18 Costume C-Drama Waiting to be Broadcast in 2025

It's May! How time flies so fast, we're almost halfway through 2025! And by this time, we have already watched a lot of costume Chinese dramas since January, and some of our favorites have already been aired. Love in Pavilion, which is one of the most highly anticipated costume fantasy series this year, is currently on air on iQIYI. 

There are still big costume dramas from Chinese productions that have not yet been aired, so we are looking forward to the premiere dates. Here's the list of interesting costume drama waiting to be broadcast this year, we arranged them alphabetically:

Liu Yuning and Li Yitong 

1. A Dream Within A Dream (iQIYI). Main Leads: Li Yitong and Liu Yuning

Story: Song Xiao Yu (Li Yitong) accidentally crosses over into the novel's world, and becomes the heroine who is abandoned and abused by the villainous hero, Nan Heng (Liu Yuning). She tries to run away but the "plot" always pushes her to the Nan Heng, and stage one famous scene in the script, after another.

In this world of a script, there are also countless characters that have been "set" for a long time. Some people are trapped in the deep palace, some are trapped in aristocratic families, some are tired of competition amongst women, and some are running away from those in power. 

Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng 

2. Feud (iQIYI). Main Leads: Bai Lu and Joseph Zeng

Story: Li Qing Yue (Bai Lu), a powerful immortal blessed by the Four Spirits, and Bai Jiu Si (Joseph Zeng), a revered master of Dacheng, find themselves drawn together. However, a cruel twist of fate leads to a misunderstanding that ignites a heartbreaking conflict, even resulting in their demise.

But destiny is not done with them yet. Granted a second chance, they mend their broken bond and join forces as champions. Together, the immortal and the master unite to protect the innocent from a looming threat.

Cheng Yi and Li Yitong 

3. Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Sword and Beloved (iQIYI). Main Leads: Cheng Yi and Li Yitong

This is the third installment of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker drama adaptation after Red Moon Pact and Love in Pavilion. Sword and Beloved follows the love story of a powerful warrior named Wangquan Fu Gui (Cheng Yi), and an unknown spider spirit named Qing Tong (Li Yitong. They go through a painful love that's akin to having one's heart pierced by thousands of arrows.

Wang Churan and Li Hongyi in Hidden Shadow 

4. Hidden Shadow (Youku). Main Leads: Wang Churan, Li Hongyi, and Yan An

Story: An elite assassin, An Jiu (Wang Churan), suddenly travels back in time to the ancient dynasty and became Mei Jiu. She finds herself joining a secret assassin organization and transforms from an ordinary girl into a royal female special agent. Along the way, she encounters young General Chu Ding Jiang (Li Hongyi), and a young master Hua Rong Jian (Yan An). Together, they grow and transform amidst familial grudges, national enmities, and romantic entanglements.

5. In The Name of Blossom (Hunan TV and Mango TV). Main Leads: Yang Zi and Li Xian

Story: This is the second season of Flourished Peony, and the story picks up where the first season ended. The story continues in the bustling city of Chang’an, where Fang Garden thrives as a hub of commerce and beauty. 

It follows the tale of He Wei Fang (Yang Zi) and Jiang Chang Yang (Li Xia as they navigate through personal challenges and societal pressures while slowly building a mutual bond. On Jiang Chang Yang's road to serving the country, He Wei Fang helps him, and the two gradually develop a secret love. After a near-death experience, they work together to put down a rebellion, and both retreat into the world of heaven and earth.

Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei 

6. Legend of the Female General (Tencent). Main Leads: Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei

Story: He Yan (Zhou Ye) first meets the brilliant scholar Xiao Jue (Cheng Lei) at Xianchang Academy. Determined to escape her family's fate, she leaves the academy and heads to the battlefield. She wears a mask and poses as the family's eldest son, "He Ru Fei."

Years later, He Yan returns home as a celebrated hero, only to be betrayed by her family when her brother He Ru Fei reappears. Surviving the treachery, He Yan assumes a new identity as the daughter of a city gate officer and disguises herself as a man to join the military in Yezhou, vowing to reclaim everything that was taken from her.

