The BEST Youku shows of all time

#1 - Hidden Love (2023)

Since high school, Sang Zhi has had a crush on Duan Jiaxu. When fate brings them together again, they find a chance to embark on a sweet relationship and fall in love.

#2 - Word of Honor

Zhou Zi Shu gets embroiled in a conspiracy in the martial arts world. He meets Wen Ke Xing who escapes from the Ghost Valley to avenge his parents' deaths. They become fast friends and embark on an adventure to find a legendary treasure.

#3 - The Longest Day In Chang'An

The Longest Day In Chang'an, is one of the most popular TV series of 2019 in China. Chang'an. The city of Eternal Peace. China's ancient imperial capital and the world's most magnificent metropolis. Its treasures and wealth are now under siege from a mysterious army. In 24 hours the enemies will launch a devastating attack. While the nobles panic and flee, the city's most notorious criminal will be its saviour!

#4 - Falling Into Your Smile

Student Tong Yao makes two vows: to never be in a relationship with someone in the same field and to make up for the Chinese League of Legends. When Tong Yao earns her spot as the first formal female player in China's professional league, she catches the attention of an elite team captain. Facing doubts and inconveniences, she meets each challenge with her own persistence and her teammates' support. After much effort, what will become of her vows? Will she stand on the world stage to make up for six years of regret? Will she avoid a romantic entanglement within the e-sports world?

#5 - Ancient Detective

The story follows the amnesiac detective Jian Buzhi who starts on a quest to find the truth and unmask his father's killer. Along the way, he finds a love interest and a good friend who works hand in hand with him to solve mysterious cases.

#6 - Guardian (2018)

More than ten thousand years ago an alien race landed on the planet Haixing, some among them fused their cells with plants and animals, forming the Yashou tribe. Some stayed deep under the ground and were called the Dixing people. Their cells mutated as well and they became capable of some supernatural powers. There was, however, peace between the three tribes. Until a meteor hit Haixing and the Dixing's resources started to deplete and they escaped to the surface and started a war with the Haixing and the Yashou people. Zhao Yun Lan, a human, falls into a deep slumber to save Shen Wei, a powerful mutant. In return, Shen Wei fulfills his promise to Zhao Yun Lan to be the keeper of the boundary. The Haixing, in the end, won the war after they created 4 Holy Tools out of the meteor. The three tribes then agreed on a peace. The humans create the Special Investigation Division (SID) to catch mutants who escape exile and bring them back to the border. After a million years, both sides were able to live peacefully and the SID became irrelevant and forgotten altogether, that is until a series of weird events begin to occur. Shen Wei, now as a gentle and calm university professor, joins the SID and realizes that Zhao Yun Lan is awake and knows nothing about their past. The SID also comes to realize that Shen Wei is no ordinary professor and somehow linked to the mysterious "four sages".

#7 - Lighter and Princess

As soon as Zhu Yun started college life, the world was completely turned upside down by the intrusion of "bad boy" Li Yi. He was regarded by Zhu Yun as a rich, ignorant and incompetent son, but his real identity was actually a special admissions student who was admitted by the school, and a rare programming genius. After several confrontations, the two have some appreciation for each other. The senior Fang Zhijing made things difficult for Zhu Yun many times, Li Wei took action to protect Zhu Yun, and invited her to join the preparation team he set up to win a major programming competition on behalf of the school.

#8 - Good Bye My Princess

Xiao Feng is the beloved ninth princess of Western Liang, who enters into a political marriage with Li Cheng Yin, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty. The latter has his own favourite concubine, and only agreed to this loveless marriage to secure his position as heir to the throne. It is later revealed that Xiao Feng had met Li Cheng Yin under the alias of Gu Xiao Wu three years ago. He was on a secretive mission to conquer the western kingdoms, and used Xiao Feng to accomplish his goal. After finding out the truth, Xiao Feng jumped into the River of Forgetfulness, and Gu Xiao Wu / Li Chen Yin followed suit out of guilt, and perhaps also love. In the present-time, only Xiao Feng has regained her memories, and their heart-wrenching romance begins all over again.

#9 - Love and Redemption

Chu Xuan Ji and Yu Si Feng meet at a magic and martial arts tournament for young apprentices and begin a relationship.

#10 - I Hear You

Bei Er Duo, a girl from an ordinary family, dreams about studying in Japan to be a professional voice actress. However, her mother wants her to marry rich whilst she is young, leading to continuous blind dates which irritate Bei Er Duo. In her desperation to raise funds for studying overseas as well as helping her best friend Tang Li out of a crisis, Bei Er Duo joins a couple reality program, encountering top violin maker Ye Shu Wei. Ye Shu Wei is from a family of artists and has a low-key, mysterious, and genius character in both the composing and violin industry. He was forced to join the reality program having lost a bet to his nephew Yu Sheng. In fact, the actual reason that attracted Ye Shu Wei to participate in the show is not his bet with Yu Sheng. Instead, he seeks to identify the person who correctly answered his audition question. Because the reality show is faced with the crisis of integrity, Bei Er Duo and Ye Shu Wei start a lively and funny cohabitation life, and spontaneously fell into the fate of a wonderful romance together.

