Mr. & Mrs. Chen | Open Thread + Reviews

A forced marriage between ex-lovers spies.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Han Dong Jun: Chen Jia Ping

Guan Xiao Tong: Zuo Shuang Tao

Producer: 

Zhang Meng

Chinese Title

梅花紅桃

Genres: Historical Era, Romance, Suspense, Republican Romance

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2023
Episodes: 32

Never Too Late | Recap and Review

A derpy cutie navigates between his hardboiled ex-girlfriend and his sunny-side-up auntie. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Wang Zi Wen: Jiang Tian

Deng Jie: Wu Jing Fang

Bai Jing Ting: Zhou Ye Wen

He Hong Shan: Lin Xiao Xiao

Chen Hao: Zheng Qian

Director: 

Ding Pei

Chinese Title

我的助理不簡單

My Assistant Is More Than She Seems

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, Sismance, Contemporary Romcom 

Network: Tencent Video 

Year: 2023
Episodes: 37

Recap Grade: D
First Impression: 2.85/5

The Bionic Life | Recap and Review

A serial murderer is killing humanoids.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Song Wei Long: Cheng Nuo

Chen Wei Qi: An Qiu

Director: 

Chen Zheng Dao, Ke Zheng Nian, Xu Zhao Ren

Chinese Title
仿生人間

Humanoid World 

Genres: Contemporary, Slight Romance, Family, Mystery

Network: iQIYI 

Year: 2023

Episodes: 12

Recap Grade: C
First Impression: 3.3/5

Scent of Time | Recap and Review

A scheming 2FL is reborn and only wants to be an NPC except she has become the FL of her harem. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zhou Ye: Hua Qian 

Wang Xing Yue: Zhong Xi Wu

Director: 

Bai Yun Mo

Producer: 

Yu Zheng

Chinese Title

為有暗香來
Came for the Subtle Fragrance

Genres: Period, Romance, Period Romance

Network: Youku

Year: 2023

Episodes: 30

Recap Grade: B
First Impression: 3/5

Romance on the Farm | Open Thread

A girl enters her farming video game (="transmigrates") to fight with her family. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zeng Shun Xi: Shen Nuo

Tian Xi Wei: Lian Mian'er

Scriptwriter: 

Jin Yuan Yuan

Chinese Title

田耕紀

Plowing Field Chronicles 

Genres: Period, Romcom, Family, Fantasy, Period Romcom

Network: iQIYI 

Year: 2023
Episodes: 26

My Dearest | Recap and Review

An untroubled drifter becomes entangled with a woman who brings him chaos.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Namkoong Min: Lee Jang-hyun

Ahn Eun-jin: Yoo Gil-chae

Director: 

Kim Sung-yong

Scriptwriter:

Hwang Jin-young

Hangul Title
연인

Genres: Period, Romance, Period Romance, Melodrama

Network: MBC

Year: 2023
Episodes: 21/21

Part 1 [1-10]

Part 2 [11-21]

Recapper: FanFanX

Recap Grade: B → A 

First Impression: 4/5

Ripe Town | Open Thread

A constable solves a serial murder. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Bai Yu Fan: Qu San Geng

Ning Li: Song Chen

Xiang Han Zhi: Leng Gui Ren

Liu Yi Tong: Gao Shi Cong

Zhang Hao Wei: Feng Ke Zhui

Zeng Li: Lin Si Niang

Director: 

Wang Zheng

Scriptwriter: 

Wang Zheng

Chinese Title

繁城之下

Under the Bustling City

Genres: Period, Mystery

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2023
Episodes: 12

[2023] Q3 Heat Index Summary

Ready for the 🔥🔥🔥?

Period: July – September

 

October Dramas

Period:  👀ctober

Picture Details: I Am Nobody | Wang Ying Lu

Alliance | Open Thread + Reviews

A housewife befriends her husband's mistress as she returns to the workforce.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zhang Xiao Fei: Lin Shuang

Huang Xiao Ming: Gu Xu

Zhang Jia Ni: Jiang Xi

Li Ze Feng: Wei Ming

Director: 

Teng Hua Tao

Chinese Title

好事成雙

Good Things Come in Pairs

Genres: Contemporary, Slight Romance, Sismance, Family, 

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2023
Episodes: 36

Bright Eyes in the Dark | Recap and Review

A firefighter saves dancer, they find love on a reality TV show. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Huang Jing Yu: Lin Lu Xiao

Zhang Jing Yi: Nan Chu

Wu Gang: Meng Guo Hong

Wang Zi Qi: Lou Ming Ye

Tang Xiao Tian: Jiang Ge

Zhang Ling He: Lin Qi

Zhang Jin: Yu Qi Lei

Lu Si Yu: Yang Zhen Gang

Zeng Ke Ni: Yan Dai

Director: 

