November 2023 Chinese Drama Updates - New dramas from Zhou Ye, Bai Lu, Dylan Wang He Di, Jing Tian, Tian Xi Wei by Chasing Dramas (2025)

Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 27 pt 2 + Ep 28: Mom's MysteriesAfter successfully stealing his mother's key from the Empress Dowager's residence, Fan Xian finally opens his mother's mysterious case. The details reveal significant answers to Fan Xian and his mother's origins.Jan 21, 202522:32In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Weibo Night and Empresses in the Palace ReunionOn January 11, 2025, the Chinese entertainment stars largely attended two events. The annual Weibo Night, including headliners such as Zhao Li Ying, Xiao Zhan, Wang Yi Bo, Wang He Di, Yu Shu Xin, Ni Ni, and many many more, had the stars walking the red carpet and making slight jabs at Weibo. Shen Teng was crowned Weibo King while Zhao Li Ying took the crown of Weibo Queen. Down in Macau, Youku managed to organize a whole Empresses in the Palace reunion, the largest in the 13 years since its original run. Sun Li, Chen Jian Bin, and Jian Xin all made appearances, marking the first time for this trio.Listen to our latest podcast episode on our thoughts of how the evening went with these two star studded events!Jan 17, 202536:40Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 27 pt 1: A Star is BornIn our favorite episode of Joy of Life, Fan Xian stuns the world with his output of hundreds of poems during his drunken monologue during the foreign banquet in episode 27. Seeing through the trap set by Zhuang Mo Han, Fan Xian immediately recites hundreds of poems including many of the most famous poems in the Chinese canon. Listen to our latest podcast episode as we dissect many of the poems mentioned by Fan Xian including our translations and the context for the poems!Jan 14, 202534:02In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: A Chaotic New YearThe end of the holidays and into the new year saw quite a bit of chaos on social media. First was the revelation that Zhao Lu Si, who was filming a drama, was very ill and in the hospital. More stories came out afterwards about her illness, different causes and other trauma she suffered int he past. Afterwards, relatively unknown actor Li Ming De blasts the cast and crew of his drama, stealing all the social media thunder from Tencent's All Star Night. Tune in to listen in to what happened!Jan 10, 202533:31 Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 26: The BanquetFan Xian is invited a grand diplomatic banquet. He's tapped to showcase his literary skills in front of legendary scholar Zhuang Mo Han, something Fan Xian is worried about. Zhuang Mo Han comes forward and calls out Fan Xian for plagiarizing, causing drama at the banquet. Jan 05, 202522:56Jan 2025 Chinese Drama Update - Guardians of Da Feng, Flourished Peony, The Blossoming Love and more!Welcome to 2025 and the new slate of dramas that will kick off the new year! Dylan Wang He Di's highly anticipated drama Guardians of Da Feng began airing to much fanfare but hasn't met expectations. Yang Zi and Li Xian reunite in the upcoming Tang Dynasty drama Flourishing Peonies after their 2019 smash hit Go Go Squid. Zhang Bin Bin launches the fantasy romance dramas this year with The Blossoming Love alongside Sun Zhen Ni. Meanwhile, Tan Jian Ci had a decent hit with Under The Skin 2 that did surprisingly well in December. Listen to our latest podcast episode for the new and upcoming dramas of Jan 2025!Jan 02, 202524:44In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 2024 Men's Winners, Losers and Everything in BetweenOur final episode of 2024 features our discussion on the Chinese actors that were the winners, losers and everything in between this year. Ding Yu Xi saw success this year with Love Game in Eastern Fantasy while Zhang Wan Yi and Bai Jing Ting saw their popularity wane. Listen in for our commentary!Dec 30, 202420:27In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 2024 Women's Winners, Losers and Everything in BetweenCheck out our entirely subjective view of the 2024 Chinese actresses. Listen to our take on who were the winners, losers, up and comers, the controversial and more!Dec 26, 202427:59In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 2024 Drama RecapAs 2024 winds