Chinese dramas’ captivating stories and traditional costumes have made them one of the top East-Asian entertainment content on the rise recently. Thanks to streaming platforms like Viki, WeTV, and even Netflix, C-dramas have become more accessible to the international audience. Here we are looking at the new Chinese dramas to watch in 2024.
The 2019 period fantasy drama The Untamed was one of the first Chinese dramas that enjoyed critical and global acclaim. Fast forward to 2023, an array of series had the world hooked to their screens. These included the popular swoon-worthy romantic series Hidden Love, which has an 8.6/10 on IMDb. Other popular 2023 Chinese dramas were Till the End of the Moon, When I Fly Towards You and The Forbidden Flower.
From epic historical sagas to contemporary tales of love and intrigue, C-dramas offer a vividly unparalleled viewing experience that almost always opens global audiences to Chinese traditions, values, and cultures.
The 2024 roster of Chinese entertainment content also promises a world filled with complex characters and rich storytelling. We’ve curated a list of Chinese dramas set for release in 2024 that everyone should be adding to their binge-watching list.
6 exciting Chinese dramas to watch in 2024
Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact
Cast: Yang Mi, Gong Jun
Director: Mai Guan Zhi, Du Lin
Episodes (estimated): 38
Synopsis: Fox spirit Tushan Hong Hong (Yang) saves Dongfang Yue Chu (Gong) when he falls into dangerous trouble. The duo gradually start spending some time together in Tushan, the home of Fox Spirit Matchmakers, they make a deal to fight evil forces together to ensure peace and harmony reign high in their clans, which are in constant battle with each other.
About the show: The first instalment in the Fox Spirit Matchmaker series, Red Moon Pact is one of the major Chinese dramas of 2024 that many fans are eagerly waiting to watch as the filming ended in late 2022. It is a live-action series based on a popular manhua of the same name that was adapted into a comic book, a movie, a mobile game, and now a TV series.
Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Love in Pavilion
Cast: Liu Shi Shi, Leon Zhang
Director: Du Lin
Episodes (Estimated): 36
Synopsis: The Bamboo Pavilion bears witness to the most heart-wrenching promise between Dongfang Huai Zhu (Liu) and Wangquan Hong Ye (Leon), the leaders of the two most respectful families. The duo work together to ensure stability in a world fraught with human-demon conflict but end up having their fates intertwined to become a legend that will be known for generations to come.
About the show: One of the main Chinese dramas fans are ardently waiting for is Fox Spirit Matchmaker 2 aka Love in Pavilion. This sequel will focus on the Zhuye arc, which features the love story between Dongfang Huai Zhu and Wangquan Honge Ye.
Moonlight Mystique
Cast: Bai Lu, Ao Rui Peng
Director: Chu Yui Pan, Zhu Rui Bin, Francis Nam Chi-Wai, Gu Zhi Wei
Episodes (Estimated): 36
Synopsis: Bai Shuo (Bai), a cheerful troublemaker and daughter of a general, seeks immortality but accidentally ends up rescuing the infamous and powerful demon god Fanyue (Ao). The duo gets on each other’s nerves but eventually develops affection towards each other and falls in love.
The Princess Royal
Cast: Zhao Jin Mai, Zhang Ling He
Director: Go Yik Chun
Episodes (estimated): 40
Synopsis: Despite being married for 30 years, Li Rong (Zhao) and Pei Wen Xuan (Zhang) bear no affection or love towards each other. They end up dying after falling for someone else’s schemes by turning against one another. However, they are given a chance to make things right when they’re transported back to the time when they tied the knot purely for political gains – at 18 years of age. How will their story end this time?
About the show: The lead actress, Zhao Jin Main, was listed in Forbes China‘s 30 Under 30 Asia 2019 for her popularity and influence in the entertainment field. The show is an adaptation of a web novel, The Grand Princess.
Follow Your Heart
Cast: Luo Yun Xi, Song Yi
Director: Yu Chung Chung
Episodes (estimated): N/A
Synopsis: Coldhearted prince Jiang Xin Bai (Luo) realizes how love goes beyond physical appearance as he meets and falls in love with physician Yan Nan Xing (Song), a spirited being who transforms into another person every month. One of the many hurdles they face is the prince’s prosopagnosia or face blindness, a cognitive disorder wherein a person loses the ability to remember people’s faces. The two solve crimes together while their fates bring them much closer as they discover what it truly means to be in love.
About the show: This is one of the most anticipated Chinese dramas this year because of Luo Yun Xi, the star of the hit 2023 TV series Till The End of the Moon (TTEM). He achieved mainstream success through TTEM and the 2020 office romance drama Love is Sweet (2020).
Legend of the Female General
Cast: Zhou Ye, Ryan Cheng
Director: Jeffery Chiang
Episodes (estimated): 40
Synopsis: Generals with opposite personalities unite to rid evil and injustice but end up falling for each other. Zhou plays a female general with a gentle personality but a strong, independent spirit while Ryan plays a male general who’s cold-hearted but has martial prowess.
(Hero and feature images: Courtesy IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the No. 1 Chinese drama?
According to IMDb rating, Nirvana in Fire (2015), The Untamed (2019) and Hidden Love (2023) are a few of the highest-rated Chinese dramas with 8.9, 8.8 and 8.6 ratings, respectively. All these garnered a huge interest amongst global viewers and are popular for their storytelling. They also showcase the range of genres China is known for – revenge thrillers, wuxia (adventures of martial artists in fantasy history) and romance.
What is the most-liked Chinese drama?
Several Chinese dramas have gained immense popularity in recent years. Some of these dramas are Three-Body (2023), Love Like the Galaxy (2022), The Untamed (2019), Hidden Love (2023), Put Your Head on My Shoulder (2019) and Love O2O (2016).
How long are Chinese dramas usually?
Usually, an episode of a Chinese drama runs for around 40-60 minutes and is 40-52 episodes long. However, in 2020, China’s media regulator, the National Radio and Television Administration, set rules for the TV industry to limit episodes to 40 and under. Hence, the number of episodes for most of the upcoming Chinese dramas is between 35 to 40.
Which Chinese drama is worth watching?
The slate for 2023 Chinese dramas was so impressive that fans couldn’t stop talking about it. Some of the dramas that they swear are worth watching include Hidden Love, The Forbidden Love, Till the End of the Moon and When I Fly Towards You.
An entertainment journalist, Afreen has written for several media publications, including Pinkvilla's Hallyutalk and SK POP with a focus on Korean entertainment. She holds a journalism degree from Xavier Institute of Communications. She has over four years of experience writing for digital media. She lives and breathes caffeine, K-pop and K-drama. When not writing, she's out exploring the streets of Nottingham, UK.
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