And maybe he was just on your screen, if you caught his most recent fantasy drama, Pull Strings, which just finished airing last month. The first batch of GIFs in this post are from that drama, courtesy of u/Ateosira! And shoutout to u/AquaphobicTurtle for providing the other GIFs and u/EasygoingEnigma for the birthday reminder.

October 6, 2026 officially marks Ao Ruipeng’s 31st birthday!

Filmography

While I haven’t watched Pull Strings, I do know him from his other dramas, namely Coroner’s Diary (2025) and Moonlight Mystique (2025). For those who love historical dramas like me, he also leads in Wrong Carriage, Right Groom (2023) and The Blood of Youth (2022), the latter which has a second season already greenlit!

Ruipeng also dabbles in the modern genre, and you can find him in Poisoned Love (2020) and The Seven Relics of Ill Omen (2025). Not to mention his next drama on iQIYI, My Queen, My Rules, which looks to be highly anticipated. 

If you want to track his other upcoming projects alongside MQMR and The Blood of Youth Season 2, keep an eye out for Now or Never and To Defy the Stars. 

Fun Facts

• I don’t think acting was in Ruipeng’s original plans… Ruipeng graduated from the Chengdu Vocational College of Arts with a degree in Game Software and Original Painting Design. 

• He officially entered the entertainment industry in 2019 after participating as a guest on the blind-dating variety series, Love Dream Space. He then started in small supporting roles in short web dramas, but rapidly climbed the ladder from low-budget sets to major mainstream hits. 

  • This is the reason he is considered one of the fastest-rising stars. He’s gained wide recognition for his back-to-back breakout roles that cemented his status as a leading man

• He’s also well-known for his laid-back and comedic off-screen personality, always showing his unapologetic and genuine side to fans. 

• His official fandom name is Wa Wa Bing Gan (蛙蛙饼干), which translates to "Frog Biscuits". This quirky label pays homage to his native Chongqing roots and specific palette for bullfrogs and spicy hotpot. 

  • If you’re also curious to know, his official fandom colour is soft pink… again, quite reflective of his BTS warm, bright, and endearing personality.

Happy Birthday Ao Ruipeng!

A huge thank you to u/EasygoingEnigma for the birthday notifications; you’re all getting this post for Tan Jianci (and tomorrow’s, Oct 6 but not telling you who) as a result! 

Jianci turned 36 today (October 5)! Not going to lie, I don’t know much about him at all, so I take this as a great opportunity to learn more about him and his filmography.

To start, it looks like he’s most well-known for his roles in Lost You Forever (2023), Love Me, Love My Voice (2023), Filter (2025), and Love Has Fireworks (2026). He also holds main cast spots for Secret of Three Kingdoms (2018) and Under the Skin (2022), the latter of which has a second season released in late 2024. 

Though he mostly takes main lead roles now, he spent his early career in supporting roles, such as in Winter Begonia (2020) and The Centimeter of Love (2020).

Jianci has explored movies in addition to dramas - in fact, he started in film! He starred as Li Qi in the 2025 movie, Sound of Silence, winning him the Best Actor Award at the Changchun Film Festival in 2026. He hit the theatres again earlier this year in the crime thriller Kong Qiang.  It’s interesting to see his acting career trajectory ever since he officially debuted his acting skills in 2008 with Lost Indulgence. His rise to fame was kickstarted in 2022 when he won the Most Popular Actor Award for the drama Under The Skin.

Besides acting, Jianci is also a talented singer and dancer. In fact, he trained in dancing at thirteen and joined the affiliated secondary school of Beijing Dance Academy, where he learned ballroom dance. In 2006, he participated in the Taoli Cup National Dance Competition and the National Dance Sport Championships Professional where he placed first in Latin dance. Later that year, he joined the World Grand Prix Finals in Shanghai and won third place in Latin dance. It’s no surprise then that he graduated from the Beijing Sport University with a major in dance.

He went beyond dancing, and in 2010, he became a member of the pop group M.I.C. after training with Beijing Taihe Rye Music for three years. In 2014, he released his first solo single, "Fly Away". More recently, in 2023, he released his first album, "DREAMS" and launched a concert tour the following year called,  "See You Once More".

So let's hear from all the Tan Jianci fans! What would you recommend I start with as a total rookie to his talents? A drama, movie, or his music?

Happy Birthday Tan Jianci!

Photos are from a photoshoot that his studio recently released. The final one is from iQIYI’s Instagram page wishing him a happy birthday this year.

Or should I say Wei Wuxian? Perhaps Zang Hai? Whatever name you know him by, there’s no denying that Xiao Zhan has brought some truly unforgettable characters to life.  

Xiao Zhan turns 35 on October 5th, and we’re celebrating by looking back at some of his most iconic roles and the remarkable career he’s built along the way. 

XZ's Filmography

Before breaking into the mainstream with The Untamed (2019), he appeared in early dramas such as Super Star Academy (2016) and Oh! My Emperor (2018). 

