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As a Chinese learner, watching dramas, shows, and movies is a brilliant way for you to expand your vocabulary, acquire grammar, familiarise yourself with the sound of the language and improve your listening comprehension.
Pairing visuals with words is a highly effective method of language acquisition. Imagine seeing the character discuss their love for coffee while holding a coffee cup; there’s a good chance you will associate the word 咖啡 with the object they’re holding.
Asian entertainment content has risen in popularity in recent years, with many series made available on popular streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Chinese streaming companies have caught wind of this, and many have released an international version of their mainland streaming platform, often offering subscriptions at highly competitive prices.
Now, let me share my favourite streaming platforms and explain what I like about each of them.
1. iQiyi
iQiyi, the international counterpart to China’s popular streaming service 爱奇艺, offers a large selection of Chinese and foreign TV dramas, movies, variety shows and other shows.
iQiyi also uploads their content onto Youtube, a paid channel membership is required to watch the content. Note: Depending on your region, the paid Youtube channel membership can be more expensive than the membership option provided on their platform.
Some content are region locked on iQiyi but it seems to mostly affect content from other regions (i.e. South Korean, Thailand).
Key Features
- Available on the web, mobile, tablet and TV (Android, Apple, Roku, Samsung, FireTV etc).
- A selection of free content.
- The first few episodes are usually free.
Compatible Chinese Language Tools
A few tools can be used to make learning more streamlined:
- The Lexirise browser plugin (free with paid features) can be used to display dual subtitles, look up words in the dictionary, save words, mine sentences and more
- Migaku (paid) is a powerful language-learning tool for immersive learning, especially with video content. All their features are fully supported for iQiyi.
My thoughts
iQiyi is my favourite streaming platform and the one that I use the most. They have a huge selection of high-quality shows with beautiful costume designs and stunning scenes.
The ability to watch the shows directly using a TV app is a huge added benefit.
Some of my favourite shows are 《莲花楼 – Mysterious Lotus Casebook》《赘婿 – My Heroic Husband》《唐朝诡事录 – Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty》《九重紫 – Blossom》《一念关山 – A Journey to Love》《卿卿日常 – New Life Begins》.
iQiyi also offers the largest selection of Chinese movies among the international Chinese streaming services but falls short in terms of quality. Among the few movies I’ve tried, I can recommend《赘婿之吉兴高照 – My Heroic Husband Spin-off》and《忠犬八公 – Hachiko》.
Any problems with the service?
Their TV app is a little buggy and sometimes fails to record my last watched position. I still manage, but it’s pretty annoying.
The 4K video quality option is only available on the mobile and TV apps; it’s not available when using the website.
Is it worth subscribing?
This is the best all-around streaming service, offering a huge variety of content. It’s definitely worth subscribing to!
This should be the go-to option if you’re considering just one subscription.
They used to offer sales on their subscription many times a year; however, they’ve reduced this frequency and only offer sales during major events such as the Lunar New Year and the iQiyi anniversary. It’s worth purchasing their one-year VIP package when you catch one of these sales.
2. WeTV
WeTV, the international version of one of China’s biggest streaming services 腾讯视频 (Tencent Video), offers a decent selection of Chinese TV dramas, donghua (“动画”—Chinese animation), and a small section of movies.
WeTV also uploads content onto two YouTube channels: Official WeTV and WeTV Mini Drama. A paid channel membership is required to watch some of the content. Note: Depending on your region, the paid YouTube channel membership can be more expensive than the membership option provided on their platform.
Some content is region-locked on WeTV, but this seems to mostly affect content from other regions (e.g., South Korea, Thailand).
Key Features
- Available on the web, mobile, tablet and TV (Android, Apple, Roku, Samsung, FireTV etc)
- A selection of free content
- The first few episodes are usually free
Features for a Chinese Learner
- Soft Chinese subtitles are often available
- DualSubs is a browser plugin that allows you to display multiple subtitles and enables the functionality of a browser pop-up dictionary
- The mobile and tablet app offers the ability to enable multiple subtitles
My thoughts
I don’t have a year-long subscription to WeTV because I’m not a fan of the production style used in most of the shows on this platform. Due to the rise in popularity of Chinese dramas, many shows are available on multiple platforms, so I don’t need to subscribe to multiple platforms.
I do, however, subscribe for a month once in a while to watch shows that aren’t available on platforms I’m subscribed to. Some of my favourite shows from WeTV include 《庆余年 – Joy of Life》《陈清令 – The Untamed》《兰闺喜事 – Hilarious Family》《摩天大楼 – A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower》and 《平凡之路 – The Road to Ordinary》.
Tencent Video is currently the biggest producer of short dramas, with each episode lasting under 15 minutes. Their short dramas are one of the main reasons I subscribe to their service. Some of my favourite short dramas from WeTV include 《双世萌妻 – Love for Two Lives》and《拜托了，别宠我 – Please Don’t Spoil Me》
Any problems with the service?
One issue I have with WeTV is the buggy TV app. It fails to record my last watched position. It’s not a complete deal breaker, but I hope they’ll fix this issue soon.
Is it worth subscribing?
The content they offer caters more to those who prefer romance-focused shows, but they do have a few very good non-romance shows, such as the ones I recommended earlier.
If you like their shows, then it’s definitely worth it.
Their pricing model is very similar to iQiyi, and they offer a discount a couple of times a year. Definitely worth purchasing a year’s subscription when you catch one of these sales.
