Song Weilong's 'The Princess Weiyoung' Crowned King of Bad Historical Dramas! 10 Critically Panned Chinese Series, Lowest-Rated Is This One: Douban Score of Just 2.4, Even Wang Longhua and Zhang Hanyun Couldn't Save It

Starring Guan Xiaotong and Song Weilong, 'The Princess Weiyoung' was heavily criticized after its release for exaggerated hairstyles, weak acting, and drastic plot changes in the second half. Long regarded as a representative of poorly made historical romance dramas, its Douban rating of 3.8 surprisingly didn't place it among the bottom three. This article compiles the 'Top 10 Worst-Rated Chinese Historical, Xianxia, and Fantasy Romance Dramas' based on publicly available Douban ratings as of August 2, 2026, focusing on romance-driven series. Viewer criticisms regarding plot, acting, costumes, and special effects were analyzed, revealing that 'Goodbye My Princess,' 'Ancient Love Poetry,' and 'The Legend of Chong Er' all made the list. The lowest-rated drama scored only 2.4, proving even a high-profile cast couldn't salvage its reputation.

Rank 10: Feng Shaofeng and Song Qian in 'Ice Fantasy' | Douban Rating: 4.0 'Ice Fantasy' is adapted from Guo Jingming's novel of the same name, set against the backdrop of a long-standing war between the Ice and Fire Clans. Feng Shaofeng plays Ka Suo, the Ice Clan prince who longs to escape royal duties and war, while Song Qian portrays Li Luo, a guardian who falls in love with Ka Suo despite their differing statuses. Ma Tianyu plays Ying Kong Shi, Ka Suo's brother who sacrifices everything for him, forming one of the drama's core emotional arcs.

While the novel is known for its ethereal prose and imaginative world, the TV adaptation was criticized by viewers as having '50-cent special effects.' The ice palaces, magical creatures, and character designs were deemed lacking in realism. The addition of numerous subplots made the central romance feel dragged out. Despite its grand scale, many felt the visuals and storytelling failed to capture the novel's imaginative depth.

Rank 9: Angelababy and Du Chun in 'Love in the Han Dynasty: Cloud Song' | Douban Rating: 3.9 Adapted from Tong Hua's novel, 'Love in the Han Dynasty: Cloud Song' stars Angelababy as Yun Ge, a girl raised in the desert who travels to Chang'an to fulfill a childhood promise, only to be mistaken and drawn into royal and political conflicts. Du Chun plays Meng Jue, a seemingly gentle but deeply complex man, while Lu Yi portrays Emperor Zhao of Han, Liu Fuling. The three form a tragic love triangle filled with misunderstandings.

Viewers were blunt in their criticism, with comments like 'slow plot, bad acting, painful to watch,' and many felt the characters strayed too far from the original. Angelababy's portrayal of Yun Ge was criticized for limited facial expressions, while the bright costumes, excessive skin smoothing, and deviation from the novel's tone turned the tragic romance into an unengaging historical idol drama.

Rank 8: Guan Xiaotong and Song Weilong in 'The Princess Weiyoung' | Douban Rating: 3.8 Adapted from Tianyi Youfeng's novel, 'The Princess Weiyoung' features Guan Xiaotong playing dual roles as Zhu Que and Princess Liu Chuyu, sent to infiltrate the princess's mansion. Song Weilong plays Rong Zhi, a guest at the court who hides deep ambitions. Their relationship evolves from mutual suspicion to love, entangled with Northern and Southern Dynasties political intrigue, royal power struggles, and secret identities.

Guan Xiaotong's towering hairstyle at her debut was mocked online as a 'sewing machine head,' while Song Weilong's performance was criticized as 'expressionless.' The leads' looks and acting quickly became focal points of discussion. Original fans were especially upset by the drastic shift to the Wei Kingdom arc in the second half, with many stating, 'The latter part has nothing to do with The Princess Weiyoung,' cementing the drama's status as a long-standing example of failed historical romance adaptations.

Rank 7: Dylan Wang and Zhu Xudan in 'Destiny's Child' | Douban Rating: 3.7 'Destiny's Child' follows Zhu Xudan as a maid named Liu Ying, who accidentally saves Wang's character, the Dragon King Yu Chi Longyan. The two embark on a love story spanning four lifetimes. Yu Chi Longyan repeatedly searches for Liu Ying's reincarnations, who appears as a noble lady, a general, and a cultivator, gradually recovering their shared memories.

Wang's cold demeanor was dubbed 'Daoming Si 2.0' by netizens, with critics saying he 'only uses one expression.' Overly bright filters, slow pacing, and repetitive reincarnation arcs made the four-lifetimes romance lose its freshness. Many viewers found the interactions between the second male and female leads more natural and engaging than the main couple.

