Move Over K-Drama, Chinese Dramas Are Taking Over
If you love slow burns and rain-on-glass type melancholy, then you should watch these C-dramas
It’s time we stop lumping all Asian dramas under the same umbrella. Sure, K-dramas still dominate the global stage (and rightfully so), but Chinese dramas have been quietly building a reputation for themselves—one wistful glance, one emotionally repressed lead at a time.
Where K-dramas lean into the spectacle—big gestures, dramatic soundtracks, chaotic confessions—C-dramas take the scenic route. They're quieter. Slower. But often more grounded, more poetic. They’re the emotional equivalent of watching rain hit a window while Nina Simone plays in the background.
And once you’re in, you’re in. There’s no going back.
Chinese Dramas
So, if you’re ready to graduate from K-dramas and step into the world of Chinese dramas, this might be a list that’s worth bookmarking.
Hidden Love (2023)
This drama is equivalent to the Korean series “Crash Landing On You” – not in terms of the plot, but because this drama is everyone’s gateway watch that fully opens up the portal. For a lot of people, Hidden Love was it.
Sang Zhi is 14 when she first starts noticing her older brother’s best friend. Years later, they meet again—and this time, something shifts. What starts as a quiet crush slowly grows into something steadier, deeper, and mutual. The series doesn’t rush anything. It lets the feelings unfold the way they often do in real life: gradually, and all at once. This show is a proper slow burn.
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My Boss (2024)
This one’s for the “What the heck is going on, but I love it” crowd. A grumpy, perfectionist boss tries everything to get rid of his new employee—only to accidentally end up living with her. It’s classic and cheesy, yes. But it’s also fun and flirty, and it’s a lovable trope. You’ll stay for the banter and fall for the very reluctant love story.
The First Frost (2025)
This one’s a spin-off of Hidden Love—specifically focusing on Sang Zhi’s older brother, Sang Yan—and everyone is obsessed with it this year. Sang Yan runs into Wen Yifan years after high school, but the past hasn’t gone anywhere. They’re older now, but the version of themselves that once cared—once hurt—is still in the room. This is a story about quiet regrets, unresolved tension, and the slow return of something they never really finished.
The Untamed (2019)
On paper, The Untamed is a sweeping fantasy epic—reincarnations, martial arts clans, ancient rivalries. But at its heart, it’s about the bond between two men who keep choosing each other, again and again, across lifetimes. The romantic undertones are subtle, but they’re there. This isn’t a love story in the traditional sense, but it is one. The fandom didn’t make this a cult hit for nothing.
Ode to Joy (2016)
Think Sex and the City meets Reply 1988 but make it Shanghai. Ode to Joy follows five very different women who live on the same floor. Each of them is dealing with her own set of problems—relationships, careers, family pressure—but the heart of the show is how their bond slowly grows. The romances are there, but they’re not the main draw. This one’s more about modern womanhood. If you’ve ever lived alone in your 20s or 30s and felt kind of… lost, this one will get you.
Everyone Loves Me (2024)
Qian Ling and Gu Xun are partners in an online game, but things are more complicated offline. Especially after she declares her love for him and he rejects her in front of everyone. Now, they’re back in each other’s lives and the feelings are harder to ignore. Set between the worlds of gaming and real-life awkwardness, Everyone Loves Me is a modern romance full of second chances and sharp banter. Bonus: Zhou Ye and Lin Yi are magnetic together.
A Love So Beautiful (2017)
Before Hidden Love, this was the sweet school romance drama that had everyone in their feels. Chen Xiaoxi and Jiang Chen have grown up side by side. She’s expressive and open. He’s quiet, often unreadable. Nothing explosive happens here—just small, everyday moments that slowly add up to love. It’s soft, nostalgic, and feels a lot like remembering someone you used to know. It’s simple but it’s really sweet.
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When I Fly Towards You (2023)
Set against the backdrop of high school’s confusing mess of hormones and heartache, this coming-of-age drama captures first love in all its awkward, heart-skipping beauty. Zhuang Yu is stoic; Su Zai Zai is anything but. Together, they stumble through exams, growing pains, and feelings they can’t name yet. Funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound. It touches on mental health, growing pains, and that all-consuming first love.
Ski Into Love (2025)
This one feels like it was designed specifically for watching in bed, under a blanket, with zero plans. Snowy backdrops, a hotheaded manga artist, and a brooding ski prodigy? Sign us up.
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2019)
Si Tu Mo thinks she knows what her life will look like after college—until she doesn’t. Through a twist of fate, she ends up living with Gu Wei Yi, a quiet physics student with a surprisingly kind presence. The two find themselves slowly pulled toward each other. Put Your Head on My Shoulder is comfort TV at its finest.