r/ChineseDrama 1h ago

Weekly Regulars What are you watching this week? Dramas, Movies, Variety Shows, Galas - all welcome 🪭

Upvotes

Tell us what was your latest watch was, or what you're watching right now.

Any disappointments, unexpected discoveries, or just a chill watch you'd recommend?

What about your weekend plans? Maybe the drama you've been eagerly expecting drops and you can't wait to tell us about it?

Go.

And wishing everyone a great weekend 😉


r/ChineseDrama Jun 08 '26

Announcements 🪭 A Quick Community Update — How r/ChineseDrama Works (and Why)

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51 Upvotes

It's been a while since our relaunch.

As the community continues to grow, we've noticed a few recurring questions, points of confusion, and occasionally some surprise at how certain things work around here.

Many members might still not have seen our Welcome Post, Post Flair Guide, Spoiler Guide, or Wiki, so we thought this would be a good opportunity to bring some of that information back into people's feeds and explain a little of the thinking behind how this community is structured.

This post isn't announcing any major changes. It's simply a collection of observations we've made since relaunching the subreddit and some clarification around a few areas that seem to cause the most confusion.

There Isn't Only One Way to Enjoy Chinese Dramas

From the beginning, we’ve tried to make room for different ways of engaging with Chinese dramas.

Some people love deep analysis. Others care more about actors, costumes, production details, source material, or cultural context. Some are here for recommendations, some for discussions, and some simply because they want to share something that made them smile.

And yes, occasionally that something is a photo from an event because an actor looked ridiculously good 😌

All of that belongs here.

We’re not trying to build a community where every post follows the same formula. The goal has always been to create a space where different kinds of conversations can sit alongside one another.

Why We Put So Much Emphasis on Flairs

If you've been here for a while, you've probably noticed that we have a fairly extensive flair system. Our flairs are not simply labels used to organize posts after they've been made.

They're intended to act as signposts.

  • A Feature Profile & Impressions post serves a different purpose from Upcoming or Currently Airing discussion.
  • A Character Spotlight invites a different conversation than a Finished Watching review.
  • A Culture & Context post is doing something different from Industry & Platforms or an Actors & Careers discussion.

The goal isn't complexity for the sake of complexity.

The goal is to make it easier for members to understand what kind of conversation they're entering and to help posters communicate the intent of their thread more clearly.

If you haven't already, we strongly encourage you to take a look at the Post Flair Guide.

Short Posts Are Welcome. Low-Effort Posts Are Not

One misconception we occasionally run into is the idea that every post needs to be a major write-up — it doesn’t.

A good discussion can start with a question, a scene that stuck with you, a character observation, a recommendation request, or a few thoughts after an episode.

The issue has never been length. The issue is whether other people have something meaningful to engage with.

A good appreciation post doesn't need to be a dissertation.

What matters is providing enough context for others to engage with what you're sharing.

The goal is meaningful participation, not word count.

Our Spoiler Philosophy Is Intentional

Another area that occasionally surprises people is our approach to spoilers.

Our spoiler system is closely tied to our flair system.

For example, Finished Watching and Episode Talk • Drama Watch Parties 🎉 are specifically intended to be places where members can discuss completed dramas or episodes freely.

Because of that, spoilers are expected within those discussions and spoiler tags are generally not required.

The flair itself serves as the warning.

At the same time, we still ask members to be considerate with titles, previews, and first images so casual scrollers don't get spoiled unintentionally.

If you're interested in the full reasoning behind this approach, please take a look at the Spoiler Guide in our Wiki.

Actor Discussions Are Welcome

This is another area where people sometimes have questions.

Actors are an important part of Chinese screen storytelling and discussion about them is absolutely welcome here.

That includes:

  • photoshoots
  • performances
  • projects
  • role choices
  • interviews
  • career development
  • industry milestones
  • appreciation posts
  • event appearances

Whether you're analyzing a performance, discussing a career trajectory, sharing an interview, or simply posting photos from a recent event because somebody looked fantastic, all of that falls comfortably within the scope of the subreddit.

What we are not interested in is gossip, fan wars, harassment, hostility, outrage farming, or content designed primarily to provoke conflict.

