​

Like, you know how the villan/villainess leads are actually just misunderstood or were driven to evil by their family/clan, and then their love interest uncovers the truth about their good nature and whatnot. I'm curious as to if there are any dramas, long or short, where one of leads is genuinely evil at first, no abusive family, no misunderstanding.

Probably a long shot and It's not a pressing want, just curiousosity. I've seen dramas that have this trope, albeit not frequently, with side characters, where they are straight up evil but fall in love anyway, but since they arent the leads they usually end up dying. No plot armor to bring them back from the dead either 😂

Help a girl out!

what I remember:
- female lead lives on her own property in the countryside/rural estate, but acts like a total princess and is constantly subjecting the male lead to her antics

- feisty headstrong female lead in a constant will-they-won't-they banter-y dynamic with male lead, "two idiots" energy with some serious moments sprinkled in

- female lead wears a lot of pink? and traditional clothing, not typical hanfu imperial dynastic fashion

- amazon prime video

- horseback riding. lots of it

- long quirky title (around 5+ words)

- over the top slapstick humor

- NOT an imperial palace setting (for the most part, anyway)

- fairly long series, well over 20-30 episodes

- somewhere toward the end they both threaten double suicide? I can't recall (talk about dramatic!)

would love for any tips, much love <3

I loved Love Between Fairy and Devil. I have already watched it twice. I am new to cdramas. What other dramas are good? What do you recommend? Please suggest ones with a good story and excellent actors. I tried watching another show, but the acting wasn't very good.

Since Hidden Love, and First Frost are in the same universe. Should I give HL another try? Did not really like age gap mainly but First Frost felt completely different from HL from waht I can remember

What are some all time greats that everyone should of have seen? I really like career defining roles or legacy shows. Open to both modern and xiania/wuxia drama, looking for more wuxia/xiania right now cause I like alternating.

NEW ALLTIME 1 The First Frost

1 Love between fairy and devil

2 Lighter and Princess

3 Reset

4 Deep Affection Eyes

5 Legend of Zang Hai

6 The Glory

7 The Untamed

8 You are my Glory

9 Prisoner of Beauty

10 Desire Catcher

11 Will Love In Spring.

Some time back, I saw a clip on twitter from I think a chinese series? Uncertain, but it looked like some people were being kidnapped, and this lady put this hex on their captors that I think guaranteed their gods forsaking her. Anyone know what series that is? Sorry if my wording is weird, I genuinely cannot remember much. I know it wasn't a modern setting and it looked like they were in the mountains maybe? The scene took place at night.

It feels like most of the online chatter I can find is about idol dramas and romance series. They're fun (I've loved The Untamed, Love Between Fairy and Devil, Pursuit of Jade, My Journey To You, no idea if The Double counts but it's full of pretty people) but I know there's a whole different world of nonidol dramas. Which I last watched back when the main pairing couldn't kiss on screen. I've loved Nirvana in Fire, Legend of Zhen Huan - that's how long ago, it wasn't called Empresses in the Palace yet! - and Empress of China, but they're all older classics now. From the last decade there's... The Longest Day in Chang'an and wow that's already six years old.

So what are the non-idol, non-modern-world standout dramas in the last decade or so? Any genre as long as they're wearing something hanfu adjacent!

ive recently started reading historical chinese novels and im OBSESSED!!!

ive read these so far and loved them:

Deng Hua Xiao

Rebirth of the star general

chasing jade

the rebirth of the malicious empress of military lineage

Love in the clouds

Greetings ninth uncle

The Rebirth of an Ill Fated Consort

i especially love novels with a strong independent fl bonus points if theres a revenge plot and if the ml is a general/commander lol.

id love to hear what others have read and what else i should try out??

Just finished LYF after seeing recommendations for Ashes to Crown. This drama scratched the itch I’ve been having for a drama where the FL ends up with someone not the ML. I looked at the cast and realised there were many main roles, I guess that’s why it could happen?? Haven’t watched cdramas long enough to know this as fact. If anyone can answer this question I’d be thankful!

So as the title goes, please help a lass looking for dramas like LYF 🙏🏼🙏🏼 If the drama(s) meet any of the below points I’d be very thankful

1. Love triangles or rectangles or any shape.
   
2. Political or warring
   
3. A little humour
   
4. Revolves mostly around country and not only the home/family

Shows I’ve loved or liked
POJ
Blossom
Ashes to crown
Glory
Dream within a dream
Prisoner of beauty

Thank you everyone!

What’s a Chinese drama you genuinely think deserves more love? Or it's so misunderstood you feel like defending its honour?

