When you think of Chinese comedy dramas, you often think of the overdramatic, fantasy-fighting romances that create the drama. However, plenty of comedies among all those dramas deserve some spotlight. Some are on this list for their excellent characters and plot. Others are bad but still managed to make me laugh.
I recommend you check them out before coming up with your own opinions. If there is one comedy-drama on here you like, but I didn’t, great! Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Got it? Good! Let’s begin.
Go Ahead (2020)
As we grow up, we choose our family and friends. That is the case for our leading trio, who become their own family to compensate for the dysfunctional biological ones. Ling Xiao (played by Song Weilong) becomes the eldest brother of He Ziqiu (played by Steven Zhang) and Li Jianjian (played by Tan Song Yun). However, the trio separates after Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu graduate high school. When they reunite five years later, things are not the same.
First, on this list, we have a heart-warming drama about adopting a family and becoming better because of the people around you. The trio is so relatable, with live just throwing hurdles at them. Even the parents are dysfunctional but relatable to real life. There are a lot of comedic moments resonating from hilarious and relatable moments. Did we mention this is one of the most relatable dramas on this list?
Boss and Me (2014)
What would you do to save your sister? Feng Teng (played by Hans Zhang) is the heir to a conglomerate. His sister Feng Yue (played by Zhang Yang Guo’er) has a rare blood type and needs regular blood donations. Feng Tang then finds Shan Shan (played by Zhao Liying), who is a match. He gives her a job and keeps tabs on her. Slowly, he begins falling in love with her. However, other people disagree and try to break the couple up. This romantic comedy is an adaptation of the novel Shan Shan Comes to Eat by Gu Man.
Can we stop love triangles? Seriously, just find something else to break the couple up other than an old childhood friend and jealous best friend. I’m looking at you, Yuan Lishu (played by Li Chengyuan) and Zheng Qi (played by Huang Ming). Besides that annoying plot hole, this is a comedy series that topped the charts for a reason. It is hilarious! The comedy revolves around Feng Teng’s attempts to fatten up Shan Shan (who is a glutton). There’s also good characterization for the main leads and great chemistry, which sucks us into the main character’s stories.
My Amazing Boyfriend (2016)
Let’s get supernatural for this next one! An adaptation of the novel of the same name by Shui Qianmo, the plot revolves around an alien over 500 years old called Xue Ling Qiao (played by Kim Tae Hwan). For the last century, Xue Ling Qiao was in a deep sleep. He is awakened when B-List actress Tian Jing Zhi (played by Janice Wu) is involved in a car crash. He saves her life; on this condition, he will now live with her and learn to pass as a human under her guidance. Perhaps their meeting was no mere coincidence after all.
Most of the comedy comes from Xue Ling Qiao. Kim Tae Hwan plays this fish-out-of-water character very well. This c-drama focuses on humor rather than romance. Janice Wu plays her character well, with Tian Jing Zhi being so naïve and almost as odd as our male lead. However, one thing that gets repetitive is the damsel in distress trope. Tian Jing Zhu always needs to be rescued, which can get highly annoying. Was the romance necessary? No. But, for comedy, this is a drama we recommend.
My Girl (2020)
Due to a traumatic car crash, Meng Hui (played by Li Jia Qi) developed dissociative identity disorder. Now, as an indie owner of a small cosmetic company, she bumps paths with Shen Yi (played by Zhao Yi Qin). He is the CEO of a large cosmetic company and discovers Meng Hui possesses a unique foundation that could revolutionize the makeup industry. So, when one of her alters proclaims him as her boyfriend, Shen Yi goes along with it to get that product. However, things get more complex in true c-drama style when Shen Yi falls in love with Meng Hui.
First, major props go to Li Jia Qi for her actions throughout the series. Whilst it is funny when she switches alter in many scenarios; however, she also plays the heart-breaking moments excellently. This is a drama where the less you know, the better. The comedy, the character development, the bromance between the male lead and his best friend, and the core message of beauty within is done brilliantly. Also, the male information does a fantastic job of trying to help Meng Hui through her illness. Don’t watch this at 2 AM if you don’t want to be evicted.
Home With Kids (2005)
Talk about a legendary sitcom. Two families merge into one when a divorced father with his two children returns from the USA to marry a single mother of one son. The series details the lives of this merged family. The two parents, Xia Donghai and Liu Mei (played by Gao Yalin and Song Dandan) have different techniques to raise their three children, Xia Xue, Xia Yu, and Liu Xing (played by Andy Yang, You Haoran, and Zhang Yishan).
