Top 11 Best Chinese Fantasy Dramas 2023

2023 is another big year for Chinese dramas. Among the various genres, fantasy dramas have always been popular. Let’s take a look!

Top 11 Best Chinese Fantasy Dramas 2023 List

1. An Ancient Love Song

He doesn’t know when she is in love, and she doesn’t know when he is deeply in love.

The first time she sees him is the last time he sees her.

They fall in love in this misplaced time and space, does it count as reunion?

Shen Buyan embarks on a thrilling adventure to save Lu Yuan’s fate by traveling to an earlier time each time than the last time. When he stands at the end of the story, her story has just begun. In this reverse time river that is destined to pass by each other, where should the two go?

An Ancient Love Song Chinese drama is a small-budget online drama, but it has created popularity and reputation through its sincerity, standing out from the crowd of Chinese dramas.

The exquisite costumes, tones, compositions and camera movements in the drama all have an ancient style and charm.

Moreover, the setting of reverse time travel is a breakthrough and unconventional.

Going back again and again, there is both the ambition to change history and the emotional energy brought about by constant dislocation.

2. I’m Nobody

A dark horse among Chinese animation adaptations, funny, hot-blooded and chunibyo.

I’m Nobody uses local Chinese culture to talk about its own superheroes, integrating Chinese style and two dimensions, martial arts/wuxia and fantasy, supernatural power and suspense, passion and blood, comedy and tragedy, responsibility and belief, etc. It is a new special work that are not easily categorized and defined in Chinese dramas.

The unusual world created in the drama is a superhero world that incorporates elements of oriental culture.

Young superhero grow up passionately, old ones appear passionately, they fight against monsters, upgrade, and battle against the darkness with their own pursuits.

The drama also presents many fantastic imaginations of the original comics through framing and special effects.

In short, just watch!

3. Lost You Forever

Lost You Forever Chinese drama is adapted from the long novel by the writer Tong Hua. It is created using the ancient book “山海经Shān Hǎi Jīng” as its source material, is a fantasy xianxia drama with typical Chinese local characteristics. It presents a mythical story about love, friendship, family affection, loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice, choice and destiny.

In the ancient times, humans, immortals, and monsters lived together, and the three kingdoms of Xiyan, Chenrong, and Haoling stood in power. Ji Jiuyao (Xiao Yao), the daughter of king of Haoling, who was living in the Dahuang, experienced a hundred years of suffering, not only lost her identity, but also lost her appearance. She settled down in Qingshui Town and became Wen Xiaoliu, who had no place to go, no one to rely on, and no way to protect herself.

Xiao Yao longs for love. However, due to a strange combination of circumstances, the people she loves hurt her the most. Everyone loves Xiao Yao, and everyone uses Xiao Yao.

The emotional entanglement between four men and one woman has become one of the biggest highlights of the drama. Xiao Yao, played by Yang Zi, a great heroine who still has a kind heart after suffering, is deeply rooted in people’s hearts.

The plot is full of the majesty of a mythical epic, the painting style is full of oriental aesthetic elements, and the unconstrained special effects are even more breathtaking.

4. Escape from the British Museum

In 2023, the short Chinese web drama Escape from the British Museum became popular. Because it carries the Chinese desire to return cultural relics home, once the short drama was released, it quickly becme a hot search on major social platforms.

The story is anthropomorphic, about a Chinese jade teapot that escaped from the British Museum, met a Chinese reporter working overseas, and then embarked on the journey home together.

The little jade teapot’s words “My family! I’ve been wandering outside for a long time and I’m lost” triggered many netizens to burst into tears.

The dialogue at the end of the third episode was even more tearful.

“Will you let everyone escape back?”
“We won’t. Chinese don’t do that kind of stealing things. One day we will go home in a glorious and dignified way.”

Although this drama has only three episodes in total, each episode is less than 10 minutes, it hides a main thread of profound cultural heritage, opening a “window” for thousands of years of cultural dialogue, shocking everyone’s heart, and making the cultural protection, inheritance and pursuit imprinted in the hearts.

