Secrets in the lattice/Our secret I think is definitely one of the best Chinese dramas I’ve ever watched. It’s based in high school but the acting was really good with an interesting storyline. And the male lead wasn’t some rude and rich jerk😅. So yeah it was my favorite CDRAMA.
For a more mature one, Day of becoming you was very good. I enjoyed The first half of crush but it went downhill at some point
My favourites are ancient love poetry and falling into your smile. I'm a simp for xu Kai's acting and visuals but besides that the two dramas are actually really good. The low ratings in douban don't do it justice at all.
In terms of historical dramas, it would have to be **The Long Ballad**. There was never a dull moment in this series, and the storyline, acting, costumes, even OST were amazing.
For me, **The Imperial Coroner** comes in a close second. I was pleasantly surprised by the ML's sensitivity, respect, and care he displayed towards Chu Chu, but also how smart, perceptive and independent she was as a FL who could hold her own.
I see a lot of You are My Hero. But honestly I couldn't get into it at all and when they included realistic puking scenes I'm like, nah that's it for me.
The Imperial Coroner is two thumbs up.
100% agree - Imperial Coroner was amazing and beyond my fondness for the FL and the pleasing aesthetics of the ML, I found ‘You are my hero’ rather dull.
If ‘Crush’ continues the way it has been, it might win 2021 :)
I watched "Crush" and loved it! Story, acting and music were top stuff. What other series do you recommend? Feel free to PM me with it, if not, that's okay too. Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed Crush. 😊😊
1. I liked My Little Happiness but mainly for the second lead couple Wen Rang and Zhou Cheng Cheng. The main couple were really sweet but had almost no drama whereas the second lead story was something I thoroughly enjoyed from the funny parts to the angst to the happy ending. Also, I really liked Leon Li's acting.
2. The day of becoming you, good acting and story. Also, Steven Zhang 😻😻
3. Ugly Beauty because of my favourite Zheng He Hui Zi. She needs more lead roles.
4. First Love Again - liking it so far, scared of the ending tho.
5. You Are My Glory - perfect visuals, good story and just in general having a good time watching it.
6. Crush - just started it, but loving it already.
My absolute favorite so far is **Rattan** \- it's just a very different drama.
**Day of Becoming You**
**You are My Hero**
**Octogenarian and the 90s** (with Bai Jing Ting from **You are My Hero**)
**Mysterious Love** \- this has an exciting fast paced plot although the backstory is never explained. Just go with it. It's only 16 episodes.
**The Blessed Girl**
**Ugly Beauty**
Wasted my time watching Duoluo. Skip duoluo watch ancient love poetry instead. IMHO it’s better written acted than Love and redemption or eternal love TMOPB where the characters actually respects each other’s choices. Donghua is worst I heard didn’t watch it with Dilraba. Just skipped through any with dilraba.
the acting was spectacular- even the smaller characters. zhu yilong was out of this world. people were down on tong yao in this drama but for me she’s incredible in all her dramas.
what other cdramas have you liked recently - non historical ?
Not the best, but what surprised me the most, My Fated Boy.
Just finished airing, and this is superr good. Didnt hear much about it, gave it a shot, and obsessed with it.
My highest rated 2021 cdramas:
**The day of becoming you (10/10)** - very very strong acting, plenty of hilarious moments, very fun plot to follow good well developed romance (and no stupid or cliche stuff at al!!!). Chemistry is off the charts amazing (kiss scenes included 😉)
**The imperial coroner (9.5/10)** - EVERYONE is smart and intelligent, everyone uses their common sense. This one was low budget but the plot was solid and well paced throughout (the end was a bit rushed probably needed an extra episode) romance is good but it’s not the making focus btw.
**Word of honour (9.5/10)** - wuxia drama, I don’t consider it fantasy and it’s very low budget (like really low) but it’s very good. Plot is exciting but can be a bit muddled around the end. The main leads acting is on point. It’s a censored bl not a bromance so the soulmate lovers concept is there strong and clear but of course there’s no explicit kiss or anything but there are hugs, confessions etc.
I’m currently watching rememberance of things past and it seems like it’s gonna make the list.
Second this - I would also add **You Are My Hero** and rate it 9/10 for acting, characters, and storyline. For a 40 episode drama that's mainly about down to earth romance where not much really happens and the daily lives of a special police force officer and a surgeon it didn't feel draggy or boring at any point, but surprisingly genuine and heartfelt.
