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| 2025 Douyin Drama Buzz: These 10 Chinese Series Racked Up the Most Views (Pics: Weibo/Youku/iQIYI/MGTV/WeTV) |
Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) continues to shape what’s hot — and what’s not — in the world of Chinese drama. From January to June 2025, a number of standout titles dominated the platform with staggering view counts.
This mid-year chart reflects more than just popularity — it highlights what today’s short-video viewers crave: fast-paced tension, on-screen chemistry, aesthetic cinematography, and bite-sized moments perfect for sharing. From viral romantic pairings to jaw-dropping cliffhangers, these dramas managed to leave a digital footprint that goes far beyond their initial broadcast.
🔥 Tier 1: The Viral Kings
1️⃣ The First Frost (难哄) – 233.7 billion views
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Adapted from Zhu Yi’s best-selling novel, The First Frost claimed the top spot with its winning formula: a visually harmonious lead pairing (Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan), a “healing romance” premise, and modern visuals designed to appeal to both local and international audiences — including a strong run on Netflix. The success underscores the enduring power of romantic chemistry in a digital-first market.
2️⃣ Moonlight Mystique (白月梵星) – 186 billion views
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Led by Bai Lu, this xianxia fantasy divided opinion — some critics labelled it derivative, yet audiences couldn’t resist the triple-star casting of Bai Lu, Zhao Lusi, and Yu Shuxin. What really lit up Douyin, however, was the unexpected secondary romance: Dai Luwa’s rebellious “demon girl” pulling the righteous Chang Huasen into forbidden love. The high-contrast relationship and fantasy aesthetics proved perfect for edits and fan cuts.
3️⃣ Flourished Peony (国色芳华) – 163.7 billion views
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💎 Tier 2: Quality + Buzz
4️⃣ Legend of Zang Hai (藏海传) – 125.4 billion views
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A return to grandeur for Xiao Zhan, this costume-political epic mixed court intrigue with understated emotional tension. Zhang Jingyi’s performance as the female lead helped anchor the drama’s quiet complexity, while smart pacing kept both core fans and casual viewers engaged across repeat viewings.
5️⃣ Six Sisters (六姊妹) – 116.6 billion views
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A generational saga with emotional heft, Six Sisters starred Mei Ting and Lu Yi in a heartfelt portrayal of family, sacrifice, and survival across changing eras. Unlike flashier series, it resonated deeply with older Douyin users and fans of legacy dramas, proving that quiet storytelling still has a place in the short-video race.
6️⃣ A Better Life (蛮好的人生) – 98.7 billion views
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Sun Li returned in top form as a powerful insurance executive seeking justice. This corporate revenge drama combined strong dialogue, sleek visuals, and female ambition — a recipe that clicked with white-collar viewers and fans of “smart woman” narratives. Sharply cut confrontation scenes became viral staples.
🌟 Tier 3: Niche Breakouts & Word-of-Mouth Wins
7️⃣ Perfect Match (五福临门) – 98.4 billion views
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A chaotic, trope-packed romantic comedy from Yu Zheng that featured five couples — all mismatched, all messy. Whether it was age-gap pairings or rivals-to-lovers arcs, this drama offered endless shipping material. While critics weren’t universally kind, Douyin embraced the chaos.
8️⃣ Guardians of the Dafeng (大奉打更人) – 93.3 billion views
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A male-led time-travel fantasy driven by action and eccentric humour. Despite mixed reviews, Wang Hedi’s performance struck a chord with younger viewers. Over-the-top plot twists, surreal humour, and a cliffhanger ending made it perfect for short-form adaptation — and calls for a sequel have grown louder.
9️⃣ The Glory (雁回时) – 91.2 billion views
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This rebirth revenge drama wasn’t a ratings juggernaut at first, but its cinematic visuals and morally grey romance quietly gained traction. Period aesthetics combined with intense emotional arcs made it a prime candidate for Douyin’s visual-focused audience. A sleeper hit turned cult favourite.
🔟 The Demon Hunter’s Romance (无忧渡) – 82.1 billion views
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With folklore undertones and poetic atmosphere, Ren Jialun and Song Zuer’s drama offered something different. At a respectable 7.5 on Douban, it drew praise for mood-setting and emotional depth. Its blend of eerie tone and visual beauty ensured steady short-video engagement and loyal rewatchers.
📌 The Douyin Drama Formula: More Than Just Star Power
This top ten list confirms that success on Douyin requires more than just high production values or a recognisable cast. The following elements consistently emerged across the most-viewed dramas:
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Chemistry-rich pairings — especially those that align with romantic tropes or tension-heavy dynamics.
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Sharp conflict and drama — short-video viewers prefer moments with impact, whether emotional or dramatic.
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Strong aesthetic appeal — whether period or modern, dramas that “look good in 15 seconds” do better.
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Edit-ready content — scenes that can be recontextualised, meme-ified, or set to trending audio perform best.
Interestingly, some high-budget titles such as The Prisoner of Beauty (折腰), despite achieving 63 billion views, fell short of the top 10. This highlights the evolving dynamics of online drama consumption — where virality, not just scale, is the new benchmark.
As the second half of 2025 unfolds, all eyes will be on which upcoming dramas can replicate — or reinvent — the Douyin formula.