down, Karen and Cathy share the most viewed dramas and most popular dramas, winners, and losers of the second half of the year. Then we discuss the top dramas of 2024, some interesting trends, and finally our top dramas of the year! Listen to hear the stats and our thoughts on the Chinese dramas of 2024.Dec 19, 202431:56Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 25: A Rough Day at WorkFan Xian steps in to save Chen Ping Ping from a coup within the Overwatch Council but it turned out to be nothing more than a test. Meanwhile, he is also called into partake in diplomatic peace talks with an envoy of the Northern Qi kingdom that leaves him very confused as to how these negotiations work. Listen to our latest podcast episode on Fan Xian's hilariously bad day at work.Dec 17, 202423:23In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Marriage, Death and Drunken RantsWhile 1 former EXO member got married in December (Huang Zi Tao), another former member, Lu Han, went on weird rants while livestreaming. Meanwhile, Chen Xiao and Chen Yan Xi divorce rumors continue to run rampant and we also highlight the death of legendary Taiwanese writer, Qiong Yao. Dec 13, 202421:52Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 24: A Group of Eclectic WomenIn a delightful episode 24, Fan Xian visits the palace for the first time to meet the women of the Qing Emperor's harem. These ladies watched Wan'Er grow up and want to meet him. He is shocked to find the ladies all weird but personable in their own way. He is summoned to visit his future mother-in-law where she reveals that she was the mastermind between his assassination attempts. Fan Xian cannot enact revenge there but now knows who his enemy is. He had another motive in the palace, to create a map of the palace. Listen to our latest podcast episode as we discuss the lore behind the ladies of the harem.Dec 10, 202430:34Dec 2024 Chinese Drama Update - Brocade Odyssey, The Land Of Warriors, Deep Purple2024 comes to a close with new dramas that aired in late November and new ones announced in December. Brocade Odyssey 蜀锦人家 starring Tan Song Yun and Zheng Ye Cheng marks a return to period romance dramas for Tan Song Yun after 3 years. Meng Zi Yi stars in Deep Purple 九重紫. These two add to the growing list of dramas depicting women building business empires. However, it looks like modern day dramas have been enjoying the highest viewership with We are Criminal Police 我是刑警 starring Yu He Wei. Several other dramas including The Land Of Warriors 2 斗罗大陆之燃魂战 have aired but to disastrous results. Listen to our latest podcast on the gossip and our thoughts on the newest dramas airing this month!Dec 05, 202418:13Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 23: Mixed up KidnappingFan Xian wraps up his visit from Tai Ping Yard but returns to Wan'Er telling him that her father's men accidentally kidnapped the Crown Prince. Fan Xian and company hurry back to the capital to speak with the Chancellor. The result? The Chancellor no longer suspects Fan Xian of any involvement in his son's death.Dec 02, 202420:55In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: A welcome return and new romance buzzAfter a 3 year hiatus, Chinese vlogger and global phenomenon Li Zi Qi set the internet ablaze by releasing 3 new videos. She chose lacquerware for her return which holds a unique significance to her. We discuss her background and influence not just in China but globally too. Elsewhere, a new romance might be blooming with Gu Li Na Zha and Zhang Yun Long. Gu Li Na Zha was embroiled in Xu Kai Cheng and Zhang Tian Ai's relationship last year and publicly stated that she wanted to take a break from dating but that might have changed with a new video of the two of them. Listen to our latest podcast episode for the latest gossip!Nov 15, 202422:34Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 22: Spring OutingFan Xian takes Wan'Er and several others out on a spring outing/picnic to enjoy a change of scenery but both Wan'Er and Fan Xian have ulterior motives while they are out.Nov 12, 202422:45Nov 2024 Chinese Drama Update - Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, The Story of Pearl Girl, Romance in the Alley, Fangs of Fortune, Kill Me Love MeNovember has a new slate of dramas with the 95 flowers Esther Yu