Top 10 Must-Watch Taiwanese Dramas of the Past 5 Years! This One Leaves Such a Powerful Aftertaste You’ll Hesitate to Rewatch: In This Lifetime, Sharing a Meal Together Is Enough

Over the past five years, Taiwanese dramas have embraced increasingly diverse themes—from hostess bars on Taipei’s Lin Sen North Road and election campaign staff entangled in serial murders, to judicial struggles, midlife women, returning to hometowns, and confronting regrets about life and death. Many of these works no longer rely on idol romance formulas, instead drawing stories from the real cracks within Taiwanese society. Some captivate viewers with suspenseful pacing, keeping them up all night, while others, without dramatic plot twists, allow audiences to see their own families and lives in a shared meal, a heated argument, or an unfinished sentence.

This article covers the period from 2021 to July 2026, compiling a list of 10 must-watch 'god-tier' Taiwanese dramas based on overall completion, thematic representation, and online buzz. These works may not be flawless, but each has used vivid characters and compelling narratives to show just how deep and far Taiwanese dramas have come in recent years.

10th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *Lighting Up the Night* | In a hostess bar, the hardest mystery isn’t who the killer is—but who truly loved whom

*Lighting Up the Night* is set in the 1980s at 'Guang,' a Japanese-style hostess bar on Taipei’s Lin Sen North Road. Lin Yuinong, played by Vivian Hsu, and Su Qingyi, played by Ko Chia-yen, co-lead a group of women, each carrying their own scars. After a murder is discovered, everyone could have a motive, and as the investigation unfolds, friendship, love, jealousy, and betrayal gradually surface. The show’s greatest strength lies in embedding a suspenseful crime within a female ensemble, transforming the hostess bar from a mere place of entertainment into a temporary refuge for women stumbling between emotional survival and reality.

Many viewers started watching to guess the killer, but what truly stayed with them was the love-hate relationship between Lin Yuinong and Su Qingyi. Praise poured in for the first season’s tight pacing and strong retro atmosphere, with each hostess possessing distinct personalities and personal struggles. Ko Chia-yen’s portrayal of Su Qingyi was especially heartbreaking—outwardly composed and dignified, yet trapped inside by unrequited love. The later seasons drew criticism, with some feeling subplots became too convoluted, diluting the initial shock when the truth was revealed. Yet most viewers agreed that the show’s true emotional core was never 'who killed Su Qingyi,' but rather how everyone, believing they were chasing love, ended up pushing their closest people further away.

9th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *The World Between Us* | For some, forgetting a memory is the only way to keep living

*The World Between Us*, starring Hsu Wei-ning as Lin Chen-hsi, a capable professional, follows her as she wakes up from a car accident to find her relationships and memories completely altered. A murder case involving her middle school teacher pulls her back into the past. Through dislocated timelines, recurring characters, and a world where truth and illusion blur, the drama gradually uncovers Lin Chen-hsi’s past sexual violence and how she protected herself through dissociation. The story extends to the victim’s family, bystanders, complicit structures, and societal suspicion toward women, illustrating how trauma reshapes a person’s body, memory, and life.

Many viewers initially thought they were watching a time-travel or parallel universe story, only to realize the chaotic world was actually a survivor’s self-built sanctuary. Hsu Wei-ning’s layered performance—from calm to fearful to broken—was widely praised, and Wen Chen-ling and Alyssa Chia’s portrayals left many viewers emotionally overwhelmed. For some, the most painful part wasn’t the event itself, but the fact that the victim had sought help, only for the adults around her to disbelieve her or tell her to forget. While some felt the latter half packed too many issues too densely, the drama was still lauded for giving voice to women who’ve long blamed themselves: 'The one who should feel shame has never been the one who survived.'

8th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *Wave Makers* | No political victory is worth sacrificing a person’s dignity

*Wave Makers* turns its lens on political campaign staff during a presidential election. Hsieh Ying-hsuan plays Weng Wen-fang, deputy director of the party’s publicity department, alongside Huang Chien-wei as Chen Chia-ching, leading a team navigating polls, public opinion, rallies, and sudden crises to salvage their campaign. Beyond political maneuvering, the drama tackles workplace sexual harassment, abuse of power, same-sex partnerships, and family responsibilities. It avoids portraying staff as mere power-hungry strategists, instead showing viewers the ordinary people behind an election, constantly negotiating between ideals, work, and reality. After its release, the sexual harassment plotline sparked widespread discussion across Taiwan.

