Best Chinese Dramas to Watch (in 2024) 📺 24 Of The Very Best

24 of The Best Chinese Dramas to Learn Chinese (PLUS Bonus Shows)

Trying to find good Chinese dramas to help you learn Chinese can be pretty tough, there are just so many of them!

That’s why we’ve done the work for you, so that you can spend less time trying to find the right Chinese drama for you and more time practising your Chinese.

Follow the guide, click on the links to read our complete reviews, let us know in the comments 👇 the best Chinese dramas you ever watched, and enjoy!

Chinese Dramas || Modern

Chinese Dramas || Romantic

Chinese Dramas || Historical and Fantasy

Chinese Dramas || Crime and Political

Chinese Dramas || Taiwanese

BONUS || What About Korean Dramas?

Chinese Dramas || FAQs

Key: 💻 = Available to watch on Netflix

Modern

All is Well

The Chinese drama All is Well ( Play 都挺好 dōu tǐng hǎo) centres on a Chinese family.

It is a great show to learn about Chinese family traditions and values.

The drama shows the struggles faced by the Su ( Play 苏 sū) family as three adult siblings are faced with having to care for their elderly father after their mother dies.

Read our full review of All is Well

Meteor Garden 💻

Meteor Garden ( Play 流星花园  liú xīng huā yuán) is a Chinese drama that was really successful internationally, and is available to watch on Netflix.

The show tells the story of Dong Shancai ( Play 董杉菜 ) a student from a modest family who gets accepted at the top university in the country.

But, at university, she encounters the F4, the four most popular guys at school who are all rich and spoiled.

Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster if you watch this drama, it is full of ups and downs which are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Read our full review of Meteor Garden

Ode to Joy

Hailed as the Chinese version of Sex and the City, Ode to Joy ( Play 欢乐颂 huānlè sòng) was huge hit in China when it first aired in 2016.

The show centres on five women in their 20s and early 30s.

They all live on the same floor of an apartment complex in Shanghai.

The women are all from varying economic backgrounds, making it a really good drama to learn about the different obstacles faced by women in modern China.

Ode to Joy is one of the best Chinese dramas for learning about dating in modern China, as well as Chinese attitudes to love and relationships.

Read our full review of Ode to Joy

The First Half of My Life

The First Half of My Life ( Play 我的前半生 wǒ de qián bànshēng) is a great drama to learn about guanxi ( Play 关系 guānxì) and the Chinese workplace.

The main protagonist in this drama is Luo Zijun ( Play 罗子君 Luō zijūn).

A 33 year old housewife who’s husband decides to leave her for another woman after eight years of marriage.

This forces Luo Zijin out into the workplace so that she can support herself and her son. A love triangle is also thrown into the mix, so expect plenty of drama to ensue.

Read our full review of The First Half of My Life

Shi Cha Hai

Anyone familiar with Beijing will recognise the name of the drama Shi Cha Hai ( Play 什刹海 shíchàhǎi) as it is also a famous scenic spot in Beijing.

If you want to experience Beijing’s daily life from the comfort of your sofa, then this is the series for you!

The show focuses on three generations of the Zhuang family who live in a Shicha Hai Hutong in central Beijing.

The patriarch of the family is Mr Zhuang who was previously a famous chef. However, his peaceful life is disturbed as Shicha Hai starts to become a lively attraction.

Read our full review of Shi Cha Hai

Get Married or Not

Get Married or Not is one of the best Chinese dramas to learn about modern-day marriage concepts in China.

The Chinese name of the show is  Play 谁说我结不了婚 shuíshuō wǒ jiébùliǎo hūn, literally: “who said I can’t get married” in English.

At the centre of this drama a three independent, successful career women in their 30s. However, they are viewed as failing in life because they are unmarried.

The main protagonist Cheng Lu ( Play 程璐 chéng lù) has always said that she isn’t married because she doesn’t want to be, not because she can’t.

But, will all this change when she meets psychologist Professor Wei Shu ( Play 魏书 wèi shū)?

Read our full review of Get Married or Not

Get Married or Not 💒 Get to Know the Popular Concepts of Marriage in China

Get Married or Not drama is a Chinese TV show released in 2020. The Chinese name is called 谁说我结不了婚 shuíshuō wǒ jiébùliǎo hūn – find out more about it here.

Nothing But Thirty

Nothing But Thirty ( Play 三十而已 sānshí éryǐ) has been one of the hit Chinese dramas of 2020.