Since his breakthrough, he has showcased impressive range across a variety of roles, including:

• The Wolf (2020)
• Douluo Continent (2021)
• Ace Troops (2021)
• The Oath of Love (2022)
• The Youth Memories (2023)

While I haven't watched these, I encourage giving them a try if you're his fan. They are all rated pretty well on MDL!

His most recent hit was Legend of Zang Hai (2025), where he nailed the role of Zang Hai himself.

Fans also have several highly anticipated dramas to look forward to: Spying, Xiao Cheng Liang Fang, and The Infinite 10 Days. I believe the first two are rumoured to air before the end of the year (but correct me if I'm wrong).

Talent and Accolades

Before entering C-ent through X-Fire and later debuting with the boy group X NINE, Xiao Zhan earned a degree in graphic design. He later worked as both a graphic designer and photographer, even running his own studio.  

His 2020 single "Spotlight” became a massive commercial success, setting Guinness World Records and becoming one of the world’s best-selling digital singles. In 2024, he released his solo album Us, featuring 10 tracks.  

Over the years, Xiao Zhan has received numerous accolades. Following The Untamed, he won Most Popular Actor and was included in Forbes China’s 30 Under 30 Asia 2019. In 2023, he received the Outstanding Young Actor Award for The Youth Memories. Most recently, he was awarded Weibo Star of the Year, Outstanding Quality Star of the Year, and Best Leading Actor in 2026. 

Here's another way to celebrate XZ's birthday:

A soft poll for a potential The Untamed rewatch party! Holler in the comments if you'd be interested. Depending on your region, the 50-episode drama is available on Netflix, WeTV, Viki, Prime Video, and Apple TV. Having watched it on both Netflix and WeTV, I personally preferred the Netflix subtitles.

Happy Birthday Xiao Zhan!

• Which Xiao Zhan drama is your favourite?
• How many have you watched?

Thanks to u/AquaphobicTurtle for all The Untamed GIFs! You're up for the next birthday post: Joseph Zeng on October 9!

September is a month for celebrating our QUEENS! Earlier this month, it was Bai Lu's birthday. And today... today belongs to none other than Lu Yuxiao and Li Qin!

Happy Birthday to Lu Yuxiao, who turns 27! 🥂

Yuxiao first captured our hearts with her unforgettable performance as Shangguan Qian in My Journey to You (2023) (I mean, have you seen her legendary scenes and promos with Cheng Lei?). She then proved she could have even more sizzling on-screen chemistry with Hou Minghao in Love in the Clouds (2025). After a few years of versatile acting across main and supporting roles, she has officially cemented her status as a leading lady!

Edited to add (thanks to u/Paisley-Cat*)* that her most recent drama is Love Between Lines (2026) released earlier this year).

More Lu Yuxiao: Upcoming Dramas!

Yuxiao has a highly anticipated lineup of upcoming main roles, including When I Meet the Moon, Dancing with the Tide, and the newly announced Revenge alongside Zhang Linghe. Which of these dramas are on your watchlist? As a fan of historical costume dramas, DWTT and Revenge are definitely on mine.

More Lu Yuxiao: Older Dramas

If you want to catch up on her earlier work, it might be worth checking out See You Tomorrow (2022) and Time and Him Are Just Right (2022). If you haven’t already, definitely don't miss her charm in Perfect Match (2025). 

Fun Facts

• English name: Irene
• Born into a family of doctors. Her parents and maternal grandparents are all doctors (to be precise, her mother is a dentist and her father a doctor and hospital VP)
• Trained in dance since she was nine years old
• As a child, she wanted to grow up to be a forensic pathologist - aren't we lucky we got her in cdramas instead?
• Studied fashion design abroad in York and Leeds, UK, and is fluent in English
• While overseas, she ran a Vlog, sharing snippets of her life before fame
• She has 9 cats and 3 dogs, most of which she rescued!
• She won the Weibo Expected Actor of the Year (2023), Weibo Annual Notable Actor Award (2025), and the Annual Quality Appeal Drama Star Award (2026).

Happy Birthday Li Qin, who turns 36! 👸🏻

Or as I like to think of her, the ultimate badass Fu Yixiao from Fated Hearts (2025)!

Funnily enough, she’s nicknamed “Sweet Li” because of her reputation for playing gentle, pure roles early on (and I’ve heard she is an absolute sweetheart IRL, too).

Aside from Fated Hearts (which is one of my absolute favourite dramas), she has an incredible lineup of hits: 

• Princess Agents (2017)
• Joy of Life (2019)
• The Wolf (2020)
• The Youth Memories (2023)
• War of Faith (2024)
• Joy of Life Season 2 (2024)

To say I’m excited to see her as Miao Yan in Live Long and Prosper (2026) is an understatement. I’ve been impatiently waiting for Mango TV to drop the official airing date this October so we can see her star alongside Dylan Wang!

We’ll also get to see her in another upcoming drama, Ren Jian Yu Wei, which is set in the 1990s.

Fun Facts

• Li Qin began training in traditional Chinese opera at age 11 and mastered Kunqu opera, one of the oldest surviving performance art forms.
• Even though Joy of Life is a male-centric wuxia that doesn't rely heavily on romance, she made her character, aka “the Chicken Drumstick Princess” totally iconic and universally loved by fans. 
• In 2020, her historical drama The Song of Glory made history as the first-ever Chinese drama to win an International Emmy Award for Best Telenovela!

