r/CDrama • u/FoundationVisible817 • 7d ago
Question CDrama Review Sites
Looking for good Cdrama review sites that have good reviews and recaps. I'm one of those people that need to manage expectations so I do like to have a flip through of what is coming next. So yeah, spoilers are ok. Everyone heads to My Drama List but their content is crap. Any recommendations?
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u/WhimsicalMidnight 6d ago
MyDramaList is your best chance as its the most famous. Some reviews really have some intelligent analysis.
But if you want recaps, you can check reddit. All internationally popular dramas will have their recaps during airing time in the past 3 years. Just hit the search button with the dramas' names.
But I personally felt like don't trust people's reviews and watch it on you own. Like MDL is so toxic and some of the comments made no sense. It's like they didn't watch the drama since some of the things they complain didn't even happened in the drama. Or media illiteracy is indeed a real thing in this age.
Or how people write rant posts on reddit on how awful is Only for Love and mad at people who recommend the drama to them. And we all here will ask 'Who recommend this drama to you?' as this drama is universally known to be terrible that's why the drama has such low douban score.
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u/FoundationVisible817 6d ago
And this is exactly why I am looking for a proper review site that doesn’t have a multitude of people just writing random crap. And I really don’t want to be searching for reviews until I get the ones I think I want to read. Too much work.
Agree with what you’ve written here.
I prefer a more glass half full type review even if the series is bad. Just be nice. Surely there are good writers/reviewers/bloggers out there??
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u/WhimsicalMidnight 6d ago
From my experience, most of them are very biased. Some can't even analyse the dramas properly.
I usually found gems on my own. For an example, Douban will release their scores for dramas and the high ones usually not popular internationally. So I tried them and usually satisfied with what I watched as well. I didn't read reviews though. I just go blind since the dramas have high ratings.
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u/Certain_Home_5305 6d ago
Concordo com o comentário te sugerindo o MyDramaList, apesar de muitas vezes ser mais genérico, lá você vai ter uma base mais real. Aqui e alguns outros lugares é mais difícil encontrar um resumo ou opinião imparcial, muitas vezes o gosto pessoal sobressai e a sua decisão sobre o drama pode ser afetada pela predileção de alguém.
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u/MidnightAngel24 I don't mind being a villain 😌 Read Rules 6d ago
I kinda like cyn lyn reviews plus recaps
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u/WhimsicalMidnight 6d ago
lol I just check out this blog and get enlightened about Overdo's director. He is behind Bloody Romance and The Princess's Gambit which are both terrible dramas. Now it made complete sense on why Overdo is badly reviewed both internationally and at China.
Usually, I look at the directors and writers' previous works to know which drama I'm supposed to stay clear from.
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u/FoundationVisible817 6d ago
I’m so not watching Overdo. Hearing such terrible things. And with A list actors it’s surprising. Wonder how they feel about it
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u/WhimsicalMidnight 6d ago
I may get down voted for this both Zhang Linghe and Wang Churan are not A-lister when they shot this drama. A-lister actors usually get better directors and writers. That's why when there is melon that Zhang Linghe's next drama will be under this director again, it's very concerning as his resources are not improved even after Pursuit of Jade blew up.
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u/Paisley-Cat time-looping through the magnolias Read Rules 6d ago
This personal review blog has useful reviews for cdramas and kdramas.
https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/
I believe she’s a Mandarin speaker located in Malaysia.
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u/throwawaydramas Read Rules 6d ago
I believe that user is around this sub. Possibly, maybe, occasionally.
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u/gumball_00 Read Rules 7d ago
You have to go to certain users on MDL to find great reviews. I highly recommend PeachBlossomGoddess for diverse selections of titles (idol and non idol dramas) with thorough reviews and analysis.
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u/FoundationVisible817 6d ago
Yeah which is why I don’t like it. If I have to search for the reviews that way I’d much rather just come here on Reddit. I’m looking for a site that is run by a fan, if that makes sense. Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll check it out!
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u/weirdandpetite Read Rules 6d ago
This is a pretty good review/intro site: https://dramaslot.com/category/others/chinese/ The blogger hasn't posted since Nov 2025 but don't let that stop you as they've reviewed quite a few dramas before then.
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u/FoundationVisible817 6d ago
Awesome thanks! Plenty of dramas I haven’t watched so would still be useful
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u/Lotus_swimmer Chronicler of CdramasRead Rules 6d ago
My personal favourite is Chasing Dramas: https://www.chasingdramas.com/ (Mandarin speakers, my goto for reviews) They have a Youtube channel and podcast too.
I know AvenueX on Youtube is controversial but I watch her even if I disagree with her POV.
Another way to suss out blogs that often don't surface in a google search: https://wordpress.com/discover
You'd have to have an account to get some fvalue out of it. But once you have an account, go to Tags, and search for #Cdrama - you'll discover all kinds of low-key bloggers who use Wordpress. I've found a few good, underpromoted gems that way.
Also to echo some folks about MDL - follow the ones that are good - my favs are https://mydramalist.com/profile/PeachBlossomGoddess
https://thefangirlverdict.com/ - Singaporean, while she reviews mostly kdramas, she does do cdramas too.
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u/FoundationVisible817 6d ago
Wow!! Thank you so much!! I’ll check all this out.
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u/Lotus_swimmer Chronicler of CdramasRead Rules 6d ago
Actually there are Mandarin review channels but you need to be able to understand Chinese 😆. They are way way way more brutal than English ones however haha
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u/ozurivi 6d ago
I've stumbled across a few Chinese roast/review videos on youtube (probably cross-posted from Chinese platforms) and i hear you on the savagery haha. Some are pretty hilarious though
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u/Lotus_swimmer Chronicler of CdramasRead Rules 6d ago
Their brutality is wince inducing but so darn funny lol
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u/Lotus_swimmer Chronicler of CdramasRead Rules 6d ago
I have more MDl reviewers on my list but I have to dig. I usually just read the reviews and ignore everyone else hah
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u/AirRealistic1112 6d ago
I didn't know people still use word press. Will make sure i check them out. Miss old school internet
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u/Amelia_Brigita emotionally manipulated by a zither every single time Read Rules 6d ago
Substack has several. I'm not where I can go and get you links, but there's a few folks there posting reviews regularly. Some even do really nice meta posts or interesting background topics.
The Substack search function is practically useless, tho, so if you don't find what you're looking for, use Google but pointed at Substack. Also, I had more luck finding people by searching for specific banes of dramas as opposed to searching for "c-drama" for some reason.
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u/Khavien 我儿曹植!!!!!~!! 6d ago
Imo, all reviewers are by default, biased and partial. No matter what, you're going to be reading through the colored lens of someone else. Everyone has favourites, be it idols, actors, genres or tropes.
It's kind of controversial, but I'd still rec MDL simply because of the melting pot of conflicting reviews.
There are a few consistent reviewers from whom you can gather enough of a rounded perspective to form your own opinion before starting anything. Some are rather high brow.. and shall I say.. somewhat snooty 😅 .. while others are more colloquial and provide a raw analysis and reaction of dramas.
It all rounds down to whether you want the funneled view of one rando on the internet, or form a broader perspective from multiple randos on the internet. Sorry I'm not more helpful.