This study reviews more than one hundred significant studies on various methods and advances in the detection of partial discharges (PD), with a specific focus on corona discharges (CD) in medium-voltage switchboards (MV) using the acoustic emission (AE) method. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of this method are discussed. The article delves into several aspects of CD diagnostic research, including detection mechanisms, development of detection tools, source determination, and severity evaluation. Furthermore, this article investigates the impact of different variables such as humidity, applied voltage, and gas pressure on corona discharges and how these factors influence diagnosis. While CD detection in MV cabinets has been extensively reported and investigated, most studies have concentrated on various CD detection approaches in gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), with limited exploration in other areas. In contrast, this report comprehensively addresses numerous features of CD diagnosis in MV cabinets and establishes a framework for further progress. Considering current research trends, a thorough evaluation is anticipated. This review describes the current state of CD detection in the study and development of cubicles. Therefore, it can serve as a reference for researchers conducting further investigations into the real-world impact of this issue on industry.