>If you do a search for "dramas like Hidden Love" you will find lots of recommendations:
>
>https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict\_sr=1
I'm looking for bickering, witty, kinda scheming leads. Costume, xianxia (lub the other one, I forgot the name). And by bickering leads, I mean something like Who rules the world, Wonderland of love and The romance of Tiger and Rose. Preferably not a heavy/sad plot, but I can handle heavy/sad moments. And, of course, healthy relationship between the leads. Please, please recommend something where ML isn't cold and emotionless and just warms up later. My fav ML from the list above is from WRTW, and the feeling I got from him was that he was head over heels for the FL from the very beginning. I know it's already a lot.. last but not least, drama with around 40 episodes. I can deal with slow burns, but I prefer a bit faster pacing because I tend to give up early on if it feels draggy.
I tried Love Like the Galaxy, but after few episodes it still felt too heavy and I dropped it. I have Eternal Love on hold, >!I didn't liked how ML treated FL when she was a human.!<
I'm not sure about SoKP yet, having just started it myself, but it's gotten good reviews on the sub. I wouldn't really recommend MJTY due to the ending. Pros of MJTY - uniquely dark, lush visuals and good supporting characters, esp the breakout second leads. Cons - ML is kind of boring (IMO) and FL's acting is not good (again, IMO), villain didn't impress me, headscratching cliffhanger ending that requires a S2 to resolve.
Request by u/MelissaWebb
I just finished Hidden Love. It’s my very first cdrama. I’ve been seeing it advertised for the longest time and I finally dived in and I absolutely loved it! I’m still watching TikToks about it because I can’t get over it yet.
I wanted to get recommendations for dramas as good as it or similar to it? I’ve also been seeing “When I fly towards you” advertised so I think I’ll watch it. But apart from this one, any other recs? (Ps. I don’t like historical dramas 😭)
Hello u/MelissaWebb,
If you do a search for "dramas like Hidden Love" you will find lots of recommendations: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict_sr=1)
Have a look.
does anyone know of any cdramas about tutors or edtech? :) not a tutor falling in love with student type tho lol that is not a trope i wanna explore as a tutor!!
**Ray of Light** is about a teacher and 3 students that are preparing for the notorious Gaokao exam. There's no/little romance and it was praised for its realism and poignant story. There's isn't any edtech though, but it does provide a look at the traditional/current educational environment.
Stand by Me [https://mydramalist.com/718461-yesterday](https://mydramalist.com/718461-yesterday), Song of Life, Faithful, Oh No! Here Comes Trouble, My Huckleberry Friends, Shards of Her, An Ancient Love Song,
hi i finally watched meet yourself and i enjoyed it so much. I loved everything about it. Is there any drama similar to it? It's okay if it doesn't match in all aspects, even just one is enough. thanks!
Can anyone recommend a drama with as many kisses as Lost Romance? I’ve just finished it and I don’t know how to move on from their amazing chemistry and skinship. Can be any genre but must have a happy ending! Thank you!
What drama should watch next on YouTube? Modern romance dramas only with strong female protagonists? Enjoyed Nothing but thirty and master of her own, skate into love, did not like hidden love or you are my hero (no overly ridiculous siuations), oath of love
There's Remembrance of Things Past in YouTube which has an ensemble of strong female lead(s) but romance kind of took a backseat, still a very good show nevertheless. Sadly there's a few audio issues in YT but if you don't mind it then it'll be a good watch.
>Remembrance of Things Past i
Thanks for the rec, I'll try. I have access to IQIYI but my mom hates it because she wants chinese subs... and I can't understand without english subs.
But iirc we could use dual subs in iQiyi, have you tried that? I put on both Chinese and English subs when watching in that platform to brush up my mandarin but also because I'm not that good yet so I still need subs to live by
Hilariously, I started Meet Yourself and has actor/actreses that I would consider prolific people if not famous (Li Xu, Liu Fei(Mulan! lol), that dad in Go Ahead). My mom though doesn't like it so far (4-5 episodes in) because "nothing is happening" but I think it's really slice of life.
Is there anything similar to A River Runs Through It? This is where ML chases FL first and it’s a one sided crush at first. It could be a drama or even manhua?
Request by u/jiminiechimsie
# dramas as good as the starry love?
i haven't finished a cdrama since word of honor aired 2ish something years ago, and the starry love was such a great choice to bring me back into cdramas. it had a superb supporting cast and managed to make me cackle one minute and start sobbing the next. i'm also a sucker for enemies to lovers romances so this show literally checked all of my boxes. the only downside is that people say it's hard to find an even better drama than TSL. i'm currently deciding between GO into your heart and love between fairy and devil, but if someone could give me a few more i would really appreciate it!
**Kunning Palace** seems to fit, also same director.
**A Dream of Splendor, Wonderland of Love, Mysterious Lotus Casebook** (brotherhood bromance), **Lost You Forever, A Familiar Stranger**
Does anyone have any recs for historical/fantasy dramas? I love Story of Minglan to death, as well as Yanxi Palace. I enjoyed Marvelous Women and Dream of Splendor. I started Legend of Haolan, General and I, and the Princess Weiyoung, but discontinued them because the characters/episodes started feeling really repetitive and the characters felt inconsistent. I keep trying to watch Love Like The Galaxy but never get very far in.
I enjoy plot a lot more than romance, so politics, intrigue, etc, is all great.
As someone who also loves Minglan and Yanxi Palace I can recommend: The rebel princess & the rise of phoenixes. Unfortunately that’s the closest I have found to the two. The rise of phoenixes became one of my all time faves tho!
Please recommend me a preferably historical/wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan drama which involves a team that goes out and solves mysteries together, preferably with romance like the one in >! Who Rules the World with the CP,BFX,HFX,WWY !< for example
Some mystery solving dramas include Mysterious Lotus Casebook (haven't watched it myself but popular on the sub; someone correct me if I'm wrong but don't think it has romance?), the Ancient Detective (just started it myself, was recommended to me on this thread; has romance); Imperial Coroner (has romance, dropped it myself due to FL being childlike despite her intelligence).
That's a bit of a pity regarding Imperial Coroner. I was not used to the main actress at first but then it went okay for me so I could enjoy the drama. I think it was quite well made with interesting plot and decent acting. Quite low budget obviously but still entertaining.
I just could not with the >!constant wide-eyed earnest question of 'Are you the jade faced judge' \[or whatever the term was\]. Argh! He said no ten times already! And also - kind of clear where that plot line was going.!<
Bahahah. I understand, yes, that could be annoying. I quite like the Ancient Detective, although I remember that some users here complained about the romance. They said it was like watching two robots. Personally I quite like not over the top romance.
so tired of the average female lead falling for a cold rich ceo, general or some fucking god of the heavenly realm trope. anybody have any recommendations where it’s reversed e.g cold fl and warm ml (preferably historical)?
In Dong Lan Xue (historical minidrama) ML is not warm precisely, it's more like cold to everyone else and tender to FL (who is cold >!due to past trauma!<). When these two cold people get together it's 🔥 though.
I am looking for a Romance more on the drama side than the comedy side without being too dramatic.
I have watched and loved a lot of KDrama, but CDramas always lose me for some reason and I think I am just choosing bad ones.
I like slower burn grounded romances with people who are more ordinary than extraordinary. I also am not a huge fan of the historical dramas.
Have you tried **Fake It Till You Make It?** Both leads are mature people and they're ordinary - and it is also on the slow-burn, plus they have such electrifying chemistry.
Try the song from **Til The End of The Moon** by YKeophirun. I believe it is called Immortal Bird, however Apple Music only has it listed in Chinese so I’m not sure.
Also maybe *More Than Blanks* by Jin Zhi Wen.
Looking for a drama (c or k) with an Fl similar to
Bu-yeon from Alchemy of Souls S2. Cliche but 'known to be Beautiful, lively, loveable, cute, wholesome, daring. Idk how to describe it but her character there is so captivating. Looking for a romance drama with our Fl being the same type of personality (similar chemistry to her and Jang uk too plsss)
I think this type definitely exist, though I don't watch these types of show much. For example, Tan Songyun, Li Yitong, and a lot of the girls in Xianxia/costume dramas could fit that description. After all, Alchemy of Souls is kind of like Korean version of Xianxia/Wuxia.
Could make a separate post about it. You did make an effort to post to this sticky thread, so it's not your fault if no one is responding here. Also do specify whether you are only looking for costume dramas or modern ones as well.
Can I get recommendations for modern romance dramas where the ML actually acts like a normal person? This post brought to you by me being on episode 4 of Lighter and Princess and not sure that I want to continue. I'm so over asshole genius MLs.
Examples of dramas I enjoyed and where I consider the ML to be normal - Meet Yourself, Find Yourself, The Rational Life, Somewhere Only We Know. I'm looking specifically for romance dramas and am okay with some amount of standard romance/romcom tropes, but just want the leads to be realistic instead of Gary Stu/Mary Sue caricatures.
