Here's the 11 Highly Anticipated Chinese Drama in 2024 in our Watchlist

 

As we are approaching the final stretch of the first quarter of 2024, we are looking forward to more big-budgeted Chinese series to air this year. 

Usually, springtime is the first part of the year when streaming giants - Tencent, iQIYI, and Youku - begin broadcasting the highly-anticipated series in their inventory list. 

A Moment But Forever and Reblooming Blue are two of the most anticipated C-Dramas in 2024

But among the hundreds of C-dramas waiting to be given the green light to broadcast this year, we are most looking forward to the following series for some reasons:

1. Hero Legends (CCTV, Tencent)

• Main cast: Cheng Yi as Lu Yun, Wang Qian Yuan as Wu Dingyuan, Xiao Shun Yao as Qin Zhonghai, Zheng Ye Cheng as Yang Xiaoxian, and Li Yi Tong as Gu Qingxi
• Broadcast network: CCTV and Tencent

The number one highly-anticipated drama in our list is Hero Legends, for several reasons: This is a classic wuxia drama based on the wuxia novel, Hero Chronicles, by Sun Xiao. 

Cheng Yi stars as Lu Yun in Hero Legends

This is a joint production of China's state broadcaster, CCTV (China Central Television Network), and streaming giant, Tencent, aiming for a wider audience to reintroduce the dying classic wuxia genre because younger generations prefer romantic series than pure wuxia. 

This is also the second drama collaboration of Cheng Yi and Xiao Shunyao who starred in the highly successful Mysterious Lotus Casebook in 2023. 

Cheng Yi in Hero Legends 

Cheng Yi's martial arts skills keep on improving and recently, he has refined his clean moves in fighting scenes so we are certain, he can make Hero Legends another iconic C-drama to remember.

2, Fox Spirit Matchmaker 1: Yuehong

• Main cast: Yang Mi as Tushan Honghong and Gong Jun as Dongfang Yuechu
• Broadcast network: iQIYI

We always love a good xianxia drama so this one is naturally on our list. We are quite familiar with the donghua version of Fox Spirit Matchmaker, and how the story was built, so watching this on live-action excites us even more.

Fox Spirit Matchmaker 1

Hopefully, the drama will live up to the hype 😄 To warm up to Gong Jun's acting, we watched his 2021 costume drama, Word of Honor, by far the most successful drama in his career (because his acting in Legend of Anle was a disappointment). 

Gong Jun's performance in Word of Honor was impressive! So hopefully, his performance as Dongfang Yuechu in the upcoming first installment of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker will also be a good one. This drama has a lot of xianxia elements so hopefully, this will be highly entertaining.

Read the background and plot summary of the three Fox Spirit Matchmaker drama adaptations HERE

3. Fox Spirit Matchmaker 2: Zhu Ye

• Main cast: Liu Shishi as Dongfang Huaizhu and Zhang Yunlong as Wangquan Hongye
• Broadcast network: iQIYI

Fox Spirit Matchmaker has three drama adaptations but Cheng Yi's Wang Quan chapter might not be aired until 2025 as they are still currently filming.

The second installment of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker might be released this summer. 

Fox Spirit Matchmaker 2

This drama will be Liu Shishi's second costume series in two years and we always enjoyed her presence in this genre. Her wuxia skills are good and her movements in fighting scenes are always clean.

The Zhu Ye chapter will also showcase the origin of the Dongfang and the Wangquan clans and even the backstory of Dongfang Yuechu (played by Gong Jun in the Yuehong chapter). 

This chapter will also give us an idea of how the parents of Wangquan Fugui meet and build their relationships, which is a helpful in understanding Cheng Yi's Wang Fugui's past. 

4. Legend of Shen Li

• Main cast: Zhao Liying as Shen Li and Lin Gengxin as Xing Zhi
• Broadcast network: Tencent

Lin Gengxin and Zhao Liying

This is a xianxia drama and talks about the wars among the deities. Unlike most xianxia series where one of the main lead characters is a human, Legend of Shen Li has both deities as main protagonists. So you could just imagine the extent of their powers when being triggered 😂

Based on the source novel, Shen Li is a demon god while Xing Zhi is a heavenly realm god so even without any introduction we will know that they are in opposing forces and sooner or later will clash. But wait, this is a romance drama right? Okay, it might be tragic. 

Legend of Shen Li is also the second drama collaboration of Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin, who first collaborated in Princess Agents (2017). Read plot summary here.

5. Snowy Nights

• Main Leads: Joseph Zeng and Li Qin
• Broadcast Network: iQiyi

They just wrapped up filming in February and recently announced appointment. This might be aired towards the fourth quarter of this year, so we will be including this in our list.

Joseph Zeng and Li Qin in Snowy Nights 

Based on the wuxia suspense novel, Seven Nights of Snow, the drama tells the love story between Huo Zhanbai (Joseph Zeng) and Xue Ziye (Li Qin).

They met while Zhanbai was looking for medicine of his friend's child but due to their respective responsibilities on their respective sects, they couldn't expressed their feelings for each other.