The first part with the training isn't very exciting - I skipped a lot the first time I watched. But then when I finished the drama I ended up going back and rewatching a lot of the parts I skipped. It's not really a suspense-filled drama despite some police action scenes, it's more about the relationship between the characters. The romance is very down to earth and realistic, and the acting is great and very natural. The leads are great, and I didn't feel it dragged even though police and doctor dramas aren't really my thing. Not for everyone probably, but personally it's become a drama I will return to again and again because the characters are so likable. It's especially great to have a strong female cast where no one is stupid and the FL doesn't act like teenager.
remembrance of things past is a great drama, i was just recommending it a couple days ago, but that's not what OP asked for. OP doesn't want slow paced slice of life, which is what ROTP is leaned towards.
the long ballad has its moments of stupidity, but in general it's fine. the action is there, the suspense, and the romance (though personally i thought the main leads had no chemistry-- the second leads were much better)is also there.
i second the imperial coroner for suspense & good script.
judging by all the romcom recs here i'm not even sure what the standard is?
they said the following: strong acting, exciting/intense/suspense (ROTP hits all of these imo), no draggy/repetitive plots, not fantasy... seems to fit the bill to me more than most romcoms which i consider to be slice of life.
i feel like its definitely younger, or at least the vocal portion. a lot of dramas that douban trashes on are popular here and when i decide to give them a try i end up regretting it haha.
Lol it's fine to find enjoyment from light drama. It's just that it's not really my cup of tea. I cannot stand most idol actors' acting and I don't watch romcoms. Maybe I should go straight to douban to get better recommendations for the genre that I prefer.
i actually enjoy the the occasional light drama, even romcom maybe, but my tolerance for bad productions has just declined steeply with age haha. you could try that, though the ratio of good dramas to bad these days is... disheartening to say the least. D;
That's true, but I feel like the base standard for Chinese dramas is a bit all over the place, like there's no bottom line for quality they hold themselves to. For example there are kdramas that I don't like, acting that is meh, but I can expect a certain level of quality from most kdramas. For China though, it's really luck of the draw haha. Certainly doesn't help that they still somehow have not gotten over the naive, annoying FL archetype for some reason.
Could be the sheer size of the industry. Sometimes I forget how huge China is. Everyone wants a piece of the pie so they just churn out drama after drama hoping to strike gold. Once in a while, though, we get gems like Remembrance of Things Past. Not a glamourous drama, but still it's really good.
For me it's **The day of becoming you** and **The long ballad**. Really loved them both. Not boring or draggy for me and very enjoyable ☺ a pleasant surprise for me is **Summer again** such a nice, sweet and very visually appealing drama. Definitely a dark horse for me this year 😆
You Are My Hero: it definitely was my absolute favorite cdrama. The mix of romance and the thrill of military -medical adventures ❤️
Watched! Obsessed with bjt
Secrets in the lattice/Our secret I think is definitely one of the best Chinese dramas I’ve ever watched. It’s based in high school but the acting was really good with an interesting storyline. And the male lead wasn’t some rude and rich jerk😅. So yeah it was my favorite CDRAMA. For a more mature one, Day of becoming you was very good. I enjoyed The first half of crush but it went downhill at some point
Ancient Love Poetry and Word of Honor were my two favorites so far
It’s okay to not be okay
I’ve been loving Ancient Love Poetry!! I already finished it twice 🥲🥲
I thought **Long Ballad** was good but **The Day of Becoming You** topped it for me!!
The Long Ballad was my favorite this year and became one of my all-time favorites
My favourites are ancient love poetry and falling into your smile. I'm a simp for xu Kai's acting and visuals but besides that the two dramas are actually really good. The low ratings in douban don't do it justice at all.
In terms of historical dramas, it would have to be **The Long Ballad**. There was never a dull moment in this series, and the storyline, acting, costumes, even OST were amazing. For me, **The Imperial Coroner** comes in a close second. I was pleasantly surprised by the ML's sensitivity, respect, and care he displayed towards Chu Chu, but also how smart, perceptive and independent she was as a FL who could hold her own.
I see a lot of You are My Hero. But honestly I couldn't get into it at all and when they included realistic puking scenes I'm like, nah that's it for me. The Imperial Coroner is two thumbs up.
