Last updated on June 5th, 2026 at 11:40 pm
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The most well-known Chinese dramas are historical, but there are also numerous excellent modern dramas. Here are the 20 best Chinese modern dramas you will want to binge-watch right now.
Best Chinese Modern Dramas List
1) When I Fly Towards You
This show was based on the novel “She’s a Little Crazy,” written by the same author as “Hidden Love,” a drama I will discuss later on this list.
This 2023 Chinese drama features relative rookies set in a campus drama. The plotline might initially seem overdone because it’s about a bubbly girl crushing on a handsome, quiet guy in high school. But it’s how the actors fit the characters to the T and their palpable chemistry.
If you love campus and first love dramas, you should definitely watch it!
2) Perfect and Casual
Have you seen Only for Love? The second male lead, Miles Wei, is the male lead of the modern drama Perfect and Casual. It’s about a contractual marriage between a college lecturer and his student.
When I watched this drama, I didn’t have high expectations because of the cast. It is a low-budget drama. Dozens of Chinese dramas are released every year. When I finally got around to watching Perfect and Casual, I was surprised at how much I liked them. I still rewatch some of my favourite scenes on YouTube, since all the episodes are available there.
3) Exclusive Fairytale
Exclusive Fairytale is about a pair of childhood sweethearts whose lives are so intertwined that their feelings eventually turn romantic.
After a month, when When I Fly Towards You ended, Exclusive Fairytale came out. The broadcasting company iQIYI made a brilliant decision with this move, as it could capitalize on the popularity of lead actress Zhang Miao Yi. Strike while the iron is hot.
Her partner in this project is Wen Jun Hui, also known as Jun, a member of the K-pop boy group Seventeen.
Exclusive Fairytale is another youth campus drama, so the concept resembles When I Fly Towards You. Zhang Miao Yi’s character also draws parallels. Even though her characters felt the same, I was okay with it. She was a fresh face to me since I hadn’t watched her shows before these two dramas. I have also seen actresses like Esther Yu and Yang Zi play similar characters many times before.
Surprisingly, this drama isn’t as popular as some on this list despite the names attached.
4) Unforgettable Love
Here’s to Miles Wei appearing again in the best modern Chinese romantic dramas! In Unforgettable Love, Miles Wei is a company CEO and a single father to his son, Xiao Bao. He meets child psychologist Qin Yi Yue, and thus, their love story begins.
Hands down, the best part of this drama is the kid actor Lennon Sun. This was his debut in the Chinese entertainment industry, and he certainly made an impression on the audience, including me. He’s a natural in front of the camera. Some people are truly destined for a particular career path.
These three make a cute family unit. For that reason alone, this is worth watching.
5) The Best Thing
Shen Xi Fan goes to see a Chinese doctor, He Su Ye, for her insomnia. What started as a doctor-patient relationship becomes more as they also live in the same residential community.
It is a sweet drama to watch when you’re in the mood to watch something romantic.
Zhang Ling He is my favourite Chinese actor. While he caught most people’s attention as the second male lead in Love Between Fairy and Devil, I only started becoming a fan when he was in My Journey to You.
He has the face for a good-guy role (if it wasn’t Chen Zhe Yuan in Hidden Love, I think he would have made an excellent Duan Jia Xu). I knew he would succeed in this kind of role, and he did. People liked his character, He Su Ye, and he is slowly gaining more recognition. He has the potential to be the next big star with his looks and height. Ling He only needs one hit drama to achieve this kind of status.
6) A Love So Beautiful
A Love So Beautiful is about a bright and happy girl named Chen Xiao Xi who is determined to get close to her crush, Jiang Chen.
When it premiered in 2017, this show became a widespread success. Although it’s been years since then, A Love So Beautiful is likely to remain the representative campus drama for years to come.
Shen Yue, who played Chen Xiao Xi, carried this drama and brought the character to life. Her acting skills as a rookie were pretty impressive.
Shen Yue and Hu Yi Tian will always be known for their roles in this drama. As long as they continue to act, this project will be their representative work.
The cast stayed good friends after the show ended. They seem to develop a real fondness for each other, except Hu Yi Tian.
It’s touching to see that the show brought much comfort to the audience.
7) Put Your Head on My Shoulders
Si Tu Mo has a crush on her friend, Fu Pei, but is constantly disappointed in him. Her life takes a turn when she meets physics student Gu Wei Yi, and they begin living together.
This university-set drama is easy to watch, with excellent character development and chemistry between the lead actors. It’s a guilty-pleasure drama where you can turn off your brain and enjoy a light, fluffy romance. It’s not one of those shows with highs and lows, but it’s a somewhat more realistic love story (this is an idol drama, so don’t take me TOO seriously when I say it’s more realistic).
8) Love is Sweet
Chinese actors Bai Lu and Luo Yun Xi team up in this modern workplace romance drama, Love is Sweet. Both leading actors are better known for their Chinese historical dramas, yet they scored one nicely with this modern drama. If people had to name the best contemporary Chinese drama featuring Bai Lu, most would say it’s Love is Sweet.
