear that he wants her back but she is reluctant as he left her without a word in the past. Their story is revealed by Jun Die in Episode 14. Feng Cong’s father was a swindler and Wan Qing’s father was against their relationship. Therefore, Wan Qing and Feng Cong had agreed to elope. When Jun Die overheard Feng Cong’s father’s conversation that could prove his crime, she recorded it. She became the whistleblower because she didn’t want Wan Qing to end up with such a family.

When the case was exposed, Feng Cong quickly left the country without telling Wan Qing. He stood her up when they had made plans to elope which caused her to suffer emotionally for a period of time. As for Feng Cong, he wanted to come back as a successful man to get back Wan Qing. However, Wan Qing has developed feelings for Liu Qing and rejects Feng Cong in Episode 18.

Feng Cong has initially cooperated with Li Mo in order to win back Wan Qing but decides to abandon the plan at the last minute. He realizes that he doesn’t deserve her anymore as she has become wiser compared to him. After completing the agreement with her company, he decides to leave the country in Episode 29. They part on good terms.

Liu Qing’s PTSD

Viewers are given snippets of what happened to Liu Qing during his last mission in the earlier episodes through flashbacks and conversations. But the complete story is told by Lei Shuo to Jun Die at the end of Episode 19 and the beginning of Episode 20.

The team’s mission was to take out Neuch who was a drug syndicate leader. They were retreating after capturing Neuch but Liu Qing decided to save some female prisoners who were pleading for help. His decision caused the deaths of a few of his teammates when they came under heavy retaliatory fire. He was also injured and the few of them retreated into a cold room together with a few girls whom they had saved. The enemies then lowered the temperature in the room to weaken their defenses. The girls froze to death in front of Liu Qing.

The team then decided to take the risk to blow up one side of the wall to escape. At the same time, the enemies barged in. Li Mo courageously held them back and asked Lei Shuo, Feng Yu, and Liu Qing to escape. As Liu Qing was injured, Lei Shuo made the decision to pull him to safety together with Feng Yu. As a result, Li Mo was sacrificed. Liu Qing witnessed Li Mo being stabbed repeatedly as he was pulled.

That is why Liu Qing will panic and freeze up when confronted by low temperature in certain situations. Wan Qing tells Liu Qing that she knows about his past from Jun Die in Episode 23.

Who Is Behind Na Mu?

Zhen Tian and Li Na are both manipulated by Na Mu. Both of them have their own motivations for working with her. Zhen Tian wants to take over Maoyuan while Li Na has feelings for Wan Qing. Zhen Tian is forced to kill himself when his dirty deeds are exposed in Episode 17 while Li Na is killed by Na Mu in Episode 18 when his cover is blown and he has outlived his usefulness.

Behind Na Mu is the drug lord named Yan Jing who is the foster son of the charity school headmistress in Bazhen. This will be revealed in Episode 22. Yan Jing masquerades as a helper at the school and he is also Na Mu’s lover. Na Mu joined him because he promised her that he will investigate and avenge her sister’s death. When she realizes that she has been made used of, she steals the chip that contains evidence of his crime and sends it to Liu Qing although she is pregnant with his baby in Episode 24. After the theft, she escapes from Bazhen and her story ends there.

Yan Jing is manipulating Liu Qing, Wan Qing, Lei Shuo, and Feng Yu to set the stage for them to meet in Bazhen. He is getting help from Li Mo who didn’t die back then but brainwashed into hating his ex-comrades for abandoning him. Yan Jing is actually Neuch’s son. That is why he wants revenge against Liu Qing and his comrades. He also wants Wan Qing’s charity school because it used to be a plant with old machines that could be used for manufacturing drugs.

Yan Jing is eventually killed by Li Mo in a sniper attack in Episode 25 to get him out of the way for his own plans.

The Ultimate Villain

The ultimate villain is Li Mo who was presumed dead during the mission. That is why Liu Qing, Lei Shuo, and Feng Yu have been set up to meet again and their every step seems to have been anticipated by the enemy. Li Mo simply knows them too well.

Liu Qing suspects Li Mo is still alive after Yan Jing is killed in Episode 25. He knows that to be the case in Episode 29 when he hears that someone is offering Yu Ting an internship abroad. The confirmation comes at the end of the episode when Yu Ting calls Liu Qing to tell him that she is with her brother.

Li Mo’s plan is to lure Liu Qing to Drago and make use of him to dispose off his rivals so that he could take over their business and control the underground trade in the city. But the most powerful underworld figure retaliates when Li Mo outwitted him and destroyed his goods. Yu Ting is captured as revenge. Li Mo and Liu Qing manage to kill him and save Yu Ting.

However, Li Mo’s partner betrays him as he wants the business for himself. As they come under heavy fire in the warehouse, an injured Li Mo pushes Yu Ting to Liu Qing and Feng Yu and tells them to get out. He then detonates the explosives in the warehouse and dies. Yu Ting is devastated by her brother’s death. At the end of Episode 33, she is seen in a habit which seems to indicate that she has become a nun.

Side Couple

The side couple of Jun Die and Lei Shuo remain together at the end of the drama. They slept together in Episode 14 after getting drunk. But she is wishy-washy about it until after the Bazhen trip in Episode 26. Then, she quarrels with Lei Shuo in Episode 27 because she doesn’t like him to interfere in her martial arts training club business. Jun Die impulsively asks for a breakup then.

