What's moving in the world of Chinese drama — and what it actually means
Quick dispatches on the industry, paired with the deep, annotated reading you won't find anywhere else.
NEWS
All news →Xiao Zhan's Small-Town Doctor Drama Debuts First Trailer at iQIYI Showcase
Xiao Zhan's small-town doctor drama debuted its first trailer at iQIYI's showcase and confirmed a CCTV-8/iQIYI simulcast, though neither platform has announced an exact premiere date yet.
Xiao Zhan Becomes First Male Star to Solo-Cover Vogue China's October Issue
The October ("Silver Ten") issue is one of Vogue China's most closely watched of the year — and until now, only actresses had taken its solo cover in the magazine's 21-year history.
Youku Officially Announces Sequel to Hit Modern Drama 'The Early Spring'
Youku has confirmed a sequel to the contemporary drama 'The Early Spring' for its 2027 slate, prompting fan discussions about a potential return of the original leads.
Guan Xiaotong and Chen Xingxu Wrap Filming for Modern Drama 'Love You in the Dark'
Former child actors Guan Xiaotong and Chen Xingxu have completed filming for their upcoming modern series Love You in the Dark, marking an on-screen reunion nearly 20 years after their initial childhood collaboration.
Lu Yuxiao and Zhang Linghe Confirmed to Lead Tencent Blockbuster Revenge
Despite fan protests and casting controversies, Lu Yuxiao and Zhang Linghe are officially locked in as the leads for Tencent's upcoming S+ drama Revenge.
Republican-Era Drama Starring Li Xian and Li Yitong Officially Changes Title to Wo Bu Shi Da Shi
Republican-era drama starring Li Xian and Li Yitong has officially changed its title to Wo Bu Shi Da Shi and released comedic, satirical, and suspenseful promos.
Danmei Novelist Priest Named Finalist for the Newman Prize for Chinese Literature
Priest — the writer behind Guardian and Silent Reading — is the first web novelist ever shortlisted for the University of Oklahoma's biennial prize, nominated by a Cambridge University scholar.
Kodansha Partners With Jinjiang Literature City to Bring Chinese BL Novels to Japan
The Japanese publisher's first two translated titles are already out, with manga adaptations in development — the biggest formal bridge yet between China's danmei fiction scene and the Japanese BL market.
Chinese Producers Push Microdramas as Export Tool, Deepen U.K. Co-Production Ties
At Mip London, Chinese producers framed microdramas as a low-cost way to test overseas audiences while deepening earlier-stage co-production ties with U.K. partners.
FEATURED
Written in the Margins: the women who quietly built China's drama boom
Somewhere behind so much of the costume drama and fantasy romance you've fallen for is a woman writing under a pseudonym, for free or for pennies, in a genre that has never gotten to operate in the open. This is the part of the story the credits never mention.
The Legend of Zang Hai: Xiao Zhan's 2025 revenge drama, from the director of Empresses in the Palace
The son of a disgraced court astronomer rebuilds himself under a new name to bring down the men who destroyed his family — a 40-episode court-politics revenge story from Empresses in the Palace director Zheng Xiaolong.
The Legend of Shen Li: Zhao Liying's first turn as producer, and a runaway phoenix
A ruler who flees an arranged marriage, falls out of the sky as a phoenix, and lands in the care of the last ancient god — 2024's prime-time xianxia (immortal-fantasy) romance, and Zhao Liying's first credit as supervising producer.
Till the End of the Moon: a time-travel rescue mission aimed at the man who becomes the Devil God
She travels five hundred years back to stop a prince from becoming the Devil God, and falls for him instead — the 2023 Youku hit that reportedly became the most-watched period drama since 2020.
The Story of Minglan: the zhaidou drama the genre still measures itself against
A concubine's daughter learns to hide how clever she is, then builds a household of her own — the 73-episode Song-dynasty family drama that won a Golden Eagle and defined zhaidou (household-intrigue drama) on television.
Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace: the anti-Zhen Huan
Same novelist and marketed as the successor to Empresses in the Palace — but an 87-episode story about a marriage's slow failure, made at a reportedly ¥300 million and pulled from Chinese TV and streaming platforms amid 2019 and 2020 crackdowns on palace dramas.
Ashes of Love: the grape sprite, the loveless elixir, and 15 billion views
A carefree grape sprite is secretly the daughter of two deities, and has been fed an elixir so she can't fall in love. Jiangsu TV's 2018 hit turned that premise into a love triangle among brothers and a court conspiracy.
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