Top 10 Best Chinese Romance Dramas 2023

Love, the unchanging theme of mankind for ages, is also an enduring theme within film and television drama.

Here, let’s take a look at the 10 irresistible romantic Chinese dramas in 2023. Which ones ones are your favourites?

Top 10 Best Chinese Romance Dramas 2023 List

1. Blossoms Shanghai

The Blossoms Shanghai Chinese drama took three years of preparation and three years of filming. On December 27, 2023, the drama “came out after a thousand entreaties.” Whether it is the finale drama at the end of 2023 or the first drama at the beginning of 2024, Blossoms Shanghai has undoubtedly delivered a satisfactory answer in terms of expectations for the quality of the drama.

On January 3, this drama scored 8.1 on Douban. As of the drama ending on January 9, the score was already 8.4, and it is still on the rise. This is a scene that only high-quality dramas can reap.

Behind this unites all Wong Kar-wai’s charm of light and shadow, character creation skills, storytelling ability and even the ability to use background music.

Blossoms Shanghai focuses on Shanghai in the early days of reform and opening up. It tells the story of the little people represented by young Abao, who seizes opportunities, exerts his talents, rewrites his destiny, and grows up.

This drama has a strong personal style. As a famous Chinese film director, Wong Kar-wai has won numerous awards for his literary films. His films have delicate and vivid narrative ability.

In this drama, Wong Kar-wai uses his unique camera language to show the Shanghai scene in the 1990s, the prosperity of the Yellow River Road, and the characters of the little people one by one to the audience. He also portrays the love story between men and women and multiple female characters in an unforgettable way. The whole drama can be said to be a “continuation” of a Shanghai story in his own mind.

His movie fans even “take a magnifying glass” to search for relevant clues in this drama from “Wong Kar-Wai’s Cinematic Universe”.

After all, such a TV series is comparable to a 30-episode movie. Such an opportunity is very rare.

2. Meet Yourself

This drama’s rating is a bit inflated, but it is still undeniable that it has a good reputation.

It is not a drama in the traditional sense, with no intense dramatic conflicts or extreme personalities.

It is similar to Japanese style of small freshness, with a slow pace and a healing style.

Liu Yifei plays a female elite in the workplace. After experiencing the death of her best friend, she is heartbroken and questions her way of life.

She flees the city and comes to the courtyard named “You Feng Xiao Yuan” in Dali. While looking for psychological salvation, she meets Xie Zhiyao, played by Li Xian, and a beautiful story unfolds.

Viewers just need to follow the flowing plot and enjoy the scenery of Dali and the local customs.

Meet Yourself fills the gap in Chinese dramas.

After the popularity of “slow variety shows”, “slow-paced dramas” like this will also spring up like mushrooms after rain.

3. 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 hime 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.

4. Nothing But You

Nothing But You Chinese drama tells the story of Song Sanchuan (Wu Lei) and Liang Youan (Zhou Yutong) healing each other and learning to love bravely.

Sometimes, everything can defeat love. But, sometimes, love can also defeat everything.

22-year-old Song Sanchuan gives her courage; 32-year-old Liang Youan becomes his confidence.

I will work hard to be your confidence, to be brave enough to love, or brave not to love.

The drama incorporates multiple story lines such as the female workplace, sports competitions, and sister-brother love. It cleverly connects the story lines through plot arrangements and character settings, making the drama both sweet and realistic. There is also the passion brought by competition and the character arc shown by the character’s growth.

In addition, the drama not only conveys the courage to not be afraid of love, but also the free and cheerful spirit of “love is not everything”.

5. Fake It Till You Make It

Modern people are most annoyed with others to pretend, but also like to watch others to pretend, because they have to learn how to pretend.

The same pretence is compared to the level of the rank, whose words are more professional, whose tastes are more niche, and whose opinions are more unique…

Since it’s all about pretending, then just pretend to be more natural.

The person who wrote these knows too much about pretense.

6. Where Dreams Begin / The Youth Memories

The drama tells the story of a group of “post-70s” Beijingers chasing their dreams and love against the backdrop of reform and opening up.

