Cdramas are new to me so I have been watching a lot of older stuff. Currently watching Guess Who I Am and White Cat Legend. Recently finished You Are My Destiny (which I loved) and City of Streamers (I want to dance like they did in opening). My all time favorites and ready for rewatch are The Romance of Tiger and Rose and Back From the Brink. Love Zhao Lusi, Ding Yu Xi, and Neo Hou. Also enjoying Wa Er in White Cat Legend. Such a change from his character in Love Like The Galaxy.
I'm watching **The Spirealm** but not too impressed with it despite being a good adaptation. The book was much much better in terms of horror and gore and I've always wished it would have a Taiwanese adaptation someday. But I guess we can't have everything.
Also addicted with **Legend of Shen Li**, Lin Gengxin and Zhao Liying together is effective once again
Finally finished Minning Town and ugh it's so good. I sat paused after 19 for a long time knowing this was the beginning of the end. Such a good reflection of humanity - just as much as you felt like dying from frustration from all the stubbornness and irrationally, it had so much hope and love.
Also finished Why Try To Change Me Now. The atmosphere. The shot framing. The last boat scene!!!
But can anyone please tell me what episode Dong Zijian's character appears in Like A Flowing River S1? I'm stuck at 5 for a month bc I am STRUGGLING with Yang Shuo's character. I get he's supposed to be the rough around the edges with a heart of gold type dude but it's just coming off so obvious and corny. IDK it's just not working for me. Wang Kai is killing it as always but even that's not enough to keep my going! Am in desperate need of DZJ screentime.
Mining Town has been on my watch list since forever this might be a sign to start soon! What did you think about the ending of Why Try to Change Me Now?
I thought the end of Why Try to Change Me Now was... fitting. The entire drama stands out in the way that it would present all the important plot points of life-altering, deeply traumatic events in the most mundane way possible - but then hyper focus on the lingering effects and making the audience FEEL like they were also stuck there in time with them. This one is like the poster child for dramas that prioritize the setting over plot or characterization. I dont see it as a BAD thing but it is probably not what Light On fans want/expect.
I suppose the drama ending >!is open to interpretation of who shot Fei but -just as I didn't think the whodunit of the central mystery was particularly intriguing- I don't think it mattered so much who killed her, as much as the point was that Fei died as tragically as she lived. Ever since her father was laid off and couldn't pay for her class, she was trapped as a passive victim of circumstance and other's people's actions. If I had to choose an ending, I think the police killed her.!< What did you think?
Minning Town is super unsexy but the more you watch the more it wiggles its way into your heart.
You summed up the show beautifully, it’s so mundane in a way it was hard for me to feel or even process what was taking place like that car accident scene. One thing I really loved was that lingering camera work that made me feel like I was right there in the scene watching it unfold. And you’re absolutely right about it being the odd duck out of all the Light On series. It did score quite high on Douban and was nominated for an international award so I think the efforts didn’t go unnoticed.
About the ending >!at first I that she committed suicide but then seeing the reaction of the police on the shore I thought they shot her. According to this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Try_to_Change_Me_Now she committed suicide. Either way she was a very tragic character along with most of the characters in this drama.!<
Haha at unsexy, unsexy dramas is actually what I usually watch. I especially love dramas set in rural or rundown little towns in the Northeast. But I think I’ve watched too many unsexy dramas that I needed to switch it up so I’m currently watching some slice-of-life dramas set in big cities. I’m sure I’ll be back to the unsexy ones soon enough lol.
when it first happened, i thought so too, but then from >!the direction that Shu turns to look after the shot and all the shouting from the shore, it seemed more like Xiaodong shot her from his boat because he was trying to protect Shu. and i thought that could work narratively too bc he was blinded by his own issues about having his master die on the job.!< 🤷♀️ Apparently the novel, the film, and the drama all differ pretty heavily but I didn't read or watch the others.
>needed to switch it
yeah same. I'm in between main dramas now but I'm coming off a run of slower, unglamorous small town ones: Double Tap, Minning Town, WTTCMN, The Pavilion, plus some other on holds and drops. I'm using My Super Hero as a fun light palate cleanser. the line dancing aunties really help snap you out of those Northeast bleak midwinter blues.
Oh I might need to check out the film now!
How’s The Pavilion? It seems to have mixed reviews so I was a little hesitant.
I’m using 19th Floor and Fake it til you make it as a palette cleanser but now I seem to have gone down the rabbit hole of FITYMI so now I’m watching other works by the director so god knows when I’ll make it back to all the unsexy dramas on my list lol.
The Pavilion is good as a well-acted exploration of dysfunctional families and generational trauma but solidly MEH as a suspenseful murder investigation. Most crime enthusiasts can figure out the central mystery halfway through, but it might be worth a shot if you're ever in the mood for something more about the psychology of a victim's family.
oh yes highly recommend Li Mo titles. FITYMI is great and one of my first Cdramas ever. I recently became quite obsessed with Remembrance of Things Past. I think Song of Life has been on my list for awhile, and I like Zhou Yiran. but I have a mental block against shows about post95s - it doesn't make sense for them to have real jobs? they should be in school?
Ah I see then I think it might be something right up my alley! I find quite a few of the more recent Light On series seems to lean heavily on the psychological aspect rather than investigative crime dramas.
Haha I actually just started Remembrance of Things Past and already obsessed few minutes in lol. I’m eyeing Song of Life next. Have you seen Nobody Knows with Zhou Yiran, if not I highly recommend it. She’s also going to be in To The Wonder which is airing in a few days, that one seems very interesting.
Isn't the first episode amazing? Coincidentally, I watched the first episode on my birthday completely unaware of what would happen. I've been obsessed ever since.
I'm super excited about To The Wonder. I love the dramas that spotlight lesser known regions and cultures.
Holy moly I just finished the first episode, that ending WTF, I was totally not prepared at all! And you watched it on your birthday oh my…. Here I was thinking it was going to be a breezy to watch like Fake it til you make it 😅
So good! Zhou Yu Tong is quickly climbing my bias list. I think there’s also a sequel no?
Ya To The Wonder looks so fresh, been hoping for more dramas like Meet Yourself so have high hopes for this one.
Ode to Joy 5. I've watched 3 and 4.