This TV series tells the story of three women who have reached their 30s and the pressure they now face.

All three women come from different backgrounds with different personalities. The women also show the three states of: unmarried and childless, married and childless, and married and childbearing.

There is strong-willed Gu Jia ( Play 顾佳 gùjiā) who is both a wife and a businesswomen. Independent and single Wang Manni Play 王漫妮 wáng mànnī who works as a senior salesperson in a luxury designer store called Mishil.

And finally, there is Zhong Xiaoqin Play 钟晓芹 zhōngxiǎoqín whose ordinary life is turned upside down when she is offered a publishing deal.

Read our full review of Nothing But Thirty

Romantic

Go Go Squid

Go Go Squid ( Play 亲爱的，热爱的 qīn’ài de, rè’ài de) is a popular Chinese romantic drama.

At the heart of this romantic show is the computer science genius Tong Nian ( Play 佟年 tóng nián), who has a really high IQ, oh and she’s also a popular internet singer, talk about talented!

Tong Nian falls for e-sport champion Han Shangyan ( Play 韩商言 hánshāngyán), who happens to also be another computer genius.

This is a great show for learning some Chinese internet slang.

Read our full review of Go Go Squid

Hot Mom!

Hot Mom! ( Play 辣妈正传 là mā zhèng zhuàn) is a 2013 Chinese romantic comedy drama.

The show follows the story of Xia Bing ( Play 夏冰 xià bīng) a 26-year-old woman whose life motto is

“No marriage or kids until the age of 30.”

However, things take an unexpected turn when she accidentally gets pregnant and must now face the prospect of marrying her boyfriend and raising a child while also juggling her career and social life.

Love O2O 💻

Love O2O ( Play 微微一笑很倾城 wēiwēi yīxiào hěn qīngchéng) is one of the most watched Chinese modern dramas, with a staggering 25 billion views online!

The star of this drama is Bei Weiwei ( Play 贝微微 bèi wéiwéi) a computer science major who is amazing at playing the online role-playing game A Chinese Ghost Story.

However, she is dumped by her in-game husband.

Things take a turn though… she is soon approached by the top player Xiao Nai ( Play 肖奈 xiào nài) who wants them to enter competitions together.

What happens? Tune in to find out!

Read our full review of Love O2O

Well Intended Love 💻

Well-Intended Love ( Play 奈何老板要娶我  nàihé lǎobǎn yào qǔ wǒ) is a romantic comedy-drama series which was released in 2019.

The premise of the show is that Xia Lin ( Play 夏林 xià lín), a struggling actress, is diagnosed with leukaemia. She needs a bone marrow transplant but the only donor match is Ling Yizhou ( Play 凌异洲 líng yìzhōu), a rich arrogant man who doesn’t want to help her.

However, Ling is under pressure from his family to marry, so a deal between the two is made.

Unsurprisingly things do not go as smoothly as planned. You can expect LOTS of plot twists and unexpected revelations so be prepared to be shocked!

Read our full review of Well Intended Love

Well-Intended Love Review (2019) – An Honest Review for Chinese Learners

Well-Intended Love (2019) – Everything Chinese Learners Need To Know Bored doing exercises from a school book? Sick of writing lines of characters in a notebook over and over again? I’ve definitely felt like that. I love learning new languages…

Historical and Fantasy

Empresses in the Palace 💻

As you may have guessed by the name, Empresses in the Palace ( Play 后宫甄嬛传 hòugōng zhēnhuán zhuàn) is a Chinese period drama set during the Qing Dynasty.

The main protagonist is concubine Zhen Huan ( Play 甄嬛 zhēnhuán) who becomes a favourite of the emperor Yong Zheng ( Play 雍正 yōngzhèng).

However, this makes the Empress jealous so she plots for a way to get rid of Zhen Huan.

Read our full review of Empresses in the Palace

Learn about some real-life Chinese empresses in our most famous women from Chinese history blog.

The Untamed 💻

The Untamed ( Play 陈情令 chén qíng lìng) is a Chinese fantasy drama. It was a huge hit, accumulating a total of 6.8 billion views on Tencent by the end of 2019!

This drama is based in an Ancient Chinese martial arts world, where the land is ruled by five sects.

Our two heroes are Wei Wuxian ( Play 魏无羡 wèi wúxiàn) and Lan Wangji ( Play 蓝忘机 lán wàngjī).

