From enemies-to-lovers storylines to historical dramas, there’s something for every kind of romance fan…
We all love a good romantic story, whether it’s a classic rom-com that we know and love or heartwarming love stories in foreign languages that have become so popular over the past few years.
After Korean romantic dramas, you need to give Chinese TV shows a chance. C-dramas have introduced fans to a whole new world of romance and exciting new stories. So we figured why not dive deep into some of the most beloved romantic Chinese dramas of all time and list out the ones that are guaranteed to leave you swooning?
Without further ado, take a look at our list of some of the best romantic Chinese TV shows that you can add to your watchlist now…
This heartwarming drama follows Sang Zhi who falls in love with her older brother’s friend Duan Jia Xu when they were all children. Over the years, they all drift apart but Sang Zhi and Jia Xu reunite when she joins the same university as him. Soon they began to grow closer but is that the beginning of their love story? Watch it to find out!
Watch it here
This one is a quintessential ‘opposites attract’ love story that follows bright and cheerful Chen Xiaoxi and her friend Jiang Chen, who is cold and indifferent to most people, as they grow up and realise their feelings for each other. It’s adapted from a popular Chinese novel by Zhao Qianqian.
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Based on the eponymous novel by Gu Man, this drama is about two students who meet and fall in love with each other’s video game identities. Aspiring game developer university student Bei Wei Wei and popular jock Xiao Nei meet online while playing a video game and slowly fall in love without realising each other’s true identities.
This C-drama became popular because of the unique storyline and the chemistry of the leads. It follows an exhausted screenwriter who falls asleep one day and wakes up as one of her characters in the drama she’s writing. The biggest hitch? She’s now the evil third princess who is supposed to die off early. Now it’s up to her to make the hero fall in love with her and save herself!
Watch it here
Another drama where the writer of a story gets pulled into their creation, this one follows a manga artist who wakes up in his comic universe. Now he is forced to complete missions to save the evil second female lead and turn her into a better person to get back to his real life again.
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This one is perfect for you if you love modern romances. The show follows the lives of a group of people, including a magazine editor, publisher, PE teacher and a lawyer, who are navigating love, life, and career while dealing with issues from their past.
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If you like your love stories to have a touch of the supernatural, then you can’t give this one a miss. In the drama, Jin Xia is ready to give up on love when she decides to put all her money into buying an ancient mansion in a seaside town. But the gorgeous mansion is not empty as Nan Hua, a supernatural entity with powers and memory loss claims that he has been living in the house for a thousand years as he waits for his soulmate to appear. Was their meeting fated? Are they soulmates? You’ll just have to watch to find out!
Watch it here
For anyone dealing with the ups and downs of love while navigating a busy professional life, the story of Ji Xing will be immediately relatable. In the show, Ji Xing resigns from her job at a big tech company to follow her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. As she struggles to turn her dreams into reality, she has to face heartbreak, turmoil and even the possibility of a new romance.
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In this enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy series, a small-time lawyer faces up against her grumpy, perfectionist boss who is leaving no stone unturned to get her to quit. Oh, and the grumpy boss is also her new roommate. Watch this one if you want a lighthearted romantic show to watch this weekend.
Watch it here
This fantasy romance is based on a novel of the same name. It is a story of twin sisters, one of whom is considered to be blessed with good fortune while the other is cursed with misfortune. The two sisters are betrothed to the heavenly prince and the demon prince but due to a mix-up, they are married off to the wrong husband!
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This one quickly became one of the biggest fan-favourite C-dramas of 2024. Circumstances force a respected and successful professional snooker player to retire unexpectedly and withdraw himself from the public eye. Years later, a snowstorm puts an up-and-coming Nine-Ball player in his path who changes his life forever.
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If you love second-chance romances, this one is a must-watch. Song Yan and Xu Qin were childhood friends who grew apart because of their different family backgrounds. Years later, Xu Qin is a successful doctor and Song Yan is the chief of the town’s fire department. The two are forced to work side-by-side, igniting sparks and rekindling the feelings they thought were long gone.
Watch it here
In this historical romance, falsely accused crown prince Shi Ying is banished to the mountains where he becomes the mentor to Zhu Yan, a princess of another clan. As the years pass, they develop feelings for each other but soon their identities force them to face off against each other on the opposite sides of a political struggle.
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Former military officer Li Zhi Cheng returns to civilian life to save his family business from bankruptcy. Not everyone is happy with his return and many think that he doesn’t deserve the position especially as he doesn’t have any business experience. He meets his assistant Lin Qian, a bright and optimistic worker with great business acumen, and together they work towards saving the business and proving his naysayers wrong.
Watch it here
Tian Jing Zhi, a B-list actress trying to make it big, and Xue Ling Qiao, a 500-year-old superhuman, become a part of each other’s lives when the actress accidentally wakes him up from his deep, hundreds-year-old slumber.
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An adaptation of the novel Tianxia Wu Shuang by Shi Shi Lang, this one follows the love story of Goddess Wu Shuang, who descends to the mortal realm, and Yuan Zhong, the high priest of the Youhu clan who has been accused of stealing an important Heavenly Realm treasure. While the Goddess was supposed to punish the priest, she realises there is more to the story than she knew and they must join hands to save the world. And if they fall in love during the process, that’s just a welcomed bonus!
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This visually stunning drama is based on the novel He Who Stands Among the Gorgeous Blossoming Summer Flower by Tai Hou Gui Lai. It follows the heartwrenching love story between painter He Ran and horticulturist Xiao Han. Aside from the moving storyline and the stunning cinematography, fans were excited to see actor Jerry Yan return to the screen after a hiatus.
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One of the most popular C-dramas of all time, the fantasy romance follows the immortal Li Susu who has to travel back 500 years in time to save the world from the Devil God. The sweeping love story and the impressive visuals ensured that the drama became a fan-favourite not just in China, but the entire world.
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This adorable coming-of-age romantic comedy is based on the popular novel She’s a Little Crazy by Zhu Yi. The show is about a bright and full-of-life Su Zai Zai who transfers to a new school and immediately falls in love with shy and introverted fellow student Zhang Lu Rang. The story follows how the two grow closer, despite their opposite personalities and how they help each other heal and grow over time.
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You cannot deny the power of a cheesy romance drama to cheer you up on a blue day. This typical romantic C-drama ticks all the right boxes on that count! It follows the love story between the charming and professional customer service rep Dong Dong En and the cool and collected Lou Yuan. In the beginning, the two get off on the wrong foot but spending time with each other regularly allows love to blossom!
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Online novel writer Nan Xing realises the meaning of the adage ‘Be careful what you wish for’ when cosmic confusion makes her wish for an unforgettable love results in one of her characters coming alive. Namely, Xiao Wu Di, the cunning antagonist from her novel based on the life of idol Lu Zi Chen. Now Xing is forced to look after Wu Di as he is bound by destiny to fulfil all her wishes.
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Salva Mubarak is the Digital Editor of Manifest. In her free time, she likes to read murder mysteries, discover new KitKat flavours, and rank movie makeovers (not necessarily in that order). View Profile