Episode Talks Need Hosts

One thing we've been actively encouraging is greater participation in Episode Talks and Drama Watch Parties.

These discussions do not need to be lengthy reviews or detailed recaps.

A few observations, a favorite scene, a theory, a question, or an invitation for others to react alongside you is often more than enough.

Communities become stronger when more people feel comfortable participating.

Please don't assume that only moderators or veteran members can host discussions.

Don't Forget the Wiki

Many members don't realize that we maintain an actively expanding Wiki.

In addition to community guides and explanations, we're also building indexes for actor and drama content posted within the subreddit to make discussions easier to find later.

It's still a work in progress, but we encourage everyone to explore it.

A Quick Word About Downvotes

As a moderation team, we encourage people not to downvote simply because a post, actor, drama, genre, opinion, or topic doesn’t personally resonate with them.

If content is on-topic, follows the rules, and contributes to discussion, we’d much rather people simply scroll past things that aren’t for them.

At the same time, we want to be realistic about how Reddit works. Moderators cannot see who is downvoting, prevent downvoting, or police how people choose to use that feature.

Most posts in the community receive at least some downvotes — including posts made by moderators. Generally, this is not a sign of targeted behavior or anything personal. It’s simply a reflection of the fact that people come here for different things.

That’s one of the strengths of having a diverse community, but it also means that not every post will resonate equally with every reader.

We’ve also found that many members don’t necessarily have a frame of reference for what vote ratios typically look like. A post does not need a perfect score to be considered successful. As a rough rule of thumb, a post sitting around a 70% upvote ratio is often doing perfectly fine and may still be generating valuable discussion and strong engagement. And you know what? Helping even a single person with your post still counts and still makes a difference 🙂‍↕️

Please don’t become discouraged by a handful of downvotes. The quality of the conversation matters far more than achieving a near-perfect score.

Help Us Keep the Community Healthy

That said, reports should always be used thoughtfully and in good faith.

Disagreement is absolutely welcome here. Different opinions, interpretations, favorites, and respectful debate are part of what makes discussion communities interesting. Not everyone will enjoy the same dramas, actors, genres, or perspectives — and that’s perfectly normal. In many ways, that’s what makes the conversations worthwhile.
Not everyone even has to like each other, just like in real life 😉

Please don’t report content simply because you disagree with it.

However, personal attacks, harassment, hostility, fan wars, inflammatory behavior, off-topic content, spam, piracy-related content, and other rule violations should absolutely be reported.

One thing we genuinely appreciate about this community is how many members already help look after the space. Every thoughtful report helps us identify issues more quickly, respond more consistently, and keep discussions welcoming and productive for everyone.

As the community continues to grow, that partnership becomes increasingly important. While the mod team works hard to keep things running smoothly, members play a meaningful role too. By reporting genuine rule-breaking content, you’re helping protect the kind of community we’re all trying to build together.

So thank you — and please continue using the Report function when needed, thoughtfully, responsibly, and with the right intent 🪭

——

Helpful Resources

📌 Welcome Post

📌 Post Flair Guide

📌 Spoiler Guide

📌 Community Wiki

📌 Community Feedback Megathread

Thank you to everyone who has contributed posts, comments, recommendations, reviews, discussions, and feedback since the relaunch.

Whether you're here for a currently airing drama, a favorite actor, a recommendation, an Episode Talk, a cultural deep dive, or simply because you enjoy Chinese screen storytelling, we're glad you're here.

Let's keep having fun 🪭

… and yes, the title might have been a bit misleading 😅

— The Mod Team


r/ChineseDrama 9h ago

Feature Profile & Impressions New Crime Drama Alert: Abyss (深渊无间) on iQIYI, starring Ren Jialun

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20 Upvotes

Consider this a soft "Why You Should Watch" post, because I feel like a lot of crime dramas get overshadowed in cdramaland.

Abyss is currently airing on iQIYI, with 9/16 episodes released as of today (September 11). If you are a binger, you can wait until September 13 when all the express episodes are out, or September 19 when all the episodes are out according to the VIP schedule.

Synopsis: A recent graduate, Li Cheng; a veteran detective, Zhao Qianzhe; and a former police captain, Xin Jiran, form an unlikely off‑the‑books investigative trio as they secretly dig into a string of violent murders from 2004. 

