My top 5 C Dramas based on difficulty
I wish I had this knowledge when I first started learning Mandarin!
When I first started learning Mandarin, there was nothing I hated more than having to endlessly sift through the huge libraries of C dramas. Often times I ended up with a series that was neither interesting nor appropriate for my level.
What a waste of time!
As a learner it can be so demotivating and overwhelming to search for the perfect C Drama. I’ve been there and I understand your struggles.
To help you overcome this, I’ve curated a list of C dramas which are optimal for learning!
In this list I’ve given my totally honest opinion on their strengths and weaknesses. I’ve also provided a difficulty rating for each series!
Disclaimer 👏
This list for those above HSK 3, purely because C dramas are aimed at adults, so the pace of speech can be quick and the vocabulary may also be tricky.
DO NOT PANIC if you’re HSK1-2. I have something else for you. I have uploaded a list of beginner cartoons on the linktree in my Instagram Bio.
For those that don’t have IG here is the link👇🏻
Without further ado…
1. 亲爱的柠檬精先生 II ｜ Plot Love 2
This is a sequel to the first Plot Love series where Su Bei, a clothing designer, falls into disrepute after being framed for plagiarism. She is rejecte by her family and flees abroad.
In this second series Su Bei returns to China with a baby to investigate her Auntie’s suicide, and in the process reunites with her estranged husband.
✅ Clear accent, steady pace of speech, easy to follow
⛔️ The plot and storyline could be more interesting.
2. 偷偷藏不住 | Hidden Love
Sang Zhi falls in love with Duan Jia Xu, the boy who often comes to her house to play games in her older brother's room. He is five years older than her. Sang Zhi had a crush on Duan Jia Xu when she was young, but they lost contact with each other for some reason. After she graduates high school, she joins the university in the city he is in, and during their day-to-day they have a lot of interaction. They slowly fall in love.
✅ Plenty of vocabulary to do with romance and dating, teen drama which is not complex, relatively slow speech.
⛔️ There is not much going on besides romance, so if you like more thrilling TV series this is not for you.
3. 请叫我总监 | Master of my own
I genuinely enjoy this C Drama because the main character, Ning Meng, is so feisty and charismatic.
Ning Meng has always dreamt of becoming an investment director. However, currently working at an investment firm under Lu Ji Ming, Ning Meng has never once been given a chance to advance in her career. Believing Ning Meng doesn't have what it takes to become a qualified investor, Lu Ji Ming keeps herstuck in a dead-end job.
You can get quite emotionally invested in this drama as you will root for Ning Meng and watch her fight for her dream!
✅ Comedic and light-hearted at times as she argues a lot with her boss, Ning Meng is a likeable character and you get invested in her journey, very standard Mandarin accent.
⛔️ Quite a lot of tricky vocabulary as it is set in a corporate environment with lots of business related vocabulary. (This could be a huge plus if you’re looking to learn industry-specific vocabulary for a career in China!)
4. 暴雪时分 ｜ Amidst a snowstorm of love
Former professional snooker genius Lin Yi Yang met the popular nine-ball player Yin Guo on a rare snowstorm night. With the help of Yin Guo's cousin, they get to know each other. Lin Yi Yang is well-known amongst his peers as a famous snooker genius.
The plot follows their awkward but rather cute romance in Finland, and how this clashes with their snooker ambitions.
✅ Leo Wu stars in this C drama and is highly rated in China for his acting ability, as well as his looks! The drama starts off with very simple vocabulary that allows the viewer to follow easily.
⛔️ The romance can get very slow and boring at times. If you’re a die hard romantic then this won’t be a problem.
5. 做自己的光 | Be your own light
This C drama is great, it’s full of surprises and follows a mystery that isn’t easily solved in the first few episodes. It follows a gentle and kind character called He Huan who has to deal with a lot of problems. First her husband flees and leaves her with huge debts. She faces setbacks in her career and then her mother falls seriously ill. Through the encouragement of friends, He Huan remains tenacious in her attempt to start over.
✅ Lots of modern words and slang used in this drama. You can also acquire a lot of vocabulary that you can use to talk about social issues like crime. He Huan is a likeable character and you will enjoy following her personal journey.
⛔️ The characters all speak rather fast and with a strong Beijing accent （儿化 may confuse some learners, but it’s essential to become accustomed to this)
That’s it for this week! This should help you find a C drama that suits not only your interests, but also your level!
If you’d like to get a list of Chinese film recommendations for next week, make sure you give this post a like and comment “film”.
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