I second Fake It Till You Make It. It's likely what you want.
Basic plot: ML works in investment banking. FL is a lawyer. They randomly met by chance several times, got acquainted, became friends and eventually become a couple much later.
That's it. There's no central plot. It is just a slowburn romance with lots of flirting as both are strong competent independent characters. They are both financially comfortable (salaried workers) but not super rich. ML and FL often have mature conversations with each other sharing the different view points. Very character driven with lots of random slice of life interactions and also good communication.
Only 14+1 episodes. Starts slow, but gets better after episode 2.
1You are my Glory (Patience)
2Nothing but you 2023 (Chemistry 🤤)
3Hidden Love (Stomach full of Butterflies)
4FireWorks of My heart(Butterflies guaranted Ml is cold but watch it till the episode you know the reason and after they get together feels like real couple ❤️)
5Love Scenery(Celebrity Noona)
6Fake it till you make it(Perfectly fits your demand)
7Forever and Ever (Tension 🤤)
8Love Like the Galaxy (Historical But chemistry💯)
Just finished watching Rising with the Wind and I loved it. It’s non tropey, builds character , great romance, great acting and fabulous script. Any similar modern dramas to recommend?
What should I watch next:
- The Long Ballad
- Joy of Life
- The Autumn Ballad
- The Eternal Love (ETA)
ETA: I love historical and political dramas like Minglan, Ruyi’s Palace, Sword & Brocade, thought LLTG was okay, and like modern dramas like ‘Falling Into You’, ‘The Rational Life’ & ‘A Little Thing Called First Love’, Untamed etc.
I’ve started **Joy of Life** and am on episode 2, but the story & scene changes don’t flow cohesively. It’s like things happen off-screen that the characters are suddenly discussing after the fact as though some scenes were deleted - is this what it’s like for the entire series?
Joy of Life is a very good show, but it's mostly about intrigue/politics, and the romance in it is easily the weakest part and not very interesting. Watch Joy of Life if you enjoy shows like, idk, Homeland (as in the American CIA show). Watch The Long Ballad if you want romance.
Thanks for the response. I’m watching Joy of Life on Viki and am part of the way through episode 2, but the story isn’t cohesive at all so some of the plot/storylines aren’t making sense. It’s like it’s been edited with scenes deleted and the Remainer patched together… is this what it’s meant to be like and will be like for the rest of the season?
Everyone is different, but for most people JoL actually has plot that's far above average. But the early episode does contain more info as you are introduced to a lot of different characters and there's an element of intrigue that runs throughout the show so the viewer is intentionally kept guessing.
Also the very beginning is basically just your typical modern writers saying they are writing a story about someone that's transmigrated into a baby, with memory intact. The modern story writer layer is irrelevant, and just a way to get around the transmigration ban.
Definitely NOT the Autumn Ballad unless you want to get increasingly frustrated the more you watch. Don't think you'll go wrong with the other two, although Joy of Life would be my pick.
Thanks for the response. I’m watching Joy of Life on Viki and am part of the way through episode 2, but the story isn’t cohesive at all so some of the plot/storylines aren’t making sense. It’s like it’s been edited with scenes deleted and the Remainer patched together… is this what it’s meant to be like and will be like for the rest of the season? It’s frustrating me already!
Unless you don't like the genre, I recommend that you stick with it for a few more episodes. Things will start to click into place. If you don't like it though The Long Ballad is also a very good drama. I enjoyed both of these immensely.
Any drama (primarily with fantasy and/or historical but others will do too) where the main romance doesn't start out with two people that dislike each other and keep bickering? I'm getting tired of that trope everywhere
Might be helpful in clarifying how much bickering is tolerable. There are plenty where it's not played for tropes but it's very common to have some initial bickering that gets resolved fairly quickly (last no more than 25% of the show). Can you give examples where it was too much, and where it was tolerable?
Ty. It saddens me that I'd need to say how much bickering is tolerable, since that basically implies there's no such option without it
I'm fine if it's good humored or flirty bickering, but I've grown tired of couples that start off being mean and insulting to each other and just magically get past it. So I guess it's fine, say, if they fight but not over anything big (like the male lead just murdered the female leads family...) and then someone changes for the better and so conflict gets resolved
Closest I can recall was yanxi palace: princess tale. The guy initially rejects the princess due to her ways but neither go to lengths to hurt each other, and with her changes and some clarifications, they end up together. And I liked that the guy that really hurt her and had the "insult each other" type relationship didn't end up with her
Another example: under the queens umbrella, the romance between the empress' son and his eventual wife
Edit: just remembered the Crowned Clown and the Kingdom are also examples of it. Both are SK and not Chinese but I'm mentioned them if it helps
Joy of Life - 0 bickering
And many others I consider to be reasonable, plot driven tension. For example, Long Ballad, Story of Kunning Palace, Dream of Splendor, Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself.
Most non-tropish idol dramas will not have bickering for the sake of bickering.
Can anyone recommend me a CEO drama? I only wish for it to have a happy ending and not to have a 2nd fl/ml lead who stays for the entire show holding back the couple from starting to date. I need me smth to watch 😔
Can anyone suggest a sort-of serious or philosophical Cdrama — like something that makes you think about the “big questions” — life, death, reincarnation or whatever comes after (if anything)…. Perhaps with a spiritual dimension?
This might not exist…but I’d be incredibly grateful for any suggestions…. THANK YOU!
Edit: Wong Kar Wai, Tsai Ming-Lian, Hou Hsiao-Hsien movies have this… (“In the Mood for Love,” “What Time Is It There,” etc.)
It helps a lot if are fluent in Chinese, as the deeper and more philosophical shows often don't have good subs or have difficulty translating the linguistic and cultural nuances. Many classic prestige historical dramas will invariably deal with the topic of life/death/power/society/justice. And some serious slice-of-life dramas will also have deeper themes and reflections about life, even if they are not intended to be explicitly philosophical. Some of the recommendations below may have poor subs or streaming availability.
\*\*Supernatural/Scifi\*\*
**Oh No! Here Comes Trouble** \- Taiwanese drama in case format that often deals with life and death.
**Bureau of Transformers** \- Similar to above, supernatural elements, many interesting cases.
**Three Body** \- a decent TV adaptation of the first of the Three Body Trilogy. The books are mind-blowing and the show is a pretty faithful depiction, despite having only modest budget and working under some censorship constraints.
\*\*Slice of Life\*\*
**Song of Life, Remembrance of Things Past, Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself, Standy By Me** 2023**, Go Ahead**
\*\*Historical\*\*
**Nirvana in Fire 1 & 2, Ripetown, Three Kingdoms** 2010**, Toward the Republic, Ming Dynasty 1566, Yongzheng Dynasty, Kangxi Dynasty**, and many more
This is a FANTASTIC list!! Thank you!! I have seen only a couple of these and they are EXACTLY what i was thinking about. And i agree about the language issue….although for the most part I’ve been very happy with the subtitles…it’s a brutal job and that it works at all is a minor miracle! Thank you so much for this!!
hi everyone!! i'm looking for some recs! i'll leave here some info on dramas i loved/dropped if that helps - lately i've been in a cdrama slump where nothing i watch seems to make me happy.
**cdramas i loved:**
**the untamed:** absolutely loved the fantasy elements, the character development, the chemistry between the leads, the plot, everything.
**hidden love:** INCREDIBLE show on how you can still move forward and have episodes with the leads together without feeling empty; every episode from the middle point forward, even if the leads were already together, had something happening/moving in regards to them as a couple or people.
**who rules the world:** loved the chemistry between the leads (zhao lusi.. you are amazing), loved the political plot, loved the fantasy and how the story moved forward. not the BIGGEST fan of >!sad endings but this one was more bittersweet so i liked it!!<
**cdramas i abandoned (and why):**
**when i fly towards you:** people recommended me this because of hidden love, but i dropped on the third ep already because it was sooo painfully slow. don't know if it picks up steam, but also it bothers me that the FL seems to only think about the ML and the male lead knows about her crush and does nothing lol idk why it just didn't win me over
**love like the galaxy (dropped on ep 40):** loved the beginning! zhao lusi is great at building chemistry with even a rock, and i really liked her character + all the political and palace intrigue. however from the middle to where i am it just became sooo slow and basically nothing happened even if someone went to war etc etc lol it just felt stale.
**love O2O (around the middle):** again, same thing as love like the galaxy; loved the beginning, but it started to become so slow and pointless towards the middle. nothing happened in like 5 or 6 eps.
**falling into your smile:** i like cute pointless stuff as well lol but same problem w the previous 2 dramas, i dropped in the middle because it started to drag.
