Against the Current with Tan Song Yun and Liu Xue Yi Becomes Third Highest Buzz Tencent Drama of All Time and Opens with 7.5 Douban Ratings Heading into Finale
If the first half of 2026 was all about Pursuit of Jade in terms of period drama buzz, then the second half of 2026 is likely going to be won by Against the Current. The period drama from Tencent starring Tan Song Yun and Liu Xue Yi has owned the month of September and is breaking records within its platform, heading into the finale this weekend it’s current the third highest buzz Tencent drama of all time, recently surpassing Lost You Forever season 1 and Love Like the Galaxy. The drama has netted strong comparisons to The Story of Minglan and The Sword and the Brocade but with more revenge and action. The opening Douban ratings this week of 7.5 is very strong but may dip after as the view seems to be the drama started off much stronger and has dipped in plot and execution in the second half which is always a concern that the ending will fall flat. With the drama ending this may be a great time for a full marathon and decide if this is your fictional Ming dynasty household and royal court politics cup of tea.
I just can’t bring myself to warm up to Tan song. Sigh. I thought she was so cringe worthy in Go ahead and yeah I know people love that show but has to drop it bec of her.
I watched only for songyun. As an international fan my favourite only in chinese actress Tan songyun.
In china actress only songyun is my favourite but korea lot of actress impressed me .In chinese actress no one impressed me weak characters, weak acting, they are beautiful so that many chinese fans for them. But songyun excellent actress with many talents her drama always high rating with strong character but she is not very beautiful so some always tell bad for her but drama and movie directors know her skill. She acting many dramas and movie.Many no. 1 drama actress or rich actress not acting any movie
I feel like calling it “more revenge and action” is sort of a mischaracterization, since the main theme is really about living on and living well, while also not forgetting. It’s about women finding a modicum of agency in a patriarchal world even if it’s to die with dignity. The enemy isn’t so much as one guy but the systems and institutions that let the monarchy determine who lives and dies on whim, that cages women, and that encourages some women to tear each other apart, but the drama focuses on women supporting women rather than harem conflicts. And if not supporting – at least understanding where they’re coming from. The show sidesteps the FAFO approach to karma and focuses on the more positive side of karma – how kindness and compassion will ultimately get repaid in some way.
I did find that there are complaints about the lack of romance. I personally think it has the perfect amount of romantic content for this sort of story and I like the leads’ supportive relationship. Just a warning to those who are looking for a sweeping romance, big gestures, hugs, snuggles, and kisses. It’s pretty chaste in a Downton Abbey sort of way.
I agree. You can always tell who has actually watched the drama and who hasn’t. It isn’t about revenge or even a typical romance. It mostly focuses on the plight of women and how various women in society react to their situations, but it doesn’t leave out the societal restraints on men, either and questions of honor and responsibilities. The ML himself was forced into his first marriage and rebelled himself. And Tong Hua sets up a variety of situations and well developed characters that make the audience question choices and realize people are not red and green flags or black and white hats.
I initially loved Against the Current. While it kicked off with a high-octane plot, it has recently started to feel a bit flat that is a frequent flaw in many C-dramas. The romantic arcs, in particular, are quite underwhelming. Still, it is fascinating to see several female-centric historical C-dramas advocate women’s rights in defiance of feudalism when set in ancient Chinese dynasties. As a drama heavily stamped with feminist undertones, ATC occasionally lets its plotlines become more idealistic than realistic. It honestly feels like watching a fantasy in a historical setting. Lol. Glory starring Neo Hou and Gulnezer is another example.
That said, I still enjoyed most of ATC because the writing easily outclasses 95% of C-dramas. But like Nirvana in Fire, I won’t consider rewatching it a second or third time. The filming simply lacks the cinematic qualities that Pursuit of Jade has. Directing obviously makes a huge difference.
I got to the final episode of Pursuit of Jade thanks to the cinematography the first time, it helped me tolerate that the writing was draggy (especially during certain events that were supposed to be the catalyst of the plot). I wouldn’t watch it again without fast forwarding. LOL. With Against the Current, the writing (also with flaws), kept me hooked enough. Its characters were more colorful and memorable to me as well. I won’t sacrifice my entire time just for the “virtue” of directing and cinematography when I can easily watch a K-drama.😂
There are few C-dramas that I would recommend, but they are neither of the two mentioned. Both have elements that would be alien to those who are looking for “seriousness” in fiction.
How can you talk about realism when Pursuit of Jade is so lacking in it? IJBOL! The fact that Tian Xiwei’s character became a general is also idealistic. It wouldn’t have happened in real life. Before they had even assessed her skill and ability, the ministers and the warriors would have considered it disastrous simply because she is a woman. There is ample evidence of this in the historical records of ancient China. Tian Xiwei’s character had plenty of plot armor. But no story in C-dramas sticks 100% to reality, that’s exactly why they’re fiction. because they’re a “what if” scenario.
