Some dramas you watch. Others you feel for weeks afterwards. Chinese dramas have a particular gift for the second kind: Stories that pull you in with gorgeous visuals and sharp writing, then wreck you with loyalty, longing and second chances. This list covers a lot of ground, from the court intrigue and sacrifice of Nirvana in Fire to the messy, grown-up workplace romance of The Early Spring, with a few sweeter picks to balance the heartbreak. Whether you’re after epic stakes or slow-burn love, these five are worth every hour, and every tissue. Keep a box nearby, in case.
1) Nirvana in Fire
If Game of Thrones had swapped the dragons for a sickly scholar who wins every fight with a cup of tea and a well-timed raised eyebrow, you’d get Nirvana in Fire. Hu Ge plays Mei Changsu, a frail strategist hailed by the all-knowing Langya Hall as the talent who can hand any prince the throne. He shows up in the capital of Great Liang, and suddenly the Crown Prince and Prince Yu are falling over each other to recruit him. Mei Changsu smiles, lets them both think they’re in with a chance, and plays them off against each other like a cat with two mice.