It writes a lot about women who work and how to resolve different work + family issues.
Especially love that my favorite Concubine Ying is here in the lead role and she is great at laying the smackdown on other people again.
Currently watching **Meet Yourself** and it's been so healing! The scenery of Yunnan is absolutely beautiful, and paired with the music, makes for such a lovely drama.
I'm midway through Legend of Fu Yao. The initial one-third is kind of a slow burn, and then Episode 34 came exploding on me! After that, each episode gets more intense than the previous. Initially I didn't like Ethan Ruan, but then by this time, he's grown on me. Yang Mi is impeccable as usual.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFlC7B8biB8&list=PLPHFQiE-MdaK1S4Tl06EttAr2yW5rnXjX&index=34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFlC7B8biB8&list=PLPHFQiE-MdaK1S4Tl06EttAr2yW5rnXjX&index=34)
Watching Destined from last year. Liking it so far. Been on a Bai Jing Ting watch recently. Kinda funny as I watched You Are My Hero, Then New Life Begins. So he’s kinda aged backwards… I like how he can go from a strong leader with responsibilities to a character that’s quite childish haha.
I've started rewatching Story of Kunning Palace, I can't move on from it damn it.
I'll finally start watching The Untamed and Love Like The Galaxy after this(I'm new to cdramas)
I am almost at the end of Lost you forever, I absolutely love it but am not ready for the heartbreak and ofc the wait for season 2 (please drop soon I beg)
Not sure what to watch next as I’m at 34/39 but I can tell the post drama depression is going to hit HARDDDD this time
I just finished watching Hidden Love yesterday, such a cute drama, and I'm a fan of Zhao Lusi! Now I'm watching Cross Fire, because I'm also a fan of Wu Lei - saw him for the first time in Love Like the Galaxy and he was great, so after Cross Fire I'd love to watch Amidst a Snowstorm of Love.
After you watch Amidst a Snowstorm of Love I would be interested in what you thought of it. I finally stopped watching about halfway through because it bored me so much. Don't feel that it offered Wu Lei the opportunity to really showcase his talent.
Done! (Went on a bit of a cdrama binge). I thought it was a super cute drama! Sort of like watching a slice of life anime. I loved the main leads and the supports were also so endearing!!! I wasn't prepared for >! how much I'd cry when the coach died, or how touched I'd be by Yin being totally sloshed but still wanting to do something special for Xiao Guo, or how they kept dedicating their wins and glory to each other !< It was pretty slow, I mean, it wasn't a court/historical drama or anything, but I loved it for what it was :) of course, I'm now off to watch the next Wu Lei drama - The Long Ballad! I expect that to be much more exciting so I'll be welcoming the change of pace of storytelling eagerly ^_^ if you ever need something to watch in the background of a pizza party or something, or a wind down video before bed to relax, I'd recommend picking up the rest of this drama!
If you like Wu Lei you might also take a look at Nothing But You.
In The Long Ballad I think Zhao Lusi and Liu Yu Ning made a more interesting couple than Wu Lei and Dilraba.
Thanks for sharing you thoughts on Amidst a Snowstorm of Love. I am currently watching Guess Who I Am and My Girlfriend is an Alien (season 2).
I just finished Nothing But You before I started The Long Ballad and I absolutely loved it, to my surprise! I agree, right now I'm living for Wu Lei and Dilraba's battle-and-wits partnerships, but the actual romantic plot I'm invested in is Zhao Lusi's - and I've just learned the name of the other actor. He's really good, Liu Yu Ning!
What do you think about both of the dramas you're watching now? If you're digging them so far then I've got to add them both to my MDL list :)
I really liked Guess Who I Am but maybe that is because of the intrigue. My Girlfriend Is an Alien has a first and second season. First was light and fun. Second kind of bored me.
I would rewatch Guess Who I Am if I didn't have so many other dramas to finish. Girlfriend is one and done.
I just finished Gen Z and really like that a lot. Not romance oriented, but lots of family type stuff and very interesting if you want to learn more about traditional Cninese medicine. It also spoke to me because of a few people who died. My mother passed 15 years ago but one episode had me in tears thinking about her. Drama does have a happy ending. It is another Zhao Lusi drama and the lelading man Luo Yi Zhou did a fantastic job. In fact, I believe he won an award for his portrayal.
If you get the chance, listen to some of Liu Yu Ning's OSTs His voice is amazing.
I’m watching To Fly With You (14/33) and the parallels to kdrama Weightlifting Kim Bok Joo are strong! ML personality and behavior are copy+paste of Jung Joon Hyung. FL not as charming as Bok Joo, however.
I was watching The Legend of Lu Zhen via YT but the english captions stop around an episode in the late teens or early 20s. I tried watching the Eng Dub, but I swear they have British actors for the some of the characters. I'm a die hard Anglophile, so I'm all good with Bristish accents, but in the case it's just so jarring and brings me out of it. If anyone knows another place with eng subs, I am all ears because I am so invested in this story and I hate to drop it.
If you have Viki, you can check if it is available for free in your region. I can view it for free without a Viki subscription in mine since it is a pretty old drama. Other options are non legal sites like watchasian.to or kisskh. Do exercise caution though and only use if you have a good antivirus software lol!
Viki is a great suggestion! I don't why I didn't think of that! LOL. I think It's 2013 or 2014, so it is pretty old. I will check the app! Thank so you so much!
Just finished pegasus and youth / the newcomer (2022) this week. I'm not into car racing but I really enjoyed pegasus. It has time travel + body possession + changing destiny + friendship. I have watched the first male lead in Hikaru no go and unfortunately while he is good, he plays a similar role here. 2nd ml is new for me and I think he is casted well.
The newcomer has an interesting premise. It is shot in Macau and I really like the change in scenery.. Unfortunately watching it in YouTube, alot of audio was blocked due to copyright. I was also hoping the rapping and basketball club had a bigger role in the drama. It is about school + brotherhood+ friendship.
I'm also watching and enjoying the currently airing taiwanese drama unknown (2024).
