My favourite C-dramas (Up to 2022)

Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan where just perfectly cast in this. The acting of the pair is suburb, the story is fantastic and the use of symbolism and music to get past Chinese censorship was amazing. There is nothing I could find wrong with this drama, except maybe the CGI was iffy in places, but that is more than made up for by the strong acting performances. Every character has an arc which brings depth to the piece, even some characters that only appear a handful of times get their fair share of development. There was even nods to the book it was based on which make the back story all the deeper for those who had read it, yet these book references did not distract from those who were seeing the story for the first time. I strongly recommend this one if you have not already seen it. 

The Untamed and Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms can switch positions depending on my moods the two are so close together, it was extremely difficult to decide which one to put first. The lead couple, and of course the famous secondary couple, really take the show to really high standards of acting. However it isn’t let down by the non leading actors who give the world such depth and wonder that you really feel it. The music and costumes are fantastic as is the way the story weaves together. Its a terrific show if you are beginning your journey into Chinese Drama because you feel let down by most things afterwards.   

My first non fantasy pick. It was the first time I had seen  Ren Jia Lun act and I was blown away. Lu Yi’s introduction is more that of a villain than the ML hero. JinXia, the FL, was also fun to watch with her quick wit and even quicker mouth. It has lots of twists and turns but the pair, along with friends and family, get through it all to bring justice to the land. The main leads have great chemistry and fantastic acting abilities. It also isn't let down by its story, costumes or music which are all top grade. Also I have to say that Ren Jia Lun in this did a great job, he effectively played 4 or 5 different versions of the same character, not an easy thing to do.  Definitely one to watch.  

My first modern drama on the list, as generally I prefer fantasy or history dramas. This one however got my interest. Part modern, part fantasy, part comedy, it has a bit of everything. The main leads are great with WeiWei and Xiao Nai meeting in the online world and it soon spilling over into real life. Xiao Nai could look a bit creepy in the first place as he knows Wei Wei before she knows him, and later he could appear overbearing, but YangYang plays the part perfectly. What seals this as a favourite though are the two groups of friends circling the main couple. They provide both emotional support, loyalty and amusement to the whole show. Characters like Wei Wei and Xiao Nai who are so perfect in many ways could so easily appear no real without those friends grounding them. 

Funnily enough another series staring both Dilraba and Yang Yang, but I swear I am not doing this on purpose. As for this show the chemistry between the lead actors is simply electric and very much holds your attention through the whole show. One of the things that has to make it a favourite of mine though is the plot. It shows a very adult relationship between the two lead characters, if they have problems they deal with them quickly and effectively and support each other in their dreams. The plot also doesn’t use many of the cliches that can drag, or slow down other shows, there is no second female lead who can’t take no for an answer, no misunderstanding that takes 6 episodes to figure out, and no stupid communication errors between the leads that could be worked out if they actually just spoke to one another. This show is a simple love story from start to finish. 

Another in the Three Lives Three Worlds series, sequel to Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms. I love the journey in depth into the lives of FengJiu and DiJun. Taking the stone and turning him into a loving human being was great to watch. As before the actors where a pleasure to see and the secondary actors where also fantastic and provided some fun. I must admit one of the most fun scenes I found were where Ali was speaking about what he had told his parents about DiJun bringing FengJiu home that made her want to sink into the ground. Even the children in this show were great actors.

Another modern drama which at first glance looks simply like a fun story but is actually filled with so many layers of angst and drama. The main character Ye Qiu begins the series as the captain of the leading E-Sports team in a game named Glory, but by the end of the first episode has been replaced and forced into retirement. On the face of it the series is about him building his own team and returning to his profession but it is so much more than that. The series explores friendship amongst sportsmen, the place of E-Sports in the modern world and there acceptance as a ‘real career’. Ye Qiu himself has to deal not only with dealing with his father almost disowning him over his choice of career but the ghosts of his grandfather and best friend which haunt him all the way through the show. These create barriers not only to his career but his personal growth which can only be finally resolved when her realises some truths about himself. 

Xu Kai is fabulous in this as Chessman, bringing a mix of comedy, romance and sternness that is sometimes hard to do. The FL is also very good as Smiling, the first female professional e-sports player in China. The show is light and fun but it also delves deeply into the struggles e-sports players have to go through to be recognised, especially Smiling as female. It also cover some of the problems involved in having so many young people in one place, as well as what can happen if they get the fame get to their heads.  The supporting cast is amazing and it has a real family feel. It’s definitely a fun one to watch. 

I had never seen Cheng Yi in anything before but wow he can act. Perfect casting for both the male and female leads here. The supporting actors are also fantastic, as are the costumes, music and filmography. The pacing is good and the show covers the problems between the lead couple as they grow both individually and with each other. There are some light moments and well as some moments that can make you cry. 

This one one of the earliest C-dramas I watched and still one of my favourites. The chemistry between the two leads was amazing and even though the show was long (or at least I thought it was back then) I never got bored. There was always something happening that would pull you in and lead to the next clue, which would lead to the next, and so on. The secondary character arc didn’t seem just added, it was an integral part of the story as a whole. This series had layers and layers of problems and clues and some people knowing parts of the answer, with our main couples fighting together in the centre of it all.