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| January 2026 Chinese Dramas: Modern Romance, Fantasy, Historical and More (All photo credits go to the respective platforms and Weibo) |
January 2026 is shaping up to be one of the busiest months ever for Chinese dramas, with romance, fantasy, historical epics, mystery, workplace stories, and modern youth dramas all lining up to premiere.
From long-delayed heavyweights finally locking in dates to fresh titles gaining strong release momentum, January 2026's C-drama slate is packed with high-profile casts, diverse genres, and serious binge potential, making it a must-watch period for drama fans worldwide.
Most Anticipated C-Dramas Coming in January 2026
Romance, fantasy, mystery, history, workplace, comedy — January 2026 is stacked. Some titles slipped from earlier months, others are strong rumours. Dates can still move, even for officially announced series. Here’s the most solid line-up to watch.
Swords Into Plowshares (太平年)
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Cast: Bai Yu, Zhou Yutong, Zhu Yawen, Yu Haoming
Premiere: 15 January | Platform: iQIYI, Tencent Video, Mango TV
Synopsis: Set amid dynastic turmoil, a reluctant royal grows into leadership, forges historic alliances, and faces the choice between war and unity as the Northern Song rises. Power, duty, and peace collide.
Love Between Lines (轧戏)
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Cast: Lu Yuxiao, Chen Xingxu
Premiere: 9 January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A grounded romance laced with mystery. Dreams clash with reality as secrets surface, trust is tested, and love grows through hard choices, betrayals, and quiet hope.
Veil of Shadows
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Cast: Ju Jingyi, Joseph Zeng Shunxi, Chen Duling, Tian Jiarui
Premiere: 14 January | Platform: Youku
Synopsis: A poetic retelling of the face-changing spirit legend. Love and obsession blur within a dark, symbolic world, driven by intense emotions and striking visuals.
The City Maker
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Cast: Zanilia Zhao Liying, Huang Xiaoming
Premiere: 10 January | Platform: CCTV-8, MGTV
Synopsis: In the 1980s, visionary officials lead farmers to build a modern city from scratch. Reform, grit, and belief turn impossible ideas into a real urban miracle.
Born to Be Alive
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Cast: Yang Zi, Hu Ge, Li Guangjie, Zhang Zhehua
Premiere: 29 January | Platform: CCTV-8
Synopsis: A mountain patrol team protects Qinghai’s highlands. Courage, loss, and love shape a young policewoman’s journey as she fights to preserve both nature and peace.
Love Has Fireworks
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Cast: Wang Churan, Tan Jianci
Premiere: 26 January | Platform: Tencent Video
Synopsis: Two wounded adults with opposite views on love end up living together. From sharp clashes to steady growth, they rebuild life, career, and trust on their own terms.
Fate Chooses You
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Cast: Allen Ren Jialun, Wang Herun
Premiere: 3 January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: Ancient clans, broken contracts, and reborn hope. A fated pair forms an unexpected bond to face divine trials and rewrite destiny across six looming calamities.
The Eternal Fragrance
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Cast: Ju Jingyi, Song Weilong
Premiere: Jan–Feb (after Veil of Shadows) | Platform: Youku
Synopsis: A mystical fruit sparks war among realms. Love grows through trials as hidden origins awaken, forcing a heroine to choose sacrifice to restore balance.
Love For You
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Cast: Song Weilong, Zhang Jingyi
Premiere: January | Platform: Mango TV
Synopsis: From the 1990s to the present, two souls separated by tragedy reunite. Old wounds resurface, but forgiveness and enduring love offer a second chance.
King of Comedy
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Cast: Yang Chaoyue, Jiang Long, Zhang Chi, Jiang Shimeng, Li Chuan
Premiere: January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: In a coastal village, a local girl and a struggling actor rally villagers to revive their home. Laughter, hustle, and heart collide in modern rural life.
Kan De Jian Feng Jing De Chuang (看得见风景的窗/English Title TBA)
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Cast: Sophie Zhang Xueying, Gao Zhiting
Premiere: January | Platform: CCTV-1
Synopsis: A warm pastoral drama portraying rural revitalisation through everyday lives, shared growth, and the quiet joy of building prosperity together.