Despite being from different sects the two soon become close friends. They travel around together solving mysteries and trying to make the world a better place.

This is another one of the Chinese dramas on our list that is available to watch on Netflix, which is great for any of those out there with a subscription.

Read our full review of The Untamed

Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures 💻

Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures ( Play 金枝玉叶 jīnzhīyùyè) is another Chinese period drama set during the Qing Dynasty.

At the centre of this series is Princess Zhaohua ( Play 昭华公主 zhāo huá gōngzhǔ).

The strong-willed seventh daughter of Emperor Qianlong.

Princess Zhaohua must face many obstacles in her life in the palace, including a vendetta against her family, romantic affairs and wedding alliances just to name a few.

This Chinese drama is a spin-off from The Story of Yanxi Palace ( Play 延禧攻略 yánxǐ gōnglüè). But, it isn’t essential to have watched the original series. The show is only available to watch on Netflix.

Read our full review of Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures

Wu Zetian (1995)

The only female empress of China, Wu Zetian ( Play 武则天 wǔzétiān) has been the subject of many books, films and TV shows.

This TV drama is the one released in 1995, starring Liu Xiaoqing ( Play 刘晓庆 liú xiǎoqìng) as Wu Zetian.

Not to be confused with the drama The Empress of China ( Play 武媚娘传奇 wǔ mèiniáng chuánqí) which stars famous Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as Wu.

The 1995 TV series follows Wu Zetian’s rise to power, beginning with when she entered Emperor Taizong’s harem when she was 13. What follows is lots of palace intrigue, plots, betrayals and much more.

Read our full review of Wu Zetian

Da Zhai Men

This drama is for anyone who has an interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Da Zhai Men ( Play 大宅门 dàzháimén) is based on the real life of Le Jingyu ( Play 乐镜宇 lè jìng yǔ) renamed Bai jingqi ( Play 白景琦 báijǐngqí) in the show. He owns the pharmacy Tongrentang ( Play 同仁堂 tóngréntáng), renamed “Pharmacy Herbs Hall” ( Play 百草厅 bǎi cǎo tīng) in the series.

The show follows the life of the family and their business running their pharmacy starting near the end of the Qing dynasty and going through the tumultuous 20th century.

The director and the screenwriter of the drama is Guo Baochang ( Play 郭宝昌 guōbǎochāng) who is Le Jingyu’s adopted son. It took him 40 years to finish the script!

Read our full review of Da Zhai Men

New Legend of Madame White Snake

New Legend of Madame White Snake ( Play 新白娘子传奇 xīn bái niángzǐ chuánqí) tells the story of the famed Chinese legend: The Legend of the White Snake.

There have been numerous TV series and films about this legend.

This TV series production is the 1992 version, although there is also a 2019 version called The Legend of White Snake ( Play 新白娘子传奇 xīn bái niángzǐ chuánqí) available on Netflix.

The legend is about Bai Suzhen Play 白素贞 báisùzhēn who was a white snake but managed to transform herself into a human. She is searching for her true love and has been told to go to West Lake in Hangzhou to meet him.

There on the Broken Bridge she meets Xu Xian (许仙 xǔxiān) and it is love at first sight. But what will happen when he learns that she was transformed form a snake?

Read our full review of New Legend of Madame White Snake

Crime and Political

The Bad Kids

The Bad Kids ( Play 隐秘的角落 yǐnmì de jiǎoluò) made some seriously big waves in the land of Chinese TV when it landed in June 2020.

It has received rave reviews from both China and abroad with many critics saying that it takes Chinese dramas to a whole new level.

Sometimes The Bad Kids is also referred to as Hidden Corners which is the English translation of the Chinese name.

The series follows the story of three children who inadvertently film a murder scene. The kids become involved with the murder suspect and what follows is a dark and complicated story about life and morality in modern China.

This is definitely one of the best Chinese TV series to come out of 2020. It is the perfect show for anyone who is looking for an alternative to your usual upbeat, romantic Chinese drama.

Read our full review of The Bad Kids

Kidnapping Game

Another one of iQIYI’s hit 2020 web series, Kidnapping Game ( Play 十日游戏 shí rì yóuxì) is adapted from Keigo Higashino’s detective thriller The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping.

Kidnapping Game takes place over the series of just 10 days. As you might guess from the name at the centre of this TV show is a kidnapping. But with a 4 million ransom paid and the victim then turning up dead what is the heart to this mystery?