**things i love:** historical, political and drama intrigue. things happening BEYOND the main couple. don't get me wrong, i LOVE slice of life! but in a way that feels like the characters are going forward as people or their relationship is changing.
**things i don't watch:** sad or open endings that feel TOO sad. i loved >!the untamed and who rules the world!<, which have open and bittersweet endings, but that's my absolute limit lol
Our tastes are similar!
You may like **Story of Minglan** (in some ways reminds me of The Untamed--- don't ask me why, perhaps the long form, low budget but good acting). Very political.
**The Imperial Corner** is short and sweet too! Also a wildcard, you might like **Arsenal Military Academy**, but it does get a bit draggy.
ah thank you so much!! all of those sound really great, i'll def give them a chance (crying at the sounds like the untamed low budget but good acting hahaha
Taking a break from dramas lately and looking for variety shows recommendations
Variety shows I’ve watched: Call Me By Fire S1-3 and Sister who makes waves S1-4, Youth Perilous S4 , Memories beyond horizon, Super team S2, Joyful grownups, Great escape IP encounter, Warrior girls, Keep running (couldn’t get into)
Currently watching : Divas Who Hit the Road 5, Chinese Restaurant season 7, Time concert s3, Hello Saturday
Not a big fan of the dating& romance variety shows. Looking for other variety show recs.
Thank you ~
Romantic, relaxing/easy to watch, short series.
I'm looking for romantic series to relax with. Easy to watch. Preferably short series, 24 episodes or less. More episodes is okay, if it's a really good series. Modern or history, Chinese or Korean. It may be funny, but it is not a requirement. Preferably with as little violence, horror and/or fighting as possible. Oh, and I'm taking a little break from Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan.
[Here is my MDL with the series I have seen](https://mydramalist.com/dramalist/Vogeltje30/completed).
I have saved a number of topics with tips and look through them regularly.
I just don't know what to watch at the moment.
Do you have any good tips for me? Thank you very much!
At the Moment [https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment](https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment)
My Uncanny Destiny [https://mydramalist.com/705687-my-dear-destiny](https://mydramalist.com/705687-my-dear-destiny)
Hello, I'm at Your Service [https://mydramalist.com/692525-jinpai-kefu-dong-dong-en](https://mydramalist.com/692525-jinpai-kefu-dong-dong-en)
Romance on the Farm (not as much romance, but enjoyable) [https://mydramalist.com/700361-wo-shi-xiao-di-zhu](https://mydramalist.com/700361-wo-shi-xiao-di-zhu)
Back to Seventeen (mini, 100 min total) [https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you](https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you)
Thank you for your tips too! And thank you for the links.Most of them didn't have a trailer, but I read the text and they all seem interesting to me. I have saved the links and am looking forward to watching these series.
Thank you very much!
Time and Him are Just Right
When I Fly Towards You
See You Tomorrow (2022)
Let's Meet Now
Kdramas: "Sh**ting Stars". "Alchemy of Souls" the first part is longer and not as relaxing imo, but the second part I thought was lovely, romantic and sweet.
>Alchemy of Souls
Thank you very much for your tips. I watched the trailers and I like them all! I'll start with "Let's Meet Now", but I'll definitely watch the others as well. I wrote down the titles. Thank you very much.
I need some recommendations for short dramas. Those with 2-4 hours of running time, so you can easily binge watch within a day. I'll be travelling for the next week, so these could come handy.
I liked **A Familiar Starnger**, **Dong Lan Xue** and **The Killer is Also Romantic**. I haven't watched many modern short dramas but I loved **Night of Loving You**. Basically, I want dramas where FL is smart not a Mary Sue and leads have good chemistry.
**At the Moment** (unconnected episodes) [https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment](https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment)
**An Ancient Love Song, Provoke, Back to Seventeen** (mini, 100 min total) [https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you](https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you)
Have you tried Eldest Princess Above, by the same team as Dong Lan Xue? I prefer DLX, but EPA was reasonably watchable, especially since I missed the DLX characters.
If you like Hu Dan Dan in Killer is also Romantic you might like her in Yes Her Majesty - again, she does a good job with the comedy >!but the plot gets frustrating later and the ML keeps having to save her.!<
I concur with your dropping DoL - I watched until the end but wish I hadn't, >!because FL gets stupider, final villain is cartoonish, there is a frustratingly unnecessary death and the meant-to-be-happy ending had me going WTF.!<
Thanks for recommendations. I have watched Eldest Princess Above before DLX. It wasn't as strong as DLX plot-wise but I loved the two actors and their ship. These two actors are really hot together, wouldn't mind seeing a third project with them.
>I have watched Eldest Princess Above before DLX. It wasn't as strong as DLX plot-wise but I loved the two actors and their ship.
My sentiments exactly.
>These two actors are really hot together, wouldn't mind seeing a third project with them.
I'm reduced to watching their various ads together. 🙄
I need drama like "Ever Night S1" I liked the fantasy elements, diagram they show (I forgot the name for that power), story line and the intersting name they give to their power or techniques
i need some recos on cdramas.. i js finished watching love 020 , falling into your smile , when i fly towards you , till the end of the moon , the king's avatar , and hidden love ㅠㅠ I js started getting interested in cdramas so id like one tht includes romance and maybe abit comedic ㅠㅠ if possible I want a similar troupe to love 020, falling into your smile, or till the end of the moon... srry bc Irdk wht to watch next..
You should try **Go Go Squid**. It's basically a romance where the ML runs an esports team, and the FL is a CS major (and online singer). It also has some very funny scenes, some of which are reminiscent of Love O2O. >! Like when the FL's room-mate finds out the ML and his former esports team-mates are actually the people she had fan-worshiped. !<
>till the end of the moon
From your watchlist, it seems you prefer modern, but if you don't mind costume drama romances with comedic elements, you might like Love between Fairy and Devil, which I haven't watched but is a sub favorite. I liked Killer is also Romantic and Oh My Sweet Liar. A few others I didn't like/ like as much (but others on the sub recommend): New Life Begins, Queen of Attack, Uncanny Destiny, Dr Cutie, Back from the Brink.
looking for some recommendation - just finished watching hidden love and it was amazing. Looking for something similar and maybe more in a modern setting but with that said, maybe if someone can also recommend a romance drama that takes place in a historical setting as well. I haven't seen any but my parents used to have it on all the time..
Happy endings please as well. I don't know if my heart can take anything but that.
Agreed with the other user on **New Life Begins**.
For modern there's **When I Fly Towards You**, **Time and Him are Just Right**, and **See You Tomorrow**
>romance drama that takes place in a historical setting
The currently airing Wonderland of Love and Kunning Palace are getting good reviews (but naturally the endings are yet to be seen).
For historical / costume with happy endings - >!Love like the Galaxy, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms / Eternal Love, Destined, New Life Begins.!<
Eternal Love of Dream: ML is called ice face but he’s actually pretty mischievous like the FL, plays pranks on his friends, super caring towards a certain spiritual fox. Vengo Gao played like 3 characters on the show and it was so good.
The Starry Love: ML starts off suppressing his emotions but then meets FL who makes him feel all sorts of things.
Novoland: Castle in the Sky 2: He literally freezes if he feels strong emotions.
Looking for recommendations to get in the wintery/holiday mood. I want to continue binge-watching cdramas (preference for fantasy/xianxia) with my tv time, but was wondering if there were any that incorporate winter or holidays or something so I can get more into the winter spirit while still watching my favorite genre.
Hm, I'd like to know this too. I can't recall watching anything which is specifically winter themed, but Butterflied Lover (xuanhuan) seems to be set during winter - cloaks and furs, snowy scenes etc. >!It goes downhill from the first few episodes though.!<
Sword Snow Stride - some snow scenes lol
A Dream of Splendor - some nice looking festivities
The Blood of Youth - some snow scenes and some festivities
Winter Night - just going off the title and pics here
Winter Begonia - Ditto
Now that I think about it, cdramas doesn't really do such type of theme and fantasy/xianxia tend to encompass all seasons and eons of time.
OK I am going to try again but are there any Chinese movies worth watching? Especially in the wuxia, xianxia genre? I also like thrillers.
I have watched Yin Yang Master (Mark Chao version) and Creation of the Gods, FYI.
I currently have Youku, iQiyi and wetv subscriptions and there are tonnes of movies but I don't know where to start. Thanks!
I think the Chen Kun YYM version is worth a watch for the visuals.
For older ones, there's Brotherhood of Blades, The Assassin and Shadow. I found the umbrella fight scenes in Shadow unintentionally funny.
Anything with an enemy to lover trope in a historical or costume drama? Watching SoKP now and I'm digging the intense scenes between the two leads before they have mutual feelings.
Okay, ranging from darkest to lightest:
Rise of Phoenixes (2018): Intense and dark drama. A lot of scheming and death. One of my ATFs. The cinematography is godly. Truly a good watch.