#11 - Day and Night

The usually carefree Guan Hong Yu is accused of murdering a whole family. To clear his younger twin brother’s charges, the team leader of the criminal investigation department, Guan Hong Feng, wants to take on this case, but since he’s a relative, he’s not allowed to participate in the investigation. A new team leader named Zhou Xun is assigned and ends up seeking Hong Feng’s help. Zhou Xun and Hong Feng as his “consultant” uncover a number of cases together. However, Hong Feng has a secret: one of the twin brothers has fear of the dark, so the “Hong Feng” appearing at the police station during the day and at night is actually not the same person. Together, the twins secretly try to find out the truth about the “family extinction murder case”.

#12 - Bloody Romance

What doesn’t break you can make you stronger. Qi Xue is a beautiful 16-year-old whose life takes a horrific turn when her father sells her to a brothel. There, she undergoes unspeakable abuse that nearly breaks her spirit. But when Qi Xue enters a mysterious new city, she is given a new identify of Wan Mei and undergoes training to become an assassin. Now able to use her beauty as a weapon, Wan Mei is no longer a victim of all the cruel people around her during the waning days of the Tang Dynasty. As Wan Mei takes on dangerous missions that puts her life on the line, the mysterious Chang An watches over her like a shadow. But when she becomes embroiled in a deadly conspiracy, can Wan Mei survive?

#13 - The Flame's Daughter

The story focuses on a lively and passionate Ru Ge (Dilraba Dilmurat), heir to a big estate, and her entangled love with three men in her life. One enters a life of immortality just for the chance of meeting her again, yet he’s cursed with an unrequited love forever (Xue – Vic Zhou). Another is a gentle, loving, crippled man who eventually loses most of his senses (Yu – Liu Rui Lin). Lastly is an arrogant man who is her first love and also the one to break her heart (Feng – Zhang Bin Bin).

#14 - Please Feel at Ease Mr. Ling

A story of how the 'rabbit' brings home a 'big bad wolf' follows a young woman named Gu An Xin who chances upon the hotshot executive Ling Yue after he encountered an accident. Gu An Xin picked up a man. At first, she thought he was stupid, but after a few days of interaction, he proves himself to be a genius. As it turns out, Ling Yue got into an accident after being caught in the ugly fight for succession of a powerful conglomerate. With two people so different from each other living together, what kind of relationship will it bring?

#15 - The Rebel Princess

Intense power play between the royals as they all fight for a better kingdom for everyone.

#16 - Love Better Than Immortality

#17 - Cambrian Period

Tang Ying is an innocent, naive girl who, after a failing acting career, decides to start afresh to travel to Nanzhan Bu Island (South Island) and become a surrogate shopper. However, all is not what it seems. Due to the popularity of the island and the tax-free and visa free policies in place there, it has attracted the attention of many criminal syndicates/gangs who are looking to invest on the island due to the prospect of making an insane amount of money, and the secret war between the gangs and the police brewing there. By accident, Tang Ying becomes embroiled in the war, as well as meeting two different men who are on opposite sides of this war: Jian Zi who is a juvenile killer, and the handsome male police commissioner Li Yong Ji. In the shadow of death, gangs and a variety of cases involving trade in the black market, will Tang Ying be able to pull through?

#18 - Count Your Lucky Stars

Lu Xingcheng was used to having the world at his feet until he lost everything in an instant. Tong Xiaoyou used to be eternally jinxed until the day she became famous overnight. Chic editor Lu Xingcheng has a haughty personality and a sharp tongue. In the fashion world, he is a legendary figure and famous for being lucky. Tong Xiaoyou is an unknown designer who is unlucky in everything that she does. An accident causes their lucks to be interchanged and their lives take a drastic turn. As Tong Xiaoyou gets to know Lu Xingcheng, she gradually learns about his hidden past and discovers a man who yearns for family despite his arrogant facade. Tong Xiaoyou wants to help her idol return to his former glory, but his egotistic tendencies can be hard to deal with.

#19 - My Girl

When Meng Hui was a child, she was accidentally injured by Shen Yi, leaving a scar on her face and causing her a delusional disorder. Shen Yi escaped responsibility because of his young age, but both of them grew up with their own respective "scars." One day, they came across each other again when Meng Hui, now a makeup artist, meets Shen Yi whom she thought was a junior staff of the cosmetics company LS, but in reality, is the president of the company.

