13 TV shows with Zhao Lusi that made her a star in China

Set within a historical setting, this TV show with Zhao Lusi brings her back to the costume dramas that have defined much of her audience base. The Story of Pearl Girl pairs her with Liu Yuning, a frequent presence in large-scale historical productions. The series follows a woman whose life is tied to the pearl trade, tracing how commerce, class structures, and regional power dynamics shape her decisions. It pays close attention to the mechanics of trade and the constraints placed on women within that system, giving the story a clearer socio-economic context than a standard romance. Zhao’s role is built around endurance and adaptability, with the narrative focusing on negotiation, survival, and shifting alliances rather than heightened melodrama.

One of the most widely discussed TV shows with Zhao Lusi, Hidden Love pairs her with Chen Zheyuan in a modern romance built on a slow, long-term emotional arc rather than immediate conflict. Zhao plays a younger woman whose feelings develop gradually over time, with the story tracking how that early attachment matures into something more defined in adulthood. The performance is deliberately restrained, relying on small shifts in behaviour and dialogue rather than dramatic turning points. The series gained strong international traction, particularly among younger streaming audiences, and played a key role in expanding her visibility beyond China. Its appeal lies in its familiarity and measured pacing, rather than plot-driven twists.

In Gen Z, Zhao Lusi is paired with Wu Gang and Luo Yizhou in a multi-generational story built around traditional Chinese medicine. Zhao plays Sun Tou Tou, a young woman with an uncertain path who becomes involved in a training programme led by an established practitioner. Much of the plot follows her adjustment to the discipline of the field, from learning diagnostic methods to understanding the cultural weight behind the practice, while also forming connections with fellow trainees. Among TV shows with Zhao Lusi, it stands out for its ensemble structure and its focus on social frameworks rather than a central romance, giving her role a more grounded, process-driven arc.

In Love Like the Galaxy, Zhao Lusi is paired with Wu Lei and is often cited as a key project in expanding her reach. She plays Cheng Shaoshang, a young woman raised largely without parental guidance, whose return to her family home places her within a strict household shaped by hierarchy and expectation. The plot follows her navigation of family tensions, social customs, and political undercurrents, alongside a developing relationship with a military general whose own past is tied to court intrigue.

Zhao’s character evolves through a series of decisions that reflect both survival instinct and growing independence, moving from reactive to more self-directed choices. Among TV shows with Zhao Lusi, it stands out for the scale of its narrative and the level of detail in its character progression, which contributed to its strong reception and lasting visibility.

Blending martial arts with court politics, Who Rules the World is one of the more dynamic TV shows with Zhao Lusi. She stars as Bai Fengxi, a formidable fighter who navigates the treacherous jianghu world while managing rivalries between states. Her co-lead Yang Yang plays a strategist whose path intersects with hers, forming a partnership built on mutual respect and cautious trust.

The series alternates between high-stakes action and court intrigue, with Zhao’s performance balancing physical skill with subtle emotional depth. Scenes of duels and tactical manoeuvring are interspersed with quieter moments of negotiation and character interaction, allowing her to demonstrate range within a traditionally action-heavy format.

In this period comedy-drama, one of the more playful TV shows with Zhao Lusi, she plays the spirited Tang Xue, a young woman determined to study at an imperial academy historically reserved for men. The story follows her as she navigates rigid rules, skeptical peers, and unexpected alliances, with humour arising naturally from her attempts to fit in while challenging conventions.

The series balances comedy with social commentary, exploring themes of education, gender access, and perseverance. Zhao’s performance is bright and adaptable, leaning into situational humour without undercutting the stakes of her character’s ambitions. Its charm comes less from plot complexity and more from the interactions between characters, making it one of her more character-driven and accessible roles.

Among TV shows with Zhao Lusi, this modern romance leans into intimacy and nuance. She stars opposite Zheng Yecheng, a man with a hidden identity, and their interactions unfold in domestic and workplace settings. Zhao’s character navigates curiosity, caution, and growing trust, and the series lets these small emotional beats carry the story. The drama doesn’t rely on external stakes or spectacle; instead, it thrives on quiet tension and the chemistry between its leads. In this role, Zhao demonstrates her ability to inhabit contemporary romance with subtlety, showing that her strength lies in conveying the slow, often understated rhythms of connection.

One of Zhao Lusi’s earlier historical epics, The Long Ballad places her in a supporting but noticeable role within a sprawling narrative of political intrigue, military campaigns, and family vengeance. Zhao appears alongside Dilraba Dilmurat and Leo Wu, and her character contributes to the ensemble’s intricate web of alliances and personal stakes.

The story follows Li Changge, a princess navigating a war-torn empire, with Zhao’s role woven into the court and battlefield dynamics, offering her exposure to large-scale production values and complex character interactions. This show marked her early engagement with high-profile, ensemble-led historical dramas. While not central to the main plot, her presence hinted at her ability to hold her own amidst star-studded casts and set the stage for future leading roles in similarly ambitious projects.

In Dating in the Kitchen, Zhao Lusi moves into contemporary romance with a light, playful touch, opposite Lin Yi. The series blends culinary artistry with workplace dynamics, tracking Zhao’s character as she navigates office rivalries, professional ambitions, and the slow development of a romance that begins in casual encounters and gradually intensifies. The show’s episodic structure allows her to explore a variety of emotional beats—from comedic misunderstandings in the kitchen to quieter moments of personal reflection—demonstrating her timing, charm, and ability to carry a series. It is often credited with solidifying her presence in modern romance, providing a bridge between her early contemporary work and the historical projects that would follow.

A defining moment in Zhao’s career, The Romance of Tiger and Rose uses a meta-historical premise in which a screenwriter becomes trapped in her own fictional narrative. Zhao plays Chen Xiaoqian, a modern writer navigating a period setting of her own creation, which allows her to shift fluidly between contemporary sensibilities and historical conventions. Her performance balances humour, romance, and the heightened stakes of the storybook world.

Zhao shares the screen with Ding Yuxi, whose character interacts with hers in both narrative and meta-narrative layers. Among TV shows with Zhao Lusi, this title is widely regarded as the series that expanded her audience significantly. The inventive structure gave her room to showcase range, timing, and presence, establishing her as a lead capable of carrying both romantic and comedic weight in period settings.

In this fantasy historical drama, Zhao Lusi explores themes of fate, reincarnation, and enduring love, playing alongside Joseph Zeng. Her character is entwined with a centuries-spanning narrative in which love is tested by cosmic forces and supernatural conflicts. The story leans heavily on world-building, with stylised sets, elaborate costumes, and fantastical elements that frame the romance. Zhao’s performance navigates the tension between destiny and choice, giving her character depth even within a genre that prioritises spectacle. The series helped demonstrate her versatility, showing she could carry emotion in both grounded modern romances and stylised, imaginative settings.

One of Zhao’s earlier lead roles, I Hear You (最动听的事) places her at the centre of a contemporary romance that evolves through circumstance and shared experience rather than dramatic twists. In the 2019 series, Zhao plays Bei Erduo, an aspiring voice actress from an ordinary background who joins a reality‑dating show to solve personal dilemmas and help a friend, only to find herself paired with the cool, enigmatic violin maker Ye Shuwei (played by Riley Wang). Initially reluctant partners, their on‑screen relationship gradually shifts as they navigate the challenges of the programme, confront expectations from family and peers, and discover unexpected shared depth between them.

The most visible TV shows with Zhao Lusi balance romance with historical or extended character arcs. Rather than a single breakout role, her profile has grown through steady accumulation, with each series refining her screen identity and expanding the range of worlds she inhabits, from modern offices to fantastical dynasties.

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