Favourite cdramas

A fictional anti-corruption historical drama, pinnacle of dry politics, lot of old men scheming against each other and galore of complicated layered characters.

Traverse the chaotic warring states period and witness all the diplomatic missions, battles and reforms that formed the foundation of unification of China and Qin dynasty.

Engaging and fun retelling of three kingdoms period from the incredible strategist Sima Yi's pov. 

Cinematic masterpiece that's well acted, well produced and well told.

Deeply flawed drama with wonderful acting and characterisations that's absolutely mesmerising.

Shakespearean-like story about the daughter of the only Empress in China, the incredible priviledge and tragedy that comes with being royal princess.

An unconventional time travelling heartbreaking romance.

Ever wondered what the aftermath of a mary sue story would look like? This would be it! A boy trying to find his place in the world, while his modern values clashes with imperial china's values, with lots of surprises on the way.

Fun adventure drama with a super adorable cast and so many plot twists.

Hilarious and adorable romcom that uses matriarchy as a gimmick to comment on small things about gender presumptions and expectations while poking fun at common tropes and issues in storytelling.

Incredibly enlightening drama set in the chaotic early Republican period, this is about people struggling to fight against 2000 years of feudal traditions and desperately seeking what kind of system is suitable for a modern China.

An exquisite tale of rise and fall of Beijing Opera in the tumult Republican era.

Epitome of battle of wits with tons of plot of twists, and  rare shippable double FLs who are smart till the end.

Awesome thriller with unreliable narrator that touches on some heavy issues.

Exploring survivors' journey of coping and scruitnises rape culture + unequal power dynamic, through the unlikely lens of a defense attorney, while she has to walk the fine line of being sympathetic and trying to clear her client. A drama full of "imperfect" women, who's criticised left and right regardless of what they do.

Touching journey of finding's one purpose and appreciating life through facing death upfront.

Slice of life story that hits pretty close to home, about ladies working hard in big city away from home,  where little things pile up and could push you over the edge, where work is stressful, living alone have all kinds of problems and you are too afraid to  tell your parents about your rough day, but also where friends are around for support and there are little bits of happiness that keeps you going.

S1 (first half) is episodic-ish suspense thriller wrapping with human drama fillings. S2 (second half) is overarching scifi conspiracy theory. Very interesting directing style and story that was right up my alley.

Based on a true story, a woman's determination to change fate of young girls from rural mountainous region in Yunnan, with surprising amount of down to earth humour.

Absurd comedy featuring an unlikeable pair, a mother who selfishly chases after her dream against all odds and a daughter who's incredibly fed up with her good for nothing mother messing up her life.

I love this concept so much, protag mysteriously gets dragged into play various games, from escape rooms, battle royale, to whodunnit.

A pretty interesting peek into the dazzling c-ent industry with an incredibly capable female lead, romance is merely a side dish just like in life.

A woman's journey of carving her way into the rough business world in the 90s.

Touching episodic slice of life story, with some choice dialogues and relatable situations.

Painfully real depiction of high school life, with all of its hardships and happy moments. Everyone is the lead character in their own life and they deserve to shine.

Exhilarating story about working towards your dream and friendship across time, with dash of scifi and mystery. 

Modern wuxia you never thought you wanted with a zany and charming cast.

An incredible adaptation of a beloved manga and anime, a story about coming to love a thousand year old sport that's waning in modern times, and so many different people and friends that you meet along the way.

Hysterical and relatable cosmopolitan romance with sizzling chemistry.