Shu Xin and Zhao Lu Si headlining a drama each. Yu Shu Xin stars in Love Game in Eastern Fantasy 永夜星河 with co-star Ding Yu Xi. Zhao Lu Si is back with her The Long Ballad co-star Liu Yu Ning in The Story of Pearl Girl or 珠帘玉幕. The surprising winner though is the 70s, 80s drama, Romance in the Alley 小巷人家 starring Yan Ni and Jiang Xin. Hou Ming Hao and Chen Du Ling star in a fantasy drama 大梦归离 Fangs of Fortune. Wu Jin Yan is back with another revenge period drama with fellow co-star Liu Xue Yi in Kill Me Love Me or 春花焰. Check out the our latest podcast episode to hear more about these dramas and checkout our website for our reviews.Nov 07, 202425:04Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 21: Closing the LoopIn a twist, Chen Ping Ping claims that Dong Yi City Grandmaster, Si Gu Jian killed Lin Gong, and urges the Emperor to declare war on the Qi kingdom. The Emperor nor the Chancellor believes it but it is the answer that the Qing kingdom wants and this helps cover up for Fan Xian and Wu Zhu.Nov 04, 202430:22In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Unmasking CelebritiesHappy Halloween! In China, many celebrities have been unmasked from their personas in recent reality shows or plain internet sleuthing. This includes well known actor, professor, and cook Huang Lei, who's been unmasked as a regular cook and thin-skinned person who wants to have the last say. This also includes actress Zhou Yu Tong who's appearance in Season 6 of Divas Hit the Road has set off a firestorm on social media about her potentially narcissistic personality, dragging the entire season down. Listen to our latest podcast to hear how and why these two celebrities have been unmasked!Nov 01, 202432:12Joy of Life - S1 - Ep 20: Meeting Chen Ping PingAfter a tense showdown in front of the Overwatch Council, we finally meet Chen Ping Ping, Chief Justice/Director. He ups the ante of the cast of characters and immediately shows his cunning and tactical skills.Oct 29, 202422:54In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Fashion SuccessIn this episode, we dive in to the fashion measures of success that fans and celebrities care about. This includes Fashion brand sponsorships with the different titles, Fashion Magazine covers, and public appearances wearing haute couture. Speaking of congratulations to Zhao Li Ying for winning best Actress at the Golden Eagle Awards wearing a Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture dress. Listen to our latest podcast episode to learn more about the competitive nature of fashion within the Chinese entertainment industryOct 25, 202425:09Joy of Life - S1 Ep 19: Two More Father FiguresFan Xian is brought forth to meet both the Emperor and the Chancellor as they question him on his involvement in Lin Gong's death.Oct 22, 202424:43In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Measures of SuccessWith the recent Golden Eagle Award nominations, fans went into a frenzy to begin boasting about their idol getting nominations. For today's episode, let’s talk about what are the different measures of success fans have for their favored actor or actress. That includes award nominations, ratings, marketability, and so much more! Listen to our latest podcast as we discuss the fierce competition amongst fans and the celebrities themselves on the measures of success. Oct 17, 202421:14Joy of Life S1 - Ep 17pt 2 + 18: Tough decisionsFan Xian learns that the man who ordered his assassination is none other than Lin Gong, Wan'Er's brother. He has to make the difficult decision of avenging Teng Zi Jing or torching his relationship with Wan'ErOct 15, 202422:31In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 2024 Pop Culture SlangIn 2024, a new slate of pop culture slang has taken China by storm. The most popular has been whether you are an i person or an e person. There's also the City Walk and the special ops vacation. Listen to our latest podcast episode to see if you recognize some of these latest pop culture references!Oct 11, 202422:23Joy of Life S1 - Ep 16pt2 + 17pt 1: The InterrogationFan Xian captures Si Li Li with the help of the Overwatch Council and its mysterious President. He sneaks into the prison where Si Li Li is held to interrogate her on details of who ordered his assassination.Oct 08, 202427:55Oct 2024 Chinese