Cover The highly rated Taiwanese dramas of 2025, such as ‘The Ressurected’, brought film stars like Shu Qi to streaming platforms
The highly rated Taiwanese dramas of 2025, such as ‘The Ressurected’, brought film stars like Shu Qi to streaming platforms
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From Shu Qi’s dark thriller to a savage meta-drama, the best Taiwanese dramas of 2025 proved that the island’s most prestigious talent has migrated to streaming—and the results are unmissable
The year 2025 marked a seismic shift in Taiwanese entertainment. No longer content to remain in cinema, the island’s biggest film stars descended upon streaming platforms, bringing movie-level budgets and performances to television. Netflix became the primary stage for this transformation, financing productions that tackled everything from maternal revenge to the slice-of-life stories. Meanwhile, the Boys’ Love (BL) genre matured into a globally acclaimed force, and broadcast networks delivered award-winning family dramas. The best Taiwanese dramas of 2025 were a cultural reckoning that saw Taiwan export its most sophisticated stories yet.
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‘The Resurrected’ (2025)
Above Shu Qi stars in ‘The Resurrected’ as a mother seeking vengeance for her daughter
International film icon Shu Qi made her grand television return in The Resurrected, a dark revenge thriller where she plays Wang Hui-chun, a desperate mother who resurrects a deceased scam ring leader to avenge her daughter. Co-starring Lee Sinje, the series explores morally ambiguous justice when legal systems fail. Released globally on Netflix in October, The Resurrected dominated charts across Asia, hitting the daily Top 10 in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
‘Born for the Spotlight’ (2024–2025)
Above ‘Born for the Spotlight’ features Cheryl Yang, Hsieh Ying-xuan and Suri Lin as rival actresses
This savage meta-drama dissects the cutthroat entertainment industry through the deteriorating friendship between two A-list actresses, played by Cheryl Yang and Hsieh Ying-xuan. Newcomer Suri Lin adds volatility as an ambitious younger star. Born for the Spotlight secured 15 Golden Bell Award nominations, with all three actresses competing against each other for Best Leading Actress in a Television Series. The Taiwanese drama ultimately won several Golden Bell honours, including Best Television Series and Best Leading Actress for Yang. It also fuelled cultural conversation throughout the year and showcased Taiwan’s willingness to depict unlikable, ambitious women.
‘Forget You Not’ (2025)
Above Rene Liu directs Hsieh Ying-xuan and Chin Han in the emotional drama ‘Forget You Not’
Rene Liu’s directorial debut is a humanist tearjerker about Cheng Le-le (Hsieh Ying-xuan), a 40-something woman juggling a failing marriage, a convenience store job and stand-up comedy dreams whilst caring for her father (Chin Han), who has dementia. Released on Netflix in May, Forget You Not topped Taiwan’s daily rankings for three consecutive days. Critics praised its slice-of-life storytelling that finds humour in tragedy, exploring role reversals between parent and child.
‘See Your Love’ (2024–2025)
Above ‘See Your Love’ stars Raiden Lin and Jin Yun in a romance centred on sign language
Airing from October 2024 to January 2025, See Your Love holds a staggering 9.5/10 rating on Viki. The BL Taiwanese drama follows Zi Xiang (Raiden Lin), who feigns injury to escape family obligations, only to fall for his deaf caregiver Shao Peng (Jin Yun). What elevates the drama is its authentic representation—sign language isn’t a gimmick but the primary mode of intimacy, creating insane chemistry between leads.
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‘Had I Not Seen the Sun’ (2025)
Above ‘Had I Not Seen the Sun’ blends romance with psychological horror
Genre-bending Taiwanese drama Had I Not Seen the Sun stars Tseng Jing-hua as a serial killer who surrenders to the police, entangling a documentary filmmaker in his twisted case. Blending coming-of-age romance with psychological horror and crime, it proved how Taiwan continues to push narrative boundaries with high-concept thrillers designed for binge-watching.
‘The Outlaw Doctor’ (2025)
Above Janine Chang stars in ‘The Outlaw Doctor’ alongside Vietnamese actor Lien Bỉnh Phat
Tied with Born for the Spotlight for Golden Bell nominations at 15, The Outlaw Doctor is a gritty crime drama illuminating Taiwan’s underground medical world. Janine Chang and Vietnamese actor Lien Bỉnh Phat (winner of Golden Bell’s Best Male Lead in a Television Series) portray doctors operating in legal grey zones, treating migrant workers invisible to mainstream society. The series combines high-stakes medical tension with social commentary, representing Taiwan’s commitment to stories that acknowledge marginalised communities whilst delivering compelling genre entertainment.
‘I Am Married... But!’ (2025)
Above Alice Ko and Jasper Liu star in the anti-romance comedy ‘I Am Married... But!’
Released on Valentine’s Day, I Am Married... But! serves as a comedic antidote to fairy-tale romance. Starring Alice Ko and Jasper Liu, this series deconstructs the happily ever after myth using survey data from real couples to script the friction of married life—dealing with in-laws, boredom and the loss of spark. It’s a sharp satire of the very romance genre Taiwan helped popularise, offering viewers a refreshingly honest look at relationships.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
