A world where one can visit the past anytime makes it worth a visit in terms of realizing our past mistakes and correcting them or saying yes to a potential relationship. In the real world, it may not be possible, but in the world of Chinese dramas, it can be.
The scenes are depicted beautifully, with emotional elements attached to them, making it a worthy watch. With OSTs giving the episodes a soulful vibe, the viewers feel a distant connection to the dramas and the journey of the main leads.
The female lead mostly carries this type of time travel drama, with the introduction of a future son or daughter coming to their rescue and trying to make the future life more appealing to both of them. The female lead will take things into her own hands to make her future worth living with or without the male lead or a love interest added to the mix.
Dramas Like I Belonged To Your World
With male-centric time travel dramas, it is mostly different. A huge mistake or a loss makes them regret the decisions they have taken. The common trope in both the male and female leads is trying to rekindle their lost romance or trying to connect with their childhood crush.
While in the real world, we cannot time-travel or change the past or future, we sure can watch these dramas and feel good about them. Time travel will always be interesting when the main leads are going through a crisis and everything, in the blink of an eye, changes for them. While fate gives them another chance at things, it’s ultimately up to them to decide which way they want to go this time.
I Belonged to Your World
Twenty-five-year-old Qi Shuo (Lui Yi Tong) is devasted by the death of his mother, Qi Yue (Judy Qi). To make things right, he decided to travel back in time to save his mother from a miserable life and love-less marriage.
Qi Yue is a happy-go-lucky girl with no ambitions in life. She takes things as they are and does not react to situations unless necessary. Qi Yue meets Qi Shuo, her son from the future. She believes him quickly and decides to help him change her fate.
Qi Shuo is determined to make his mother fall in love with Lu Xiao (Jerron Wu), a gifted physics student with good values and, most importantly, a good man.
Hence, they begin their plan of transforming Qi Yue into a straight-A student so that she can get into the university Lu Xiao studies and the inner circle of scholar students. Qi Yue and Qi Shuo make numerous attempts to catch the attention of Lu Xiao, thus making him fall in love with our main lead.
The C-drama I Belonged to Your World is hilarious to watch, with light moments shared between the main couple and the bonding between mother and son, taking viewers on a rollercoaster ride with all the ups and downs in the main lead’s life.
Will Qi Shuo succeed in making his mother’s future different from what it was, or will he be forced to return to the future and leave things as they are?
- Drama: I Belonged to Your World
- Episodes: 20
- Duration: 35 min.
- Aired: 2023
- Original Network: iQIYI
Closer to You 2
Ten years ago, in an attempt to save Han Fei (Zhang Tian Ai), Wu Jing Hao (Li Yi Nan) fell into a coma. Han Fei has been constantly by his side throughout these years and carries the guilt of the accident.
In a surprising turn of events, Han Fei gets the opportunity to travel back to the exact time the accident took place and set things right, even if she faces many hurdles on the way. When she finally meets a young Wu Jing Hao at the university orientation event, Han Fei discovers that the man standing in front of her is not the same Jing Hao she had known and loved.
Still, Han Fei does not give up hope and tries to rekindle the romance between her and Jing Hao, even if he turns her down. Han Fei never gives up and pursues him relentlessly. Jing Hao, seeing her struggle, agrees to one date.
Closer to You 2 follows the journey of Han Fei after the accident with her boyfriend and her refusal to accept that she cannot change the past even as she tries to change the present. The end of the drama signifies whether Hai Fei manages to change the destiny of Jing Hao or whether she becomes the victim of the accident this time around.
- Drama: Closer to You Season 2
- Episodes: 24
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2023
- Original Network: Youku
The Heart of Genius
Lin Zhao Xi (Zang Zi Feng) lives a mundane life. By graduating in philosophy from a local university, she has long given up hopes of becoming a math genius like her father and long-time high school crush Pei Zhi (Zang Xin Cheng).
Circumstances force her to enroll in beauty pageants to support her ailing father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Pei Zhi meanwhile makes the decision to study in Germany, leaving a heartbroken Lin Zhao Xi behind.
Lin Zhao Xi finds herself in a parallel universe where she is a 12-year-old High School student. The parallel universe is called Cheese with her classmate Ji Jiang (Wang Yu Jun).
Together, they must find a way to return to their own world. In order to do that, they must win the math Olympiad exam, which previously Lin Zhao Xi had failed. She has to face her greatest fear and change the course of her lifetime.
The Heart of Genuis is a well-crafted slice-of-life Chinese drama that shows the reality of life, friendships, and romance. As the main leads make decisions that change the trajectory of their lives while carrying regrets of the past, we see them mature over time and own up to their mistakes.
Not everyone is a hero to others, but they can be one of their own. The heart of genius captures these emotions perfectly.
