2026 First Half Netflix Top 10 Chinese Drama Rankings Revealed! 《逐玉》 and 《耀眼》 Lose to It: A Must-Watch Divine Drama Where a Modern Salaryman Transforms into a Demon Queen Through Books

In the first half of 2026, Chinese dramas continued to create traffic on Netflix, with multiple works entering the Netflix Taiwan program category viewership top 10 in their first statistical week. This made Chinese dramas an indispensable force for drama watching on streaming platforms. The works that made the list include the popular Chinese dramas 《逐玉》, 《冰湖重生》, 《熾夏》, 《黑夜告白》, and 《成何體統>. This article compiles a lazy person's package of the 2026 first half online Chinese dramas that ranked in the Netflix viewership top 10 in their first week, helping you understand the plots and complete rankings of the 10 popular works at once.

Ranked 10th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Li Yunrui, Huang Yangdi's 《冰湖重生》 | Douban rating: 2.9 《冰湖重生》 continues the situation after the Qinghai Lake incident. Chu Qiao is saved at the brink of life and death but always believes that Zhe Ge Yue has perished at the bottom of the lake. With the pain of losing her beloved, she directs her spear at Yan Xun and picks up her weapons again in the midst of war and power struggles. As a man of unknown origin repeatedly appears to help, Chu Qiao gradually realizes that Zhe Ge Yue may still be alive, and Yan Xun also gradually loses control due to revenge and ambition. In the end, she must make a choice between personal emotions, national responsibilities, and the safety of the people.

Netizens' reviews of 《冰湖重生》 are clearly polarized. Many viewers appreciate the large-scale quality brought by the real-life shooting of Qinghai Lake and the snowfields, believing that the screen lacks excessive skin smoothing and studio shooting feel. Li Yunrui's portrayal of Zhe Ge Yue is described as 'cold, restrained, and with a broken feel.' Someone bluntly said, 'Five stars all for Zhe Ge Yue.' However, messy editing, slow motion, and too many close-ups of characters are still the most frequently pointed out problems. The acting of the female lead and the lack of male lead's screen time have also been criticized. Some viewers believe that the work is not completely unwatchable, and the latter part of the war between several countries and the gradually clear relationships between characters are more attractive. Unfortunately, the narrative did not fully exploit the advantages of the actors and real-life settings.

Ranked 9th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Zhou Keyu, Bao Shang'en's 《熾夏》 | Douban rating: 4.8 《熾夏》 depicts a love story that continues from their student days to adulthood. The male and female leads were close to each other in their youth but separated due to family pressure, future choices, and misunderstandings, leaving a knot in their hearts that has not been untied for many years. After entering society, they meet again, seemingly having moved on from the past, but in reality, they still cannot truly let go of each other. The reunion forces them to face the secrets of the past one by one and compels them to re-examine the problems they once avoided, confirming whether this love is just a regret of youth or still has the possibility of a new beginning.

The cinematography, music, and youthful atmosphere of 《熾夏》 have received many positive reviews. The imagery of white birch trees, goldfish, and abandoned swimming pools has led some viewers to associate it with youth films with a dreamy color. Zhou Keyu's performance is particularly the focus of comments, with many netizens believing that he acts naturally, with fine eye acting, successfully portraying the transformation of Lu Xixiao from a young, exuberant boy to a stable adult. Some even call him 'the biggest plus point of the entire drama.' However, some plot segments in the drama are criticized for being overly dreamy and lacking logical grounding. Bao Shang'en's handling of emotions also has different opinions. Someone describes it as an 'idol drama with a floating plot but real emotions.' As long as you can accept the slightly absurd and fantastical youth narrative, it is easy to become more and more engrossed.

Ranked 8th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Chen Duling, Zhou Yiran's 《翹楚》 | Douban rating: 4.9 《翹楚》 takes rebirth revenge and court intrigue as its main plot. Chu Chao was betrayed by the person she trusted the most in her previous life, and her family was destroyed as a result. After being reborn, she decides to lay out her plans in advance to prevent the tragedy from repeating itself. In the process, she meets Xie Yanlai, who comes from a humble background and is in a similarly difficult situation. The two gradually become allies from mutual testing. Chu Chao uses her memories from her previous life to avoid traps, while Xie Yanlai rises through military merit. The two support each other in court struggles and border wars, gradually changing their originally doomed lives.

