Here's the Viewership Rating of the 3 Top C-Drama Today Favored by Domestic Fans

 

After a lackluster start of the year for Chinese dramas, the month of February finally brought us back to the glory of drama watching with three hits - Always on the Move, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, and Judge Dee's Mystery.

These are the favorite series of domestic fans and the most watched dramas in mainland China today, as shown in different ranking data and viewership rating platforms. 

Kuyun data

Viewership ratings measure the broadcast performances of a TV or web series. In China, there are marketing and digital services that provide viewership ratings data: Kuyun Eye, Datawin, Vlinkage, and CVB.

CVB (China Audiovisual Big Data) is an authoritative rating board launched in 2019 by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television to standardize the statistics and ratings data. CVB data is the most authoritative among different rating systems.

Datawin list

While Kuyun Eye, Datawin, and Vlinkage are private marketing and digital services that provide viewership ratings based on real time value. 

Kuyun eye offers a real-time viewing system, which can see the viewing data at each moment including the viewership curve. It is closer to the data of CVB.

CVB data

For the current times, there are three C-Drama that consistently dominated the viewership rating board today in both platforms: Kuyun Eye, Datawin, and CVB. So let's talk about each of these series.

1. Always on the Move - Currently airing on iQIYI and CCTV. As shown on different viewership rating channels, this drama topped the list as the most viewed drama in mainland China today. 

So what is this drama all about? Why it has become the favorite drama of domestic fans? Always on the Move is also known for its Chinese literal title: South to North. 

Ding Yongdai and Bai Jingting

It captures China's core culture and tradition, the value of the heroism of policemen, and the simple life of Chinese in the rural village during the 1970s. 

These factors are closer to Chinese people's hearts, plus the fact that the plot focuses more on family values and safeguarding peace and order in rural public transport makes it more relatable to ordinary Chinese citizens, especially those living in provinces. 

Bai Jingting and Ding Yongdai

They also praise the story's sense of humor, the relationship between villagers, and the hilarious tandem of Bai Jingting and Ding Yongdai as two railway policemen trying to outwit each other. 

Always on the Move tells the story of two railway policemen, Ma Kui (Ding Yongdai) and Wang Xin (Bai Jingting) as they respond to their duties of safeguarding the passengers on a steam train. 

The scenarios on the train are so relatable, as train commuters we all experienced those things. The romance arc is also funny. The sheer jealousy and rivalry are all too familiar to Generation X. 

Personally, this is my current favorite C-drama. Although I don't usually watch period dramas from China due to their boring plot and unrelatable culture (for overseas fans), Always on the Move is so different! I love the screenplay, the funny moments of the main characters, and the lessons it shows. 

2. Amidst a Snowstorm of Love - Currently airing on Tencent and Dragon TV. This drama is the greatest rival of Always on the Move on the viewership rating board. They are neck to neck competing with each other which one tops the list every episode. 

Zhao Jinmai and Wu Lei

This drama is a modern romance between two sporty characters, Lin Yiyang (Wu Lei) and Yin Guo (Zhao Jinmai). Since this is a youth drama focusing on romance, and Wu Lei is one of China's favorite actors, it easily captures the hearts of youngsters on the mainland.

Zhao Jinmai and Wu Lei

It is also the most interesting youth romance drama that's currently airing in China so no wonder it has become the favorite of domestic fans. Wu Lei and Zhao Jinmai are eye candies and their sweet tandem on screen easily melts the hearts of the youth. 

Bai Jingting and Zhao Jinmai also starred in Reset, the opening drama hit in the year 2022. Wu Lei starred in Nothing But You, a sports romance drama, which became the second highest-rated modern romance series in 2023 in Douban.

3. Justice Dee's Mystery - A costume historical/thriller drama that premiered on February 6 on Youku and CCTV. Youku confirms Netflix bought the rights to air this drama. 

It stars Zhou Yi Wei as Di Ren Jie, Wang Li Kun as Cao An, Zhong Chu Xi (Elaine Zhong) as Empress Wu, Zhang Jiayi as Zhang Sunqing, and Zhang Ruoyun as diao Xiaoguan.

Interestingly, this drama is based on the book, The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, by Robert Hans van Gulik, a Dutch diplomat who became interested in detective Chinese fiction. 

During World War II, Robert Hans van Gulik translated the 18th-century detective novel Dee Goong An into English under the title, The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee. 

The main character of this book, Judge Dee, is based on the real statesman and detective, Di Renjie, who lived in the 7th century, during the Tang dynasty. However, in the novel itself elements of Ming dynasty China were integrated.

Judge Dee's Mystery is the current costume drama hit in mainland China today, it consistently tops the viewership rating board alongside Always on the Move and Amidst a Snowstorm of Love.

Set in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the drama tells the story of the famous statesman and county magistrate of the Tang court, Di Renjie, known for its crime-solving abilities. 

While solving various criminal cases in different places where he worked at the first stage of his career, Di Renjie also gradually found out the mystery of his own birth.

Di Renjie has conquered the imperial examinations and awaits his official appointment in Chang'an. However, he was suddenly dispatched by Empress Wu Zetian to a border town where he encounters many mysteries. He stands up to the challenge of upholding the duty of the higher judiciary to bring peace and prosperity to the people.

Have not watched this drama yet, but I'll be checking it later after watching two episodes of Always on the Move.