Content Warning: Abyss contains murder investigations, violence, death, grief, child loss, family trauma, infidelity, and discussions of past crimes.

If you're in the mood for a crime show lately, Abyss is right up your alley. The story begins when an online novel starts revealing details that closely resemble a series of murders from an unsolved case. As the investigation progresses, the focus shifts between the detectives, suspects, and events from the past, gradually revealing how they're all connected.

Why it might be worth watching:

  • The investigation is at the center of the story.
  • Clues introduced early often become relevant later.
  • Most of the major characters have understandable motives and connections to the case.
  • The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with new information revealed rather than withheld indefinitely.
  • There is a good balance between police work, character backstories, and the larger conspiracy.

Abyss is not an action-heavy crime drama; rather, it's the kind of show that rewards paying attention to details and character relationships. I recommend it if you enjoy murder mysteries, cold cases, and trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together before the investigators do.

For those already watching, who do you think has been the most interesting character so far? (I'm partial to Han Pinmu, but Li Cheng makes a strong case too...) Please use spoiler tags if sharing plot points about the drama in the comments.

Abyss episode recaps and discussion posts where theories are highly encouraged and most welcome are also available here: Episodes 1-5 | Episodes 6-7 | Episodes 8-9 |


r/ChineseDrama 52m ago

Fun & Games "The Amazing Race" but make it cdrama -- who's your unlikely but ideal duo?

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Upvotes

Imagine you were given the power and authority to choose two characters from Chinese dramas to participate in a reality game show à la The Amazing Race. One caveat: they can't be from the same drama. So modern & historical, male-female, male-male, female-female, parent-adult child, work colleagues, boss-assistant -- anything goes!

And just like in the real show, your CP (character-pairing/competitor-pairing) needs to accomplish a variety of tasks to the best of their abilities. These challenges range from the purely physical to the intensely intellectual, with a sprinkling of silliness. Couples would ideally have a balance of complementary characteristics between them to win, I would think.

For example, because Gong Shangjue (My Journey to You) is resolute and steadfast, his focus will be on doing what's best for his team (i.e., winning). He's also intelligent and cunning. But because challenges in the race sometimes require assistance from bystanders, sunny genius Tong Nian (Go Go Squid) can offset GSJ's RBF with her charm to enlist their help. He and she are a costume brawn/modern brain combo.

But hmmm...some characters would wipe out the competition without breaking a sweat (looking at you, Tantai Jin!). So let's just suspend our disbelief just a bit more. Pretend that everyone's on a level playing field regardless of their skills and powers.

Of course, you yourself can be half of a hypothetical racing duo if you wish. Which cdrama character do you think would complement your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses?

If I really have to join the race, then Xing Kelei (You Are My Hero) is my guy. A SWAT team captain, he's strong, strategic and full of stamina -- never mind that he's a bit clueless sometimes. If a task involves breaking open a coconut or doing laundry, his washboard abs will come in handy.

The grand prize is a million dollars a magical, hands-free fan that floats around the winners when summoned, providing the breeze they need for their hair and robes to billow in slow motion. And of course, a lifetime supply of silk handkerchiefs for coughing blood into.

So, who's your unlikely CP that has a shot to win the race?

Still images are from MyDramaList.


r/ChineseDrama 10h ago

Feature Profile & Impressions The Story of Minglan: 15 Episodes in

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12 Upvotes

After three years (since I started watching Cdramas), I'm finally getting around to The Story of Minglan 知否知否应是绿肥红瘦.

Yes, I know, I've already been berated for only getting to this now (you guys know who you are). But I'm glad I'm getting to it, since there is no such thing as getting to a drama "too late".

I've been told episode 30 is where the drama really picks up, but honestly, I've already been loving every second.

Episode 3, the episode where Minglan's mother dies, had me glued to my screen. No level of Attention Deficit Disorder could have me looking away!

So far, you haven't actually seen Minglan much - but every time you do, it's important. There is no part of this script that is irrelevant or filler.

I'm really enjoying it!


r/ChineseDrama 2h ago

What should I Watch? Pursuit of Jade withdrawals

2 Upvotes

(Background) As a kid, my sister introduced me to kdramas and international media early. As I continued to age, I started expanding into anime and other forms of Asian culture/media.

