A New Wave of Talent: Discovering the Rising Stars of China
 Hey, guys! A few months back, I was thinking of writing an article with recommendations for some fun dramas to watch. But I didn't want to do it alone, so I asked my besties for help. I hope you enjoy reading the article and find a great drama to binge-watch. While writing this article, I noticed that I abruptly switched between casual and formal writing styles. I tried to keep it consistent, but it might not be noticeable. | Hello! The Golden Trio is back! This time, with an article about our personal preferences. This article contains the dramas which we think is the best in that genre, which we want to recommend to you guys here, who maybe a little lost about what to watch next. Honestly, I suck at giving recs (I have experience giving recs at We Watch Challenge 2023 and terribly failing), but I hope you find this article worthwhile! |  Hello, Potato here! This time around, I'm glad to be partnered with Mon and XiaoZi for this article. I've always been a little hesitant with recommendations as I understand everyone has different views and thoughts about dramas. So, I do hope some of my choices are aligned with the few who are still unsure on what's their next pick. Hopefully, you'll enjoy them as much as I did. |
Comedy |
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| Honestly, I only started The House Arrest Of Us because of Daniel and Kathryn (I’ve been a fan of them ever since I watched them in Must Be... Love), this was my first Filipino drama, and I’m happy to say that I enjoyed it; it was really hilarious, and I loved the main leads’ chaotic family. | I Am Nobody is not your average C-drama. I remember that I watched this drama while I was in a drama-slump and this drama took me right out of it! This is a fast-paced drama, and I binged through all the eps in two days. This drama was effortlessly funny, and the comedic timings were great. I absolutely loved all the main characters! They carried the story. The fight sequences and CGI are also commendable. I recommend this drama to anyone who wants to take a break from normal dramas, and try something different, engaging and funny. | The Boy Next Door is a short miniseries about two male neighbours who got themselves into awkward situations. One misunderstanding leads to another misunderstanding, resulting in humorous circumstances with wrong perceptions. The chemistry between the two leads is impeccably hilarious! I laughed too hard at this and because it is an easy watch, this can be binge-watched within a few hours. |
Friendship |
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| Remembrance of Things Past provides a vivid example of what friendship is. There was a wonderful sense of love, support, and care between the girls that I enjoyed a lot. | I haven't watched any memorable drama in the friendship genre yet but Twenty-Five Twenty-One is the drama that comes to my mind when I think about friendship. The friendship between the five main leads is so amazing to watch that I almost envied them. The cast made the relation between them seems even more sincere and real with their best performances. Warning: Twenty-Five Twenty-One does not have a happy ending. | Nobuta wo Produce is very dear to me, as it is one of the earliest dramas I've watched (and liked). The unlikely friendship between the popular guy, the eccentric outcast, and the bullied newcomer is captivating and touching. Unlike many dramas which has unnecessary love triangle plot between the two boys and a girl, Nobuta wo Produce focuses solely on friendship and life. You definitely won't get second lead syndrome watching this. |
Historical |
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| The Romance Of Tiger And Rose, to this day, remains one of my favorite historical dramas. It depicts the story of a screenwriter named Chen Xiao Qian, who finds herself transported into her script and becomes Third Princess Chen Qian Qian, a character to be killed by Prince Han Shuo. I recommend this for those interested in hilarious time travel dramas (and of course, sweet bickering couples). | Alchemy of Souls is one of the best historical drama I have watched till now. I liked how the drama portrayed the historical theme in a unique way. It gave the characters had a touch of modernity while being in the historical era. Also the plot of this drama is original and engaging. The CGI used in this drama is awesome. There is a 2nd season to this drama, Alchemy of Souls Season 2: Light and Shadow, which you would have to watch to see the full story. The only comlain I have about this drama is that it's a bit too long. Though I have heard mixed reviews about this drama, I highly recommend this to anyone who loved historical-fantasy genre. | The Longest Day in Chang'an is one of the best historical C-dramas I've watched. It tells the story of how the Peace Corps are trying to stop a group of terrorists, who plan an attack during the Lantern festival. This 48-episode drama centres around one particular day, hence the title. Boasting rich cultural references, visually stunning cinematography and excellent storytelling, this drama is a must for history enthusiasts. |
Wuxia |