Drama Update - She and Her Girls, Love in Nirvana, Love in the Desert, Snowy Night: Timeless Love, The Rise of NingIt's October and we have a new slate of dramas! My favorite drama this year is She and Her Girls. This recounts story of teacher Zhang Gui Mei and her establishment of the first free all girl high school in China. It's definitely a winner. Meanwhile, Ren Jia Lun just keeps having duds with Love In Nirvana alongside Li Lan Di. Uyghur beauty Ha Ni Ke Zi looks right at home in Love in the Desert with the handsome Fang Yi Lun but the plot is rather lacking. Karen's most excited about upcoming Wu Xia drama Snowy Night: Timeless Love starring Li Qin and Zeng Shun Xi. Zhang Wan Yi and Ren Min star in The Rise of Ning, hoping to win some audiences with another period romance drama. Let us know your thoughts about these dramas!Oct 04, 202424:25Joy of Life S1 ep 15 + 16pt 1: The ChaseFan Xian and Wang Qi Nian initially thought they reached a dead in on clues for figuring out who ordered Fan Xian's assassination. But, they turn their attention to Si Li Li who is now highly suspicious. Using Wang Qi Nian's expert tracking skills, they give chase to Si Li Li who is attempting to leave the Qing kingdomSep 30, 202425:18In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Surprising Reputation DownturnsAs it turns chilly this fall, we discuss 2 actress and 1 actors who've seen their reputations take a nosedive this year despite not having any dramas or movies air this year. Ning Jing showed her disregard and dismissive attitude towards the cast and crew during the France stop of Divas Hit the Road: Good Friends Season. Ru Yi's Love in the Palace was completely skewered this summer, with Zhou Xun bearing the brunt of the criticism. Her best friend, Chen Kun, could not escape Zhou Xun's orbit and was also ridiculed for his drama The Rise of Phoenixes. Listen to our latest episode to hear why these 3 in particular received such a public backlash this summer.Sep 27, 202427:32In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Relationship Bombshells!Just as we said summer was a bore, new relationship bombshells and news were shared this past week! Wu Jian Yan, fresh off her success from The Double, shared a photo on Weibo shocking everyone on her update. Actress Zhang Yu Qi roasted actor Yu Shi on a talkshow for cheating on her but there's so much more to his scandalous past. Huang Xiao Ming announced his first new relationship since his divorce to Angelababy. Listen to our latest podcast episode for all the news!Sep 20, 202433:34Joy of Life S1 - Ep 14: Swift RevengeFan Xian swiftly avenges his friend Teng Zi Jing's death. He is promptly captured by Zhu Ge of the 1st Bureau for disregarding orders, but is ultimately freed by the Emperor for his public actionsSep 17, 202422:23In the Know - 2024 Summer RecapSummer is officially over and it was a rather muted one in the Chinese entertainment industry. There wasn't one breakout star of the summer. The Double, starring Wu Jin Yan and Wang Xing Yue, performed the best but the two leads fizzled out in the summer. Lost You Forever Season 2 was the biggest disappointment this summer with its poor plot, lack of CPs, and poor characterizations. Karen and Cathy discuss their thoughts of the performance of the dramas and the stars this summer!Sep 12, 202433:14Joy of Life S1 - Ep 13: Fallen BrotherIn episode 13 of Joy of Life S1, just when everything seemed to be going Fan Xian's way with his engagement to Lin Wan'Er and bromance with Teng Zi Jing, things take a sudden turn. Fan Xian and Teng Zi Jing are ambushed at Niu Lan Jie with a powerful assassin from the Kingdom of Northern Qi. Teng Zi Jing dies protecting Fan Xian. Fan Xian is in complete shock at the loss of his friend. He finds solace with Lin Wan Er and tries to avenge his friend's death, only to hear that the Overwatch Council will release the assassin for political gain. Listen to our latest podcast episode on our analysis of this intense episode! Sep 10, 202422:51Sep 2024 Chinese Drama Update - Are You The One, Go East, Melody of Golden Age, Escape from the Trilateral Slopes and More!In August, Zhang Wan Yi and Wang Chu Ran headlined a historical romance drama Are You The One. Tan Jian Ci leads Go East in a historical comedy and Ding Yu Xi and newcomer Deng En