In a Class of Her Own | Recap and Review

A girl in a boy costume meets an overly righteous man, a rebellion, and an unreadable schemer. This is a Sungkyunkwan Scandal remake.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Ju Jing Yi: Xue Wen Xi / Wen Bin

Song Wei Long: Feng Cheng Jun

Director

Zhi Lei

Chinese Title
漂亮書生

Genres: Period, Romcom, School, Romcom, Period Romcom

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2020
Episodes: 36

Recap Grade: A/B
First Impression: 3.5/5

Warm on a Cold Night | Recap and Review

A strange disease renders a female constable useless, but touching a hot man gives her life.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Bi Wen Jun: Han Zheng 

Li Yi Tong: Su Jiu’er

He Rui Xian: Chi Lan (Qi General)

Chen He Yi: Wen Jun (Qian Prince)

Yang Shi Ze: Wen Ying (Qian Crown Prince)

Liu Te: Mu Yan

Director

Li Hui Zhu, Deng Wei En, Huang Bin

Scriptwriter

Hu Hui

Chinese Title
九霄寒夜暖

Warmth in the Cold Nine-Heavens (Jiu-Xiao)

Genres: Period, Romcom, Mystery, Fantasy, Period Romcom

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2023
Episodes: 36

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 3.25/5

June Dramas

Period:  June

Picture Details: Heroes | Qin Jun Jie & Huang Hao Yue

Double Love | Open Thread + Reviews

A film student seeks revenge on her crush by becoming his assistant.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zhang Xue Ying: Lu Wan Wan / Chu He

Bi Wen Jun: Han Jing Mo / Mo Bai Zhi Jian

Scriptwriter:

Xu Ting

Chinese Title
墨白

White Ink

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, Sports, Contemporary Romcom

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2022
Episodes: 24

Shadow Love | Review

A romantasy about two rival generals torn between duty, desire, and an awful lot of bare chests.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Song Yi: Li Shuang

Cheng Lei: Jin An / Duan Ao Deng / Xuan Yi Ke

Bi Wen Jun: Sumu Yang

Director

Deng Ke, Gao Cong Kai

Screenwriter

(Author: Jiu Lu Fei Xian)

Chinese Title

與晉長安

With Jin Chang'an

Genres: Costume Qihuan, Romance, Palace

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2025
Episodes: 38

[2024] Polls: Drama & Character of the Year

Vote for 2024, please? ☺️🌻

My Unicorn Girl | Recap and Review

A guy with face blindness cannot recognize anyone, but this one girl who’s disguised as a guy. 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Chen Yao: Sang Tian

Guan Hong: Wen Bing

Director: 

Yu Zhong Zhong

Screenwriter: 

Fang Qiang Qiang

Chinese Title
穿盔甲的少女

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, School, Sports, Contemporary Romcom

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2020
Episodes: 24

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 3/5

Contemporary Romance Central

Criteria: 

✓ Love story is front and centre. 

✓ Balanced ML vs FL screen-time

Genres (but not all-inclusive): 

✓ Contemporary, Romance, Bromance , Sismance, Family, Contemporary Romance

Excluding overlapping dramas (which will be its own category):

𐄂 CEO romances

𐄂 Campus romances
𐄂 Female ensembles 

𐄂 Work++ / Family++

December Dramas

If we hide, will December not find us?
Period: December

Picture Details: New Life Begins | Bai Jing Ting, Tian Xi Wei

August Dramas

It's already August

Period: August

Picture Details: The Legend of Heroes | Meng Zi Yi

Deep Affection Eyes | Open Thread

A jiejie falls for a moody didi, who's got family issues.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Bi Wen Jun: Li Jin Yu

Zhang Yu Xi: Ye Meng

Director

Zhang Xiao An

Chinese Title

深情眼

Affectionate Eyes

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, OWYM, Contemporary Romance

Network: MangoTV

Year: 2025
Episodes: 26

Variety Lounge

Your spot to chat about variety shows 🛋

The Silence of the Monster | Open Thread

A locksmith, an appraiser, and an intern lawyer healing others and themselves. 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Bi Wen Jun: He Chu Feng

Sun Yi Han: Sui Yi

Zhu Zheng Ting: Luo Bin

Zhang Bo Jia: Fang Qi / Xiao An

Director

Ying Ying Lu

Chinese Title
孤獨的野獸

The Lonely Beast

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, ~Bromance, Contemporary Romance

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2022
Episodes: 36

Sweet Tai Chi | Recap and Review

Notable Actors/Actresses:
Sun Qian: Feng Piao Piao
Bi Wen Jun: Wei Chu
Zhang Xin Yue: Xiao Xiao
Chinese Title:
淑女飘飘拳
A Virtuous Lady's Fist

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, School, Sports, Contemporary Romcom

Network: Youku

Year: 2019
Episodes: 24

First Impression: 2.85/5

I Am Nobody | Review

A shameless outcast beating all outcasts. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Peng Yu Chang: Zhang Chu Lan

Hou Ming Hao: Wang Ye

Director: 

Xu Hong Yu

Scriptwriter: 

(Author: Mi Er)

Chinese Title
異人之下

Under the Outcasts

Genres: Contemporary, Slight Romance, Bromance, Action, Comedy 

Network: Youku

Year: 2023
Episodes: 27

Ni Chang | Recap and Review

A seamstress out to vindicate her family and meets a prince 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Li Jia Qi: Xi Xiao Ni / Ni Chang

Li Jia Qi: Ouyang Zi Yu / Prince Luo

Director: 

Ding Ying Zhou

Chinese Title
小女霓裳

Genres: Period, Romcom, Period Romcom

Network: Youku

Year: 2021
Episodes: 40

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 2.75/5

Action | Thriller | Sports

Criteria: 

✓ Action (+ Desert)

✓ Sports

✓ Thriller

✓ Sci-fi

Genres (but not all-inclusive): 

✓ Contemporary, Action, Sports, Team 

✓ All variations of romances: Romcom, Romance, Slight Romance, No Romance, BL

Excluding overlapping dramas that are mainly:

𐄂 Police / Mafia

𐄂 Crime / Suspense

[2023] Heat Index Summary | iQIYI

Ready for the 🔥🔥🔥🔥?

Life First (Low Romance)

Hey there, you're in Contemporary Romances with 6 subsections:

(★ = You are here): 

Campus Romances (We go to school)
✓ High school or university – love blossoms under fluorescent lights and midterm pressure.

CEO Romances (We don't work)
✓ Billionaire bosses and fantasy jobs where no one actually works, but everyone falls in love.

Contemporary Romance Central (We pretend to work)
✓ General modern romances where jobs exist but mainly as backdrops to kissing and falling

Life + Romance (We work and love)
✓ Where "real" life meets love

★ Life First (We mainly work and slightly love at most)
✓ Not even the passenger seat, but the back seat of a packed van. Or not even. Slice-of-life dramas where the career grind, family, and friendships take center stage – romance may or may not tag along.

Ladies Ensemble [Overlapping section]
✓ Female-led stories featuring a group of women navigating love, life, careers, and each other.

Scheming/Palace Romances

Criteria: 

✓ A degree of seriousness in the plot

✓ Scheming / Revenges / Palace Politics

✓ Romance

Genres (but not all-inclusive): 

✓ Period, Romance, Palace, Bromance , Sismance, Period Romance

✓ Transmigration

Excluding overlapping dramas that are mainly:

𐄂 Mystery
𐄂 Wuxia