3. MangoTV
MangoTV, the international version of the mainland China service 芒果TV, offers a large selection of variety shows and a decent section of drama and documentaries.
MangoTV also uploads its shows onto YouTube across a few channels: MangoTV Official, MangoTV Drama, MangoTV Idol, MangoTV Mystery, MangoTV Music. Some content is free and some require additional paid channel membership access. Note: The paid YouTube channel membership is more expensive than the membership option provided on their platform.
Key Features
- Available on the web, mobile and tablet. There’s currently no TV app, but casting is available with excellent video quality.
- A selection of free content
Features for a Chinese Learner
- Soft Chinese subtitles are sometimes available
My Thoughts
I use this platform for variety shows as MangoTV is known for its large range of high-quality variety and reality TV shows. Some of my favourite shows are 《向往的生活 – Back to Field》《密室大逃脱 – Great Escape》《明星大侦探 – Who’s the Murderer》《大湾仔的夜 – Night in the Greater Bay》.
Their range of quality drama is lacking compared to other services. They are slowly increasing this so I hope to see a much larger range on their platform in the future.
Any problems with the service?
A huge issue I have with MangoTV is its lack of dedicated tablet and TV apps.
Additionally, casting is a little buggy, where I often lose control over the video from my phone, resulting in me having to use my TV remote to control the video. The video quality is excellent, but the overall experience isn’t great.
Is it worth subscribing?
For those who are interested in variety and reality TV shows, then it’s definitely worth the subscripton cost.
4. Netflix
The amount of content available to you will vary by region. Here in the United Kingdom, the available Chinese shows are limited. Some shows are only available on Netflix for a limited time.
Key Features
- Available on the web, mobile, tablet and TV (Android, Apple, Roku, Samsung, FireTV, etc)
Features for a Chinese Learner
- Soft subtitles are always available.
- The Lexirise browser plugin can be used to display dual subtitles, look up words in the dictionary, save words, mine sentences and more
My Thoughts
I have only watched a few Chinese shows on Netflix. Due to the higher monthly cost, I’m not always subscribed to Netflix. Netflix is a great service with a huge variety of shows, but sadly, there aren’t many Chinese shows (at least not in my region).
Any problems with the service?
My biggest pet peeve with Netflix is the inability to browse shows on the mobile/tablet apps when not subscribed.
Is it worth subscribing?
If you also have a Netflix subscription, it’s a no-brainer to watch shows available there. It’s the perfect place to start.
Long-term, subscribing to either iQiyi or WeTV is a better deal if you’re looking for a large range of Chinese content, as they offer a larger variety for a fraction of the price.
5. YouTube
YouTube has a ridiculous amount of Chinese TV shows, some for free and some behind a channel membership, all legally uploaded by the production company.
Key Features
- Available on the web, mobile, tablet and TV (Android, Apple, Roku, Samsung, FireTV etc)
- Plenty of free content
Features for a Chinese Learner
- Soft subtitles are sometimes available. The Lexirise browser plugin can be used to display dual subtitles, look up words in the dictionary, save words, mine sentences and more.
My Thoughts
Unfortunately, despite a large amount of free content, I’m not fond of watching shows on YouTube because the platform mutes a section of the audio when it includes music for which YouTube doesn’t have a license.
YouTube is my last resort, and I only turn to it for content that is not available on other streaming services. Recent favourites I’ve watched on YouTube are 《异人之下 – I Am Nobody》 and 《去有风的地方 – Meet Yourself》 .
Any problems with the service?
Audio muting is a huge problem; apparently, this is still an issue with membership-only videos.
Is it worth subscribing?
Depending on your region, YouTube channel membership may be more expensive than subscribing directly to iQiyi and WeTV, with the added risk of some of the content being muted.
If you want to stay within the YouTube ecosystem, then it’s worth the cost.
As a platform for free content, YouTube is a goldmine for Chinese dramas! It’s a great place to start if you’re not ready to invest in one of the paid services. Here are some channels with free content:
- 欢娱影视官方频道 China Huanyu Ent. Official Channel
- 优酷华语剧场-APP抢先看
- YOUKU
- MZTV Exclusive Chinese Drama
- KUKAN Drama Channel
- 大劇獨播MZTV
6. Honourable Mentions
There are two other services that offer a wide range of Chinese content; however, I’m including them here as honourable mentions. I’ll explain why.
Youku
Youku offers a good selection of high-quality dramas at much lower prices than other services. I’m not using this service right now because its selection is lower than that of other platforms. I’m often able to find the same shows on other platforms, so I’ve not yet had to subscribe to them.
Viki
Viki is a well-known streaming platform with Asian shows and a great choice for anyone who’s interested in a wide range of Asian content. However, Chinese subtitles are not always available. Chinese subtitles are critical for a learner, as transitioning from translated subtitles is the eventual goal.
As of 2026, I’ve noticed that many of the newest and most popular Chinese dramas haven’t made their way to Viki; perhaps they are struggling to get the license and are not able to compete with other platforms.
7. Conclusion
A good place to start diving into Chinese content is YouTube; there is an abundance of free content, and Netflix, if you already have a subscription.
With YouTube, the individual channel membership cost of iQiyi and WeTV could be higher than going direct, so keep that in mind if you are considering signing up for the channel membership.
When you’re ready to commit to watching more Chinese TV shows, or you’re tired of the audio muting on YouTube, I would recommend subscribing to either iQiyi, WeTV, or both.