Rank 6: Luo Jin and Wang Likun in 'Investiture of the Gods' | Douban Rating: 3.3 The 2019 version of 'Investiture of the Gods' stars Luo Jin as Yang Jian and Wang Likun as Su Daji. The story begins in the late Shang Dynasty, reimagining Yang Jian as Daji's sworn brother, with romantic feelings developing before they enter the capital. Deng Lun plays the fox spirit Zi Xu, who also falls for Daji, turning the divine conflict into a love triangle.

The idea of Yang Jian and Daji being in love sparked the strongest backlash, with viewers frequently commenting 'ruining the classic.' Many felt Jiang Ziya was reduced to comic relief, Yang Jian's growth followed a typical idol drama pattern, and the divine battles and dynastic change were sidelined, making it feel like a love story merely borrowing character names.

Rank 5: Ma Ke and Zhang Xinyu in 'Beauty's Rival in Palace' | Douban Rating: 3.2 Set in the Warring States period of Chu, 'Beauty's Rival in Palace' stars Ma Ke as Qu Yuan, a noble-born idealist, and Zhang Xinyu as Mo Chou Nü, a straightforward commoner. The drama combines Qu Yuan's political ambitions, Chu's internal and external crises, and their romance, attempting to reinterpret historical figures through a youth idol drama lens.

The lead couple's chemistry was widely questioned, with viewers saying 'they have zero couple appeal' and asking, 'Can Ma Ke and Zhang Xinyu really carry this as leads?' Portraying Qu Yuan as a passionate youth and inserting numerous idol drama tropes made it hard for audiences to feel the character's literary weight and gravitas.

Rank 4: Wallace Chung and Angelababy in 'Goodbye My Princess' | Douban Rating: 3.2 Adapted from Feng Nong's novel, 'Goodbye My Princess' stars Wallace Chung as Chu Beijie, a fierce general of Jin, and Angelababy as Bai Tingting, a clever maid. On opposing sides, they fall in love amid war and power struggles, with Bai Tingting using her intelligence to influence the fate of four kingdoms.

The leads were accused of using stand-ins and filming separately, with scenes digitally composited later, leading to accusations of 'fake acting.' Viewers described the drama as 'full of low-quality Photoshop traces,' with mismatched backgrounds, lighting, and battle scenes. 'Green screen drama' became its most inescapable label.

Rank 3: Huang Xiaoming and Song Qian in 'Ancient Love Poetry' | Douban Rating: 3.1 Based on Tong Hua's novel 'Once Promised,' 'Ancient Love Poetry' stars Huang Xiaoming as Chi Yun, the warrior god of Ruojian, and Song Qian as Mu Qingmo, a princess of Xuanyang. After falling in love, Mu Qingmo is forced by her family to marry Sheng Yilun's character, Sheng Lun, leading to conflict and tragic sacrifices.

The lead pair's chemistry was heavily criticized, with comments like 'I'm never shipping this couple' and 'every frame is a meme.' Huang Xiaoming's exaggerated performance combined with Song Qian's then-awkward emotional delivery made the tragic romance unconvincing. Poor effects and slow pacing further burdened the viewing experience.

Rank 2: Eddie Lau and Wang Ou in 'Manghuang Ji' | Douban Rating: 3.1 Adapted from the novel by I Eat Tomatoes, 'Manghuang Ji' stars Eddie Lau as Ji Ning, the young lord of the Ji Clan, who embarks on a path of cultivation and revenge after his family's tragedy. Wang Ou plays both Nan Jun and Yu Wei, with Yu Wei guiding Ji Ning into the Black and White Academy and supporting his growth.

Despite the novel's vast world-building involving three realms, clans, and cultivation systems, the drama was criticized for failing to convey this scope. Viewers said, 'This IP wasn't utilized well, the cinematography is terrible,' noting the lack of grandeur in sets, mediocre effects, and excessive focus on romance, turning the originally epic adventure into a fragmented and dull narrative.

Rank 1: Wang Longhua and Zhang Hanyun in 'The Legend of Chong Er' | Douban Rating: 2.4 'The Legend of Chong Er' is based on the life of Duke Wen of Jin, Chong Er, during the Spring and Autumn period. Wang Longhua plays Chong Er, who grows from an exiled prince to a hegemon, while Zhang Hanyun plays Qi Jiang, the princess of Qi who knows and supports him. The drama features a star-studded supporting cast including Zhang Yishan, Wang Gang, Lin Yongjian, Wang Yan, Pubajia, and Gan Tingting, weaving Chong Er's political journey with multiple love stories.

Despite the impressive supporting cast, the reputation couldn't be saved. Viewers criticized the costumes and makeup as 'completely脱离 reality,' with bright colors prompting questions like 'What's with the red men and green women?' Character designs, clichéd plots, and historical inaccuracies were repeatedly panned. The story of a hegemon's rise, which should have felt weighty, was ultimately described by audiences as a cheap historical youth idol drama.