- Drama: The Heart of Genius
- Episodes: 34
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: iQIYI
Also Read: 13 Drama-Like Ugly Alerts That You Can Watch
Love Buzz
Love Buzz is a cute, short, and well-written Korean movie. An 18-year-old student travels back in time to help his mom and dad fall in love and end up together in the future.
As the movie progresses with various plot twists, the story takes a different turn as the student is much more than just a son to the female lead.
With an ending that is much more confusing than the start of the movie, Love Buzz takes the viewers on a roller coaster ride in a time travel romance mystery drama or film wrapped into one.
Don’t miss this one out!
- Movie: Love Buzz
- Country: South Korea
- Release Date: Apr 27, 2019
- Duration: 29 min.
- Cast: Lee Han Ik as Park Woo Jin, Choi Ji Hui as Kim Ji woo.
Please Be Married
Ye Xiang Ge (Mi Jia) is a trainee at Lishan Entertainment Company, but before she makes an official debut, a scandal breaks out, causing the company to terminate Xiang Ge’s contract. The scandal was caused by her own best friend, and Ye Xiang Ge is forced out, leaving her jobless.
Due to desperate circumstances, Ye Xiang Ge decides to intern at SU group and meets the cold-blooded CEO Su Mu Chen (Hu Jia Hao). They are, from the start, at odds with one another, and major misunderstandings take place between them.
Meanwhile, in a sudden turn of events, a 5-year-old boy, Su Zian (Dong Jiu He), comes from the future and declares Ye Xiang Ge as his mother. Confused beyond words, Ye Xiang Ge takes Su Zian to meet Su Mu Chen, the supposed father of the boy.
The main leads have no other choice than to start living together to support their son and hide his secret. Misunderstandings make way for close shared moments between Ye Xiang Ge and Su Mu Chen. Slowly, they come to terms with their feelings for each other and eventually confess their love.
- Drama: Please Be Married
- Episodes: 30
- Duration: 10 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: Youku
Please be Married Season 2
Rookie idol Ye Xiang Ge (Mi Jia) was nothing more than to debut and make a name for herself. She boldly chases the top executive, Su Mu Chen (Hu Jia Hao). With the help of her future son An An (Dong Jiu He), who wants nothing more than for his mom and dad to be married and live happily.
The arrival of Su Mu Chen’s mother causes conflicts between the main leads. Which results in plenty of misunderstandings and fights. The dark past of Su Mu Chen’s childhood comes to light, and Ye Xiang Ge is forced to face the past along with the future.
As Ye Xiang Ge’s career grows, she is conflicted in choosing between her career and her son. Will An An be successful in bringing his parents together once again, or will the past finally catch up to him?
- Drama: Please Be Married Season 2
- Episodes: 30
- Duration: 10 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: Youku
I Don’t Want To Be Friends with You
Li Jin Bu (Sabrina Zhuang) and her mother have always been close to each other. A time travel into the past brings Li Jin Bu 20 years earlier, where she gets the opportunity to meet the young Li Qing Tong (Chen Hao Yu), her mother. Due to their similar nature, they become fast friends.
But coming from completely different generations, they often run into trouble and land in funny situations. The time travel helps Li Jin Bu learn about her mother’s bravery and kindness and discover that there is no stronger bond in the world than the one shared by a mother and her daughters.
I Don’t Want to Be Friends with You not only highlights the relationship between a mother and daughter but also touches on topics like friendships and healthy relationships, which makes it a drama worthy of watching along with your loved ones.
- Drama: I Don’t Want to Be Friends with You
- Episodes: 24
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2020
- Original Network: MangoTV, Viki, iQIYI
First Love Again
The year 2019 is when renowned physicist Ye You Ning (Patrick Shih) travels back to his ancestral village in China after spending years abroad to take care of his ailing grandfather.
A thunderstorm takes Ye You Ning by surprise as he suddenly finds himself back in High School in the year 2006 as a student with his old classmates and friends whom he had long since forgotten.
The reason for the time travel Ye You Ning discovers is his friend’s old phone. As he experiments with various methods to go back to his future self with the help of Xia Wen Xi (Chen Hao Yu), Ye You Ning attempts to reconnect with his classmates.
First Love Again is a drama that tackles the issue of regrets. The main lead goes through each and every one of them, trying to change the future and bring peace to himself. Friendships are formed again, and this time, Ye You Ning promises to keep in touch with them. The people whom he failed to cherish were the ones coming to rescue him.
- Drama: First Love Again
- Episodes: 24
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: iQIYI
Meet By Window
In possession of a strange novel that opens gateways to other worlds and mysterious dimensions, Zhang Bo Yu (Guo Jia Nan) always thought that he would have to live all alone in the world due to his secret. With the burden of keeping the book safe and going on space adventures by himself, Zhang Bo Yu was in a strange place between feeling lonely and getting excited.
Xiao Yiu (Zhu Li) accidentally discovers Zhang Bo Yu’s secret one day, leading to a confrontation between the two. Fuelled by curiosity and awe, Xiao Yui forces Zhang Bo Yu to open the book. What she discovers instead is just a piece of a broken man that she is the key to uncover.
