Chinese television and web series continue to attract attention from drama viewers. And with just seven months left in the year 2023, we are highly anticipating the series we have all been waiting to air will finally be given the green light before the year ends.
Here are 15 of the highly anticipated C-drama we are fervently hoping to release this year. We arranged the titles based on the value of the story and production.
1. The Love Hypnosis - Genre: Romance/Fantasy/Republican era. Main cast: Liu Yifei and Jing Boran. Love Hypnosis is just one of those C-dramas that were left buried for years in the production studio after the filming was done. And we don't know why.
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| Liu Yifei and Jing Boran in The Love Hypnosis |
This drama wrapped up filming in 2018, in fact, this was the official comeback series of Liu Yifei after 12 years of hiatus from making television dramas. And was even filmed before A Dream of Splendor, but it did not secure a release approval for unknown reasons.
Anyway here's the plot summary: It follows Lu Mansheng (Liu Yifei), a mysterious woman who sells scents at Nanyan Studio, and Ye Shen (Jing Boran), a patriotic young man who also seems to have some sort of supernatural power.
One day, Lu Mansheng discovers old records in her childhood home which takes the story to the end of the Qing dynasty, and the beginning of the Republican era.
She has a unique, unusual ability to help those who experienced troubles of the heart. She can help men and women through their emotional problems and leave them with no regrets regardless of how their love story develops.
Yet, she has her own troubles that she seems cannot resolve. When it comes to her own romance with Ye Shen, Lu Man Sheng faces the very same pitfalls as those whom she counsels. Streaming app: Tencent/We TV.
2. A Journey To Love - Genre: Historical/Wuxia. Main cast: Liu Shishi, Liu Yuning, Fang Yilun, He Lan Dou, Chen Hao Yu, and Chang Hua Sen.
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| Liu Yuning and Liu Shishi |
This is the highly anticipated costume drama comeback of Liu Shishi, one of the Queens of costume C-dramas.
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| Liu Shishi in A Journey To Love |
This is also Liu Yuning and Fang Yilun's second drama collaboration after appearing as Hao Du and Wei Shuyu respectively in The Long Ballad (2021).
A Journey to Love follows two top assassins from rival agencies and their six-member team who with diverse backgrounds, and unique skills embark on a journey filled with challenges and crises. Streaming app: Youku
3. Legend of Shen Li - Genre: Fantasy Romance/Xianxia. Main cast: Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin. This is the second collaboration of Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin after their highly successful drama in 2017, Princess Agents.
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| promotional poster |
Plot Summary from Tencent video: In a war between the gods and the demons, Xing Zhi (Lin Gengxin), an immortal, saved the situation by himself alone. But after that, he refused to see anyone and was nowhere to be found.
Several hundred years later, a female demon lord Shen Li (Zhao Liying) was born with a pearl in her mouth. On her thousandth birthday, she was arranged to be married for political alliances.
On her way of escaping this marriage, Shen Li got attacked and transformed back into her phoenix shape. She fell into the human world in a coma with serious wounds.
A market vendor took her as a fat chicken, plucked all her feathers, and put her on sale in a cage. Shen Li woke up to find herself in this situation and got so pissed that she collapsed on her back. Streaming app: Tencent/WeTV
4. Lost You Forever - Genre: Fantasy/Xianxia. Main cast: Yang Zi, Zhang Wan Yi, and Deng Wei. This is the sequel of the 2017 series, A Lifetime Love starring Huang Xiaoming and Victoria Song.
Plot Summary: Whilst traveling through the wilderness, Gao Xin princess, Jiu Yao also known as Xiao Yao (Yang Zi) lives through the harshness of life, losing both her identity and true appearance.
She eventually settles in Qing Shui Town and disguises as a man called Wen Xiao Liu, and became a doctor.
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| Yang Zi in Lost You Forever |
In Qingshui Town, Xiao Yao/Wen Xiao Liu meets three men that will change her life. She accidentally rescues Tu Shan Jing (Deng Wei), the future leader of the Tu Shan Clan, encounters Xiang Liu (Tan Jian Ci), a nine-headed demon, and meets her cousin, Xuan Yuan prince Qiang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) who has been searching for her in the wilderness. Streaming app: Tencent/WeTV
5. Mysterious Lotus Casebook - Genre: Historical/Wuxia. Main cast: Cheng Yi, Joseph Zeng, Xiao Shunyao, Chen Duling. It tells the story of three men who make a difference in the martial arts world.
