Douban Rating of Chinese Drama aired in 2025

Douban, which has around 500 million registered users, is China's largest online database and social networking service. It allows registered users to create content related to film, books, music, recent events, and activities in Chinese cities. It is also a platform for finding ratings and reviews of media. It is where the pulse of domestic film and drama viewers in mainland China can be heard.

Recently, Douban tightened its membership after the state authorities fined them in 2021 for the fake ratings from "water armies" of traffic stars. So the platform cleaned it out and removed the questionable accounts. Today, only individuals with mobile numbers in China can register on the platform.

Some Chinese authors as well as critics register their official personal pages on the site so most of its drama reviewers are real critics. Networks and drama productions respected the ratings and scores reflected in Douban because they reflect the feedback of domestic fans, so let's take a look at which series aired in the first quarter of 2025 impressed Douban registered users. 

As of March 1, 2025, the following are the highest-rated (scoring at least 7.0):

1. I am Nobody season 2 (Youku)

• Douban rating: 8.3
• Number of reviewers: 86,008
• Number of episodes: 13
• Genre: Adventure/Fantasy
• Leads: Peng Yuchang, Wang Yinglu, Neo Hou, and Vicky Chen

Story summary: Zhang Chulan (Peng Yuchang) is an ordinary young man who gets entangled in an unprecedented world of "outsiders" when his grandfather's body mysteriously disappears. Facing unexpected pursuit from the Sinister Pleasure, a relentless organization, and the sudden appearance of an enigmatic girl, Feng Baobao (Wang Yinglu), Zhang Chulan decides to no longer hide his superpower. 

2. Legend of the Undercover Chef season 2 (Tencent/WeTV)

• Douban rating: 8.0
• Number of reviewers: 23,059
• Number of episodes: 40
• Genre: Costume Comedy
• Leads: Zhao Benshan, Song Xiaobao, Song Xiaofeng, and Wen Song 

Zhao Benshan

Story background: Ximen Changhai miraculously survives and returns to the Dingyuan Alliance, taking up his duty to defend the land and resist the invading forces. Meanwhile, his brother, Ximen Changzai, grows into his role as a sect leader. As tensions rise with external enemies and power-hungry adversaries, the brothers must unite their disciples to combat escalating dangers. 

3. Me and My Family (Hunan TV, Mango TV)

• Douban rating: 7.9
• Number of reviewers: 14,305
• Number of episodes: 27
• Genre: Family
• Leads: Zhou Yutong and Wu Yue

Me and My Family

Story Background:

After experiencing the double blow of a broken heart and unemployment, 28-year-old Gu Yunsu (played by Zhou Yutong) chose to go home to find her mother without hesitation when she was confused about the future and could not find the direction of her life; Gu Yunsu, who originally planned to "live off the old man", became a close caregiver for the "rebellious" mother Wu Limei (played by Wu Yue) without any preparation. The new mother-daughter relationship and abstract mode of getting along between the "real mother" daughter born in the 1990s and the "best friend" mother born in the 1970s, accompanied by the new members of the reorganized family, staged a series of hilarious, warm and healing family stories.

4. Flourished Peony (Hunan TV, Mango TV)

• Douban rating: 7.8
• Number of reviewers: 328,009
• Number of episodes: 32
• Genre: Costume Historical Business
• Leads: Yang Zi, Li Xian, Wei Zheming, and Zhang Yaqin

Story background: The story is set in the Tang Dynasty and follows He Wei Fang, a merchant's daughter skilled in cultivating rare peonies, and Jiang Changyang, an official in Chang'an. He Weifang leaves behind the marriage of convenience and starts a flower business cultivating peonies. 

5. Always Home (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.8
• Number of reviewers: 20,335
• Number of episodes: 30
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Leads: Zhai Xiaowen, Daniel Zhou, Yang Xizi, He Qiu

Always Home

Story Background:

A small-town girl named Chen Huaner moved to a big city with her parents. She and her two new friends, Jing Qichi and Song Cong went through all the important nodes of life together, from high school to college and then to graduation. During this period, there were plain and trivial days such as reading, outings, sports games, and book drifting. 

There were also the sourness of secret love, the unwillingness of aborted ideals, the unpreparedness of family changes, and the confusion and pain of facing the death of relatives for the first time. These three teenagers supported each other through the pain of growing up, and grew from ignorant teenagers to adults who integrated into this society. In the end, they grew into a self that was completely different from what they imagined in high school, but also good enough. Of course, the most important thing is that they always stayed by each other's side and never got separated.

6. Trident  season 2 (iQIYI, Dragon TV)

• Douban rating: 7.7
• Number of reviewers: 18,832
• Number of episodes: 34
• Genre: Crime Thriller
• Leads: Chen Jianbin, Dong Yong, Hao Ping

Story background: Cui Tiejun (Chen Jianbin), Xu Guozhu (Dong Yong) and Pan Jianghai (Hao Ping), known as the "Trident" of the Municipal Bureau, found out that the key suspect was involved in a murder case 20 years ago when they were investigating a pyramid scheme. In order to thoroughly investigate the case, the three veteran policemen, with the support of Director Guo, set up the Trident Studio. With the cooperation of their apprentice Xiao Lu and the young female police officer Xu Man, the three veterans assisted various police forces in solving many major and important cases

7. Reopen My Journals (Tencent/WeTV)

• Douban rating: 7.7
• Number of reviewers: 16,745
• Number of episodes: 33
• Genre: Family and Youth
• Leads: Li Yunrui, Huangyang Tiantian, Ni Hongjie, Yang Haoyu

The adults and youths in Reopen My Journals

Story background: A heartwarming family and youth drama, telling a story of their growth and friendship in a close-knit community. It tackles two generations - parents and their children, and their relationship towards each other, the dreams of their children and the adjustments the parents must make as their children prepare to enter college.

