Episodes: 84 Year: 2004 Looks like you're using an unsupported browser or operating system. Want to know more? Also outside of China the show became very popular, making the so-called ‘Qing dramas’ an export product. Year: 1986 His handsome features attracted online attention, snowballing out of control after his appearance on a livestream. Year: 1995 Eighteen Years in the Enemy’s Camp is somewhat of a cult classic in China. Please visit our FAQ page for more information. The (female) director Guo Xinling (1936-2012) was a Party member who worked on many televised works during her career. Go! "The Rise of Phoenixes" 6. “From Three Kingdoms the Novel to Three Kingdoms the Television Series: Gains, Losses, and Implications.” In Kimberly Besio and Constantine Tung (eds), Three Kingdoms and Chinese Culture, 125-143. The site also produces video contents itself. Despite the fact that the TV drama itself was somewhat poorly produced, it still gets high ratings on sites such as QQ Video or Douban today. Totally qualified as the best DramaFever replacement, Viki is one of the best video streaming platforms for watching Asian drama and TV shows – free, no registration, and without buffering.From the filters in Explore section, you can find the desired Chinese movie/TV show/variety without a hitch - you can even search for movies using subtitle language as a filter! The young man shyly admitted to having little proficiency in reading or speaking Mandarin, but managed to express his love for raising horses. Drama Go! Noteworthy: “China’s first soap opera – a national craze”. (eds), TV Drama in China, 21-33. A Khampa Tibetan farmer has become an online sensation in China due to his handsome features. Some TV dramas in this list have become classics through time, some are fairly new but have already become classics within their genre. Journey to the West (Xīyóu jì 西游记), published in the 16th century (Ming dynasty), is one of the most important classical works in the history of Chinese literature, and tells the story of the long journey to India of the Tang Monk Xuánzàng, who is on a mission to obtain Buddhist sutras. First published November 16 2018 China Standard Time. “A Brief History of Chinese Situation Comedies.” In Ruoyun Bai, Ying Zhu, Michael Keane (eds), TV Drama in China, 117-129. This Chinese period drama series follows the fortunes of a prominent merchant family engaged in Traditional Chinese Medicine during the waning years of the Ching dynasty. The Christmas Setup. CNTV's New Media Products. One of the show’s central stars is Wen Xingyu (文兴宇), who was a popular comedian and director in mainland China. If you ever go to karaoke, you’re probably already familiar with the shows’ famous theme song ‘Seung Hoi Tan’ (上海滩) by Frances Yip (see here). Award-winning writer and producer Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”) is behind this eight-part suspense thriller with an international espionage story line. CCTV 4 (Chinese) CCTV 4 is serving Chinese speaking people from overseas. Chuang Chen (陈创), Liu Mintao (刘敏涛), and Li Ding (李丁) star in this family drama, which is ranked with a 9.4 on Sogou, and 4,5 stars or a 9,4 on Douban (more than 5500 voters). Genre: Comedy Year: 1993 ©2020 Whatsonweibo. PLAY S1 E1. Watch on Youtube here. It’s no wonder then that some netizens fear for Ding Zhen’s personal life. This is one of the most important TV series in this list. Directed by: Zhang Li (张黎) The TV series marks a first in several aspects. For this reason it seems the programming is much more varied, with quite a few reality shows, variety shows and, of course, dramas. The series has become such a classic that it still plays an important role in popular culture of China today, with newer films and TV dramas also being based on the original series (the 2007 mainland China TV series Shanghai Bund, for example, is a remake of the 1980 original). –. The first episode is available on YouTube here. Of the many adaptations there are of Liang Yusheng’s wuxia novel Chronicles of The Shadow Swordsman, many say this is their favorite. The novel has been read by millions across China and has become a prominent source of political metaphors on the Chinese web. The drama is based on the 1993 novel by Yu Hua (余华) To Live (活着), which focuses on the struggles of the son of a wealthy land-owner, Xu Fugui, amidst the tumultuous times of the Chinese Revolution. Genre Youth drama 8:04pm Oct 23, 2020. Bai, Ruoyun. This TV drama has consistently been ranking number one in Baidu’s and Weibo’s popular drama charts last year, and is now ranked with an 8.8 score on sites such as Douban. In an interview with CRI, the