For most of the people in the world, whenever a topic of Taiwan comes up it is mostly related to its issues with Mainland China. This is not the best way of identifying Taiwan. It is so much more than a disputed land.
And what better way to know more about this beautiful place than watching its dramas to understand the beauty of its people and their culture. So in this post, I’ve curated a list of 20 Best Taiwanese Dramas created to date and on top of that I’ve added 10 Very Good Taiwanese Dramas as Honorary Mentions.
First, let me tell you how I compiled this list. I’ve considered 4 perimeters for choosing these Taiwanese Dramas-
- My Opinion: Above all perimeters is my liking to the Taiwanese Dramas that have been added to the list.
- Ratings: Every single drama has got a high rating from every reputed site.
- Public Opinion: Made sure that all the Taiwanese dramas added in this list are people’s favorites.
- Rewatch worthy: Not exaggerating but I am damn sure that you’ll rewatch most of these dramas again.
1. HIStory3: Trapped
- Logline: Tang Yi and Shao Fei are rivals because one is a gang leader and the other is a police officer. But will this rivalry lead to other feelings being born?
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Action, Thriller, LGBTQ
- Cast: Jake Hsu, Chris Wu, Andu Bian, Kenny Chen
Before I tell you about this drama, there is something that you should know. HIStory drama series comprises a total of 3 seasons and all are LGBTQ stories. Every season has 2-3 different stories with a different cast and every single season is worth watching.
‘HIStory3: Trapped’ revolves around two guys, Tang Yi and Shao Fei. Tang Yi is a leader of a gang/mob and Shao Fei is a Police officer. During investigating a case, some suspicions lead Shao Fei to Tang Yi and both get involved in each other’s lives. Over time this relationship evolves into something more than rivalry.
Even though I haven’t added ‘HIStory3: Make our Days Count‘ in this list, it is just as good as this drama. Make sure to check that out too.
2. Autumn’s Concerto
- Logline: A tragedy makes Ren Guang Xi forget about the love of his life, Liang Mu Cheng. Six years have passed, will the couple be able to make up for the time lost?
- Year: 2009
- Genre: Romance, Drama
- Cast: Ady An, Vanness Wu, Kang Ren Wu
This drama is very close to my heart. A love story that is tested by the unfortunate times and still prevails in the end. You can stream this Taiwanese drama on Netflix.
Ren Guang Xi is a rich guy with a very lonely life but then he meets Mu Cheng. She is poor but full of life. Soon they both fall in love, though fate has something else in store for them.
Ren Guang Xi has to go through brain surgery due to which he losses his memory. Mu Cheng has leave Guang Xi despite being pregnant. Six years pass, will the couple be able to make up for the time lost?
3. HIStory2: Boundry Crossing
- Logline: A story of four gay guys trying to find out what they really want from their lives.
- Year: 2018
- Genre: Friendship, Romance, LGBTQ
- Cast: Fandy Fan, Zach Lu, Nick Yang, Patrick Shih
As I’ve explained above, every season of HIStory series has 2-3 different stories that are not at all linked with each other. That’s why you are seeing 2 different stories from the same drama series talking two spots in this list.
‘HIStory2: Boundry Crossing’ is kind of a coming of age story of four guys, where they are trying to figure themselves out and all things around them.
The story revolves around two gay couples Xia Yu Hao and Qiu Zi Xuan, who at the start does not get along with each other but becomes closer slowly. And the other couple being Wang Zhen Wu and Wang Zhen Wen, who are step-brothers.
If you like this drama, you’ll also like another story from the same season called ‘HIStory2: Right or Wrong‘. Check that out too.
4. MARS
- Logline: A story of two people overcoming their bad past and trying to find love and happiness in each other.
- Year: 2004
- Genre: Action, Suspense
- Cast: Barbie Hsu, Vic Chou, Megan Lai
This Taiwanese drama is a testament to the fact that if a story is good people will appreciate it no matter how old it is.
The story revolves around Han Qi Luo, an extremely shy art student, and Chen Ling, a popular playboy. Both meet by coincidence and help each other later on, creating a connection.
But both hide secretive wounds of past and they have to address and overcome it so that they can truly find love and happiness.