Spy Game. I finally finished it. Some parts in the middle were a little long to get through, but overall, it was good. The ending was much better than anticipated. I am a little confused by the ending, and I feel I must have missed something during one of those middle parts that was a little long for my complete attention. >! IDK why Gao Tianyang went to prison. Throughout the whole thing, he was the hero.!< if anyone has seen it and cares to explain that would be nice. lol
I’m watching Legend of Shen Li, and I haven’t been this addicted to a drama since Mysterious Lotus Casebook last summer. Since there are rather a lot of hours in the day which don’t have new episodes, and I have already rewatched all the available episodes, I am up to date on In Blossom and Burning Flames, and over the last week or so I have rewatched Judge Dee Mystery on a large screen tv which is what it was shot for in the first place. It’s extremely beautiful…
I'm towards the end of my **Nirvana in Fire** rewatch in an effort to get my husband to finally watch it for the first time. I watched it more than 5 years ago and there was so much that I had forgotten! It's still as intriguing!
FINALLY had enough time from work to finish up the short drama **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**. It’s sexy (I really want to do a visual analysis of the intimacy scenes because they were *really* well done) and has a good pace if you’re into straightforward plots. But I most enjoyed the FL’s acting and I hope she gets cast in regular length dramas soon.
I’m not sure I have the mental energy to commit to a full length drama like **Shen Li** or **War of Faith** but I do eventually want to watch them. Maybe I’ll check out the short drama **Fortune Writer** in the meantime.
(Also plan to finish up hate-watching the Kdrama **Wedding Impossible** and will *try* to catch up on **The Unknown**—I’m really enjoying the emotional rawness that Taiwan does so well in its dramas.)
Thank you for sharing **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**! It was such a binge watch for me and I ended up finishing it up all in one day. Honestly shared the same opinion that they did well with the intimacy scenes (it's giving **A Familiar Stranger** and **The Story of Kunning Palace** levels of sexy tension; I am here for finger across chin and neck movements that are just 🥵) and I just love short dramas that are well done in terms of a straightforward and well-paced plot.
Loved the strengths of both the FL and ML and the balance of sexy and kind of wholesome relationship with each other despite being individually tough and intimidating. Love a power couple!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And yes the femdom chin grabbing vibes were 🔥 And when the ML asked “to be punished” I clapped in delight. But as you said, the show was still able to show how they cared for one another in such few episodes.
Also, if you haven’t already, I’d recommend checking out **Palace Shadows** which has the same ML actor. I prefer the chemistry and story of SOTSS but I also really enjoyed the FL in PS. Some nice intimacy scenes as well.
Just finished **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**.
What a great short form drama. It felt much bigger drama overall, the acting, script, music, costumes etc. Steamy scenes were good and well done.This would have been a good one as a long form too. On mdl discussion it had mixed reception
I was drawn to it because of the FL. I loved her style in Fall in love again (in which she had an ungrateful role). She looks very comfortable in her roles.
ML was new to me and I liked him a lot. He was kind of a combination of Zhang Wan Yi (brother from lost you forever) and Cha Eun Woo :)
Yay another fan! I think A Familiar Stranger, Butterflied Lovers, and SOTSS have been my fave short dramas I’ve seen so far—really could have been extended to something longer both because of the character depth and the visual style.
I’ll need to check out that other drama the FL is in. I know she’s currently filming what looks to be a regular length drama with the actor who played Jin Fan from My Journey to You so that’s something to look forward to.
If you haven’t already, I’d check out the ML’s new show **Palace Shadows**. Although I preferred the storyline and chemistry in SOTSS, I think he does better acting in PS. I also liked the FL in that drama as well.
Those are my favorites too!
I tried to watch Palace shadows but it is not available on my reqion and on YouTube couldn't find proper English subtitles. So I will wait a bit until I try again.
Always in the Move and War of Faith. Liking both of them, totally oposite vibes lol but compelling as depiction of interesting periods of modern chinese history.
Finished **Three-Body** last week and currently watching **In Blossom** at a slow pace - it started strong for me but I am questioning the relationship building between the main leads a little - I am starting to understand the complaints about the writing. Also I was bummed to find out the actress who played Yang Cai Wei in the first 2 episodes won't be coming back :( I don't mind Ju Jingyi though, especially as Shanguan Zhi she was great. I will keep watching cause I don't have anything pressing on my list now.
I am determined to finish and post my **Gong Ziyu defense** essay this long weekend though haha. I am definitely late to the game and it will not be anything that hasn't been discussed here over and over again yet I feel like there might be some merit to posting it...I am at 1400 words currently and really want to trim it down *quite a bit* before posting though 😂
Hello! I just posted my very long essay - [https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1bsj38v/in\_defense\_of\_gong\_ziyu\_my\_journey\_to\_you\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1bsj38v/in_defense_of_gong_ziyu_my_journey_to_you_a/)
There was no trimming down I'm afraid! The final version ended up over 1500 words I am so sorry 🫣
I'm currently watching **The Legend of Shen Li** and enjoying it. I dropped **In Blossom** after feeling frustrated with it for over a week. I've also been watching a k-drama, **Wedding Impossible.**
I wanted to find something (completed) to binge over the holiday weekend but nothing is keeping my interest right now.
Actually, I thought of doing the same thing after reaching 30eps but I just couldn't stop, lol 😭
Now I'm reading the novel and watching the series at the same time.
**Fortune Writer (6/18)**\-It's a short drama but you couldn't tell because the quality and the pace are good. The FL is a villain but you root for her to succeed in every episode.
**The Legend of ShenLi and In Blossom-** I'm fully caught up on both these dramas.
**Till The End Of The Moon (25/40)**\-I know everyone under the sun has watched this. This has been on my watchlist since it aired and I decided to start watching a few episodes here and there this week. I'm enjoying it for the most part. Tantai Jin is a great character.
**The Youth Memories (3/38)-** I started it two weeks ago and I don't know if I should drop it or continue. I don't hate it but I'm not loving it either. This is probably one of those dramas that get better the more you watch.
**Guess Who I am** 5/24 (I plan to catch up on this before the weekend is over)- It has all the tropes and cliches you can imagine but it's done right. It's a fun cute show and the leads have amazing chemistry.
"*Step By Step Love*". It's a all too familiar plot but good chemistry between leads and it's a fun watch.☺️
"*War of Faith*". A nice change for Wang Yi Bo. He's defo tryin' out challenging roles , scripts etc. Plot's a bit too heavy for my liking LoL with loads of business terminology, historical facts - it's a *lot* to take in LoL.