As the series unfolds it seems that there is much more to this kidnapping than it seems with an even greater danger looming in the background.

In the Name of the People

In the Name of the People ( Play 人民的名义 rénmín de míngyì) is a 2017 Chinese political drama about China’s anti-corruption ( Play 反腐败 fǎn fǔbài) campaign in a modern day fictional Chinese town.

Many people have called the show the Chinese version of House of Cards.

It was hugely popular when released in China reaching 59 billion views on iQiYi.

The program’s main protagonist is handsome detective Hou Lianping ( Play 侯亮平 hóu liàngpíng).

The show displays the internal power struggle of the Chinese Communist Party in the fictional city of Jingzhou.

This is definitely one of the most serious Chinese dramas on our list.

When a Snail Falls in Love

When a Snail Falls in Love ( Play 如果蜗牛有爱情 rú guǒ wō niú yǒu ài qíng) is a Chinese crime drama.

When it was released in 2016 it was so popular that it got 200 million online hits in the first week!

The show is about Detective Ji Bai ( Play 季白 jì bái) who has to train a new recruit, the criminal profiler Xu Xu ( Play 许诩 xǔ xǔ).

The pair have to try and solve a series of crimes that seem to be mysteriously connected. Xu Xu proves to be talented at her job all in except one detail, she runs as slowly as a snail!

Taiwanese

Iron Ladies 💻

Iron Ladies ( Play 姊的時代 jiě de shí dài) is a modern Taiwanese drama set in Taipei.

It focuses on three successful career women who seem to have it all.

However, things are never that simple, with each woman having personal struggles that may not appear on the surface.

Added into this mix is the young and naive Su Can ( Play 蘇燦 sū càn), a young barista and artist who has recently moved to Taipei to try and find himself a career.

Read our full review of Iron Ladies

Devil Beside You

Devil Beside You ( Play 惡魔在身邊 èmó zài shēnbiān) is a classic college Taiwanese drama. Released in 2005 it is still a firm fan favourite and very popular.

At the centre of this drama is the sweet and innocent  Qi Yue ( Play 齐悦 qí yuè). She has a crush on the basketball team captain Shang Yuan Yi (尚源伊 shàng yuányī) and decides to tell him with a letter.

However, the letter actually ends up in the hands of the college troublemaker Jiang Meng ( Play 江猛 jiāng měng).

Soon a love triangle develops and there is plenty of drama and plot twists that will keep you hooked.

Read our full review of Devil Beside You

Life Plan A and B 💻

The Taiwanese drama mini-series Life Plan A and B ( Play 荼蘼 tú mí) has an unusual twist: it follows two parallel storylines.

This series is all about the “What ifs…” in life, everyone has probably wondered what might have happened if they made a different decision in their life.

Well Life Plan A and B does exactly that, showing the two possible lives of Zheng Ruwei ( Play 郑汝为 zhèng rǔwèi).

In the Plan A storyline Zheng Ruwei moves to Shanghai to pursue her career, leaving behind her boyfriend Tang Youyan ( Play 汤有彦 tāng yǒuyàn).

In Plan B Zheng Ruwei decides to stay in Taiwan and help Tang Youyan instead.

Read our full review of Life Plan A and B

Not sure you’re ready to commit to watching a whole series?

Check out our list of best Chinese movies to learn Chinese instead.

Or are you hoping for even more TV shows to binge on? We’ve got your back, always…!

BONUS // K Dramas & V Movies

It isn’t just Chinese Dramas that are rockin’ the Western world these days.

In fact, it’s probably accurate to say Korean Dramas are even more popular worldwide than Chinese dramas.

So why not come and discover the whacky world of K Dramas also?

We have created a mammoth list of 28 of the best Korean Dramas to get your teeth stuck into here.

And that’s not all…

To go even further, we’ve dug into the wonderful worlds of Japan, Korea and Vietnam!

We’ve prepared extensive articles on our favourite Japanese TV shows, the best Korean shows on Netflix and our the top Vietnamese movies out now!

Why not drop us a comment below and tell us your favourites. Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean or maybe even Japanese?!

Fancy treating yourself to a new TV to watch your favourite Chinese Dramas on? Check out this amazing Samsung TV we purchased for the LTL offices on Amazon!

Please note these links are affiliate links and LTL Mandarin School take a small cut of any sales made, with the rest going to Amazon and the lister of the product.

Chinese Dramas || FAQs

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