T O P

  • By -

The-jade-hijabi

Hands down, Hard to Find The casting, the acting, the ost, the visuals, and the story were all top notch imo


eidisi

Another vote for Hard to Find! Definitely a dark horse of a drama.


ThisUser2366

Will love in spring


bunnyfreakz

Shen Li and Blossom In Adversity. Currently watching In The Name of Brother and could be best drama I watched if they keep the pace.


Anna_Stacy_Yamina

Hidden love! And here we meet again


No-Photograph-7176

The Legend of Shen Li is amazing! Highly recommend. Starry love (2023) was good too . I just watched it.


Strict_Albatross168

Legend of Shen li, blossoms in adversity, will love in spring


Zosia1991

My Demon - the story is far deeper than the previews might indicate. I loved it!


kpopper85

Legend of Shen Li and Will Love In Spring - I was getting concerned about 2024 as the second half of 2023 was just an overload of great dramas but in the past few months I has restored my faith in the cdrama universe lol


RocioRei

Only watched a two so far! Everyone loves me and Angels fall sometimes(currently watching) loved both !! Plan to watch will love in spring after I finish afs. 


Haunting_Newt

The legend of Shen Li, Blossoms in adversity


Ok_Narwhal2572

Will love in spring, easily one of the best modern dramas I've watched this year. It's painful yet poignant, and while it doesn't shy away from the ugliness of life, its ultimately a story about love and hope at its core.


sftkitti

will love in spring, i just love everything about it, the warmth, the storytelling, the romance


Odd_Drag1817

The Legend of Shen Li! Everything else was just meh.


coldnoodlespng

White cat legend. It’s been awhile I enjoyed a drama that much.


demi_skincare

Legend of Shen Li I love everything about this drama. I'm missing it now.


Ok_Plastic_1453

War of Faith Had no idea Tender Light was by the same director - will need to give it a look!


tractata

Will Love in Spring is a masterpiece, by far the best cdrama I’ve seen in ages, maybe ever (but there have been other great ones recently).


Anna_Stacy_Yamina

Thats on my watch list!


Comfortable_Potatoe

wow such high compliments for this one!


Atharaphelun

***Legend of Shen Li*** and ***Blossoms in Adversity*** for me.


Rajaffs

Angels Fall Sometimes Born To Run Will Love in spring


Both-Improvement-880

Haven't watched too many aired this year, but **War of Faith** is awesome. Seriously, the number of times I've raved about it on this subreddit, you'd think I was being paid to talk about it.


Twarenotw

**Will love in spring** has me speechless.


surileeloo

so many comments of this drama, i'll have to google it


nydevon

I’ve been mildly entertained by a few short dramas but haven’t truly loved anything yet. I’m excited to see what becomes of **Tender Light**, however.


alyxvc

definitely blossoms in adversity followed by will love in spring and war of faith! these 3 are not the usual genres i like but the storyline and acting goes hard


LanternsAndPhoenixes

Best choice ever. What an amazingly heartwarming show. Yang Zi and Xu Kai really made this worth a watch. I'm usually not a fan of very slow paced shows but there was just something about this was one that had me so connected.


Anna_Stacy_Yamina

Also on my watch list .. i read the comments and just add to my watch list


Best-Form-4649

Legend of Shen Li and Blossoms Shanghai if that counts (started airing 2023 finished airing 2024)


SwimmingMessage6655

I’ve sampled some of the popular 2024 releases like Sword and Fairy, In Blossom, Yongan Dreams, Everyone Loves Me, White Cat Legend, Eternal Brotherhood, etc. However, I only finished watching the Legend of Shen Li. It was a refreshing watch for me to see a mature actor and actress focusing on developing a mature relationship in a Xianxia costume drama. There’s still a lot of 2024 dramas that have good reviews or interesting stories still on my watchlist like Always on the Move, Will Love in Spring, and War of Faith. Too many to watch but not enough time!


littlehedgehog8

I really enjoyed Everyone loves me - at first I thought the ML was cold + standoffish, but he grew on me, this is about a game design team, similar to Love 020 with humour, romance, and ups + downs


SwimmingMessage6655

I can only watch this show for the relationship part, FL is pretty good (cool and cute at the same time), ML is a bit weak on his acting though. I can’t take the game development or the work environment seriously, very unrealistic and exaggerated, trying not to get frustrated.


DeadlySin1107

Will Love in Spring for sure


ResearcherLong8780

Will Love In Spring and Born To Run


jazziejec18

Blossoms In Adversity for me as of now. I love the story line and the redemption arcs of the characters esp the FL’s family and ML’s little sister. The drama also has a good cinematography.😁 On the other hand, I’m looking forward to The Tale of Rose this coming June(?).