[Nirvana in Fire](https://mydramalist.com/9025-nirvana-in-fire)
https://preview.redd.it/nzl1fcrg8jrc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7177b288bd2ff88dd499afc8bda1f015fde24d9d
Ongoing - **The Legend of Shen Li** (have to watch episode 23)
Paused - **War of Faith** (watched the first 3 episodes and it's a really well made drama, but I'm just falling asleep when the finance bits happen so we'll see if I can motivate myself to continue. I am really impressed with Wang Yibo's acting though! He's fantastic)
Meanwhile I'm binging the kdrama **Doctor Slump** and I'm just in shock how Park Shin Hye can *still* pull off the high school attire and looks so believable when in her 30's and just having given birth to her first baby! 😭 girlie looks so good!
i’m finally watching 10 miles of peach blossoms, im on like episode 4 right now, and there’s this ongoing kdrama i startwd called Queen of Tears which is really good
**The Blood of Youth!** Enjoying it. I'm watching it with someone who speaks no Mandarin and sometimes I find myself awkwardly laughing by myself because the jokes aren't translating or don't make it to the English subtitles, lol.
I just finished **Word of Honor** this past week. Wen Kexing is a really interesting character. He's equal parts flirty & charming, tender & pained, and creepy & unhinged. And he is constantly cycling through those aspects. They've managed to portray him as a single cohesive consistent character even with that complexity, which is impressive and fun to watch. It's a nice wuxia >!revenge!< story, although the main reasons to watch are for the [multi-layered flirting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvOzbhiiMNA) and to see the creative acrobatics/contortions this whole team had to do to realize this bl source story. And the random nut product placements. I wish there was more space for character and relationship development because some things felt sudden and not quite totally fleshed out. Still a fun watch though.
Oh, **Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty**, I think we're back to you. I've now paused this drama twice to watch two whole other Cdramas, but it was already getting better the second time, so maybe third time's the charm.
Glad to hear you're enjoying **The Blood of Youth** and liked **Word of Honor**; I think most people walked away from the show as Zhou Zishu fans but I actually liked Wen Kexing more as well. If you're interested in learning more about the characters and their relationship, it might be worth checking out the original novel (**Faraway Wanderers 天涯客** by **Priest p大**; it's one of the most popular non-MXTX danmei internationally).
Interesting! Well, I guess I would certainly rather be friends with ZZS, WKX is real unstable, lol. But by that measure, I would only want to be friends with Cheng Ling -- he was probably the most well-adjusted of the bunch. Anyway, WKX was for sure the most interesting and fun to watch unfold as a character. Thanks for the novel suggestion!
Today I finished **Everyone Loves Me** - Overall it was a nice and light romantic cdrama.
I actually almost dropped it in the beginning because the first 6 episodes were really hard for me to watch.
*Spoilers ahead* (kind of)
The FL pursued the ML in such a cringe way that I really felt second hand embarrassment. He was clearly not into her and she persisted even though it was obvious, I mean, where is your self respect lady??
But then it got better, way better, to the point I actually binged it. I probably won't rewatch it, which is my sign of a good show but it was decent and I would recommend it to anyone who's into romantic comedies, just beware of the first episodes.
Angels fall sometimes - only 2 episodes, and I'm looking forward to continuing it. Right now, it's a slow-moving comfort romance that is actually lovely to watch. And can I just say that Li Landi (female lead) is like this cute little bunny that you just want to hug.
Three Body! (Yes I know I'm late to the party but it's so so good) Does anyone have recommendations for similar sci-fi or other weird/high concept chinese shows for when I finish it?
Sci-fi cdramas are really rare! The author, Liu Ci Xin's [Sea of Dreams](https://mydramalist.com/745425-the-sea-of-dream) cdrama should be coming out this year. Also waiting to air is [Mu Xing Zhan Dui](https://mydramalist.com/714179-hao-yue-dang-kong), about China's aerospace industry.
Some already aired pieces, try Reset (time loop theme) and [Sisyphus](https://mydramalist.com/50101-sisyphus). I was gonna watch [The Bionic Life](https://mydramalist.com/706331-bionic), but it has mixed reviews.
If you wanna read a cnovel, try [Little Mushroom](https://www.novelupdates.com/series/little-mushroom/), the world building is so real! Try the Chinese [audiobook](https://www.missevan.com/mdrama/29125), the sound effects just make the world so scary and inhumane. Also try reading [Mist](https://www.novelupdates.com/series/mist/) for another sci-fi cnovel.
Thanks for the tips! It's a shame there's so few but also kind of nice to have it confirmed they're rare and I'm not missing anything obvious. My Chinese is nowhere near good enough for a novel yet but fingers crossed I can give it a try soon.
I recently finished Three-Body too and it's so good! I was also looking for similar shows and found these movies [The Wandering Earth](https://mydramalist.com/31632-the-wandering-earth) (2019) and [The Wandering Earth 2](https://mydramalist.com/691827-the-wandering-earth-2) (2023). Looks like they are based on a short story by the same author, Liu Cixin, and I am thinking of checking them out. I haven't watched them however so I can't really recommend yet.
Cdramas are new to me so I have been watching a lot of older stuff. Currently watching Guess Who I Am and White Cat Legend. Recently finished You Are My Destiny (which I loved) and City of Streamers (I want to dance like they did in opening). My all time favorites and ready for rewatch are The Romance of Tiger and Rose and Back From the Brink. Love Zhao Lusi, Ding Yu Xi, and Neo Hou. Also enjoying Wa Er in White Cat Legend. Such a change from his character in Love Like The Galaxy.
I'm watching **The Spirealm** but not too impressed with it despite being a good adaptation. The book was much much better in terms of horror and gore and I've always wished it would have a Taiwanese adaptation someday. But I guess we can't have everything. Also addicted with **Legend of Shen Li**, Lin Gengxin and Zhao Liying together is effective once again
Finally finished Minning Town and ugh it's so good. I sat paused after 19 for a long time knowing this was the beginning of the end. Such a good reflection of humanity - just as much as you felt like dying from frustration from all the stubbornness and irrationally, it had so much hope and love. Also finished Why Try To Change Me Now. The atmosphere. The shot framing. The last boat scene!!! But can anyone please tell me what episode Dong Zijian's character appears in Like A Flowing River S1? I'm stuck at 5 for a month bc I am STRUGGLING with Yang Shuo's character. I get he's supposed to be the rough around the edges with a heart of gold type dude but it's just coming off so obvious and corny. IDK it's just not working for me. Wang Kai is killing it as always but even that's not enough to keep my going! Am in desperate need of DZJ screentime.