Because of the obvious plot holes in POJ, I wouldn’t watch it again. Not to mention the “romantic” storyline involving the second couple—it felt forced and took up too much time, only to end with a lame conclusion.
You’re always so desperate to defend your favorite shows and actors but you don’t back it up with any logic. You’re way too emotional.
You appear more desperate than anyone else here. LMAO! Don’t put words in my mouth – when did I ever say POJ was realistic? It is 100% fantasy, basically a modern C-drama version of Strong Girl Bong-soon! Because POJ doesn’t pretend to be realistic from the get-go, viewers can completely throw logic out the window and just enjoy the ride. It has high entertainment value, which is exactly why it’s so popular. In contrast, ACT tries to mask itself as a “serious” drama while relying on unrealistic narratives from start to finish. Plus, the directing feels incredibly predictable.
BTW, POJ isn’t even my favorite show. In fact, no C dramas are my favorite. No offense to your country! I just offered some level-headed observations on these two recent hits, but you’re completely worked up over it. lol
@SOMEBODY. Oh my God, thank you for writing your comment. I’ve been laughing for five minutes straight.
Your previous responses are a bundle of contradictions, and apparently, your mind is so dim and slow that you don’t even remember what you wrote. IJBOL! I just pointed this out, and you went off on a tangent about my supposed country (I’m not even Chinese lmao) simply because you have no argument. Hahaha.
Level-headed? Nah. A seed-sized brain suits you better. LOL.
You’re a woman in her forties with children; act like one.
@lol & LMAO, Oh, look at you! The second the actual facts dry up, the insults come out! You always turn derogatory the second you run out of actual points. This sudden wall of text just screams your desperation!! Hilarious!!! Someone give this person a medal for “Most Obvious Panic Attack!!!” lol. I also love how you’re logging into different accounts just to spam a forum?? What an attention Beach! Please, save some hobbies for the rest of us! Imagine working that hard just to take an L. lol
@Somebody, Women in their forties like you always take the bait. How could it not be fun to mess with you? Lolololol. Watch out, or your husband might go looking for fresh meat.
I can log in using whatever accounts you want, just so you have something to point to and don’t humiliate yourself. Hahahaha. You’re welcome, grandma.
Your uncivilized tone and malicious reasoning closely mirror CCP-style rhetoric. It’s predictable: the moment you begin losing a fair debate, you resort to personal attacks and hurling foul language out of nowhere. LMAO. Your behavior exposes a complete lack of basic education and online etiquette. Your responses are absolutely despicable. What a desperate fool!! lol
Did you think you could get on my nerves? Nice try. Let me leave you with some wisdom you clearly need but your parents and schools have obviously failed in their education for you LOL:
“A fool’s mouth is her ruin, and her lips are a snare to her soul.”
“A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and her mouth invites a beating.😭😭😭😭😭”
@SOMEBODY. Get some rest, you forty-something lol. At your age, you shouldn’t be taking the bait anymore, yet here you are, writing longer and longer replies hahaha. Maybe you take the bait easily because you don’t have any dic*s in your life. Oh, poor grandma. You’d be better off raising cats haha.
lol, a fool indeed! hahaha.
@lol, remember to take your meds! It looks like you’re still traumatized by how badly your arguments flopped in our exchanges before. Lmao.
Somebody: I’m guessing you’re already taking menopause medicine lmao.😂🤣
I only troll for the sake of trolling. But at your age you’re as emotional as a brat. By now, grandma, you should have grown up by now. Hahaha!
I don’t understand what people see in this. The ML is terrible, the romance is yuck and she is so cringy. But I suppose different tastes.
I dropped the show some episodes after the wedding (I believe 29 or so) and it was all because I felt like the male lead was being portrayed too favourably just because a popular actor is playing him. And the actor failed to make his character more likable or understandable, all his smirking and grinning got on my nerves. His character did a disservice to all the amazing and interesting women in the drama. The male lead was front and centre and yet was such a selfish partiarchal ass, I couldnt continue anymore. I wish the focus would have stayed more on all the different women in different positions and with different statuses.
I have trouble enjoying dramas like this and The Story of Minglan. Its depressing watching women suffer in domestic households and forced to do things against their will. Maybe I’m not old enough for this genre.
It’ll be interesting to see if you end up enjoying them in about 5-10 years! I feel like this and Story of Minglan have a more optimistic, “make lemonade out of lemons” approach that makes it more palatable than those stories where a female character ends up dead and the leads have to get justice for her. As I get older, I’m more impressed with the creativity and ingenuity in navigating and finding loopholes around “the rules” rather than breaking the rules outright. Stories of malicious compliance and creative, but legal spite are my catnip.