With a positive reception and a strong desire to collaborate again, they starred in another Chinese drama, Till the Moon Ends, which was released in 2023.
P.S. This adorable corgi in this drama plays Luo Yun Xi’s pet dog, Wealth. I know it can be challenging to work with an animal on set, but there’s a behind-the-scenes interview with Bai Lu and Luo Yun Xi, and they seem to love him very much.
9) Meet Yourself
It’s the Fairy Sister, Liu Yi Fei! She is the ultimate A-lister in the Chinese entertainment industry. Before Liu Yi Fei was known worldwide as Mulan, she gained nationwide fame in China with her roles as Zhao Ling Er and Xiao Long Nu. Thus, her nickname, Fairy Sister, was born, and it’s what people still call her today.
In this Chinese drama, she plays Xu Hong Dou and travels to the countryside to escape her life in the city. This heartwarming drama explores realistic themes such as friendship, death, love, and work-related stress. Her love interest in this show is Li Xian, best known for the drama Go Go Squid with Yang Zi.
Warning: watching this will make you yearn for the country life.
10) You Are My Glory
What was the production cost for this drama? How did the casting team cast two of the biggest Chinese TV stars in one show?
The person who made that decision did a fantastic job, as this drama, starring Dilraba and Yang Yang, was a hit.
Dilraba plays Qiao Jing Jing, a celebrity with no gaming skills but endorsement deals to consider. She reconciles with her old crush, Yu Tu, a gaming expert.
The gaming-related scenes might be boring for people like me, but with this mature romance and all that eye candy, 32 episodes will zoom by quickly. The Chinese public has a few notable famous (couple pairings). One of them is Esther Yu, and the other is Dylan Wang, from Love Between Fairy and Devil. Another one is these two. People are rooting for them to be a real-life couple.
11) Love 020
The biggest hit of 2016 was this Chinese modern drama called Love 020.
This concept was unique when it first emerged because the two leads met anonymously in an online game before embarking on a real-life romantic relationship.
This marked the beginning of Yang Yang’s fame and remains one of his most representative projects. This show likely opened many doors for him, as he was typecast as a male lead and became a pro at gaming in the years that followed.
On the other hand, Zheng Shuang had more experience with fame, having starred in Let’s Go Watch Meteor Shower, a show heavily inspired by Meteor Garden, and in her relationship with her co-star and male lead, Zhang Han.
Zheng Shuang was a controversial figure during her time in the entertainment industry. Due to her personal life, she is no longer a public figure and is inactive in the Chinese entertainment industry. However, there are always her old projects, like this one, that fans can revisit and rewatch.
12) Go Go Squid
Go Go Squid is about a girl named Tong Nian who falls in love at first sight with Han Shang Yan, a retired gamer.
2016-2019 were Yang Zi’s lucky years, as she had hits like “Ode to Joy,” “Noble Aspiration,” “Ashes of Love,” and “Go Go Squid” under her belt.
Although a childhood star, she was on the verge of fading into obscurity. These dramas reversed her fate and made her a top young actress. People also complimented her for bringing luck to male stars and helping them gain fame and attention. This applies to male celebrities like Deng Wei, Zhang Wan Yi, Li Xian, and Deng Lun. It’s a pretty accurate statement.
I mean, Li Xian, Yang Zi’s male lead in this drama, eventually got to work with Liu Yi Fei, a goddess in many men’s hearts, a few years later.
13) Lighter and Princess
This college-set modern Chinese drama is adapted from the novel The Lighter and the Princess’s Gown. With two rising Chinese stars, Chen Fei Yu and Zhang Jiang Yi, at the time of filming, this was bound to catch people’s attention.
In addition, the trope of a good girl and a bad boy falling in love never gets old. This drama introduces the leads by name (although Chen Fei Yu will likely face challenges as an idol actor due to his scandal).
Given the positive reception, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up like Bai Lu and Luo Yun Xi when they collaborate again on another project.
14) Shining for One Thing
Shining for One Thing got good reviews, so I wonder why it’s not as well-known as some other dramas. It’s probably because the leads, Qu Chu Xiao and Zhang Jia Ning, aren’t trendy actors, so they’re less familiar to the public.
In short, this show is a time-travel school drama. It shares toncepts with other Asian dramas, such as Lovely Runner (one of the best Korean dramas ever!) and Someday or One Day. The 24 Shining for One Thing episodes will send you on a roller coaster of emotions. Get your tissues ready for a good cry.
15) The First Frost
Wen Yi Fan and her high school classmate, Sang Yan, reunite when she goes to a bar with her coworker, only to find out the owner of the bar is Sang Yan. They become roommates and discover that their feelings for each other never went away.
The First Frost is a serious and slow-burning romance. Trauma is a big theme in this show, and it shows you how it can affect a person’s entire life. Wen Yi Fan has been through so many things that girls shouldn’t have to experience at her age.
Her character isn’t the usual bubbly, cute type, but that’s part of what draws people to this show.
Zhang Ruo Nan played her well. She has a sad and sweet aura about her. Perhaps that’s what the casting director saw in her. The actress also grew up in a household where she wasn’t appreciated, so it was probably easy for her to relate to the character, Wen Yi Fan.
