I'm not going to use spoiler tags because this entire post is one huge spoiler. It's also a drama I highly *don't* recommend, so I don't think anyone should be sad it's spoiled.

The Setup:

FL buys an apartment on the 18th floor and goes to pack up her things. When she returns, the entire 18th floor of the building has vanished and no one recognizes her. She goes absolutely feral because she's spent a decade saving up for the down payment (to be fair, I'd react the same way, it's a lot of money) and eventually gets sent to an insane asylum because you can't just run around screaming about how your apartment disappeared and assaulting people.

Surprise!

She's reborn a few short moments before signing the paperwork on her new home.

The Decision:

Should she:

a) not buy the apartment (thus ending the drama and now we all have an extra hour and 20 minutes in our day)

b) buy the apartment after taking a video with the real estate agent and the previous owner (why is she even there?) for proof

or c) not buy the apartment, but do some investigating into this clearly shady real estate setup and expose corruption or some other shenanigan.

My answer is "a" because I do not have the patience for c. Hers is b. Not joking.

She just takes some pictures, a video, introduces herself to the neighbor (there's a neighbor? Did he disappear the first time?), and buys the apartment again. Then follows her footsteps from the first life - leaves the apartment to go back to her current rental to get her stuff - and is surprised when...

It disappears again.

She goes crazy again in the exact same way and ends up back at the police station with the people from the asylum.

Her proof is determined to be real/not forged, but that doesn't make the 18th floor of a building reappear because why would it?

She does evade the police for a bit and ends up breaking into the real estate office to search the agent's computer.

She gets caught.

I don't know what happens after this, because I stopped watching. She screamed everything at a volume that made my head hurt and continuously acted like an insane person who has done too many hallucinogenics for anyone to believe anything she says.

The worst part is that it's a different plot and could have been entertaining so I wanted to finish it. I'd even forgive the FL choosing c if the rest of it was even adjacent to being interesting. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I don't know why I enjoy sharing these so much, but at least this time I didn't finish the drama! I watched too far, but still.

If you do want to watch it for some reason, here's the link.

---

Need more vertical drama shenanigans? Want to share your hottest takes and weirdest opinions with like minded people? Unending photos of abs? Join us on the Discord!

Want to learn about the existence of “non-mainstream” vertical dramas but the frustration of looking has given you a migraine one too many times and you’ve given up? Same, but since I’m in the Great Drama Slump of 2026, I have some time to devote to cursing quietly at iq.com for not having the same catalog as iqiyi.com and falling down rabbit holes. 

Will this series lead you to horrible dramas? Almost certainly, but we’ll go there together. Get ready.

First up, horror verticals - without zombies, vampires, or the apocalypse. Apparently I wanted to play hard mode for this. 

I Die on My Wedding Night. Every Time. The Groom Hates Me, but He’s Not the Killer

ML: Gao Ming Chen 
FL: Lin Qi Xuan 

Plot: A woman dies on her wedding night and is reborn again and again, suffering the same tragic - and painful - death. She has to find out who’s killing her and why to break the cycle.

Thoughts: It’s a time loop mystery that has a plot I haven’t seen before or since. It’s probably on the border of horror and suspense, but is one of the more gory dramas I’ve seen, so I’m counting it. I did enjoy it, though the FL definitely needs to work on telling who she can trust and who she can’t.

I can see the future

Search for《我能看见未来》

Plot: Trapped in a video game, ML has to find out why he suddenly dies all the time, how he got there, and how to get out. 

Thoughts: I have 0 information about this drama except what I picked up while watching - it’s a great drama with terrible subs. It would be solidly on my top ten favorite dramas list because the plot is so different and enjoyable, but the subs absolutely ruin it. It’s the reason I want to learn to translate dramas - I just haven’t had time yet. 

Xiang Hun Bian | 香魂变

FL: Wang Yu Wei 
ML: Part of the mystery, I guess. Google Lens said it’s Pavel Naret Promphaopun, the Thai BL actor, and I can assure you it is not. Though he is in a Thai horror series called Goddess Bless You From Death, but that’s for a whole other subreddit. 

Plot:
Lin Yue Qing, the owner of the Agarwood Pavilion, pushes to convert an orphanage into a public library. To prove there are no ghosts, she encounters detective Cheng Yu Jie during their investigation. She faces difficulties from two ghosts and Zhao Kun, and her lost memories return, recalling her sister Lin Yue Xin's murder there.

Thoughts:
This seems fairly badly made and the music makes it sound like a fun little romp through an asylum. Since I don’t speak Mandarin, I have no opinions on the plot - I only listened to a few minutes. 