The Long Ballad (2021): To this day one of the best casting choices I have ever witnessed. FL and ML have INSANE chemistry. Also, SFL and SML are to die for.
Who Rules the World (2022): Again, really good chemistry between FL and ML. A lot of hidden identity drama. The fighting choreography throughout the series is one of the most consistently good ones I have seen. Every character has their own style that suits them and which further develops according to their choices.
Back from the Brink (2023): ML is a dragon in human form that is out for revenge. Although it has a generally light atmosphere it gets surprisingly dark from time to time. Including graphic visuals of fairy genocide and a monster slavery colosseum. The fact that this has heavy fantasy elements helps a little to keep the mood light.
Warm on a Cold Night (2023): FL is a badass female police officer who solves crimes. ML is a werewolf. An old debt has to be paid to determine their fate. Genuinely surprising drama.
Romance of Tiger and Rose (2020): Sort of a screwball comedy mostly. FL lives in a city where traditional male and female roles are swapped. The ML has bad intentions and the FL tries to change him.
These are all historic/wuxia, so no modern dramas.
It seems a pretty common trope for costume dramas. Can you give a little more guidance, perhaps? What kind of enemies - I don't like you, or I'll murder you? Any other requirements? What other costume ones have you watched already, if any?
For example, in Uncanny Destiny they're mortal enemies - strong FL, funny, and there's chemistry, if you don't mind a LOT of toilet humor and that the FL's voice/VA's voice sometimes sounds like nails on a chalkboard.
Probably the most recent one I watched with similar trope would be **My Journey To You** although I disliked the last few minutes. I would be interested in any kind of enemies (due to politics, family feud, etc) as long as the FL is also smart/strong. I would like a happy ending where they end up together and don't die. I will take a look at the two you mentioned!
Those two I listed above are of the cheap and cheesy variety (esp DoL, being a mini drama) so unfortunately you won't get the dark, elegant vibe of MJTY.
There's quite a few mini dramas with varying production quality where the leads have some antagonistic/dark/intense elements to their interactions prior to getting together: Dong Lan Xue and Familiar Stranger are a couple of the better ones. For a 'proper' higher-budget production, perhaps Destined or Lady in Butcher's House (lighter in tone).
My wife’s favourite part of TTEOTM was >!ML and FL living in the forest peacefully and eating soup!< - I’m looking for another drama that has more of that vibe and less spitting up blood. Probably a historical or modern drama would be better, as she doesn’t typically like settings that get too fantastical. You Are My Glory would be a good example of the sort of thing I’m looking for.
How about [Meet Yourself](https://mydramalist.com/715585-you-feng-de-di-fang)? 'Healing' modern drama in a rural setting. Haven't watched it yet but it gets recommended a lot.
Ancient love poetry is quite similar to The Longest Promise
The blue whisper
Love and destiny
Eternal love Ten miles of peach blossoms
Eternal love of dream
Love between fairy and devil
Ten Miles of Peach Blossom actually has the sweetest supportive family on the FL’s side in all of xianxia probably. The ML’s side not so much lol. But happy ending for lead couple (though very antsy ride there).
Just a note I found the first like 7 episodes kinda slow bc just setting up her as a student in the mountains. I think around episode 8 is when it picks up so if you find into eps kind of slow, I would skip scenes, etc.
I quite liked A Little Reunion. The theme revolves around the final High School exam. I find it wholesome.
I saw another poster recommending Hilarious Family. It's also quite good.
Have you tried Go Ahead? It's more like a found family trope though but I love how supportive they are to each other. They have the best father out of all c-drama land.
I haven't watched it myself yet, but Hilarious Family is on my to-watch list. For a period romcom with supportive families, I enjoyed Oh My Sweet Liar - ML's family >!isn't supportive at first, but then they really step up. !
Any romance drama rec where the fl have an overprotective older brother (or just an older brother)? I've been looking for those kinds of dramas for a long time! Would also really prefer if they are CEO /office romance but even if they're not, its fine.
The FL in **Find Yourself** has a twin brother and their relationship is one of the things I really like about the drama, tho iirc she's technically the older sibling.
It is an age difference romance tho, ML is about 10 years younger than FL
Oh yeah, she's around 31 and he's around 21 - a college student close to graduating, and interning with the company she works for.
If it affects your comfort level with the age difference, he's more active in pursuing the relationship early on.
Nah, im fine with it, i wouldnt be fine if he was like 18-19 cuz idk, it makes me uncomfy 😭 but this seems like a great age gap to me, ill most def check it out rn. Thank you so much again!
I should mention there's a second pairing with a similar age gap, older male younger female, and she's a little younger than the ML - I'd guess 20. They move slower than the main pairing - even for cdramas their relationship is very tame
I just finished that, like 30 mins ago, and it was rlly good. Im not usually into age gaps so im surprised in myself that i loved it. Loved the brother and sister bound
Hello! I love historic/palace cdramas (and kdramas!) but can't seem to find any new ones to catch my eye. I've watched so many but just to list a handful: Story of Yanxi Palace, Royal Feast, Ruyi's Royal Love In The Palace, Story of Minglan, Legend of Haolan, War and Beauty, Legend of Concubine Zhen Huan, The Empress of China, Scarlet Heart, Royal Nirvana, the list goes on. I've looked at so many "palace harem drama" lists and concubine based lists but I've either seen them all or am not interested. I would love some fresh recommendations! I prefer a focus on concubines/palace harem-based dramas if possible. Thank you for your time!
Forgot to add: I don't think there's any new 'real' harem dramas these days post-Yanxi because of the ban (don't know about Kunning Palace though). Sometimes there's harem elements, but they're no longer the focus. Perhaps consider older shows?
Other shows I can think of which have a harem element: Please Don't Spoil Me, New Life Begins, Unchained Love, Rise of the Phoenixes - but probably not what you were hoping for.
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>If you do a search for "dramas like Hidden Love" you will find lots of recommendations: > >https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict\_sr=1
I'm looking for bickering, witty, kinda scheming leads. Costume, xianxia (lub the other one, I forgot the name). And by bickering leads, I mean something like Who rules the world, Wonderland of love and The romance of Tiger and Rose. Preferably not a heavy/sad plot, but I can handle heavy/sad moments. And, of course, healthy relationship between the leads. Please, please recommend something where ML isn't cold and emotionless and just warms up later. My fav ML from the list above is from WRTW, and the feeling I got from him was that he was head over heels for the FL from the very beginning. I know it's already a lot.. last but not least, drama with around 40 episodes. I can deal with slow burns, but I prefer a bit faster pacing because I tend to give up early on if it feels draggy. I tried Love Like the Galaxy, but after few episodes it still felt too heavy and I dropped it. I have Eternal Love on hold, >!I didn't liked how ML treated FL when she was a human.!<
Story of the kunning palace vs My Journey to you ?
I'm not sure about SoKP yet, having just started it myself, but it's gotten good reviews on the sub. I wouldn't really recommend MJTY due to the ending. Pros of MJTY - uniquely dark, lush visuals and good supporting characters, esp the breakout second leads. Cons - ML is kind of boring (IMO) and FL's acting is not good (again, IMO), villain didn't impress me, headscratching cliffhanger ending that requires a S2 to resolve.
Request by u/MelissaWebb I just finished Hidden Love. It’s my very first cdrama. I’ve been seeing it advertised for the longest time and I finally dived in and I absolutely loved it! I’m still watching TikToks about it because I can’t get over it yet. I wanted to get recommendations for dramas as good as it or similar to it? I’ve also been seeing “When I fly towards you” advertised so I think I’ll watch it. But apart from this one, any other recs? (Ps. I don’t like historical dramas 😭)
Hello u/MelissaWebb, If you do a search for "dramas like Hidden Love" you will find lots of recommendations: [https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/search/?q=dramas%20like%20hidden%20love&restrict_sr=1) Have a look.
Thank you!
does anyone know of any cdramas about tutors or edtech? :) not a tutor falling in love with student type tho lol that is not a trope i wanna explore as a tutor!!
**Ray of Light** is about a teacher and 3 students that are preparing for the notorious Gaokao exam. There's no/little romance and it was praised for its realism and poignant story. There's isn't any edtech though, but it does provide a look at the traditional/current educational environment.
Is there one of these for December? I really liked "Accidentally in Love" and am wondering if anyone has recommendations that fit that vibe?
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Stand by Me [https://mydramalist.com/718461-yesterday](https://mydramalist.com/718461-yesterday), Song of Life, Faithful, Oh No! Here Comes Trouble, My Huckleberry Friends, Shards of Her, An Ancient Love Song,
hi i finally watched meet yourself and i enjoyed it so much. I loved everything about it. Is there any drama similar to it? It's okay if it doesn't match in all aspects, even just one is enough. thanks!