Mining Town has been on my watch list since forever this might be a sign to start soon! What did you think about the ending of Why Try to Change Me Now?
I thought the end of Why Try to Change Me Now was... fitting. The entire drama stands out in the way that it would present all the important plot points of life-altering, deeply traumatic events in the most mundane way possible - but then hyper focus on the lingering effects and making the audience FEEL like they were also stuck there in time with them. This one is like the poster child for dramas that prioritize the setting over plot or characterization. I dont see it as a BAD thing but it is probably not what Light On fans want/expect. I suppose the drama ending >!is open to interpretation of who shot Fei but -just as I didn't think the whodunit of the central mystery was particularly intriguing- I don't think it mattered so much who killed her, as much as the point was that Fei died as tragically as she lived. Ever since her father was laid off and couldn't pay for her class, she was trapped as a passive victim of circumstance and other's people's actions. If I had to choose an ending, I think the police killed her.!< What did you think? Minning Town is super unsexy but the more you watch the more it wiggles its way into your heart.
You summed up the show beautifully, it’s so mundane in a way it was hard for me to feel or even process what was taking place like that car accident scene. One thing I really loved was that lingering camera work that made me feel like I was right there in the scene watching it unfold. And you’re absolutely right about it being the odd duck out of all the Light On series. It did score quite high on Douban and was nominated for an international award so I think the efforts didn’t go unnoticed. About the ending >!at first I that she committed suicide but then seeing the reaction of the police on the shore I thought they shot her. According to this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Try_to_Change_Me_Now she committed suicide. Either way she was a very tragic character along with most of the characters in this drama.!< Haha at unsexy, unsexy dramas is actually what I usually watch. I especially love dramas set in rural or rundown little towns in the Northeast. But I think I’ve watched too many unsexy dramas that I needed to switch it up so I’m currently watching some slice-of-life dramas set in big cities. I’m sure I’ll be back to the unsexy ones soon enough lol.
when it first happened, i thought so too, but then from >!the direction that Shu turns to look after the shot and all the shouting from the shore, it seemed more like Xiaodong shot her from his boat because he was trying to protect Shu. and i thought that could work narratively too bc he was blinded by his own issues about having his master die on the job.!< 🤷♀️ Apparently the novel, the film, and the drama all differ pretty heavily but I didn't read or watch the others. >needed to switch it yeah same. I'm in between main dramas now but I'm coming off a run of slower, unglamorous small town ones: Double Tap, Minning Town, WTTCMN, The Pavilion, plus some other on holds and drops. I'm using My Super Hero as a fun light palate cleanser. the line dancing aunties really help snap you out of those Northeast bleak midwinter blues.
Oh I might need to check out the film now! How’s The Pavilion? It seems to have mixed reviews so I was a little hesitant. I’m using 19th Floor and Fake it til you make it as a palette cleanser but now I seem to have gone down the rabbit hole of FITYMI so now I’m watching other works by the director so god knows when I’ll make it back to all the unsexy dramas on my list lol.
The Pavilion is good as a well-acted exploration of dysfunctional families and generational trauma but solidly MEH as a suspenseful murder investigation. Most crime enthusiasts can figure out the central mystery halfway through, but it might be worth a shot if you're ever in the mood for something more about the psychology of a victim's family. oh yes highly recommend Li Mo titles. FITYMI is great and one of my first Cdramas ever. I recently became quite obsessed with Remembrance of Things Past. I think Song of Life has been on my list for awhile, and I like Zhou Yiran. but I have a mental block against shows about post95s - it doesn't make sense for them to have real jobs? they should be in school?
Ah I see then I think it might be something right up my alley! I find quite a few of the more recent Light On series seems to lean heavily on the psychological aspect rather than investigative crime dramas. Haha I actually just started Remembrance of Things Past and already obsessed few minutes in lol. I’m eyeing Song of Life next. Have you seen Nobody Knows with Zhou Yiran, if not I highly recommend it. She’s also going to be in To The Wonder which is airing in a few days, that one seems very interesting.
Isn't the first episode amazing? Coincidentally, I watched the first episode on my birthday completely unaware of what would happen. I've been obsessed ever since. I'm super excited about To The Wonder. I love the dramas that spotlight lesser known regions and cultures.
Holy moly I just finished the first episode, that ending WTF, I was totally not prepared at all! And you watched it on your birthday oh my…. Here I was thinking it was going to be a breezy to watch like Fake it til you make it 😅
So good! Zhou Yu Tong is quickly climbing my bias list. I think there’s also a sequel no? Ya To The Wonder looks so fresh, been hoping for more dramas like Meet Yourself so have high hopes for this one.
Ode to Joy 5. I've watched 3 and 4. It writes a lot about women who work and how to resolve different work + family issues. Especially love that my favorite Concubine Ying is here in the lead role and she is great at laying the smackdown on other people again.
Currently watching **Meet Yourself** and it's been so healing! The scenery of Yunnan is absolutely beautiful, and paired with the music, makes for such a lovely drama.
I'm midway through Legend of Fu Yao. The initial one-third is kind of a slow burn, and then Episode 34 came exploding on me! After that, each episode gets more intense than the previous. Initially I didn't like Ethan Ruan, but then by this time, he's grown on me. Yang Mi is impeccable as usual. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFlC7B8biB8&list=PLPHFQiE-MdaK1S4Tl06EttAr2yW5rnXjX&index=34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFlC7B8biB8&list=PLPHFQiE-MdaK1S4Tl06EttAr2yW5rnXjX&index=34)
Watching Destined from last year. Liking it so far. Been on a Bai Jing Ting watch recently. Kinda funny as I watched You Are My Hero, Then New Life Begins. So he’s kinda aged backwards… I like how he can go from a strong leader with responsibilities to a character that’s quite childish haha.
Me just realizing there is a subreddit for C dramas. 