8. Under the Moonlight (Youku, CCTV-8)

• Douban rating: 7.5
• Number of reviewers: 29,845
• Number of episodes: 36
• Genre: Costume/Investigation
• Leads: Hu Bingqing, Zhai Zilu, He Peng, Ding Xiaoying

from left: He Ping, Hu Bingqing, and Zhai Zilu

Story Background: The young girl Luo Shu's family fell into poverty and she became a slave. Because she understood people's hearts and was considerate, she was nicknamed "Jin Nang". To change her fate, she volunteers to help the new county magistrate Han Muzhi solve a major case. Since then, she has stayed in the county government office and worked as a detective. She later met Qi Menglin, who she partnered in solving many cases.

9. Love of the Divine Tree (iQiyi)

• Douban rating: 7.0
• Number of reviewers: 87,602
• Number of episodes: 40
• Genre: Costume/Fantasy 
• Leads: Deng Wei and Julia Xiang 

Julia Xiang and Deng Wei 

Story background: It tells the story of Su Yishui (Deng Wei) and Mu Qingge (Julia Xiang) in a battle between demons and heavenly immortals. Su Yishui was implanted with a spring spirit for his greedy father to dominate the world, making him a demon child hunted by the heavenly immortals.

To save him and the world, Mu Qingge, who is on her way to immortality, took him as her disciple, but Mu Qingge was accused of being the demon child and was killed by the immortal sects, Su Yishui gathered the fragments of her spirit and grew a reincarnation tree to resurrect her.

10. The Embers (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 7.0
• Number of reviewers: 19,946
• Number of episodes: 28
• Genre: Costume Suspense Thriller
• Leads: Wang Ziqi and Sun Yang

Story Background:

A tragic massacre in their childhood completely changed the fate of the Liao brothers. Will they break through the darkness for self-redemption, or will they descend into the abyss of vengeance? Once inseparable and solving countless mysterious cases together, the two brothers now stand on opposite sides.

Chinese series aired in the first quarter of 2025 with below 7.0 rating:

1. The Blossoming Love (Youku)

• Douban rating: 6.9
• Number of reviewers: 24,011
• Number of episodes: 36
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Leads: Zhang Binbin, Sun Zhenni

2. Small Police Station (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 6.8
• Number of reviewers: 23,689
• Number of episodes: 33
• Genre: Police drama
• Leads: Guo Jingfei, Chen Shu, Li Haofei 

3. Fearless 2 (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 6.8
• Number of reviewers: 11,445
• Number of episodes: 38
• Genre: Legal drama
• Leads: Wang Yang and Reyiza

4. Kill My Sins (Youku): 6.4

• Number of reviewers: 69,608
• Number of episodes: 30
• Genre: Costume/Politics
• Leads: Liu Shishi and Shawn Dou

5. Perfect Match (Mango TV, Netflix)

• Douban rating: 5.9
• Number of reviewers: 44,084
• Number of episodes: 36
• Genre: Family, Light Comedy
• Leads: Lu Yuxiao, Wang Xingyue, Ni Hongjie

6. Six Sisters (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 5.9
• Number of reviewers: 18,733
• Number of episodes: 38
• Genre: Family
• Leads: Mei Ting, Lu Yi, Wu Junmei, Xi Meiju

7. Moonlight Mystique (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 5.8
• Number of reviewers: 186,958
• Number of episodes: 40
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Leads: Bai Lu, Ao Ruiping, Chang Huasen, Dai Luwa

8. Guardians of the Dafeng (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 5.6
• Number of reviewers: 164,065
• Number of episodes: 40
• Genre: Costume Fantasy
• Leads: Dylan Wang, Tian Xiwei, Liu Yijun, and Yan Zidong

9. The First Frost (Youku)

• Douban rating: 5.5
• Number of reviewers: 99,444
• Number of episodes: 32
• Genre: Youth Romance
• Leads: Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan

10. Drifting Away (iQIYI):

• Douban rating: 5.3
• Number of reviewers: 155,365
• Number of episodes: 14
• Genre: Crime Thriller
• Leads: Guo Jingfei, Wang Qianyuan, Zhao Jinmai

11. The White Olive Tree  (iQIYI)

• Douban rating: 5.3
• Number of reviewers: 43,126
• Number of episodes: 38
• Genre: Military Romance
• Leads: Liang Jie and Chen Zheyuan

12. Everlasting Longing (Tencent)

• Douban rating: 5.1
• Number of reviewers: 31,804
• Number of episodes: 30
• Genre: Costume/Clan conflict
• Leads: Angelababy and Song Weilong