10 Gateway Chinese Dramas To Watch If You Don’t Like C-Dramas

Try as I might, not everyone watches or enjoys Chinese dramas and that’s fine. 

That won’t stop me, though, from making all efforts to convince you non-watchers to give it a chance. 

So, I’ve compiled this list of 10 totally amazing Chinese dramas I feel everyone needs to be given a chance and their conversion rate is super high.  

1. When I Fly Towards You

When I Fly Towards You follows Su Zai Zai, a cheerful transfer student, who falls in love with the seemingly aloof Zhang Lu Rang. 

Soon enough, Zhang Lu Rang’s life transforms with the help of his friends, and I absolutely would vouch for this drama as the ultimate coming-of-age drama of all time. 

2. Put Your Head on My Shoulder

Put your head on my shoulder cdrama

In this college drama, accounting major Situ Mo and physics genius Gu Weiyi, who is on the verge of graduation, find themselves living together and soon romance blooms between them. 

You guys, Gu Wei Yi was the most endearing and lovable male lead I ever laid my eyes on and I feel this gateway drama is just the thing if you want something to kick-start your Cdrama journey.

3. Wrong Carriage, Right Groom

Set in Tang Dynasty China, two women swap intended husbands when they mistakenly swap their sedans on the way to their weddings, creating chaos and potential romantic entanglements.

You can watch this drama right now on YouTube because it has complete English subtitles, and trust me when I say you’ll be hooked soon after — both female leads are amazing actresses and the male leads were just as amazing. 

4. Circle of Love

After her parents and her entire family are killed on her wedding day, Gu Meng swears to take revenge but when she resurfaces two years later, she’s overpowered by Hong Ye and she loses her memory.

Hong Ye then takes her in and lies that she’s his maid to keep her close to him, but they soon start falling in love slowly. 

You guys, this might not be the best drama, but it’s definitely going to make you feel a whole lot of things that will keep you buzzing. 

5. A Love So Beautiful

A love so beautiful cdrama

Tracing the journey of high school classmates Chen Xiao Xi and Jiang Chen, their friends, this drama follows them and their relationships from high school to adulthood.

This drama is wholesome in all the ways that count and you’re definitely going to fall in love with all the characters. 

6. My Little Happiness 

Cong Rong is struggling between her dream of becoming a lawyer and her mother’s insistence on studying finance abroad, but she decides to do what she wants to do.

Somehow, she reconnects with her childhood friend who also turns out to be a colleague and I genuinely loved every minute of their romance.

7. Wait My Youth

In this drama, Su Can Can and her friends navigate the naiveté of young love, the beauty of friendship, and the warmth of family from adolescence to adulthood.

This youth drama is available to stream on Netflix now and the messages of friendship and persevering love would absolutely inspire you to keep watching more dramas. 

8. When A Snail Falls In Love

Unlike the other dramas in this post, this one’s a romantic thriller, but it was super interesting to watch and it’s a really good Chinese dramas for newbies.

Here, Detective Ji Bai is told to train criminal profiler Xu Xu, but despite their differences, a slow-burning romance starts blooming between them. 

9. Hidden Love

This drama is super popular but if you’re new to Cdramas you might not have heard of it, but trust me when I say it’s one of the big productions of 2023 that blew everyone’s mind. 

The drama shows the gradual love story between Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu, who reconnect after losing contact and fall in love through day-to-day interactions.

10. Sword Snow Stride

Set in an era of upheaval, this drama follows Xu Xiao’s son Xu Feng Nian and his encounters with martial artists and political challenges as he ascends to the throne of Northern Liang.


This is another epic that you’ll love if you like a drawn out, well-developed drama steeped in history, you’re going to absolutely love this one.

What was the first Chinese drama you ever watched? Let us know in the comments below. 

And, don’t forget that there are still some super fun recommendations in the related posts below.

Happy watching!

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