C-Drama Recommendations with "Legend" in the Title

For many years, Chinese costume dramas love to name their drama "(The) Legend of...". So, it can be overwhelming to come across many of these dramas and sometimes you're not sure which one to watch. These dramas tend to have a lot of episodes, so you'd want to, of course, pick one that you feel will be worth your time, right?

In this article, I won't recommend dramas based on if the drama lives up to the "Legend" name. I'm here to recommend to you some dramas that I like that just so happens to have "Legend" in its title.

Hopefully, you will find one interesting. With that being said, let's get to the article!

Episodes: 76 Duration: 45 min Genres: Historical, Life, Drama, Melodrama, Political Tags: Harem, Palace, Palace Drama, Concubine, Revenge, Qing Dynasty, Strong Female Lead, Adapted From A Novel, Strong Female Characters, Power Struggle

"A young woman born of the Eight Banners' family marries the Emperor. After surviving many murderous scandals and betrayals, she prevails as the most powerful woman in the Emperor's harem, the Empress Dowager. In the process, she transforms from a kind-hearted, clever girl to a power-hungry, manipulative woman."

Out of all of the dramas here, this is the one drama that I would say is a must-watch. It is a 76-episode drama, but the length will be the last thing you'll worry about when accompanying Zhen Huan in the harem. The schemes will hit you one after another through excellent execution. It was truly fascinating to watch Zhen Huan develop into a "power-hungry, manipulative woman." Sun Li's portrayal of Zhen Huan was incredible, and the same goes for the rest of the cast.

Episodes: 66 Duration: 45 min Genres: Action, Historical, Romance, Wuxia, Fantasy Tags: Badass Female Lead, Strong Female Lead, Badass Male Lead, Smart Male Lead, Female Lead Action Scenes, Female Warrior, Hidden Identity, Male Chases Female First, Adapted From A Novel, Sassy Female Lead

"Adopted as an orphan, Fu Yao served as a slave for the Xuan Yuan sect in the Taiyuan Kingdom. After a series of tragedies, she journeyed across the lands, searching to lift the curse that blighted her life. Along the way, she meets the Crown Prince of Tianquan, Zhang Sun Wu Ji, and falls in love with him. Together, they tackle political issues in the five kingdoms and unearth secrets regarding her birth."

gif source: belsmultifandommess

Although this drama has its flaws (i.e. slow and boring at times), its positive aspects prove that this drama deserves a chance. It's a drama full of adventures, action, politics, some fantastical elements, and a beautiful romance between Fu Yao and Wu Ji, presented by one of my favorite chemistries I've ever seen. You also have stunning costumes, set designs, and lovely OSTs. You really do get the whole package with this drama, so give it a try!

Episodes: 48 Duration: 45 min Genres: Action, Adventure, Historical, Romance, Wuxia, Drama, Medical Tags: Poison, Arranged Marriage, Adapted From A Novel, Love Triangle, Power Struggle, Cheerful Female Lead, Innocent Female Lead, Hate To Love, Tsundere, Secondary Couple

"The story takes place during a chaotic time when the land has split into three kingdoms: Tian Ning, Western Zhou, and Northern Li. The Emperor of Tian Ning is cunning and distrustful and fears his own subordinate, Long Feiye. To dampen his spirits, the King arranges for Long Feiye to be married to an "ugly" woman named Han Yun Xi. Han Yun Xi is a kind and talented woman who comes from a medical family and is adept with poisons."

gif source: elchengkay, weeguttersnipe

What I liked about this drama was the chemistry between Zhang ZheHan and Ju JingYi. They brought a delightful charm to their characters and the relationship between them. The politics and the characters' background stories were interesting. There are some misunderstandings here, so that's something to keep in mind before starting this drama. This drama could have been better if they had made it shorter because it was dragging at times. The costumes could have been better as well, especially for the female lead. Legend of Yun Xi has its flaws, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Episodes: 15 Duration: 4 min Genres: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Wuxia Tags: Web Series, Time Travel, Lesbian Character, Cheerful Female Lead, LGBTQ+, Miniseries, Cold Female Lead, Lesbian Romance, Qi Deviation

"The disciples of the Lingchuan Sect have guarded the Fans of Heaven and Earth for nearly a century. Mu Yun and Hua Yue are the only disciples of the sect that are left. The stubborn and disobedient Hua Yue unintentionally discovers that the Fan of Heaven possesses the power to travel through time. To escape being forced to study and practise martial arts by Mu Yun, Hua Yue travels to the future to have fun. Hundreds of years in the future, she meets Xiao Qian, who looks exactly like her. Secrets come to the surface, and adventures take place."

Unlike the previous dramas I've mentioned,  this drama is very short, cheesy, and low-budget. However, that didn't make it unenjoyable. It's a sweet drama to binge, and you'll smile ear-to-ear when the leads interact. This drama also managed to introduce some interesting characters and backstories that added some angst in the later episodes. Definitely watch this drama if you want a break from longer and serious dramas like the ones I talked about earlier.

gif source: zhouszishu

Legend of Fei (2020)

Legend of the Condor Heroes (2008)

Legend of Hao Lan (2019)

The Legend of Jin Yan (2020)

Legend of Mi Yue (2015)

The Legend of Xiao Chuo  (2020)

The Legend of Dugu (2018)

Legend of the Phoenix (2019)

^{Edited by: Cookie (2nd editor)}