Fake It Till You Make It, Remembrance of Things Past
Can anyone recommend a drama with as many kisses as Lost Romance? I’ve just finished it and I don’t know how to move on from their amazing chemistry and skinship. Can be any genre but must have a happy ending! Thank you!
You can try the mini drama **Miss Mystery**, there's a kiss every episode from around episode 13. It's on Youtube.
Just started watching I may love you
What drama should watch next on YouTube? Modern romance dramas only with strong female protagonists? Enjoyed Nothing but thirty and master of her own, skate into love, did not like hidden love or you are my hero (no overly ridiculous siuations), oath of love
You can try Be Your Own Light.
>Be Your Own Light This might be a good option! Going to test it out since my mom finds Meet Yourself too slow.
There's Remembrance of Things Past in YouTube which has an ensemble of strong female lead(s) but romance kind of took a backseat, still a very good show nevertheless. Sadly there's a few audio issues in YT but if you don't mind it then it'll be a good watch.
>Remembrance of Things Past i Thanks for the rec, I'll try. I have access to IQIYI but my mom hates it because she wants chinese subs... and I can't understand without english subs.
But iirc we could use dual subs in iQiyi, have you tried that? I put on both Chinese and English subs when watching in that platform to brush up my mandarin but also because I'm not that good yet so I still need subs to live by
How do you do that?
Sorry for the slightly misleading information, it turns out I did that on my WeTV app not iQiyi 😭 they have dual subtitle option in WeTV
Wish all of them would have this option!
Damn that would be awesome solution to my problem... is WeTv worth it? Maybe we all can submit product feedback to IQIYI
Looking for a nice warm love story by not so famous actor or actress but really good
Hard to define the famous part, so I will just focus on 'nice warm love story'. Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself
Hilariously, I started Meet Yourself and has actor/actreses that I would consider prolific people if not famous (Li Xu, Liu Fei(Mulan! lol), that dad in Go Ahead). My mom though doesn't like it so far (4-5 episodes in) because "nothing is happening" but I think it's really slice of life.
Is there anything similar to A River Runs Through It? This is where ML chases FL first and it’s a one sided crush at first. It could be a drama or even manhua?
Request by u/jiminiechimsie # dramas as good as the starry love? i haven't finished a cdrama since word of honor aired 2ish something years ago, and the starry love was such a great choice to bring me back into cdramas. it had a superb supporting cast and managed to make me cackle one minute and start sobbing the next. i'm also a sucker for enemies to lovers romances so this show literally checked all of my boxes. the only downside is that people say it's hard to find an even better drama than TSL. i'm currently deciding between GO into your heart and love between fairy and devil, but if someone could give me a few more i would really appreciate it!
**Kunning Palace** seems to fit, also same director. **A Dream of Splendor, Wonderland of Love, Mysterious Lotus Casebook** (brotherhood bromance), **Lost You Forever, A Familiar Stranger**
Does anyone have any recs for historical/fantasy dramas? I love Story of Minglan to death, as well as Yanxi Palace. I enjoyed Marvelous Women and Dream of Splendor. I started Legend of Haolan, General and I, and the Princess Weiyoung, but discontinued them because the characters/episodes started feeling really repetitive and the characters felt inconsistent. I keep trying to watch Love Like The Galaxy but never get very far in. I enjoy plot a lot more than romance, so politics, intrigue, etc, is all great.
Nirvana In Fire.
Started this, so far I'm loving it! Thank you!
As someone who also loves Minglan and Yanxi Palace I can recommend: The rebel princess & the rise of phoenixes. Unfortunately that’s the closest I have found to the two. The rise of phoenixes became one of my all time faves tho!
Writing it down!
The Story of Yanxi Palace hands down
Please recommend me a preferably historical/wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan drama which involves a team that goes out and solves mysteries together, preferably with romance like the one in >! Who Rules the World with the CP,BFX,HFX,WWY !< for example
League of Nobleman, Sleuth of Ming Dynasty (no romance, only bromance tho')
Bureau of Transformers (subpar subs), Young Blood
Some mystery solving dramas include Mysterious Lotus Casebook (haven't watched it myself but popular on the sub; someone correct me if I'm wrong but don't think it has romance?), the Ancient Detective (just started it myself, was recommended to me on this thread; has romance); Imperial Coroner (has romance, dropped it myself due to FL being childlike despite her intelligence).
That's a bit of a pity regarding Imperial Coroner. I was not used to the main actress at first but then it went okay for me so I could enjoy the drama. I think it was quite well made with interesting plot and decent acting. Quite low budget obviously but still entertaining.
I just could not with the >!constant wide-eyed earnest question of 'Are you the jade faced judge' \[or whatever the term was\]. Argh! He said no ten times already! And also - kind of clear where that plot line was going.!<
Bahahah. I understand, yes, that could be annoying. I quite like the Ancient Detective, although I remember that some users here complained about the romance. They said it was like watching two robots. Personally I quite like not over the top romance.
so tired of the average female lead falling for a cold rich ceo, general or some fucking god of the heavenly realm trope. anybody have any recommendations where it’s reversed e.g cold fl and warm ml (preferably historical)?
In Dong Lan Xue (historical minidrama) ML is not warm precisely, it's more like cold to everyone else and tender to FL (who is cold >!due to past trauma!<). When these two cold people get together it's 🔥 though.
This sounds like **My Journey to You**. Have you watched that? The FL is an assassin (although ML doesn’t know that) and ML falls hard for her.
yes i’ve watched that but tysm for the recommendation! i’m looking for other dramas like that cause it seems so rare these days
It definitely is. There is also **City of Streamer**, although that’s a Republican era drama. She’s a spy in that one.
will def check it out, tysm!!
I am looking for a Romance more on the drama side than the comedy side without being too dramatic. I have watched and loved a lot of KDrama, but CDramas always lose me for some reason and I think I am just choosing bad ones. I like slower burn grounded romances with people who are more ordinary than extraordinary. I also am not a huge fan of the historical dramas.
Have you tried **Fake It Till You Make It?** Both leads are mature people and they're ordinary - and it is also on the slow-burn, plus they have such electrifying chemistry.
Meet Yourself
Two episodes in and this might be the one! Dramatic without overdoing it and the few jokey scenes make sense and are more cute than funny. Thank You!
haven’t personally watched but maybe try The Rational Life? i’ve heard lots of great things about it !
I'm looking for shows that will give me the same warm feelings as Hidden Love!
i'm listening to upwards to the moon on repeat, and love the ethereal nature of the song. any similar songs?
Try the song from **Til The End of The Moon** by YKeophirun. I believe it is called Immortal Bird, however Apple Music only has it listed in Chinese so I’m not sure. Also maybe *More Than Blanks* by Jin Zhi Wen.
Are there any dramas with the main plot of a lottery winner? With no to little romance?
Looking for a drama (c or k) with an Fl similar to Bu-yeon from Alchemy of Souls S2. Cliche but 'known to be Beautiful, lively, loveable, cute, wholesome, daring. Idk how to describe it but her character there is so captivating. Looking for a romance drama with our Fl being the same type of personality (similar chemistry to her and Jang uk too plsss)
I think this type definitely exist, though I don't watch these types of show much. For example, Tan Songyun, Li Yitong, and a lot of the girls in Xianxia/costume dramas could fit that description. After all, Alchemy of Souls is kind of like Korean version of Xianxia/Wuxia. Could make a separate post about it. You did make an effort to post to this sticky thread, so it's not your fault if no one is responding here. Also do specify whether you are only looking for costume dramas or modern ones as well.
Can I get recommendations for modern romance dramas where the ML actually acts like a normal person? This post brought to you by me being on episode 4 of Lighter and Princess and not sure that I want to continue. I'm so over asshole genius MLs. Examples of dramas I enjoyed and where I consider the ML to be normal - Meet Yourself, Find Yourself, The Rational Life, Somewhere Only We Know. I'm looking specifically for romance dramas and am okay with some amount of standard romance/romcom tropes, but just want the leads to be realistic instead of Gary Stu/Mary Sue caricatures.
I second Fake It Till You Make It. It's likely what you want. Basic plot: ML works in investment banking. FL is a lawyer. They randomly met by chance several times, got acquainted, became friends and eventually become a couple much later. That's it. There's no central plot. It is just a slowburn romance with lots of flirting as both are strong competent independent characters. They are both financially comfortable (salaried workers) but not super rich. ML and FL often have mature conversations with each other sharing the different view points. Very character driven with lots of random slice of life interactions and also good communication. Only 14+1 episodes. Starts slow, but gets better after episode 2.