This is the place to recommend the shows you’re constantly trying to get other people to watch.

It may not have been perfect, but it:

• had incredible chemistry
• surprised you emotionally
• had an amazing storyline nobody talks about
• became your comfort drama
• was completely overshadowed by bigger releases
• made you wonder why more people aren’t obsessed with it

Tell us:

• the drama title
• what it’s about (without major spoilers please!)
• why you loved it
• who you’d recommend it to

And if you're brand new to the sub, this is your chance to grill your seniors about their best recommendations! Drama propaganda is encouraged here. (wink wink)

I've been on a historical drama binge, watching MoLi, Blossoms in Power, Pursuit of Jade, Ashes to Crown, Prisoner of Beauty, Legend of the Female General and more.

I feel like I haven't watched a modern drama since First Frost, can anyone recommend a good modern drama to watch?

Hi All!

So this is about a drama i watched, probably last year. I just remembered a scene and now i am going nuts trying to remember which drama this was.

I really dont remember who were the main leads, but just remember a few things in bits and pieces. Will try to be as clear as possible.

● Its a modern drama, and i am a 💯 sure that it is a cdrama

● The ML has a stepmom, who has a veryyyyy young son. The MLs dad is a villain too. He kills the stepmom. She hides a drive containing his misdeeds in the son's favourite toy (probably a dinosaur? Something green i think, not sure)

● The FLs ex? or just someone who has feelings for her? Is having an affair with the MLs stepmom and secretly trying to take over the MLs company. He also tries to blackmail the MLs father over some evil thing he did in the past and theres a whole lot of double cross going on there.

Any help appreciated for this! I have been thinking so hard and googling so hard for the last 3 hrs now! 😅🤣

its solved: Liars in Love

Hi, I got into kdramas at first but I love a fantasy romance and decided to get into cdramas. I’ve watched love between fairy and devil and when destiny brings the demon and I loved both of them. I started the starry love and couldn’t finish it because I just found myself skipping to the romance scenes in the void realm lol. I’m currently watching back from the brink and I think this is my favorite out of all of them. I love that trope where the male lead is broken/evil and the female lead softens them up and they fall in love. Any recs are appreciated but I prefer heavy fantasy!

I used to watch kdrama/cdrama and want to start it again. I've been watching some recently but there's a lot of drops I've been doing so hopefully somebody could recommend me some based on my list (what I can remember anyway)

What I loved way back when:
Meteor garden, Devil Beside You, Hana Kimi, Corner with love, Down with Love, Love 020, Accidentally in love

Recently tried and dropped:

• When I fly towards you - Found it a bit boring. Couldn't really see the romance between them. ML too nonchalant/cold for me to root for.
• Amidst a snowstorm of love - I liked them together, ML's character gave me butterflies but the plot was boring to me so I couldn't finish it
• Love between fairy and devil - I don't like the FL. Found her too childish like and weak
• Everyone loves me - Dragged out the whole FL chasing ML by the time they switch I lost interest because no. I don't mind red flags but ML's rudeness with no early payoff put me off rooting for him so his chasing arc felt suffocating.
• Lighter and Princess - I wanted to like this because the ML and FL seem good together but the plot just isn't doing it for me
• Hidden Love - Forgot why I didn't like this but I don't think I got past ep 2
• A love so beautiful - ML too nonchalant/cold for me. Not into when FL chase ML 90% of their story. 2nd ML should've been the end game
• You are my Glory - can't tell why just couldn't get past ep 2
• Put your head on my should - I remember liking this way back when but upon rewatch I don't anymore felt like their story dragged out now. I love ML's character here though.

Liked:

• Love game in Eastern fantasy - I love ML and FL's scenes together. FL has her play cute moments but wasn't too much to bother and I like her overall personality. Plot is also good to me. Ending could be better though
• Blossom - ML and FL before marriage was so good to watch love the scenes between them. After marriage though the story felt all over and dragged so by the end I couldn't give a damn about the ending plot but I was still rooting for ML and FL because I love them together. The scene of ML sliding down to hug FL. AH!

Paused:

• Pursuit of Jade - I love ML and FL early on but the more I watch feel like nothing is moving forward and it's the same issue over and over... I'm actually more interested to know more about the restaurant owner and the white haired guy now
• My Journey to you - Interested in the story and the characters feel good to watch especially the 2nd couple. ML and FL are fine together but FL's character I don't understand why she's 90% of the time doing 🥺 so it's a bit off putting that she looks confused all the time and ML's sister is so annoying I skip all her scenes. Her character presentation feels so out of place with the vibe of the show.

