Alongside K-dramas, slow-motion scenes and coffee foam kisses might give you the impression that modern Chinese dramas are over-the-top and dramatic, but that’s not always true. In fact, slice-of-life C-dramas can be your best companion when it feels like there’s no one who can truly understand you. Instead of building toward a single cathartic climax, these shows focus on ordinary characters going about their business and daily rituals, who often insert themselves into each others’ lives in a good way.
From “Meet Yourself’ to “In Between”, here are some of the best slice-of-life C-dramas that will not only speak to you, but also tug at your heartstrings.
Will Love in Spring (2024)
“Will Love in Spring” follows Chen Mai Dong (Li Xian), who, after life-altering events, swaps his rebellious life to become a funeral makeup artist. Meanwhile, after a car accident changes her whole life, Zhuang Jie (Zhou Yu Tong), a disabled but successful medical salesperson, pushes herself forward to a high-flying corporate job. The pair, who first met in high school, reunite as adults, with the show delving into their relationship and themes of life and death.
The Ordinary Glory (2020)
A remake of the K-drama “Misaeng: Incomplete Life”, “The Ordinary Glory” is a depiction of real-life struggles that people have to go through at work on a daily basis. It follows the story of Wu Ke Zhi (Mark Chao) and the new intern, Sun Li Qiu (Bai Jingting). Ke Zhi finds himself entangled in office politics and is unable to ride the corporate ladder. Li Qiu, on the other hand, looks up to him and considers him his mentor.
Light Beyond the Reed (2025)
“Light Beyond the Reed” centers on Ye Si Bei (Mao Xiao Tong), an ordinary woman whose life unravels after a traumatic incident, and the emotional fallout that affects her and her husband, Qin Nan (Vin Zhang). It explores the significant psychological and emotional distress the incident causes Si Bei, including her fear, shame, and hesitation to report the crime. It also delves into the long and difficult road to recovery for both her and Qin Nan.
To the Wonder (2024)
Set in China’s remote northwest, “To The Wonder” follows the journey of Li Wen Xiu (Zhou Yi Ran), a young woman from Altay who is forced to move back to her hometown after failing to establish herself as a professional writer in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. As she readjusts to life in her hometown, she comes to appreciate the prefecture and the people’s resilience and reverence for nature.
Meet Yourself (2023)
“Meet Yourself” follows Xu Hong Dou (Liu Yi Fei), a young woman who works at a luxurious hotel in Beijing, following her best friend’s unexpected cancer diagnosis and subsequent passing, decides to take a break from her job and the city to understand the true meaning and purpose of life. She establishes herself in Yunnan Province in a village named Yunmiao. There, she meets Xie Zhi Yao (Li Xian), an entrepreneur who works hard to transform his village.
Go Ahead (2020)
“Go Ahead” revolves around three non blood-related kids who became each other’s family. Ling Xiao (Song Wei Long), He Zi Qiu (Zhang Xin Cheng), and Li Jian Jian (Tang Song Yun) grow up together, experiencing life’s joy and strife as they support each other’s chosen paths. As Ling Xiao and Zi Qiu graduate from high school, they return to their original families. Nine years later, the three are reunited, but the heartaches from their complicated family past becomes a shadow that constantly lingers.
Northward (2025)
Set during the ‘00s, “Northward” is a coming-of-age that follows the adventures of six childhood friends whose friendship withstands the ebb and flow of time as life takes them from their simple life alongside the Grand Canal to the bustling metropolis of Beijing and then back home together again. It captures the essence of an era while reflecting on the universal themes of growth, resilience, and self-discovery.
Born to Run (2024)
“Born to Run” tells the story of two mothers and daughters who try to rebuild their souls and families after meeting with a tragedy through a female perspective.Two sisters, Zhao Xiu Fang (Xu Di) and Zhao Xiu Li (Chen Xiao Yi), are both middle-aged women who are also single parents. Xiu Fang, as the older sibling, has a happy, easy-going and relaxed personality, in contrast to her younger sibling, Xiu Li, who always manages and interferes strictly in her children’s affairs. The show touches on love, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
In Between (2024)
“In Between” tells a story about three modern girls dealing in their search for identity and love. It’s an exploration on the complexities of relationships, humans’ need for companionship, and their varied views on what ‘love’ means. Unlike “traditional” romance dramas, the show challenges the norm with characters betraying their partners, having affairs, and even being the third party.
Romance in the Alley (2024)
“Romance in the Alley” tells the story of a pair of women who, after fighting tooth and nail to secure employee housing for their family from the Suzhou Cotton Textile Factory in 1970s Jiangsu province, become neighbours and best friends. It highlights the evolving roles of women as they navigate the challenges of family, society, and personal growth during China’s golden era of economic reform.
