I had made a post of my most anticipated dramas of 2026 a few months ago and now with the year almost reaching its halfway point and a number of dramas from the list released, I thought I'd make a post updating whether the anticipated dramas were worth anticipating (spoiler: most of them weren't). I will keep updating this post as the year goes on and more dramas from the list release.
Starting with, Swords into Ploughshares:
Did the first few episodes info dump a lot and speed ran through years of history and a chunk of it were over my head? Yes. But if you stick with it for the beginning portion and just keep going, it hooks you in with its grim gloomy world, eloquent smart old politicians who made ancient China go round, discussions about right and wrong and public welfare and war logistics, and cannibal getting stabbed in court. It was filmed beautifully and the actors were perfect. I didn't post about it much when it was airing but me posting about a drama has nothing to do with how much I like a drama. This is probably the last proper historical drama from cdramaland and it will be a long while before we get another one, so it gets special points for being part of the endangered species.
Generation to Generation:
That gif and those lyrics is how I felt about the romance in this one. I am not a novel reader but I felt like the leads were so not on the same page for a very long time and that started irritating me at some point. I did not watch the last about 5-6 episodes of this one because I did not want to waste my time that was not fun for me anymore. The "righteous" sect was so stupid that I still get a headache when I think about those supporting characters and the holier than thou shifu of the FL. The romance was the one thing that was keeping the drama going for me but the more the drama went on the more I was unsure whether these two lead characters suited each other. Though, I would totally watch a mini cdrama of FL's aunt who eloped with the demon sect guy and their dungeon... um... adventures.
How Dare You!?:
My most beloved cdrama of the year so far. Ticked all the boxes. The mad tyrant and his evil concubine had me giggling, kicking my feet, and emotional over them. The most miserable ML of cdramaland right here in this one. It didn't miss once during its run and landed the ending so nicely and satisfactorily in a way that cdramas haven't done in a long time. I love it. I love it. I love it.
Love Beyond the Grave:
So this one, I dropped (more like put it on hold). Not because I was not liking it but because I got busy in the middle of its run and by the time I finally had time again, I saw some posts about how it had a bad ending and so I didn't feel like going back to it. Maybe I will complete it later one day and have a opinion about it but that's not today. The novel is fantastic and I was enjoying the drama immensely till the parts I watched so yeah it's not in the "dropped to never pick back up" pile.
Chasing Jade/Pursuit of Jade:
Ok I'm being too harsh. But I do hate it. This drama is proof that writing matters the most in a drama because the beautiful visual storytelling and the pretty colours could not save it from becoming a dumpster fire imo. It gave me flashbacks to The First Frost where suddenly the characters became very different people and behaved so stupidly in a way that felt totally out of the blue. And we have got to stop the doormat ML epidemic in the romance genre. It's not romantic and it's not how relationships work.
Da Tang Mi Wu/The Tang Mist:
Di Renjie has had two dramas about him in the recent years and none of them were as interesting as they should be. I love the mystery genre so it's definitely not a me but a you problem if a drama cannot hook me in.
Ashes to Crown/Queen Chu:
This is how this drama is and this is how it feels to watch it. ZYR can do better. Is it watchable? Yes, if you're looking for brainrot entertainment.
