Dramas where the characters are intelligent, the story is intelligent and deep, plots are well thought out.
Usually many don't like watching "too complicated" dramas, but I find many of my favorites dramas are very complicated in characters and story.

What are your recommendations, just 2-4 is enough. (I usually watch cdrama, kdrama, slight jdrama).

its soo wroong to ask for recommendations before sharing yourss...😭😭

anyways, i'd recommend "under the queen's umbrella" and "white christmass"

 Owais Noe:

its soo wroong to ask for recommendations before sharing yourss...??

anyways, i'd recommend "under the queen's umbrella" and "white christmass"

Aha, ok :)

No specific order:

Flower of Evil    

Mr. Sunshine    

Chicago Typewriter    

Story of Yanxi Palace    

Stranger    

Nirvana in Fire   

The Rise of Phoenixes   

Queens Umbrella good too.

 ArniA:

Aha, ok :)

No specific order:

Flower of Evil    

Mr. Sunshine    

Chicago Typewriter    

Story of Yanxi Palace    

Stranger    

Nirvana in Fire   


Queens Umbrella good too.

story of yanxi palace seems interesting and has high ratings too, will check that out,

thanks for the list.

 Owais Noe:

story of yanxi palace seems interesting and has high ratings too, will check that out,

thanks for the list.

Yanxi Palace is extremely intriguing, and the FL is the most clever in all cdrama. It was actually the first cdrama I watched and I got such a culture shock watching it, the etiquette, clothing, and everything is on a whole different level than anything else in cdrama. In short it's a story of survival among the concubines, consorts. inside the emperors harem in the forbidden city during the qing dynasty. I think the drama even got censored by the chinese government for lack of morals or something.

 ArniA:

Yanxi Palace is extremely intriguing, and the FL is the most clever in all cdrama. It was actually the first cdrama I watched and I got such a culture shock watching it, the etiquette, clothing, and everything is on a whole different level than anything else in cdrama. In short it's a story of survival among the concubines, consorts. inside the emperors harem in the forbidden city during the qing dynasty. I think the drama even got censored by the chinese government for lack of morals or something.

the CCP is too stubburn ...anyway, the concept seems a bit similar to "under the queen's umbrella" i will give it a try, thanks for ur suggestion!

Law School - the leads are very smart and it's one of my faves!

 Akimore:

Law School - the leads are very smart and it's one of my faves!

I think I started this drama but stopped in first episode. I will look at it again, the MDL rating is pretty good.

saw that Nirvana in Fire, Mr. Sunshine, Stranger, Flower of Evil, Moving, My Mister is already on your wacthed list, usually those are my top recommendation. Anyway for additional recommendation maybe check out (though some are in your plan to watch list):

  • Mr. Hiragii's Homeroom
  • Through The Darkness
  • End of The World
  • Mr. Hiragii's Homeroom
  • The Diguiser
  • Someday or One Day
  • First Half of My Life
  • Vigilante
  • Bridal Mask
  • Trolley
  • Shadow Detective
  • 1 liter of tears

Definately try out War of Faith at some point if you haven't already...very intelligent characters and it's one of the most well-written dramas I've seen coming out of China in the past years.

Plenty of excellent rec's here so I'll just try and suggest a few I can think of that haven't been mentioned :).


Missing: The Other Side

Girl from Nowhere

In Family We Trust

Young Blood

The Heart of Genius

Trinity of Shadows

Detention

Left on Read

 ArniA:

Yanxi Palace is extremely intriguing, and the FL is the most clever in all cdrama. It was actually the first cdrama I watched and I got such a culture shock watching it, the etiquette, clothing, and everything is on a whole different level than anything else in cdrama. In short it's a story of survival among the concubines, consorts. inside the emperors harem in the forbidden city during the qing dynasty. I think the drama even got censored by the chinese government for lack of morals or something.

It was my first cdrama as well! since then I started to watch historical cdrama a lot. I would’ve recommend you joy of life as well but u already watched it. Flower of Evil is also my fav and Mr. Sunshine sounds interesting. ty


  • 19th Floor
  • A Love So Beautiful
  • Adamas
  • Are You Human Too?
  • Bad Genius (drama & movie)
  • Captivating The King 
  • Circle
  • Crash Course in Romance
  • Cube (2021 movie)
  • Defendant
  • Dr Romantic (all seasons feature genius doctors)
  • Extraordinary Attorney Woo
  • Fall In Love at First Kiss (Taiwanese movie)
  • Good Doctor
  • Lucky Romance
  • Memories of the Alhambra
  • My Journey To You
  • Reset
  • Semantic Error
  • Signal
  • The King: Eternal Monarch
  • The Werewolf Game (all movies)
  • Triage
  • W


Okay, so this list is a mix of intelligent plots and dramas/movies with intelligent characters (one being a genius and such).