Movie Title : 2015 Best Chinese Period Dramas
Free Download Movie : 2015 Best Chinese Period Dramas
The Lunar New Year is fast approaching and I'd like to start off with the many popular historical Chinese series currently airing. I'm so happy that my evenings are filled with nary a dull moment with so many things to watch!
Super happy that the rating widget is finally working so you can now rate your favorite dramas below!
For a complete list of wuxias from 1993-2014, click here.
For 2016 onwards, click here.
Disguiser
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: The Disguiser / Wei Zhuang Zhe / 伪装者
Episodes and Genre: 41, Spy thriller
Broadcast Period: 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Hu Ge as Ming Tai
Jin Dong as Ming Lou
Liu Min Tao as Ming Jing
Wang Kai as Ming Cheng
Synopsis:
During the puppet regime under the Japan occupation, Kuomintang and Nationalist operatives become embroiled in a revolution. Ming Tai, Ming Lou and Ming Jing are three siblings in this era of spies and deception.
Comments:
What more can be said? If you like Nirvana in Fire, you might like this. Click for more stills.
The Monster Killer
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)
Title: The Monster Killer / Wu Xin Fa Shi / 無心法師
Episodes and Genre: 20, Fantasy
Broadcast Period: 2015
Starring:
Elvis Han as Wu Xin
Gina Jin as Yue Ya
Comments:
The title is quite self-explanatory, telling the tale of a demon hunter named Wu Xin (No Heart) whose identity is shrouded in mystery.
I came across Monster Killer after a futile search for an episode of Legend of Zu and little did I know that it would turn out to be such an amazing find. Did anyone notice that Zhao Li Ying's character in Legend of Zu is also named Wu Xin (No Heart)? What an interesting coincidence, no?
While Wu Xin Fa Shi is technically is not an wuxia, it is a period drama with action, romance, and adventure. It's always enjoyable to come in with no expectations only to be pleasantly surprised. The plot moves along fast. For example, I thought that the main villain would be a plot device to cause unnecessary angst between the leads but we had none of that so far.
The actors
It might be a bit of a stretch to make this connection but the drama is fairly reminiscent of my favorite Korean movie Jeon Woo Chi, about a gallivanting wizard with powers that he used for good. Click for more stills.
The Legend of Zu
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Currently Watching
Title: The Legend of Zu / 蜀山戰紀之劍俠傳奇
Episodes and Genre: 50, Romance Wuxia / Fantasy
Broadcast Period: Jan 2016
Starring:
Zhao Li Ying as Yu Wu Xin
William Chan as Ding Yin
Nicky Wu as Shangguan Jing Wo
Synopsis:
Ding Yin is born with a piece of the Chi Hun Stone enabling him to possess otherworldly powers. To ensure that his abilities do not fall into the wrong hands, Ding Yin is taken under the tutelage of the Zu Sect.
Comments:
Legend of Zu was released online in September but looks like it's for registered users only so I can't find it anywhere, yet. This is another fantasy wuxia starring Zhao Li Ying from Journey of Flower so if you couldn't get enough the first time... Click for more stills.
Naughty Princess
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)
Title: Naughty Princess / Tiao Pi Wang Fei / 調皮王妃
Episodes and Genre: 40, Time Travel, Romance Comedy
Broadcast Period: August 2015
Starring:
邓琳 as Yin Qing Rou
Synopsis:
Yin Qing Rou, a happy go lucky PA of a popular wuxia actress, time travels and falls right into the arms of a prince. She must learn to adapt to life in the palace as she charms her way through the hearts of everyone she meets.
Comments:
It's cute, sort of like Princess Pearl (Huan Zhu Ge Ge) just not as dramatic.
Nirvana In Fire
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)
Title: Nirvana In Fire / Lang Ya Bang / 瑯琊榜
Episodes and Genre: 54, Historical Wuxia / Political / Action
Broadcast Period: Sep 2015 Dragon TV
Starring:
Hu Ge as Mei Changsu
Liu Tao as Princess Nihuang
Synopsis:
Despite having a sickly stature, Mei Changsu has amassed many followers as the leader of the Jiangzuo Alliance. The Langya Hall has touted him as the divine talent with the ability to conquer the world. As a result, the two opposing parties fighting for the throne are desperately seeking his guidance. Armed with a personal vendetta, Mei Changsu becomes embroiled in the eternal struggle for political power.
Comments:
The beginning episodes were a visual masterpiece, as is expected of c-dramas nowadays but the story progression was slow, which was the opposite of Six Flying Dragons where I was constantly at the edge of my seat. Not to say that one is better than the other because I ended up loving both and find them quite at par.
The storyline is what drew me in considering I did not really care for most of the cast prior to watching. Nevertheless, their portrayal was so captivating that I was won over completely. Nirvana in Fire is a serious revenge drama but I'm glad that they didn't forget the humor. The interactions between the characters are actually pretty funny especially the bromance between Changsu and Meng Zhi or Changsu and Fei Liu or Changsu and his many other lackeys.
If you like political dramas, Mei Changsu is a brilliant strategist and it is exciting to see how he plots each takedown. Wu Lei, the fifteen year-old who plays little bodyguard Fei Liu is definitely a scene stealer as well.