Li Xiang Yi (Chen Yi), the master of the Sigu Sect, has excellent swordsmanship skills. Ten years ago, he disappeared along with Di Fei Sheng (Xiao Shunyao), the leader of the Jinyuan Alliance, after they arranged to battle in the East Sea.
Ten years later, Li Lian Hua, a countryside doctor, travels dragging around a lotus tower. He accidentally becomes "famous" and gets pulled into the world that he no longer wants to have any connections with.
Fang Duo Bing (Joseph Zeng), a passionate youth who dreams of becoming a hero, realizes that Li Lian Hua is not a simple man and vows to find proof that Li Lian Hua has been impersonating a famous doctor.
Meanwhile, Di Fei Sheng, who has always regarded Li Xiang Yi as a fierce enemy, has also reemerged, recognizing that the remarkable doctor Li Lian Hua is none other than Li Xiang Yi. Streaming app: Youku
6. Immortality - Genre: Fantasy/BL xianxia. Main cast: Luo Yunxi and Chen Fei Yu (Arthur Chen).
This drama completed its post-production work in 2020 and was reported to air in April 2021, then September 2022. But it has been nearly a year since its last release update and we haven't heard anything from the production.
No particular reason is given regarding the delay of release but we suspected that the boycott of BL dramas in 2021 might have something to do with the delay.
The story is set in a troubled period where there's a probable invasion of the demon in the world due to a rift in the heavens.
The world's most powerful cultivator, Chu Wanning (Luo Yunxi) did not forget his original intention of joining the world to help the Dao cultivation and set on a mission to protect the beings of the world.
He uses his abilities to prevent the heavens from splitting and at the same time, his compassion and love influence his misguided disciple, Mo Ran (Chen Feiyu) to return to the righteous path he has strayed from.
7. Legend of Anle - Genre: Historical Romance/Wuxia. Main cast: Dilraba Dilmurat, Gong Jun, and Liu Yuning. The extended delay of release of this drama contributed to the eagerness of drama fans to watch this series. This was done filming in November 2021.
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| Gong Jun and Dilraba Dilmurat |
Plot Summary (from MyDramaList): Di Zi Yuan (Dilraba Dilmurat) seeks revenge after her family was falsely accused of treason ten years ago and beheaded according to the emperor's edict.
As the sole survivor, she changes her name to Ren An Le and schemes her way into the court. She admires Crown Prince (Gong Jun) Han Ye's concern for his people's welfare.
While slowly developing feelings for him, she remains haunted by her past, unable to dismiss the enmity that exists between their two families. Streaming app: Youku
8. The Longest Promise - Genre: Fantasy Romance/Xianxia. Main Cast: Xiao Zhan, Ren Min. And powered by a strong ensemble of support cast: Fang Yilun, Wang Churan, and Wang Ziqi. Just like Legend of Anle, The Longest Promise is another highly anticipated costume drama to be released this year.
Plot Summary from We TV. The story takes place in Kong Sang Continent and revolves around the tumultuous love story between Zhu Yan (Ren Min), the princess of the Chi Yi Tribe, and Shi Ying (Xiao Zhan), a royal prince.
Shi Ying's mother was framed, and he was banished to Jiu Yi Mountain to cultivate. Originally focused on nothing but cultivation, he began to develop romantic feelings for Zhu Yan, his disciple.
However, because of their relationship as a teacher and student, they do not voice out their feelings. Fate also stands in their way when they stood on opposite sides in political struggle and life and death situations. Streaming app: Tencent/WeTV
9. Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Yue Hong. Genre: Fantasy Romance/Xianxia. Main cast: Yang Mi and Gong Jun. This is the first chapter of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker.
The Fox Spirit Matchmaker story revolves around the love between humans and spirits. The life of a spirit transcends thousands of years but the human's lifespan is limited, people die, are reborn, and reincarnated.
After their birth, humans do not remember the love of their previous life. This series mainly tells the story of the fox spirit in relation to a line of former lovers, set in a series of interesting and mysterious stories.
The Yue Hong chapter tells the story of Tu Shan Hong Hong (Yang Mi) of the Fox tribe and Dongfang Yue Chu (Gong Jun), a mortal warrior, both fighting to the death to protect the peaceful co-existence of the Fox tribe and human tribe. Streaming app: iQIYI
10. Love is Panacea - Genre: Medical drama/Modern Romance. Main cast: Luo Yunxi and Zhang Ruonan. It tells the story of Gu Yun Zheng (Luo Yunxi), a medical genius and the youngest, most attractive neurosurgeon in the country.