All GIFs from Love in the Clouds and Fated Hearts made by u/AquaphobicTurtle!

On September 23, Happy 32nd Birthday to the undeniably gorgeous Bai Lu!

I am not that familiar with her dramas, so I’m going to start with...

Fun facts

• Her birth name is actually Bai Mengyan 白梦妍. She adopted Bai Lu (which translates to "White Deer") as her professional stage name.
• As a teenager, she was obsessed with Kdramas and K-pop. In 2012, she auditioned for SM Entertainment but didn't pass. South Korea’s loss, because this redirected her toward modeling and acting in China.
• She can converse fluently in Korean though!
• Her modelling success caught the eye of renowned producer Yu Zheng who signed her to his agency, Huanyu Film. 
• She is a permanent cast member of variety show, Keep Running. 
• She has two cats named Christmas and MayMay.
• She can sing and has performed on stage as well as contributed to OSTs for her dramas.

 

List of Dramas

^(From her official debut to current projects - but not exhaustive.)

Note: Click the link attached to names for either a birthday post or MDL pages. Also, you didn’t ask, but I added commentary to some of them.

• King is not Easy (2017)
• The Legends (2019)
• Arsenal Military Academy (2019)
  • I’ve heard so much about this drama, and both Bai Lu and Xu Kai are great in it. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t my cup of tea and I dropped it at episode 16.

   

• Lucky’s First Love (2019)
• Love is Sweet (2020)
• Song of Youth (2021)
• One and Only (2021)
• Forever and Ever (2021)
• Ordinary Greatness (2022)
• Till the End of the Moon (2023)
  • Not my genre but it’s a massive hit and I hear about this drama all the time. The drama is popular for the chemistry (between Bai Lu and Luo Yunxi) and stunning visuals.

   

• Only for Love (2023)
  • This one I tried, originally for Dylan Wang, but I’ve always been extra picky with modern dramas, especially ones about cold, rich CEOs. I watched 8 episodes.
• Story of Kunning Palace (2023)
  • I did finish this one! I dropped it at first… but to keep this a purely positive post, I am not going to share my thoughts. What I will say is that the story has a dark palace and high stakes plot that is bound to capture viewers who enjoy a powerful rebirth story in a historical setting. Bai Lu stars alongside Zhang Linghe as the main leads if that also convinces you.
• Moonlight Mystique (2025)
  • Another one of my drops which doesn't look good for me, but in my defense, I don’t really like xianxias, and this was a xianxia romance starring Bai Lu and Ao Ruipeng. I did make it to episode 25 so I tried, I really did. Beautiful costume designs though.
• Northward (2025)
• Feud (2025)
  • I started watching it because it was so beautiful but also dropped this one at episode 5 when I realized it was a xianxia.

   

• Unveil: Jadewind (2026)
  • Also only made it to episode 5. Sorry Bai Lu! I think I needed something light and fun at the time; blame the mood.
• The First Jasmine (2026)
  • Costarring Cheng Lei and I finished this one! The pattern here is that historical dramas are my go-to… So officially, I do have two Bai Lu dramas on my completed list.

   

• After the Bloom (TBA)
  • Costarring Chang Huasen! Who has this on their watchlist?
• The Monkey King 3 (TBA)
  • This one was filmed almost a decade ago but has been shelved due to copyright entanglement issues. It was revealed in December 2017, shortly after they wrapped up filming, that the copyright transfer transaction for the drama collapsed. There were also other issues with IP rights since it overlapped with the movie version starring Zhao Liying that was released in 2018. There are rumours for a 2026 release, and folks are both excited and nervous about seeing the much younger versions of Bai Lu and Hou Minghao in what would also be a fairly outdated drama production. It’s on my watchlist!

And that's a wrap until the next queen's birthday post (which hint hint, is in two days).

Which Bai Lu dramas are your favourite?

All GIFs were created by u/AquaphobicTurtle from the drama Feud.

Hi everyone,

As our community continues to grow, the mod team would like to take a moment to remind everyone about the culture we are building together. Our primary goal is to maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive space where everyone can share their love for Chinese dramas. For more information, please refer to our Community Culture Statement.

Whether you love historical wuxia, modern romances, or high-stakes suspense, this sub belongs to all of us. Because we have such a diverse group of members, there will inevitably be disagreements and differences in preferences. Healthy debates, varied critiques, and differing opinions are what make discussions interesting.

Lately, we have observed a pattern of targeted downvoting, making it necessary for us to speak up.

Downvoting ≠ Disliking: Use for Quality, not for Disagreements

To supplement 🪭 A Quick Community Update — How r/ChineseDrama Works (and Why) : r/ChineseDrama on the topic of downvoting, we are reminding everyone, especially if you are new to Reddit, that:

As good practice, the downvote button should be used to signal that a post or comment does not belong in this sub or breaks the rules. It is not meant to be a "like/dislike" or "agree/disagree" button.