Xi star in the historical romance Melody of Golden Age. All of these dramas have only been decent, a step down from the buzz of their prior dramas. We discuss other dramas that have aired in Aug and early September as well Sep 06, 202420:39Joy of Life S1 - Ep 12: Innocent Late Night VisitsFan Xian and Wan'Er are both ecstatic to find each other's true identities as not only the person each other likes, but as each other's betrothed. Fan Xian starts to help cure Wan'Er's sickness with another late night visit with medicine. Meanwhile, something is off with Si Li Li.Sep 03, 202429:12In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Joy of Life in Peril?In a recent bombshell post, Joy of Life actor Zhang Hao Wei, known for his portrayal as the Crown Prince, was revealed to have discussed prostitutes and potentially even establishing his own brothel! These voice recordings set off a whole firestorm with legal notices and declarations being posted all over Weibo. Will Joy of Life be in peril? Actress Song Zu Er who was softly canceled last year might be making a comeback after her company posted a statement that she's been cleared of any wrong doing, but is she really in the clear?Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out about this juicy tea!Aug 30, 202420:25Joy of Life S1 - Ep 11: Heart fluttering reunionFan Xian takes matter into his own hands to rid his engagement to Lin Wan'Er. But when he does go to her residence to cause chaos, he finds that his chicken leg girl is none other than Lin Wan'Er herself. An incredibly cute episode where these two finally learn each other's identity. Aug 27, 202424:36Joy of Life - S1 ep 10: The Promise of Safety The Emperor and Mei Zhi Li engage in a thrilling conversation where the Emperor shares his displeasure at Mei Zhi Li allying himself with the Crown Prince, a sign of disloyalty. The punishment? Death. Aug 20, 202423:08In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: Paris Olympic Fever!We were having a blast watching the Paris Olympic games and so was everyone in China! The French certainly put on a show and the Chinese athletes performed extremely well. Listen to our latest podcast episode as we discuss the top trending sports, events, memes, and moments from these Olympic games!Aug 16, 202432:36Joy of Life S1 - Ep 9: The Mummy and the TrialFan Xian is summoned to trial after his assault on Guo Bao Kun landed the poor man bandaged up like a mummy. The trial at the Capital Court becomes a battleground for not only Fan Xian and Guo Bao Kun, but the Crown Prince and 2nd prince as wellAug 13, 202425:08In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: An Empresses in the Palace Reunion!A new variety show - Travel with the Royal Family has been a hilarious Empresses in the Palace 甄嬛传 reunion. The general premise of this variety / reality show is to have the hosts and guests travel around China to experience local culture especially with the minorities within China. The regular cast includes Ada Choi - Empress. Lan Xi - Shen Mei Zhuang, Zhang Xiao Ling - Wen Shi Chu, Tao Xin Ran - An Ling Rong, Lan Ying Ying - Huan Bi, Chen Si Si - Cao Qin Mo. There's many guest appearances and surprises from the cast of Empresses in the Palace and everyone takes us on a trip down memory lane! Listen to our thoughts on the fun gossip and tea they shared about their time filming the drama!Aug 09, 202425:15Joy of Life S1 - Ep 8: Meeting Si Li LiFan Xian finally runs into the girl of his dreams, his Chicken Leg Girl, at the poetry meeting. While they get to speak for a little bit longer, he forgets again to ask for her name. Meanwhile, he finds details of Guo Bao Kun's involvement in Teng Zi Jing's family's death and heads to a brothel where he meets the beautiful courtesan Si Li Li to enact a distraction.Aug 06, 202423:41August 2024 Chinese Drama Updates: Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Season 2 Journey West, Dashing Youth, Snowfall, Love's RebellionThe Olympics are in full swing captivating audiences in China. A slew of dramas have aired but haven't been able to compete with Olympic buzz. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Season 2 Journey West starring Yang Xu Wen and Yang Zhi Gang has been a surprising delight after a strong first season. Dashing Youth, starring Hou Ming Hao, He Yu, and Hu Lian Xin, is a prequel to the 2022 The Blood of Youth. The long anticipated Vampire drama, Snowfall, starring Gao Wei Guang and Ou Yang Na Na, started airing. Zhang Ling He is on a roll with his new drama with Jing Tian, Love's Rebellion. Listen now to our latest August drama updates!Aug 01, 202419:46In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: The Relationship Announcement The Missed the MarkFormer k-pop boy band EXO member, Huang Zi Tao, publicly announced his relationship to Xu Yi Yang on social media on July 13. Normally, these types of announcement garners a lot of discussion but this time, there's been more mockery/ridicule. We explain who they are and why this relationship announcement missed the mark.Jul 26, 202419:05Joy of Life Season 1 - Ep 7: The MasterpieceIn episode 7, Fan Xian goes undercover to find more details on Teng Zi Jing's case and is surprised and suspicious at how easy the entire mission was. The next day at the poetry meeting, Fan Xian tries to find his chicken leg girl but fails. Annoyed at this and Guo Bao Kun's constant provocations, he writes one poem that stuns the entire gathering. News of this masterpiece, called Deng Gao, and originally written by Du Fu, travels fast to the Palace and causes a commotion amongst many in the royal family.Jul 23, 202433:03In The Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 1H24 Cdrama performance recapTencent saw 5 Chinese dramas breach 30,000 on its popularity index in the first half of the year. Youku saw 5 breach 10,000 while iQiyi only had one. We discuss which dramas they were and also which dramas had the highest tv ratings in 1H24.Jul 18, 202419:19Joy of Life Season 1 - Ep 6: Visit to the Overwatch CouncilIn episode 6 of Joy of Life, Fan Xian wanders off to find the Overwatch Council and is surprised and bemused to see Wang Qi Nian as a member there. Fan Xian finds his mother's tablet and has a better understanding of the world she tried to build. At the palace, everyone has their eyes set on Fan Xian's performance at the poetry meeting. Lin Wan Er tries to meet Fan Xian for a discussion but he's nowhere to be found, forcing his siblings to cover for him and presenting a rather bad image of Fan Xian. Listen now to the history and fun pop culture referenced this episode!Jul 16, 202421:29In the Know - Chinese Pop Culture News: 29th Magnolia Award DramaThe 29th Magnolia Award had quite a bit a drama when the nominations were announced including Wang Yi Bo fans being upset he was not nominated and then questioning whether Tang Yan, Yang Zi and a few others were deserving of their nominations. Jul 12, 202421:54Joy of Life Season 1 ep 5: Business OpportunityFan Xian and his siblings head out for a nice lunch in the capital. They find that the Dream of the Red Chamber that Fan Xian memorized and wrote for Fan Ruo Ruo is now an incredibly popular book that's selling in the black market. Fan Si Zhe hears this and immediately wants to partner up with Fan Xian. Meanwhile, they are intercepted by Guo Bao Kun and Li Hong Cheng and invited to a literary/poetry meeting the next day.Jul 08, 202422:08July 2024 Chinese Drama Updates: The Princess Royal, Lost You Forever Season 2,, Follow Your Heart, Legend of Heroes!A full new slate of dramas have geared up for the summer season. New Wu Xia Drama Legend of Heroes is another adaptation of Legend of the Condor Heroes. Luo Yun Xi and Song Yi star in an original period romance drama Follow Your Heart. Meanwhile, Zhang Ling He has found his groove in The Princess Royal with Zhao Jin Mai. The hotly anticipated season 2 of Lost You Forever is slated to air on July 8th! Listen to our thoughts on these recent dramas in our latest podcast episodeJul 05, 202419:59
November 2023 Chinese Drama Updates - New dramas from Zhou Ye, Bai Lu, Dylan Wang He Di, Jing Tian, Tian Xi Wei by Chasing Dramas (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Stevie Stamm

Last Updated:

Views: 5676

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Stevie Stamm

Birthday: 1996-06-22

Address: Apt. 419 4200 Sipes Estate, East Delmerview, WY 05617

Phone: +342332224300

Job: Future Advertising Analyst

Hobby: Leather crafting, Puzzles, Leather crafting, scrapbook, Urban exploration, Cabaret, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.