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| This drama is really impressive, it opened my eyes to many things that have been established: the genre of love and sacrifice, followed by that of redemption. True to all that, though Chu Xuanji and Yu Sifeng's love was hard, they had to sacrifice for it, and in the end, they lost everything to be together. This together with the magnificent cinematography, outstanding visual elements, and lavish special effects, will draw you into the world of Chinese historical dramas. The acting and the chemistry between the leading actors are superb; it's positively magical. A heartfelt OST enhances the emotional texture of the story, something to touch your heart. | There will never be another drama that can snatch The Untamed's place in my heart. I live, breath, and drink The Untamed. It's one of the few dramas I rewatch every year. I love it soooo much. It has one of the best plots I've ever seen, intricately interwoven and heartwrenching. Each and every characters have their own story to tell and I loved each and every one of it. The acting is top notch, infact this was the drama that made me a huge fan of Xiao Zhan. I fell in love with his eyes and smile! Though this drama is a bit slow paced in the beginning, which almost made me drop it (*can't think about it!*), but I held on and that was the best decision ever! | One of the most popular titles in C-drama land for the year 2023, Mysterious Lotus Casebook is a compendium of intriguing albeit suspenseful cases, where three unexpected allies band together and investigate mysteries in the martial arts world (jianghu). Based on the series of novels written by Teng Ping, this drama has a balance of adventure, action, comedy, and comradeship. The stunning fight choreographies are reminiscent of yesteryear wuxia flicks that I used to watch when I was young. My favourite parts are definitely the scenes where the three heroes are bickering with each other, or making sarcastic remarks as those are usually the funniest! |
Action |
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| I absolutely loved Tomorrow. It dealt with important issues but also had some funny moments. The action scenes were really cool. I really liked how the director paid attention to small details, like Ryung Goo's habit of picking his nose. I'm pretty sure I cried at the end of every episode, but it was a fun ride and I was sad when it ended. Can we also take a moment to appreciate their outfits? They were so much fun to see. Also, I have to say, Goo Ryun definitely stole the show for me with her acting skills and that stunning pink hair. | Healer is one of the best or the best action dramas I have seen to date. I doubt that any drama will ever dethrone its position in my mind as an action drama. Even though it has been almost 8 years since its release, this drama is still widely popular, mainly because of its well executed action sequences and of course, our leads. | Part of the The Lost Tomb series, Ultimate Note can be watched as a stand-alone drama (there's an article about this here). This drama has almost everything you want; from action to comedy, from friendship to even (slight) horror. Watching Zhang Qi Ling fight his way in dire situations have always been the highlight of this series. The bromance got me chortling heartily too! |
Romance |
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| Without a doubt, Mr. Sunshine is one of the most poignant love stories I have ever seen; just by looking at the way the two lovers gaze at each other, we can feel their sincerity, feelings of deep affection, and the distance between them. | I was thinking about recommending some tearjerkers for this category, like the others, but then changed at the last minute to Hidden Love. The reason is apparent. This is one of the sweetest and cutest love story I've ever seen. Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu owned my heart when I was watching this. They had such a healthy relationship development and the consent between the two melted my heart. Duan Jiaxu's flirting skills are *chef kiss* and I literally giggled like an idiot through out the drama! The cute brickering between the siblings is an additional plus point. | You must be thinking why is this onion of a drama being recommended in this category. Nobody likes a tragic love story, right? My opinion is that the most beautiful love stories are also the saddest ones which will leave an impact to your heart. A very popular classic, 1 Litre no Namida is based on a real person, Kito Aya, who passed away at age 26 due to an incurable disease. I watched this many, many years ago, but I still remember the amount of crying I did (it lives up to its tiele)! Always have a box of tissues at your side when you watch this tearjerker. |
Thriller |