You can watch ‘MARS’ and all of its 21 episodes on YouTube.
5. Before we get married
- Logline: A story of two people who are getting attracted to each other despite being already in healthy relationships.
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Romance, Drama
- Cast: Puff Kuo, Jasper Liu, Steven Sun
Inspired by a very famous novel of the same name created by Ayamei, ‘Before we get Married’ is a tense romantic drama show about love, friendship, and betrayal.
The story revolves around Zhou Wei Wei and Chu Ke Huan, both are in serious relationships with their respective partners. But trouble begins when they start having feelings for each other.
Despite suppressing their emotions they can’t seem to control what their heart wants.
6. Just You
- Logline: A love story between a strict Boss and his employee who wants to make him a kinder person.
- Year: 2013
- Genre: Rom-com
- Cast: Puff Kuo, Aaron Yan, Dean Fujioka
If you have watched other Asian dramas then you know that office romance dramas are often very cliche and follow the same storyline.
Although this drama also follows the same pattern, the cute moments in this show are awesome and make the drama worthy to watch.
Qi Yi is a strict Boss and he absolutely hates office romance. So the employees decide to task Cheng Liang Liang with the responsibility to convince Qi Yi to lift the anti-office-romance rule. But they both end up falling for each other.
7. It started with a kiss
- Logline: A story of a girl who decides to pursue her crush ever after being rejected by him.
- Year: 2005
- Genre: Rom-com
- Cast: Ariel Lin, Joe Cheng, Jiro Wang
‘It started with a kiss’ is not only a classic Taiwanese drama but is famous around Asia, so much so that it has been remade in Thailand, Korea, and Japan. It has also a sequel called ‘They kissed Again‘ which is equally famous, so check that out too.
Xiang Qin is a cheerful girl who asked out Jiang Zhi Shu, the most intelligent guy in the school but he rejects her.
To her surprise, she finds out that the new house she has moved into is Jiang Zhi Shu’s. Given the opportunity that both of them now live together, Xiang Qin decides to pursue Zhi Shu once again.
8. Fated to Love you
- Logline: The first encounter of Xun Yi with Cun Xi results in Xun Yi getting pregnant. How far will these strangers go in saving their unborn child?
- Year: 2008
- Genre: Romance, Fantasy
- Cast: Ethan Juan, Joe Chen, Bianca Bai
One of the oldest yet very successful drama on this list, Fated to love you, is a 24 episode TV drama that first aired in 2008 on Taiwan Television (TTV). Lately, the show was also adapted in Korean, Thai, and Filipino and was honored with many drama awards in respective languages too.
The drama is about an old-fashioned and shy office girl, Xin Yi and a rich self-reliant man Cun Xi. Both ran into tragic mix-ups of heartbreaks, drugs, and lust on a cruise ship resulting in Xin Yi getting pregnant with Cun Xi’s child. Soon Cun Xi’s grandmother becomes aware of this and wants both of them to get married.
A compelling story cracked with numerous emotional and love scenes between the characters makes this drama attain its place in the top ten Taiwanese drama list.
9. Attention, Love
- Logline: Destiny draws two distinct personalities towards each other.
- Year: 2017
- Genre: Romance, Fantasy
- Cast: Prince Chiu, Riley Wang, Joanne Tsend, Guo Shu Yao
A sweet and soft love story of two polar opposites who were destined to be together from birth.
Li Zheng and Shao Xi lived together from birth since Li Zheng’s parents passed away at an early age. Their parents were best friends so Shao Xi parents didn’t hesitate to raise Li Zheng.
Soon in high school Shao Xi started developing feelings for Li Zhengs but he is too stubborn to accept her love.
In a nutshell, it is a simple, light and predictable drama and a perfect example of a watch worthy show without any main substance.
10. Bromance
- Logline: A gender bender drama about the life of Pi Ya Nuo who was raised as a boy her entire life.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Romance, Comedy
- Cast: Megan Lai, Boron Chen, Bii, Katie Chen
Who asked for a bromance drama when you have a complete 18 episode Drama with the same name. Don’t confuse the name with the genre of this Taiwanese Drama.