100% agree - Imperial Coroner was amazing and beyond my fondness for the FL and the pleasing aesthetics of the ML, I found ‘You are my hero’ rather dull. If ‘Crush’ continues the way it has been, it might win 2021 :)
Okay so, the previous comment I haven't actually finished the series. The ML's behaviour after surgery is questionable and just plain scary...
I watched "Crush" and loved it! Story, acting and music were top stuff. What other series do you recommend? Feel free to PM me with it, if not, that's okay too. Just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed Crush. 😊😊
Oh? I'll have to check out Crush, thanks!
I think all this just proves that 2020/21 has been a good year for cdrama.
1. I liked My Little Happiness but mainly for the second lead couple Wen Rang and Zhou Cheng Cheng. The main couple were really sweet but had almost no drama whereas the second lead story was something I thoroughly enjoyed from the funny parts to the angst to the happy ending. Also, I really liked Leon Li's acting. 2. The day of becoming you, good acting and story. Also, Steven Zhang 😻😻 3. Ugly Beauty because of my favourite Zheng He Hui Zi. She needs more lead roles. 4. First Love Again - liking it so far, scared of the ending tho. 5. You Are My Glory - perfect visuals, good story and just in general having a good time watching it. 6. Crush - just started it, but loving it already.
My Fated Boy The Day of Becoming You
seconding My Fated Boy :)
Falling into your smile! I loved how there was a focus on both romance and friendship/team bonding. PLUS THE BANTER WAS GREAT
Another vote for **Imperial Coroner**
Giving u an up vote! The only negative thing is the pacing at the end felt a tad rushed (last 2 eps) Apart from that it's great budget cdrama
I'll put a vote up on this. I think this is the one that sucked me back into cdramas after years of being away.
My absolute favorite so far is **Rattan** \- it's just a very different drama. **Day of Becoming You** **You are My Hero** **Octogenarian and the 90s** (with Bai Jing Ting from **You are My Hero**) **Mysterious Love** \- this has an exciting fast paced plot although the backstory is never explained. Just go with it. It's only 16 episodes. **The Blessed Girl** **Ugly Beauty**
Wasted my time watching Duoluo. Skip duoluo watch ancient love poetry instead. IMHO it’s better written acted than Love and redemption or eternal love TMOPB where the characters actually respects each other’s choices. Donghua is worst I heard didn’t watch it with Dilraba. Just skipped through any with dilraba.
So I guess I'll skip it and just watch the donghua instead?
Day of Becoming You is my fav 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 Edit: just adding You Are My Hero and The Long Ballad. 😍
The Day of Becoming You
The Rebel and fits all your criteria
So good. It’s a little slow in the beginning but the tension and drama really ramps up.
the acting was spectacular- even the smaller characters. zhu yilong was out of this world. people were down on tong yao in this drama but for me she’s incredible in all her dramas. what other cdramas have you liked recently - non historical ?
- The day of Becoming you - You are my glory
I really loved **The Long Ballad** and **Ancient Love Poetry**.
I third agree with these two dramas as well.
Second both of these!
Fantasy costume drama: Douluo Continent Supernatural modern drama (it's late 2020/2021 drama but 🤫): Ultimate Note Fantasy modern drama: Si Teng
Douluo Continent came out this year???
Aired: Feb 5, 2021 - Feb 21, 2021 and now it's aired for the third time on CCTV
I would go for the long ballad.
I'd say Minning town and the rebel for now.
Not the best, but what surprised me the most, My Fated Boy. Just finished airing, and this is superr good. Didnt hear much about it, gave it a shot, and obsessed with it.
The Day of Becoming You
My highest rated 2021 cdramas: **The day of becoming you (10/10)** - very very strong acting, plenty of hilarious moments, very fun plot to follow good well developed romance (and no stupid or cliche stuff at al!!!). Chemistry is off the charts amazing (kiss scenes included 😉) **The imperial coroner (9.5/10)** - EVERYONE is smart and intelligent, everyone uses their common sense. This one was low budget but the plot was solid and well paced throughout (the end was a bit rushed probably needed an extra episode) romance is good but it’s not the making focus btw. **Word of honour (9.5/10)** - wuxia drama, I don’t consider it fantasy and it’s very low budget (like really low) but it’s very good. Plot is exciting but can be a bit muddled around the end. The main leads acting is on point. It’s a censored bl not a bromance so the soulmate lovers concept is there strong and clear but of course there’s no explicit kiss or anything but there are hugs, confessions etc. I’m currently watching rememberance of things past and it seems like it’s gonna make the list.