What resonated most with viewers was how the show didn’t depict politics as a distant game of power, but revealed how staff make choices amid campaign pressure, workplace stress, and personal beliefs. When Weng Wen-fang tells Zhang Ya-ching, a sexual harassment victim, 'We won’t just let this go,' many viewers were moved to tears—because that line finally acknowledged those who were told to endure, to prioritize the bigger picture, and ended up swallowing their pain alone. Some felt the party’s image was overly idealized and certain plots distant from real politics. Yet the drama’s most powerful moment was its message: even in the face of power and electoral gain, there are still those who stand beside the wounded and say, 'This isn’t your fault.'

7th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *Copycat* | What the killer wants to destroy most is people’s willingness to believe in kindness

*Copycat* adapts Miyuki Miyabe’s novel of the same name into 1990s Taiwan. Wu Kang-ren plays prosecutor Kuo Hsiao-chi, investigating a series of female disappearances and murders, chasing a killer who masterfully manipulates the media and torments victims’ families. Through perspectives from police, prosecutors, newsrooms, psychologists, and victim families, the drama shows how media competition for ratings becomes the killer’s stage. Retro streetscapes, VHS tapes, phone-in radio shows, and news studios recreate how people understood fear and truth before the internet.

Viewers widely praised the cinematography, music, and period atmosphere, with strong performances from Wu Kang-ren, Yao Chun-yao, and Tu Tsung-hua anchoring the heavy world. The killer’s design—using media to amplify fear—chilled many, as his true goal wasn’t just taking lives, but forcing everyone to watch tragedy according to his script. Family storylines also moved many to tears: Mr. Ma clinging to his missing granddaughter, and Yung-ge desperately searching for his daughter—more painful than the investigation itself. Criticisms focused on the logic of the investigation and the ending, with some finding character actions unreasonable and characters sacrificed for tragedy. Overall, the drama’s most unforgettable message is that while evil can be meticulously planned, the simple kindness ordinary people show each other may still strip it of its power.

6th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *The Last Dance* | Those who refuse to leave are just waiting for one long-overdue word

*The Last Dance* follows Pu Yi-yung, a high school student played by Tseng Jing-hua, who, after a severe car accident and two years in a coma, wakes up able to see supernatural phenomena born from human attachments. Alongside rookie cop Chen Chu-ying (played by Sonia Sui) and medical student Tsao Kuang-yen (Peng Chien-yu), he helps the dead and the living fulfill unresolved wishes. Each episode seems to deal with monsters and strange events, but beneath them lie neglected emotions: the dead who want to be remembered, mothers who lost children, those unable to apologize, and lives that vanished without a name.

Many viewers expected a comedic fantasy but ended up crying through nearly every episode. The bickering yet caring dynamic among Pu Yi-yung, Chen Chu-ying, and Tsao Kuang-yen was beloved—'a group of stubborn but kind-hearted fools.' Others were struck by the mother finally feeling her child 'came home,' realizing that what we call 'attachments' are often just love with no outlet. The drama was praised for not portraying death as eerie, but letting terrifying forms slowly reveal their sorrowful essence. A few felt the tonal gap between school comedy and heavy themes was too wide, but most appreciated the rhythm of 'starting with laughter, ending with tears,' reminding us that some linger so long simply to confirm they were once loved.

5th Must-Watch Taiwanese Drama of the Past 5 Years: *Superstar* | Before the spotlight hits, everyone fears they’ll no longer be needed

*Superstar* is set in Taiwan’s entertainment industry, featuring Hsieh Ying-hsuan, Ko Chia-yen, Hsueh Shih-ling, Yang Kuei-mei, Chung Hsin-ling, Tseng Wan-ting, and Chen Ting-ni, portraying female stars of different ages and positions struggling for roles, facing public opinion, and reevaluating friendship, love, and self-worth. Hsueh Ya-chih and Chou Fan were once closest friends, but drift apart due to career and life choices. Newcomers fight for opportunities, while veteran actresses face the harsh reality of no longer being seen as leads. The drama brings stars back to ordinary people, showing viewers that behind glamorous photos, some fear replacement and oblivion every day.

Many viewers remarked that finally, female actors no longer had to play only wives or mothers, but could be protagonists with ambition, vulnerability, and failure. The complex friendship between Ko Chia-yen and Hsieh Ying-hsuan sparked much discussion—though they understand each other best, they also know exactly which words cut deepest. Tseng Wan-ting and Chung Hsin-ling’s arcs reminded viewers that fame doesn’t determine an actor’s value. Some criticized too many subplots and rushed endings, or disliked certain romantic developments. Yet the relationships—where women compete, envy, yet support each other in their most vulnerable moments—moved many: sometimes, the one who truly understands why you can’t let go of the spotlight is the one who once fought you for the same spot.