‘Falling into Your Smile.’ PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF NETFLIX, WETV, VIKI, IQIYI
LIFE

C-DRAMA STARTER PACK

Majority of these can be found on Netflix, WeTV, Viki, or iQIYI, depending on your country.

Pauline Joyce Pascual

Here’s a beginner-friendly list of Chinese show with major feels and addictive storylines to get you started on your C-drama journey.

If you’re new to C-drama, these titles are ideal for introducing you to the genre. They feature swoon-worthy romance, wholesome characters, and memorable love storylines. If you’re a fan of kilig, gentle green flags lads, and emotional slow burns, this is for you.

Hidden Love. The main plot is that Sang Zhi develops feelings for Duan Jia Xu, the boy who frequently visits her home to play games with her older brother. He is older by five years.

When she was younger, Sang Zhi harbored feelings for Duan Jia Xu, but they eventually lost touch. She enrolls in the university in the city where he lives after graduating, and they gradually fall in love as a result of their frequent, intimate interactions.

When I Fly Towards You . When Su Zai Zai moves to Yucai High School in the fall of 2012, he instantly falls in love with the distant Zhang Lu Rang. Despite his affluent upbringing and remarkable academic achievements, Zhang Lu Rang battles self-doubt because his brilliant younger brother eclipses him. He leads an introspective existence that is dominated by comparisons. He meets the upbeat Su Zai Zai, who, along with their pals Gu Ran, Guan Fang, and Jiang Jia, helps him discover who he is. Romance develops among their group as Zhang Lu Rang and Su Zai Zai’s connection grows stronger as they support one another’s objectives.

First Frost. Reporter Wen Yi Fan met up with her best friend Zhong Si Qiao in a club called Overtime. She met Sang Yan, a department manager and one of Overtime’s proprietors, at the pub. Yi Fan once fell in love with him as he was her high school deskmate. The two run into each other, and while Yi Fan acts as though she doesn’t recognize Sang Yan, Sang Yan reciprocates. Following some issues, the two unintentionally end up living together and are given another shot.

Falling Into Your Smile. The all-male ZGDX OPL team is the best in the fiercely competitive e-sports industry. Everywhere the squad goes, it is followed by armies of devoted female admirers. However, the tall, attractive, and infamously difficult-to-please ZGDX captain Lu Si Cheng will not be hurried to select a successor when one of the team’s best players sustains a hand injury. The small, lollipop-loving Tong Yao, on the other hand, is an OPL-obsessed aspiring amateur gamer. Even though her ex-boyfriend was a gamer, she firmly believes that love is a big no-no in the male-dominated world of professional gaming, despite her extraordinary skills.

The ZGDX team manager contacts her after learning of her abilities, believing that hiring her as the scene’s first female player will assist achieve a significant public relations victory. After initially rejecting her, Lu Si Cheng finally consents to use her as a stand-in, a decision that divides the team’s supporters. But may a stronger bond develop between them as they begin to know each other better?

The Best Thing. Chinese medicine doctor He Su Ye is consulted by hotel manager Shen Xi Fan, a workaholic who suffers from migraines and insomnia. When they discover they reside in the same community, their interactions transcend the doctor-patient connection, even though she forgets to take her medication. They gradually open their hearts, both damaged by previous love. He Su Ye’s commitment to medicine aids Shen Xi Fan in discovering herself and her genuine love as she rediscovers love.

A Love So Beautiful. It begins with Jiang Chen and Chen Xiao Xi, who are neighbors and classmates from high school. A happy girl who doesn’t study much, Xiao Xi, expresses her affection for Jiang Chen, the well-liked man who is well-known for his good looks and academic achievements. They start high school, go to college, and eventually become adults alongside their classmates, the witty Lu Yang, the athletic but devoted Jing Xiao, and the cool swimming team member Wu Bo Song.

Love is Sweet. After graduating with two degrees in psychology and economics, Jiang Jun, a bright and idealistic girl, works for a charitable organization. When her father’s injury forces her to join a prestigious financial firm to fulfill his final desire, her life takes a drastic change. She meets up with her childhood buddy Yuan Shuai, who is now her adversary in the cutthroat world of MH. Jiang Jun overcomes obstacles with her empathy, high emotional intelligence, and astute judgment in the face of office politics and plots, eventually succeeding in her work and

romantic life.

Majority of these can be found on Netflix, WeTV, Viki, or iQIYI, depending on your country. If you want butterflies right away, start with First Frost or Hidden Love; both are very binge-worthy.

‘FIRST Frost.’
‘A LOVE so Beautiful.’
‘HIDDEN Love.’