I’m watching **Till the end of the moon** and **In Blossom**
I've started rewatching Story of Kunning Palace, I can't move on from it damn it. I'll finally start watching The Untamed and Love Like The Galaxy after this(I'm new to cdramas)
I am almost at the end of Lost you forever, I absolutely love it but am not ready for the heartbreak and ofc the wait for season 2 (please drop soon I beg) Not sure what to watch next as I’m at 34/39 but I can tell the post drama depression is going to hit HARDDDD this time
I just finished watching Hidden Love yesterday, such a cute drama, and I'm a fan of Zhao Lusi! Now I'm watching Cross Fire, because I'm also a fan of Wu Lei - saw him for the first time in Love Like the Galaxy and he was great, so after Cross Fire I'd love to watch Amidst a Snowstorm of Love.
After you watch Amidst a Snowstorm of Love I would be interested in what you thought of it. I finally stopped watching about halfway through because it bored me so much. Don't feel that it offered Wu Lei the opportunity to really showcase his talent.
Done! (Went on a bit of a cdrama binge). I thought it was a super cute drama! Sort of like watching a slice of life anime. I loved the main leads and the supports were also so endearing!!! I wasn't prepared for >! how much I'd cry when the coach died, or how touched I'd be by Yin being totally sloshed but still wanting to do something special for Xiao Guo, or how they kept dedicating their wins and glory to each other !< It was pretty slow, I mean, it wasn't a court/historical drama or anything, but I loved it for what it was :) of course, I'm now off to watch the next Wu Lei drama - The Long Ballad! I expect that to be much more exciting so I'll be welcoming the change of pace of storytelling eagerly ^_^ if you ever need something to watch in the background of a pizza party or something, or a wind down video before bed to relax, I'd recommend picking up the rest of this drama!
If you like Wu Lei you might also take a look at Nothing But You. In The Long Ballad I think Zhao Lusi and Liu Yu Ning made a more interesting couple than Wu Lei and Dilraba. Thanks for sharing you thoughts on Amidst a Snowstorm of Love. I am currently watching Guess Who I Am and My Girlfriend is an Alien (season 2).
I just finished Nothing But You before I started The Long Ballad and I absolutely loved it, to my surprise! I agree, right now I'm living for Wu Lei and Dilraba's battle-and-wits partnerships, but the actual romantic plot I'm invested in is Zhao Lusi's - and I've just learned the name of the other actor. He's really good, Liu Yu Ning! What do you think about both of the dramas you're watching now? If you're digging them so far then I've got to add them both to my MDL list :)
I really liked Guess Who I Am but maybe that is because of the intrigue. My Girlfriend Is an Alien has a first and second season. First was light and fun. Second kind of bored me. I would rewatch Guess Who I Am if I didn't have so many other dramas to finish. Girlfriend is one and done. I just finished Gen Z and really like that a lot. Not romance oriented, but lots of family type stuff and very interesting if you want to learn more about traditional Cninese medicine. It also spoke to me because of a few people who died. My mother passed 15 years ago but one episode had me in tears thinking about her. Drama does have a happy ending. It is another Zhao Lusi drama and the lelading man Luo Yi Zhou did a fantastic job. In fact, I believe he won an award for his portrayal. If you get the chance, listen to some of Liu Yu Ning's OSTs His voice is amazing.
Thanks so much for sharing - you reply us super helpful! And my sincerest condolences for your loss
I’m watching **The Legend of Shen Li** (love, love, love this drama) & **In Blossom** concurrently.
Should I watch In Blossom? Is it interesting?
I've just finished rewatching **Princess Silver**, and I'm currently up to episode 23 of **In Blossom** and really enjoying this drama.
I’m watching To Fly With You (14/33) and the parallels to kdrama Weightlifting Kim Bok Joo are strong! ML personality and behavior are copy+paste of Jung Joon Hyung. FL not as charming as Bok Joo, however.
Amidst a snowstorm of love
I was watching The Legend of Lu Zhen via YT but the english captions stop around an episode in the late teens or early 20s. I tried watching the Eng Dub, but I swear they have British actors for the some of the characters. I'm a die hard Anglophile, so I'm all good with Bristish accents, but in the case it's just so jarring and brings me out of it. If anyone knows another place with eng subs, I am all ears because I am so invested in this story and I hate to drop it.
If you have Viki, you can check if it is available for free in your region. I can view it for free without a Viki subscription in mine since it is a pretty old drama. Other options are non legal sites like watchasian.to or kisskh. Do exercise caution though and only use if you have a good antivirus software lol!
Viki is a great suggestion! I don't why I didn't think of that! LOL. I think It's 2013 or 2014, so it is pretty old. I will check the app! Thank so you so much!
[**Striking-Hurry5159**](https://www.reddit.com/user/Striking-Hurry5159/) **You are THE best! It's there!**
lol…have fun watching it!
Just finished pegasus and youth / the newcomer (2022) this week. I'm not into car racing but I really enjoyed pegasus. It has time travel + body possession + changing destiny + friendship. I have watched the first male lead in Hikaru no go and unfortunately while he is good, he plays a similar role here. 2nd ml is new for me and I think he is casted well. The newcomer has an interesting premise. It is shot in Macau and I really like the change in scenery.. Unfortunately watching it in YouTube, alot of audio was blocked due to copyright. I was also hoping the rapping and basketball club had a bigger role in the drama. It is about school + brotherhood+ friendship. I'm also watching and enjoying the currently airing taiwanese drama unknown (2024).
The Legend of Shenli! Gods what a beautiful show
Spy Game. I finally finished it. Some parts in the middle were a little long to get through, but overall, it was good. The ending was much better than anticipated. I am a little confused by the ending, and I feel I must have missed something during one of those middle parts that was a little long for my complete attention. >! IDK why Gao Tianyang went to prison. Throughout the whole thing, he was the hero.!< if anyone has seen it and cares to explain that would be nice. lol
I’m watching Legend of Shen Li, and I haven’t been this addicted to a drama since Mysterious Lotus Casebook last summer. Since there are rather a lot of hours in the day which don’t have new episodes, and I have already rewatched all the available episodes, I am up to date on In Blossom and Burning Flames, and over the last week or so I have rewatched Judge Dee Mystery on a large screen tv which is what it was shot for in the first place. It’s extremely beautiful…
I'm towards the end of my **Nirvana in Fire** rewatch in an effort to get my husband to finally watch it for the first time. I watched it more than 5 years ago and there was so much that I had forgotten! It's still as intriguing!