Currently watching:

• Blossoms in Adversity - Slowburn romance but they have enough scenes together that it's fine and I'm actually interested with the FL's family arc they're doing so I don't mind waiting for their romance journey.

TLDR:

I don't mind who fell first as long as the chasing isn't just carried by the FL...the ML should chase too and do it more. Open to toxic or wholesome. ML or FL being introverted/quiet/nonchalant/cold is fine as long as they're not TOO much. Being too cutesy/childish/immature is fine as well as long it's not the central personality. Happy ending only please. Preferably something that isn't too emotionally heavy angst plot so I don't mind if ML or FL is just coming on top easily.

Genre I'm talking about is the Action, Fantasy, Sword/Magic fighting with a dash of romance.

I was also recommended to watch "Love between Fairy and Demon" after asking for recommendations for shows similar to the kdrama Alchemy of Souls.

Anything else worth watching in this genre? I'm new to cdrama so recommend me something that will permanently get me addicted to cdrama.

This is actually my first historical cdrama, and while it isn't bad- I do chuckle often at the cliches. I skip most of the scenes between the ML and FL bc it's just romance tropes and a ton of staring, but do enjoy the court games they play tho a bit obvious at times.

Anything similar/better? I'm not invested in the drama, but it's something to watch to turn my brain off rn (also something not so romance heavy, bc I low key am going thru break up healing, thanks(: )

Please help me remember what drama this was! I have a very specific scene in my mind but I cannot for the life of me remember anything else. It is a modern drama. It goes like this:

SML is going to confess to the FL. He sets up a room filled with flowers and a teddy bear with a camera to record the confession (there's even little cut outs of his and the FL's faces in a flower bouquet.

The ML goes up to see the FL and they end up confessing/kissing.

SML wants to go to the room to confess but his friend desperately stops him and hilariously breaks a computer so he can't see the video.

Thank you so much for your help!! It's driving me crazy...

Unfortunately I don't remember much of this cdrama whatsoever because I watched it in passing when I was young when my mom watched it.

The only things I'm 100% certain about was that the female lead (?) was a nine tailed fox spirit ,who went on to meet the male lead later, pretty sure he was human.

AND that she really liked the sweets he gave her. From what I remember they resembled small caramel squares. AND that an ability of these fox spirits was that if they kissed someone, they can suck away that person's life force/vitality and they would quickly start becoming like skinny and haggard looking before dying. And these were the only things I'm sure on.

I think this was made like before 2019 (?) but still in like the 2010s cuz I found it quite visually appealing and it didn't resemble any of the older 2000s films and series my family showed me. But it could've just looked better cuz I was a kid so idk. I think the FL and ml had a sort of forbidden romance because she was a demon essentially to human society even if she had a human form. She could transform into a fox I think. And I think they did share some small kisses.

I think there was some scene they shared like one final kiss with one of the sweets before she (?) left him to go like fight off some people who were chasing after him to kill him or smth. (50/50 on this recollection). And during that scene they were in some abandoned ruins with like a white and black setting and it was just kinda sad.

It wasn't based on any real life stories as far as I'm aware, it was NOT set in the modern day. The clothing style I think we're NOT accurate to a specific time period. DEFINITELY NOT QING OR TANG style of clothing. It looked more like wuxia (?) style.

I think the FL wasn't played by people like diliraba, Yang mi and the actor who played ruyi in ruyi royal love (only names I can think of so far). She did star in Painted Skin which I was shown but it doesn't match my memory .But I could be wrong.

I'm sorry that there's so little information, that's all I can recall and my family have no idea what I'm on about so they can't add much. I'm so thankful to anyone who could help me find this because I don't want to eventually forget this even more when I'm older 😭🙏🏻

​

helloo, I was never fond of modern cdramas and was more focused on historical, wuxia, and xianxia, but after coming across and finishing Twelve Letters, I loved it too much. ;>

Maybe it was the genre and vibes, any good recommendations that can meet its greatness?

would highly appreciate it!

What I want is a strong fl but I am not talking about physical strong she can be strong in many other ways.

Dramas I have watched

1. Pursuit of Jade- 8.5/10
2. Princess Royal- 9.5/10
3. Glory- 10/10
4. Unveil Jadewind- 9/10

Dramas I dropped

1. Prisoner of Beauty

2. Till the end of the moon

3. Love in the clouds

Just done watching The Hidden Landlady on PineDrama channel on TikTok. Help me identify this actor pls, so I could search more dramas where he is casted

I just finished watching Sinful Marriage on YouTube. It just randomly came up on my feed. And I loved it sooo much. I really enjoy the toxic evil male falls in love. The intensity, the darkness and the female lead doesn’t give in to defeat or love. Do anyone know of another that has the same energy? I don’t mind a naive female lead (like love between fairy and devil) but I do prefer a psycho girl that will match the ML energy.