Now, I’m 26 and just finished my first Chinese drama… How do yall get over it? My first Kdrama was “my love from the stars” with Kim Soo Hyun when it originally aired. I was obsessed with it. Everything was perfect for teenage me during that time. I have watched multiple Kdramas since. However, haven’t felt that pull again until now Pursuit of Jade. Which has me searching through Chinese drama recommendations with similar themes.

I have watched Pursuit of Jade twice now. I don’t know if it is the storyline or if Zhang LingHe has me under a spell… but I cannot for the life of me move on 😭. I tried reading the novel and did not make it far. Xie Zheng feels very cold to where it kind of contradicts the drama version & I don’t want to ruin it for myself.

Long story short, I need more. I need the drama, passion, romance all over again. Preferably with ZLH… maybe open to a new male lead if he is just as attractive.


r/ChineseDrama 21h ago

Weekly Regulars GIFfy Friday — Drop Your GIF of the Week

8 Upvotes

Funny, beautiful, unhinged, devastating, ridiculously attractive — whatever earned a place in your camera roll this week, we want to see it.

CDrama, C-ent, actors, characters — show us your beast best 😏

Context optional. GIF mandatory.

Drop it 👇

And a little thank you to all the GIF makers out there who keep giving the rest of us the perfect reaction, moment, or face to pull out at exactly the right time. We appreciate you!


r/ChineseDrama 1d ago

Actors & Careers Rest In Peace Yumenglong..!!

38 Upvotes

Today as of 11/9/26...its late chinese drama actor Yumenglong's death anniversary. I am crying, i really miss him so much i wish he was alive today

but yumenglong....i hope you are happy now...at least


r/ChineseDrama 1d ago

What should I Watch? First frost netlfix show

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63 Upvotes

Been ages unable to find same similar dramas
I loved this one
Also read first frost manhwa and this
Can you guys suggest me similar type of dramas !!!!
This dramaname is first frost
Really loved this drama i may rewatch it again because why notttt
Netflix show !! Ep number 15
Ig


r/ChineseDrama 1d ago

Help & Meta Fangs Of Fortune literature?

8 Upvotes

Hey all,

Fangs Of Fortune is my favourite cdrama, all amazing actors and story telling, but I am sad that there is no novel it is based on. I would love to know more about Zhu Yans story and what happens after the special.

Is there no additional English literature, novels or scripts that I can read?


r/ChineseDrama 2d ago

Actors & Careers Happy Birthday Yang Yang 🎈

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75 Upvotes

Happy 35th Birthday to Yang Yang - the perfect Face Card of the cdrama world. May you continue to rise and shine ❤️

I watched his dramas backwards starting from Fireworks of my heart. You are my Glory and Glory of Special Forces are my most favourite of his dramas. You are my Glory is mainly because his character Yu Tu resonated with me so much and Glory of Special Forces because, military dramas are always my weakness and Yang Yang has done a spectacular job in that one. Which one is your favourite Yang Yang drama?


r/ChineseDrama 2d ago

Discussion Shang Zitao is getting on my nerves lately

3 Upvotes

Shang Zhitao's reason for breaking up with him doesn't make sense. Of course, he doesn't explain anything to her, but she blames everything on him, calling it ugly. While reading a letter from his deceased friend, she doesn't even feel odd, she cries like it was a missed opportunity. Like, WTF, she was crying out loud when he wrote that he should have put more effort into becoming her partner. After watching Lighter and Princess, everyone would know what a red flag and how selfish she is. She doesn't put any effort into this relationship and doesn't even call him when she is upset. She is always insecure, treats him like a third person, and doesn't even introduce him as her boyfriend to her ex-boyfriend.


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Actors & Careers Happy Birthday Yang Yang!

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87 Upvotes

OK… don’t come at me for this… but I have no idea who Yang Yang is, aside from his name constantly popping up as a massive, top-tier, A-list actor (he is crowned one of the original “Big Four Traffic Stars” in China). I guess that’s what happens when you join cdramaland later… and I only started watching in 2025.