Chong Chu Si Xun Huan, Wo Zai Zhang Long Dang Wan Sheng (2025) | 冲出死循环，我在长隆当玩圣

Plot: It tells the story of a protagonist trapped in a time loop within Chime Long Park, who must solve puzzles in different themed pavilions to escape, providing a fresh perspective for film and television creation.

Thoughts: It’s a commercial for China’s largest theme park. Dramas already sell us skin care and laundry detergent, why not a theme park? I’d watch it. 

___

If you’ve seen any other horror dramas and want to share, drop them down below. I love all things horror, and I’d love to see what else Chinese vertical dramas have to offer.

Want to learn about the existence of “non-mainstream” vertical dramas but the frustration of looking has given you a migraine one too many times and you’ve given up? Same, but since I’m in the Great Drama Slump of 2026, I have some time to devote to cursing quietly at iq.com for not having the same catalog as iqiyi.com and falling down rabbit holes. 

Will this series lead you to horrible dramas? Almost certainly, but we’ll go there together. Get ready.

First up, horror verticals - without zombies, vampires, or the apocalypse. Apparently I wanted to play hard mode for this. 

**Images are in order of the dramas below**

I Die on My Wedding Night. Every Time. The Groom Hates Me, but He’s Not the Killer

ML: Gao Ming Chen | FL: Lin Qi Xuan 

Plot: A woman dies on her wedding night and is reborn again and again, suffering the same tragic - and painful - death. She has to find out who’s killing her and why to break the cycle.

Thoughts: It’s a time loop mystery that has a plot I haven’t seen before or since. It’s probably on the border of horror and suspense, but is one of the more gory dramas I’ve seen, so I’m counting it. I did enjoy it, though the FL definitely needs to work on telling who she can trust and who she can’t.

I can see the future

Plot: Trapped in a video game, ML has to find out why he suddenly dies all the time, how he got there, and how to get out. 

Thoughts: I have 0 information about this drama except what I picked up while watching - it’s a great drama with terrible subs. It would be solidly on my top ten favorite dramas list because the plot is so different and enjoyable, but the subs absolutely ruin it. It’s the reason I want to learn to translate dramas - I just haven’t had time yet. 

Xiang Hun Bian | 香魂变

FL: Wang Yu Wei 
ML: Part of the mystery, I guess. Google Lens said it’s Pavel Naret Promphaopun, the Thai BL actor, and I can assure you it is not. Though he is in a Thai horror series called Goddess Bless You From Death, but that’s for a whole other subreddit. 

Plot:
Lin Yue Qing, the owner of the Agarwood Pavilion, pushes to convert an orphanage into a public library. To prove there are no ghosts, she encounters detective Cheng Yu Jie during their investigation. She faces difficulties from two ghosts and Zhao Kun, and her lost memories return, recalling her sister Lin Yue Xin's murder there.

Thoughts:
This seems fairly badly made and the music makes it sound like a fun little romp through an asylum. Since I don’t speak Mandarin, I have no opinions on the plot - I only listened to a few minutes. 

Raw video

Chong Chu Si Xun Huan, Wo Zai Zhang Long Dang Wan Sheng | 冲出死循环，我在长隆当玩圣

Plot: It tells the story of a protagonist trapped in a time loop within Chime Long Park, who must solve puzzles in different themed pavilions to escape, providing a fresh perspective for film and television creation.

Thoughts: It’s a commercial for China’s largest theme park. Dramas already sell us skin care and laundry detergent, why not a theme park? I’d watch it. 

---

If you’ve seen any other horror dramas and want to share, drop them down below. I love all things horror, and I’d love to see what else Chinese vertical dramas have to offer. If there are any.

---

Need more vertical drama shenanigans? Want to share your hottest takes and weirdest opinions with like minded people? Unending photos of abs? Join us on the Discord!

Li Lin Fei | 李霖霏

When I was watching Peach Blossom in the Dark Crane Long Sound, I was impressed with both leads. As I was watching, I realized I hadn’t seen the FL, Li Lin Fei, before so I looked her up with the intention of watching more of her work. I haven’t been able to so far (thanks to a vertical drama slump), but the plan hasn’t been cancelled, just delayed. 

I can’t find out much about her - she’s managed by Huace Film and Television and she’s 29. She also has a very cute XHS account, though really sparse. I do know she gets really good MLs, all 5 of them are actors I enjoy.

So based completely on how great she is in Peach Blossom, I definitely recommend checking her out! Here are the 5 dramas of hers that I’ve been able to find. 