We discourage downvoting based on personal bias, dislikes, or disagreement with someone's opinion or perspective. This includes whether you dislike the poster, the topic, or a specific viewpoint expressed.

If a comment is civil but expresses an opinion different from yours, we encourage you to either reply with your own thoughts or simply scroll past. Downvoting well-intentioned comments is demoralizing, stifles open conversation, and can ultimately discourage great posters from contributing. It also decreases content visibility because it lowers a post or comment's net score, causing internal ranking algorithms to sort them further down in feeds and comment sections.

Guidelines for Reporting Content

Much like downvoting, the report button should never be weaponized over a difference of opinion. The mod team only actions on content that explicitly violates our rules.

Our role is not to police subjective tastes or personal fandom preferences. If a user posts a critical review of a popular celebrity or challenges your perspective, the comment will remain active as long as it stays respectful and rule-compliant. As a community of adults, we should be fully capable of navigating differing tastes constructively.

How to Help: Countering the Downvotes

If you come across a civil, rule-abiding post that has been strangely downvoted, please take a second to give it an upvote. In this community, we lift each other up and counteract petty negativity. While downvotes don't matter in the grand scheme of things, your single upvote helps keep great conversations visible instead of buried.

🎯 If You Feel Targeted 🎯

We apologize to anyone who has been targeted by this behaviour. Please protect your mental peace and try not to take it personally; unwarranted downvotes say far more about the person casting them than they do about the quality of your thoughts.

• Pro-Tip: If you know a specific user is trolling or harassing you, utilizing Reddit's built-in block feature is the most effective way to restrict their access to your profile and prevent them from tracking your ongoing discussions across the site.

🚫 A Note on Systemic Downvoting and Vote Manipulation 🚫

While individual votes are anonymous, we take the targeted harassment of our users seriously. Anyone found to be engaging in systemic downvoting campaigns, or using bots/alt accounts to target specific members, will be reported directly to Reddit Admins for vote manipulation and permanently banned from this subreddit.

Final Words

So let’s keep this a wonderful, drama-filled sanctuary where we can all chat safely! If you are curious to learn more about what makes this sub work the way it is, you can also refer to How We Do Things.

Thank you all for making this sub such a great place to hang out.

Happy watching,
The Mod Team

Consider this a soft "Why You Should Watch" post, because I feel like a lot of crime dramas get overshadowed in cdramaland.

Abyss is currently airing on iQIYI, with 9/16 episodes released as of today (September 11). If you are a binger, you can wait until September 13 when all the express episodes are out, or September 19 when all the episodes are out according to the VIP schedule.

Synopsis: A recent graduate, Li Cheng; a veteran detective, Zhao Qianzhe; and a former police captain, Xin Jiran, form an unlikely off‑the‑books investigative trio as they secretly dig into a string of violent murders from 2004. 

>Content Warning: Abyss contains murder investigations, violence, death, grief, child loss, family trauma, infidelity, and discussions of past crimes.

If you're in the mood for a crime show lately, Abyss is right up your alley. The story begins when an online novel starts revealing details that closely resemble a series of murders from an unsolved case. As the investigation progresses, the focus shifts between the detectives, suspects, and events from the past, gradually revealing how they're all connected.

Why it might be worth watching:

• The investigation is at the center of the story.
• Clues introduced early often become relevant later.
• Most of the major characters have understandable motives and connections to the case.
• The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with new information revealed rather than withheld indefinitely.
• There is a good balance between police work, character backstories, and the larger conspiracy.

Abyss is not an action-heavy crime drama; rather, it's the kind of show that rewards paying attention to details and character relationships. I recommend it if you enjoy murder mysteries, cold cases, and trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together before the investigators do.

For those already watching, who do you think has been the most interesting character so far? (I'm partial to Han Pinmu, but Li Cheng makes a strong case too...) Please use spoiler tags if sharing plot points about the drama in the comments.

Abyss episode recaps and discussion posts where theories are highly encouraged and most welcome are also available here: Episodes 1-5 | Episodes 6-7 | Episodes 8-9 |

Discussion posts will follow iQIYI’s VIP schedule:

• Episodes 10-11 on September 12
• Episodes 12-13 on September 13
• The express package will be available on September 13. If no one objects, I will post the discussion for episodes 14-16 together, either on September 14 or 15.

Please use spoiler tags when sharing insights from the novel or commenting on episodes that have not yet been posted. Theories, however, are highly encouraged and most welcome. 

Masterpost | All Episode Discussions | Episodes 1-5 | Episodes 6-7

If the last two episodes were all about plot twists, these two were all about reveals.

Episode 8: Han Pinmu

Seemingly acting on someone else’s cue (IYKYK), Sun Qiang informs Li Cheng that it was Han Pinmu who fought with the fake Song Laifu, leading to Pinmu being brought in for questioning. 

During the interrogation, Pinmu remains remarkably composed, only showing cracks in his calm demeanor when he reveals that he believes Du Juan orchestrated his mother’s “accident” so she could be with his father.

As this unfolds, Benteng Internet Cafe is suddenly burned down. 