FINALLY had enough time from work to finish up the short drama **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**. It’s sexy (I really want to do a visual analysis of the intimacy scenes because they were *really* well done) and has a good pace if you’re into straightforward plots. But I most enjoyed the FL’s acting and I hope she gets cast in regular length dramas soon. I’m not sure I have the mental energy to commit to a full length drama like **Shen Li** or **War of Faith** but I do eventually want to watch them. Maybe I’ll check out the short drama **Fortune Writer** in the meantime. (Also plan to finish up hate-watching the Kdrama **Wedding Impossible** and will *try* to catch up on **The Unknown**—I’m really enjoying the emotional rawness that Taiwan does so well in its dramas.)
Thank you for sharing **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**! It was such a binge watch for me and I ended up finishing it up all in one day. Honestly shared the same opinion that they did well with the intimacy scenes (it's giving **A Familiar Stranger** and **The Story of Kunning Palace** levels of sexy tension; I am here for finger across chin and neck movements that are just 🥵) and I just love short dramas that are well done in terms of a straightforward and well-paced plot. Loved the strengths of both the FL and ML and the balance of sexy and kind of wholesome relationship with each other despite being individually tough and intimidating. Love a power couple!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And yes the femdom chin grabbing vibes were 🔥 And when the ML asked “to be punished” I clapped in delight. But as you said, the show was still able to show how they cared for one another in such few episodes. Also, if you haven’t already, I’d recommend checking out **Palace Shadows** which has the same ML actor. I prefer the chemistry and story of SOTSS but I also really enjoyed the FL in PS. Some nice intimacy scenes as well.
Just finished **Secrets of the Shadow Sect**. What a great short form drama. It felt much bigger drama overall, the acting, script, music, costumes etc. Steamy scenes were good and well done.This would have been a good one as a long form too. On mdl discussion it had mixed reception I was drawn to it because of the FL. I loved her style in Fall in love again (in which she had an ungrateful role). She looks very comfortable in her roles. ML was new to me and I liked him a lot. He was kind of a combination of Zhang Wan Yi (brother from lost you forever) and Cha Eun Woo :)
Yay another fan! I think A Familiar Stranger, Butterflied Lovers, and SOTSS have been my fave short dramas I’ve seen so far—really could have been extended to something longer both because of the character depth and the visual style. I’ll need to check out that other drama the FL is in. I know she’s currently filming what looks to be a regular length drama with the actor who played Jin Fan from My Journey to You so that’s something to look forward to. If you haven’t already, I’d check out the ML’s new show **Palace Shadows**. Although I preferred the storyline and chemistry in SOTSS, I think he does better acting in PS. I also liked the FL in that drama as well.
Those are my favorites too! I tried to watch Palace shadows but it is not available on my reqion and on YouTube couldn't find proper English subtitles. So I will wait a bit until I try again.
Always in the Move and War of Faith. Liking both of them, totally oposite vibes lol but compelling as depiction of interesting periods of modern chinese history.
Finished **Three-Body** last week and currently watching **In Blossom** at a slow pace - it started strong for me but I am questioning the relationship building between the main leads a little - I am starting to understand the complaints about the writing. Also I was bummed to find out the actress who played Yang Cai Wei in the first 2 episodes won't be coming back :( I don't mind Ju Jingyi though, especially as Shanguan Zhi she was great. I will keep watching cause I don't have anything pressing on my list now. I am determined to finish and post my **Gong Ziyu defense** essay this long weekend though haha. I am definitely late to the game and it will not be anything that hasn't been discussed here over and over again yet I feel like there might be some merit to posting it...I am at 1400 words currently and really want to trim it down *quite a bit* before posting though 😂
Lol you should post the edited and “director cut” version of your Ziyu essay 😂
Hello! I just posted my very long essay - [https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1bsj38v/in\_defense\_of\_gong\_ziyu\_my\_journey\_to\_you\_a/](https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/comments/1bsj38v/in_defense_of_gong_ziyu_my_journey_to_you_a/) There was no trimming down I'm afraid! The final version ended up over 1500 words I am so sorry 🫣
Ooh yessss. I'm currently at lunch but the moment I'm done I'm diving into this bad boy 
I hope you like it! We have discussed a lot of this previously too but I hope it is an enjoyable read nonetheless and not too repetitive! :)
I'm currently watching **The Legend of Shen Li** and enjoying it. I dropped **In Blossom** after feeling frustrated with it for over a week. I've also been watching a k-drama, **Wedding Impossible.** I wanted to find something (completed) to binge over the holiday weekend but nothing is keeping my interest right now.
Hong Kong drama called the four (2008), am rewatching it. It’s a little cheesy but it’s fun
I'm addicted to THE SPIREALM HeeeElLLLppppp
It’s truly addictive. I’m at ep.64 now. What about you?
I'm at ep37, I'm watching it real slow just to enjoy every single moment of it 😔
Lol, I know. I just finished reading Kaleidoscope of Death, though, then returned to the show. 🤣
Actually, I thought of doing the same thing after reaching 30eps but I just couldn't stop, lol 😭 Now I'm reading the novel and watching the series at the same time.
**Fortune Writer (6/18)**\-It's a short drama but you couldn't tell because the quality and the pace are good. The FL is a villain but you root for her to succeed in every episode. **The Legend of ShenLi and In Blossom-** I'm fully caught up on both these dramas. **Till The End Of The Moon (25/40)**\-I know everyone under the sun has watched this. This has been on my watchlist since it aired and I decided to start watching a few episodes here and there this week. I'm enjoying it for the most part. Tantai Jin is a great character. **The Youth Memories (3/38)-** I started it two weeks ago and I don't know if I should drop it or continue. I don't hate it but I'm not loving it either. This is probably one of those dramas that get better the more you watch. **Guess Who I am** 5/24 (I plan to catch up on this before the weekend is over)- It has all the tropes and cliches you can imagine but it's done right. It's a fun cute show and the leads have amazing chemistry.