With its basis in US sitcoms, there are many things in this drama that you will not find in other c-dramas. Of course, the series ran for four seasons and tackles how these characters grow and deal with life’s challenges. Each character is hilarious in their way. From the clash between Xia Donghai’s modern parenting style to Liu Mei’s traditional point of view to the bickering grandparents and the children’s antics, you will laugh and cry at this sitcom.
Perfect Couple (2014)
We travel back to the Ming Dynasty for this one. Jin Yuan Bao (played by Wallace Huo) is a detective investigating an emerging kidnapping ring. On his journey, he meets Yu Qi Ling (played by Tiffany Tang) on a mission to search for her adoptive mother’s missing son. When the two discover their goals are connected, they team up.
This is one of the best pairings on this list regarding comedy duos. Wallace Huo and Tiffany Tang play off one another so well, with their endless bickering. However, this sometimes gets into the plot (finding the kidnapping ring). However, when things flare up between the two, the comedy takes a sidestep from the romance. Some dramatic moments perfectly showcase this cast’s talents. It’s one of the older ones on this list, but it still stands up today.
The Eternal Attachment (2017)
What happens when a modern woman ends up time-traveling to the past and sharing a body with a noblewoman from the Dongyue Kingdom? This Chinese historical drama tells the story of a 21st-century woman Qu Xiaotan (played by Liang Jie), who ends up co-inhabiting the body of Qu Tan’er, the second daughter of the Qu family. When one persona lies, the other takes over. However, things get complicated when both women fall in love with different men. Qu Tan’er is duty-bound to marry the 8th Prince Mo Liancheng (played by Xing Zhaolin). However, she is in love with Mo Yihuai (played by Wang Ruichang). Qu Xiaotan ends up falling in love with Mo Liancheng.
Here’s a lesson! Just cause a drama has a low budget does not mean it is also low quality. That is the case with The Eternal Love. With three seasons, the comedy aspects of this rom-com come from the switching personalities. They are complete opposites, leading to some baffling reactions and hilarious misunderstandings and scenarios. The plot sounds intriguing, as the natural chemistry between our leads sells the romance. We won’t say more but check it out.
Pretty Li Hui Zhen (2017)
Li Hui Zhen (played by Dilmurat Dilraba) was once a beauty. However, after suffering from many hardships, she has lost most of her beauty. When reuniting with the once ugly now heartthrob Bai Hao Yu (played by Peter Sheng), Li Hui Zhen is too embarrassed to see him. She sends her friend Xia Qiao (played by Sierra Li) to her place. Fortunes turn up for Li Hui Zhen when she gets an internship … at the same company, Bai Hao Yu owns and runs.
Has anyone seen the K-drama She Was Pretty? Well, Pretty Li Hui Zhen is a remake of that drama. However, most people have said this version is better when comparing the two. Dilmurat Dilraba is an acting powerhouse, and her performance doesn’t disappoint. It also helps both characters are genuinely lovely, so it’s easy to like the romance that develops (unlike the Korean version, which still makes viewers suffer from second-lead syndrome). The comedy is witty and woven to not interfere with the plot too much. All in all, for a modern romance, this is a top choice.
Waking Love Up (2011)
Ah, the old amnesia love story comes back to C-dramas. Usually, the female lead gets injured and loses their memories. However, this time, it’s the male lead. Xiang Tian Qi (played by Roy Chiu) gets into a car crash on the day of his engagement with Mu Zhi Qing (played by Qi Wei). Liu Xiao Bei (played by Tang Yan) is a country girl who dreams of living in the city. After finding and saving Tian Qi, he goes by Xiao Yu. However, there is more going on with this ‘accident’. With a conspiracy involving a hotel, the plot thickens.
Ok, so … this drama is from 2011. It shows. The location of Sanya (the tropical beach region of China) is lovely and unique. However, there are a lot of dated special effects. There is nothing special about the plot being predictable. The comedy is also dated, with slapstick, but the cast pulls it off. Liu Xiao Bei and Xiang Tian Qi’s relationship is enjoyable to watch, but it does drag out. One thing to note, the soundtrack is beautiful. Try finding it online to watch it.
Diamond Lover (2015)
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, for Xiao Liang (played by Rain), they are his livelihood. As CEO of the world’s largest diamond company, his life is around diamonds. That is until he meets Mi Dou (played by Tiffany Tang), who gives him a new meaning in life.
