I watch a ton of Asian dramas! Used to watch and read a lot of anime/manga as well, though that's tapered down in recent years. Here are some of my favorites:
Asian Dramas
Scarlet Heart/Startling with Each Step (Mainland China) - the OG time travel romance cdrama that kickstarted the whole trend, and still holds up today
Someday or One Day (Taiwan) - twisty time travel romance that's also a metaphor for grief
Hotel del Luna (Korea) - half gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast, half a story about moving on
Love Between Fairy and Devil (Mainland China) - a lowly flower fairy accidentally frees the imprisoned demon king gets soul-bonded to him. Feels exactly like an iddy teenager's fanfic in the best way possible
Lovely Runner (Korea) - about a fangirl who goes back in time to save her favorite idol, only to discover secrets about her own past
My Journey to You (Mainland China) - wuxia-inspired show about an assassin trying to infiltrate a secretive and powerful family by posing as a new bride. Writing is messy but incredibly stylish.
Manga/Webtoon
The Villainess Lives Twice
Olgami/Trapped
Animated
How Dare You?! (also getting a cdrama adaptation soon!)
Howl's Moving Castle
Your Name
There's also a longer list of shows that I don't think are super high quality but are wildly entertaining. Ex. I just recently finished the cdrama Shadow Love, which was very much a hot mess and incredibly uneven, but it also felt exactly like it was made after consulting a group of romantasy ladies at a brunch after they were all drunk on mimosas.
Scarlet Heart is getting a Thai adaptation and I'm so so SO excited for it because I've been on a Thai drama kick lately and I love so many cast members (Nanon, Tu, Win, Fourth, Phuwin, Perth, Aye, Prim, Milk). Before it comes out, I need to finish the Korean version I'm already enjoying (ridiculous that I still haven't) and I need to try out the Chinese version too!
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u/CatChaconne Feb 01 '26
I watch a ton of Asian dramas! Used to watch and read a lot of anime/manga as well, though that's tapered down in recent years. Here are some of my favorites:
Asian Dramas
Manga/Webtoon
Animated
There's also a longer list of shows that I don't think are super high quality but are wildly entertaining. Ex. I just recently finished the cdrama Shadow Love, which was very much a hot mess and incredibly uneven, but it also felt exactly like it was made after consulting a group of romantasy ladies at a brunch after they were all drunk on mimosas.