Why mainland Chinese audiences love Taiwanese TV dramas, and the 5 rated highest on Douban

From New Legend of Madam White Snake (1992) to Meteor Garden (2001), Taiwanese dramas have long held a place in mainland Chinese entertainment. The often strained cross-strait relations over the years have done little to dampen the appeal and love for the genre. Their popularity may have something to do with the fact that some Taiwanese productions have not been afraid to delve into contemporary issues such as gender equality and LGBTQ lifestyles. Fang Kecheng, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, says the appeal of Taiwanese dramas for mainland Chinese audiences lies in their uncensored coverage of societal issues. “Despite the political tensions and the halt to cultural exchanges, mainland Chinese and Taiwanese people share many similarities in social and cultural conceptions,” he says. “People can see themselves in Taiwanese dramas.” From romance to fantasy, here are the five Taiwanese dramas that have the highest scores on Douban, the popular mainland Chinese entertainment review aggregator website. 1. The World Between Us (2019) This 10-episode series tells a complex story of legal justice, media ethics and family relations. After a massive shooting in a cinema, criminal defence lawyer Wang She (Wu Kang-ren) volunteers to represent the alleged killer in court in an attempt to understand his motives and advocate for the rights of a marginalised group – he has a mental illness. Meanwhile, Song Chiao-an (Alyssa Chia), deeply affected by the loss of her son in the incident, struggles to maintain her professionalism in her job as a television producer. “Finally we have a Mandarin-speaking drama that, instead of inciting bias from one group against another, sees individuals’ misfortune by diving deep into their stories,” one review on Douban reads. The second season is expected to be released later this year. Douban rating: 9.4/10 2. The Making of an Ordinary Woman (2019, 2021) This comedy-drama revolves around Chen Chia-ling (Hsieh Ying-hsuan), who has to live up to her own high expectations and those of her family. Brought up in a rural area, she comes to Taipei, the island’s largest city, to study and live. The first season shows Chen’s struggles at work, her romantic relations, and the peer pressure and societal expectations she has to deal with. In the second season, Chen returns to her hometown and starts another chapter of her “ordinary” life, realising her dream of owning her own house by turning a haunted place into her sweet home. “The childhood memories featured are so typical that they traverse time and territories, as if they were experienced by you and me,” one Douban user wrote. Douban rating: 9.3/10 for both seasons 3. Someday or One Day (2019) A very popular romantic fantasy featuring Greg Hsu Kuang-han and Ko Chia-yen, Someday or One Day tells a story of intertwined destinies and enduring love. Grieving the loss of her boyfriend Wang Chuan-sheng (Greg Hsu) in an air crash, Huang Yu-hsuen (Ko Chia-yen) is eager to reconnect with her lost love. The drama takes a fantastical turn when she travels back in time to 1998 and finds herself looking just like her younger self, but with a different name, Chen Yun-ju. There she meets Li Tsu-wei, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her deceased boyfriend. “Only the energetic and optimistic ones can love, but the broken souls are trapped in darkness. It is realistic but cruel,” wrote one Douban user, who rated the drama poorly. Douban rating: 9.2/10 4. Shards of Her (2022) Another story about parallel realities, Shards of Her features a household name, actress Tiffany Hsu Wei-ning. She plays Taipei-based headhunter Lin Chen-hsi, who wakes up from a car accident and finds herself in a different reality, living with her mother and her supposedly dead younger brother in her childhood home in a rural area. There Lin gets to uncover her childhood scars and understand what is haunting her in the “true” reality. “The series has touched upon workplace sexual harassment, gender discrimination, sexual assaults, and domestic violence. Taiwan is pioneering in bringing these issues up front,” one Douban review reads. “This story showcases nearly all the challenges faced by contemporary women,” another wrote. Douban rating: 8.5/10 5. Fragrance of the First Flower (2021, 2025) Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019. But same-sex romantic relations are never easy for couples on the island. Despite the favourable legal framework, same-sex couples still face the challenge of overcoming traditional stereotypes about them, something this series underscores. The series tells the story of Yi-ming (Zaizai Lin) and Ting-ting (Lyan Cheng), who are in love during in high school, but separate because of societal pressure and internalised homophobia. They grow into adulthood with contrasting lifestyles. While Yi-Ming compromises to marry a man and raise a child, Ting-ting has a freer approach to happiness. Their paths unexpectedly cross again, and the reunion reawakens the buried feelings they once had for each other. A second season launched in February this year, but it was not as well received on Douban as the first. “I am completely captivated by this pure love drama that captures the ambiguously romantic atmosphere,” a Douban review of the first season reads. Douban rating: 8.4/10 for Season 1; 7.2/10 for Season 2

Why mainland Chinese audiences love Taiwanese TV dramas, and the 5 rated highest on Douban

Shows such as The World Between Us rate highly on review aggregator site Douban for their realistic approach to contemporary social issues