In Yezhou, He Yan befriends the gentle and refined Chu Zhao (Zhang Kang Le) and once again crosses paths with Xiao Jue. However, Xiao Jue suspects He Yan of being a spy and constantly tests her. Despite his suspicions, He Yan clings to Xiao Jue and proves her abilities by becoming the top soldier in Yezhou's defense force. 

7. Love and Crown (Youku), Main Leads: Ren Jialun and Peng Xiaoran

Ling Cang Cang, a skilled martial artist and founder of Fenglai Pavilion, fights for justice in a world troubled by corrupt officials and Jianghu forces. Xiao Huan, the young emperor of the Nanqi Dynasty, secretly adopts the name "Bai Chi Fan" to travel and help the people. 

He joins forces with Ling Cang Cang to confront the corruption and chaos, unaware that she is the daughter of the chief minister and destined to be his queen. Together, they battle for justice, alleviate the people's suffering, and restore peace, discovering their true purpose in the process: to serve and protect the people.

8. Moonlit Reunion (Tencent). Main Leads: Xu Kai and Tian Xiwei 

It tells the story of Wu Zhen, the daughter of the Duke of Henan and sister to the queen who enjoyed a life of luxury and indulgence, but she has a secret identity. She could see spirits, a gift that marked her path to an unusual destiny. After a fateful fall from a building, she was saved by the former Cat Master, who passed on his demonic powers to her. 

Mei Zhu Yu is a Taoist prodigy. He shares Wu Zhen’s ability to see spirits. He was sent to a Taoist temple in his youth and honed his spiritual powers and quickly rose to prominence within Taoism. Although he hides his abilities from the world, his skill in Daoist arts is unmatched, making him an invaluable ally to Wu Zhen.

9. Shao Hua Ruo Jin (Hunan TV, Mango TV). Main Leads: Song Weilong and Bao Shang En

King Jiang Xu of Dingbei, who guarded the border for eight years, returned to the Daxian Dynasty to investigate the case of embezzlement of military pay for the Dingbei army. Unexpectedly, there were many connections behind the corruption case. In order to find out the real culprit as soon as possible and clear the court, Jiang Xu volunteered to marry Ming Tan, who was also a general, so that the Ming family would not be exploited.

As the conspiracy was gradually revealed, Jiang Xu discovered that the murderer's corruption was related to the economic lifeline of the entire Daxian Dynasty, and he had to pull out all the stops and uproot all those related to him in the Dynasty. Unexpectedly, the Ming family was framed due to Jiang Xu's thorough investigation, and their family was ruined.

Gong Jun and Chang Huasen 

10. Tales of Dark River (Youku). Main Leads: Gong Jun, Chang Huasen and Peng Xiaoran

Story: "The Dark River" is a secret assassin organization formed by the Su, Xie, and Mu families, led by the Grand Elders. When the Elders fall critically ill from a mysterious poison, the families seize the chance to rebel. 

Su Mu Yu (Gong Jun), leader of the Spider Shadow guard, enlists the divine healer Bai He Huai from the Medicine King Valley to save the Elders. On the way,  he encounters assassins from rival families, including his friend Su Changhe (Chang Huasen), amid a rebellion by the three ruling families.

11. The Dragon Chant (Hunan TV, Mango TV). Main Leads: Luo Yunxi, Xiao Shunyao, Ao Ziyi, Fang Yilun

Story: Ye Mo, the leader of the Cult of Eternal Paradise, who has terrorised the martial arts world for many years, is finally slain by a group of martial arts heroes. However, ten years later, the shadow of evil forces still lingers, and the seemingly peaceful martial arts world surges with dark undercurrents.

Originally a recluse, the morally ambiguous Tang Li Ci (Luo Yunxi) becomes involved in a murder case and is entangled in a deadly conspiracy aimed at destroying the martial arts community.

Song Weilong and Ju Jingyi 

12. The Eternal Fragrance (Youku). Main Leads: Song Weilong and Ju Jingyi

Story: When a sea meteorite brings the mythical Jianmu tree, its fruit, capable of granting ultimate power, plunges immortals, demons, and monsters into a bloody war.

