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| Ao Ruipeng’s Shirtless Scene in Coroner’s Diary Causes Stir Online Despite Strong Viewer Praise |
Costume mystery drama Coroner’s Diary (《朝雪录》) is fast becoming one of the breakout hits of 2025, thanks to a gripping storyline, juicy palace politics, and a lead duo that’s got fans swooning. Li Landi and Ao Ruipeng are being praised left, right, and centre for their on-screen spark — but one intense emotional scene has oddly backfired on Ao, all because he took his shirt off.
Currently sitting pretty at number 3 on the Maoyan popularity chart — just behind In the Name of Blossom (Yang Zi, Li Xian) and The Narcotic Operation (Qin Hao, Duan Yihong) — Coroner’s Diary is gaining serious traction. Viewers are hooked on its smart mix of murder mystery, court drama, and a slow-burn romance laced with tension.
🧬 Li Landi's New Chapter: Darker, Smarter, Sharper
Li Landi has come a long way since her schoolgirl charm days in My Huckleberry Friends and Love of Nirvana. In Coroner’s Diary, she dives into a far grittier role as Qin Wan, a brilliant young woman hiding under a false identity.
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Once Shen Wan, the daughter of a top court official, her life is turned upside down when her family is massacred in a political purge. Left with nothing but grief and questions, she reinvents herself as a medical examiner, vowing to uncover the truth behind the injustice.
Her path crosses with Prince Rui, Yan Chi (played by Ao Ruipeng), a calculated and stoic royal who’s no stranger to danger. Together, they investigate a string of gruesome deaths that all lead back to the dark underbelly of the Imperial Supreme Court. Their alliance starts out cold, but bit by bit, the emotional layers start to show.
💥 Chemistry? Check. Shirtless Scene? Not So Much...
The two leads have been applauded for their slow-burning emotional connection — that is, until episode 4 stirred up unexpected online backlash. In a pivotal scene, Yan Chi gets hurt while rescuing Qin Wan from collapsing beams. Back at his place, Qin Wan treats his wounds — and Ao Ruipeng strips off his robes to reveal a body that, well, divided opinion.
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Instead of sighing over a vulnerable prince, some netizens snarked about his slim build. The actor’s visible ribs and lean frame didn’t quite fit the swoon-worthy fantasy for a portion of viewers, who promptly dubbed him a “boiled chicken” (白斩鸡) — internet slang for shirtless guys who look a bit too pale and under-muscled.
Comparisons with Wu Lei’s shirtless scene in Love Like the Galaxy came flying in, with Wu’s chiselled physique hailed as the gold standard. Ao, in contrast, was roasted for “lacking visual impact” — even though the scene was clearly aiming for emotional depth, not abs appreciation.
😳 Scene Breakdown: Deeper Than Skin
To be fair, the scene wasn’t about showing off Ao’s bod. It’s a turning point in the story — Qin Wan, a trained healer, is visibly shaken to see how many old wounds Yan Chi has silently carried. They argue over his refusal to use any painkillers, but despite the bickering, she stitches him up with tears in her eyes. The tension simmers, the bond tightens. It’s a layered moment, more about emotional scars than physical ones.
And yet... online commentary got stuck on the surface. Still, fans are defending Ao, pointing out that not every male lead needs to look like he’s just come from a gym ad. “The role is about brains and battle scars, not biceps,” wrote one Weibo user.
Regardless of the meme-worthy backlash, Coroner’s Diary continues to win over fans with its tight storytelling and rich world-building. The show doesn’t just rely on pretty faces — it dives into the murky politics of the Imperial court, exploring justice, corruption, and survival in a system stacked against truth.
Li Landi’s Qin Wan is proving to be one of her most compelling characters yet — clever, determined, and emotionally layered. And Ao Ruipeng’s Prince Rui is steadily gaining fans too, despite (or maybe because of) the drama around his physique. At the heart of the show is a beautifully written partnership that’s more about trust and shared trauma than romance tropes.