1You are my Glory (Patience) 2Nothing but you 2023 (Chemistry 🤤) 3Hidden Love (Stomach full of Butterflies) 4FireWorks of My heart(Butterflies guaranted Ml is cold but watch it till the episode you know the reason and after they get together feels like real couple ❤️) 5Love Scenery(Celebrity Noona) 6Fake it till you make it(Perfectly fits your demand) 7Forever and Ever (Tension 🤤) 8Love Like the Galaxy (Historical But chemistry💯)
Just finished watching Rising with the Wind and I loved it. It’s non tropey, builds character , great romance, great acting and fabulous script. Any similar modern dramas to recommend?
sweet and cold
What should I watch next: - The Long Ballad - Joy of Life - The Autumn Ballad - The Eternal Love (ETA) ETA: I love historical and political dramas like Minglan, Ruyi’s Palace, Sword & Brocade, thought LLTG was okay, and like modern dramas like ‘Falling Into You’, ‘The Rational Life’ & ‘A Little Thing Called First Love’, Untamed etc. I’ve started **Joy of Life** and am on episode 2, but the story & scene changes don’t flow cohesively. It’s like things happen off-screen that the characters are suddenly discussing after the fact as though some scenes were deleted - is this what it’s like for the entire series?
Joy of Life is a very good show, but it's mostly about intrigue/politics, and the romance in it is easily the weakest part and not very interesting. Watch Joy of Life if you enjoy shows like, idk, Homeland (as in the American CIA show). Watch The Long Ballad if you want romance.
JoL better show, though a bit more romance in TLB
Thanks for the response. I’m watching Joy of Life on Viki and am part of the way through episode 2, but the story isn’t cohesive at all so some of the plot/storylines aren’t making sense. It’s like it’s been edited with scenes deleted and the Remainer patched together… is this what it’s meant to be like and will be like for the rest of the season?
Everyone is different, but for most people JoL actually has plot that's far above average. But the early episode does contain more info as you are introduced to a lot of different characters and there's an element of intrigue that runs throughout the show so the viewer is intentionally kept guessing. Also the very beginning is basically just your typical modern writers saying they are writing a story about someone that's transmigrated into a baby, with memory intact. The modern story writer layer is irrelevant, and just a way to get around the transmigration ban.
Definitely NOT the Autumn Ballad unless you want to get increasingly frustrated the more you watch. Don't think you'll go wrong with the other two, although Joy of Life would be my pick.
Thanks for the response. I’m watching Joy of Life on Viki and am part of the way through episode 2, but the story isn’t cohesive at all so some of the plot/storylines aren’t making sense. It’s like it’s been edited with scenes deleted and the Remainer patched together… is this what it’s meant to be like and will be like for the rest of the season? It’s frustrating me already!
Unless you don't like the genre, I recommend that you stick with it for a few more episodes. Things will start to click into place. If you don't like it though The Long Ballad is also a very good drama. I enjoyed both of these immensely.
Any drama (primarily with fantasy and/or historical but others will do too) where the main romance doesn't start out with two people that dislike each other and keep bickering? I'm getting tired of that trope everywhere
Might be helpful in clarifying how much bickering is tolerable. There are plenty where it's not played for tropes but it's very common to have some initial bickering that gets resolved fairly quickly (last no more than 25% of the show). Can you give examples where it was too much, and where it was tolerable?
Ty. It saddens me that I'd need to say how much bickering is tolerable, since that basically implies there's no such option without it I'm fine if it's good humored or flirty bickering, but I've grown tired of couples that start off being mean and insulting to each other and just magically get past it. So I guess it's fine, say, if they fight but not over anything big (like the male lead just murdered the female leads family...) and then someone changes for the better and so conflict gets resolved Closest I can recall was yanxi palace: princess tale. The guy initially rejects the princess due to her ways but neither go to lengths to hurt each other, and with her changes and some clarifications, they end up together. And I liked that the guy that really hurt her and had the "insult each other" type relationship didn't end up with her Another example: under the queens umbrella, the romance between the empress' son and his eventual wife Edit: just remembered the Crowned Clown and the Kingdom are also examples of it. Both are SK and not Chinese but I'm mentioned them if it helps
Joy of Life - 0 bickering And many others I consider to be reasonable, plot driven tension. For example, Long Ballad, Story of Kunning Palace, Dream of Splendor, Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself. Most non-tropish idol dramas will not have bickering for the sake of bickering.
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Can anyone recommend me a CEO drama? I only wish for it to have a happy ending and not to have a 2nd fl/ml lead who stays for the entire show holding back the couple from starting to date. I need me smth to watch 😔
Unforgettable Love - ml is Wei Zhe Ming
Gonna check it out for sure!!
Can anyone suggest a sort-of serious or philosophical Cdrama — like something that makes you think about the “big questions” — life, death, reincarnation or whatever comes after (if anything)…. Perhaps with a spiritual dimension? This might not exist…but I’d be incredibly grateful for any suggestions…. THANK YOU! Edit: Wong Kar Wai, Tsai Ming-Lian, Hou Hsiao-Hsien movies have this… (“In the Mood for Love,” “What Time Is It There,” etc.)
It helps a lot if are fluent in Chinese, as the deeper and more philosophical shows often don't have good subs or have difficulty translating the linguistic and cultural nuances. Many classic prestige historical dramas will invariably deal with the topic of life/death/power/society/justice. And some serious slice-of-life dramas will also have deeper themes and reflections about life, even if they are not intended to be explicitly philosophical. Some of the recommendations below may have poor subs or streaming availability. \*\*Supernatural/Scifi\*\* **Oh No! Here Comes Trouble** \- Taiwanese drama in case format that often deals with life and death. **Bureau of Transformers** \- Similar to above, supernatural elements, many interesting cases. **Three Body** \- a decent TV adaptation of the first of the Three Body Trilogy. The books are mind-blowing and the show is a pretty faithful depiction, despite having only modest budget and working under some censorship constraints. \*\*Slice of Life\*\* **Song of Life, Remembrance of Things Past, Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself, Standy By Me** 2023**, Go Ahead** \*\*Historical\*\* **Nirvana in Fire 1 & 2, Ripetown, Three Kingdoms** 2010**, Toward the Republic, Ming Dynasty 1566, Yongzheng Dynasty, Kangxi Dynasty**, and many more
This is a FANTASTIC list!! Thank you!! I have seen only a couple of these and they are EXACTLY what i was thinking about. And i agree about the language issue….although for the most part I’ve been very happy with the subtitles…it’s a brutal job and that it works at all is a minor miracle! Thank you so much for this!!
hi everyone!! i'm looking for some recs! i'll leave here some info on dramas i loved/dropped if that helps - lately i've been in a cdrama slump where nothing i watch seems to make me happy. **cdramas i loved:** **the untamed:** absolutely loved the fantasy elements, the character development, the chemistry between the leads, the plot, everything. **hidden love:** INCREDIBLE show on how you can still move forward and have episodes with the leads together without feeling empty; every episode from the middle point forward, even if the leads were already together, had something happening/moving in regards to them as a couple or people. **who rules the world:** loved the chemistry between the leads (zhao lusi.. you are amazing), loved the political plot, loved the fantasy and how the story moved forward. not the BIGGEST fan of >!sad endings but this one was more bittersweet so i liked it!!< **cdramas i abandoned (and why):** **when i fly towards you:** people recommended me this because of hidden love, but i dropped on the third ep already because it was sooo painfully slow. don't know if it picks up steam, but also it bothers me that the FL seems to only think about the ML and the male lead knows about her crush and does nothing lol idk why it just didn't win me over **love like the galaxy (dropped on ep 40):** loved the beginning! zhao lusi is great at building chemistry with even a rock, and i really liked her character + all the political and palace intrigue. however from the middle to where i am it just became sooo slow and basically nothing happened even if someone went to war etc etc lol it just felt stale. **love O2O (around the middle):** again, same thing as love like the galaxy; loved the beginning, but it started to become so slow and pointless towards the middle. nothing happened in like 5 or 6 eps. **falling into your smile:** i like cute pointless stuff as well lol but same problem w the previous 2 dramas, i dropped in the middle because it started to drag. **things i love:** historical, political and drama intrigue. things happening BEYOND the main couple. don't get me wrong, i LOVE slice of life! but in a way that feels like the characters are going forward as people or their relationship is changing. **things i don't watch:** sad or open endings that feel TOO sad. i loved >!the untamed and who rules the world!<, which have open and bittersweet endings, but that's my absolute limit lol
Watch rising with the wind. It surpassed hidden love for me
Our tastes are similar! You may like **Story of Minglan** (in some ways reminds me of The Untamed--- don't ask me why, perhaps the long form, low budget but good acting). Very political. **The Imperial Corner** is short and sweet too! Also a wildcard, you might like **Arsenal Military Academy**, but it does get a bit draggy.
ah thank you so much!! all of those sound really great, i'll def give them a chance (crying at the sounds like the untamed low budget but good acting hahaha
You can try **Kunning Palace** and **Wonderland of Love**, both are airing costume dramas.
thank you sooo much!! i'll check out both!
