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| Chinese Fans Say Mystic Nine Feels Like a Horror Film Despite Production Team’s Denial |
Mystic Nine has barely arrived, yet Chinese viewers have already decided one thing—they are absolutely not buying the claim that it is "not a horror drama". The new Republican-era mystery adventure has exploded across Chinese social media after audiences admitted they were left genuinely unnerved by several scenes. While the production team insists the series belongs firmly in the mystery genre, plenty of viewers have reached a very different conclusion, joking that someone may have accidentally uploaded the wrong programme.
The online conversation gathered pace almost immediately after the premiere. Searches for "Mystic Nine horror" climbed China's trending charts as viewers shared their reactions, with many confessing they had expected treasure hunting and suspense but instead found themselves questioning every dark corner of their living rooms.
Eventually, the production team stepped in to reassure audiences that Mystic Nine is not a supernatural horror series. The internet, however, seemed politely unconvinced. The series marks the return of William Chan as Zhang Qishan, better known as Zhang Dafoye, the legendary military commander responsible for protecting Changsha.
Long-time fans have been delighted to see Chan step back into one of his most recognisable roles, with many commenting that he looks remarkably unchanged despite the years since he first portrayed the character. Some viewers even joked that the real mystery isn't the ancient tombs—it's how he appears to have defeated time itself.
Alongside him, Joseph Zeng brings fresh energy to Wu Laogou, the clever Fifth Master of the Nine Gates. His portrayal balances intelligence, confidence and youthful charisma, while his loyal spiritual dog Sancunding once again becomes an unforgettable companion throughout the adventure. Together, the pair quickly establish one of the drama's strongest dynamics.
Their relationship hardly begins as a friendship. Zhang Qishan and Wu Laogou first meet as rivals inside an ancient tomb, where suspicion escalates into a fierce confrontation that almost ends with both men strangling each other.
Fortunately, common enemies have a habit of turning rivals into reluctant allies, and as the investigation deepens, they gradually begin working together to uncover the truth behind the growing mystery. Chen Yao also joins the story as Huo Xiangu, adding another layer of intrigue to the shifting alliances within the Nine Gates.
The story itself wastes little time creating tension. During a stormy night, the entire 401 Unit under Zhang Qishan's command mysteriously disappears from a hospital without leaving behind a single footprint or clue.
The baffling incident launches an investigation that quickly points towards an underground tomb known as Geshi Lou, where reality begins feeling increasingly unreliable. That descent underground is exactly where audiences say the series becomes difficult to watch without occasionally peeking through their fingers.
The characters find themselves trapped inside an endless maze where buildings contain streets, streets hide more streets, and every apparent exit somehow leads straight back into danger. Viewers have described the sequence as unsettling enough to make them briefly question whether their own sense of direction still existed.
Perhaps the most talked-about scene unfolds inside a forgotten underground opera theatre. There, a headless mummified figure appears to continue performing on stage while silent shadowy spectators remain seated as though attending a perfectly ordinary evening performance.
It is the sort of image that lingers in the mind long after the episode ends. According to many viewers, sleeping immediately afterwards suddenly felt like an unnecessarily ambitious plan.
Much of that atmosphere comes down to director Bai Shan's creative choices. Rather than relying on cheap jump scares, he builds tension through visual contrast. The world above ground is presented with warm colours reflecting ordinary Republican-era life, while the underground environment shifts into cold blue-green shades filled with dim lighting, echoing corridors and carefully designed sound effects.
Combined with immersive first-person camera work, the result feels less like watching television and more like wandering into somewhere viewers would rather avoid entirely. Ironically, the production team continues stressing that none of this qualifies as horror.
From their perspective, Mystic Nine is a mystery adventure driven by investigation rather than ghosts. As the narrative develops, the frightening events gradually reveal a conspiracy involving the Japanese military experimenting with a mysterious substance capable of creating bioengineered monsters, while competing Nine Gates factions become entangled in an increasingly dangerous struggle for control.
In other words, there may not be ghosts—but there are still enough disturbing images to convince plenty of audiences that labels are largely irrelevant. If viewers are covering their eyes, clutching pillows and refusing to turn the lights off afterwards, they are unlikely to pause mid-episode simply because someone in production says, "Technically, this isn't horror."
Many praised the series for delivering genuine suspense without relying on supernatural explanations, calling it one of the strongest Republican-era mystery dramas in recent years.
Others admitted they underestimated the psychological tension, saying they could only continue watching with danmu comments switched on because reading thousands of other frightened reactions somehow made the experience less intimidating. A few viewers even joked that the scrolling comments had become unofficial emotional support during every underground sequence.
There are also fans who believe the discussion itself proves how effective Mystic Nine has been. Instead of chasing cheap thrills, they argue the series succeeds because it creates an atmosphere that stays with viewers long after each episode finishes. Whether audiences describe it as mystery, thriller or psychological horror hardly matters when the result keeps everyone talking.
With William Chan, Joseph Zeng and Chen Yao leading a story packed with ancient tombs, hidden conspiracies, cinematic visuals and relentless tension, Mystic Nine has quickly established itself as one of China's biggest television talking points.
The producers may continue insisting it isn't horror, but audiences appear perfectly happy to disagree—and perhaps that disagreement is the best publicity the drama could have asked for. So, where do you stand? Is Mystic Nine simply an outstanding mystery adventure, or has it quietly become one of the scariest Chinese dramas in recent years?