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The Bad Kids (Chinese: 隐秘的角落 lit. 'The Hidden Corner') is a 12-episode Chinese crime/suspense drama which premiered on iQiyi on June 16, 2020. It tells the story of three kids who accidentally witness a murder while taking a home video. This incident changes the course of their lives, and the lives of those around them.The series was adapted by director Xin Shuang from Zi Jinchen's novel, Bad Kid (坏小孩).
Contains examples of:
- Adaptation Distillation: In order to comply with censorship, many of the novel's darker elements had to be adjusted to be suitable on the streaming site.
- A Deadly Affair: It's implied that Xu Jing has been cheating on Zhang Dongsheng for awhile. When Dongsheng finds out, he poisons Xu Jing.
- The Ace: Zhu Chaoyang is a whizz kid in the top of his class and has an incredibly high emotional intelligence which can be seen in his interactions with his parents.
- Alone with the Psycho:
- Zhu Chaoyang/Yan Liang/Pu Pu in Zhang Dongsheng's apartment.
- Ambiguous Ending: It's up for interpretation whether or not Pu Pu, Yan Liang, and Chen Guansheng are alive or not. The series presents two endings, a happy one and a sad one. It's up to the viewer to decide which one to believe.
- Arc Words: Zhang Dongsheng's, "Do you think I still have a chance?"
- Awful Wedded Life: Right off the bat it's revealed that Xu Jing wants a divorce from Zhang Dongsheng. It is speculated that the catalyst for this was their inability to have kids together.
- Black Mail: Zhu Chaoyang, Yan Liang, and Pu Pu accidentally capture footage of Zhang Dongsheng murdering his parents-in-law. They use this to blackmail him into giving them money for Pu Pu's brother's life-saving surgery.
- Body in a Breadbox: Zhang Dongsheng stuffs Wang Li into the fridge after stabbing him.
- But Not Too Evil: In order to comply with censors, many of the more conspicuously morally-grey characters from the novel are toned down in the series.
- In the series the kids justify blackmail to get money for Pu Pu's brother who dying from leukemia. In the novel, Pu Pu does not have a sick brother.
- In the novel, Zhu Chaoyang actually kills his step-sister and his father. In the series it's ambiguous.
- The Chess Master: Depending on the viewer's interpretation, and more explicitly in the novel, Zhu Chaoyang deliberately manufactures the death of his half-sister, his mother-in-law, his father-in-law and (possibly) Yan Liang.
- Childhood Friends: Chaoyang and Yan Liang were classmates and friends before Yan Liang went to the orphanage after his father was put in jail.
- Creepy Children Singing: Chaoyang, Yan Liang, and Pu Pu singing "Little White Boat" (Chinese: 小白船) as Zhang Dongsheng murders his wife's parents.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Chaoyang holds his dad as he lay dying.
- Dysfunctional Family: Zhu Chaoyang's parents are divorced. Before the divorce, it's implied that his father was cheating on his mother with Xu Jing and got her pregnant.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Handsome Zhang Dongsheng suddenly becomes a hundred times creepier without his hair piece.
- Free-Range Children: Zhu Chaoyang, a latchkey kid, is often left to his own devices for days on end due to his mother's remote job. In addition, Yan Liang and Pu Pu have escaped from the orphanage so they have the ability to come and go where they please (when Chen Guansheng isn't chasing them.)
- Hope Spot: Zhang Dongsheng, Zhu Chaoyang, Yan Liang, and Pu Pu have what almost seems to be a family lunch at McDonald's, and for a moment it seems like things will be sorted out.
- Loan Shark: Because he's being blackmailed with incriminating footage, Zhang Dongsheng needs money fast and resorts to taking out a loan.
- Love Makes You Evil: Zhang Dongsheng's fear of losing his wife drives him to murder.
- Meaningful Look: Watch Zhang Dongsheng's eyes in the first episode when he finishes the conversation with his parents-in-law. For a split second, there is a downright chilling look in his eyes.
- Meaningful Name: Chaoyang (朝阳) means 'Morning Sun' and Dongsheng (东升) means 'Rising East' alluding to the fact these two characters are tied in some way or another.
- Missing Mom: Yan Liang's went to the orphanage after his dad's arrest. As to where his mom is, no one knows.
- Never Found the Body: We last see Pu Pu in Episode 10 (Uncle Zhang). She is suffering from an asthma attack and the last we see of her she is seen passed out but not yet dead.
- Parental Neglect: Zhu Chaoyang's dad spends more time with Chaoyang's step-mother and half-sister, often leaving Chaoyang for them when they're supposed to be hanging out. Chaoyang's mother often spends days away from home due to her remote job.
- Secret-Keeper: Pu Pu, who says in her letter, "Don't worry, I didn't tell Yan Liang" about what happened on the balcony, implying Pu Pu saw Chaoyang either cause Jingjing's death, or refuse to save her.
- Tragic Mistake: Yan Liang asks Zhu Chaoyang to make a copy of the blackmail video on a memory card. When Yan Liang hands the copy over to Zhang Dongsheng, the memory card is blank to both of their surprise. This leads to disastrous consequences. Although this is up for debate if this is a mistake, or intentional depending on how the viewer interprets the events preceding it.