Joseph Zeng in Snowy Nights 

But what I love about this drama is the martial arts' arc and the action-packed adventure of Zhanbai. Joseph Zeng is very good in martial arts and he has been working hard to refine his fighting skills through the years, I love all the costume dramas he starred in, he is such a great young talent. 

6. A Moment But Forever

• Main Leads: Tiffany Tang and Liu Xueyi
• Broadcast network: iQIYI

We love the 1980s flowers 😂 Most of our highly-anticipated series this year are starred by actresses born in the 1980s - From Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, Zhao Liying, to Victoria Song, Angelababy, and Tiffany Tang! We prefer series that are not bannered by idol stars. 

Liu Xueyi and Tang Yan

Despite debuting in acting in 2007, A Moment But Forever is actually the first xianxia drama in which Tang Yan plays the main female lead. 

The main male lead, Liu Xueyi, is also a personal favorite so this drama obviously is one of our highly-anticipated series this year.

A Moment But Forever follows a love story between a human and a deity who was sent to the human realm to kill him. She will disguise as a maid to enter the service of his manor to make good of her plan but later discovers his truest nature.

7. Reblooming Blue

• Main Leads: Victoria Song and Vic Chou
• Broadcast network: Hunan TV, Mango TV 

We haven't missed watching Vic Chou's series since his Meteor Garden days so, naturally, this one is on our watchlist.

But apart from being a die-hard fan of Vic Chou, Reblooming Blue offers so many things that attract us to anticipate the series.

Victoria Song and Vic Chou 

It tells the story of people returning home to the province (quite similar to Meet Yourself) after hitting rock bottom in the city. 

We love this kind of theme in the drama because it's so inspiring to watch, and very relatable. We're also in the same predicament and life in the province indeed heals emotional wounds. 

The rural scenery is also very refreshing to watch, the joy of watching people interact in the small community, and the natural environment temporarily relieve us from stress.

promotional poster of Reblooming Blue

Reblooming Blue also talks about the porcelain industry in China and we're so interested in this business, making this drama an interesting watch. 

8. Everlasting Longing

• Main Leads: Angelababy and Song Weilong
• Broadcast network: Tencent

For some reasons, we are excited to wait for this drama to air 😄 Apart from the genre, Song Weilong is always fascinating to look when he's wearing ancient costumes.

The storyline of this drama pumps a lot of thrill and excitement so we're hoping this would be broadcast this year.

Angelababy and Song Weilong

Many fans of Song Weilong are worried this will be put on hold due to Angelababy's controversy in October 2023. The controversy stemmed from rumored attendance at Blackpink's Lisa's Crazy Horse show, a cabaret show in Paris, France known for having performers who will go all the way. 

The controversy indeed slapped Angelababy in November 2023 with a soft ban on Weibo, and only lifted this February. 

9. Dashing Youth

• Main Leads: Neo Hou, He Yu, Xia Zhiguang
• Broadcast network: Youku

We love dramas that follow a pure wuxia theme and this one falls in this category. Hopefully, this will be aired this year. We're anticipating a summertime release of this drama. 

He Yu, Neo Hou, Xia Zhiguang

Dashing Youth is a prequel to the 2022 wuxia series, The Blood of Youth, so expect many exciting fight scenes among martial artists in this drama. 

10. The Legend of Heroes

• Main Leads: multiple including Ci Sha as Guo Jing, Bao Shang En as Huang Rong, Wang Hongyi as Yang Kang, and Huang Yi as Mu Nuanci 
• Broadcast network: iQiyi 

This is the latest spin-off of the Legend of the Condor Heroes, and for someone who grew up watching several live-action versions of this classic wuxia novel written by Jin Yong, The Legend of Heroes is of course a must-watched drama.

From left: Huang Yi, Wang Hongyi, Bao Shang En, and Ci Sha 

This latest spin-off will tell the backstory of other characters in The Condor Trilogy and will focus on the martial arts adventures of those iconic characters. 

11. Zong Ran

• Main Leads: Liang Jie and Guo Junchen 
• Broadcast network: Mango TV 

This is a science fiction drama where the main characters seem to be living in a different time but were able to connect and communicate.

Zong Ran poster

However, this is not a time travel drama. This is simply a modern fantasy slash science fiction tale where the two characters seem to have a mysterious past that they need to resolve in the present. They live in a different era and will be connected by a mysterious mobile device. 

You may check other C-Drama News HERE

Cheng Yi in Deep Lurk 

UPDATE: We forgot to include the following series. We are also waiting for these three to be released this year:

• A Lonely Hero's Journey. Genre: Republican spy drama. Main cast: Joseph Zeng, Zhang Songwen, and Chen Duling. Broadcast network: iQiyi 
• Deep Lurk. Genre: Republican spy drama. Main cast: Cheng Yi and Ying'Er. Broadcast network: Jiangsu TV 
• Golden Hairpin. Genre: Costume Detective drama. Main cast: Yang Zi and Peng Guanying. Broadcast network: Tencent 

Do you have a favorite drama expected to be released this year?