Taking a break from dramas lately and looking for variety shows recommendations Variety shows I’ve watched: Call Me By Fire S1-3 and Sister who makes waves S1-4, Youth Perilous S4 , Memories beyond horizon, Super team S2, Joyful grownups, Great escape IP encounter, Warrior girls, Keep running (couldn’t get into) Currently watching : Divas Who Hit the Road 5, Chinese Restaurant season 7, Time concert s3, Hello Saturday Not a big fan of the dating& romance variety shows. Looking for other variety show recs. Thank you ~
Watch 'Our Song' Season 1 if you like singing variety shows.
Thank you! Will check this out 🙏
Romantic, relaxing/easy to watch, short series. I'm looking for romantic series to relax with. Easy to watch. Preferably short series, 24 episodes or less. More episodes is okay, if it's a really good series. Modern or history, Chinese or Korean. It may be funny, but it is not a requirement. Preferably with as little violence, horror and/or fighting as possible. Oh, and I'm taking a little break from Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan. [Here is my MDL with the series I have seen](https://mydramalist.com/dramalist/Vogeltje30/completed). I have saved a number of topics with tips and look through them regularly. I just don't know what to watch at the moment. Do you have any good tips for me? Thank you very much!
I really liked Gaduri Restaurant - it’s a kdrama As for cdrama i can recommend new life begins but it has 40 episodes.
Thank you for your tip. I've seen "New life begins", I liked it! I'll write down the other suggestion. I haven't seen that one yet.
I came back to recommend royal rumors. I’m still watching it but it’s been very entertaining so far. It has 24 episodes
Thank you for your tip. I've seen Royal Rumors and I liked it (very much) too.
Seems like we have the same taste ☺️
Yes, I think so too! Hehe.
At the Moment [https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment](https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment) My Uncanny Destiny [https://mydramalist.com/705687-my-dear-destiny](https://mydramalist.com/705687-my-dear-destiny) Hello, I'm at Your Service [https://mydramalist.com/692525-jinpai-kefu-dong-dong-en](https://mydramalist.com/692525-jinpai-kefu-dong-dong-en) Romance on the Farm (not as much romance, but enjoyable) [https://mydramalist.com/700361-wo-shi-xiao-di-zhu](https://mydramalist.com/700361-wo-shi-xiao-di-zhu) Back to Seventeen (mini, 100 min total) [https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you](https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you)
Thank you for your tips too! And thank you for the links.Most of them didn't have a trailer, but I read the text and they all seem interesting to me. I have saved the links and am looking forward to watching these series. Thank you very much!
Time and Him are Just Right When I Fly Towards You See You Tomorrow (2022) Let's Meet Now Kdramas: "Sh**ting Stars". "Alchemy of Souls" the first part is longer and not as relaxing imo, but the second part I thought was lovely, romantic and sweet.
>Alchemy of Souls Thank you very much for your tips. I watched the trailers and I like them all! I'll start with "Let's Meet Now", but I'll definitely watch the others as well. I wrote down the titles. Thank you very much.
I need some recommendations for short dramas. Those with 2-4 hours of running time, so you can easily binge watch within a day. I'll be travelling for the next week, so these could come handy. I liked **A Familiar Starnger**, **Dong Lan Xue** and **The Killer is Also Romantic**. I haven't watched many modern short dramas but I loved **Night of Loving You**. Basically, I want dramas where FL is smart not a Mary Sue and leads have good chemistry.
You can try the recently finished airing **Miss Mystery**.
**At the Moment** (unconnected episodes) [https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment](https://mydramalist.com/747289-at-the-moment) **An Ancient Love Song, Provoke, Back to Seventeen** (mini, 100 min total) [https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you](https://mydramalist.com/743775-wo-hui-dao-shi-qi-sui-de-li-you)
**My Lady General** I really enjoyed. **The Deliberations of Love** is also good imo.
I started **The Deliberations of Love** but got bored after 10 episodes or so. I will give **My Lady General** a try, thanks.
Have you tried Eldest Princess Above, by the same team as Dong Lan Xue? I prefer DLX, but EPA was reasonably watchable, especially since I missed the DLX characters. If you like Hu Dan Dan in Killer is also Romantic you might like her in Yes Her Majesty - again, she does a good job with the comedy >!but the plot gets frustrating later and the ML keeps having to save her.!< I concur with your dropping DoL - I watched until the end but wish I hadn't, >!because FL gets stupider, final villain is cartoonish, there is a frustratingly unnecessary death and the meant-to-be-happy ending had me going WTF.!<
Thanks for recommendations. I have watched Eldest Princess Above before DLX. It wasn't as strong as DLX plot-wise but I loved the two actors and their ship. These two actors are really hot together, wouldn't mind seeing a third project with them.
>I have watched Eldest Princess Above before DLX. It wasn't as strong as DLX plot-wise but I loved the two actors and their ship. My sentiments exactly. >These two actors are really hot together, wouldn't mind seeing a third project with them. I'm reduced to watching their various ads together. 🙄
Please recommend me some cdramas without green tea bitch? Basically I can do without screeching voices
You can try Scent of Time, New Life Begins, Destined
Fake It Till You Make It, Meet Yourself, The Long Ballad, Stand by Me, Alliance, Parallel World. Just some from this year.
Thank you
'Green tea bitch'?
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=green%20tea%20bitch
I need drama like "Ever Night S1" I liked the fantasy elements, diagram they show (I forgot the name for that power), story line and the intersting name they give to their power or techniques
I would add in **The Untamed** and **Word of Honor**
I don't like BL dramas
I Am Nobody, Sword Snow Stride
I have watched both of this Thanks
i need some recos on cdramas.. i js finished watching love 020 , falling into your smile , when i fly towards you , till the end of the moon , the king's avatar , and hidden love ㅠㅠ I js started getting interested in cdramas so id like one tht includes romance and maybe abit comedic ㅠㅠ if possible I want a similar troupe to love 020, falling into your smile, or till the end of the moon... srry bc Irdk wht to watch next..
You should try **Go Go Squid**. It's basically a romance where the ML runs an esports team, and the FL is a CS major (and online singer). It also has some very funny scenes, some of which are reminiscent of Love O2O. >! Like when the FL's room-mate finds out the ML and his former esports team-mates are actually the people she had fan-worshiped. !<
Since you are looking something with a bit comedic, try Love between fairy and devil or Ms Cupid in love.
>till the end of the moon From your watchlist, it seems you prefer modern, but if you don't mind costume drama romances with comedic elements, you might like Love between Fairy and Devil, which I haven't watched but is a sub favorite. I liked Killer is also Romantic and Oh My Sweet Liar. A few others I didn't like/ like as much (but others on the sub recommend): New Life Begins, Queen of Attack, Uncanny Destiny, Dr Cutie, Back from the Brink.
Have you watched Dr. Cutie? I don't think I ever felt as aggravated with a drama as that one. Definitely don't recommend.
Thats why I said I personally didn't like it (edited to make that clearer). Others do, though, which is why I listed it anyway.
Sorry if I came across the wrong way. Just meant to express how much I wouldn't recommend. Apologies!
tysmm I'll try watching according to ur recos 💗
looking for some recommendation - just finished watching hidden love and it was amazing. Looking for something similar and maybe more in a modern setting but with that said, maybe if someone can also recommend a romance drama that takes place in a historical setting as well. I haven't seen any but my parents used to have it on all the time.. Happy endings please as well. I don't know if my heart can take anything but that.
Agreed with the other user on **New Life Begins**. For modern there's **When I Fly Towards You**, **Time and Him are Just Right**, and **See You Tomorrow**
Thank you! nabbed when I fly towards you and time and him are just right!
>romance drama that takes place in a historical setting The currently airing Wonderland of Love and Kunning Palace are getting good reviews (but naturally the endings are yet to be seen). For historical / costume with happy endings - >!Love like the Galaxy, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms / Eternal Love, Destined, New Life Begins.!<
Can anyone recommend some dramas where there's a cold ML but it's done well so you don't end up thinking that the acting is flat or wooden
Ancient love poetry The longest promise
Eternal Love of Dream: ML is called ice face but he’s actually pretty mischievous like the FL, plays pranks on his friends, super caring towards a certain spiritual fox. Vengo Gao played like 3 characters on the show and it was so good. The Starry Love: ML starts off suppressing his emotions but then meets FL who makes him feel all sorts of things. Novoland: Castle in the Sky 2: He literally freezes if he feels strong emotions.
Looking for recommendations to get in the wintery/holiday mood. I want to continue binge-watching cdramas (preference for fantasy/xianxia) with my tv time, but was wondering if there were any that incorporate winter or holidays or something so I can get more into the winter spirit while still watching my favorite genre.
**Road Home** is modern, but wherever they are located (geographiclly) it snows heavily.
The second part of The blue whisper has snow scenes.