Song in the Clouds
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)
Title: Song in the Clouds / 雲中歌
Episodes and Genre: 45, Romance
Broadcast Period: Sep 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Angelababy as Yun Ge
Du Chun as Meng Jue
Lu Yi as Liu Fu Ling
Comments:If you like romance novels, you might like this adaptation of the renowned novel by Tong Hua who also wrote Ballad of the Desert and Bu Bu Jingxin coincidentally both starring Liu Shi Shi. I prefer wuxias so keeping this in the backburner for now other than the few times I catch it on TV.
I would be disappointed though if the heroine ends up with the wrong guy. Similar to its prequel the Ballad of the Desert, our female protagonist must one again choose between two almost perfect men so from the audience point of view, it's a coin toss.
City of Devastating Love
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
Title: City of Devastating Love, Hua Xu Yin Zhi Jue Ai Zhi Cheng / 华胥引之绝爱之城
Episodes and Genre: 48, Romance Wuxia / Fantasy
Broadcast Period: Jun 2015 SCTV
Starring:
Kevin Cheng as Mu Yan
Yuan Hong as Shen An
Jiang Xin as Song Ning
Synopsis:
Hua Xu Yin is about a naive princess who lost her country for love. She is reborn as Jin Fu, a person with the ability to weave dreams. See episode recaps.
Comments:
Crying brides and broken hearts just about sums it up for me.
The Journey of Flower - a ratings powerhouse, meaning off-the-chart viewership ratings
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)
Title: The Journey of Flower / 花千骨
Episodes and Genre: 54, Romance Wuxia / Fantasy
Broadcast Period: Jun 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Wallace Huo as Bai Zi Hua
Zhao Li Ying as Hua Qian Gu
Synopsis:
When Hua Qian Gu was born, flowers withered and her mother passed. These ominous signs foreshadowed a dark future and she grew up ostracized by the villagers. She meets Bai Zi Hua, a master swordsman with mythical powers who swore to protect the mortal realm against demonic forces. Even though she is fated to cause his demise, Bai Zi Hua decides against killing her and takes her in as his disciple.
Cruel Romance
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Pretty Good (4/5)
Title: Cruel Romance / 锦绣缘
Episodes and Genre: 40, Romance Drama / Action
Broadcast Period: Mar 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Huang Xiao Ming as Zuo Zhen
Chen Qiao En as Rong Jin Xiu
Synopsis:
Rong Jin Xiu's family was murdered in cold blood after she helps her former teacher who is a Chinese revolutionary against the Japanese. She goes to Shanghai to uncover the truth in hopes of avenging her family and meets Zuo Zhen, a mob leader feared by many.
Comments:
Huang Xiao Ming as Zuo Zhen is so manly, romantic, handsome, awesome and badass all rolled into one. I was hooked from episode 1 but honestly, the main girl began to seriously annoy me and the constant misunderstandings between the two really set the stage for a cruel romance. If I didn't have so many facepalm moments I probably would've said this was a must-watch.
The Four
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)
Title: The Four / 少年四大名捕
Episodes and Genre: 40, Detective Wuxia / Action
Broadcast Period: Mar 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Zhang Han as Leng Xie
William Chan as Zhui Meng
Synopsis:
Yet another remake of the renowned detective TV series. The Four revolves around the four main characters as they solve mysteries and fight crime to uphold justice.
Love Weaves Through A Millennium
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Pretty Good (4/5)
Title：Love Weaves Through A Millennium / 相愛穿梭千年
Episodes and Genre: 22, Time Travel / Romance
Broadcast Period: Feb 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Zheng Shuang as Lin Xiang Xiang
Jing Bo Ran as Gong Ming
Im Jin A aka Nana from k-pop group After School as Zhao Na Na
Synopsis:
Love Weaves Through A Millennium is a remake of k-drama Queen In Hyun's Man. It follows the romance between a man from ancient Chinese history books and his chance encounter with a budding actress from the 21st century.
Comments:
I like the original better but the c-drama, which is essentially a rehash of the former is not too shabby either. It might be weird coming from an period drama buff like me but I wish they focused on the modern day antics instead as it was much more interesting than the palace conspiracies.
Im Jin A aka Nana from k-pop group After School as Zhao Na Na
Synopsis:
Love Weaves Through A Millennium is a remake of k-drama Queen In Hyun's Man. It follows the romance between a man from ancient Chinese history books and his chance encounter with a budding actress from the 21st century.
Comments:
I like the original better but the c-drama, which is essentially a rehash of the former is not too shabby either. It might be weird coming from an period drama buff like me but I wish they focused on the modern day antics instead as it was much more interesting than the palace conspiracies.
Legend of Fragrance
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Pretty Good (4/5)
Title：Legend of Fragrance / 活色生香
Episodes and Genre: 42, Romance Drama
Broadcast Period: Feb-Mar 2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Li Yi Feng as Ning Zhi Yuan
Tiffany Tang as An Le Yan
Synopsis:
This drama revolves around the lives of people who aim to make the best fragrance in the world.