Every frame of the shot is a reproduction and display of the excellent traditional Chinese culture and civilization, and all embodies the Chinese deep feelings for their family and country.

5. The Starry Love

The queen of the Human Race has given birth to a pair of sisters, one good and one evil. The elder sister Qing Kui is gentle and kind-hearted, respected by the human race, and will be married to the Divine Race. The younger sister Ye Tan is smart and cunning, but suffers bullying, and and will be married to the demon world.

When the two worlds of gods and demons welcomE their bride, the sisters’ bridal sedan chairs are accidentally exchanged. Ye Tan and the god Xuan Shang becomes a happy couple, while Qing Kui becomes a pawn of the princes Chao Feng for the throne in the demon world. The two couples make countless jokes, but also each other’s love grows gradually.

At this time, the crisis of extinction is coming, the identity of the sisters is related to the survival of the four worlds. The four people are facing a huge test between caring for the life of the world and sticking to love.

Since its launch, The Starry Love Chiense drama popularity has been rising, and the data is impressive.

In terms of reputation, it also relies on its hilarious style, sweet-sadistic plot, and novel characters to inject new vitality into the Chinese costume drama, create a new sense of mythological love story, and dazzle the viewers.

The element of light comedy is an important reason for attracting attention. The media commented that it “opens up a differentiated route for the market outside of the cliché. The drama has contributed many hilarious and famous scenes. The characters’ hilarious characters and unexpected plot present the viewers with a very joyful mythical love story.

6. Back From The Brink

It tells the story of Yan Hui (played by Zhou Ye), a young immortal cultivator who was expelled from her Xuan Sect because she was too rebellious. She originally wanted to live a lazy life of “eating and waiting for death, waiting for money to fall from the sky”, but she was tricked and abducted by the rumored “Evil Dragon” Tian Yao(played by Hou Minghao), and was forced to help him unlock the body seal. The two fell in love with each other after experiencing life and death, and finally fought against the ultimate devil together.

The cartoon and animation elements added to the Chinese costume drama Back From The Brink give this work a novel vitality, and opens up the visual pattern of xianxia dramas.

The plot setting is innovative, with both the male and female protagonists are losers, and the character’s behavior conforms to the logic of “normal people”. Compared with ordinary xianxia dramas, it is refreshing and unconventional.

Although it cannot be called a big production, the plot is compact and does not fall into the cliché, the characters in the drama are vivid and substantial, and various laughter elements are constantly present. It is a typical funny drama to watch while eating alone.

7. West Out of the Yumen

Since its launch, West Out of the Yumen has continued to rank among the top three web dramas. The drama, starring Ni Ni and Bai Yu, is based on the novel of the same name by Tailfish, and combines elements of adventure, suspense, fantasy and emotion. Through the westward journey of “Desert Rose” Ye Liuxi and “Wise and Brave Desert Guide” Chang Dong, it tells a story of fateful encounters, fetters between two worlds, and shared destiny.

One in order to solve the mystery of her life, and the other in order to uncover the truth of the past, the two team up to go deep into the desert. There are dangers, and it seems that a pair of invisible hands pulls them into the weathered Yumen Pass. The two advance and retreat among many forces, deduce the truth among many Rashomon gates, and realize true love through life and death tests.

The truth seems to be close at hand, but they are also caught in a bigger conspiracy.

At the beginning of West Out of the Yumen, the desert, full moon, dead tree, and the hanging female corpse directly filled the atmosphere of suspense and horror, and successfully attracted many viewers.

The setting of strong male and female protagonist, and the fantasy setting in the plot based on Chinese myths and legends, unofficial history, and folk stories also have attracted a large number of audiences.

8. Derailment

Derailment is adapted from the original novel of the same name by Priest, starring Liu Haocun and Lin Yi.