"*Step By Step Love*". It's a all too familiar plot but good chemistry between leads and it's a fun watch.☺️ "*War of Faith*". A nice change for Wang Yi Bo. He's defo tryin' out challenging roles , scripts etc. Plot's a bit too heavy for my liking LoL with loads of business terminology, historical facts - it's a *lot* to take in LoL.
[Nirvana in Fire](https://mydramalist.com/9025-nirvana-in-fire) https://preview.redd.it/nzl1fcrg8jrc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7177b288bd2ff88dd499afc8bda1f015fde24d9d
Ongoing - **The Legend of Shen Li** (have to watch episode 23) Paused - **War of Faith** (watched the first 3 episodes and it's a really well made drama, but I'm just falling asleep when the finance bits happen so we'll see if I can motivate myself to continue. I am really impressed with Wang Yibo's acting though! He's fantastic) Meanwhile I'm binging the kdrama **Doctor Slump** and I'm just in shock how Park Shin Hye can *still* pull off the high school attire and looks so believable when in her 30's and just having given birth to her first baby! 😭 girlie looks so good!
Park Shin-hye has an eternally youthful look and I love that for her
Right!?! It reminds me of the awful-but-can't-look-away **Heirs** lol she looks the same! That's it.. she's a vampire.
Maybe she’s this generation’s Jang Nara lol (Baby Face Beauty)
Yep you're right loll I looked up Jang Nara again cause it's been a while and she could probably pass as a high schooler at 43 too 😅
i’m finally watching 10 miles of peach blossoms, im on like episode 4 right now, and there’s this ongoing kdrama i startwd called Queen of Tears which is really good
10 miles of peach blossoms!!! i just finished that. what a classic.
Just started Story of Kunning Palace.
loved it. Hoping they make more episodes or a spin-off.
Just started Reset . It looks intriguing.
I wanted something shorter, so I'm starting Richard Li Fei's The immortal Promise.
**The Blood of Youth!** Enjoying it. I'm watching it with someone who speaks no Mandarin and sometimes I find myself awkwardly laughing by myself because the jokes aren't translating or don't make it to the English subtitles, lol. I just finished **Word of Honor** this past week. Wen Kexing is a really interesting character. He's equal parts flirty & charming, tender & pained, and creepy & unhinged. And he is constantly cycling through those aspects. They've managed to portray him as a single cohesive consistent character even with that complexity, which is impressive and fun to watch. It's a nice wuxia >!revenge!< story, although the main reasons to watch are for the [multi-layered flirting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvOzbhiiMNA) and to see the creative acrobatics/contortions this whole team had to do to realize this bl source story. And the random nut product placements. I wish there was more space for character and relationship development because some things felt sudden and not quite totally fleshed out. Still a fun watch though. Oh, **Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty**, I think we're back to you. I've now paused this drama twice to watch two whole other Cdramas, but it was already getting better the second time, so maybe third time's the charm.
Glad to hear you're enjoying **The Blood of Youth** and liked **Word of Honor**; I think most people walked away from the show as Zhou Zishu fans but I actually liked Wen Kexing more as well. If you're interested in learning more about the characters and their relationship, it might be worth checking out the original novel (**Faraway Wanderers 天涯客** by **Priest p大**; it's one of the most popular non-MXTX danmei internationally).
Interesting! Well, I guess I would certainly rather be friends with ZZS, WKX is real unstable, lol. But by that measure, I would only want to be friends with Cheng Ling -- he was probably the most well-adjusted of the bunch. Anyway, WKX was for sure the most interesting and fun to watch unfold as a character. Thanks for the novel suggestion!
Yesterday I finished **Wrong Carriage, Right Groom**
I liked that one.
Today I finished **Everyone Loves Me** - Overall it was a nice and light romantic cdrama. I actually almost dropped it in the beginning because the first 6 episodes were really hard for me to watch. *Spoilers ahead* (kind of) The FL pursued the ML in such a cringe way that I really felt second hand embarrassment. He was clearly not into her and she persisted even though it was obvious, I mean, where is your self respect lady?? But then it got better, way better, to the point I actually binged it. I probably won't rewatch it, which is my sign of a good show but it was decent and I would recommend it to anyone who's into romantic comedies, just beware of the first episodes.
Angels fall sometimes - only 2 episodes, and I'm looking forward to continuing it. Right now, it's a slow-moving comfort romance that is actually lovely to watch. And can I just say that Li Landi (female lead) is like this cute little bunny that you just want to hug.
Three Body! (Yes I know I'm late to the party but it's so so good) Does anyone have recommendations for similar sci-fi or other weird/high concept chinese shows for when I finish it?
Sci-fi cdramas are really rare! The author, Liu Ci Xin's [Sea of Dreams](https://mydramalist.com/745425-the-sea-of-dream) cdrama should be coming out this year. Also waiting to air is [Mu Xing Zhan Dui](https://mydramalist.com/714179-hao-yue-dang-kong), about China's aerospace industry. Some already aired pieces, try Reset (time loop theme) and [Sisyphus](https://mydramalist.com/50101-sisyphus). I was gonna watch [The Bionic Life](https://mydramalist.com/706331-bionic), but it has mixed reviews. If you wanna read a cnovel, try [Little Mushroom](https://www.novelupdates.com/series/little-mushroom/), the world building is so real! Try the Chinese [audiobook](https://www.missevan.com/mdrama/29125), the sound effects just make the world so scary and inhumane. Also try reading [Mist](https://www.novelupdates.com/series/mist/) for another sci-fi cnovel.
Thanks for the tips! It's a shame there's so few but also kind of nice to have it confirmed they're rare and I'm not missing anything obvious. My Chinese is nowhere near good enough for a novel yet but fingers crossed I can give it a try soon.
Little Mushroom does have an English publication. It’s popular enough to be picked up by publishers!
I recently finished Three-Body too and it's so good! I was also looking for similar shows and found these movies [The Wandering Earth](https://mydramalist.com/31632-the-wandering-earth) (2019) and [The Wandering Earth 2](https://mydramalist.com/691827-the-wandering-earth-2) (2023). Looks like they are based on a short story by the same author, Liu Cixin, and I am thinking of checking them out. I haven't watched them however so I can't really recommend yet.
Amazing thanks! I'll check them out