A few years ago, I would flat-out say "I don't like TV." This was because I had only watched American shows. Through watching 47 series from Korea, China and Thailand, however, I've learned I was simply never the target audience for most American romance series. I like lighthearted fluff. In my experience, shows from the US typically include darker elements.
In 2021, I got introduced to K-dramas and became an avid watcher (-- see my article on K-dramas for beginners here). While I still love and watch these kinds of shows, I've come to prefer Chinese dramas. They're similar to Korean shows in their cliches and tropes (a CEO falls for a poor girl, contract relationship, etc...), but viewers don't have to wait until the second-to-last episode for the leads to simply hold hands.
I've also found C-dramas to be even fluffier than K-dramas and silly at times. This is perfect for me, an avid disliker of grim themes in television.
Most of the time, they're free to watch on Asian streaming sites such as Viki and iQiyi. There are also a handful available on Netflix or on YouTube, where they are uploaded by TV providers. My advice is to always check MyDramaList for reviews and lists of tropes before starting one.
I've watched 18 romance C-dramas throughout the past year. K-dramas get more traction than C-dramas, but I think more people should give a chance to the latter. These five shows are for people new to the world of Chinese romcoms, whether they've seen other Asian series or not.
Falling into Your Smile (2021)
Where to watch: Viki (free with ads), Netflix (with subscription)
"Falling Into Your Smile" is one of the most-loved Chinese dramas with an average rating of 8.7/10 from over 30,000 reviewers on MyDramaList. It's also my personal favorite. The lead actress may look familiar to some fans of Korean pop culture as she's Chengxiao, a former member of girl group WJSN.
The show follows Tong Yao, a young woman new to a professional e-sports team. In this series, she is the first and only female gamer in the pro league. Throughout her time practicing, winning competitions and living with her team, she starts a romance with Lu Sicheng.
At first, he was unwelcoming to her, similarly to some other teammates, but the popular gamer ended up falling in love with her. Their relationship is sweet with a progression similar to enemies-to-lovers. Sicheng went from ignoring Yao to becoming one of the most caring male leads.
I'm not a fan of videogames, but this series had me hyped up during the competition scenes. Also, the side characters and the team dynamic in general made this show inspiring and more than a simple romance. Tong Yao overcoming misogyny in the gaming world added to this as well.
Put Your Head On My Shoulder (2019)
Where to watch: Viki (free with ads), Netflix (subscription)
This campus romance is the first C-drama I ever watched and it's arguably even more popular than "Falling Into Your Smile." It's a classic.
Its focus is on Situ Mo, a bubbly college upperclassman, and fellow student Gu Weiyi. The leads end up living together very early on in the series due to a misunderstanding and their relationship progresses from there. This trope, cohabitation, is popular in C-dramas.
Situ Mo's very cutesy personality is also common in Chinese romcoms. Gu Weiyi, on the other hand, is a more serious type. He's a physics major and a huge nerd.
"Put Your Head On My Shoulder" has a guy-chases-girl storyline that is touching. Gu Weiyi's cluelessness while pursuing Situ Mo made him one of my all-time favorite male leads. He's a bit dorky but also has so much care for Mo.
This drama doesn't take itself overly seriously, which is refreshing. If somebody is looking for pure lightheartedness, this show is the one for them.
Sweet Teeth (2022)
Where to watch: Viki (free with ads), iQiyi (with subscription)
"Sweet Teeth" showcases a romance primarily between Ai Jingchu, who is both a dentist and a professor, and Zeng Li, a librarian at the same university. The latter becomes Jingchu's patient and finds herself looking forward to her appointments thanks to her interactions with him.
There are also two side couples in this show which include Zeng Li's friends with their own love interests. Ma Yiyi has a storyline with her longtime friend who happens to be Zeng Li's ex-stepbrother and Wu Ying finds love with a younger man. These side couples have two kinds of dynamics commonly showcased in C-dramas. After watching "Sweet Teeth," a viewer might be able to pinpoint what kind of trope they'd want to see more of.
This series is calmer and more realistic. It's a straightforward watch that is comedic but doesn't include a lot of dramatic silliness like some other Chinese shows. The actress who plays Zeng Li, Wu Xuanyi, may be recognizable to K-pop fans as she was also in WJSN like Chengxiao.
Moonlight (2021)
Where to watch: Viki (free with ads), iQiyi (with subscription)
One of China's most popular actresses, Yu Shuxin/Esther Yu, stars in this romcom. Her character, Chu Li, is an editor who has to work with the prickly author Zhou Chuan. They don't get along whatsoever at first but warm up to one another, especially after Chu Li moves into Zhou Chuan's house.
They are also each other's long-term online friend but unaware of this at first. Leads who have connected pasts is another popular point in these shows.
There are two main kinds of settings for C-dramas: campus and workplace. "Moonlight" mainly falls into the latter category, but it's also a bit different since the leads don't work in the same building. Zhou Chuan writes his book at home but meets with Chu Li for revisions. This drama could ease viewers into business romcoms since it's not heavy on the "same workplace" aspect. It is also inspirational when it comes to career: the female lead majored in financing due to pressure from her parents but pursued her dream of becoming a respected editor.
Falling Into You (2022)
Where to watch: YouTube, Viki (free with ads)
"Falling Into You" features an age-gap relationship between a university athlete and his coach, a post-graduate student. It's tied with "Falling Into Your Smile" as my favorite C-drama. I often say I'm the most unathletic person on Earth and I also don't enjoy watching sports matches, so I was surprised I loved this show so much. I'd argue the focus on the sports aspect is almost equal with the focus on romance.
Duan Yucheng's main event in track and field is the high jump, but his short stature makes everybody doubt his skills. Yucheng is extremely determined to beat the odds, though. Coach Luo Na is eight years older and seems to be the only person willing to give him a chance.
She trains with him at 5 a.m. and is his biggest supporter at competitions. Duan Yucheng falls for her, but she doesn't take him seriously at first. He's childish (but eventually grows more mature). The actor who plays Yucheng, Wang Anyu, did a fantastic job -- I was so engrossed in his acting. It felt so natural.
The trope of an age gap relationship is certainly not for everybody. With "Falling Into You," watchers can decide if it's their cup of tea or not, helping narrow down their "type" in C-dramas.
There are so many Chinese romance shows out there, but I think these five series could best help newbies with an introduction to the genre.
