Not Just 'Golden'! Chen Kun's Highest-Rated Chinese Dramas TOP 10: Surpassing 'The Longest Day' with 8.5 Points, Still Loved by Fans 20 Years After Broadcast

Chen Kun's new drama 'Golden' has recently garnered attention, bringing the veteran actor back into the spotlight after a long hiatus. Looking back at his career, from early works like 'Like Mist, Like Rain, Like Wind' and 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' to more recent hits like 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes', 'The Longest Day', and 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes', he has left behind many highly acclaimed works that continue to be enjoyed by audiences. This article ranks Chen Kun's top 10 highest-rated Chinese dramas based on Douban ratings, excluding TV movies, films, variety shows, and documentaries, and focusing only on those produced or co-produced in mainland China and aired as of August 24, 2026.

Chen Kun's 10th Highest-Rated Drama: Liang Jinkun in 'Wind and Rain in the West' | Douban Rating: 7.8 'Wind and Rain in the West' stars Sun Li, Chen Kun, and Gao Yunxiang, and is set in 1920s Guangzhou. The story revolves around a group of young people and their love, friendship, and life choices, set against the backdrop of a changing era. Chen Kun plays Liang Jinkun, an illegitimate son of the Liang family, who is shy and insecure due to his status but deeply loves Sun Li's character, Xie Tianhui. As reality closes in, Liang Jinkun is pushed into a more complex life.

Liang Jinkun remains a memorable character, with some critics even writing about him in articles like 'Protecting the Little Milk Bun in Your Heart - Liang Jinkun in 'Wind and Rain in the West''. Despite the lengthy 40+ episodes, the character's emotional and personality development is well-explored. Audiences remember Liang Jinkun as a complex figure - timid, a liar, yet loyal to friends and family, and deeply in love with Xie Tianhui. This imperfect character is what makes the role still discussed years later.

Chen Kun's 9th Highest-Rated Drama: Luo Yi in 'Goodbye, Vancouver' | Douban Rating: 7.9 'Goodbye, Vancouver' is directed by Zhao Baojang and Wang Jun, and stars Zhao Zixi, Chen Kun, Li Xiaoran, and Jiang Wu. The story is set in Vancouver, Canada, and follows a group of young people who have left China and each carry their own unspoken pasts. Chen Kun plays Luo Yi, a wealthy and outgoing young man who seems to have everything but falls into a complicated relationship with Ren Xiaoxue.

Years later, many viewers appreciate the imperfections of the characters in the drama. Someone described the characters as 'everyone is imperfect', with Luo Yi being rich, impulsive, and reckless, yet serious and even obsessive about love. Looking back at Chen Kun's performance from over 20 years ago, the youthful exuberance and naivety he brought to the role made Luo Yi one of his most recognizable urban characters.

Chen Kun's 8th Highest-Rated Drama: Fan Li in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' | Douban Rating: 8.1 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' is set against the backdrop of the Spring and Autumn period's struggle between Wu and Yue. Chen Kun plays Fan Li, a minister of Yue, while Guo Xianni plays Xi Shi, and Liu Songren and Ma Dezhong play Gou Jian and Fu Chai, respectively. Fan Li must help Yue restore its country while also sending the woman he loves, Xi Shi, to the Wu palace, torn between national duty and personal feelings. This version of Fan Li is one of Chen Kun's most representative ancient roles.

This version of Fan Li is often revisited for Chen Kun's portrayal. Some viewers were 'amazed by Chen Kun', while others particularly liked his appearance with loose hair and wide robes, finding it fitting for a refined and elegant ancient scholar. Fan Li can discuss matters of the state while also showing helplessness and deep affection in front of Xi Shi. Chen Kun's melancholic demeanor adds a sense of sorrow to the character, as if he is trapped in a chaotic world.

Chen Kun's 7th Highest-Rated Drama: Chen Gong in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' | Douban Rating: 8.1 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' is adapted from Ma Boyong's novel of the same name, turning the Three Kingdoms period into a tightly woven ancient spy war. Chen Kun plays Chen Gong, a Shuhan spy codenamed 'White Emperor', who has been undercover in Cao Wei for years. Bai Yu plays Xun Shu, who is tasked with investigating a failed intelligence mission. Chen Gong faces information, lies, suspicion, and sacrifice, with even his closest allies unsure of his true intentions.

Audiences had mixed reviews of the drama, but those who liked it praised its fast pace and logical plot. Chen Kun portrays Chen Gong as always weary and repressed, with many emotions hidden in his gaze and pauses. The closer the character gets to the truth, the less room he has to speak for himself, creating a sense of fate that makes the role heart-wrenching.