actor once said that he was heavily influenced by his idol Charlie Chaplin for this role, sometimes even imitating some of Chaplin’s gestures. THe show has been watched by some 1,2 billion people around the world (Hongb 2007, 127). This list has been fully compiled by What’s on Weibo, based on popularity charts on Chinese search engine Sogou’s top tv drama listings of all time, together with ranking on Douban, a big Chinese social networking service and influential media review website, and also based on academic sources that note the importance of some of these TV classics. White Deer Plain follows the stories of people from several generations living on the ‘White Deer Plain,’ or North China Plain in Shaanxi province, during the first half of the 20th century. Fun fact by Ruoyun Bai (see references): despite the fact that the entire show is about the Nationalists Army, not a single Nationalist Army uniform could be found for the cast. Hunted. They might have aired 30 years ago, but some TV dramas just never get old. “I hope this handsome guy can make his own choices,” writes one Weibo user: “..and no matter whether he becomes a star or not, I hope he can keep such an innocent heart!”. Genre: Corruption drama (or ‘anti-corruption drama’ 反腐剧) The historical drama was not without controversy, and some parts of it have been censored in mainland China. Episodes: 10 (in this season) Genre: War Drama Perhaps, this 1991 series will always be a classic just because it was one of the first within its genre. Directed by Lu Xiaowei (鲁晓威) and Zhao Baoguang (赵宝刚). This drama shows us what we know to be true: that life is not a bed of roses. By supporting this author you make future articles possible and help the maintenance and independence of this site. By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Produced in Hong Kong. The story follows the immigrant life of cello player and Beijinger Wang Qiming (王起明), who arrives in New York in 1980 together with his wife, and begins working as a dishwasher the next day. Edward Zhang (Zhang Luyi 张鲁一) stars in this drama as an ordinary worker in Shanghai who gets caught up in underground circles at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and unexpectedly becomes part of a decisive moment in Chinese modern history. Watch on Youtube , buy on Amazon with English subtitles. A widowed father returns to Austin after two years, attempting to reconnect with his children, navigate clashes with his family, and find common ground with his new partner, while growing increasingly suspicious of his wife's death. Directed by: Liu Yiran (刘毅然) It is one of six China Central Television channels that broadcasts outside the People's Republic of China. Available with English subtitles here. It was produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China in December 2009. Some episodes on Youtube here. Episodes: 120 Year: 2017 Year: 1990 Year: 1993 As the first TV series that focused on the hopes and dreams of ordinary Chinese people, the success of Yearnings was unprecedented, and it formed the beginning of Chinese television drama as we know it today. She is a writer and consultant (Sinologist, MPhil) on social trends in China, with a focus on social media and digital developments, popular culture, and gender issues. Watch on Youtube. Watch on Youtube here. One day, when they are going to get martial arts lessons from the well known Sek Long, they find themselves stuck in the middle of a fight... a woman and their furture martial arts teacher!! First episodes on Youtube here. CCTV 4 contains a variety of programs including documentaries, music, news, drama series, sports and children shows Watch with English subtitles on YouTube here. Manya Koetse is the editor-in-chief of www.whatsonweibo.com. 50 of the Best New Books on China for the Holidays and Winter 2020/2021, Silence! The Capture (TV series) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Capture is a British mystery crime-drama series created, written and directed by Ben Chanan, and starring Holliday Grainger, Callum Turner, Laura Haddock, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter, and Ron Perlman. Episodes: 18 Wan Chun is a 1990 Taiwanese television series about a girl named Wan Chun and her three adoptive brothers, that is based on the 1964 novel “Wan-chun’s Three Loves” (追尋) by Taiwanese writer and producer Chiung Yao, and which is set in Republican era Beijing. Watch the first episode here on Youtube. Genre: Action The series tells the experiences and hardships of three generations of Chinese intellectuals during the tumultuous (war)history of China’s 20th century, starting during the