The tsundere girl Jiang Xiaoyuan (Liu Haocun) accidentally returns to seven years ago and becomes a working girl with nothing. In her despair, Qi Lian (Lin Yi), who claims to be her childhood friend, appears and has been helping her silently. As the two get closer, they discover that their secrets are inextricably linked…

As the truth continues to be revealed, she gradually lets go of her obsession with “going home” and finds the meaning of struggle. She determines to live a good life and prove herself. At the same time, her relationship with Qi Lian also usher in a turning point.

The drama is a soft science fiction setting with elements of parallel time and space and a two-dimensional growth story.

A bizarre collision, two souls intertwined, and the trajectory of fate unfolds.

9. The Longest Promise

Fate, changed as early as the day it was spied on.

The Longest Promise Chinese drama is adapted from Cang Yue’s novel “朱颜Zhū Yán”. The story revolves around the battle between the Kong Sang, the Mermaid and the Ice Tribe.

It is one of the most popular Chinese xianxia dramas in 2023.

One of the biggest attractions of the drama is the costume of the male protagonist Xiao Zhan. His extraordinary and otherworldly temperament has captured the hearts of many female viewers.

In addition, the scene design, special effects, and soundtrack of The Longest Promise also have an oriental fantasy charm. The production effects are shocking, and the xianxia world created is like stepping into the wonderland of Eastern mythology.

10. Candle in the Tomb: South Sea Tomb

In recent years, fantasy adventure dramas have become a popular choice for film and television themes in China. Especially the Candle in the Tomb series, which comes out one per year, has become a carnival for drama fans.

The popularity of Candle in the Tomb: South Sea Tomb has remained high since it first aired. It follows the previous season Candle in the Tomb: Kunlun Tomb. The “golden trio” returns from their adventure in Kunlun tomb. Professor Chen invites them to go to the South Sea to salvage a valuable treasure – the Emperor Qin Zhaogu Mirror, and thus begins a thrilling journey on the sea.

Pan Yueming, Zhang Yuqi and Jiang Chao, the golden trio team has been formed since early 2020. Together they have acted Candle in the Tomb: The Lost Caverns, Candle in the Tomb: The Worm Valley and Candle in the Tomb: Kunlun Tomb. 2023’s South Sea Tomb is their fourth collaboration. For many viewers, this series is not only a continuation of an IP, but also an extension of the audience’s feelings about tomb-robbing adventures.

The film and television drama adaptations of the Candle in the Tomb series have always attracted much attention. There have been many versions of both movies and TV series adaptations. In the market of a number of good and bad adaptations back then, this series turned out and gained a lot of positive feedback. It became a groundbreaking work in the Candle in the Tomb web drama, setting the tone for high quality. Subsequent series have also been questioned due to various reasons, with ups and downs in the process, but looking back today, many viewers still believe that whether it is the completeness of the story, continuity of style or quality level, this series is still highly recommended on the market.

11. Till The End of The Moon

In order to save the world, the heroine Li Susu takes the form of Ye Xiwu, the youngest daughter of the Ye family, and dedicates herself to preventing Tantai Jin from becoming the demon god. In this process, the relationship between Li Susu, the dawn of righteousness, and Tantai Jin, a born evil creature, is as dramatic and emotionally entangled as the magical plot.

Till The End of The Moon has a novel storyline. Not only did it remain popular when it first aired, but it also received a lot of positive reviews. Although the drama is not very rigorous in terms of plot adaptation logic, resulting in some controversy in word-of-mouth, the drama still improves the post-production level of Xianxia dramas with its cool special effects.

The use of various Chinese god elements in the drama is extremely beautiful, especially when the bodies of the twelve gods fall and return to the world, what are transformed into ice and snow on the mountain tops, pebbles in the streams, and weeping willows on the banks. . . Not only is it full of beauty, but it also perfectly interprets the Chinese divinity.

Both the architecture and the costumes of the characters in Till The End of The Moon show a mysterious Chinese aesthetic style. “Dunhuang style” is a major feature of the drama, which combines solemnity, elegance, and ethereal agility without any sense of contradiction.

The most stunning thing is the wedding look of Ming Ye and Sang Jiu. The scene of the two slowly walking into the hall hand in hand is simply a visual feast.