The Knockout

What begins as a story about fiery young people gradually turns into an account of long-term persistence and change. Over twenty years, a circle of eager, hot-blooded teens grow up amid crime, conflict and shifting loyalties, and the series follows how those years shape who they become. An Xin and Gao Qiqiang are at the center, their choices pulling in friends, rivals and family as each faces moral compromises, loss and responsibility. The plot concentrates on personal bonds and the slow shaping of ideals, showing how repeated effort and stubbornness can alter a life and a community, without revealing how major confrontations are settled.

Released in 2023, the series was directed by Jizhou Xu and created by Junyi Zhu, Wenjun Bai and Yingfei Wang. The cast includes Zhang Yi as An Xin, Zhang Songwen as Gao Qiqiang, Li Yitong as Meng Yu, Zhang Zhijian as Meng Dehai and Ni Dahong as Uncle Tai.

No record of major international awards is provided here, though the series has earned attention and discussion among viewers for its performances and production values. Any festival or regional honors should be checked against official sources.

The show has made an impression for its intense action set pieces and the steady focus on character development, with several scenes that fans often cite when recommending it. It sparked online conversation about loyalty, duty and the costs of perseverance, and many viewers praised the leads for bringing depth to long-running conflicts.

Critics and audiences have tended to rate it positively, reflected in an 8.2/10 vote average from 100 votes. Reviews highlight themes of endurance, moral complexity and friendship under pressure, noting that the series balances crime-driven plotlines with quieter moments of character reckoning.