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| Douyin Reveals This Year’s Certified Hit Dramas |
Each year, the platform crowns a set of series with the title “爆款陆剧” (literally “explosive-hit C-dramas”), and in 2025, only five shows have earned that honour so far.
Unlike streaming platforms, Douyin isn’t tallying up how many episodes you’ve binged.
Instead, it counts the tidal wave of content a drama inspires: official clips, trailers, behind-the-scenes goodies, and of course, those creative fan edits that end up reshaping the internet’s love affair with the characters.
If a drama hits over 100 billion cumulative views and manages to pull in a real-time popularity index above 300 million, it gets stamped as a certified Douyin sensation.
This is where virality now rivals traditional ratings — if the buzz is strong on Douyin, the drama’s impact goes way beyond living room screens.
The Big Five Certified Smash Hits of 2025
Here’s the line-up of this year’s officially recognised Douyin juggernauts:
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The First Frost (难哄) – Zhang Ruonan & Bai Jingting’s latest project proving romance can still break records.
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This Thriving Land (生万物) – Yang Mi leads this visually rich tale that’s got viewers glued to their phones.
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Legend of Zang Hai (藏海传) – Xiao Zhan (with Zhang Jingyi) carries yet another epic, and clearly, the fans can’t get enough.
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Moonlight Mystique (白月梵星) – Bai Lu spins magic and heartache in a fantasy favourite (also starring Ao Ruipeng)
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Six Sisters (六姊妹) – Mei Ting heads a multi-generational family saga that found its wings on short video.
All of them stormed past the 100 billion view mark on Douyin and kept trending with live popularity scores above 300 million. Not bad for a year that’s only partway through.
The All-Time Douyin Champs
But the story doesn’t end there.
Chinese netizens have also been ranking the all-time heavyweights — dramas that achieved the biggest view totals on Douyin since the trend took off.
The results show just how diverse audience tastes really are.
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#10 Mysterious Lotus Casebook (莲花楼) – 206B views. Cheng Yi and Zeng Shunxi’s wuxia detective story.
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#9 Always on the Move (南来北往) – 224B views. A nostalgic 1970s train-world drama with Bai Jingting.
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#8 Destined (墨雨云间) – 251B views. Wu Jinyan’s revenge drama that stormed 2024.
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#7 The Legend of Shen Li (与凤行) – 280B views. Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin in a xianxia romance.
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#6 Lost You Forever (长相思) Season 1 – 287B views. Yang Zi’s fantasy of loyalty, betrayal, and love.
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#5 Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (永夜星河) – 306B views. Esther Yu Shuxin’s meta-fantasy romp.
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#4 Joy of Life 2 (庆余年 第二季) – 307B views. Political intrigue done with flair in a much-anticipated sequel.
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#3 Till the End of the Moon (长月烬明) – 316B views. Luo Yunxi and Bai Lu’s tragic love story.
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#2 The Tale of Rose (玫瑰的故事) – 451B views. Liu Yifei’s dazzling performance sealed this as an instant modern classic.
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#1 The Knockout (狂飙) – A jaw-dropping 943B views. Zhang Yi and Zhang Songwen’s crime saga didn’t just trend — it dominated, leaving every other series in the dust.
The so-called “Douyin Certified Hit Dramas” are more than just numbers.
They show how short-video culture is reshaping the entertainment industry.
A drama might do decently on TV or streaming platforms, but if it sparks a fan-edit craze on Douyin, it can blow up overnight.
Virality has become the new currency of success, and those Chinese dramas are proving just how powerful that currency can be.