The plot revolves around Pi Ya Nuo, a girl by birth, raised as a boy. Her life took a sharp turn when one day by chance she impresses an underworld don Du Zi Feng by saving him and her sister from getting caught. Du Zi Feng being unaware of her real identity declares her as a sworn brother.
The amazing storyline, skillful acting, and direction filled with comical and romantic scenes are enough reasons to add this to your Taiwanese drama watchlist today.
11. Behind Your Smile
- Logline: A young man seeks revenge for the death of his father and everything he has lost ten years ago.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Melodrama, Mystery
- Cast: Marcus Chang, Eugeine Liu, Liao Lingyi
Zhao Yiting, the main lead in the story, has been living an awful life in loneliness and has turned himself into a cold and cunning person away from any attachments. His only motive to exist is to seek revenge from his father’s murderer Mr. Le Man and his wife.
The drama is about how Zhao Yiting got involved with Le Man’s daughter and intentionally helped her to destroy her father at first but soon he realize his feelings for Xinyu’s started conflicting his intentions.
Though the creators try to project it as a Romantic Mystery Tai Drama it’s more spiced up with melodrama and less of mystery. All in all one of the best Taiwanese dramas to binge.
12. Hello Again
- Logline: The story of two friends who met after 10 years.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Romance
- Cast: Bruce He, Amber An, Sean Lee, Oceana Wu
Office romance and rich man poor girl love story are pretty common among Asian drama’ and Hello again beautifully fuses both of them in one.
As the title suggests it is about two people meeting again after 10 years. Although the interesting part is knowing where they left off.
Before the university entrance exams, Chang Ke Ai and Yang Zi Hao made a bet that if they both got admission to the same university she will carry his schoolbag for an entire year but fate had other plans for them and they never met again.
The most delightful Taiwanese drama on this list I would say that will make you laugh, cry and leave you overwhelmed thinking of your loved ones.
13. Murphy’s Law of Love
- Logline: A girl cursed with Murphy’s Law finds it difficult to do anything good in life.
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Romance, Comedy
- Cast: Danson Tang, Ivelyn Li, Jolin Chien, Jenna Wang
Murphy’s Law of Love is a Taiwanese TV Drama broadcasted back in 2015 also known by the title Perhaps this is called love.
Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong it will go wrong.
The protagonist, Guan Xiao Tong who works as a Love Guru in the town, has been cursed with Murphy’s Law. Soon after her agency gets a reputed position in town she witnesses a divorce firm being opened at the other end of the street.
After a series of events The Murphy’s law comes into action and Xian Tong starts developing feelings for Ji Jia-Wei, the divorce firm owner.
14. The Perfect Match
- Logline: The two chefs are in the race to prove their culinary talents.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Cast: Bruce He, Amber An, Sean Lee, Oceana Wu
“The perfect match” a prominent Taiwanese drama is no doubt a perfect match of comedy and food.
Huo Ting En is a world-famous chef who is specialized in multiple cuisines. On the contrary, another chef Wei Fen Qing is famous for providing the same dishes at a cheaper price. Ultimately, both of them fall for each other and a romantic love story sprouts out of the comedy.
Nothing is better than the combo of comedy and food! Laugh while you savor the flavors.
15. Meteor Garden
- Logline: A group of 4 rich college students is constantly bullying a poor teenage girl.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Cast: Bruce He, Amber An, Sean Lee, Oceana Wu
Based on the Japanese shōjo manga series Boys Over Flowers, the remarkable story of this drama has been adapted by Chinese, Japanese, South Korean as well as Indonesian television.
A poor teenage girl Dong Shān Cài, enters a private college only meant for rich students where she offends the 4 boys who are the sons of the founding families of the college.
She is a fierce girl and is not afraid of these rich brats, though they never leave any chance to make her life miserable and sufferable. The story takes a turn when one of them starts falling for her. What happens next is for you to watch!
Though there are many versions of the same story available, this one being the best adaptation of the manga.
16. Devil Beside You
- Logline: Things start to complicate for Qi Yue after her love confession goes wrong in school.
- Year: 2005
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Cast: Mike He, Rainie Yang, Joyce Tsai
Based on Japanese manga ‘Akuma de Sourou’, Devil Beside You was the first free to air broadcasting drama on China Television(CTV).
