6 Chen Zhe Yuan TV shows to watch before ‘Chasing Dreams’ is released

In Our Secret, Chen plays Zhou Siyue, an academically gifted student whose first impressions can be rather aloof. He is paired with Ding Xian (Xu Mengjie), a determined classmate who initially finds him difficult to get along with. Their relationship changes as they spend more time together, moving from school rivals to close friends and eventually romantic partners.

Adapted from the novel Secrets in the Lattice by Er Dong Tu Zi, the drama follows the pair from high school through university. Its focus is on the small experiences that shape young adulthood, including academic pressure, friendships, family expectations and the decisions that come with growing up. Chen’s Zhou Siyue is intelligent and self-assured, but his support for Ding Xian reveals a more considerate side. The series offers a look at his earlier work in youth romance, before Hidden Love brought him wider international attention.

Based on Gu Long’s novel Juedai Shuangjiao, Handsome Siblings follows twin brothers who are separated at birth and raised in very different circumstances. Chen plays Jiang Xiaoyu, also known as Xiao Yu’er, who grows up in the Valley of Villains under the care of a group of notorious martial artists. Clever, mischievous and resourceful, he has learned to rely on his wit as much as his fighting skills.

His story becomes intertwined with that of Hua Wuque (Hu Yitian), the other twin, who has been raised in the Yihua Palace. Unaware of their family connection, the two are drawn into a conflict shaped by the circumstances of their birth and the people who raised them.

The role gives Chen a different kind of character from the reserved romantic leads in his contemporary dramas. Xiao Yu’er is quick with a joke and often finds unconventional ways out of trouble, making the series a useful choice for viewers interested in his work in wuxia.

In Mr. Bad, Chen plays a fictional villain who unexpectedly enters the real world. Xiao Wudi is summoned by Nan Xing (Shen Yue), an aspiring writer who makes a wish for an unforgettable romance. Once he appears, the cunning character finds a way to stay close to his creator, even becoming her neighbour.

The premise sets up a romantic comedy built around the contrast between Xiao Wudi’s fictional background and the everyday situations he encounters in modern life. He is used to dealing with conflict through manipulation and martial arts, but navigating relationships proves less straightforward. Nan Xing, meanwhile, has to contend with the consequences of bringing a character from her imagination into her own life.

The series gives Chen room to play a more exaggerated character, with much of the humour coming from Xiao Wudi’s attempts to apply his fictional villain’s logic to ordinary situations. Among Chen Zhe Yuan TV shows, it stands out for its fantasy premise and lighter tone.

Set in Shanghai during the 1940s, spanning the final years of the Chinese Civil War and the period following the city's liberation, Dark Night and Dawn moves away from romance and into police investigations and counter-espionage. Chen plays Lin Shaobai, a former police officer known for his street smarts and familiarity with the city. He is recruited by Lu Zhengyang (Nie Yuan), an officer working in the public security bureau’s anti-espionage unit.

The two men become partners as they investigate cases involving theft, counterfeit currency and covert enemy operations. Their working relationship is not immediately smooth: Lin’s methods and personality differ from Lu’s, and the pair have to learn to rely on one another as the investigations become more complicated.

The drama places Chen in a more grounded period setting, with his character relying on observation, local knowledge and quick thinking rather than the conventions of a romantic lead. It is one of the more substantial departures in his television work and gives viewers a chance to see him in a crime-focused story.

In Fated Hearts, Chen stars opposite Li Qin in a historical drama about two people from rival kingdoms who become entangled in a political conspiracy. He plays Feng Suige, the eldest prince of the Susha Kingdom, while Li Qin plays Fu Yixiao, a skilled archer from the Jinxiu Kingdom. During a battle, Fu Yixiao shoots Feng Suige with an arrow, changing the course of the conflict between their countries.

After falling from a cliff and losing her memory, Fu Yixiao is rescued and later crosses paths with Feng Suige again. He sees an opportunity to use their connection to uncover the truth behind the events of the battle, while she relies on him as she tries to survive amid the pursuit of her enemies. Their uneasy arrangement gradually develops into a romance as they work together to expose a wider conspiracy.

The role gives Chen another opportunity to take on a character navigating court politics and shifting loyalties. Unlike a straightforward love story, Fated Hearts builds its central relationship around mistrust, competing interests and the consequences of a conflict between kingdoms. It also offers a useful preview of the historical and political setting of his upcoming work in Chasing Dreams.

These six dramas cover several of the main genres in Chen Zhe Yuan’s television career, from the contemporary romances of Hidden Love and Our Secret to the martial arts adventure of Handsome Siblings and the espionage investigations of Dark Night and Dawn. They also show how his roles have ranged from youthful, quick-witted characters to figures dealing with political conflict and personal loyalties.

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