In the aftermath, Detective Fan, Zhang Qianzhe, and the team revisit timelines and suspects connected to the events of 3/12. On paper, Zhang Chengguo appears relatively safe thanks to his alibis and apparent lack of motive. However, the officers are far from ready to clear him and instead decide to dig deeper into his connection with Li Zhengbin.

Episode 9: Zhang Chengguo

The episode wastes no time dropping a bombshell, though it’s one the police don’t know yet: Zhang Chengguo is actually Mr. San’s partner-in-crime. Oh snap!

I'll say it again: oh snap! I mean, we all knew he was sus, but I did not expect the drama to reveal it so soon, the way it did.

At Li Zhengbin’s ridiculously fancy restaurant, Han Pinmu lays his cards on the table:

• He believes Du Juan killed his mother after beginning an affair with his father. Both worked for Zhengbin at the time.
• Zhengbin is the biological father of Chengguo’s son. Chengguo is impotent so this arrangement gives him a family while allowing him to remain his boss’ confidant. 
• Pinmu clearly knows Li Cheng is a cop, as implied when he dropped him off outside Zhao Qianzhe’s home.

Han Pinmu had all the TEA! I was like, oh how scandalous! Without even thinking how it could be a clue in the case.

These revelations send Cheng and Qianzhe back to Abyss, where they realize Pinmu is trying to point them toward Chengguo, because in the novel, Da Gui, who represents Mr. San, has an impotent partner.  

The timing also finally starts to make sense. After Bi Dehua’s death, the two remained in the city because Chengguo was already backed by the rich and powerful Zhengbin. Their plan was to “go straight” since they were earning more money under their new identities than they did through robbery. 

However, the only actual evidence the police currently have comes from samples linked to Bi Dehua and Hu Xiaofei. The next questions are why Xiaofei felt the need to send Abyss to Mr. San and provoke him, and who else was involved in their deaths. 

Coincidentally, both Chengguo and Pinmu text Cheng requesting a meeting within hours of each other. Qianzhe advises him to go to both because, at this point, "their silence is more dangerous than whatever they might say".  

When Pinmu keeps Cheng occupied longer than expected, Qianzhe calls in Wang Tao to take his place while he goes to meet with Chengguo. Meanwhile, Xin Jiran was found unconscious on a bus and hospitalized for epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis (well, that was a mouthful).

The episode ends on a major cliffhanger when Qianzhe is stabbed repeatedly at the meeting spot Chengguo arranged with Cheng.

Discussion Questions

1. Pinmu and Chengguo are clearly at odds, but is this really the infighting Qianzhe suspected, or is Pinmu pursuing a long-awaited revenge quest?
2. Do you think Pinmu intentionally stalled Cheng to save his life? If so, where do you think he's getting all of his information? He somehow figured out Cheng was a cop without tailing him, and he also seemed aware of things he shouldn't reasonably know, including Qianzhe's meeting in the park (if he did stall Cheng).
3. How much of Pinmu's story are you taking in? About his friendship with Xiaofei and Dehua, his mother's death, etc. There is still so much he hasn't revealed...
4. Now that we've learned Chengguo is Mr. San's accomplice, what role do you think Zhengbin plays in all of this?

OK… don’t come at me for this… but I have no idea who Yang Yang is, aside from his name constantly popping up as a massive, top-tier, A-list actor (he is crowned one of the original “Big Four Traffic Stars” in China). I guess that’s what happens when you join cdramaland later… and I only started watching in 2025.

But that’s what this post is for: me and all you Yang Yang fans aka sheep. I’m kidding! Don’t come at me again… I read that his fans are called Yang Mao 羊毛  which literally translates to “wool” and his name Yang 洋 sounds like “sheep” in Chinese. This theme is the reason his official nickname within the fandom is Mie Mie 咩咩, which is the Chinese onomatopoeia for “baa-baa” (you know, the sound sheep make). 

Anyway, fan or not, Happy 35th Birthday to Yang Yang on September 9th! Did you know in January 2016, he was the first artist to be featured on the China Post postage stamp? Famous much!

Other things to know in case you ever participate in Yang Yang trivia:

• He made his official debut as Jia Baoyu in The Dream of Red Mansions (2010). 
• His popularity skyrocketed globally in 2016 with Love O2O where he played Xiao Nai, a perfect genius gamer boyfriend in a modern comedy. 
• Yang Yang solidified his reputation with The King’s Avatar (2019), You are My Glory (2021), and Glory of the Special Forces (2022). These dramas proved how versatile he was as an actor, from playing a wise and shameless mentor, to an anxious intellectual, to an arrogant and rebellious soldier. 
• He was originally a professional dancer and graduated from the Department of Dance at the Military Culture College of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University. 
• His massive internet popularity and commercial value is also due to his role as global ambassador for elite fashion powerhouses like Dior, Valentino, Bulgari, and L’Oreal. 
• Yang Yang took a break following public criticism of Fireworks of My Heart (2023) and has since stepped away from typical “idol” roles.

