Cover Aired in 2023, ‘Till the End of the Moon’ is one of the most popular C-dramas of all time (photo: IMDB)
Aired in 2023, ‘Till the End of the Moon’ is one of the most popular C-dramas of all time (photo: IMDB)
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Curious about C-dramas after watching K-dramas? Find out what makes Chinese dramas distinct from their Korean counterparts
The hallyu explosion some 30 years ago has done the world a favour. It elevated people’s tastes for a finer level of storytelling in television shows. Not that All My Children wasn’t TV gold. But it goes without saying that South Korean dramas are more invested in higher production values, stronger storytelling, and overall, a more satisfying viewing experience.
See more: Are C-dramas taking over? 6 Chinese dramas to convert you
More importantly, K-dramas confirmed that Asians can produce shows with seriously high production values. In the past decade, K-dramas have only reinforced their impact. However, a growing number of international viewers—many of them longtime K-drama fans—are now turning their attention to Chinese dramas (C-dramas).
Perhaps it was curiosity. Perhaps it was fatigue from the constant chicken-and-beer cameos and the “they unknowingly met in childhood” twists. But, as streaming platforms like Netflix, Viki and iQIYI expanded their catalogues, K-drama fans stumbled upon historical xianxia fantasies, modern workplace romances and gripping political intrigue—all distinct from the typical Korean drama format. Many were drawn in by C-dramas’ luxurious cinematography, intricate world-building and intense binge-worthy episode counts. Others discovered their favourite K-drama actors starring in Chinese productions, sparking an interest in exploring more of what C-dramas had to offer.
Now, Chinese shows are no longer just an alternative to K-dramas; they have carved out their own dedicated fanbase. If you’re thinking of diving into the world of C-dramas, here’s what you need to know.
C-dramas will keep you hooked with their episode counts
Above ‘The Empress of China’ has one of the most number of episodes even relative to C-dramas. It has practically 75 hours of runtime for a single season.
K-dramas usually span 12 to 16 hours of runtime, sometimes extending to 20 if you're lucky. In contrast, C-dramas often run much longer, with some stretching beyond 70 hours. For instance, The Empress of China, Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy and The Story of Ming Lan all have more than 73 hours of storytelling, offering a more extensive viewing experience.
Why are C-dramas so long?
The heavy episode count allows C-dramas to flesh out their characters better, but that’s not the only reason for the drawn-out plots. Economics also comes into play. Many networks and streaming services pay on a per-episode basis, inspiring production companies to produce more. Moreover, many C-dramas have elaborate sets and effects. This, on top of hefty actor salaries, has made shorter shows unprofitable. After all, more episodes mean you get more value for the production and more opportunities for product placement.
At some point, this strategy devalued the plot and world-building, which were initially so highly valued in C-dramas. To control the quality, China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) in 2020 capped the length of new dramas to 40 episodes but advised producers to keep it under 30.
Also read: 10 most expensive Korean Dramas to make
Chinese dramas love the historical and fantasy genres
Above ‘The Blood of Youth’ is a beloved wuxia C-drama. Viewers liken it to Hollywood superhero films, except that the leads are martial arts experts
There are many period Korean dramas, sure, but the majority of shows are set in a contemporary time and place. Chinese dramas, on the other hand, have a penchant for featuring historical and fantasy plots. Think of elaborate costumes, spectacular backdrops and breathtaking effects.
In fact, the major subgenres of C-dramas include:
- Wuxia centres on martial arts heroes. These dramas incorporate action with philosophical themes of honour and justice.
- Xianxia combines fantasy elements with Chinese mythology. Xianxia dramas explore the adventures of immortal beings and their interactions with the mortal world.
- Historical (costume) dramas are set in various dynastic periods. The storylines often depict political intrigue, romance and historical events, showcasing China's rich heritage.
- Modern urban dramas focus on contemporary life. These series delve into themes like love, career challenges and societal issues in modern Chinese cities.
C-dramas are dubbed
Due to China's vast linguistic diversity, many C-dramas need dubbing to standardise accents and dialects, ensuring clarity for a broad audience. This practice is less common in K-dramas, where original actors' voices are typically used.
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C-dramas are usually based on books and web novels
Above ‘Three-Body’ impressively stayed faithful to the original novel. Netflix also created its own adaptation, ‘3 Body Problem’
This is perhaps another reason Chinese dramas tend to be on the longer side. Many of the plots are adapted from books or web novels, so TV writers have a wealth of source material to use. Moreover, according to one study, Chinese novels have about two million English words. To put that into perspective, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, plus The Hobbit, have only around 576,459 words.
Successful shows based on novels include Three-Body (from The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin), Joy of Life (from Qing Yunian by Mao Ni), Forever and Ever (from Yi Sheng Yi Shi Mei Ren Gu by Mo Bao Fei Bao) and Till the End of the Moon (from Black Moonlight Holds the BE Script by Teng Luo Wei Zhi).
C-dramas come in mini versions
While C-dramas have become notorious for their epically long epics, China has come up with micro shows for the mobile-watching set. Micro dramas were developed after short-form streaming platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou blew up in the country.
One episode can last between one to 10 minutes, making them highly consumable for mobile audiences. The total number of episodes varies, but most micro-dramas range from 10 to 40 episodes.
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