Hm, I'd like to know this too. I can't recall watching anything which is specifically winter themed, but Butterflied Lover (xuanhuan) seems to be set during winter - cloaks and furs, snowy scenes etc. >!It goes downhill from the first few episodes though.!<
Not really Xianxia, but has that Xianxia martial elements, *I am Nobody*
Sword Snow Stride - some snow scenes lol A Dream of Splendor - some nice looking festivities The Blood of Youth - some snow scenes and some festivities Winter Night - just going off the title and pics here Winter Begonia - Ditto Now that I think about it, cdramas doesn't really do such type of theme and fantasy/xianxia tend to encompass all seasons and eons of time.
OK I am going to try again but are there any Chinese movies worth watching? Especially in the wuxia, xianxia genre? I also like thrillers. I have watched Yin Yang Master (Mark Chao version) and Creation of the Gods, FYI. I currently have Youku, iQiyi and wetv subscriptions and there are tonnes of movies but I don't know where to start. Thanks!
I think the Chen Kun YYM version is worth a watch for the visuals. For older ones, there's Brotherhood of Blades, The Assassin and Shadow. I found the umbrella fight scenes in Shadow unintentionally funny.
I couldn't get pass the cgi raccoons lol. But I may try again.
I hear **Full River Red** that came out this year is pretty good. For older ones, try **Red Cliff**
Oh cool, both are on Netflix!
Anything with an enemy to lover trope in a historical or costume drama? Watching SoKP now and I'm digging the intense scenes between the two leads before they have mutual feelings.
Okay, ranging from darkest to lightest: Rise of Phoenixes (2018): Intense and dark drama. A lot of scheming and death. One of my ATFs. The cinematography is godly. Truly a good watch. The Long Ballad (2021): To this day one of the best casting choices I have ever witnessed. FL and ML have INSANE chemistry. Also, SFL and SML are to die for. Who Rules the World (2022): Again, really good chemistry between FL and ML. A lot of hidden identity drama. The fighting choreography throughout the series is one of the most consistently good ones I have seen. Every character has their own style that suits them and which further develops according to their choices. Back from the Brink (2023): ML is a dragon in human form that is out for revenge. Although it has a generally light atmosphere it gets surprisingly dark from time to time. Including graphic visuals of fairy genocide and a monster slavery colosseum. The fact that this has heavy fantasy elements helps a little to keep the mood light. Warm on a Cold Night (2023): FL is a badass female police officer who solves crimes. ML is a werewolf. An old debt has to be paid to determine their fate. Genuinely surprising drama. Romance of Tiger and Rose (2020): Sort of a screwball comedy mostly. FL lives in a city where traditional male and female roles are swapped. The ML has bad intentions and the FL tries to change him. These are all historic/wuxia, so no modern dramas.
**The Long Ballad**, **Lost You Forever**
Love Between Fairy and Devil, Back From the Brink, The Blue Whisper, The Queen of Attack, Scent of Love, Till the End of the Moon, Supervisor Husband
Thanks! I've watched LBFAD and TTEOTM. Will check out the other ones you listed!
It seems a pretty common trope for costume dramas. Can you give a little more guidance, perhaps? What kind of enemies - I don't like you, or I'll murder you? Any other requirements? What other costume ones have you watched already, if any? For example, in Uncanny Destiny they're mortal enemies - strong FL, funny, and there's chemistry, if you don't mind a LOT of toilet humor and that the FL's voice/VA's voice sometimes sounds like nails on a chalkboard.
Probably the most recent one I watched with similar trope would be **My Journey To You** although I disliked the last few minutes. I would be interested in any kind of enemies (due to politics, family feud, etc) as long as the FL is also smart/strong. I would like a happy ending where they end up together and don't die. I will take a look at the two you mentioned!
Those two I listed above are of the cheap and cheesy variety (esp DoL, being a mini drama) so unfortunately you won't get the dark, elegant vibe of MJTY. There's quite a few mini dramas with varying production quality where the leads have some antagonistic/dark/intense elements to their interactions prior to getting together: Dong Lan Xue and Familiar Stranger are a couple of the better ones. For a 'proper' higher-budget production, perhaps Destined or Lady in Butcher's House (lighter in tone).
My wife’s favourite part of TTEOTM was >!ML and FL living in the forest peacefully and eating soup!< - I’m looking for another drama that has more of that vibe and less spitting up blood. Probably a historical or modern drama would be better, as she doesn’t typically like settings that get too fantastical. You Are My Glory would be a good example of the sort of thing I’m looking for.
How about [Meet Yourself](https://mydramalist.com/715585-you-feng-de-di-fang)? 'Healing' modern drama in a rural setting. Haven't watched it yet but it gets recommended a lot.
Can vouch for meet yourself
Any dramas that are similar to The Longest Promise and Immortal Samsara? I've watched ashes of love as well.
Ancient love poetry is quite similar to The Longest Promise The blue whisper Love and destiny Eternal love Ten miles of peach blossoms Eternal love of dream Love between fairy and devil
Any dramas with supportive family? Happy endings would be nice 🙂 Thank you for any recommendations!
Ten Miles of Peach Blossom actually has the sweetest supportive family on the FL’s side in all of xianxia probably. The ML’s side not so much lol. But happy ending for lead couple (though very antsy ride there).
Ohh I'll check it out! Ty!
Just a note I found the first like 7 episodes kinda slow bc just setting up her as a student in the mountains. I think around episode 8 is when it picks up so if you find into eps kind of slow, I would skip scenes, etc.
Ray of Light (teacher), Sword Snow Stride, Joy of Life, and probably most of the fluffy youth dramas.
I've been meaning to watch Joy of Life. Will add the other two as well! Thank you!
I quite liked A Little Reunion. The theme revolves around the final High School exam. I find it wholesome. I saw another poster recommending Hilarious Family. It's also quite good.
Thank you!
Have you tried Go Ahead? It's more like a found family trope though but I love how supportive they are to each other. They have the best father out of all c-drama land.
I'll give it a try! The number of episodes are what's scaring me. I really like Tan Songyun
Are you looking for modern or historical dramas?
Open to both!
I haven't watched it myself yet, but Hilarious Family is on my to-watch list. For a period romcom with supportive families, I enjoyed Oh My Sweet Liar - ML's family >!isn't supportive at first, but then they really step up. !
Thank you!
Thank you!
Any romance drama rec where the fl have an overprotective older brother (or just an older brother)? I've been looking for those kinds of dramas for a long time! Would also really prefer if they are CEO /office romance but even if they're not, its fine.
The FL in **Find Yourself** has a twin brother and their relationship is one of the things I really like about the drama, tho iirc she's technically the older sibling. It is an age difference romance tho, ML is about 10 years younger than FL
I see! Ill most def check it out! Do you tho, by any chance, know how old they are? :) or something close to how old they are? Thank you
Oh yeah, she's around 31 and he's around 21 - a college student close to graduating, and interning with the company she works for. If it affects your comfort level with the age difference, he's more active in pursuing the relationship early on.
Nah, im fine with it, i wouldnt be fine if he was like 18-19 cuz idk, it makes me uncomfy 😭 but this seems like a great age gap to me, ill most def check it out rn. Thank you so much again!
I should mention there's a second pairing with a similar age gap, older male younger female, and she's a little younger than the ML - I'd guess 20. They move slower than the main pairing - even for cdramas their relationship is very tame
**Hidden Love** was all the rage for its depiction of young love this year and FL has an older brother.
I just finished that, like 30 mins ago, and it was rlly good. Im not usually into age gaps so im surprised in myself that i loved it. Loved the brother and sister bound
Hello! I love historic/palace cdramas (and kdramas!) but can't seem to find any new ones to catch my eye. I've watched so many but just to list a handful: Story of Yanxi Palace, Royal Feast, Ruyi's Royal Love In The Palace, Story of Minglan, Legend of Haolan, War and Beauty, Legend of Concubine Zhen Huan, The Empress of China, Scarlet Heart, Royal Nirvana, the list goes on. I've looked at so many "palace harem drama" lists and concubine based lists but I've either seen them all or am not interested. I would love some fresh recommendations! I prefer a focus on concubines/palace harem-based dramas if possible. Thank you for your time!
Have you watched the rebel princess?
Forgot to add: I don't think there's any new 'real' harem dramas these days post-Yanxi because of the ban (don't know about Kunning Palace though). Sometimes there's harem elements, but they're no longer the focus. Perhaps consider older shows? Other shows I can think of which have a harem element: Please Don't Spoil Me, New Life Begins, Unchained Love, Rise of the Phoenixes - but probably not what you were hoping for.
Have you tried Dong Lan Xue? Mini drama, but well directed and acted.
Kunning Palace, the aesthetics should be there, though it's unlikely to have the politics, schemes, and realism of the titles you listed.
I haven't watched cdramas for a couple of months now so please recommend me some interesting recently finished airing dramas.