The following 10 Chinese romantic dramas of 2025 all share a dangerous trait: Watch one episode and you’ll immediately want to binge the next. Skip them and you will feel emotionally “in debt” for the rest of the year.
1. Always at home
Set against the backdrop of youth and school life, Always Home follows the coming-of-age journey of Chen Huan’er, a girl who moves from her hometown to a bustling city with her family. There he forms an unbreakable bond with two people who will define his youth: Jing Xichi and Song Cong.
Three individuals, three distinct personalities and countless unforgettable moments, from studying together to school trips, to sports days, to first crushes and bittersweet regrets. Despite being a low-budget production, the drama emerged as an unexpected surprise thanks to its sincerity, warmth and emotional authenticity.
2. The best thing
The Best Thing is a modern romance centered on the fateful connection between He Suye, a kind doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, and Shen Xifan, a beautiful and capable hotel front desk manager.
At first glance, Shen Xifan seems to have it all: a stable career, stunning looks, and a long-time boyfriend from an elite background. Behind that refined exterior, however, lies an emotionally suffocating relationship, full of coldness and control. When chronic insomnia brings her to He Suye’s clinic, a quiet, healing love begins to blossom gently, slowly and deeply comforting.
3. Be passionately in love
Adapted from Er Dong Tu Zi’s popular novel, Be Passionately in Love tells a long love story, from adolescence to adulthood, between Xu Zhi and Chen Luzhou.
They are complete opposites: Xu Zhi is silent and resilient, while Chen Luzhou is rebellious and reckless. Yet fate unites them through youthful sweetness, painful misunderstandings and inevitable separation. The drama shines not only with its emotional storytelling, but also with the chemistry and growing acting ability of Liu Haocun and Wang Anyu.
4. The prisoner of beauty
Entering the genre of historical romance, The Prisoner of Beauty intertwines love with power struggles. Song Zuer plays a sharp noblewoman, while Liu Yuning embodies a stoic hero navigating a chaotic era.
Their “marriage before love” relationship is built on family feuds and court conspiracies, creating intense tension along with an undeniable tenderness. The explosive chemistry between the leads quickly became the drama’s biggest talking point.
5. Such a good love
Such a Good Love is a romantic but painfully realistic love ballad about the post-80s generation in Beijing. Zhou Shui, a talented young man, and Da Ji, a loyal and passionate woman, fall in love during their poorer but passionate years.
From sharing fast food meals to making naive promises, their relationship slowly crumbles under the pressure of survival and time. Eighteen years later, their story is rediscovered by a Gen Z couple, reviving an old question: is it really worth sacrificing your youth for love?
6. True love game
Game of True Love features a tense emotional battle between Xu Nuo, the heir to the Yuanfei Group, and Shen Jiahe, his adoptive brother who once relied on his family for survival.
After returning from abroad, Xu Nuo finds that her family has collapsed, her mother has been kicked out, and Shen Jiahe is on the verge of inheriting everything. Refusing to lose, he takes a dangerous gamble, using love as bait in a calculated game of manipulation. From this moment on, the line between love and hate begins to blur.
7. The first frost
Adapted from Zhu Yi’s best-selling novel, First Frost centers on the complicated love story between Sang Yan and Wen Yifan. Rejected during her school days, Sang Yan reunites with Wen Yifan years later only to become his unexpected roommate.
Living together leads to awkward, hilarious and heartwarming moments that slowly bring them closer together. The series not only exploded in popularity in China, but also achieved an impressive global ranking on Netflix, becoming a viral phenomenon with thousands of discussions online.
8. Filter
One of the rare original screenplays of modern romance, Filter became a breakout success with a Douban score of 7.3 and a huge volume of reviews.
The story follows Su Chengcheng, an ordinary woman who suddenly acquires a “filter bracelet” that allows her to transform into different identities. Each transformation brings new experiences and unexpected chaos. Blending romance, science fiction and comedy, the drama was even recognized as one of the standout series of the first quarter of 2025.
9. Why is he still single?
This romantic comedy revolves around Yu Yu, a kind-hearted and successful man suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Despite being “perfect on paper,” he remains stubbornly single, becoming the butt of jokes among friends and family.
Everything changes when he meets Gu Yejia, an intelligent, independent and irresistibly charming woman. Their awkward yet heartfelt interactions offer laughter, warmth, and deeply relatable moments.
10. Sniper butterfly
Sniper Butterfly tells a delicate and emotionally charged love story between Cen Jin, a woman scarred by a failed marriage, and Li Wu, a younger man whom she once helped.
Years after their separation, Li Wu returns with a new identity and feelings that have never faded. Beyond its bold plot, the drama has generated tremendous enthusiasm from shippers thanks to the explosive chemistry between Michelle Chen and Daniel Zhou, both on screen and in moments behind the scenes.
Sources: K14