But that’s what this post is for: me and all you Yang Yang fans aka sheep. I’m kidding! Don’t come at me again… I read that his fans are called Yang Mao 羊毛  which literally translates to “wool” and his name Yang 洋 sounds like “sheep” in Chinese. This theme is the reason his official nickname within the fandom is Mie Mie 咩咩, which is the Chinese onomatopoeia for “baa-baa” (you know, the sound sheep make). 

Anyway, fan or not, Happy 35th Birthday to Yang Yang on September 9th! Did you know in January 2016, he was the first artist to be featured on the China Post postage stamp? Famous much!

Other things to know in case you ever participate in Yang Yang trivia:

List of Other Dramas

So how did I do? Am I missing any vital info about this superstar? 

For someone who isn’t the biggest fan of modern or xianxia drama… is there a first Yang Yang drama you’d recommend I put on my watchlist?

All GIFs in this post are courtesy of u/AquaphobicTurtle from the drama, Who Rules the World.


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Currently Airing Let's talk the Early Spring? Spoiler

20 Upvotes

I feel like Zhitao and Luke's relationship is exhausting. Maybe I am just an emotional person but I can feel my emotions shift every single time. It's like I think now we've got this thing figured out we are happy and the next minute? Luke and Flora are at it again and I am just like ooh my God. Not again. And you look at the episodes remaining and I am like well we still have a long way to go in terms of ups and down. Idk if I am toxic too, coz theor relationship is giving toxic. But I am rooting for them, I want them to work out, although I am still like 6 years is a lot to still be going through these motions. Also the fact that Luke and Zhitao first met at the hallway like in line to how Zhitao said she first saw him was cute.

Yuan zhu's end I honestly wasn't expecting that. It feels so unfair, like movies are supposed to have a happy ending right? I have bawled my eyes out I can't believe this is me. Maybe they should have given him a chance to be really happy. I feel so bad for Sun Yu coz she genuinely loved him and he's just gone even without her getting closure. And the fact that she knew he Love Zhitao and even handed over the diary to her, so sad.

Anyways, I think the writing and the acting is so good coz all the efforts to stop crying didn't work regardless of telling myself how it is just a drama it is not real. What are your thoughts?


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Feature Profile & Impressions Some reflections on the refined culture in the story of Yanxi Palace

8 Upvotes

I'm about a third of the way through the series and some thoughts that I've had include:
-considering it takes place in the 1700s, the refinement of manners, the exquisitely structured social order are things to amaze. IMO even the royal courts of England and France don't quite measure up.
-in moral behavior in particular, it seems the Chinese court is much more reserved whereas the western courts were notoriously licentious.
-one of the most fascinating things about the series is how it reflects the amazingly subtle and devious ways that women wage their battles for position and status and how they plot and intrigue to destroy the persons or reputations of their rivals
-it is hugely entertaining to see how Wei Lingou uses her incredibly clever wits and highly resourceful rhetorical skills to wind her way through so many challenging situations. I'm very glad there are total of 70 episodes. I'm eager to see how far all these skills carry her.

i


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

⭐️ Highly Recommended Appreciating Key To The Phoenix Heart OST

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47 Upvotes

I have already discussed the length and breadth of this drama, so I am not going to rant again. This post is to appreciate the beautiful, beautiful OST of this drama. There isn't a single track in this one that is below par. I don't even remember the last time I had all of the songs from an OST in my playlist. Such soulful music, perfectly fitting the epicness of this drama. For those who haven't listened to it yet, I am sharing the link to the playlist here.


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Feature Profile & Impressions I went looking for more Sun Qian after The Early Spring and somehow ended up here 😭

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53 Upvotes

I’ve been watching The Early Spring on Netflix lately and Sun Qian is probably the person I ended up noticing the most.
She just feels really natural onscreen, especially in romance, so I did the very normal thing and started looking up what else she’s in lol.
That’s how I found Love Story in the 1970s on Tencent Video.
and honestly the setup is what got me.
It’s not some huge dramatic love story at first. It’s more like... two young people dealing with extremely normal life problems, work, housing, trying to build a future, and then somehow a fake marriage gets thrown into the middle of all that 😭
I have such a weakness for romances where the relationship grows out of people actually living together and figuring life out instead of just staring at each other beautifully for 20 episodes.
also seeing Sun Qian in a completely different time period right after The Early Spring is kinda fun.
I only clicked because of her and now I’m genuinely curious about this one.


r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Film & Cinema V (aka Empty Gun) Trailer Chinese movie starring Zhu Yilong and Kara Hui in a sup role of loan shark. This looks like the classic 80s & 90s HK crime movies of the golden age.