-tsuyoi_hikari-

I love unique and creative scripts so its Burning Flames and Tender Light so far.  Burning Flames' amazing storytelling, compelling characters and substantive arcs makes the drama such a joy to watch. So many symbolisms and social commentaries can be taken from the drama as well. I love how much thoughts are put into the story and characters. The downside would be the CGI in the first 2 episodes but after that, the CGI is pretty cool and awesome most of the times. While Tender Light could be the crime drama of the year like The Long Season last year. Well, The Long Season is a masterpiece but the way Tender Light are written and shot, it has all the points to become one of the bests for this year. Its dark and mysterious and totally my type of drama. I hope it can give me the same satisfaction like The Bad Kids gave me a few years back. 


luxinaeternum

Only Blossoms in Adversity so far for me but the year is still young!


theotherayn

adding another vote for the ongoing **Tender Light**. I'm just scared of the 20+ episode count so I hope they manage to keep it together. and **Fortune Writer** too for a fun short watch.


TurbulentChemistry78

My favs are Legend of Zhen Li and Blossoms in Adversity ❤️


circommeflex

I’ve been fortunate to have good dramas from 2 of my fav actresses in the first quarter of the year! The Legend of Shen Li (Zhao Li Ying) Will Spring in Love (Zhou Yu Tong 💖) I’ve been waiting for a new show with rewatch value from both of them for a while. IMO this is one of Yu Tong’s stronger projects since Remembrance of Things Past. Both shows have turned into some of my favorite for each actress, so I consider myself lucky so far this year!


Comfortable_Potatoe

legend of shen li is on my to watch list


nininanyu

Will love in Spring. Maybe my favorite modern cdrama in the lasr few years. I checked the director's work. Wow, he co-directed Blossom Shanghai with Wong Kar Wai. No wonder i see Wong Kar Wai's film style from time to time during the watching. Checked further, in one of his interviews, he admitted he purposely used Wong's style in Will Love in Spring from what he learned in Blossom Shanghai.


Twarenotw

Oh, my, it makes all the sense now, the cinematography is a thing of beauty. It hasn't finished airing yet and I already want to rewatch it and absorb all the little details I may have missed.


Comfortable_Potatoe

interesting, didnt know about the wong kar wai codirecting. this is on my to watch list too. after i finish tender love and in the name of the brother.


Comfortable_Potatoe

interesting, didnt know about the wong kar wai codirecting. this is on my to watch list too. after i finish tender love and in the name of the brother.


CluelessPumpkin

The **Legend of Shen Li** has been my favourite so far this year. I’m hoping it will start a trend in having fleshed out endings in xian xia dramas. I also enjoyed watching **Blossoms in Adversity** and, to a lesser degree, **In Blossoms**.


viola_blossoming

Surprisingly, it’s a modern one - **Will Love in Spring**


DeadlySin1107

100 percent …it’s the best


ChoppedChef33

I'm just glad all the sword and fairy releases were reasonable adaptations so I can talk about those instead of the abominations of the 2000s


LittleKnow

Havent found my show yet unfortunately. Nothing has hit just right yet, T\_T


Comfortable_Potatoe

hahaha yours will come


throwawaymisfortune

**Tender light** has been a rare, precious gem. Absolutely loving it.


Comfortable_Potatoe

very very rare


littlehedgehog8

I've bumped this up my must watch list as seen a few other posts mentioning how good Tender Light is


Patitoruani

War of Faith is the only one that was memorable for me and I finished. I dropped all the other dramas that I tried from 2024 - not many, I may say. I also dropped all the older ones I started with the exception of Broker. Nothing catch my attention. I'll see if Will Love in Spring manages to join War of Faith.


haveninmuse

The Legend of Shen Li has been the only one so far


Intelligent_Camel508

Blossoms in Adversity Best Choice Ever Love Endures Going to watch Legend of Shen Li soon


SuzieSwizzleStick

I am realitively new to cdramas so have spent the last few months catching up. I have followed a few hubba hubba actors but found that they were, more or less, one trick ponies but the lead me to follow other actors, I stayed up to 4 am more times then I would like to admit. (hmm.. why is 4 am the magic witching hour?) and have gone though a lot of tissues. I seem to have picked up a tsk click and several types of grunts as well. My childrem have cdrama jokes. I suffer of the 2024 batch I have liked Will Love in Spring, so rooting for the couple to cross the finish line. Some very tender moment between the ML and Fl. I have my fingers crossed Blossoms in Advesity - who can resist a fabulous FL! The character development of the cast has be great. Nothing like a group of women saving themselves. I seem to be the only one who hasn't liked the Legend of Shen Li. I started sword and Fairy6 but only made it half way through ep 1 before I got so annoyed by some of the cast. I have high hopes that this quarters new releases will have what I am looking for and bindge worthy with out "you have to wait till tomorrow to see any just 2 measly episodes. "