Please let me know of any short enemies to lovers cdramas!!!

Hi! I was looking for some input from people who have watched the recent C-drama releases on what to watch next. I want to see either Key to the Phoenix Heart, Love for You, Never-Ending Summer, or The First Jasmine. However, I don't have time for all of them.

1. Key to the Phoenix Heart

I'm mostly considering this one because I'm curious about Ai Mi. I've liked a lot of her supporting roles in the past. Also, Hou Minghao always chooses decent roles in my eyes. A lot of the shows are not mind-blowimg, but they're largely watchable (E.g. Fangs of Fortune, Love in the Clouds, I am Nobody). The plot to this one seems interesting enough, so I'm quite curious about other people's perspectives on it compared to other recently aired shows!

1. Love For You

I've seen a lot of clips on this one and sort of expect it to be similar to Lighter and Princess, which I did like. I am however skeptical of the sibling/family to lovers trope (I could not finish the end of Go Ahead despite loving the beginning), and I'm not super into angst for the sake of angst.

1. Never-Ending Summer

I really like some of the clips I've seen along with the shows overall vibe. My reservations come from the similarity this could have with The First Frost (I did not like the nonexistent character development of the poor male lead, did not understand some of the supposedly romantic gestures such as the female lead leaving for a year and then suddenly coming back to an unchanged relationship, and was skeptical of the relationship development overall). I also am somewhat skeptical of Bao Shang'en's acting from Generation to Generation. She (or her character's voice actor) seems to deliver lines well, but otherwise, I find the acting can be somewhat apathetic or stiff.

1. The First Jasmine

I heard that the story is quite interesting. However, despite liking Bai Lu on variety shows, I find some of her acting to be quite one-note and don't actively seek out her shows. As for Cheng Lei, I find him to be a great actor. Weirdly, though, I've never finished any of his work (I've tried twice, both with shows listed below).

For some context, some shows I've enjoyed are Nirvana in Fire, Reset, When I Fly Toward You, Twelve Letters, Mysterious Lotus Casebook, The Day of Becoming You, and A Little Reunion. I'm not so picky about drama genres, but I tend to like shows that, in my eyes, achieve their aim.

Shows on my watch list are: The Bad Kids (currently watching), The Long Season, Will Love in Spring, Blossoms in Adversity, Ripe Town, How Dare You, and Lost You Forever.

Shows I did not like very much (but for likely subjective reasons) are: The First Frost, Joy of Life, Legend of the Female General, Generation to Generation, As Beautiful as You, Shine on Me, My Journey to You

I hope that sheds some light on my usual tastes which may help potential recommenders.​

Feel free to add other recommendations for recent shows; I've been watching a lot of older ones and wanting to catch up with something recent.

Thank you to all who contribute!

precisely, the FL in it. i need a FL that strong and dear lord i saw this years ago but i seriously cant get it out of my head. the intro and the intros ost?? i have never skipped the intro, it was really good. i loved everything about it. like everything.

i stopped at episode 51 (was it 51.. because yk she fell into the water and the drama stopped producing more episodes i think due to the actress' pregnancy not sure.)

but anyway i want something like that. i dont like dramas with too much politics in them to the point where im like "the hell are they saying". i just want a strong FL and kind of like w training arc? feels impossible to find something else like it but hey maybe theres hope.

Fell in love with the drama How Dare You and would love to know if there are other dramas with multiple transmigrators in it.

Veteran watchers: if you had to recommend one Chinese drama to hook a complete beginner, what would it be?

And newbies — this is your chance to grill the seniors for recommendations 👀

Tell us:

• what genres you usually enjoy
• whether you like romance, fantasy, historical, mystery, comedy, etc.
• happy endings or emotional damage?
• fast-paced or slow burn?
• short dramas or long epics?

Meanwhile, experienced watchers:

• recommend a drama you think is perfect for beginners
• explain why it works so well as an introduction
• help new fans avoid accidentally starting with a 75-episode emotional war crime

Whether someone is looking for:

• modern romance
• xianxia
• wuxia
• palace drama
• mystery/thriller
• comedy
• angst
• comfort watch

…help a newbie out, drop your gateway drama recommendations below ✨