If Waking Love Up is dated but still presents a decent story, Diamond Lover looks fine but has a dated and frankly rubbish story that no amount of good acting can fix. This is one of those dramas that makes you want to pull your hair out. The male lead is abusive and is the typical male with daddy issues and the female lead is so childish. The number of plot holes, lack of characterization, and illogical choices make this (as one Google reviewer put it) a train wreck. That’s why it’s funny. Not even my favorite actress Dilmurat Dilraba could save this. At least the OST is worth listening to!
Best Lover (2016)
Two megastars, each with their plan, agree to a fake marriage to pursue their goals. However, whilst selling their marriage to the public, both learn of their pasts and grow closer together. Of course, others do not like this.
Ah, contract marriages. They indeed are a staple of Asian dramas. However, do they always have to include some form of a love triangle? Anyway, this is a mixed bag. Many viewers state that the beginning of the drama is good, with both leads playing their parts well and the plot slowly forming. It’s the middle and ending that frustrates most viewers. With some hilarious moments and bad acting, this is a comedy. Just don’t expect a brilliant plot or character development.
Wedding Apartment/ Mad About You (2016)
Here’s another American sitcom being adapted into a C-drama! Mad About You shows the reality of newlyweds and the challenges they go through after being married. It’s not all fairy tales, but hey, that’s life. Plus, isn’t the whole point of marriage that you go through together?
Firstly, the couple in this drama are married! Li Jiahang and Li Sheng play Xie Xiaojun and Wu Yue. Thus, their marriage feels natural, and so is their chemistry. With Billy Grundfest, producer of the original series, being brought on as a consultant, this series pays homage to the original and makes it something new from the source material. This is a funny and heart-warming sitcom that takes a deep dive into the life of marriage behind the happily ever after.
Love 020 (2016)
Who said gaming could not lead to romance? Well, that happened to our lead character Bei Weiwei (played by Zheng Shuang). An aspiring game designer and university student, she is one of the top players in the game A Chinese Ghost Story. There she gains the attention of the top player of the game, Xiao Nai (played by Yang Yang). Together, they enter the couple’s in-game competitions. This relationship then goes offline too.
We’ve talked about this show on a previous list. So, let’s recap why this is brilliant. Anyone who has played MMORPG games for a long amount of time you’d know you can make some close friends whilst questing together. This premise makes games seem so wholesome, rather than the usual negative tone these games get. This often means trusting your teammates, which our two leads discover. It’s a feel-good romance with hilarious moments. Don’t expect anything revolutionary with the romance but expect a tried and tested formula done right.
Super-Star Academy (2016)
This is a world where no amount of money or education matters. Instead, your star sign determines your rank for the rest of your life. However, Cheng Zhi Er (played by Wang Yu Wen) gets enrolled in The Super Star Academy. This is where only those who display superpowers get trained. Whilst making friends, all the students become embroiled in an ongoing power struggle that could change the world for the better.
As the summary suggests, this is a fantasy setting … set in a school with students learning to control their magic powers. Is anyone else getting the Harry Potter X-Men vibes? In all seriousness, the setting is one of the unique ones out there. It’s so beautiful and sells the expectation of this being another world. The comedy comes from the weirdness of the setting and plot. There is a lot of slapstick, but the show, in general, is so weird. It’s one show you won’t forget once you’ve watched it!
The Fox’s Summer (2017)
No matter how much you plan something, it is 100% never going to go exactly to plan. Based on the novel When The President Falls in Love by Shen Cang Mei, this is the core message of the drama. CEO Gu Cheng Ze (played by Jiang Chao) is told by his adopted family that they want him to train their biological son Gu Jin Yu (played by Daniel Zhang) to take over the family business. To get him interested, he hires Gu Jin Yu’s ex, Li Yan Shu (played by Tan Song Yun). However, Jin You’s mother disapproves of this plan. Also, as they spend more time together, Gu Cheng Ze harbors feelings for Li Yan Shu.
Bloody love triangles pop up again! Don’t be fooled – this drama is bloodthirsty. The fashion industry is awful, and there are countless schemes from females. However, the interactions between the annoying Li Yan Shu and the silently suffering Gu Cheng Ze are hilarious and a much-needed distraction. This shows how blood is unequal to potential as the biological son is nothing compared to our lead. However, we will warn you. The female lead takes a LONG time to defend herself. Be prepared to be annoyed by this. All in all, this is still an exciting story with hilarious comedic moments.