List of Other Dramas

• Bu Rang Jiang Shan (upcoming)
• The King’s Avatar Season 2 (upcoming)
• Zhan Zhao Adventures (2026)
• The Immortal Ascension (2025)
• Who Rules the World (2022)
• With You (2020)
• The Whirlwind Girl (2015)
• The Lost Tomb (2015)
• Ultimate Conquest (2013)

So how did I do? Am I missing any vital info about this superstar? 

For someone who isn’t the biggest fan of modern or xianxia drama… is there a first Yang Yang drama you’d recommend I put on my watchlist?

All GIFs in this post are courtesy of u/AquaphobicTurtle from the drama, Who Rules the World.

I was revisiting my post The Guardians of the Dafeng - Your Episode Guide (One-Sentence Recaps) today and decided to have some fun by changing all of the recaps into titles that would not spoil the drama!

Did the drama already have titles for its episodes? If so, my bad; if not, they do now. But I'll make this a game too, so if you've watched, or if you're watching, or even if you're about to watch (all are welcome), let me know if you'd change any of these episode titles, and if so, what it would be!

Episode 1 — A Stranger in Dafeng

Episode 2 — The Constable’s First Case

Episode 3 — The Vice Minister’s Son

Episode 4 — Secrets Behind the Silver

Episode 5 — The Jade Mirror’s Arrival

Episode 6 — A Guardian’s Capture

Episode 7 — Copper Gong Xu Qi’an

Episode 8 — Poetry and Monsters

Episode 9 — The Beast of Mount Dahuang

Episode 10 — The Princess’s Masquerade

Episode 11 — The Realm Sect Connection

Episode 12 — One Chop Kills All

Episode 13 — The Gold Gong Temptation

Episode 14 — Chaos at Sangbo Lake

Episode 15 — A Sentence Without Mercy

Episode 16 — The Sangbo Investigation

Episode 17 — The Flight to Yunzhou

Episode 18 — Whispers of Spirits and Wizards

Episode 19 — Duke Zhenbei’s Shadow

Episode 20 — The Earl’s Turmoil

Episode 21 — Threads of the Truth

Episode 22 — Justice at Court

Episode 23 — The Case That Shook Dafeng

Episode 24 — A Return from the Brink

Episode 25 — The Spirit Within

Episode 26 — Rumors from the North

Episode 27 — Records and Revelations

Episode 28 — A Vow to Dafeng

Episode 29 — The Vajra’s Fury

Episode 30 — Summons to the Capital

Episode 31 — The Illusion Trial

Episode 32 — The Royal Fortune

Episode 33 — Mission to Chuzhou

Episode 34 — The Duchess Mystery

Episode 35 — The Truth Beneath Chuzhou

Episode 36 — A Battle for Justice

Episode 37 — Storm in the Court

Episode 38 — A Dangerous Accusation

Episode 39 — Breaking Point

Episode 40 — The Chuzhou Reckoning

Have you ever had a character you despise, but it just proves how effective the actor is? That is Chang Huasen for me. I could not deal with him in My Journey to Love (2023), but I was happy to see him again in Veil of Shadows (2026)!

So here we are, another birthday post for September 6: Happy 29th Birthday to Huasen!

He’s played everything from main characters to quick guest appearances. How many of his dramas have you checked off your watchlist?

• Moonlight Mystique (2025): Chong Zhao (main role)
• Blood River (2025): Su Changhe (main role)
• Sword and Beloved (2025): Fan Yunfei (supporting role)
• Whispers of Fate (2025): Wan Yu Yuedan (guest role)
• Are You the One (2024): Zi Yu (main role)
• Lovely Us (2020): student (guest role)

Upcoming Dramas

The man has been busy! Slated for release in 2026 are:

• Since the Red Moon Appeared: main role as Bi Hu
• A Duet in Blue: guest role as Liang Siyuan

And the rest:

• The Melody of Love: supporting role as Qian Xiao
• Eternal Faith: supporting role as Shi Qingxuan
• Xin Liao Zhai: main role as Xia Feixue
• After the Bloom: main role as Zuo Wensi
• The Vanishing Beauty: main role as Jiao Xu (co-starring Li Yitong who has the same birthday - watch out for her post too!)

Fun Facts

• The Brains: Huasen pursued a technical path, graduating from Hangzhou University of Electronic Science and Technology before acting.
• The Looks: He was scouted after going viral and ranking in the top 10 of his university’s “Campus Heartthrob” contest! 
• The Personality: His official debut was a guest role in Parallel Love (2020), but his breakout was definitely A Journey to Love as Li Tongguang. 
  • Funnily enough, he’s mentioned in interviews that his character’s obsessive personality is the exact opposite of his real self.

   

• The Talent: He can sing, too! Huasen trained vocally and performed on the idol survival variety show Youth With You 3 (2021).

What’s your favourite Chang Huasen role so far?

GIFs are courtesy of the amazing u/AquaphobicTurtle from the drama, Sword and Beloved. Photos are promotional materials from the drama and streaming platforms taken from MDL.

All of these wonderful GIFs for your viewing pleasure are made by u/Ateosira and u/AquaphobicTurtle from the dramas A Dream within a Dream, Legend of the Rosy Clouds, and Sword and Beloved. Ateosira handpicked her faves for this post, so many thanks, Ladies!!