Chen Kun's 6th Highest-Rated Drama: Romeo in 'The Pink Lady' | Douban Rating: 8.1 'The Pink Lady' is adapted from Zhu Deyong's comic 'The Sour Girl', starring Liu Yifei, Zhang Yan, Chen Hao, and Xue Jiazhen. The story revolves around four urban women with completely different personalities, exploring love, marriage, friendship, and life. Chen Kun is not a main cast member but appears as Romeo in a guest role. Since this article includes any appearances, this guest role is also counted.

Years later, re-watching this classic ensemble drama, Chen Kun feels like a hidden gem in the early episodes. Some viewers remember that both Lu Yi and Chen Kun were just minor characters in the drama, and seeing this cast lineup now is particularly interesting. Romeo's role cannot compare to Jin Yanxi or Ning Yi, but seeing young Chen Kun suddenly appear in 'The Pink Lady' is a nostalgic surprise when re-watching old dramas.

Chen Kun's 5th Highest-Rated Drama: Ning Yi in 'The Longest Day' | Douban Rating: 8.1 'The Longest Day' stars Chen Kun and Ni Ni, with Chen Kun playing the sixth prince of Tiancheng, Ning Yi. This character appears carefree and sometimes even crazy, but his true intentions are deeply hidden. Revenge, power, and family are all intertwined, and when he meets Ni Ni's character, Feng Zhixia, their relationship becomes a complex dance of love and hate. Among the four works with an 8.1 rating, this drama has the most reviews, so it ranks the highest.

Ning Yi remains one of Chen Kun's most discussed television roles. Some viewers describe his performance as 'cunning yet warm', while critics believe the character's success is largely due to Chen Kun's portrayal of the character's complex and multifaceted nature. Ning Yi can be carefree one moment and completely cold the next, with power, hatred, family, and Feng Zhixia constantly pulling him in different directions, making this role still discussed years later.

Chen Kun's 4th Highest-Rated Drama: Chen Zikun in 'Like Mist, Like Rain, Like Wind' | Douban Rating: 8.2 'Like Mist, Like Rain, Like Wind' stars Chen Kun, Luo Haijun, Zhou Xun, Lu Yi, Sun Honglei, and Li Xiaoran, and is set in 1930s Shanghai. Chen Kun plays Chen Zikun, an apprentice at a watch shop, who is childhood sweethearts with Fang Ziyu but is later disrupted by Du XinYu. The love lives of these young people spiral out of control with class, desire, and the changing times.

Years later, Chen Zikun becomes a character that sparks debate among viewers. Some believe that understanding the character's setup makes the story 'natural', with everyone's choices stemming from their own circumstances. Others admit that as they grew older, they 'can no longer like Chen Zikun', especially struggling to accept his indecisiveness in love. This change in evaluation is interesting, as the once heart-wrenching male lead is now a subject of re-examination regarding love and responsibility.

Chen Kun's 3rd Highest-Rated Drama: Lu Tianen in 'The Past' | Douban Rating: 8.3 'The Past' stars Chen Kun, Li Xiaoran, and Luo Haijun, and follows the life of Lu Tianen, weaving together the changes from the late Qing Dynasty to the post-war period. Chen Kun plays Lu Tianen, a descendant of a fallen aristocratic family, who is trapped by his family and old institutions in his youth. As the times change, his marriage, family, status, and hometown gradually drift away from him. Compared to Jin Yanxi's flamboyance, Lu Tianen is more passive and repressed, allowing viewers to see how time changes a person.

Lu Tianen is also one of Chen Kun's underrated representative roles for many old fans. A long review states: 'If Jin Yanxi is Chen Kun performing with talent, then Lu Tianen is him performing with skill', believing that the true difficulty lies in portraying the changes brought by long years. When discussing his later scenes with Li Xiaoran, the review describes their performances as 'full of drama'. From a young fallen nobleman to the later stages of life, Lu Tianen's depth makes many viewers believe he is more challenging for Chen Kun than Jin Yanxi.

Chen Kun's 2nd Highest-Rated Drama: Lu Kun in 'I Really, Really Want to Fall in Love' | Douban Rating: 8.3 'I Really, Really Want to Fall in Love' stars Jiang Wenli, Na Ying, Luo Haijun, and Liang Jing, and explores love, marriage, desire, and women's choices through the lives of four urban women. Chen Kun is not the lead but appears as Lu Kun in a guest role.

For 'I Really, Really Want to Fall in Love', many people were most surprised by how its discussions on women and love still hold up today. Some viewers praised the work for being 'very down-to-earth', with the women in the story making mistakes in love, getting hurt, and making wrong choices, yet still finding their way.