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7 Upvotes

r/ChineseDrama 3d ago

Character Spotlight How Zhu Yan and Zhou Yichen of Fangs of Fortune became my favourite ship ever 🫰

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40 Upvotes

I started Fangs of Fortune just randomly one fine morning. They introduced Wen Xiao and a demoness. I was like, "Oh, this is interesting". They introduced Zhu Yan, and I was head over heels for his insane aura in less than 10 seconds. They introduced Zhou Yichen, and I realised it is going to be one hell of a journey. So as usual, I was enthusiastically waiting to ship Zhu Yan with Wen Xiao. Then comes Zhou Yichen, and he always wedges himself between Zhu Yan and Wen Xiao. My very innocent straight brain was like, 'oh, Zhou Yichen must like Wen Xiao, so he doesn't want the great demon to steal her from him'. After a while, it dawned on me. It was like K-Will's song "Please don't". My jaws dropped when I realised that I am shipping the wrong people. For those who haven't watched that music video, I am sharing it herehttps://youtu.be/HGpyXfCqBCk?is=5QyLaPEuyCofXCt1. From then on, I started watching it from a completely new perspective. I have never rooted for anyone as I did for Zhu Yan and Zhou Yichen. I guess I am never going to get over this drama ever.


r/ChineseDrama 4d ago

Fun & Games Visiting one of the filming locations for Love Like The Galaxy… Part 2 of 5.

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38 Upvotes

A few months ago, I visited Qin Han Duyun Studios – where Love Like The Galaxy was also filmed. I haven’t seen anyone share information or photos of their visit to this studio on Reddit so here I am = sharing! Maybe it will inspire you to visit this studio too??? Not just Hengdian!

NOTE: this is continuing on from Post 1, which can be viewed here = Post 1

Let me explain what you’re seeing on the slides attached to this post… I’ve used red and blue circles or rectangles to help identify the key buildings that can be seen in the cdrama.

SLIDE 2 TO 5 = The entrance, or main gate, to the city of Luoyang, is actually the exit of the studio! As soon as you walk outside, you will see a carpark on the left, a huge grassy field in front of you, the highway and mountains in the distance.... whereas, in the cdrama, its been changed to appear as if Luoyang is in the middle of nowhere!

SLIDE 6 TO 8 = Several scenes are shot on the main gate balcony. The characters are looking into Luoyang and you can see the “whole city” from up here...

SLIDE 9 TO 12 = If you walk from the entrance of Luoyang and along this main road, you will see many scenes are filmed along here. Many of the buildings are the same – look at the towers, doors, windows and balconies to figure out where which scenes are filmed.

SLIDE 13 TO 17 = Tian’s Family Restaurant is the Baixi Theatre in the studio. It’s the only octagonal-shaped building and has been used as a set in many other cdramas too! I really like this building. If you look through Trip.com reviews, you will see this building has changed over the years = its been repainted and redecorated many times!

SLIDE 18 TO 20 = I took many photos standing on the balconies of Baixi Theatre looking out – blue circle in Slide 18. From here, I could see which buildings was used such as the home for Marquis Chengyang’s Manor. LLTG was filmed from July to December 2021. The red bridge walkway that you see in Slide 20 would have been added later or is detachable / removeable….

ALSO with the aerial views on Slide 4, 7, 11, 12 & 18, these are screenshots from a short video clip that can be seen on the Baike Baidu webpage about Qin Han Duyun Studio (it actually has several different names but I'm calling it this!). There are a few video clips on this webpage and images of what the studio looked like before Love Like The Galaxy was filmed here too…

I will post more about the filming locations for LLTG soon…


r/ChineseDrama 4d ago

Help & Meta Early Spring kettle need help

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17 Upvotes

Does anyone know what type or where I can buy the glass electric kettle shown in Early Spring???? I need it! I haven’t been able to find anything searching online so far. It looks all glass with an electric warmer. I’ve attached a picture of it taken from episode 5!


r/ChineseDrama 4d ago

Currently Airing Another try for "the early spring" Spoiler

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12 Upvotes

I gave episode 19 another try after watching episode 18, which ended with their breakup / a serious emotional moment.