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| Flower of Evil is undeniably one of the best thrillers ever. I was thoroughly impressed with its storyline. The suspense and intensity are brilliantly executed, and the writers did a fantastic job with the script, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout the series. The actors also delivered a solid performance. However, the ending seemed abrupt and random, which prevented me from giving it a perfect 10/10 rating. But, overall, it was still an enjoyable show. | I had watched this drama only recently. But it left a deep impression on me. Death's Game is an exhilarating story about Choi Yi Jae, who, engulfed in hopelessness and despire, ends his own life but then meets Death at the Gateway of Hell, who punishes him for disrespecting her by making him go through 12 lifetimes of people, who are at the edge of death. To live on, he must find a way to survive their inevitable deaths. This drama sucked me in right away, and I was not bored for a single second. In addition to this, Death's Game has a star-studded cast, keeping us entertained through out. Though some may not like how they portrayed the story's core message, this drama is worth giving a chance. | Under the Skin has got to be one of the best crime thrillers China has released in recent years. The episodic structure of this drama contain individual cases, which normally takes up around an episode or two. However, there's an overarching mystery as some cases are linked to both of the male leads' past. The unlikely partnership between a forensic sketch artist and a detective is such joy to watch too. Took me just a few days to complete this 20 episodes drama because once you start watching it, you can't stop. It's that enthralling~ (Season 2 is in the works so keep a lookout for updates!) |
Sports |
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| I may be a little biased towards Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo because of my love for weightlifting, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This drama tells a sweet love story with a swag squad and a touching portrayal of working hard to achieve one's dreams. | Hikaru no Go is a sports drama with a touch of fantasy. It exceeded my exectations for a normal sports drama. What made this drama truly memorable is its friendship and bromance. One of the best I've seen. This drama was a roller coaster of emotions ( I cried my eyes out when Chu Ying left Shi Guang) and I absolutely loved every minute of it. I knew nothing about Go when I watched this drama and it even made me what to learn it lol. | For those who like the friends-to-lovers trope, with a splash of comedy and martial arts fight scenes, Fight For My Way might be the drama for you. It's a comical drama, but it does teach us some life lessons, like pursuing your passion at your own time and pace. Aside from the serious aspect, the iconic aegyo scene of Park Seo Joon and Kim Ji Won became the hot topic of Korea's drama land that year! |
Fantasy |
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| It's currently 4 am and I'm trying my best to recall the details of a drama I watched three years ago, so please bear with me if my writing seems chaotic. Are You Human Too? is an incredibly captivating drama with everything one could ask for - science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, and more. The best aspect of the drama was the chemistry between the main characters and the ending, in my opinion. The ending was unexpected and emotional, particularly when Nam Shin teared up, making it even more memorable. | This drama definitely isn't the best drama in this category but I still wanted to recommend this. My Journey to You is a dark Wuxia, with a refreshing story line. I loved all the characters, even the villians. The interactions between each characters were a pleasure to watch. The acting is top notch, I loved everyone. This drama proved that Yu Shu Xin can do more serious characters, different from the bubbly types that she usually does. Also, this drama was so aesthetically pleasing. Though the color palette is sparce, it was very beautiful like a piece of art. All thanks to Edward Guo, he never disappointed me. | A short fantasy with only 9 episodes of around 20 - 25 minutes each, Fuujinshi will make a nice binge watch for those who decide to stay home for the day. I happened to chance upon this drama while finding titles to fulfil one of my watch challenges last year. While I'm not exactly pleased with how character development is almost non-existent here, the fight choreographies, on the other hand, are pretty impressive. |
Sci-Fi |
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| I absolutely loved watching Sweet Home. It's packed with sci-fi, action, and horror. The actors did a phenomenal job portraying their characters. The whole drama was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Hyun Soo's transformation scene was exciting, but it was heartbreaking Gil Seob had to die. I legit bawled my eyes out when he hugged Hyun Soo. Let's all take a moment to appreciate Yi Kyeong's back muscles cause they stole the show for me. As for the OST, it was amazing! I always got goosebumps when they played "Warrior," it felt so thrilling. | Alice in Borderland is an action-thriller drama, which takes us to this hell of a world called Borderland where our leads have to play these mind-blowing games to stay alive. I, for one, know that I wouldn't even survive a minute if I was there. The characters were interesting and deeply impressed me. Though I'm recommending this drama, know that this is not for everyone. It is deeply disturbing and has blood, gore, death etc. Do not watch it if you cannot stomach any of these. | A time loop sci-fi thriller, Reset takes us to unravel the mystery together with the main leads. Each episode keeps you on the edge of your seat, making you wonder who is next or who did it. If I was able to reset my mind and forget what I've watched, this drama would take the cake as I would love to have that element of surprise again like I did during my first watch. |
