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Released this year in March, Pursuit of Jade took the Chinese drama world by storm with its strong characters, intriguing plot, and intricate costume detail. The series ranked number 6 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 for Non-English TV for the week of March 9 to 15, clocking 1.9 million views and 34.2 million hours viewed.
As a result, Pursuit of Jade became the first mainland Chinese drama ever to appear on Netflix’s weekly chart. If its blend of a fierce female lead, slow-burn romance, and high-stakes wartime drama left you hungry for more, here are five Chinese dramas that have ranked globally on Netflix.
1. The First Frost (2025)
- Director: Qu Youning
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Plot: The First Frost follows Wen Yifan, a reporter who unexpectedly encounters her high school classmate Sang Yan at a bar after six years. Years ago, Wen Yifan had rejected Sang Yan, and they have not spoken since. To avoid the awkwardness, the two pretend not to know each other. However, fate intervenes when they become roommates. As their relationship blossoms, she finally confides in him about the reasons behind her past actions. Deeply moved, Sang Yan vows to protect her and help her overcome the shadows of her past.
Before its release, the series received over 8 million reservations on Youku and surpassed 1 billion views across Douyin and Xiaohongshu. It topped Netflix’s official 2025 list of most-watched Chinese-language dramas, with an impressive 6.1 million views, making it the platform’s number one-performing Chinese drama globally. On February 27, 2025, it was ranked 6th in Netflix’s Top TV Shows Worldwide and set the record for the highest-ranked C-drama in Netflix’s global daily ranking history.
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2. Hidden Love (2023)
- Director: Li Qingrong
- IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Plot: Hidden Love is a 2023 Chinese television drama based on the Chinese web novel “Secretly, Secretly; But Unable to Hide It” by Zhu Yi. The series revolves around Sang Zhi, a young girl who develops a crush on Duan Jiaxu, her older brother’s best friend. Despite the initial infatuation, their relationship naturally progresses, blossoming into genuine love. The series has been praised for the strong on-screen chemistry between its leads, which many critics and viewers say gives the central romance authenticity and emotional depth. It is also directly connected to The First Frost: while Hidden Love focuses on the love story of Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, The First Frost follows Sang Zhi’s older brother, Sang Yan, making the two shows companion pieces set in the same universe.
3. Perfect Match (2025)
- Director: Yang Huan
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Plot: Perfect Match follows a widow, Madame Li, who relocates her family to a new city and takes on her greatest challenge: finding suitable matches for her five spirited daughters. Set in Imperial China’s Song Dynasty, the series offers lavish period aesthetics, ensemble storytelling, and a lighter comedic touch that balances its more emotionally grounded moments. It ranked third on Netflix’s official 2025 list of most-watched Chinese-language dramas, with 3 million views globally. The series was produced by Huanyu Entertainment and debuted exclusively and globally on Netflix.
4. When I Fly Towards You (2023)
- Director: Mao Deshu
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Plot: When I Fly Towards You is based on the web novel She’s a Little Crazy by Zhu Yi and follows Su Zai-zai, a cheerful transfer student who falls in love at first sight with the cool, aloof Zhang Lu-rang on her first day of school. Behind his seemingly outstanding academic performance and privileged family background, he appears confident on the outside yet constantly doubts himself on the inside.
It landed in sixth place on Netflix’s official 2025 list of most-watched Chinese-language dramas, with 2.1 million views, proving that nostalgic school love stories continue to have wide global appeal. The series is written by the same author as Hidden Love and The First Frost. It shares the same emotional DNA and is considered the strongest adaptation of Zhu Yi’s work in how it handles its second-couple storyline.
5. The Double (2024)
- Director: Yin Tao
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Plot: The Double is based on the web novel Marriage of Di Daughter by Qian Shan Cha Ke. After being buried alive by her own husband, Xue Fangfei survives, assumes a dead noblewoman’s identity, and returns to the capital with one goal: revenge. The cold and calculating Duke of Su, Xiao Heng, becomes her unlikely ally, though his motivations slowly reveal themselves to be far more personal. The series ranked consistently on Netflix’s global non-English TV Top 10 during its 2024 run and became one of the most-discussed Chinese period dramas of the year for its sharp writing, a fiercely compelling female lead, and a slow-burn central romance that builds with patience and emotional precision.
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