Devil Beside You is a series of tragic events happening in the life of Qi Yue. right from the first episode things are against her. The drama sets in motion right after the love confession by Qi Yue goes wrong as she handed her love letter to the wrong person. It is like Murphy’s law applies to her too.
It may be an old drama but the story and roleplay are good enough for it being your first Taiwanese drama binge.
17. Angel ‘n’ Devil
- Logline: The war of high school girls with evil forces.
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Magic, Drama
- Cast: Simon Lian, Teddy Chen, Sylvia
One of the best Taiwanese drama based on magic, superpowers, and demons. A group of high school girls finds them in a state of war against the evil forces.
The situation becomes worse when one of them dies in mysterious circumstances. Their hunt for demon continues as dark and evil forces gain more strength.
The Taiwanese drama is a funny adaption of horror and mysterious evil forces. The show will not disappoint you!
18. Skip Beat!
- Logline: A betrayal teaches Gong Xi important life lessons.
- Year: 2011
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Cast: Ivy Chen, Siwon, Donghae
Skip Beat is a Taiwanese TV series based on a manga by the same name. It was a product of a joint production between Taiwan and Japan and the series summed up in 20 long episodes of 70 min each.
The story orbits around the life of a high school graduate Gong Xi, a passionate lover who gave up on her chance to qualify for university education so she could help her love Bu Po Shang succeed as a pop artist.
In a matter of time, she realized that her efforts meant nothing to Bo Po Shang and was left cheated and heartbroken. Gong Xi didn’t let herself down and vowed to become a bigger pop star then Bu Po.
19. Marry Me, or Not?
- Logline: A girl who believes in true love and a guy who hates love, will their paths ever combine?
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Romance
- Cast: Roy Chiu, Alice Ke, Joanne Tseng
A story where the main leads are poles apart and this distinct difference in their personality make their chemistry so enjoyable to watch.
Cai Huan Zhen is a successful woman who deeply believes in true love. Whereas He Meng doesn’t believe in love or happy marriages, as he is a divorce lawyer and has seen many relationships getting broken. Could a relationship ever succeed between these two?
20. Prince of wolf
- Logline: A Taiwanese interpretation of Tarzan story.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Rom-com
- Cast: Derek Chang, Amber An, Samuel Ku
I am sure most have us has seen a Tarzan movie or cartoon series. But it is always nice to see a new way of storytelling. Prince of Wolf is a very well made drama that you’ll totally enjoy.
When Du Zhe Ming was a boy, he got lost in while vacationing and was saved by wolves. He grew up with them and learned the wolf way of life.
One day while roaming in the forest he came across Mi Mi, a female photographer who got lost. He gets attracted to her and decides to follow Mi Mi and go into the human world which is a totally different experience for him.
21. Fall In Love With Me
- Logline: A successful advertising prodigy decides to hide his identity and starts working in a small advertising agency.
- Year: 2014
- Genre: Rom-com
- Cast: Aaron Yan, Tia Li, Beatrice Fang
I am 100% sure that after reading the summary, you’ll be definitely intrigued about the drama. Sadly it couldn’t deliver perfection. The show started great but in the end, its strength faded a little. Nonetheless, I had a good time watching it on Netflix and if you don’t keep your hopes very high, you’ll enjoy it too.
Lu Tian Xing is an Advertising prodigy but all of a sudden he decides to take 3 months break from work. He then disguises himself as Xiao Lu and joins the failing advertising agency of Tao Le Si. Le Si doesn’t like Tian Xing and over time she starts falling in love with Xiao Lu. But what happens when she finds out that Xiao Lu is actually Tian Xing?
22. Love Cuisine
- Logline: Four young culinary professors struggle to work together due to love and envy.
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Love Triangle
- Cast: Lego Lee, Allison Lin, Nita Xia
There are not many Taiwanese Drama that has done justice to love triangle and jealousy stories. Love Cuisine is one such drama that superbly brings together a passionate love story along with a fierce friendship rivalry. Both these elements combine with a solid plot to present an unexpected Taiwanese Drama gem.