Crime |
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| I'm not a big fan of crime dramas, so My Name is one of the few I've seen. It's a revenge story with some predictable plot twists that made it less enjoyable. But the female lead was a badass, and I loved her fighting scenes. The main plot didn't interest me much, so I rated the drama a 5. But many people liked it and gave it high ratings, so maybe my low rating is because of the genre. If you're a fan of this genre, you'll probably enjoy it more than I did. | I have not really explored the crime genre much yet. Or maybe it's just not my cup of tea. Vigilante is one of the few crime dramas I've watched. I actually liked the overall premise: A dark hero defying law to punish the criminals who got off light. But one thing that I disliked about the drama was that it didn't have a single likeable character. Everyone are maniacs and I had no one to root for. The acting was good, though. | Fans of Oguri Shun and Ikuta Toma, rejoice! Both of them reunite in the thrilling crime drama, Ouroboros, eight years after their hit classic, Hana Kimi. While the drama starts out a little slow, each episode gives out bits of hints and clues in which you can try and piece them to form your own theories. Based on a seinen manga, this dark drama is solely focused on revenge, with the two leads trying to take down the corrupt police system. Initially, I was attracted to this drama because of the two main leads. However, the storyline got me hooked to the mystery which is full of twists and turns. Spoiler: Ouroboros does not have a happy ending. |
Drama |
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| I'm not entirely sure how the "Drama" genre is defined, but regardless, I want to recommend The Uncanny Counter. As someone who loves supernatural shows, I was excited to start this drama, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. I grew fond of the main characters, finding them all quite cool. One aspect of the show I didn't appreciate was the amount of school bullying portrayed, but given that it's a Kdrama, I suppose it's par for the course. Although Shin Hyuk Woo was a total jerk, his story really pulled at my heartstrings, and I felt he deserved a better ending. Still, this was a great show with well-developed characters and realistic special effects. I definitely recommend giving it a try. | I'm normally not a fan of naive, clumsy Female Leads but Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Doko Made mo one stole my heart! The plot is nothing new, just pure romance. It's nice and funny to watch. The FL, Sakura Nanase, is so irrationally in love with Tendou Kairi, but you can never dislike her for it. I love how her cheerful personality and her pure, sincere love slowly broke the cold, icy shell around Tendou. This was the drama because of which I fell in love with Satoh Takeru. This is a cute and short drama you'll never regret watching. | New Generation: Because I Have a Home is part of an anthology of dramas. Each drama is a standalone story, hence you don't have to watch the rest to understand. Because I Have a Home tells the story of a live streamer who goes back to his rural hometown after encountering some difficulties while living in the city. Back at home, he is reunited with his neighbour and childhood friend, who is now a respectable village official. This drama might not be everyone's cup of tea as it's basically about these two youngsters who want to help the villagers find a sustainable method for livelihood. It may be mundane but this drama highlight the difficulties that rural areas have, and the chemistry between long time friends, Tan Songyun and Bai Jingting, somehow makes this a worthwhile watch. |
Life |
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"Who said that the saddest story can't have a happy ending?" I want to start by saying that More than Blue will break your heart, but you will still love it. The love story of K and Cream is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever seen. It broke and mended my heart. They were soulmates, and their love for each other was pure and selfless. The story of the other main characters was also interesting to watch, and the actors, of course, delivered a solid performance. Overall, this drama is undoubtedly one of the best Taiwanese dramas ever. Despite the quote, this drama does not have a happy ending. | Actually, I watched Meet Yourself on a whim. Like Potato, I'm not a great fan of slice-of-lifes either. But surprisingly, I liked this drama. It was like I've wanted to watch such a drama for a long time, like I wanted someone to tell me that it's okay to