A century later, Xiao Bang Chui, an orphan from Qingqiu, seeks belonging and strength by joining Chufeng Academy. There, she meets Lei Xiu Yuan, a steadfast young man carrying the burden of saving his gravely ill elder brother. Their bond grows from friendship into love as they face the trials of the academy together.

Xiao Bang Chui’s life takes a dramatic turn when she transforms into Jiang Li Fei, a figure of extraordinary power. Her newfound abilities and mysterious origins draw the attention of powerful factions, forcing her to confront her destiny. Lei Xiu Yuan, loyal and unwavering, stands by her through every peril, protecting her as they uncover the truth of her lineage.

13. The Immortal Ascension (Youku). Main Leads: Yang Yang and Jin Chen

Story: This is the story of an ordinary mortal who, against all odds, clashes with devilish demons and ancient celestials to find his own path towards immortality. Han Li (Yang Yang) is a poor child forced to live on the streets. He fights hunger, cold weather, and dangerous monsters, and when everything seems lost, he is saved by a Taoist grandmaster and taken to his sect of immortals for training. 

Cheng Yi 

14. The Journey of Legend (iQIYI and Tencent). Main Leads: Cheng Yi and Gulinazha

Story: It tells the story of Xiao Mingming, an ardent fan of martial arts novels and a mediocre man hit by the cruel reality. He travels across the martial world through the perspective of Xiao Qiushui, the protagonist of his novel, growing from a young impulsive swordsman with subpar skills to a reliable and emotionally open hero who protects his family and country. Since then, Xiao Mingming has never forgotten to keep writing in his spare time, continuously conveying the belief that people's hearts are united by righteousness through his novels.

Xiao Zhan 

15. The Legend of Zang Hai (Youku). Main Leads: Xiao Zhan and Zhang Jingyi

Zhi Nu was originally the son of Kuai Duo, the Imperial Astronomer of Da Yong. However, on one fateful night, Zhi Nu's entire family was wiped out. He held off on revenge and began learning architecture and political strategy. 

Ten years later, he returned to the capital under the pseudonym Zang Hai and greeted his enemy, Marquis Ping Jin. In order to gain Marquis Ping Jin's trust, Zang Hai solved many difficult problems, such as the joint burial of the emperor and empress.

Afterwards, Zang Hai stepped into court and became the new Imperial Astronomer. He made careful preparations to bring Marquis Ping Jin and all the others who were involved in the murder of his family to justice.

Song Zuer and Liu Yuning 

16. The Prisoner of Beauty (iQIYI). Main Leads: Song Zuer and Liu Yuning

Xiao Qiao, a clever girl from the Qiao family, marries Wei Shao, the sharp and kind master of the Wei family, as part of a family alliance. With bad blood between their clans, the two start off wary of each other, constantly testing boundaries in both funny and tense ways. Over time, they begin to appreciate each other's quirks and talents. Through ups and downs, they learn to work as a team, tackling family drama and bigger issues to bring some peace to their world. It’s a story of partnership built through trial, error, and a bit of chaos.

17. The Wanted Detective (iQIYI). Main Leads: Wang Xingyue and Julia Xiang

Story: On the wedding day, there was a storm. On the lake, Xiao Bei Ming, the best detective of Daqi, was framed as a demonic Night Fury and fled into the lake on the charge of murdering his master and treason. Three years later, Xiao Bei Ming returned to the capital and gained the trust of his junior sister, Zhong Xue Man. In the darkness, he and a group of witty and courageous partners used their lives as bait to fight for their lives.

18. Xiao Yao (iQIYI). Main Leads: Neo Hou and Tan Songyun

This drama has so many rumored English titles including The Unclouded Soul, so let's stick to the original title, Xiao Yao. This drama follows Xiao Yao, a carefree girl who embarks on a fantastical journey in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons. Hong Ye, the formidable King, is reborn to safeguard the valley. Hong Ye appreciates Xiao Yao's pure heart, untainted by desires.