16) Falling into Your Smile
Okay, I’ve already discussed several Chinese dramas about gaming, but I promise this will be the last one on the list.
For those unfamiliar, China is renowned for its vast gaming industry, reflected in numerous modern dramas that center on gaming. I don’t get the appeal of gaming. I prefer spending my time either on my blog or watching Chinese dramas (haha, duh, that’s why I write about them on my blog), but there are quite a few binge-worthy dramas centred around this theme.
In this drama, Xu Kai plays Lu Si Cheng, the esports team leader. He has to accept a temporary female team member, Tong Yao, played by actor Cheng Xiao.
Cheng Xiao was once an idol. She was a member of the Korean girl group WSJN but has since transitioned to acting. Xu Kai, a familiar face by now, is known as the Heng Dian Prince because he frequently films in Heng Dian, China’s main filming studio.
17) Time and Him Are Just Right
Before Lu Yu Xiao was known for her CP with Cheng Lei in My Journey to You, she was known for her CP with Wu Jun Ting in Time and Him Are Just Right.
This fresh-faced cast did well for their limited acting experience—it is one of those fluffy coming-of-age dramas that will make you miss your younger days.
This is the start of Lu Yu Xiao’s flourishing career. Since her television debut in 2021, she has been on a roll. In addition to “Time and Him Are Just Right,” she has starred in dramas such as “The Longest Promise,” “Love You Seven Times,” “Blossom in Adversity,” “Parallel World,” and “My Journey to You.”
Her acting career has hit an all-time peak with My Journey to You, and she’s barely getting started. Let’s anticipate her future projects.
18) Le Coup de Foudre
Did you like watching Janice Wu in My Amazing Boyfriend? Then, here’s another of her dramas you will like: Le Coup de Foudre.
It’s another school drama. It has become so iconic that when netizens discuss school dramas, this one is among the few that always come up. The first reason is that the drama was enjoyable; the other reasons are due to the leads.
Did you know the leads, Janice Wu and Zhang Yu Jian, eventually got married and had a kid together? (They are now divorced, but how many marriages last in the entertainment industry?)
It explains their on-screen chemistry.
With decent dramas under her belt, like My Amazing Boyfriend, The Brightest Star in the Sky, and Skate Into Love, Wu Qian was on her way to becoming a household name as a young female actress. She was a familiar face in modern Chinese dramas, where she specialized. She slowed down in her career compared to her earlier years, but no one can take away the fact that she has already made an impact in the industry.
19) Please Feel At Ease, Mr. Ling
I usually don’t do this, but I wanted to try something new with this blog post. I contacted blogger Rosie from www.keepitglam.com, who has written blog posts about Chinese dramas, asking her to contribute because I’m a fan of her blog. Here’s what she has to say:
“My favourite modern Chinese drama is “Please Feel At Ease, Mr. Ling. I love this drama so much that I’m unsure where to begin explaining why, but I’ll try to organize my thoughts.
First and foremost, I love it because the romance is top-notch. The chemistry between the main leads is one of the best I’ve seen, if not the best. I love how their romance developed, from strangers to reluctant housemates to more. I loved that we saw them become a couple, or that much screen time was devoted to showing us how they were—sweet, supportive of each other, sometimes disagreeing, but always there for each other at the end of the day.
Second, I loved the acting of the main leads because it was believable and quite natural. Zhao Lu Si is definitely one of the most talented actresses around, but Lui Te was good, too, with his nuanced acting that made scenes more meaningful and swoon-worthy.
Third, I liked that even though the story was light, it was multidimensional, which made it enjoyable. I didn’t expect the drama to be good, so I kept watching it. I was surprised to see that the story had layers.
I recommend this drama to anyone looking for a swoon-worthy romance with interesting subplots on the side, and where the leads are given more screen time as a couple.”
20) Hidden Love
If I had to pick one modern Chinese drama as my favourite, it would be Hidden Love.
It’s a Wattpad story coming to life about a younger girl who has a crush on her older brother’s best friend.
This was a heated online discussion about the drama’s age appropriateness. Online netizens claimed the male lead groomed the female lead, but that is untrue. He had no romantic feelings for her until she was in university. Watching Chen Zhe Yuan act with a middle schooler was disarming. That’s when people call out the show. People wouldn’t have made such a fuss if the production team had gone with a younger actor for the younger actor scenes.
What stood out in this drama was the character, Duan Jia Xu. He has been through a lot, but unlike many typical meads, he isn’t different from the world. Chinese dramas need more male leads like this! He does his best to love Sang Zhi, and he is the epitome of a walking green flag.
Final Thoughts – Best Chinese Modern Dramas
With these 20 best romantic modern Chinese dramas, watching these shows will keep you busy for weeks or months, depending on how free you are to cram these in.
If you need help deciding which Chinese drama to watch, take a look at my in-depth reviews on my Chinese dramas page. I’ll go into detail about dramas, but I want to warn you that there will be spoilers.
Now to You – Best Chinese Modern Dramas
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Xoxo,
Nicole