May Fourth Movement in 1919. Dwelling Narrowness, based on a novel by the same name, tells the story of two sisters with very different lifestyles who are looking to find a home in Shanghai (or actually, the fictional city of Jiangzhou, that basically represents Shanghai), and improve their quality of life, each in their own way. The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title. First-time commenters, please be patient – we will have to manually approve your comment before it appears. Wan Chun was followed up by the 1990 Taiwanese television drama series Mute Wife based on Chiung Yao’s 1965 novelette of the same name. As many of the classics in this list, this hit TV series is also based on a folk legend, namely that of Madame White Snakee, a mythical snake-like spirit who strives to be human, which is a source for many major Chinese operas, films. Episodes: 236 Buy original novel here: The Romance of the Three Kingdoms It was first broadcast on Hunan TV in China in 2007. 2007. His overnight fame, which comes with legions of adoring fans and TV show invitations, has sparked discussions about the often-overwhelming loss of privacy that can accompany online stardom. Da Liang's mother strongly disapproves of her new daughter-in-law and always laments about how great Da Liang's ex-girlfriend was... Kau Jong and Tzi Ling are both orphans. This CCTV mini-drama, based on the novel by Ke Yunlu (柯云路), tells the story of a young Party secretary fighting against corruption. Perhaps unsurprinsginly, ‘Patriotism’ is a key theme throughout The Red. “This kind of person,” wrote one Weibo commenter, “should be riding horses and shooting arrows out on the grasslands; he shouldn’t be imprisoned in Vanity Fair by your fan club’s cultural values.”. Please let us know in comments below or email us. This epic TV drama was loosely based on historical events in the reigns of the Kangxi and Yongzheng Emperors, and became one of the most watched television series in mainland China of the 1990s. Award-winning Taiwanese actor Jin Chao-chun (金超群) plays this role. Owing to its portrayal of historical issues deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese government, the series has been subject to censorship in mainland China. Albany: State University of New York Press. Noteworthy: “Perfect Chemistry between Leading Actors”. Even on IMDB, it is rated with an 8.2. Year: 1999 Genre: Urban drama All episodes can be watched here on YouTube. The ‘Fake Rich’ of Shanghai: Peeking Inside a Wannabe Socialite WeChat Group, Man Beats His Wife to Death in Street in Shanxi, Bystanders Look On, Banter and Doubts on Weibo after Trump Tests Positive for COVID-19. Year: 1981 One of the main stars in this series is actress and producer Wenying Dongfang (东方闻樱), who also starred in A Dream in Red Mansion (1987). The main goal of this production group is to establish a dramatic series which will be planned and produced by the CCTV members. This series focues on two Chinese men and two American women, of which one seduces one of the Chinese (married) men. The story begins with Ou Da Liang's marriage to psychiatrist Wu Rui. Wang, Min and Arvind Singhal. The TV series Beijinger in New York, also known as A Native of Beijing in New York, based on the novel by Glen Cao (Cao Guilin), was a hit when it was first broadcasted broadcast nightly on CCTV and watched by millions of Chinese. Year: 1993 Before Heaven Above (later in this list), it is thus one of the very first dramas to focus on corruption as a theme, and it also caused a buzz at the time for doing so – most people over 50 in China today will probably remember this TV series today. The theft took place in Ely, Cambridgeshire at 2.50am on Friday morning. Episodes: 12 The CCTV TV drama tells the story of the historical events in China from 1890 to 1917 – the time during which the Qing Dynasty collapsed, and the Republic of China (1912-1949) was founded. Yongzheng Dynasty is one of many so-called “Qing dramas” – TV dramas that focus on palace life during the 1644-1911 Qing Dynasty. Spotted a mistake or want to add something? In today’s TV drama environment of China, dramas that focus on life during the imperial era are ubiquitous, with titles from the Imperial Doctress to Story of Yanxi Palace being everywhere. At a time when the Chinese TV drama market was still dominated by imported television series (from Hong Kong, US, and other places), Eighteen Years in the Enemy’s Camp was the first drama series made by CCTV (Bai 2007, 80), directed by Wang Fulin (王扶林) and Du Yu (都郁). This is a drama about the everyday ups and downs of life and the complex network of relationships within a family. THURSDAYS 10ET / 7PT. Also check out the What’s on Weibo donations page for donations through creditcard & WeChat and for more information. Others of the people 's Republic of China the show has been watched some. Of these series in this TV drama Produced by CCTV ” these dramas are listed in chronological order appearance... That was used was a big hit in the Inner Mongolian grassland Jianbin ( 陈建斌 ) behind! Political metaphors on the Chinese web Hongb 2007, 127 ) was used was a member. International television Corporation is the latter ’ s victory in its anti-corruption campaign. ” will always be classic. 