~~Peach Blossom in the Dark Crane Long Sound | 桃花暗里鹤长音 with Wang Yu Wei 

You can read more of my thoughts in the Vertical Vortex I wrote about this, but here are the details:

Plot: After her rebirth, Shen Chang Yin no longer harbors an infatuation with Emperor Huo Yun Zhe. Instead, she secretly forms an alliance with "Nine Thousand Years Old" Xiao He, engaging in power struggles within the palace and at court. She uses her political acumen to expose Huo Yun Zhe's conspiracy, supports the new emperor's ascension to the throne, and ultimately joins forces with Xiao He to overthrow imperial power and rewrite their destinies.

~~From God of Cookery to Waitress | 出山便是食神，她却做了端菜小妹 with Qian Zhe

Plot: Orphans Guan Pei Pei and Pu Xing grew up together in an orphanage, relying on each other and promising to become master chefs together. Fifteen years later, Guan Pei Pei, now the newly appointed culinary master of the Jade Food Sect, descends the mountain to search for Pu Xing. However, penniless and stranded, she accidentally ends up working at the Delicacy Pavilion—run by Pu Xing—to pay off her debts.

It’s available on iQIYI.

~~Eavesdrop Eavesdrop | 救命！反派偷听我用谐音梗改剧情 with Yi Heng

Plot: Qin Yi Yang transmigrates into a novel as the cannon-fodder real daughter and binds to a pun-based system that allows her to alter the plot. Using homophone jokes, she counters the schemes of the fake daughter Shen Yan and her family, saving the Qin family. During this time, she and Lu Yan Zhi move from misunderstandings to love, ultimately reversing their fate.

I am interested in hearing homophone jokes in Mandarin. Will I get them? No, but I’m still interested.

~~ Heavenly Clouds | 云端恋契 with Cai Xin Yang

Plot: After a blind date, a female flight mechanic marries a pilot to avoid pressure from their respective families. Lin Kong Yu believes it's just a marriage of convenience, but Qin Si Yan has been secretly crushing on her for a while. Their relationship slowly grows closer as they live and work together.

Pilots + flash marriage + working together = a promising plot.

~~Secret Love for Two Years, Secretary Yan Resigns and He's Desperate | 秘恋两年，言秘书辞职他急红了眼 with Liu Zi Heng

Plot:
Yan Ruo, the secretary and secret lover of Xu Shaoyu, the president of the Xu Group. Due to a misunderstanding caused by Xu's mother's scheme to fake an engagement, they broke up, and Yan Ruo returned to her hometown to become a livestreamer promoting agriculture. Three years later, Xu Shaoyu finds her through a video call and approaches her under the guise of investing in a resort, beginning his pursuit of her. During their reunion, they resolve their misunderstandings, confront family obstacles and class differences, ultimately overcoming all obstacles, falling in love honestly, and achieving a happy ending.

Have you seen any of these? Are any of them on your list of recommendations? Let me know which I should let jump the line?

Winter Love Letter: He is Her Male Lead | 《冬日情书:他是她的男主角》
Yin Yang & Zhao Yujie

I'm a sucker for a hidden/private relationship, so when I saw this on today's drops I immediately added it to my watchlist.

If you've already seen it - is it a good one? Worth watching?

Plot:
Rookie actor Cheng Jiake and screenwriter Chi Muyu meet because of a thriller web drama, "My Horror Novel's Male Lead Has Come to Life." Chi Muyu pushes through all opposition to cast Cheng Jiake as the "crazy" male lead and gives him seven days of special training, during which they fall in love.
However, they face challenges from a difficult producer, manipulation by Cheng Jiake’s former manager, and public scrutiny. Despite choosing a secret marriage, they endure attacks from obsessive fans and are forced into a fake breakup. Eventually, Cheng Jiake wins "Best Actor" for the movie Winter Love Letter, written anonymously by Chi Muyu, and publicly pursues his love again at the awards ceremony.

Over on the CShortHaven Discord, we're playing bingo for the entire month of May. We crowd-sourced bingo squares, I used my Canva subscription, and now we're watching dramas and marking them off.

You *have* to be a member of the Discord in order to win prizes and be part of the bingo crew.

Hope to see you over there!

After Transmigrating into the True Heiress, She Goes Ruthless |《魂穿真千金后，她杀疯了》 Du Ya Fei & Chi Ningning

Plot:
After waking up in the body of a mistreated heiress, Xia Sheng wastes no time taking revenge on everyone who wronged her. To reclaim everything, she teams up with a former rival—only to discover he has secretly loved her all along.

