Justifiable Defense

Justifiable Defense (Chinese: 正当防卫) is a 2025 Chinese crime and legal thriller series, starring Gao Ye, Zhang Luyi and Bai Jingting in the main roles;^[1][2] it was released on iQIYI, China Media Group and China Central Television.^[3][4][5] The series juxtaposes a current murder case with an old 'Campus Over-Defense' case, where the prosecutor previously convicted a suspect, but now seeks to exonerate an accused in the ongoing investigation.^[6][7] It explores 'Article 20' of the Criminal Law of China, focusing on the law's ability to ensure individual security.^[8][9]

Senior prosecutor Duan Hongshan is handling a case where a woman killed her abusive husband in response to domestic violence and is working to prove her innocence. Young prosecutor Fang Lingyuan is assigned to assist with the investigation. During the process, an old case resurfaces, complicating the current investigation. They uncover a connection to an 'Excessive Self-defense' incident on campus involving Li Mufeng, Mei Zheng, and Jiang Ting, which Duan Hongshan handled fourteen years ago. At the time, Li Mufeng, a young student, was sentenced to four years in prison for killing a bully while trying to protect his senior. As the investigation progresses, deeper ties to Li Mufeng come to light. Driven by integrity, the prosecutors navigate the complexities of justice, legal standards, emotional challenges, and unbiased law enforcement to reach a final resolution.^{[10][11][12][13]}

• General Principle: A person who acts in justifiable defense to stop an unlawful act is not criminally liable, provided the defense is necessary and the harm caused is not clearly excessive.
• Excessive Defense: If the defense exceeds necessary limits and causes serious harm, the defender may be criminally liable, though penalties can be lessened or waived depending on the circumstances.
• Special Clause for Violent Crimes: No criminal liability arises when using necessary force to stop an ongoing violent crime that poses an immediate threat to oneself or others, even if it causes serious harm or death to the offender.

Justifiable Defense was one of the most anticipated suspense drama in 2025.^[19][20] It had drawn positive response among viewers interested in crime and mystery thrillers.^[21] The trailer attracted over 2M reservations for the series on iQIYI before its release.^[22][23] Significant anticipation centers on the series’ premise, cast dynamics, and Bai Jingting’s layered character despite his limited screen presence.^[24][25][26] Zhang Luyi's intense gaze during the interrogation, Gao Ye's perseverance and Bai Jingting's physical transformation to portray a gloomy accused received critical acclaim.^[27][28][29]

It gained strong word of mouth for its depth and suspense, reaching a popularity index of 6500 on release day.^[30][31] It captured the audience’s attention with its compelling plot and notable performances.^[32] It sparked widespread discussion for its dark tone and exploration of social issues such as domestic violence, school bullying and the coercion of public prejudice.^[33][34]

It is produced by Beijing iQiyi Technology Co., Ltd., jointly produced by the Supreme People's Procuratorate Film and Television Center, Beijing Xingguang Guoyun Culture Technology Group Co., Ltd., Ciwen Media, Bodi Culture and China Film Co. Ltd.^[35] In October 2023, the production house announced that filming for the series had begun.^[36] Its production was completed at the end of 2023.^[37] In November 2024, its first teaser was released during iQIYI iJoy Conference held in Shanghai .^[38] Director Li Yunliang stated that the series provides the audience with a deeper understanding of "Self-Defense",^[39][40] exploring the complex issue of legitimate defense in depth.^[41][42] The narrative blends memories and reality, revealing the truth from multiple perspectives.^[43]

The series was scheduled for release on iQIYI, CMG and CCTV.^[44] On 22 April 2025, it received distribution licence to broadcast 16 episodes.^[45][46] On 9 July 2025, after multiple delays, the series was finally released on iQIYI.^[47][48] The delay was due to a slot overlap with CCTV, since the drama was also arranged for satellite broadcast.^[49][50] The script was refined extensively with the Supreme People's Procuratorate Film and Television Center, handling judicial issues of the "legitimate defense" clause.^[51]

• Justifiable Defense at IMDb
• Justifiable Defense at Douban (in Chinese)
• Justifiable Defense at iQIYI
• Teaser
• Official Trailer