Chinese dramas have become increasingly popular in recent years, whether they’re romances, historical dramas, or wuxias inspired by the novel and film genre. Actor Yang Yang has been one of the biggest on the scene, and has consistently ranked as one of the most influential people in Mainland China due to the immense love for the dramas he has appeared in throughout the years. Born in the international port city of Shanghai, Yang Yang had an early education in dance, then was trained briefly in acting at the famous Central Academy of Drama in Beijing.
He had his television debut with The Dream of Red Mansions in 2010, and ever since then it has only been an upward ride with Yang Yang’s career. During the first few years of appearing in television dramas, he finally had a breakthrough after appearing in the college romance drama Love O2O, which was the most popular romance drama in China at the time. Since then, he has consistently appeared in works that have ranked well with the public, and has remained a force in the Chinese entertainment industry. Here are his best shows ranked.
11 The Dream of Red Mansions
An adaptation of a classical Chinese novel, The Dream of Red Mansions came out on Chinese television back in 2010. It was directed by Li Shaohong, who is best known for being a member of the directors who were prominent during the nineties: the Fifth Generation. One of the main characters is Lin Daiyu, a young woman who, after the death of her mother, is sent to her mother’s family to be taken care of. There, she grows closer with one of her cousins, but greater issues are afoot in the house. Corruption is rampant in this house, and as the drama ramps up between the family members and some even up dead, the initially peaceful life is shattered.
10 The Chronicles of Town Called Jian
The Chronicles of Town Called Jian was directed by Li Shaohong and was released in 2018. It stars former K-pop idol Victoria Song as Du Chunxiao, who lives in China during the Republican era (1912-1949). Highly intelligent, she utilizes tarot cards to figure out problems and mysteries happening around town, and when she heads to her friend’s hometown, their family wants Chunxiao to marry one of the sons. With her abilities, she realizes something is very wrong in this household and if she doesn’t get out soon, it may cost her life. But when she meets the youngest son, the two end up falling in love, leading to even more issues down the road.
9 The Whirlwind Girl
Hu Bingqing and Yang Yang star in The Whirlwind Girl. In the series, a young woman named Qi Baicao has a devoted love for a form of Chinese martial arts, and after the unfortunate death of her parents, she is adopted by a former world champion of the sport. As Baicao grows older and is mentored by her new adoptive father, she becomes a world-class athlete and redeems her adopted father’s reputation. The series is about her journey of getting towards the top and the people she meets along the way, as well as the tender relationships made with said people.
8 The King’s Avatar
The King’s Avatar is an epic journey across 41 episodes, and it sees Yang Yang portraying an avid gamer who rises to the top. Although several other dramas have been made about the e-sports scene in Mainland China, this series specifically focuses on a fictional one. The game everyone is obsessed with in this world is called Glory, and Yang Yang is Ye Xiu, a top player. His rise to the top is an incredible one, but when others, including his own brother, begin meddling, it means that Ye Xiu’s career may plummet just as quickly as it started.
7 The Lost Tomb
Released originally in 2015, The Lost Tomb is based on an internet novel and has consisted of three seasons throughout the years. It stars Li Yifeng as an antique shop owner who has a peculiar history: his family are tomb raiders. That’s where they get their goods. With a group of individuals, Wu Xie is out to get the treasures of a lifetime. His grandfather’s notes contain the key for unlocking the first part of a mystery of treasures from the Warring States period of Chinese history, which could completely change their lives if found. But that’s the hard part: finding the goods.
6 Martial Universe
In Martial Universe, Yang Yang portrays Lin Dong. The series ran for two seasons on Chinese television. In the show Lin Dong gets exposed to the art of cultivation, or he is selected to become one of the most respected cultivators in the land. He decides he needs to travel across the realms in order to master the art, and along the way he finds love. But there’s a catch: he finds love with two different women. As he tries to become a better cultivator, it comes with consequences as he learns some of the world’s most bitter secrets. When he comes across a group looking to take over the world, he needs to utilize his powers in order to save everyone.
5 The Four
Adapted from a novel by Woon Swee Oan, The Four came out in 2015. It stars Yang Yang, Hans Zhang, Mao Zijun, and William Chan in the lead roles. Set in the distant past, during the Ming Dynasty, four detective guards are famed throughout the kingdom for their prowess in martial arts. They are also keen in solving mysteries happening across the realm, but a new threat is rising on the horizon. Now forced to solve a problem unlike anything else they’ve ever experienced before, The Four is an epic journey between good and evil, as the threat specifically wants to take out these four guards in the name of revenge. Wish a dash of romance, The Four is pretty entertaining.
4 Fireworks of My Heart
Fireworks of My Heart came out in 2023, and has one of the most beloved drama and literary tropes: the best friends to lovers. Song Yan (Yang Yang) and Xu Qin (Wang Chu Ran) were inseparable when growing up, but as they grew older, their families couldn’t accept the fact they were of the opposite gender and best friends. So they were separated, and 10 years after the fact, the two end up meeting once again by coincidence. Suddenly they are forced to work together at their jobs, and while they may not pick up immediately where they left off, there’s something happening between them.
3 Who Rules the World
Who Rules the World is a wuxia romance, and was based on a novel by Qing Lengyue. The main characters are Hai Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, who are a princess and prince of their respective kingdoms. They couldn’t be any more opposites, but when they are forced together in the middle of political conflicts and war, romance is inevitable between the two — opposites attract, after all. However, there’s a twist: they’ve hidden who they really are. Together they will struggle as they travel throughout the land, and as the struggle for the throne intensifies, more betrayals are to come.
2 Love O2O
The drama that launched Yang Yang’s career to all-new heights, Love O2O is a staple among Chinese romance drama fans. Zheng Shuang portrays the protagonist, a young female college student who studies computer science. She dreams of becoming a video game developer, and is an avid gamer in her free time. After getting dumped by her virtual husband, she finds a new one. But when she meets him in real life (Yang Yang), she’s shocked to see he’s a popular senior at her school. Their marriage in the game creates conflict in reality, drawing them closer together. Unfortunately, the show is now banned in China due to a scandal with Zheng Shuang.
1 You Are My Glory
Yang Yang and Dilraba Dilmurat star in You Are My Glory, which ran for 32 episodes before concluding its story. Once, when in high school, Qiao Jing-Jing and Yu Tu were classmates. After Yu Tu rejects Jing-Jing, they move on with their lives. Jing-Jing becomes a famous actress, while Yu Tu becomes an engineer. But when Jing-Jing pretends to be an avid gamer to boost her reputation, she flails when she realizes she has no skills as a gamer. Enter: Yu Tu. She begs him to help her, and the two reconnect and end up having feelings for each other in the process. So begins a complicated dance between the two as she has to juggle her public image, and they resist their actual feelings.