When the Mountain Feast Meets You |《山家有膳恰逢君》
Lin Kai Jie & He Shi

Plot:
A modern culinary heir meets a time-traveling gourmet and enters a contract marriage. Through food, tradition, and shared battles against family and business pressures, their partnership evolves into love—bridging past and present.

I love a time traveler, food (I mean, cooking), and a contract marriage plot so I'll be watching this one...eventually.

I love supernatural dramas, and I enjoy his work, so I'll be watching when I'm able. It also stars Xia Nan, whose only entry on MDL is Xtreme Vanguard with Zhen Zi Qi.

If you want something a little different, I'm thinking this might be a good choice.

I can't find the poster, so here's this instead.

Plot:

Beneath the neon-lit city, there exist mysterious and ancient “taboos”—entities of unknown origin and unclear time of emergence. They are said to appear almost exclusively at night, disguising themselves among ordinary citizens, and are collectively referred to as “Forbidden Entities.”

College student Chen Tui becomes entangled in a supernatural incident after an accident, completely overturning his worldview. From that moment on, he steps into a hidden world—becoming one of those chosen by fate.

But this calling comes with a harsh rule: the safety of the city must always come first.

When night falls, we are meant to carry blades—not umbrellas.

Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family: The Fake Heiress is the Group's Favorite and Changes Her Fate (Season 2) |《被赶出豪门，假千金成团宠逆天改命2》 | Bèi gǎn chū háomén, jiǎ qiānjīn chéng tuán chǒng nìtiān gǎi mìng

Starring: Tian Miaomiao & Zhang Tiancheng

I love that we're getting so many season 2s now!

I can't find a description for Season 2 that's not identical to Season 1's description, so just use your imagination to ponder the continuation of Season 1:

Bai Zhi lived for fifteen years before finding out she was a "fake" (a switched child). Her foster family was the wealthiest in Haicheng, while her biological parents were dirt poor with eight "loser" brothers. Overnight, the "swan" fell from grace, and everyone waited to mock her.

Little did they know, her eight brothers were no ordinary people. Riding the wave of rapid economic growth in the 90s, they became titans in their respective fields. Most importantly, they spoil her to death.

The eldest became a high-ranking official, the second a business tycoon, the third a great writer, the fourth an international movie star, the fifth a real estate mogul, the sixth a Wall Street legend, the seventh an E-sports star, and the eighth a medical giant. The "fake heiress" finally becomes the ultimate favorite of this powerful group.

Joining Hands to Plot, Never Failing You |《执手同谋不负卿》| Zhí shǒu tóng móu bù fù qīng

Starring: Jiang Shiqi & Wang Peiyan

Bai Yingchu, the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, is framed by her half-sister Bai Qingrou and cousin Lin Zizhang and subjected to torture in the Su Nu Zhai (a Buddhist monastery). She meets the Third Prince Pei Yan and they cooperate in revenge. She discovers that her father, Bai Xuanwen, is plotting a rebellion with the Crown Prince, and that her mother's death is also related to this. Later, she returns to the manor under the identity of "Zhixi," exposes the conspiracy, and captures the Crown Prince and Bai Xuanwen.

A new Zhang Chi is coming on April 30th! This one seems particularly touching.

Plot:

At 18, Chi Sui's (Zhi Chun He) family fortunes suddenly changed, forcing her to move to the remote and isolated town of Tongli. Her meticulously groomed appearance, from her hairstyle to her nails, made her feel completely out of place. However, fate is unpredictable. Also arriving that winter was Shen Zhou (Zhang Chi), a deaf and insecure boy. Two people who should never have crossed paths bumped into each other during the most difficult winter of their lives. Thus began a story that would last for many years - a tale of redemption, first love, and separation.

Don't mess with Mrs. Huo—you won't be able to handle the consequences. | 少惹霍太太，后果你扛不住
Li Lei (Gang Tie Rourou) & Wu Jialu 

Did I watch this because of this post? Maybe I did. Don’t judge me. 

Is it a great drama? Not especially, but not a bad one either. 

Am I mad I watched it? Even if it was awful, his abs/back show up more than enough times to make up for it. 

Worst bit? Nothing really stands out.

Best bit? I mean….the bathtub. Obviously. Followed by the other times he turns up sans shirt.

Was the plot good? It was fine, and did have a twist I hadn’t seen before, but I felt like it didn’t reach its full potential. 

Recommended: Yes, it has the potential to be someone’s excellent watch - just not mine. Maybe I was in a bad mood.🤷‍♀️

Watch it here.
There isn’t a MDL page for the drama yet. 

---

Need more vertical drama shenanigans? Want to share your latest finds with like minded people? Unending photos of abs? Join us on the Discord!