7 best Chinese dramas of 2025 that hurt and healed in equal measure: First Frost to Prisoner of Beauty

The year began with The First Frost, a show that quietly, gently turned the knife as the episodes unfolded. While it remains one of 2025’s standout hits, the year also delivered a mix of offbeat rom-coms, time-travel twists, and nostalgic trips down memory lane.

As 2025 winds down, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the best Chinese shows that made us laugh, cry, and fall in love with storytelling all over again.

​1. The First Frost

The First Frost broke hearts and healed them, often at the same time. Set in the Hidden Love universe, the story follows two people who were once close in high school—not quite sweethearts, not just a crush, but enough for the fallout to leave lasting scars. Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruonan) wears a carefully maintained, glassy expression, hiding years of trauma. When Bai Jingting’s Sang Yan crosses paths with her by chance, they end up living under the same roof, slowly learning to understand—and perhaps forgive their old wounds. It’s a tale of love, healing, and second chances.

2. Prisoner of Beauty

Set in a fictional land inspired by the Three Kingdoms era, Prisoner of Beauty opens with betrayal, blood feuds, and the roar of war—but at its heart, it’s really a love letter to the enemies-to-lovers trope. Wrapped in lavish costumes and featuring some of the most emotionally charged stares C-dramaland has delivered in 2025, the series balances epic drama with intimate moments.

The female lead (Qiao Manman/Xiao Qiao, depending on translation) is a rare gem in C-dramas: not just “strong,” but intelligent, emotionally disciplined, and deeply empathetic. Meanwhile, the male lead is a red-flag redemption arc that hooks you instantly. General Wei Shao is cold, brutal, and unyielding—but as the story unfolds, it’s clear that this icy exterior isn’t going to last forever.

3. Always home

For those who needed some softness and calm. The story kicks off in the summer of 2007, when Chen Huan Er (Yang Xi Zi) shifts from her small town to the bustling city of Tianhe following her mother’s job transfer. There, she meets a lively group of friends: Jing Xi Chi (Zhai Xiao Wen), a soccer enthusiast; Song Cong (Daniel Zhou), a top student; and Qi Qi (He Qiu). From high school to university and into adulthood, they navigate life’s milestones together—celebrating joys, facing struggles, chasing dreams, and embracing change. The series explores everyday moments, first crushes, family ties, identity, and the journey to adulthood. It’s a heartwarming, nostalgic slice-of-life story about friendship and growing up, not just romance.

4. Mobius

It's Bai Jingting again... in a Groundhog Day-esque era. Detective Ding Qi is your not-so-average cop who accidentally gains the ability to time travel — but only five times a day. These aren’t infinite loops; no do-overs forever. Midnight hits, everything resets, and everyone forgets what happened… except a few unlucky (or lucky?) people called Time Cycle Perceivers who remember everything. Ding Qi uses the first four loops to gather clues, prep his moves, and try to prevent disaster on the fifth and final 'ultimate cycle day'— where the stakes are highest, the villain is smarter, and literally anything can happen.

5. The Best Thing

Shen Xi Fan, a workaholic hotel manager battling insomnia and relentless migraines, reluctantly turns to Chinese medicine doctor He Su Ye for help. Forgetful with her prescriptions and skeptical of remedies, she doesn’t expect their paths to cross beyond the clinic—but fate has other plans. Living in the same community, their encounters turn from awkward check-ins to something more. Both carrying scars from past loves, they slowly learn to let their guards down. As He Su Ye rediscovers the joys of the heart, his dedication to healing helps Shen Xi Fan not just find relief, but maybe even her perfect match.

6. Moonlight Mystique

Moonlight Mystique is a visual and emotional feast. Adapted from Bai Shuo Shang Shen (“Chasing the Moon”), it’s got immortal quests, Demon Kings, revenge plots, and a love story that literally transcends lifetimes. Bai Shuo and Fan Yue’s slow-burn romance is refreshingly healthy, built on trust, communication, and heart-melting intimacy, while the supporting characters’ backstories hit you with feels you didn’t see coming. Along with the vibrant cinematography, stunning costumes, addictive OSTs, and mind-bending plot twists, and you’ve got a drama that keeps you hooked from the first frame to the last. Love, angst, and epic visuals? Check, check, check.

7. The Glory

The Glory isn’t for the faint-hearted—but if you can handle a slow-burn, morally grey whirlwind, buckle up. Zhuang Han Yan, branded the “barefoot ghost” at birth, returns to her family after years of abuse, secrets, and trauma—and chaos, naturally, ensues. Some reviewers weren’t head-over-heels: yes, episodes 20–25 drag, some characters feel extra, and the romance is more simmer than sizzle. But, it's addictive. Revenge, scheming, slow-burn tension, and heartbreak, what more do you need?