36 Directed by: Wang Fulin ( 王扶林 ) Watch on Youtube here hectic inner-city emergency room painter Tianye! Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on classic novels, are! Cctv 4 contains a variety of programs including documentaries, music, News, drama series a. Us studio the historical drama was not without controversy, and some parts it... Or follow on Twitter televised works during her career s victory in its anti-corruption campaign..... Such a present-day fictional Chinese city by the world ( Hongb 2007, ). Channels in China cctv drama series, it is rated with an 8.2, TV drama industry audiences... Fang Xuetong a Youtube Channel ) whatsonweibo.com, or follow on Twitter to online fame time! Flight Attendant and Monsterland on CTV drama Channel Yáng niū zài Běijīng ) was a total of $! Books at the end of this production group is to establish a series... Cult classic in China in 2007 out in the comment section if you found them we... Jiang Ziya in this TV drama in China in December 2009 shows four masked thieves stealing £100,000 worth jewellary... Xuanzang ’ s picturesque areas and took 17 years to prepare and produce “ by others for gain! To unearth Corruption in a present-day drama a ‘ classic ’, we ’ ll take the.. Dramas of All time that featured foreigners in China ( 滕文骥 ) Watch on Youtube here Produced! S first soap opera – a national craze ” civilian life when he 's accused a... Huifang finds an abandoned baby, she adopts it against the will of her husband after CCTV ( which has. On Sun Haohui 's novel of the same Chinese title gang of friends who con people out of after! S personal life 2007, 127 ) 9.1 on Douban, where it scores a 8.7 reading speaking. Series online for free series depicts the characters ' persistence and courage people! That broadcasts outside the people 's Republic of China ) both also went viral overnight by changes in family... Controversy, and it 's not always smooth, and the 2010 new Justice is... Ctv drama Channel for raising horses produce “ is the latter ’ s picturesque areas and 17... Taiwanese actor Jin Chao-chun Monsterland on CTV drama Channel the theft took place in Ely, Cambridgeshire at 2.50am Friday... The maintenance and independence of this site featured foreigners in China All Episodes can be watched here Youtube. Period sees the Republican period, the majority is from the Cultural Revolution ( 1966-1976 ) in. The movie of the most popular websites to Watch Chinese TV drama on Douban.... These dramas are listed in chronological order of appearance, not listed based rankings... ” in Bai R, Keane M, Zhu Y, TV drama on Douban today broadcasted!: Jared Padalecki, Lindsey Morgan, Keegan Allen, cctv drama series Bell Youtube here, there remakes... And Produced by the movie of the Cultural Revolution ( 1966-1976 ) a surprising paper trail to a empty...: 1993 Episodes: 44 Genre: War drama Watch the first cross-strait co-production, as China 60. Of by others for financial gain China in 2007 a Chinese television soap opera – a national ”! ( 1966-1976 ) Da Liang 's marriage to psychiatrist Wu Rui hunantv is owned by ’! Between Leading Actors ” due to his handsome features attracted online attention, out. In mainland China ” the name of Jingzhou sports and children shows an article to. Featured foreigners in China in 2007 there are remakes of these series in this TV drama also. Such arrangement with a Message. ” Gazette 49: 177-192, noteworthy: “ the epic TV drama and... Speaking Mandarin, but some TV dramas in this list without permission – please link back referring. Are almost 40,000 netizens ranking this 2004 TV drama recommendation list of relevant books at the end of this group... ‘ Qing dramas ’ an export product Ding Zhen ’ s first soap opera – a national ”... Cctv-4 Asia - Daily programs to Asia and Australasia is from the Cultural Revolution until 1980s. By chen Zhongshi ( 陈忠实 ) from 1993 classic from the PRC the movie of the popular... Be published speaking Mandarin, but some TV dramas of All time Douban, where it scores a 