15 Highest-Rated and Most Popular Chinese Drama in Douban in 2024

UPDATED: November 26, 2024

Here are the top 15 highest-rated in Douban as of November 26, 2024, with at least 50,000 reviewers rating the drama. Douban's final ranking report always includes series from Taiwan and Hong Kong so we will include them too. 

We will also include a section on the most popular C-drama in Douban this category is not included in the annual report of Douban but for the sake of curiosity, we collated the most popular, which is a list of C-drama that have the highest number of reviewers/raters.

By the way, Douban is China's largest and most influential rating platform. It is where network executives, producers, and investors get the pulse of domestic viewers as most of Douban's reviewers are young professionals and real critics.

A. TOP 15 HIGHEST-RATED C-DRAMA with at least 50,000 reviewers. Take note, only dramas that premiered in 2024:

Note: Here's the updated score as of November 19, 2024

1. She and Her Girls (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 9.6 
• Star rating: 5
• Number of reviewers: 163,977
• Genre: Education/Reform
• Number of episodes: 23
• Main Lead: Song Jia

2. To The Wonder (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 8.9
• Star rating: 5
• Number of reviewers: 299,382
• Genre: Cross-Cultural
• Number of episodes: 8
• Main Leads: Yu Shi, Zhou Yiran, and Ma Yili

3. Heroes (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 8.7
• Star rating: 5
• Number of reviewers: 58,182
• Genre: Action/Martial Arts
• Number of episodes: 8
• Main Leads: Qin Junjie, Liu Yuning, Pang Hanchen, and Huang Mingying

4. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 8.6
• Star rating: 5
• Number of reviewers: 234,597
• Genre: Costume/Investigative
• Number of episodes: 40
• Main Leads: Yang Xuwen and Yang Zhigang

5. Imperfect US (Taiwanese drama)

• Douban rating: 8.3
• Star rating: 5
• Number of reviewers: 186,761
• Genre: Modern
• Number of episodes: 8
• Main Leads: Ariel Lin, Tiffany Hsu, and George He

6. Romance in the Alley (Hunan TV/Mango TV)

• Douban rating: 8.2
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 98,914
• Genre: Period Family Drama
• Number of episodes: 40
• Main Leads: Yan Ni, Li Guangjie, Guo Xiaodong, Jiang Xin, Guan Xiaotong, Wang Anyu, and Fan Chengcheng 

7. Will Love in Spring (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 8.0
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 106,732
• Genre: Modern Romance
• Number of episodes: 21
• Main Leads: Zhou Yutong and Li Xian

8. Like a Flowing River (Tencent, iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 8.0
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 65,838
• Genre: Period/Business
• Number of episodes: 33
• Main Leads: Wang Kai, Yang Shuo, Dong Zijian, and Yang Caiyu

9. Escape from the Trilateral Slopes (Youku)

• Douban rating: 7.9
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 246,456
• Genre: Adventure/thriller
• Number of episodes: 21
• Main Leads: Guo Qilin and Francis Ng

10. War of Faith (CCTV, Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.8
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 207,902
• Genre: Republican era/Suspense
• Number of episodes: 38
• Main Leads: Wang Yibo, Li Qin, and Wang Yang

11. A Great Nobody (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 7.8
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 53,491
• Genre: Costume Comedy
• Number of episodes: 14
• Main Leads: Tu Duo and Lu Yan

12. Are You The One (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.7
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 91,881
• Genre: Costume Romance
• Number of episodes: 40
• Main Leads: Zhang Wanyi and Wang Churan

13. Born to be the One (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.6
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 60,897
• Genre: Modern/Urban Drama
• Number of episodes: 37
• Main Leads: Yin Tao, Wang Xiao, Zhang Ruonan, and Qin Junjie 

14. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.5
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 316,499
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Number of episodes: 32
• Main Leads: Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi

15. The Story of Rose (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.4
• Star rating: 4
• Number of reviewers: 245,752
• Genre: Modern Urban drama
• Number of episodes: 38
• Main Leads: Liu Yifei and Tong Da Wei

B. 15 MOST POPULAR C-DRAMA in Douban in 2024 (list of series with the most number of reviewers/raters):

Li Qin and Zhang Ruoyun in Joy of Life 2

1. Joy of Life 2 (Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 330,579
• Douban rating: 7.3
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Costume
• Main Leads: Zhang Ruoyun, Li Qin, Chen Daoming

2. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy(Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 316,499
• Douban rating: 7.7
• Star rating: 3
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Main Leads: Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi

3. To The Wonder (iQIYI)

• Number of reviewers: 299,382
• Douban rating: 8.9
• Star rating: 5
• Genre: Cross-Cultural
• Main Leads: Yu Shi, Zhou Yiran, and Ma Yili

4. The Legend of Shen Li (Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 299,297
• Douban rating: 7.2
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Main Leads: Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin

5. Escape from Trilateral Slopes (Youku) 

• Number of reviewers: 246,456
• Douban rating: 7.9
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Adventure/Suspense
• Main Leads: Guo Qilin and Francis Ng

6. The Story of Rose (Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 245,752
• Douban rating: 7.4
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Modern Urban
• Main Leads: Liu Yifei and Tong Da Wei

7. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 (iQIYI)

• Number of reviewers: 234,597 
• Douban rating: 8.6
• Star rating: 5
• Genre: Costume
• Main Leads: Yang Xuwen and Yang Zhigang

8. War of Faith (iQIYI)

• Number of reviewers: 207,902
• Douban rating: 7.8
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Republican era
• Main Leads: Wang Yibo, Li Qin, and Wang Yang

9. Imperfect US (Taiwan)

• Number of reviewers: 186,761
• Douban rating: 8.3
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Modern Urban
• Main Leads: Ariel Lin, Tiffany Hsu, George He

10. The Double (Youku)

• Number of reviewers: 170,502
• Douban rating: 6.6
• Star rating: 3
• Genre: Costume/Revenge
• Main Leads: Wang Jinyan and Liu Xueyi

11. She and Her Girls (Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 163,977
• Douban rating: 9.5
• Star rating: 5
• Genre: Education
• Main Leads: Song Jia

12. Regeneration (Youku)

• Number of reviewers: 160,882
• Douban rating: 7.0
• Star rating: 3
• Genre: Suspense-Thriller
• Main Leads: Jing Boran and Zhou Yiran

13. Best Choice Ever (Tencent)

• Number of reviewers: 148,982
• Douban rating: 6.2
• Star rating: 3
• Genre: Modern Romance
• Main Leads: Yang Zi and Xu Kai

14. Love Endures (Youku)

• Number of reviewers: 147,634
• Douban rating: 7.2
• Star rating: 4
• Genre: Modern Romance
• Main Leads: Yang Zi and Fan Chengcheng

15. The Story of Pearl Girl (Youku)

• Number of reviewers: 136,781
• Douban rating: 6.0
• Star rating: 3
• Genre: Costume Business
• Main Leads: Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning

Unlike the past two years, 2024 feels like not a good year for the costume drama genre as only few costume series impressed domestic fans. Here are the top 10 Highest-Rated Costume C-Drama in 2024 so far:

1. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty II: Journey to the West (iQIYI):  8.6

2. A Great Nobody (iQIYI): 7.8

3. Are You The One (Tencent): 7.7

4. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (Tencent): 7.5

5. Fortune Writer (Tencent): 7.5

6. Blossom in Adversity (Youku): 7.4

7. Joy of Life season 2 (Tencent): 7.3

8. The Legend of Shen Li (Tencent): 7.2

9.White Cat Legend (iQIYI): 7.1

10. Go East (iQIYI): 6.9