This drama is way better than Pursuit of Jade. Be it story, acting, side characters, etc. Even at ep 40, the story has not fallen off. Ppl are just complaining because they couldn’t understand the poetic beauty of the drama, and the way it depicts romance not in the usual sensual way.
This drama is way too long-winded. 47 eps and taking up airing time for a month. I don’t really like TSY’s visuals and LXY is too old. Can’t wait for it to end so Tigers Sniff the Rose can premiere.
Are you eager to see Meng Zi Yi’s plastic face and her lousy acting skills? Hahahaha.
The strongest part of this show is the writing, although it seems like people are already starting to dip. I haven’t gotten to the second half yet since I’m still waiting for it to finish airing so I can binge-watch it. The frustrating issues for me are the makeup and wardrobe, which look cheap and/or poorly made. Even the directing is pretty mid.
Good. Finally a not women-reborn-revenge story. The male lead is realistic and not that romantic but Liu xueyi is delicious and makes this entertaining.
I just started and up to ep10-ish. I don’t like both leads, but they are serviceable so to say. I’m impressed that the drama moves at the right pace with compelling side characters. I’m rather horrified at the way they offed some side characters but that kept me at the edge of the seat.
47 ep is quite daunting for me, but at the pace it is going, FL’s journey has barely started and ‘m already invested in FL’s story and coming adventures.
Suspicious number of comments criticising TSY… I can’t imagine watching this show and claiming she can’t act. Then again most people have no taste if shows like xxxx and actors like zzz can be popular.
30 episodes in thus far, the show treats the classism and misogyny of the times it was set in fairly delicately. Unfortunately the romance elements are whiplash. What The Story of Minglan managed many years ago was sheer serendipity.
I just love it! But for me, it was Li Meng who stood out. She should get an award.
Enjoying AGtC but can see why some fans prefer prettier female leads to TSY. Me, I like TSY so while she might not be beautiful, I find her compelling here. Plus this year there has been no shortage of beautiful people in dramas that tanked magnificently. The writing and pacing are good enough that I haven’t FF much and there are some wonderful acting in this series. I think it’s far better to produce fewer dramas with budget for good directing, script, and acting.
This is not a revenge drama at all neither a romance one ! Can’t believe I almost dropped midway after what the ML did !
Every episode is better than the last one.
This is my favorite cdrama of 2026.
Spoiler ahead!
Am enjoying it, both main actors and Meng Li act well BUT I don’t like the ‘rape’ scene at all. Actually, I don’t like most rape scenes in most Chinese dramas, they seem to use the ‘trope’ almost casually and it really shouldnt be. Okay, it’s not casual here BUT it really pisses me off that it plays out like it does here. IE the baddie female gets raped and, of course, the main lead character stays chaste. Just stop it! Written by a woman, too. How does such stuff get by the censors, don’t they care?
Rant over, it has not stopped me watching. Sorry for the spoiler.
I agree that C-drama directing generally lacks a thoughtful approach to depicting sexual violence, often leaving female audiences with a profound sense of violation. While Pursuit of Jade includes a plotline that indirectly references the rape of the second female lead, the director handled this context with far greater sensitivity and skill. In my opinion, Pursuit of Jade is the superior drama due to the sheer quality of its direction. Conversely, while the writing of AtC is a major factor in its success, its direction ultimately remains pedestrian.
This is where personal preferences come into play. Some folks might prioritize the quality of the direction, while others value the writing more.
Personally, I’ve rarely finished C-dramas that didn’t offer much beyond their cinematic artistry. LOL. Pursuit of Jade, in particular, had me fast-forwarding through several scenes, and no character really stood out to me; I could even easily predict what they were going to do next.😂
Kudos to Tian Xiwei anyways.
Against the Current is on the idealistic side, yet it remained consistent in portraying marriage as inevitable for survival, so women were encouraged to “secure” the best possible match. There are events that should have been treated with more delicacy and orientation to thought provoking though.
Now that I realize it, C-dramas (including my favorite The Untamed) have barriers that can contradict the logic of their own plot or scenes that look like a childish carbon copy. LOL.
No C-drama is a +8.5 for me.
I don’t disagree with you about the scripts, though. Although I enjoyed The Untamed a lot, more than these two recent hits, and have rewatched it several times, its overall writing quality still isn’t on par with a good K-drama or an HBO series. I love the Untamed mainly bcuz Xiao Zhan did a super impressive job as the ML, unforgettable!