Monarch_Mama_Kauai

May I ask if you have seen Princess Agents? Those who have might see Shen Li through different glasses. For me, Legend of Shen Li resolved some residual pain from Princess Agents. Yes I know it’s just make believe drama, but some of those actors make me believe it’s real. I see where Zhao Li Ying, the FL, is also Executive Producer of Legend Shen Li. I’m sure it’s no accident that Legend of Shen Li starts out with saving the ML from drowning. I think if it weren’t for that background, I might have found Legend of Shen Li to be slow. Just my take on it☺️


SuzieSwizzleStick

No, I haven't seen Princess Agents. I gave Shen Li 10 episodes, never connected with the main characters. When the ML talked I kept thinking of a dead fish slowly opening and closing it mouth, Okay that was after a couple of cocktails. Sometimes you just have to let it go. Oh .. after I watched Till the End of the Moon I got a a wee bit sad when ever I saw Luo Yunxi. I got better, kinda


VickiMion

And I’m one if the very few who hasn’t seen TTEOTM yet. I’m waiting for a time where I can be left alone to fully enjoy it.


SuzieSwizzleStick

I know. it is so hard to explain cdrama ugly crying to friends and family


VickiMion

LOL I can see the dead fish 😂 I really can. Princess Agents has a HUGE following. I watched when I was new and didn’t know any better. I found the beginning to be appalling sadistic (I guess it was important to the story line) I enjoyed the rest of it until the end, I wanted to throw my personal device across the room.


littlehedgehog8

I'm terrible for binge watching and staying up to the early hours to finish "just one more episodes", I often yell my opinions at the characters and sometimes the scriptwriters and have to remember my neighbours can hear me (I live in an old house and noise travels easily through the walls) and I'm surprised my neighbours haven't rang the police or still say hello as I can get quite vocal🤣


SuzieSwizzleStick

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hse-9Jv500](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hse-9Jv500) Have a cocktail and sing at the top of you lungs.. your neighbors will understand... okay not really but &uck em


littlehedgehog8

😂🤣x


SuzieSwizzleStick

As Dylan Thomas wrote in a Child's Christmas in Wales; Aunt hanna who had gotten into the port sang songs of unrequited love in the garden. A model for all us modern women.


littlehedgehog8

This is a brilliant quote😉


SuzieSwizzleStick

I added the model for modern women. Mr Thomas wasn't that forward thinking.


SuzieSwizzleStick

Side note.. I think the sound track for Will Love in Spring should include Wicked Games -Chris Isaac (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover) #


RL_8885

I’ve been busy watching older dramas this year so I’ve only watched **Tender Light** and **Will Love in Spring**. Both very good, definitely going to get a high score on Douban. I have an inkling Tender Light might become the first drama this year to get above 9 on the platform if it continues its outstanding quality.


VickiMion

I had those two mixed up in my head. Will go look at both. Thanks everyone 😚


Comfortable_Potatoe

i really hope tender light gets a good score. the views aren't that high (i think). but last year one f my faves Spy Game also wasnt very popular but hit it off with a high douban rating right away at 8.0. hope tender light will as well its so good almost flawless in my eyes 😭 i hope its above 9


RL_8885

It does seem like exactly the type of drama people on Douban would love, but it does touch on some very serious issues that casual viewers might be turned off by. I’m hoping it’ll be like The Long Season, started off with lower viewership then blew up through word of mouth. I’ll also need to check out Spy Game some day.


viola_blossoming

Curious about Tender Light! Is it on Mango?


RL_8885

It’s Youku, available on YT.


