There’s something addicting about East Asian dramas, whether they’re Korean dramas playing on the familiar tropes of the region or Japanese dramas that go through all the motions over the course of eight, tiny episodes. These dramas have so much packed into them, and everyone has their favorite ones and lists of what are and aren’t iconic. When one references dramas from theChinesemainland, in Mandarin, theepic historical wuxiasthat crossover over into the movie world often come to mind, as well as the over-the-top production value that makes it seem like it’s completely out of this world in terms of quality — which often fits the ethereal setting.
Chinese dramas typically run longer than their Japanese and Korean counterparts, often stretching their stories across up to 50 episodes, sometimes more in rarer cases. In thefantasy and wuxia genres, an epic journey is bestowed upon the protagonists, and the longer running time allows them the chance to truly explore the world. In other cases, the plot truly takes its time, allowing audiences to sit with the characters and truly get to know them. We think these 10 Chinese dramas are highly rewatchable, so whether you watched them or not, there’s always another chance to see them!
10Love O2O (2016)
AlthoughLove O2Ohas sincebeen banned in Chinadue to a scandal with lead actress Zheng Shuang, it still remains quite the entertaining drama. She portrays Bei Weiwei, a computer science student with a passion for gaming. When she marries a new beau in the online world of her game, she realizes he’s actually a senior at her college (Yang Yang). When they meet in real life, sparks fly.
Why It’s Rewatchable
Love O2Omixes together the world of games and the lives of university students in a way that works really well for its plot. Both leads also have quite a bit of chemistry and look good together on-camera, so fans of romance would enjoy revisiting the development of their relationship throughout the series.
Stream on Netflix
9You Are My Glory (2021)
Yang Yang and Dilraba Dilmurat star in the 2021 seriesYou Are My Glory, which is based on a novel of the same name. The series is about two former high school classmates who, after the girl asked the boy out, drift apart when going their separate ways in life. But years later, when she’s a famous model and actress and him an engineer, she realizes she never forgot him after all these years. When she seeks him out, their story might change this time.
There’s quite a bit of pushing and pulling when it comes toYou Are My Glory, as the main characters find themselves returning to each other after all these years and repeating the same cycles they had when they were youths. With the introduction of new drama, there’s something new to uncover and remember with each watch of the show, making it perfect to binge-watch for a second time.
Stream on Viki
8Word of Honor (2021)
Fans ofshows likeThe Untamedwill likeWord of Honor, which is based on adanmeinovel. When the leader of a group of assassins breaks off in order to learn what the meaning of freedom and the world around him means, he crosses paths with Wen Kexing. They discover they’re soulmates, and as they embark on a journey together, there’s quite a bit to learn about the world and people around them, especially when there’s treasure now involved.
Across 36 episodes,Word of Honorhas something for everyone contained within the story and action. While the show crosses over genres and has quite a bit of ground to cover every episode, there’s also a lot going on. One definitely might miss a few things, warranting a second run through the series to gloss over all the finer points.
10 Chinese Dramas You Can Watch on Netflix Right Now
In the mood for a drama? These Chinese-language ones are available to stream right now on Netflix.
7Legend of Fuyao (2019)
Released in 2019,Legend of Fuyaostarred Yang Mi and Ethan Juan in the lead roles. A historical series that’s set in the Five Kingdoms, the protagonist, Fuyao (Yang Mi), is created from a lotus. Seen as an orphan, she is adopted and serves as a slave for the elite, but when something major happens, she’s forced to go on a journey to find artifacts that might completely change her life by lifting the curse on her.
There’s quite a bit to unpack when it comes toLegend of Fuyao, and some of the more minuscule plot points are easy to miss. Set in a rich world that has quite a bit of lore involved, one could benefit from a second watch of this show, too, if they can handle some of the more cliché elements of the plot that crop up periodically.
6Love Between Fairy and Devil (2022)
InLove Between Fairy and Devil, an innocent fairy finds herself accidentally setting free the Lord Devil. But when he raises his hand to strike down the same fairy that set him free, he discovers that somehow they’ve become linked. Her pain has become his pain, and while he’d rather just get rid of her, he becomes fond of her presence quite quickly. However, other people are going to use this to their advantage over the course of the series.
One of the highlights ofLove Between Fairy and Devilis the relationship between the two main characters, and it’s fascinating to track the course of how they change because of each other. Not only is the plot fairly thorough throughout, but it also hasincredible production design, making it a gorgeous rewatch.
5Falling Into Your Smile (2021)
Xu Kai and Cheng Xiao star inFalling Into Your Smile, which is based on a novel by Qing Mei. Cheng Xiao is Tong Yao, a young woman who decides to pursue E-sports after realizing she’s quite good at it. When she joins a team, she becomes the first official female E-sports player in the Chinese gaming scene. But because she is a woman trying to pursue a male-dominated industry, that comes with quite a bit of struggles throughout the course of the series.
One of the most remarkable parts ofFalling Into Your Smileis how well the actors and characters mesh with each other, making it a sweet show. While the story itself is pretty standard for Asian and Chinese dramas as a whole, there’s quite a bit of charm packed into the show.
4When I Fly Towards You (2023)
A 2023 release that was pretty popular when it first came out,When I Fly Towards Youisa school dramawith plenty of newcomers in its cast. Set in the year 2012, a transfer student arrives and meets a male student who she falls in love with immediately. However, he has struggles in his own life that he’s trying to overcome, so over the course of the school year, the two get to know each other more.
Fans of the school drama genre will find so much to love in a show likeWhen I Fly Towards You, which evokes the feelings of falling for another person for the first time. It offers lessons in simplicity when it comes to production, making it easy to rewatch for a second or third time.
Chinese Animated Shows that You Need to Watch
China has recently become one of the most popular producers of animation, known specifically as donghua. Here are the best shows to check out.
3Ashes of Love (2018)
InAshes of Love, a dying goddess prevents her daughter from falling in love, as she foresees a future where something major is going to happen if she does so. She passes away and her daughter, Jin-Mi, is unable to fall in love, but when she meets the Fire Deity and his half-brother, the Night Deity, When a love triangle emerges between the three of them, the pill her mother slipped her as an infant is going to cause trouble.
Ashes of Loveis stunning to watch throughout each episode, as the costumes and visuals are top-notch. While some love triangles really don’t work in Korean and Chinese dramas,Ashes of Lovepulls the tension from it perfectly, turning it into a show that’ll keep one on their toes even if they’ve already seen it before.
2The Untamed (2019)
Based on a popular danmei novel,The Untamedhas gained international popularity throughout the years. Its main character is Wei Wuxian, a dark arts practitioner who dies under mysterious circumstances in the first episode. When he is reincarnated 16 years later, he meets his male soulmate yet again, and begins to uncover the truth behind his death.
Like many other dramas on this list,The Untamedboasts incredible chemistry between its two male leads. While we’re curious to know what the show would look like without the LGBTQ+ censorship, the show still manages to be really high quality throughout. There’s a solid reason why it’s so beloved, making it worthy of a rewatch every so often.
1Go Go Squid! (2019)
Go Go Squid!came out in 2019, and was a major phenomenon in China when it released on television and streaming. An E-sports drama, a student named Tong Nian meets a well-known E-sports gamer named Han Shangyan. With her help, he overcomes his mental barriers to bring honor to his country through winning championships and competitions.
It’s a classic romance drama, but with the bend of E-sports woven into the story. There’s plenty to love on the first watch of the show, but the second one will warrant even more love for the story and its characters.
