怎敌她千娇百媚 Les Belles 26 episodes 2月13日 腾讯视频 林允、方逸伦
Luo Ling Yu (ft Lin Yun 林允) is an orphaned beauty. She, along with her young sister, live with her greedy aunt and uncle. They force her to marry wealthy Fan Qing Chen (ft Deng Ci Xiao 邓孝慈). She flees on her wedding day and rescues a masking-wearing rogue (ft Fang Yi Lun 方逸伦). She does not see his face and they part ways. She finds residence with a distant aunt at the Lu Manor. Unbeknown to her, the mask-wearing rogue is a master of the Lu Manor, Lu Yun. Lu Yun recognizes her and believes she has ulterior motives. He keeps a close watch on her. Hilarity ensues as each has their own motives to uncover the mysteries about the other.
I binged watched this show mainly because I liked the leads of Lin Yun and Fang Yi Lun well enough. They have decent chemistry and Fang Yi Lun has the acting chops. I just wish he was in better productions. If you want some brainless fun and some chuckles, this is a drama to pass the time. Just don’t expect anything deep. You can read my short review online for this drama. Overall though, it was a pretty big dud for Tencent as no one watched it.
180天重启计划 Me and My Family 27 episodes 2月17日 芒果TV(首播)，2月19日 湖南卫视金鹰独播剧场(上星) 周雨彤、吴越
This a drama about a young woman who returns home to find that her mother in her 50s is pregnant and all the family shenanigans that ensues.
This is Zhou Yu Tong first drama to air since the fallout of her disastrous appearance in S6 of Divas Hit the Road. Unfortunately, public perception seems to have turned against her as ratings have not been good. There just hasn’t been much buzz about this drama at all.
难哄 The First Frost 32 episodes 2月18日 优酷 白敬亭、章若楠
Here’s the heavy hitter from Feb. It’s The First Frost starring Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruo Nan. It’s based on a wildly popular romance novel and was one of the most highly anticipated dramas of the year. I remember watching all the paparazzi photos of them filming last year.
Here’s the quick plot summary. Wen Yi Fan (Zhang Ruo Nan) returns to her hometown to find a job as a reporter. She has a chance encounter with her fellow high school student Sang Yan (Bai Jing Ting) but pretends to not know him. The two continually bump into each other in the city. Wen Yi Fan gets constantly harassed by her male roommates and she finally decides to move out. Sang Yan’s apartment was damaged by a neighbor’s fire and also has to move out. The two decide to become roommates and relations quickly heat up.
This is the next drama that I’ll be watching because it’s gotten so much media buzz but mostly negative buzz. Karen and I watched the first episode and could barely get into it so we’ll see what happens. The drama is filmed in Chongqing, which we’ve said is our dad’s hometown so it was fun seeing the city in the background, although we kept saying that people in Chongqing don’t move THAT slowly. This is Bai Jing Ting’s first drama to air in about a year, especially after the whole debacle from last year’s Lunar New Year Spring Gala. People have NOT forgotten about it and have mercilessly teased him about it on social media so far.
The drama promptly breached 10,000 on Youku’s popularity index when it first aired. However, the viewership hasn’t held up. We’ll see how it ends its run but so far, it hasn’t been that positive for Bai Jing Ting.
滤镜 Filter 32 episodes 2月24日 腾讯视频 檀健次、李兰迪
This is a 32 episode modern day drama that started airing on Tencent on Feb 24. It stars Tan Jian Ci and Li Lan Di in the main roles.
This drama is about a new technology where a filter bracelet allows the ordinary Su Cheng Cheng ft Li Lan Di change her appearance. She does so and becomes the beautiful Su Miao, becomes the PHD Fang Jin, and exceptionally handsome Quan Sheng Tang, a man. While changing her fortunes, she is also able to help others. At the same time, Tang Qi ft Tan Jian Ci becomes interested in Su Miao, who Su Cheng Cheng changed into, after seeing her come to the rescue. He thinks he’s intellectually on par with Fang Jin and enjoys the company of handsome sunny man, Quan Sheng Tang.
In order to keep her secret, Su Cheng Cheng has to continue to lie which causes Tang Qi to consistently lose the person he loves. But finally, Tang Qi finds out the truth and realizes that the person he loves all along is none other than Su Cheng Cheng. Together, the two decide to create a high end make up product line that focuses on Chinese elements which helps Su Cheng Cheng understand that beauty isn’t just one fold. It’s important to live one’s life to the fullest and its truest.
Rather interesting premise if I must say so. There’s been decent word of mouth. I tried watching the first episode and wasn’t too enamored with it but I might give it another go. I do like Li Lan Di and Tan Jian Ci so I’m not surprised there’s good word of mouth. It has breached just 26,000 on Tencent’s popularity index though.
爱你 The Best Thing 28 episodes 2月25日 江苏卫视 and iQiYi 张凌赫、徐若晗
The third modern day romance drama to air in a week is Zhang Ling He’s The Best Thing.