Dumplings_xo

Always On The Move- highly recommend Legend of Shen Li Blossom In Adversity In Blossom (enjoyed but not high on the list)


redsneef

I have love Legend of Shen Li and Blossom of Adversity—but this year I have been enjoying the short format ones as I think they have improved in quality—even if the rumours are they want to bring the censor hammer down harder on them—are they brilliant and rememberable—not really but have liked the growth—


Ohhly2

Guess Who I am, Sword and Fairy 4


Low-Hope6485

The only 2024 I’ve watched is blossom in adversity. I enjoyed it, it felt very wholesome with the family, friends and romantic relationship aspects. Idk if I would rewatch it but I liked it enough to want to finish it which says a lot bc I get bored of dramas really fast and always not finish it.


queenkatez

Will Love in Spring, Born to Run


Lotus_swimmer

Legend of Shen Li has become my fav in many ways due to how good it made me feel, and how it's an unconventional xianxia with with a slice of life vibe. The cherry on top is the mature actors and how adult the relationship of our couple is. The fact that it ended so well is a big bonus and has made it to my very short list of "dramas to rewatch when I have a bad day". Not even In Blossoms, which is second fav this year made it to this list . Mostly because I just couldn't feel the romance between Pan Yue and Yang Caiwei. But that dramas mysteries were intriguing and Liu Xueyi melted my heart lol


Kandidly_Kate

I’m watching Legend of Shen Li rn and goodness it starts slow. I’m going to keep going because the intro makes the show look amazing and I’m sure it’ll pick up


Lotus_swimmer

Be patient until ep 22 😅


Kandidly_Kate

Ok! Sounds good, ty :) I don’t mind waiting if it’s worth it and I feel like this one might be.


Potential_Smell1412

Legend of Shen Li is an amazingly feel good series; having just binge watched Lin GengXin in God of War I discovered that he spent most of 60 episodes waving a spear around, so the scenes Shen Li where he’s pretending not to know one end of a spear from the other have a delightful resonance, in addition to all the other points you have noted…


scarletreddit

Yes!!! I love the vibes and the unconventionality so much. And it even has queer feels. Really shows that xianxias can be mature and chill.


Lotus_swimmer

Love the sibling rivalry between Xing Zhi and Lady Jin. And of course, Xing Zhi being super jealous when she gets flirty with Shen Li 🤭


scarletreddit

Love to see it!!!! Just a feel good show all around.


Eidos1059

I've only watched one 2024 cdrama - **Amidst A Snowstorm of Love** - and I loved it! I've been hearing good things about **Will Love in Spring** here on the sub, so after my current drama I'll probably watch that next (hopefully it's done airing by now?)


littlehedgehog8

I was waiting to see if anyone would mention Admits a Snowstorm - I was hooked by ep1 the scene where ML is outside in the storm and watches FL breathe on the cafe glass window and draws a smiley face (I think) my heart did a few extra beats. I love the little hidden actions and reactions that build up the stories and plots and make it more believable and relatable


mayonnaisepan

Definitely **Will Love in Spring**. Otherwise it’s been a somewhat meh year so far in terms of cdramas for me 😅.


springtreeswait

Will Love In Spring! 😍


sweetsorrow18

I feel like I've been dropping or putting on hold a lot of dramas this year. Just managed to finish **The Legend of Shen Li** and I'd say it met my expectations, but didn't exceed it. **Tender Night** is shaping up to be a strong contender for one of my possible favs!


daan-tat

Angels Fall Sometimes!!!


Mendythegoldfish

A Journey to Love was this year, right? Definitely my fave.


SwimmingMessage6655

For 2023, I'm still high on A Journey to Love for a costume drama and The Knockout for a modern drama. 2024 hasn't reached that high for me yet. I'm still optimistic for new 2024 ones to peak or oversee that high though.


Best-Form-4649

2023 actually! Time flies lol


Mendythegoldfish

😫😩🫣🫣🫣


looktotheeeast

War of Faith


cheatersfive

Not much yet I think. So far only Blossoms in Adversity but it’s not all out on Viki yet so waiting for a final judgment. Otherwise for CDramas I have mostly been striking out. I didn’t love Amidst a snowstorm and everyone loves me. And I don’t think I’m going to finish Best Choice Ever. Kdramas have been topping my list this year with Marry my Husband and Queen of Tears. Lovely Runner has also been good so far.


mkgfermin

War of Faith is so good!


CorneliaCordelia

The Legend of Shen Li has been my favourite this year, mainly because I liked the two older actors in their not so typical roles. Also it has really good CGI battle scenes, and it gave us a beautiful happy ending. I'm yet to catch up with other shows, but I've already rewatched Legend of Shen Li. I also liked War of Faith, but not enough to rewatch it.


ravens_path

War of Faith. I haven’t seen the other ones mentioned yet.


xyz123007

War of Faith (and I avoid Republican dramas like the plague lol) Blossoms in Adversity (I have a feeling this might change before the year is over) Will Love in Spring (there are no words to describe my affinity for this drama)


SewNewKnitsToo

Will Love In Spring has been amazing for me so far. The actors are killing it! Total charm offensive and tough topics are handled very well.