They embark on different journeys together, and with time, their friendship turns into something more sweet. Meet By Window is a drama that makes use of alternate dimensions and resonates with the viewers with their feel-good vibes and soulful OST. Be it the adventures or the key that holds many secrets, this drama takes place in a parallel world, leaving the viewers wanting more.
- Drama: Meet by Window
- Episodes: 36
- Duration: 11 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: Youku
Shining For One Thing
Lin Bei Xing (Karlina Zhang), a young woman about to enter her 30s, is unsatisfied with how her life turned out. She often thinks about the past and wishes to change it.
While waiting in the rain for Zhang Wu (Caesar Wu), her fiancé, she deletes messages on her old phone, and Lin Bei Xing suddenly finds herself back in her High school days when she was 18 years old. This time, she vows to do well on her entrance test and get into a good college, but it always sends her back to the present.
When Lin Bei Xing is in the past, she vows to forget about Zhang Wan Sen (Qu Chu Xiao), her high school crush whom she is still in love with. But the chance encounter sets the time travel to break, causing Lin Bei Xing to be stuck in the past.
Shining on One Thing focuses on the unrequited love story of Lin Bei Xing and Zhang Wan Sen. They will always find themselves together yet apart in whichever universe they are in, causing the female lead to break down on multiple occasions.
Will the main leads finally complete their love story, or will it remain unrequited this time around?
- Drama: Shining for One Thing
- Episodes: 24
- Duration: 40 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: iQIYI
Legally Romance
At the age of 28, most people are set on their careers. Quian We (Song Zuer) should have been at the top of her game, but working as a paralegal assistant in a Law Firm run by the person she hates the most proves to be difficult.
Lu Xun (Z Tao) has been harboring hate for Quian We since their high school days. He makes Quian We work overtime and takes pleasure in making her run around for work. But when Quian We becomes the victim of a tragic car accident, everything changes.
Now in a coma, Quian We gets transported back to her college days, where she was a good-natured and calm human being. Quian We quickly adapts to her new environment and promises not to make the same mistakes as she did before.
Most importantly, she vows to take care of her father during his sickness. As the days go by, Quian We retakes all her tests and participates in debates to prove that Lu Xun cheats his way through. Unknowingly, she discovers that Lu Xun is in love with her throughout.
Will Quian We reciprocate Lu Xun’s feelings or make the same mistakes she made in the past?
- Drama: Legally Romance
- Episodes: 33
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: WeTV, Viki.
To Ship Someone
Xiao QI (Lu Yu Xiao) always holds a positive outlook toward life, even if she faces troubles in her daily life and place of work. She loves happy endings and wishes the same to happen with her as well, but life always does not seem like the roses and rainbows she wishes it were. Xiao Qi works for a company that purchases the rights to a book and sends them to production companies.
Ji Shu (Zhu Zheng Ting) is a famous and well-known author of a web novel series called CP. But Ji Shu has a tragic past and is believed to be the sole accuser of his family’s misfortunes. While Ji Shu refuses to sell the rights of the CP, Xiao Qi convinces him to meet her once.
While Xiao Qi is frank with him about writing only sad endings to his characters, Ji Shu breaks her bubble of happy things. In a sudden turn of events, Xiao Qi and Ji Shu get pulled inside the book. The characters turn real, and both the main leads are forced to make a decision, ultimately changing the incidents happening in the book.
The question remains: Will Xiao Qi get the happy ending she so desires, or will Ji Shu be forced to finally accept the sad endings as he had written them? To Ship, Someone is a rom-com complete with a good amount of tension between the main leads, making it an angst-filled watch.
- Drama: To Ship Someone
- Episodes: 24
- Duration: 45 min.
- Aired: 2023
- Original Network: iQIYI
Love Across Time
In November 1999, Lawyer Xiao Mu Chen (Xiao Mu Chen) died while saving his fiancé Chen Bao Shan (Shi Xue Jing). Since then, Chen Bao Shan has been drowning in guilt. Unable to face the grave of her lover, Chen Bao Chan decides to no longer live at all.
While contemplating what decision to take, fate gives her a chance. But the chance does not seem easy. Chen Bao Shan gets the ability to travel to the same time that Xiao Mu Chen lived in mere seconds of saving her. She wants to save him, but she can’t. Stuck in a time loop that keeps haunting her, Chen Bao Shan decides never to meet Xiao Mu Chen in this lifetime.
https://youtu.be/NewrF6fwDWU?si=5XfDmPVF9o7_gouD
The time loop gives in. No matter the cost of her own life, Chen Bao Shan and Xiao Mu Chen meet again. This time, though, things might be different. Chen Bao Shan gets the chance she has been waiting for all this while.
- Drama: Love Across Time
- Episodes: 32
- Aired: 2023
- Duration: 3 min.
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like Alchemy Of Souls