Many netizens believe that 《翹楚》 has a brisk opening pace, with the first episode explaining the tragedy of the previous life, quickly entering the plot of rebirth and changing fate, and almost every episode setting a new suspense. Chen Duling's performance received more praise, with audiences believing that she clearly distinguishes between Chu Chao's simplicity before rebirth and her ruthlessness after rebirth. The setting that the female lead is not confined to the inner chambers and actively walks into the court to contend for power also makes people watch with relish. Someone praises it as 'a true big female lead drama with career and intrigue as the main line.' Negative reviews are concentrated on the male lead's presence, some characters' added scenes, and the somewhat lengthy war drama in the middle segment, but overall, there are still many audiences who believe that the work gradually increases the tension in the later stages, especially the family line and Chu Chao's mental transformation are particularly infectious.

Ranked 7th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Zhong Hanliang, Zhu Zhu's 《蜜語紀》 | Douban rating: 5.2 《蜜語紀》 begins with a broken marriage. Xu Miyi was originally living a seemingly stable life but discovered her husband's betrayal before and after the wedding anniversary, causing her family and economic support to collapse. She is forced to restart from the grassroots level of a hotel and thus meets Ji Feng, a manager who is strict in requirements and calm in doing things. The two initially have different positions, but later start cooperating due to a hotel management crisis. Xu Miyi regains her judgment and confidence in her work, and Ji Feng gradually lowers his guard. The story progresses on the same line of mature love, workplace comeback, and women rebuilding their lives.

After the broadcast of 《蜜語紀》, many viewers originally thought it was an old cliché story of 'a domineering CEO falling in love with a cleaning staff,' but after actually watching it, they found that the main axis is closer to a hotel workplace group portrait. Netizens affirm the fast pace of the plot, with each episode having a new crisis, and also believe that Ji Feng, played by Zhong Hanliang, does not look like a flamboyant CEO but more like a professional manager who needs to handle personnel, operations, and internal problems. Zhu Zhu is praised for her bright appearance and can act out Miyi's side after falling into the trough while still maintaining her sense of proportion and tenacity. There are comments describing this drama as 'long drama quality and short drama pace,' with the male and female leads busy dealing with work in the early stages and the development of feelings being relatively restrained. However, some believe that some of the plot twists have a melodramatic feel, the growth speed of the female lead and the halo of the role are slightly strong, and the pace in the latter half is not as concentrated as in the early stages.

Ranked 6th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Ju Jingyi, Zeng Shunxi's 《月鱗綺紀》 | Douban rating: 5.4 《月鱗綺紀》 is built in a world where humans, demons, and gods are opposed to each other. Several characters of different backgrounds are drawn into a crisis due to the reappearance of the Nine Infants. They have both emotional entanglements and responsibilities for different camps. As the seal loosens, past grievances, bloodline secrets, and the power relationships of the three realms gradually surface. They must track down the source of the disaster while confirming who is trustworthy. When personal feelings and the fate of the world conflict, everyone has to pay a price to prevent humans from falling into chaos again.

The costumes, makeup, special effects, and actors' appearances of 《月鱗綺紀》 are almost unanimously praised by netizens. Many people believe that the work retains a distinct Gu Jingming aesthetic, with magical scenes, character designs, and lighting designs being particularly eye-catching. The double female lead scenes of Ju Jingyi and Chen Duling are particularly well-received. The emotional line between Ji Ling and Lu Wu Yi also attracts many viewers, with someone saying, 'From an ordinary three-star to a four-star,' and 'Ji Lu is too touching.' However, too many plot twists, complex character identities, and inconsistent narrative pacing still confuse some viewers, even requiring them to watch at double speed.

Ranked 5th in the Netflix viewership top 10 Chinese dramas: Guan Xiaotong, Li Yunrui's 《耀眼》 | Douban rating: 5.9 《耀眼》 tells the story of a girl who originally lived a prosperous life but, due to a sudden family incident, was forced to leave her familiar city and move to a seaside town. Ying Ye struggles to adapt to the new environment and frequently clashes with the outgoing Xing Wu. However, as they interact, they gradually see each other's vulnerable sides. The emotions of adolescence are not yet truly mature when they are obstructed by family, education, and reality. Years later, when they meet again, they have different lives but still have to go back and deal with the reasons for their separation.

《耀眼》 is described by many netizens as a youth love drama suitable for summer viewing. The seaside scenery, refreshing color tones, and natural interactions between the male and female leads give the work a lightness reminiscent of early Taiwanese idol dramas. The pairing of Guan Xiaotong and Li Yunrui was not initially favored by everyone, but after the broadcast, many viewers felt that they unexpectedly had chemistry. The tentative period of ambiguity and small expressions are shot finely, and Li Yunrui's white hair style and Guan Xiaotong's life-like performance are also very eye-catching. Someone describes the entire drama as 'sea salt bubble water, refreshing with a hint of sourness,' and someone believes that the work does not have too much intentional sweetness, and the character portraits and growth lines can be established. Unfortunately, the pace in the latter part is slightly dragged, and some viewers believe that if the number of episodes is shortened, the overall work will be better.