Sweetest Rebellion
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Cast: Xu Ruohan, Daniel Zhou Keyu
Premiere: Late January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A sharp businesswoman mentors an overlooked young man in ancient times. Together, they challenge rigid class rules and rise through courage and grit.
The Inner Eye
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Cast: Xin Zhilei, Lin Yushen, Zhang Yishang, Wang Zirui, Zheng Xiyi
Premiere: 27 January | Platform: Mango TV
Synopsis: A top lawyer and her boss clash through marriage, cases, and morals. Each case probes the balance between human ties and the law in modern Shenzhen.
Limitless Skies
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Cast: Bambi Zhu Xudan, Yin Zheng, Wang Xueyin, Wang Mengli
Premiere: 23 January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: Thrown into a cultivation world, a determined youth defies fate. Betrayal, ancient powers, and epic battles shape a relentless quest back home.
Win or Die
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Cast: Jing Boran, Wu Xingjian, Zhang Yifan, Ming Dao
Premiere: 8 January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A historical thriller centred on the Ming dynasty’s night guards. Espionage, survival, and loyalty define those who protect borders in the dark.
A Decade of Nightscape Lights
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Cast: Zhou Yiran, Bao Shangen, Wan Peng, Li Yunrui, Fan Jingyi
Premiere: January | Platform: Tencent Video, WeTV
Synopsis: A martial world shaped by jealousy and bloodshed. A young cultivator uncovers truths behind legends while generations chase light in endless night.
The Mo (The Heir)
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Cast: Yang Zi, Elvis Han Dongjun, Wu Mian
Premiere: January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A fallen ink-making clan fights back. Talent, rivalry, and trade wars drive a young woman to restore her family’s legacy to the top.
The Golden Hairpin
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Cast: Yang Zi, Chen Zheyuan, Peng Guanying
Premiere: Late Jan / Early Feb | Platform: Tencent Video, WeTV
Synopsis: A teenage prodigy accused of murder goes undercover to solve crimes. One golden hairpin leads to secrets, curses, and a fight to clear her name.
The Sales (The Harmonious Night)
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Cast: Jiang Shuying, Tong Dawei, Zhang Chao
Premiere: January | Platform: Tencent Video, WeTV
Synopsis: A lavish banquet triggers a survival crisis at a winery. Seven figures reveal ambition, fear, and resilience amid rising tension.
A Sudden Love
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Cast: Oliver Chen Xingxu, Wang Yuwen
Premiere: Late January | Platform: Tencent Video
Synopsis: A modern romance streamer lands inside a 1999 novel. To return home, she must win a cold CEO’s heart—only to fall for real.
Obstinately
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Cast: Sun Li, Wu Kangren
Premiere: Late January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A romance-mystery exploring obsession, choice, and emotional endurance as two complex adults confront truth and desire.
The Whimsical Return
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Cast: Zhang Yunlong, Zhang Jianing, Wen Junhui, Zhao Zhaoyi, Su Jinyan
Premiere: Early January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: Reborn as a low-rank official, a former hero navigates state crises, family, and love to restore peace with wit and resolve.
Born With Luck
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Cast: Tian Xiwei, Lawrence Wang Xiao, Wang Chuanjun
Premiere: January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: A veteran detective uncovers deep corruption with help from unlikely thieves. Crime, chance, and justice intertwine.
Touch
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Cast: Cai Wenjing, Chen Jingke, Zhao Yibo, Lu Xiaoyu, Xu Shengjin, Zheng Xuhang
Premiere: January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: Past and present collide when a director revisits her university days. Healing, growth, and brave choices reshape love.
Our Dazzling Days
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Cast: Johnny Huang Jingyu, Guan Xiaotong, Xu Ruohan, Wang Tianchen
Premiere: January | Platform: iQIYI
Synopsis: Friends from the 1990s reunite after years apart to rebuild their hometown. Youthful dreams mature into responsibility and purpose.
Lady Liberty
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Cast: Tiffany Tang Yan, Mark Chao
Premiere: Jan–Feb | Platform: Tencent Video, WeTV
Synopsis: An independent urban woman seeks genuine love without compromise. Growth in career and heart leads to a mature romance.
Subject to change. Any additions will be made here.
January 2026 looks seriously packed, from big-scale history to cosy romance and bold fantasy. Which one’s at the top of your watchlist — or did we miss a sleeper hit you’re quietly waiting for? Let’s compare notes..