A promise made to his mentor brings Han Jie back to Taiwan from living a prosperous life as a celebrity chef in Europe. Han promised his mentor to pass on his expertise forward in his homeland.
He decides to work as a culinary teacher in a local High School, where he discovers that his mentor’s daughter and his childhood friend also teach the same school.
Han Jei, his friends, and a fellow teacher share a common feeling for Fang Xiao Rou (mentor’s daughter). The story follows how despite their odds, four of them keep their culinary teacher position intact.
23. Someone Like You
- Logline: Caught up between two choices, one who looks like his deceased fiancee and another who acts like her, Fang has a tough decision to make.
- Year: 2015
- Genre: Romance, Drama
- Cast: Kingone Wang, Lorene Jen, Sean lee, William Liao
One thing that keeps Taiwanese Drama at par with K-Dramas and J-Dramas is that it doesn’t stick to similar gimmicks and possess creatively written plots. One such T-drama that supports this statement is a melodramatic masterpiece- Someone Like You. Melodramas aren’t really my type of shows they are either a miss of a hit. And this one is a hit for sure.
On a tragic day, Fang Zhan Cheng meets a terrible car accident. The accident came at a heavy cost of losing his fiancée. Devastated from the loss of his loved one Fang refuses a corneal transplant and wishes to never see again.
Wang Yu Xi is a nurse who is hired to take care of Fang Zhan. Shockingly Wang Yu resembles Fang’s deceased fiancée but due to his lack of eyesight, he cannot see her face. On the counterpart, his fiancee’s heart is transplanted to some other girl who starts to behave like her.
24. More Than Blue
- Logline: The journey of a music producer and his assistant in the pursuit of the owner of a hit song.
- Year: 2021
- Genre: Romance Drama
- Cast: Gingle Wang, Fandy Fan, Ivy Shao
Striking our emotional chords right in where they should, More Than Blue is a romantic or more appropriately emotional series. Just while writing this am feeling so emotional, so for you, bingers just get ready to feel the blues. It leaves with you such a beautifully weird heaviness that my words might seem absurd but it aptly means what the audience will view it as.
Wang Po Han and An Yi Qi, working in the field of music have taken up the charge to find the legal owner of the sensational song, ‘The Saddest Of All.’ They are to do this for A-Lin, their artist. The manager and producer discover a diary possessed by K who is the mystifying producer of the song.
They visit his life history through that diary which narrates the story of two orphaned children. These two, K and Cream share their life moments be it of joy or sorrow, hand in hand. However, nothing lasts forever and so is the case with K who gets detected as a deadly leukemia cancer patient. He keeps this hidden from Cream to avoid breaking her heart as she fears living alone the most.
25. Detention
- Logline: A historical gothic Taiwanese series that speaks horror twisted with psychology.
- Year: 2020
- Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller, Psychological
- Cast: Li Lingwei, Han Ning, Huang Guanzhi
Another creative piece on its way, Detention! Detention is adapted from a video game that bears the same name. It is like one of those mysteries we waited to someday find out at our school.
Maybe some hidden mystery that our school beholds kept hidden from us. Don’t worry Detention is here to fulfill that incompleted fantasy with added thrill.
This exhilarating series is about a transfer student, Yunxiang Liu at Greenwood High School. She enters the prohibited area of the campus only to discover some startling and disturbing truths about her remote school as major perfidy.
Her occult encounter discloses the hidden past of about 30 years prior to the present. The terrifying past where the teachers and students were mistreated in their protest against censorship and political oppression during the White Terror period in Taiwan.
26. The Teenage Psychic
- Logline: The double lifestyle of Ya Zhen as an average teenage girl and a spiritual counselor.
- Year: 2017
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Supernatural
- Cast: Kuo Shu Yao Yao, Kent Tsai, Akio Chen
Woah, another adaptation. This time from a movie, ‘The Busy Young Psychic.’ Although it has a considerable supernatural theme, this Taiwanese Drama brings a small number of coming-of-age tropes too.
Xie Ya Zhen, a teenage scholar has inborn psychic power. The sixteen-year-old girl has the innate talent to see spirits. She uses such supernatural abilities at night in the temple.