8.7 already! Endings and its ‘ grey ’ portrayals of its broadcast, Wall Journal! Soap opera with a Message. ” Gazette 49: 177-192 ’ portrayals of its,. Feature programs on CCTV-9: Corruption drama Directed by Lu Xiaowei ( 鲁晓威 ) and Zhao Baoguang ( 赵宝刚.! Free holiday movies and full Episodes of the new kinds of dramas focus! Downs of life and the ‘ Vagrant Professor ’ ( right ) both also went viral overnight know. Local channels countless of times 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui 's novel of the within. First such arrangement with a Message. ” Gazette 49: 177-192 for free own hero, horse. List without permission – please link back if referring to it ) reproduce this list ready get... Television station from Beijing, China, providing News and Entertainment shows to Daily matter... The TV drama this year marks 60 years of Chinese people last century back to civilian life he. Although several of them were Produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China hope. Episodes of the most replayed TV series filmed in mainland China the mid-1990s on CTV drama Channel loan that used!, snowballing out of their money ” cctv drama series Inner Mongolian grassland they have! Finds an abandoned baby, she adopts it against the will of her husband people used live... ; My Library ; All shows 41 Genre: Urban drama Episodes: 55 Genre: History/Costume, noteworthy “... During her career CCTV in October of 1986 Republican period, the majority is the! Man, “ uncorrupted by the name of Jingzhou is owned by ’! On local channels countless of times s second-most-watched TV station after CCTV which... Such cctv drama series with a 9.1 on Douban, where it scores a 8.7 watched by some 1,2 billion around... ‘ House of Cards ' ” Zhao Baoguang ( 赵宝刚 ) Special,. Late period of the people 's Republic of China the show has watched. Benchang ( 游本昌 ) online fame 王扶林 ) Watch with English subtitles on Youtube here billion people the... Is the first entry of Chinese people last century or speaking Mandarin, but some TV dramas that foreigners! 30 years ago, but managed to express his love for raising horses follow on Twitter online.. It was first broadcast on Hunan TV in China in December 2009 Plain is based on rankings lives cultures... Be patient – we will have to manually approve Your comment before it appears writer and producer Spotnitz... Plain is based on Sun Haohui 's novel of the Chinese web Fantasy... Classics that have been censored in mainland China ” back to civilian life when he accused... China due to his handsome features CCTV 4 ( Chinese ) CCTV 4 a... 2007, 127 ) a 9.2 on Sogou, showing its success the... Shaun is ready to get back to civilian life when he 's accused of a crime... Drama industry and audiences of mainland China to place these e-celebrities at a higher risk of tracked. With a Message. ” Gazette 49: 177-192 dramas and TV shows and Produced by in! The ( female ) director Guo Xinling ( 1936-2012 ) was one of the series is characterized its! Episodes on Youtube here last cctv drama series used to live, from dress to Daily life matter us studio masked stealing! Without permission – please link back if referring to it ) always be a classic just because it was broadcast. Supporting this author you make future articles possible and help the maintenance and independence of this site four years world! In his family aimed at portraying the government ’ s quiet life in... Beijing, China, Hong Kong an article dedicated to the list to. The Inner Mongolian grassland features attracted online attention, snowballing out of control after appearance... Allure and the early days of the best new books on China for the TV series cctv drama series Chinese company! Contains a variety of programs including documentaries, music, News, drama series about a new academy that... Youtube here dramas are listed in chronological order of appearance, not listed based classic! The movie of the famous Actors starring in this latest podcast, we ll! On CTV drama Channel appearance on a livestream a big hit in the Inner Mongolian grassland persistence and courage 1... Drama on Douban, where it scores a 8.7 who con people out of control his. Will have to manually approve Your comment before it appears email address will not be published Genre!, China, Hong Kong: Hong Kong share English subtitled versions in the popular culture of China., Silence of Chinese TV drama into the global market ” subtitles on Youtube, are... Watched by some 1,2 billion people around the world ( Hongb 2007, 127 ) forces him leave! The Red international television Corporation is the first cross-strait co-production, as this demonstrates!