I can’t speak to The Legend of Rosy Clouds (2026) since I dropped it after 10 episodes (to be fair… this drama was shelved for three years) so I consider A Dream within a Dream (2025) to be representative of one of her most successful dramas. 

So on September 6th, Happy 36th Birthday to the woman whose drama was the very reason I joined Reddit!

Fun facts right off the bat:

• Real Name: Li Yitong is a stage name, and her real name is Li Xue. 
• Fandom Name: Her fandom name is Tong Ling 桐铃 (ling as in “bells”). 
• Background: Yitong is a professional dancer who graduated from Beijing Dance Academy. Acting only crossed her path when she volunteered to be in a short film for her film school friends!

Yitong officially debuted as the female lead in Demon Girl (2016)... talk about starting off strong! She’s mostly been in main roles since (speaking of dramas only) with the exception of a guest appearance in Love Between Fairy and Devil (2022).

Don’t believe me? Check out some of her dramas below (excluding the ones already mentioned).

^(I like to include other main leads that I know, but if you’d like to point out other leads in these dramas, please do so!)

• Sword and Beloved (2025) as Qing Tong (starring with Cheng Yi)
• Warm on a Cold Night (2023) as Su Jiuer
• The Knockout (2023) as Meng Yu
• Glory of Special Forces (2022) Ai Qianxue (starring with Yang Yang)
• Court Lady (2021) as Fu Rou, starring with Xu Kai
• Go Go Squid 2: Dt. Appledog’s Time (2021) as Ai Qing (starring with Hu Yitian)
• Royal Nirvana (2019) as Gu A’Bao
• Bloody Romance (2018) as Su Qixue
• The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2017) as Huang Rong (starring with Meng Ziyi)

This is not an exhaustive list of her dramas. For more, please check out her MDL page, which you can access via link to her name in this post. 

Her list of upcoming dramas is pretty long too! I didn’t do a deep dive into these new projects, so if you have more information to share, please do:

• A Prophet (slated for a 2026 release): A Republic-era drama that also stars Li Xian 
• The Melody of Love: A fantasy drama centred around traditional Chinese musical instruments, co-starring Chen Xinhai and Guo Junchen
• The Vanishing Beauty: A modern drama about marriage and career, co-starring Wang Jiajia and Chang Huasen (who has the same birthday - look out for his post soon!)
• Hero Legends: Another drama with Cheng Yi! This one will also see his reunion with Xiao Shunyao, which should be very exciting for Mysterious Lotus Casebook (2023) fans
• The Noble: A historical drama based on a novel about romance and court politics in the Northern Song dynasty
• Zhao Ge: Where she will appear in another guest role

Talk about versatility! Republican, xianxia, modern, historical - she does it all!

So which Li Yitong roles or dramas are your favourites?

OR

Which of these dramas are on your watchlist?

Has it already been a month since Blossoms of Power (2026) finished airing!? Yes… my first He Yu drama, and the most shameless Crown Prince I’ve ever seen - in a good way! Where was I? Right…

Happy Birthday to He Yu who is turning 30 on August 26, 2026. 

If you’re having He Yu withdrawals, fear not, because Reborn of the Rightful (2026) is slated to air this year as well. It’s another historical romance, so if you miss Huayong, I’m sure this will be a treat!

He Yu doesn’t shy away from the different genres. Speed and Love (2025) was released last year and quickly became a fan favourite for those who like modern dramas.

Other dramas with him in a main role (if you’re seeking him out):

• Dashing Youth (2024)
• The Legend of Heroes (2024)
• Sword and Fairy (2024)
• So Funny Youth (2022)
• Let’s Meet Now (2022)
• Sweet Sweet (2021)
• My Fated Boy (2021)
• Lovely Swords Girl (2019)

Fun Facts

• He Yu graduated from the Department of Architecture of Chongqing University. During his later years in the program, he completed a short-term study program at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada…
  • Hey, that was my school! OK, I like him even more now as I write this. First, I find out Li Yunrui studied public administration and now He Yu at my school. Wait a second… When was he there!?
    • Well now I feel old… I can confirm we were not there at the same time… I graduated just a few years before him. He was still an undergraduate student when I finished graduate school. Sigh… aging myself here…
• Back to his studies - so he discovered his passion for acting while in Canada, went back to China, and trained at the elite Liu Tianchi Performance Workshop.
• His English name is Nick which he occasionally uses on international platforms, but you won’t find him speaking much English; he is more comfortable understanding it than having a conversation. 
• He likes to perform his own stunts - and is famous for his intense sword-fighting choreography in Dashing Youth. He even took advanced driving lessons to pull off the vehicle stunts in Speed and Love. 
• My favourite fun fact: He has a highly publicized friendship/bromance with none other than Hou Minghao! They share a close gym and motorcycle riding group. 
• And you know who else he goes riding with? Cheng Lei! They have a funny dynamic where Cheng Lei revealed in an interview that he has no plans to buy an adventure (ADV) bike because it’s easier to just borrow He Yu's.

