After Parasite, people started to take notice of films and series outside of Hollywood. And it is about time, too! Since then, there has been a steady increase in the popularity of K-dramas and C-dramas! So, if you want to explore the world of Chinese dramas, here are 7 Chinese crime thriller dramas and a few fun facts about them!
7 Chinese Crime Thriller Dramas for you to Dive Into!
1. My Roommate Is a Detective
- Cast: Hu Yi Tian, Leon Zhang, Shane Xiao
- Director: Zhang Wei Ke
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
About My Roommate Is a Detective:
If you are an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes, My Roommate Is a Detective is the right Chinese drama for you! The story revolves around a young police officer who forms an elite investigative team with the help of Lu Yao, a genius student who has recently completed his studies in Great Britain to go against a serial killer.
One of the team members is a strong and independent female reporter. The story is set in the Republican era. You will also get a healthy dose of bromance from this c drama!
Get your facts on! –
Shanghai was the shoot location for this series.
Watch the trailer of My Roommate Is a Detective now! –
2. A Murderous Affair in the Horizon Tower
- Cast: Yang Zi Shan, Guo Tao, Angelababby, Lu Yu Lai
- Director: Leste Chen, Hsu Chao Jen, Matt Wu
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
About A Murderous Affair in the Horizon Tower:
Said to be one of the top Chinese dramas, the story starts with Zhong Meibao, a strikingly beautiful cafe owner, found dead in her flat, which is in the Horizon Tower. Two detectives are assigned to investigate her murderous affair, and they narrow their search down to three suspects.
The plot twists when the three suspects have very different versions of what had taken place on a fateful day! To make matters more complicated, each of the suspects had a romantic relationship with Zhong Meibao. You will also notice that drama also explores the themes of domestic violence and toxic relationships, among others. This Chinese drama is short, so it is perfect for binge-watching!
Get your facts on! –
Watch out for Angelababby’s unique role!
Watch the trailer of A Murderous Affair in the Horizon Tower now! –
3. Ancient Detective
- Cast: Rachel Wang, Wang Yan Yang, Wang Ruo Shan, Du Yafei, Tim Yu, Hao Shuai, Miranda Ma
- Director: Ma Yi Heng
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
About Ancient Detective:
The plot of Ancient Detective is particularly interesting as this Chinese drama has a male lead detective with amnesia trying to get to the bottom of his father’s murder case. In his journey, he finds a friend and a love interest who helps him to navigate the array of cases that comes his way.
If you like your crime thriller with a sprinkle of romance and bromance, look no further this your Chinese drama is for you! The drama also has an element of historical fiction which will appeal to all historical fiction genre lovers!
Get your facts on! –
This Chinese drama follows a wuxia style.
Watch the trailer of Ancient Detective now! –
4. The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty
- Cast: Darren Chen, Fu Meng-po, Liu Yaoyuan
- Director: Guo Shuang, Yang Huan
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
About The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty:
The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty is another historical Chinese drama set in the 15th century. When the son of a nobleman is found dead, the male lead, a detective named Tang Fan, meets up with Sui Zhou, a guardsman who is a martial arts specialist.
When a powerful eunuch Wang Zhi realizes that both their cases have an uncanny connection, the three team up to unravel the mystery. This Chinese drama is brimming with bromance as our trio quickly becomes best friends!
Jackie Chan’s fans will highly enjoy watching this TV drama as it follows a similar theme to Jackie Chan’s movies. Plus, the acrobatic scenes are a delight to watch! Truly worthy of a binge-watch.
Get your facts on! –
Guess who’s the executive producer of this show…it’s Jackie Chan!
Watch the trailer of The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty now! –
5. When a Snail Falls in Love
- Cast: Wang Kai, Wang Ziwen
- Director: Zhang Kaizhou
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
About When a Snail Falls in Love:
In this Chinese crime thriller drama, we have a classic well-trained detective who takes on a rookie and falls in love with her while training her. Our male lead is Ji Bai, who is responsible for training his assistant, Xu Xu, our female lead. Even though she runs as slow as a snail (hence the name of the Chinese drama, in case you didn’t get it), she takes in all the tips he has to offer.
A case gets offered to them, which initially seems open and shut, but as they go deeper, the duo gets pulled into the world of organized crime, human trafficking, drugs, and murders. When A Snail Falls In Love is a slow burn and will appeal to you if you like a bit of the love genre in your crime thrillers.
Get your facts on! –
The series adapts its story and title from Ding Mo’s novel. If you are wondering how Wang Kai and Olivia Wang have such incredible chemistry, this is their third time working together!
To get into her subdued character better, Olivia Wang barely talked on set and tamped down her lively personality.
Watch the trailer of When a Snail Falls in Love now! –
6. The Bad Kids
- Cast: Qin Hao, Dollar Rong, Shi Peng Yuan, Wang Shen Di
- Director: Xin Shuang
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
About The Bad Kids:
This is one of the good Chinese dramas and is based on three teenagers – Chaoyang, Yan Liang, and Yue Pu. These three are the best of friends, having grown up together in the orphanage. One day, while playing on the beach, they record an argument between a couple that escalates into a murder case – and the teenagers’ lives are turned upside down.
You can binge-watch this Chinese drama and relive your nostalgic days of reading famous five and secret seven!
Get your facts on! –
While the Chinese translation of the title is Hidden Corner, the series is based on a book named Huai Xiao Hai, whose English translation is The Bad Kids.
Watch the trailer of the bad kids now!
7. Insect Detective
- Cast: Gala Zhang, Chu Yue, Kyle Ma, Kiki Dong, Huang Meng
- Director: Li Jing Dong, Ma Yi Teng
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
About Insect Detective:
The main character of this c drama is not a detective, but an entomologist student! The police bring on our male lead when they are given a murder case caused by a rare bug. The forensic doctor and the student team up together to find out the person behind the murder.
Don’t get discouraged by the title of this c drama; it is not all about insects! While we do have a lead who studies entomology, this drama is purely a crime thriller; there is no love story in it. Also, watch out for Ma Ke’s special role!
Watch the trailer of insect detective now! –
If you are a stickler for crime thrillers, the above-mentioned series is a good way to dip your toes into the world of Chinese dramas! If you have gone through our list, you can also watch Detective L, Original Sin, The Long Night, and Caught in a Heartbeat.