take a break, like the FL, Xu Dong Huo (Crystal Liu). This drama made me laugh, cry and healed me when I myself didn't know that I needed healing. I loved the mature relationship between the main leads, and the friendship between the characters. It's the kind of drama with no plot twists and angst that you just need to watch once in a while. | To be honest, I'm not much of a fan of slice-of-life dramas, as they're mostly slow and boring. However, the melodrama Silent, is able to withhold my interest without me watching it at a faster speed. Japanese slice-of-life dramas have a way of making the most mundane topics, beautiful and heart wrenching, and Silent is one of them. It doesn't help that I've been ugly crying at almost each episode, to the point that I have to be in the right mood to start watching the next one. Highly recommended, but please prepare a box of tissues in advance. |
Youth |
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| Our Secret is such a cute and fluffy youth drama. The leads' relationship was so pure and healthy. I love how they matured and grew up from being high schoolers to adults. The storyline may not have been groundbreaking, but it was still comforting and refreshing to watch. Chen Zhe Yuan and Xu Meng Jie had great chemistry and were perfect for their roles. | I really wanted to recommend Lighter & Princess, but then decided to go with this coz it's so underrated. Tsuiraku JK to Haijin Kyoshi is a weird but fascinating story about two broken people falling in love, and healing from each other. This drama revolves around a sensitive topic: suicide, and I love how they handled it by presenting it with quirky humor but never disrespecting the seriousness of the issue. The main characters were adorable, and their chemistry was on point. Even though the premise of this drama, which is the relationshi between a student and teacher, seems so wrong, it's absolutely not the case. I really hope every one gives this quirky little gem a chance. | Flourish in Time has a balance of nostalgia, the sweetness of young love, accompanied with a tinge of bitterness of complicated relationships. Jiang Haoyue (played by Zhang Linghe) may look like your model student with good looks and excellent grades, but he is psychologically and physically broken. Lu Miao (played by Deng Enxi) is Jiang Haoyue’s pseudo-sister and while she protects him from being bullied for his disability, she's also the only person he trusts the most. I have a soft spot for high school dramas and despite getting emotional at some scenes, there are many hilarious moments as well. I laughed and cried along with the characters on screen. |
Horror |
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| Because I get scared easily, I don't usually watch horror shows, but I really enjoyed watching this drama. The plot was intriguing and easy to follow. Even though it's a horror drama, it touches on many aspects of life. All the actors did an impressive job, but Kim Taeri's performance was truly outstanding. She portrayed her character so well that I would get chills whenever she got possessed by the juvenile ghost. She even won a Daesang for her performance. | I had many to choose from in this genre but it had to be Strangers from Hell. Nothing seemed more fitting for this genre than Strangers from Hell. I still remember feeling goosebumps while watching this. It was just another level of undescribable feeling of eeriness and dread. It was so terrifying to watch. The setting, the characters, the plot and everything made me engulf in the drama that I could almost feel everything Yim Si Wan's character was feeling. This is NOT a drama to binge. I could only watch two episodes a day at most because of how terrifying and mentally exhausting this was. | Gannibal is adapted from a manga series of the same title, by Ninomiya Masaaki. It tells the story of a policeman and his family, who recently got transferred to a remote village in the countryside. Little does he know that the villagers are more than meets the eye. As the title says, this drama is about cannibalism so please heed the trigger tags and watch with caution. It's unnervingly intense and morbidly gruesome in some scenes, that I had to hide my face behind my Snorlax plushie! (Season 2 is in the works so keep a lookout for updates!) |
Want more recs? |
Thank you for sticking around! Hopefully, you enjoyed reading this article so far. If you'd like more recommendations, I have a few more favorites you can check out here. | Thank you for reading till the end! I hope our recommendations comes in useful if you are lost about what to watch next. ♡ | If you've reached the end of this article, I wanna say thanks for making it all the way down here! I do not have a recommendation list to link, but if you think that my choices are almost the same as yours, feel free to drop a comment below. Just a note to remember though. My choice of dramas are usually sad, tragic, and angsty... |
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| Acknowledgements: Everything not taken from MDL is linked to its respective source. Source of the feature image here. Special thanks to the editors! | Edited by: devitto (1st editor) |