  

Seriously, He Yu sounds like a very fun guy to be around. We wish him the happiest of birthdays today!

All GIFs in this post are made by the lovely u/Ateosira from the drama Blossoms of Power*, which we had so much fun watching together**!!*

Google failed me and I did not know that today is Zhang Xincheng's birthday until I saw a post on Instagram! Xincheng aka Steven Zhang turns 31 today on August 24, 2026! However, I already did a feature for him, not long ago:

Featuring from The Nanyang Mystery (3/3): Zhang Xincheng

So what else is there to post about him?

More photos! And an update of where I am with his dramas! Whipping this one up super quickly but he needs a birthday post! ^(All photos in this post are promotional materials from his dramas, with the exception of the first one which is a screenshot I took from) ^(The Day of Becoming You) ^(and it has been on my phone ever since.)

^(Stay with me as I do a little "copy and paste" from my previous post.)

Many might recognize him as the protective big brother, He Ziqiu in Go Ahead (2020) or the "Ice God" Li Yubing in Skate into Love (2020). I haven't seen these but I have recently finished:

• The Day of Becoming You (2021) 
  • Check out my post from 19 days ago: Non-Spoiler Review: The Day of Becoming You - Peak Modern Rom-Com!
• You Are My Lover Friend (2024) - A modern friends to lovers drama
  • I just finished watching this one and haven't had a chance to write up a review.

Still need to watch:

• Young Blood (2019) - Wuxia with Wang Youshuo aka Chu Guihong from A Dream within a Dream + Young Blood Season 2
• The Heart of Genius (2022) - Mystery, youth and time travel sci-fi
• Justice in the Dark (2023) - Action, thriller and psychological

Upcoming Dramas

Zhang Xincheng has three upcoming dramas in completely different genres, showing how versatile he is as an actor. I don’t know about you, but these are immediately going on my watchlist!

• The Unseen Qin Empire - Historical and Political intrigue 
• The Stars - Supernatural Chinese drama
• The One - He’s in a support role for this but Xincheng in a wuxia with Wu Lei? Reserved!

Fun Facts

• The man is smart! In 2014, he placed first in the entrance exams for four of China's top art colleges.
• He graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, with a degree in musical theatre.
• Before university, Xincheng trained at the Affiliated Secondary School of the Beijing Dance Academy for six years!
• He is proficient in piano and guitar, and is known to help arrange music or singing for his drama soundtracks.
• He apparently has a near 100% rate of dubbing himself in his dramas. 
• He is fluent in English!
• Wang Yuwen is a close childhood friend and they starred together in You Are My Lover Friend.

📝 There are no spoilers in this post.

I finished watching The Shadow Sovereign when it first aired but found out that iQIYI and VIKI recently picked it up and I'm happy that more people have access to it now. Because of that, I think it deserves a "Why You Should Watch" post!

If you are looking for a fast-paced, high-stakes historical drama that won't require a 40-to-60 episode time commitment, this mini-series is a gem. It’s only 18 episodes, and each episode is roughly 20 to 30 minutes long.

I have not watched too many mini dramas because I didn’t like many of them. The last one I enjoyed was A Familiar Stranger so I was apprehensive going in. But I like the female lead from her role in Pursuit of Jade and saw raving reviews for it, so I gave it a try.

Overall, I think it punches above its weight class in terms of budget and production value. If you manage your expectations and remember it is a short-form drama, it is well-executed and well worth the watch!

Here are the main elements that make this drama worth recommending:

• Smart, Fast Pacing: No filler and no drag. For a drama that was only filmed in 33 days at Hengdian World Studios, the production team really maximized their resources to deliver a tight, streamlined, and aesthetically pleasing drama that doesn't look too low-budget.
• A Straightforward, Capable Plot: The political struggles in court, imperial family dynamics and contrast between commoners and noble families are simple and effectively drive the narrative forward. It has just enough political intrigue that makes it both light and entertaining.
• Intelligent, Sharp Characters: Princess Zhaoyang (played by Kong Xue'er) is a highlight in the drama. She isn't a passive damsel in distress; she is calculating, politically sharp, and actively plays the palace game to win.
• Solid Chemistry & Natural Character Shifts: The enemies-to-lovers trope between the Princess and the newly minted top scholar, Shen Xiao (Li Hongyi), is executed seamlessly. The push and pull tension in their relationship, >!including the hook of him publicly impeaching her right at the start!<, creates high-stakes friction that fuels their natural on-screen chemistry without feeling forced or rushed. (This was my first Li Hongyi drama too.)

Final Thoughts

This is a solid "palette cleanser" drama. I watched it after Key to the Phoenix Heart and Blossoms of Power and it was perfect. You get court schemes, solid character development, and romantic tension in a fraction of the time. I really found it to be an easy and satisfying watch.

Have any of you watched The Shadow Sovereign yet, or is it on your watchlist? If interested, this drama was also hosted by u/Regenwanderer and u/a_HerculePoirot_fan on r/CDrama.

Photos in this post were taken by me from the first episode of The Shadow Sovereign streaming on iQIYI.