#20 - Why Women Love

Gu Jia Xin is full of talents but has no intention of inheriting the family business following his mother's arrangement for him to become Zhao Jiang Yue’s assistant. The two slowly come together to realize their dreams.

#21 - Oh My General

During the Song Dynasty, a woman disguises herself as a man and becomes a formidable general, unrivaled in prowess and fearless in battle. Even the people closest to her believe that she is a man which makes for a couple confused hearts. After being outed as a female, she is forced to marry into the imperial family but the man she is betrothed to is everything that she is not - spoiled, entitled, definitely not a hero.

#22 - Professional Single

Single since birth, Yuan Qian and Qin Shen are two people who will probably end up being single for life because they want to. Set against the backdrop of an art school, the story follows students who overcome many difficulties to pursue their artistic ideals. Qin Shen is a student who dreams of becoming a sculptor. A freshman in their department, he is like a god-level existence in their school - cold, disciplined and a perfectionist. However, girls mean nothing to him and he finds dating to be a complete waste of time. Yuan Qian has the appearance of the cute girl next door but has a headstrong personality. She is eloquent and determined such that no one can stop her once she sets her mind to something. However, she has a tendency to pick at other people's shortcomings so much that no guy can impress her.

#23 - Immortal Samsara

Yan Dan is the only descendant of an ancient tribe, the four-leaf scorpion. Since ancient times, her whole body is a treasure of medicine. She and her twin sister Zhi Xi were able to cultivate into human form at the Queen Mother's Feast a hundred years in advance, and encountered the biggest trial in her life - the love trial. She fell in love with Lord Ying Yuan but had to spend the next eight hundred years forgetting him. However at this time, Yu Mo suddenly entered her life, and become her great support. Everyday, Yu Mo takes Yan Dan out to do good deeds. One day while they were punishing evil, they meet Lord Ying Yuan's current reincarnation, Tang Zhou, who is currently a demon hunter. They help Tang Zhou search for the four ancient artifacts, and also discover a mysterious secret.

#24 - Best Lover

Two young stars with different backgrounds and agendas enter into a fake marriage to advance their careers, until the fake starts turning real.

#25 - Wait, My Youth

A story about the naivety of young love, the pureness, and beauty of friendship and the warmth of family surrounding a group of friends. Su Can Can loves learning about literary works. In her adolescence, she meets her best friends. Xu Mei Li is lively and cheerful, Lan Tian Ye is handsome and uninhibited, Lin Jia Ze is gentle and refined, Tao Ya Ting is beautiful and melancholic. In their journey, they have many little secrets and many worries. Whether in high school or in college, Su Can Can has collected many unforgettable memories. When she turned 28, she looks around and realizes that the people with her when she was 18 are still the same people around her now.

#26 - The Strongest Men of God

Liu Chuan is a master in the e-sports circle and has won many awards. When he was at his peak, he was taken back by his parents to continue his studies. Unwilling to be lonely on campus, he secretly reorganized the team. The fierce competition made them grow rapidly and made their feelings closer and clearer.

#27 - The Blue Whisper

An Oriental fairytale follows the romance between a demon master and a merman. Their relationship started from that of control and being controlled. After a series of conspiracies and misunderstandings, they break free of the barriers between their worlds to become each other's salvation. There are only four remaining places in existence where the use of the ability to control monsters is allowed by imperial rule. In a certain region in the South lives a woman named Ji Yunhe. She is the most powerful demon master with the ability to tame any demon. However, she falls in love with merman Chang Yi and sets him free even at the expense of deceiving him while she becomes imprisoned in endless darkness.

#28 - Maid's Revenge

After the fall of the Dong family, Dong Xin Yao seeks refuge at her fiance, Fang Yu Ze's home. Dong Xin Yao becomes a maid at the Fang residence, serving warlord Fang Tian Yi, the man who killed her father. Unbeknownst to Xin Yao, the true culprit is still at large as she struggles with the affection from Fang Tian Yi and Fang Yu Ze, prolonging her plans for revenge.

#29 - A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College

The only daughter of Minister Sang, Sang Qi was trapped into a bet where she had to make the First Master Yan Yun in Yan receive her pouch and the invitation to enjoy lanterns on the Lantern Festival, otherwise she would be singing on the lantern show instead of an opera lady. Sang Qi thought it is not a big deal, however she got rejected for many times. Knowing Yan Yun was teaching in the Imperial College, she decided to go in and finally got enrolled after her dad begged the emperor hard. So she became a student in the Imperial College with her childhood friend Zhuo Wenyuan and many young masters, being the one and only female student in the history of the Imperial College.