Comments:
I started watching solely because it's like a Sword of Legends reboot with Li Yi Feng and William Chan as part of the cast. Shallowness aside, it is not like Sword of Legends at all since this is a romance drama rather than an wuxia so it really depends whether this genre is your cup of tea. I might be a bit biased though since I like all the actors in this one.
This drama revolves around the lives of people who aim to make the best fragrance in the world.
Comments:
I started watching solely because it's like a Sword of Legends reboot with Li Yi Feng and William Chan as part of the cast. Shallowness aside, it is not like Sword of Legends at all since this is a romance drama rather than an wuxia so it really depends whether this genre is your cup of tea. I might be a bit biased though since I like all the actors in this one.
Romance of the Condor Heroes
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)
Title：Romance of the Condor Heroes / Shen Diao Xia Lv / 神鵰俠侶
Episodes and Genre: 52, Romance Wuxia
Broadcast Period: 2014-2015, Hunan TV
Starring:
Chen Xiao as Yang Guo
Michelle Chen as Xiao Long Nu
Synopsis:
The is a coming-of-age story about Yang Guo, a mischievous anti-hero who defies social limits by fighting for his relationship with Xiao Long Nu and proving himself the true embodiment of a legendary hero.
Synopsis:
The is a coming-of-age story about Yang Guo, a mischievous anti-hero who defies social limits by fighting for his relationship with Xiao Long Nu and proving himself the true embodiment of a legendary hero.
Comments:
The TV adaptation by Yu Zheng has been fraught with controversy from casting Michelle Chen to diverging from the original plot. Maybe I'm playing the contrarian but I actually liked that she was casted since I enjoyed her performance in You Are the Apple of My Eye, which is why the backlash from her casting as ethereal beauty Xiao Long Nu took me by surprise.
I am many episodes into the drama and experiencing drama withdrawals, which I haven't had in a while. Chen Xiao as Yang Guo is absolutely charming (maybe my new favorite?) and Michelle Chen as Xiao Long Nu, albeit a little awkward in her first appearance is slowly but surely growing on me. There may be so many other beautiful women out there (ie whoever the actress below looked absolutely stunning in the opening scene). Nonetheless, Michelle Chen and Chen Xiao make an adorable pair and it's well worth my time eagerly anticipating the upcoming episodes.
If I were to nitpick, I thought the side stories were drawn out if not completely unnecessary. After all, I'm in it for the story between Yang Guo and Xiao Long Nu and not some side character. A change that I did like was the addition of Li Mo Chou and Lu Zhan Yuan's meeting but that's because Li Mo Chou is an important character in the Return of the Condor Heroes so her back story was equally relevant.
This drama also tends to be overly cheesy with its over emphasis on love. I should have known when they took the liberty of changing the classic title of Return of the Condor Heroes to Romance of the Condor Heroes. It's a romance wuxia, we get the picture!
The Empress of China - a ratings powerhouse
(武媚娘传奇破3 meaning TV ratings higher than 3%, the highest rated in 2015)
(武媚娘传奇破3 meaning TV ratings higher than 3%, the highest rated in 2015)
Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)
Title：The Empress of China / Wu Mei Niang Chuan Qi / 武媚娘传奇
Episodes and Genre: 80, Historical
Broadcast Period: 2014-2015 Hunan TV
Starring:
Fan Bing Bing as Wu Mei Niang
Synopsis:
Wu Mei Niang rises against all odds to become the one and only Empress of China.
Wu Mei Niang rises against all odds to become the one and only Empress of China.
Comments:
I have seen my fair share of historical Korean dramas centered around strong female icons like Queen Seon Deok and Empress Ki to name a few.
If I was ever waiting for a Chinese counterpart, it would be none other than the story about Wu Mei Niang. I rate the series as a must-watch partially due to the fact that it is, as of today, the most expensive TV series in Chinese history. A big budget doesn't always translate well ratings-wise, yet money allows the freedom to have a powerhouse cast, intricate Tang Dynasty costumes, and a very high quality series clocking in over 80 hours of screen time.
It is quite the endeavor but I definitely recommend watching this if you are into palace dramas where there are political plots left and right as well as an endless struggle for the throne. Perhaps the saying bad publicity is good publicity rings true as I actually became more intrigued when Empress of China made the news for censorship issues. Its low cut necklines have been promptly edited out but I guess I can live with that.
It is quite the endeavor but I definitely recommend watching this if you are into palace dramas where there are political plots left and right as well as an endless struggle for the throne. Perhaps the saying bad publicity is good publicity rings true as I actually became more intrigued when Empress of China made the news for censorship issues. Its low cut necklines have been promptly edited out but I guess I can live with that.
The Great Protector
Is it a must watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Downright Boring (1/5)
Title: The Great Protector / Biao Men / 镖門
Episodes and Genre: 38, Historical
Starring:
Wallace Huo as Liu An Shun
Synopsis:
Liu An Shun is the leader of a Biao Men aka transporters who risk their lives to protect whatever is put under their care. Due to an unfortunate incident where one of his men commit suicide, Liu An Shun loses the trust and respect of his people and he leaves to work for another Biao Men.
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2015 Best Chinese Period Dramas
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