So the success of When I Fly Towards You is still percolating, I swear leads Zhou Yi Ran and Zhang Miao Yi are getting so much press and I’m thrilled for them. I just started WIFTY and I LOVE IT TO PIECES! It’s like a less stupid and updated It Started with a Kiss with bonus points for Zhang Miao Yi resembling Ariel Lin in all the right ways (acting and visuals) I do double takes multiple times an episode. I appreciate learning about a drama through recs and WIFTY’s success has led to C-netizens assembling a 10 drama list of recommended underrated and unknown C-dramas (period and modern) with over 7 ratings on Douban. None have famous leads, half are ensemble school/young adult dramas, and all are considered winning for the sheer well-done production as a whole (acting, directing, chemistry). Check it out below as I listed each drama by name.
Once and Forever: The Sun Rises 8.4
Let’s Meet Now 7.6
When I Fly Towards You 7.6
Hi Venus 8.0
So Funny Youth 7.7
Falling Before Fireworks 7.5
Lovely Us 8.1
Dong Lan Xue 7.3
When We Were Young 7.5
An Ancient Love Song 8.5
I am watching more C Drama nowadays. I’ve just finished Hidden Love and was deeply satisfied. I was watching this on Netflix in tandem with the Kdrama The King Land but it was rapidly obvious to me how much better Hidden love is in terms of writing and acting. It’s a story of an adolescent infatuation and crush. Zhao Lu Si did it justice even though it’s a role that she probably doesn’t normally do. I love how versatile she is as an actress. Chinese drama has a lot to offer. The longer storyline ( with more episodes) allows for better story telling and character growth. Although I don’t think I can stomach a 60 plus episodes drama ( unless it has Zhao Lu Si in it lol). Reset is another C drama I feel is underrated in the English speaking world.
WIFTY really just perfect for me. FL not annoying Cinderella wanna be with that nasty voice try to be cute.ML just perfect too.I like him when that manipulated girl try to make FL in bad light, he just straight defend her GF& had me wow that’s unexpected.
Watch when we are young too, that drama is good too. Right now I watch stay with me. Underrated but good.
I looooved an ancient love song! Highly recommend this drama! It’s a different kind of time travel!
Koala should totally try Ancient Love Song next. It’s low budget but they did everything right for it. Well I minus a bit point for the male lead but the plot just hits you in the feels when you realize what is happening.
Please “when we were young” is so good. Till this day I’m still waiting for the continuation 😭😭 and have heard a lot of good words about WIFTY, so definitely gonna watch this next since TLP has finished.
WIFTY is an unexpectedly well written and acted drama. The friends group is amazing together and as couples. The lead female was both cute and full of personality. Loved how she said that nobody should sacrifice their dreams for the other and male lead agreed with her. I feel confident even if the two hadn’t ended up in the same college they would have still had the same fulfilling relationship they did. The second leads too were great together and loved how all the couples inspired each other to be a better version of themselves. A true youth drama.
None of the Chinese school/young adult dramas have worked for me except for Lighter&Princess and Hidden Love. Most of them are boring. I don’t care about Douban ratings or what other said about dramas. It’s good for me if I like it and bad otherwise. I’ll check out the two costume dramas mentioned in the blog. Thanks.
that’s because you’re a soulless XZ fanbot. ha!
Hey fake Taiwan independence advocate! I don’t expect you to make any meaningful comments about drama. Lol
I just started and I really like the cinematography and the music! It brings back nostalgia and she really resembles Ariel Lin. They are so young and just so right for the age in this drama. Male lead is super cute! I heart!
If you like “Hi Venus,” you should also check out “The Day of Becoming You” by the same writer. Both are also highly rated on dramaroma and MDL.
I think the couple is better balanced than It Started With A Kiss. She’s the one who helps him with English, he helps her with maths. They both take care of each other.
I don’t care much about ratings, but when some are recommended, i try it . don’t have nothing to lose . A few times, i find true gems .
Meet Yourself with Li Xian and Liu Yifei is also very nice to watch. It’s also on Netflix and I’m surprised it’s not more popular?
Hard to get that high rating when the leads are popular, the more popular they are, the more hater they have, from fan of competitor drama in the same period. That’s why even though the rating is good, the amount of rating sometimes is also less than these popular dramas. The one who review them are really only those who watched the drama, not haters.
I checked Antient Love Story. Again, I fast forwarded most of the eps and fell asleep a lot of times. LOL. The script is different from most of the time travel dramas but that’s the only appeal. Nothing much else to rave about. It’s wasting time. I’m glad Lost You Forever has premiered and it seemed to have a good start. LYF should keep me occupied off work.
I started WIFTY based on the comments here. I ended up watching it in 2 days. Its seriously so good precisely because its so true and earnest. I understand now why people said there is no icky feeling as from another drama which I also watched.
She does resemble Ariel Lin. I had to google to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.
However the cast chemistry is so amazing. I really felt the cohesion and comaradie of school life from them. Gu Fan made my heart ache but yeah this has been a very good drama. I am very happy I watched it. Its one of the sweetest and believable school drama. Even if his mother gave me PTSD listening to her belittling her son. Her rapid- fire demeaning comments literally gave me bad flashbacks. I am very happy he had his adoring little brother.
Great show. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have watched it as I’ve literally dropped 4 dramas which I started the last month or so
I’m happy that our comments helped to make this drama more known :p
I don’t watch a lot of school dramas (tbh they all look/sound the same to me), but checked out WIFTY due to the high ratings and LOVED it! Very wholesome show, with a cute and non-annoying FL and attractive ML. I loved ISWAK in its day, but this is definitely a much more healthy relationship. Makes me want to check out some of the other school dramas on the list.
Hi Venus was ok but not great (I dropped it). Ancient Love Song had a really interesting premise, but perhaps my expectations were too high and it fell a little flat for me.
ahh Koala…you love this too ! I’m so thrill that we still has the same tastes for Dramas hehehe… I love all the casts and their chemistry, maybe because it’s low budget they can act more comfortable and less pressures everyone looks enjoy it. Honestly I feel the chemistry more great btween Zang LuRang vs Su ZaiZai way better than Yangyang vs Wang Churan hehehehe…
Wow I just watched I fly towards you and Hi Venus based on the ratings.
Double wow. Were they supposed to be low budget because they have turned out to be 2 of the best Cdramas I’ve ever watched. Hi Venus had such a god-awful title that I wouldn’t have gone near it. Hoewever it’s turned out to be one of best written and better directed dramas I’ve ever watched. I normally hate that actress and her role but boy am so in love with her character’s growth and the main couple’s romances. The parents are just wonderful and the Assistant Lin has a mesmerizing voice.