Overall, I really enjoyed the drama. Far from perfect, but definitely one of the better ones in recent years. On some level, the praise and putting FL on a pedestal constantly throughout the drama really started to get tiresome. A good number of her accomplishments were pure luck. However, I liked a lot of the side characters and the development of the younger generation. The strong sibling bond despite being from different moms/dads was also refreshing. The veteran moms of both leads were incredible actresses. Li Meng is always phenomenal at playing complex roles that make it hard to hate her. I typically think Tan Songyun is a pretty good actress, but next to the veteran actresses and Li Meng, she comes off a bit amateur. It could also be that I just found her character quite boring.
I was hesitant to start this drama because I’m not a fan of the lead actors, in terms of acting and visuals. Tried watching their previous works, but ended up dropping because of them. But in all fairness, ATC is really well-written, so I’m staying on for the writing. I don’t want to compare it to POJ because ATC is not romance-focused, so we can’t expect their “love story” to be fleshed out well and the leads are nowhere near shippable. I am enjoying the political intrigue and female-centric aspects of the drama. I’m on episode 35 and I’m really hoping it has an ending that’s worthy of the strong beginning.
I enjoyed this drama very much . The story of Ming Lan is a stronger drama, but this one is good too. It has its charms. The cinematography is impeccable. I cried a lot. Tan Song Yun is a rare actresses who can have hit after hit drama and still keep her quiet life. I am sure actors are begging to work with her. She really did a good job in this drama. No overacting. Every scene was measured. The male lead was also good. The storyline about the sister who married the marquis needed more scene. She needs a spinoff story. She was an interesting character as well. Great job to the team.
Omgah, I was rooting for that sister too. I was like she’s sketchy and timid, but smart. I only wished her marquis was a bit more handsome even though he was older. I’m like ML is handsome and he’s friends with the marquis so they could have gotten someone around the same age that was a bit more handsome. The other sister and her mother were annoying to me though.
Men are always judged by their status, power, and resources — not by their looks. It has always been that way. It’s fiction, but some things are as clear as reality. Although things are more flexible these days, and we see nice-looking women dating average-looking guys just because they supposedly have a good personality. LOL.
I was actually very impressed by the actor playing the marquis, who exuded a noble aura – even more so than the male lead. I felt like I had seen him before but couldn’t recall the drama. I was so surprised to find out he played the most detestable villain in The Untamed. He is a phenomenal actor! TBH, the ML on the Wedding night (?) turned me off. lol.
@Somebody: It’s a shame that He Peng’s good acting doesn’t make up for his average looks in productions where his characters are described as handsome lol. He did well in Under the Moonlight (good show by the way) because he seemed comfortable without the constraints of living up to beauty expectations. Average-looking people can certainly be actors, just not in roles that call for stunning looks; it’s not believable, and it just becomes a magnet for backlash. Their faces are so plain that not even styling can help them.
@T.S.2, Hmm, interesting takes! If He Peng couldn’t act, I probably wouldn’t think he’s handsome. But since he’s a great actor IMO, he becomes so attractive when his character has a warm, cordial image. Meanwhile, Liu Xueyi looks objectively handsome, but that greasy wedding night scene was just pure overkill. lol
I finally finished the entire series, though the last few episodes felt a bit dragged out. It’s a solid drama with a lot of suspense, which definitely contributes to the good writing. However, I’m not the target audience for this kind of female-centric plot where the entire male cast – including the male lead – is reduced to mere plot devices. There isn’t much to say about the male characters; they only existed to highlight the women’s growth paths. The writing deliberately pushes modern women’s rights into a setting where it never actually existed in real Chinese history. Because of this, despite being filmed in a historically realistic environment, the drama still felt fake and forced. I consider this narrative imbalance to be a major weakness, alongside the predictable story themes and directing. The acting is good overall. Ultimately, it’s the kind of drama I enjoyed following episode by episode, but I won’t re-watch it now that I know the story. There just wasn’t a WOW factor to make me miss it enough to watch it again.
Male-centric dramas also lack balance with female characters, who are mostly used as *Manic Pixie Dream Girls*. I’d say it’s worse in this case because, at least in *Against the Current*, the male characters possess certain virtues that the audience appreciates, even if their writing lacked depth. In the male-centric dramas I’ve seen, women are reduced to nothing more than submissive or sexual beings. In Japan, this is quite common in the shonen genre.
Even in hugely popular novels like *Mo Dao Zu Shi*, female characters are used and discarded basically serving as cannon fodder.
The source novel for The Untamed is a Danmei (BL) story, so it naturally sidelines all the female characters. When I said Against the Current lacked balanced writing despite heavily promoting feminism, I was comparing it to Game of Thrones.
I’ve yet to find a genuinely deep or inspiring script in C-dramas. Like I mentioned earlier, if I want depth, I’ll watch a K-drama or an HBO show. I turn to C-dramas strictly for entertainment. That’s why I don’t see a fun show like Pursuit of Jade as inferior to AtC. Honestly, if we’re talking about actual quality, AtC isn’t even up to par anyway.