Justifiable Defense

Senior Prosecutor Duan Hongshan is handling a case where a woman killed her abusive husband and is seeking to prove her innocence. Young prosecutor Fang Lingyuan is assigned to assist the investigation. During the process, an old case resurfaces. 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, ties to Li Mufeng are exposed. Guided by integrity, prosecutors navigate legal complexities, emotional challenges, and impartial law enforcement to reach a final resolution.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Justifiable Defense was one of 2025’s most anticipated suspense dramas, appealing to viewers interested in crime and mystery thrillers.^[19][20] It earned strong word of mouth for its depth and intensity,^[21][22] garnering about 8000 popularity Index points on iQIYI and was ranked in the S+ Tier i.e. 'Top Performing Shows' on Yunhe Chart.^[23][24] It topped Beijing Satellite TV's prime time ratings in Q3 2025, with 1.98% average ratings, and emerging as a '2025 Summer Standout'.^[25][26][27] It attracted over 2M reservations on iQIYI before release.^[28] It sparked discussion for its dark tone and exploration of social issues such as domestic violence, school bullying and the coercion of public prejudice.^[29][30]

Zhang Luyi's composed demeanor, Gao Ye's perseverance and Bai Jingting’s nuanced performance despite limited screen time were critically acclaimed.^[31][32]

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.^[33] In October 2023, the production house announced that filming for the series had begun.^[34] Its production was completed at the end of 2023.^[35] In November 2024, its first teaser was released during iQIYI iJoy Conference held in Shanghai .^[36] Director Li Yunliang stated that the series provides the audience with a deeper understanding of "Self-Defense",^[37][38] exploring the complex issue of legitimate defense in depth.^[39][40]

The series was scheduled for release on iQIYI, CMG and CCTV.^[41] On 22 April 2025, it received distribution licence to broadcast 16 episodes.^[42][43] On 9 July 2025, after multiple delays, the series was finally released on iQIYI.^[44][45] The delay was due to a slot overlap with CCTV, since the drama was also arranged for satellite broadcast.^[46][47] The script was extensively reviewed with the Supreme People's Procuratorate Film and Television Center, owing to its sensitive topic and judicial issues involving the "legitimate defense" clause.^[48][49] It also got released on Beijing Television and Dragon TV.^[50][51]

Based on the average audience share per day (Yunhe Data); national online ranking based on Datawin and Maoyan Charts.^{[52][53][54][55]}

• All episodes dropped on 15 July for VIPs Pass, finale was aired on 17 July for regular viewers.
• The Orange number represents the lowest ratings and the Blue number represents the highest ratings in China.