Tian Yi, Yi Yong

Chinese Title

他從火光中走來

He Came From the Fire

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Bromance, Team, Action, Contemporary Romance

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2023

Episodes: 40

Recapper: Potato Chip

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 3/5

Hilarious Family | Open Thread + Reviews

A widow and her four daughters suddenly have new occupants at home.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Liu Lin: Du Ru Yu

Li Jia Qi: Chun Pei Lan

Ren Hao: Lu Bu Ping

Wu Jia Yi: Chun Ban Xia

Li Jia Qi: Chun Ke Ling

Director: 

Li Ya Fei

Scriptwriter: 

Ni Jun

Chinese Title

蘭閨喜事

Wedding Events for the Ladies

Genres: Period, Romcom, Family, Comedy, Period Romcom, 

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2023
Episodes: 24  

Stand by Me | Open Thread + Reviews

A stubborn girl in pursuit of education (over boys?). 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Zhao Jin Mai: Luo Qi Qi

Bai Yu Fan: Xu Xiao Bo

Director: 

Wang Zhi Yong

Scriptwriter: 

Wu Tong (Author: Tong Hua)

Chinese Title

那些回不去的年少時光

The Youth That I Cannot Return To

Genres: Contemporary, Sismance, Family, Slight Romance,

Network: MangoTV

Year: 2023
Episodes: 30

Creation of the God 1: Kingdom of Storms | Movie Open Thread

A tyrant king wants his son dead. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Yu Shi: Ji Fa

Chen Mu Chi: Yin Jiao

Ci Sha: Yang Jian

Xia Yu: Shen Gong Bao

Yuan Quan: Empress Jiang

Huang Xi Yan: Jiang Wen Huan

Li Yun Rui: E Shun

Chen Kun: Yuanshi Tianzun

Director: 

Wu Er Shan

Chinese Title

封神第一部

Sealed by Gods 

Genres: Xianxia, Action, Bromance

Network: iQIYI, Tencent Video, Youku

Year: 2023

Hello, I'm at Your Service | Open Thread + Reviews

A friendly customer service rep creates trouble for a CEO.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Wei Zhe Ming: Lou Yuan

Xu Lu: Dong Dong En

Director: 

Lin Yi

Scriptwriter: 

Zhao Xun

Chinese Title

金牌客服董董恩

Golden Customer Service Dong Dong En

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, CEO, Contemporary Romcom

Network: iQIYI 

Year: 2023
Episodes: 24

Be With You | Recap and Review

A triple-threat-wuxia-trio (no power, no money, and no brain) takes revenge!

Notable Actors/Actresses

Xie Xing Yang: Meng San Xi

Wang Han Wei: Yan Si Fang

Su Meng Di: Ye Wu Zhi

Director: 

Bi Xing Ye

Scriptwriter: 

Bi Xing Ye

Chinese Title

我有一個朋友

I Have This Friend

Genres: Period, Wuxia, Slight Romance, Team, Comedy

Network: MangoTV

Year: 2023
Episodes: 25

Recap Grade: B/C
First Impression: 3.6/5

Back to Seventeen | Recap and Review

A 27yo girl is 17 again and redos her first love.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Fang Xiao Dong: Xu Yang

Zhang Miao Yi: Zhong Xiao Xiao

Director: 

Jiang Hao

Producer: 

Mao De Shu (Cat Tree)

Chinese Title

我回到十七歲的理由

The Reason I Returned to 17 Years Old

Genres: Contemporary, Romcom, School, Fantasy, Contemporary Romcom

Year: 2023
Episodes: 25 (Mini)

Recap Grade: C
First Impression: 3/5

South Wind Knows | Open Thread

An angsty melodrama, reuniting lovers after a car accident. 

Notable Actors/Actresses

Cheng Yi: Fu Yun Shen

Zhang Yu Xi: Zhu Jiu

Director: 

Li Ang, Liu Hong Yuan

Chinese Title

南風知我意

The South Wind Knows My Meaning 

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Network: Youku

Year: 2023
Episodes: 39 

A Familiar Stranger | Recap and Review

A face-swapped painter and a general get married and soon realize they're already deeply in love.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Ke Ying: Shi Qi

Cheng Lei: Xiao Han Sheng

Song Zhao Yi: Shen Qin

Wang Ze Xuan: Prince Ning

Director: 

Zeng Qing Jie

Chinese Title
虚颜

The Evil Face

Genres: Period, Romance, Fantasy, Period Romance

Network: MangoTV

Year: 2022
Episodes: 18 (Mini)

Recapper: FanFanX

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: -

Forever Love | Open Thread + Reviews

A rich girl falls in love with her bodyguard.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Dai Gao Zheng: Qin Mo Yao

Chen Fang Tong: Lin Xin Tong

Chinese Title

盲心千金

Blind (Rich) Daughter

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2023
Episodes: 30 (Mini)