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| Love is Panacea poster |
His excellent knowledge of medicine will be tested when he went to an aid mission in Africa and meets the love of his life, Su Wei An (Zhang Ruonan), a medical student dropout.
Su Wei An carries the gene for a rare Huntington's disease. Gu Yun Zheng will be forced to race against fate and time to find a cure and save her from this incurable disease. Streaming app: Youku
11. Wonderland of Love - Genre: Historical Romance/Wuxia. Main cast: Xu Kai and Jing Tian.
Plot Summary provided by Tencent: The court is in a turbulent situation and the imperial power passes into traitors' hands.
The Emperor's grandson Li Yi (Xu Kai), who is guarding the border, has to shoulder the responsibility to fight the rebellion.
The General's single daughter Cui Lin (Jing Tian) conceals her true identity. She and Li Yi get involved in a dispute with their armies.
Surrounded by multiple parties, they have struggles, open and secret, and take risky moves. During several encounters, they regard each other as worthy opponents and fall in love. Streaming app: Tencent/WeTV
12. My Fireworks on Earth - Genre: Urban Romance. Main cast: Yang Yang and Wang Churan. This drama pays tribute to firefighters in the country.
It tells the story of Song Yan (Yang Yang), a fire station chief who will meet again his former love, Xu Qin, an emergency doctor, after ten years apart.
During their youth, Song Yan and Xu Qin fell in love but they were forced apart by their family who opposed their love affair.
In the current time, due to the nature of their respective works, they cross paths again. However, many have changed since they parted ways. Original Network: Hunan TV/Mango TV
13. Rose and Gun - Genre: Modern Drama/Military Romance. Main cast: Jin Han and Xuan Lu. This is the story of Captain Wu Si (Jin Han), a handsome Marine Corps Captain, and Tang Xin (Xuan Lu), a news reporter.
They will meet through a blind date set up by their friends. At first, they seem to be a perfect match. But privately they despised each other due to some conflicts of interest. But after many twists and turns, they start reassessing themselves for a possible romance. Streaming app: Tencent/WeTV
14. Bright Eyes in the Dark - Genre: Urban Romance. Main cast: Huang Jingyu and Zhang Jingyi. Plot Summary from iQIYI. Lin Luxiao (Huang Jingyu) possesses exceptional firefighting skills and extensive experience.
He is the head of the Special Operations Station on Heping Road in Beixun City. By a twist of fate, he is chosen to become an instructor for a reality show aimed at promoting firefighting knowledge.
During the show, Lin Luxiao coincidentally encounters Nan Chu (Zhang Jingyi), a dancer he had rescued from a fire years ago. Nan Chu develops a fondness for Lin Luxiao, but he keeps his distance due to the inherent dangers of his profession.
As Nan Chu and Lin Luxiao gradually deepen their understanding of each other, they affirm their feelings. Faced with the most dangerous forest fire, Lin Luxiao and his teammates choose to advance against the flames. Streaming app: iQIYI
15. South Wind Knows My Mood - Genre: Urban Romance/Medical Drama. Main cast: Cheng Yi and Zhang Yuxi.
Plot Summary: It tells the story of Fu Yunshen, a Botanist who is in search of natural medicine. He travels deep into different regions to offer humanitarian relief. He will meet and fall in love with Zhu Jiu, a surgeon on a medical research trip to an underdeveloped region.
With their wedding date approaching, Zhu Jiu inadvertently finds clues about the death of her parents. Fate has played a cruel joke on them as the grievances of the previous generation have thrown a wrench in their relationship. Streaming app: Youku
16. Her Fantastic Adventure - Genre: Historical/Fantasy. Main cast: Guo Junchen and Irene Song.
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| Her Fantastic Adventure poster |
Plot Summary:
Qi Chunjiao (Irene Song), a discus throw athlete, experienced a series of collapses, such as career interruption, failed confession of first love, and misunderstanding with her mother.
But one day, she finds herself time-traveling to a mystical world and becomes Gu Jing Qiao, an ancient girl with a head injury.
In this mystical universe, she meets her crush Duan Yu (Guo Junchen), her best friend Lu Zizheng, and team doctor Ruan Siqiong, but they are in different identities.
In the course of their legendary journey to find the “Si Ling” treasure, they slowly dissolved her knotted heart and made her learn to love and found a new direction in life.
Gu Jing Qiao must collect ancient artifacts and contend with important figures to get back to the real world. Streaming app: iQIYI
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