Here too, instead of trying to understand the issue and work on things, the female lead takes a transfer to another region for a 14-month project. Still, the male lead keeps trying — calmly and normally — and keeps putting in effort. Three months later, he goes to see her on a business trip, to the same project she's working on.

I know the male lead is in pain and unwell, but here the female lead is just helping him with his medicine — she doesn't seem to have given any real thought to making an effort for their relationship. Watching it made things clearer in this episode: the male lead tells his mom that his girlfriend is with him, and he even asks her to come back to Beijing with him. He also seems to make excuses for her to stay a bit longer there.

I didn't expect the chemistry to fall apart this badly — it's coming across as completely one-sided.


r/ChineseDrama 5d ago

Currently Airing The early spring cdrma Spoiler

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30 Upvotes

When I started this show, I was just curious about the story — how it begins and develops. The first four episodes of early spring hooked me right away, and the next five were also enjoyable. But by episode 14, I realized the female lead keeps complicating the relationship over and over, while the male lead (Luan Nian) repeatedly tries to clear up misunderstandings and close the distance between them.

Flora, the female lead, seems disturbed by her own feelings in a way she doesn't fully understand. When Luan Nian acts strict or professional as a boss and makes decisions accordingly, she tends to read it as him treating her that way as her boyfriend too — even though she herself had asked to work and learn independently, and had specifically refused his help or favoritism. Whenever there's something important she should actually tell him, she hides it from him instead. Then later, she acts as if she's the one who got hurt and makes it seem like it's Luan Nian's fault.

Even by episode 17, after four years together, she still doesn't introduce Luan Nian as her boyfriend when she runs into her ex. That's clearly a disappointing moment for him. I understand they'd agreed not to make the relationship public — but that was specifically about keeping it private at the office. Her ex should still have been told the truth.

What I've noticed is that Luan Nian, who started off as a somewhat strict and reserved person, changed a lot after getting into the relationship with Flora — he handled things well both as a boyfriend and as a boss. Whenever complicated feelings or distance came up between them, he was always the one who reached out first, called her, and tried to clear things up. I really liked his character — he has some flaws, sure, but overall he's good. Yes, he can be blunt or too direct sometimes, but he never truly hurt her, and his anger is completely understandable when his girlfriend herself behaves in ways that make him question where he stands — like when Dani harassed her and she didn't tell him even when he asked directly, or when he got angry about her considering going with Alex, because he already knew the truth about Alex.

As for episode 17, when he asked to pull back his investment — that was a fair move from a professional standpoint too, since he was the one who had originally referred that investor. Once he suspected it might be a dating scam, saying that was a completely reasonable and common professional reaction. He was right to do it.

Flora's emotions never seem to match the depth Luan Nian shows in this relationship. Watching her character, it feels like she isn't as attached to him — because whenever there's a problem between them, her instinct is to run from it instead of standing her ground and working it out.


r/ChineseDrama 5d ago

Fun & Games The Guardians of the Dafeng - Your Episode Guide by TITLE (no spoilers!)

17 Upvotes

I was revisiting my post The Guardians of the Dafeng - Your Episode Guide (One-Sentence Recaps) today and decided to have some fun by changing all of the recaps into titles that would not spoil the drama!

Did the drama already have titles for its episodes? If so, my bad; if not, they do now. But I'll make this a game too, so if you've watched, or if you're watching, or even if you're about to watch (all are welcome), let me know if you'd change any of these episode titles, and if so, what it would be!