Xie helps the people aka the believers in the temple as a Xian-gu. She aids them to handle their near and dear ones on the other side of the world and at the same time she is to live her teenage life- academically and romantically. However, the villainous people are present in every drama not just Taiwanese to harm the protagonist for their means.
27. The World Between Us
- Logline: The aftereffects of a mass shooting in the lives of different people concurrently.
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Crime, Life, Drama, Family
- Cast: Wu Kang Ren, Yu Chen, Alyssa Chia
An outstanding Taiwanese Drama that shows us the ultimate emotional state of the affected families in genocide. The eventual linking of people from different backgrounds for one cause and the thought-provoking stigmas that are held in the society. It is more than a Drama as at the end one is left thinking about how justified and needed such creations are!
Standing out from all of the series in this list of Taiwanese Drama, The World Between Us is about genocide, precisely a mass shooting that took place at a movie theatre. Varied peoples with everything different are connected by this one unpleasant incident and their fortunes affected.
The killer and victim’s families are ashamed and saddened respectively. Amidst this what is scrutinized is the modern-day issues like mental health, capital punishment, and ideals of journalism in Taiwanese society.
28. In time with you
- Logline: The saga of love between two childhood best friends
- Year: 2011
- Genre: Friendship, Romance, Family, Mandopop
- Cast: Chen Bolin, Ariel Lin, Andrea Chen, Sunny Wang
We all know how guy best friends usually are. Teasing, mocking, and irritating you but some opposite-gender friendships have that special feeling too. The feeling of this is ‘the one’ but kept deeply confided in the heart. In time with you is a Taiwanese Romance Drama where friendship blossomed into true love.
Cheng You Qing, a working woman on her 30th birthday, gets an email from none other than her best friend since 14 years, Li Da Ren. As usual a funky reminder of the age, she was entering in by mailing her the signs of premature aging.
She is incapable of agreeing to the fact that he will grow into a charmer with age and she will go through the opposite, she puts up a challenge. The bet was to sit back and see who between them first gets married before they strike 35. In the course of this challenge, both of them realize that nobody gives them a more satisfying company than they two together. Will they break their pact of friendship? Watch this superb Taiwanese Netflix Drama!
29. Love, Now
- Logline: The not-so-cliche love story of a starry-eyed couple you’ll effortlessly adore!
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama, Family
- Cast: Annie Chen, George Hu, Bobby Dou
Love Now is one of those series that changes our concept of love and life. Love isn’t complete without respect and care and that is what this Taiwanese Romance Drama teaches us. Witness the journey of the cute couple in the growth of their love!
Yang Ri Ru, an overworking employee of her company is falsified by her family and boss to believe that she has cancer. They do this so that she takes a break from her hectic life and enjoys it instead. Telling her that she had only 6 months left to live they sent her off on a holiday trip.
On her trip, she crosses paths with her lover who has been in search of her since college. Although she doesn’t know about this she shares with him about her unfulfilled wishes to find love and make a family. The stranger who at any cost will fulfill his love’s wishes proposes to her. What follows is their journey of ups and downs together that teaches them an important life lesson!
30. Fabulous Boys
- Logline: The story of a lovable naive girl and her complications as a boy in a boy band
- Year: 2013
- Genre: Music, Comedy, Romance, Drama
- Cast: Hwang In Deok, Jiro Wang, Evan Yo
An adaptation of the South Korean Drama- You’re beautiful, Fabulous Boys is a sweet Taiwan Drama with a velvety and rapt script. The characters especially Mei Nu make us go emotional with the warmth of their bonds.
The plot is about a fictitious band of boys known as A.N.JELL. The administrative company of this idol band demanded a fresh voice be added to the group as the main singer, Tai Jing’s voice was not well at the moment. To add oil to the fire, Mei Nan their new peer had to head for the States for his eye treatment.
Although this happened before the legal process could happen their agent devised the idea to fill the position with Mei Nu, Mei Nan’s twin sister. The orphaned siblings had grown up in a foster home. Mei Nu whose only goal was to become a nun agreed to be a part of the pretense as she didn’t want to lose this golden chance of fame. The stardom of her brother could help them trace their mother.