Here’s the synopsis: Hotel Manager 沈惜凡 （徐若晗) has insomnia due to her high pressure work environment. She goes to visit a Chinese medicine doctor and meets 苏叶（张凌赫). Due to the chaotic nature of her job, she forgets to grab her medicine, which is a source of much headache for Su Ye. They quickly find out that they actually live in the small neighborhood and have more encounters. 沈惜凡 previously had a failed relationship and has since been hesitant to start anything new. The two gradually develop feelings for each other and encourage each other to pursue their dreams.
This drama has been lost in the shuffle compared to the stellar buzz for The Filter and negative buzz for The First Frost. However, for those who have been watching, reviews have been more positive than negative. Since this drama is also airing on Jiang Su TV, the focus has been on network ratings. It’s been holding up on its own so count this as a win for its leads.
只此江湖梦 Love and Sword 24 episodes 2月26日 腾讯视频 高伟光、宣璐
This is a drama that’s attempting to enter the world of Jiang Hu and martial arts.
Here’s the synopsis: The plain looking 方怡 (宣璐) from our world stumbles into an alternate reality of Jiang Hu. She discovers that her new body is of a swordsman who has lost all her skills. In her time of need, the mercenary 艳少 (高伟光) comes to her rescue. With his aid, she relearns her skills and uncovers the mystery of who she lost them in the first place.
This seems to be more of a comedy than true Wu Xia story. Ah well. This drama was filmed back in 2022 so tencent might just be trying to clear its backlog. This is an interesting turn for Gao Wei Guang because I thought he’d start focusing on more serious roles. At least this pairing is more age appropriate than his previous drama Snowfall or 冰雪谣 who was almost 20 years his junior. 宣璐 just appeared in Kill My Sins so this is a nice lead role for her but so far, not much of a splash here.
大河之水 The Source of River 36 episodes 2月28日 央视八套 36 聂远、杨蓉
There’s the standard modern day fare. This time Nie Yuan and Yang Rong star in 大河之水 to solve tax fraud cases. This has climbed to the top of the ratings, airing on CCTV8. I haven’t heard much of this drama, but honestly, it’s these types of dramas that sneakily do rather well. I don’t think I’ve seen Nie Yuan and Yang Rong act together but I’m happy that she’s finally getting more lead roles.
似锦 Si Jin 40 episodes 3月1日 腾讯视频（首播），3月9日 东方卫视（上星） 景甜、张晚意
This 40 episode historical romance drama features Jing Tian who plays the 4th daughter of the Jiang family, which has a rank of Earl or Count. After surprisingly being killed by her lover Yu Qi, featuring Zhang Wan Yi, she relives her life and decides to take her destiny in her own hands. This time, she bravely refuses a marriage she didn’t want and meets the young general 郁锦. They fall in love again and the two together change themselves, their family’s fate and then their hearts.
It started airing on March 1 on Dong Fang Television and Tencent.
The drama has done okay? Breaching 26000 on iQiYi’s popularity index as of yesterday. It’s not a huge hit so far but there really isn’t a whole lot of other dramas airing right now in this category. This is yet another Zhang Wan Yi drama and man, he’s just pumping out the shows and being public facing. Jing Tian continues to stay in these historical romance dramas with handsome actors. It seems very run of the mill from just a cast and plot perspective. Same tropes of reliving life for the female lead etc etc.
仁心俱乐部 Goodwill society 40 episodes 2024 3月2日 芒果TV(首播)，3月6日 湖南卫视金鹰独播剧场(上星) 辛芷蕾、白客、张子贤 都市
This is a 40 episode medical drama starring Xin Zhi Lei. The most notable aspect of this drama that this was the first drama Xing Zhi Lei filmed after her appearance in Season 5 of Diva’s Hit the Road. She invited Zhao Zhao Yi to have a cameo role in the showl
北上 Northward 40 episodes 3月3日 央视一套 白鹿、欧豪
This drama started airing on March 3 on CCTV1. It features Bai Lu and Ou Hao in the lead roles.
The drama revolves around individuals that live around canals. It starts off in the early 2000s where 6 families live together in a town next to canals. Xia Feng Hua ft Bai Lu and Xie Wang He ft Ou Hao plus 4 others create a long lasting bond as they grow up.
At the same time, the Beijing to Shanghai highway was completed and slowly, the families along these canal routes started experiencing different challenges in life as development started occurring.
In 2014, with internet connectivity and other innovations, Xia Feng Hua, Xie Wang He and friends officially start their journey northward to Beijing. The drama follows this cast of characters and their trials and tribulations in their personal and professional lives. But they also have an opportunity to request for the canal they grew up on to have cultural heritage status. The group returns home and, just like the newly revived canal, start a new chapter together.
According to BaiDu, this drama is one that was selected in 2023 to promote the Chinese grand canal and had heavy involvement from Jiang Su Province. There seems to be plenty of Chinese culture and heritage included in this drama for those of you that want to get more of a glimpse of the importance of Canals in Chinese history.