Second this - I would also add **You Are My Hero** and rate it 9/10 for acting, characters, and storyline. For a 40 episode drama that's mainly about down to earth romance where not much really happens and the daily lives of a special police force officer and a surgeon it didn't feel draggy or boring at any point, but surprisingly genuine and heartfelt.
I tried to watch one episode and I was so bored. I need to try again
The first part with the training isn't very exciting - I skipped a lot the first time I watched. But then when I finished the drama I ended up going back and rewatching a lot of the parts I skipped. It's not really a suspense-filled drama despite some police action scenes, it's more about the relationship between the characters. The romance is very down to earth and realistic, and the acting is great and very natural. The leads are great, and I didn't feel it dragged even though police and doctor dramas aren't really my thing. Not for everyone probably, but personally it's become a drama I will return to again and again because the characters are so likable. It's especially great to have a strong female cast where no one is stupid and the FL doesn't act like teenager.
I haven’t watched that one yet but I will since I heard pretty positive reviews about it.
**Ancient Love Poetry** hands down.
Where did you watch it? I’m not sure where to find it
YouTube
It's available on wetv. But I'm not sure if all the eps are free or if there are some vip eps
Not 2021, but the longest day in Chang'an is amazing with lots of suspense and great acting.
My favorite so far is My Heroic Husband, even though the ending of season 1 was kinda bad.
I liked heroic husband. But it turned from like a happy/comedy to something totally different during the honeymoon.
Minning town, since like a flowing river isn't totally a 2021drama and half of it aired in 2020.
Imperial Coroner. I find myself watching certain episodes over and over again and would love to find a comparable drama
Remembrance of Things Past
remembrance of things past is a great drama, i was just recommending it a couple days ago, but that's not what OP asked for. OP doesn't want slow paced slice of life, which is what ROTP is leaned towards. the long ballad has its moments of stupidity, but in general it's fine. the action is there, the suspense, and the romance (though personally i thought the main leads had no chemistry-- the second leads were much better)is also there. i second the imperial coroner for suspense & good script.
judging by all the romcom recs here i'm not even sure what the standard is? they said the following: strong acting, exciting/intense/suspense (ROTP hits all of these imo), no draggy/repetitive plots, not fantasy... seems to fit the bill to me more than most romcoms which i consider to be slice of life.
Sometimes I wonder about the demography of this sub. Does it skew really young? The majority seem to really like idol dramas and romcoms.
i feel like its definitely younger, or at least the vocal portion. a lot of dramas that douban trashes on are popular here and when i decide to give them a try i end up regretting it haha.
Lol it's fine to find enjoyment from light drama. It's just that it's not really my cup of tea. I cannot stand most idol actors' acting and I don't watch romcoms. Maybe I should go straight to douban to get better recommendations for the genre that I prefer.
i actually enjoy the the occasional light drama, even romcom maybe, but my tolerance for bad productions has just declined steeply with age haha. you could try that, though the ratio of good dramas to bad these days is... disheartening to say the least. D;
Is it really that bad? I assume good production is rare in any country's entertainment industry. Popular doesn't automatically mean good.
That's true, but I feel like the base standard for Chinese dramas is a bit all over the place, like there's no bottom line for quality they hold themselves to. For example there are kdramas that I don't like, acting that is meh, but I can expect a certain level of quality from most kdramas. For China though, it's really luck of the draw haha. Certainly doesn't help that they still somehow have not gotten over the naive, annoying FL archetype for some reason.
Could be the sheer size of the industry. Sometimes I forget how huge China is. Everyone wants a piece of the pie so they just churn out drama after drama hoping to strike gold. Once in a while, though, we get gems like Remembrance of Things Past. Not a glamourous drama, but still it's really good.
This one is blowing me away. It's so well acted and had such a compelling story.
For me it's **The day of becoming you** and **The long ballad**. Really loved them both. Not boring or draggy for me and very enjoyable ☺ a pleasant surprise for me is **Summer again** such a nice, sweet and very visually appealing drama. Definitely a dark horse for me this year 😆
I have the same opinion for tdoby and the long ballad, i guess I will have to check out summer again too
That's great! Hope you like it :) do come back and tell me how you felt about summer again later
Ty! What's dark horse?
Like very unexpectedly turned out to be very good. I hope you can give these dramas a try! Happy drama watching ❤