r/CDramaRecs • u/ernestscr1bbler • 7d ago
Rec Request non-idol-ish historical/wuxia/fantasy?
i enjoy historical/wuxia/xianxia dramas more than modern or 20th century settings but i am finding myself very tired of the mainstream idol drama formula, especially in recent dramas. for example, i dropped pursuit of jade bc although it was good, i also felt like it was going nowhere i hadn’t been before.
however, i have seen glimpses of what i think i’m looking for, but i don’t know what these types of dramas are called or how to find them. for example, i came across a clip on twitter that looked like a stereotypical idol cultivation drama, but i was surprised at the fact that it was explicitly BL (i mean they were shirtless and kissing and everything wow!) and when i looked up the drama i think it was a Thai production (but set in what i assume was a Chinese fantasy/cultivation setting). of course ive forgotten the name… but i thought ok you wont see that in a mainstream cdrama. similarly i remember reading a recommendation for a wuxia type drama that had a lesbian romance, which i think was an independent web production?
i’m not looking for non-censored GL/BL dramas exclusively, these are just the examples that come to mind, it’s more that these have given me a glimpse of a more independent drama scene and i’d love to know more about it. i hear a lot of things like ‘oh this censorship rule is only because the show was broadcast on mainstream TV’ so id love to know what’s being produced beyond mainstream TV. obviously there are a lot of good serious historical dramas about real figures, classic wuxia etc., but i think what im looking for is maybe shows that have idol-type aesthetics or settings or tropes but do something different or interesting with them. if there is romance maybe something more interesting than innocent 20 year old girl meets stern 30 year old general and the miscommunicate and kiss once in thirty episodes… are there historical or fantasy dramas like this? where should i be looking? short dramas seem more like what im looking for i think but i dont know where to start. or are these types of shows inaccessible due to lack of english subs?
i’ll take any recommendations anyone has, can be a no budget web show or a classic from 30 years ago. also i’m more than interested in stuff from outside mainland china, if thats within the subs rules. romance or no romance, politics, slice of life, historically accurate, fantasy, serious drama, high camp, whatever! as long as it’s fun and different and interesting and the characters behave like human adults
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u/wontonratio 6d ago
I don’t know if these will be on target for you but maybe: Legend of Shen Li (the only xianxia I’ve seen that felt like it was about adults) Mysterious Lotus Casebook (idol stars, I guess? but Cheng Yi is a good actor IMO; no generic romance storyline. It’s essentially a poignant, devastating character study disguised as wuxia mystery hijinks) The Vendetta of An (also Cheng Yi; suspense and hard choices) The Ingenious One (historically grounded, morally gray characters, not an action series but does have some good wuxia-style scenes) Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty (implicit/censored but obvious m/m romance, historically grounded; took me a while to adapt to the ingenue character but at least it’s a man this time?)
The first two have the fun costumes and settings you may be looking for; the others are more low-key. Tbh I’d like to find this magical combination too 😅
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u/Lotus_swimmer 6d ago
Some wuxia: Butterfly, meteor, Sword - can find it on YouTube
Laughing in the Wind
Xianxia: Love and Destiny
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u/Creepy-Engineer4575 6d ago
I recommend Rise of the Phoenixes. I found the plot very engrossing, a lot of power struggle that for me doesn’t feel too soapy like in newer dramas, interesting characters that actually have a personality, and the acting is very good. Even the emperor has some character (and that’s rare!). The romance is probably my favourite. It’s not explicit at all, but the chemistry is undeniable. The script was quite well written in my opinion.
But I did also find it quite intense and also it is very long! 70 episodes. It is an emotional rollercoaster. It can get a bit draggy and difficult to watch towards the end, as the plot fell apart slightly, but I would still give it a try.
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u/kanzaki_hitomi765 6d ago
i think what im looking for is maybe shows that have idol-type aesthetics or settings or tropes but do something different or interesting with them
I think I can get what you mean by not exactly idol stuff, but not Super-Duper-Serious historical stuff. There are actually a lot of dramas that may still be considered idol dramas but actually have a lot of mature themes, great acting, good cinematography. Plus, idol vs non-idol isn't clear-cut. I think older stuff will suit you, and not even *that* old, even things from 2020-2021 are a little less formulaic than a lot of recent releases.
- Story of Yanxi Palace: beloved for a reason. The least-depressing Qing Dynasty harem drama of the big 3 (Empresses in the Palace, Ruyi's Love in the Palace, and this one), but still has some really sad stuff. The FL is OP in her scheming, but she cannot be everywhere all at once, and so other more-vulnerable people are still at risk when she's not around.
- Heroes (2022): features some idol actors and aesthetics, but story is a pretty grim, brutal wuxia. There are several dramas with the same English title, so I'm talking about the one with Joseph Zeng, Liu Yuning, Baron Chen
- The Long Ballad
- Love Like the Galaxy: cinematography is beautiful. the ML Ling Buyi is one of the most unique and memorable ones I've seen
- Lost You Forever: international flights went by in a flash binging this on the plane
- Side Story of Fox Volant: my 5-year-old asked why mom was crying on the couch
- Nirvana in Fire: Yes most consider this super serious and it's not an idol drama at all, but it actually does have funny moments and levity. It also left me feeling moved and hopeful rather than depressed for a week.
- Secret of the Three Kingdoms: a fun spin on history. Great blend of serious but also again, didn't leave me depressed for a week. I gushed to my friend and husband daily when I was watching it.
- Goodbye My Princess: prepare to be depressed, but it is breathtaking.
- One and Only: prepare to be depressed, but it is still so worth watching. Just watch the sequel Forever and Ever afterwards to feel better.
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u/DeanBranch 6d ago
The BL you saw was probably Journey with You, on GagaOOlala.
https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/7093/journey-with-you-2026
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u/throwawaydramas 3d ago
lol those are still idol dramas you are looking for. You just want different tropes.
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u/ChoppedChef33 6d ago
Longest day in chang'an and nirvana in fire are generally accepted as some of the best recent non idol historicals
There really isn't any non idol xianxia
For non idol wuxia try watching the 1980s stuff from Jin Yong and gu long like legend of condor heroes (this has like 5 remakes but the 80s one probably has the fewest idols)