It was her that made me fall in love for the first time, it will be her every year, and it will be her till I grow old.
Fate is her, fortunately it’s her.
It is true love, the most beautiful form of love.

Xiao Zhan, Li Qin, along with a group of spirited young people, work side by side walk side by side on the journey of life, forging ahead and steadfastly holding onto their dreams.

Where Dreams Begin emphasizes the importance of adapting to changes while maintaining one’s moral integrity and conscience, and conveys the spiritual core of never forgetting one’s original intention and bravely pursuing dreams. At the same time, it also communicates the view of marriage of mutual respect and support, revealing the values and thinking styles of Chinese young people in the new era.

7. Falling Before Fireworks

The drama tells the story of Jing Chen and Si Qing’s ideal marital life, where two people create their own world in one house.

A craftsman inheriting intangible cultural heritage and a workplace employee meet through a bank loan guarantee case.

You want to get married, and so do I. The two quickly agree and embark on a marriage-first, love-later journey.

Happiness is the scent of cooking in the kitchen, pets in the yard, and you and me at dawn and dusk.

Come and watch Lu Yangyang and Chen Xinhai interpret the hues of human life in their daily meals and through the seasons.

Falling Before Fireworks showcases Chinese aesthetics while being filled with the warmth of human life, offering the audience a real and warm experience. It is also a drama where urbanites and rural craftsmen collide.

The drama beautifully integrates various ancient-style buildings and the profound texture of Chinese traditional culture with the plot, promoting China’s traditional intangible cultural heritage and hoping to show the world the craftsmanship of the Chinese nation.

Additionally, the drama’s perspective on marriage and love encourages women to first become who they want to be before considering how to be a wife and mother.

8. Sunshine by My Side

The drama tells the story of Sheng Yang and Jian Bing’s “recharging love” where they illuminate and heal each other.

Sheng Yang, in the prime of his youth, is warm like a little sun, full of energy.
Jian Bing, a 30+ strong woman, has a clear mind, stable emotions, and carries ice on her armor.

Ten years ago, a sanitation worker advertisement linked Sheng Yang and Jian Bing together.
Ten years later, the little sun approaches the little ice block, you heal me, I warm you.

Come and experience the healing journey of like-minded encouragement with Xiao Zhan and Bai Baihe.

Sunshine by My Side themed around a May-December romance, shows real emotional stories through the interactions between Sheng Yang and Jian Bing, as well as their attitudes towards family, friendship, and their careers. It also highlights their mutual achievement of each other’s professional ideals and pursuit of the future, conveying values of bravery in pursuing dreams and positivity. The play evokes thoughts and resonances about the survival status of young people against the backdrop of a big era.

9. Hidden Love

The drama tells the sweet love story between Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi during their youth.

She is the little sun that shines into my world, accompanying me out of the longest darkness.
He is the unspoken longing in my heart, and also the treasure I don’t want anyone to discover.

She heals the wounds of his youth, and he fulfills the dreams of her youth.
Turns out, she is never running alone, he is also striving to run towards her.

Watch Zhao Lusi and Xu Zheyuan’s unrequited love come true, engaging in a love that runs both ways.

Hidden Love themes around unrequited love, reveals the initial affection and secret crush between Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu through their growth journey. Moreover, the drama shows the power of family, friendship, and love, as well as the difficulties and challenges they encounter in their growth. It encourages us to persist in pursuing our dreams and bravely face the difficulties and challenges in life.

10. Bright Eyes in the Dark

The drama tells the love story between Lin Luxiao, a firefighter, and Nan Chu, a dancer.

From their first meeting, missed opportunities, to a reunion after five years, although they fail to recognize each other, their destinies have already been rushing towards each other.

You rush into the fire, I rush to you! In the days to come, I will protect you.

Watch Huang Jingyu and Zhang Jingyi, with their innocent hearts and strong beliefs, guard the peace of their place.

Bright eyes in the Dark Chinese drama portrays the life and daily routines of firefighters, showng a group of ordinary, down-to-earth heroes, as well as the responsibility and spirit of firefighters. In addition, the drama not only has sweet love but also uses many real fire materials and professional fire-fighting knowledge, making people feel as if they are on the scene.