Chinese crime drama catches global viewers' eyes

See Her Again, the first Chinese crime drama to simultaneously debut domestically and globally on Netflix, has gained popularity overseas.

It opened with a rating of 8.3 out of 10 on the Asian show-specialized review aggregator MyDramaList on Nov 20, its debut day, and ascended to the second most popular Hong Kong TV show slot on Netflix by its third day of release.

Set in 1993 Hong Kong, See Her Again follows a police officer, played by actor William Chan, as he investigates a suspect linked to a series of murders. During the chase, he enters an elevator that suddenly falls, putting him into a coma. He wakes up in 2018, shocked to find his wife and daughter missing and their apartment occupied by new residents. To return to 1993 and reunite with his family, he believes the only way is to solve the 25-year-old murder cases.

A native of Hong Kong born in 1985, Chan revealed that he was attracted to lead the show due to its time-travel theme, which depicts crime investigation police officers and provides him — who has yet to get married — a chance to play a father.

Scheduled to reach a wider global market, the program will also be streamed on major platforms in multiple countries like Singapore and Malaysia, as well as broadcast on television channels in various overseas markets such as Japan and Thailand.

The show is jointly produced by streaming giant Tencent Video and the Shenzhen-based production company Drama Apple Limited, bringing together a veteran cast and crew, including some prestigious film award winners. For instance, actress Liu Yase won Best Actress at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards for Limbo. Chan won the Most Popular Actor Award at the Vancouver Chinese Film Festival for Adoring.

Some critics have praised the show for its twist-filled plotline, touching emotions, and nostalgic Hong Kong elements, making it a strong example of Chinese culture-infused storytelling that can appeal to international audiences.