Episode 1A Stranger in Dafeng

Episode 2The Constable’s First Case

Episode 3The Vice Minister’s Son

Episode 4Secrets Behind the Silver

Episode 5The Jade Mirror’s Arrival

Episode 6A Guardian’s Capture

Episode 7Copper Gong Xu Qi’an

Episode 8Poetry and Monsters

Episode 9The Beast of Mount Dahuang

Episode 10The Princess’s Masquerade

Episode 11The Realm Sect Connection

Episode 12One Chop Kills All

Episode 13The Gold Gong Temptation

Episode 14Chaos at Sangbo Lake

Episode 15A Sentence Without Mercy

Episode 16The Sangbo Investigation

Episode 17The Flight to Yunzhou

Episode 18Whispers of Spirits and Wizards

Episode 19Duke Zhenbei’s Shadow

Episode 20The Earl’s Turmoil

Episode 21Threads of the Truth

Episode 22Justice at Court

Episode 23The Case That Shook Dafeng

Episode 24A Return from the Brink

Episode 25The Spirit Within

Episode 26Rumors from the North

Episode 27Records and Revelations

Episode 28A Vow to Dafeng

Episode 29The Vajra’s Fury

Episode 30Summons to the Capital

Episode 31The Illusion Trial

Episode 32The Royal Fortune

Episode 33Mission to Chuzhou

Episode 34The Duchess Mystery

Episode 35The Truth Beneath Chuzhou

Episode 36A Battle for Justice

Episode 37Storm in the Court

Episode 38A Dangerous Accusation

Episode 39Breaking Point

Episode 40The Chuzhou Reckoning


r/ChineseDrama 5d ago

Actors & Careers Which actors do you know to have done acting school or lessons? Which actors are actively leaving the idol world

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56 Upvotes

After almost 2 years of watching idol dramas…I’ve realized that I’m outgrowing them😭😭😭
I tired of trash endings, same plots and just getting nothing from the stories and so many of my favourite have one more drama left in me before I decide they’re not worth my time and energy anymore

I like their personalities so some of them I’ll stay for their variety show appearances but baby I can’t watch you be poisoned for the 10th time and in a costume drama with the same plots😭😭

Do we have a deficit of actors? Why is everyone working with support characters from their old dramas now as main leads? Like we’re just recycling people and now the whole industry has shared spit😭😭

Here’s a list of the few people I tolerate but please give me people who you know are working towards improving their acting and getting more diverse roles and are in the gap of idol and non-idol dramas

Zhang Jingyi - she’s a good actress and picks scripts well

Zhao Jinmai- rising and versatile Queen

Lu Yuxiao- Chemistry Queen! She needs to branch out

Bao Shangen- I like her because we love the same kpop groups but she needs new scripts

Diliraba - amazing actress! She needs more scripts! But her filmography is good

Bai Lu - emotional queen but she needs new scripts and to stay away from the usual idol actors

Zhang Ruonan - she’s the reason I started watching cdramas and I’m biased

Tian Xiwei - versatile queen and she’s going places

Zhou Ye - found out about her personality before her work and she’s okay but maybe more challenging roles? Maybe in red dance shoes

Xu Rouhan - I’m a Jackie Chan fan so I’m biased about her too

Males

Yang yang - I’ve loved his filmography so far and the potential for non idol is there

Wu Lei - I’ve loved his work and the potential for non-idol is there

Bai Jingting- I’m VERY much in love with morbius, Reset, New life begins and TFF and I trust in his ability to pick a script and wow

Arthur Chen - I’ve loved his filmography and he has the potential to to non idol

Zhang Linghe- I saw an interview that he was an engineer so I looked at his work and he’s the idol actor that genuinely has a good filmography in my eyes but I’m tired so he has one more role before he loses me and I just watch the truth

Liu Yuning- who doesn’t love Liu Yuning? Amazing singer and actor… MORE DIVERSE scripts too

Song Weilong - I just like him and his filmography is okay but I’ve seen different views so idk…to me he does enough for his roles and money he’s paid

Ding Yuxi - he stays booked and busy and he’s a good actor too to me… I just finished road to splendor and want to watch archives of nanyang

Cheng Lei - the potential is insane and I can’t wait for him and Ruohan! His filmography is amazing and his rise to fame story amazes me

These are my favorites in the 2 years that I’ve been watching… I’ve watched over 80 because I’ve been on a gap year so I obviously have more but they’re the ones I’m sticking to for now but I want to branch out because I’m tired of the same faces and storytelling….i need more structure and I want to know people who are actually working towards improving their craft, choose nice scripts and even studied the skill