However, they reconcile shortly after in Episode 28. Lei Shuo proposes to Jun Die in Episode 30 before leaving for Drago. He is shot while protecting Wan Qing in Drago but survives.

The Lion’s Secret Review – Could Have Been Better

To me, The Lion’s Secret has a lot of potential but somehow, the production team messed it up. It has a combination of romance and action/crime but it seems as if the producers cannot decide which genre it wants the drama to lean towards. That is why those who watch it for the romance will feel disappointed when they are expecting more sweetness for the main couple especially towards the end. At the same time, those who are waiting for a climatic ending for an action drama will also feel let down by the last 3 episodes’ lack of quality.

I think the problem with this drama is that it starts off from a contract marriage angle. So, it gives an anticipation of romance and an intense one when viewers are under the impression that the female lead might be in danger and the male lead is her protector. There is also flirting going on on the man’s part and the thawing of the woman’s heart for the first 10 episodes or so.

Hence, you can see the main couple’s relationship developing as the drama progresses. But you don’t get that satisfaction of a great romance because those sweet and intense scenes are lacking. So, it leaves me with the feeling that they got the romance right halfway but it stops there to give attention to the action part.

Not So Simple Plot

The Lion’s Secret does not have a straightforward plot. It uses a roundabout way to tell the story and to link the male protagonist’s past to the present. In other words, you don’t really know how his past is related to all the current issues that are happening. So, it can be confusing as you try to figure out what the antagonists are trying to achieve and this will only be fully revealed about three-quarters into the drama.

This kind of storytelling is fine but the weakness of The Lion’s Secret is that it lacks suspense unlike Stealth Walker. You can do a gradual reveal but it needs enough suspense to make it exciting. For The Lion’s Secret, it is more confusing than suspenseful especially the corporate maneuverings against Wan Qing which is poorly explained. Neither is it heavy on strategies and counter-strategies as the good and bad guys square off like in Never Say Goodbye.

Instead, it relies on snippets of Liu Qing’s past to pique your curiosity and keep your interest. But the overall execution just fails to elevate the drama into a gem. Furthermore, when the story shifts to a drug syndicate in a rural town, the drama also begins to feel a little unrealistic because it seems detached from the previous 20 episodes. But I guess it is needed to link it to the male lead’s past where it all began.

Acting

The leads are fine in their performance and the main couple’s chemistry is certainly noticeable. Zhu Ya Wen played his character well and gave Liu Qing a very likable personality despite his tragic experience. He is always smiling and appearing clownish around Wan Qing but in a very natural way. Yang Zi Shan gave Wan Qing’s character a cold demeanor publicly but would soften her expressions for the character’s private moments. She did this very comfortably and viewers can see the different layers of the personality.

To me, I think it is a pity that the production team failed to maximize the chemistry of these 2 leads. If there is more skinship and a more intense romance, perhaps the drama would have a stronger attraction to the viewers. I know dramas don’t necessarily need a lot of kisses to succeed and Forever And Ever is one good example. But more passion simply fits the overall story of The Lion’s Secret and that is, unfortunately, missing from the drama.

As for the minor supporting cast towards the end of the drama, their acting certainly sucks. They may not have a lot of screen time in the drama but their presence is a pain whenever they appear. This is typical of many Chinese dramas that have to use foreigners as part of their plot. It reduces the overall viewing enjoyment which is partly why many are questioning the quality of the last 3 episodes of The Lion’s Secret.

Loose Ends (Spoilers Alert!)

The ending of The Lion’s Secret is obviously lacking with glaring loose ends not tied up. It appears to me that there could be more scenes but they were cut out for some reason or other. For instance, there is no accounting of why Yu Ting ends up as a nun. It could be related to her brother’s death but we are not told what went through her mind when she is shown in a habit at the end of Episode 33.

Similarly, we do not know how and when Wan Qing recalled her childhood experience with Liu Qing. It is just implied that she got back her memories of Liu Qing when they were kids. This is supposed to be a meaningful event because viewers are told of their childhood link very early on in the drama.

Therefore, the last episode feels rushed without proper explanation of some of the issues. You will still get the satisfaction of seeing the bad guys dead but the ending doesn’t feel wholesome because of all those loose ends which could have been easily addressed.

My Verdict – Okay To Watch

Despite the criticisms above, I still think The Lion’s Secret is watchable. It is not a really great drama given the weaknesses but neither is it boring overall. It should hold your interest until the end although you might feel that the last few episodes could have been better executed. After all, the acting is on par while the story has its purpose although a tad confusing in the beginning.

The female character may annoy some people due to her cold and harsh attitude towards her partner initially. Thus, you will have to give it some time for the character to warm up to you. She will soften as the story plods along. The other pitfall would be the concealing of information by the man to so call protect the woman he loves. For instance, he didn’t tell her that they are childhood friends because of her past trauma or about his dark past. So, there is still that silly trope of “protecting” her in the name of love by withholding information.

In short, if you buy into that kind of reasoning, then the guy will seem romantic and selfless. But if you don’t, the romance and hence, the drama will fall apart because of the lack of honesty and communication. As a result of all these flaws, the score that I can give for The Lion’s Secret review would only be 7/10. The potential is there given the interesting story of the male character but it was let down by the poor plot execution. It tries to be a romance and an action drama rolled into one but ends up being lacking on both sides. Nevertheless, it should still be able to evoke some level of curiosity and anticipation and hence, do give it a go on that score.