Cdramas like The Prisoner of Beauty: I stumbled upon 折腰 by sheer luck while looking for my next enemies-to-lovers fix — and ended up binge-watching all 36 episodes like my life depended on it. I wasn’t just watching for the drama; I was there for the emotional chess game, the slow burns, and the razor-sharp dialogues. The drama is adapted from the novel Zhe Yao by Peng Lai Ke and brought to life under the direction of Deng Ke and Gao Cong Kai, is a compelling blend of political intrigue, slow-burn romance, and personal growth—all the elements that make a historical Cdrama unforgettable.
Song Zu Er completely floored me with her portrayal of Qiao Man — a woman who’s not just beautiful, but brilliantly diplomatic, fiercely independent, and emotionally intelligent in a genre that often leans too heavily on damsels in distress. And Liu Yu Ning as Wei Shao? A storm of charisma and wounded pride, learning (sometimes adorably failing) how to open his heart and admit his feelings. The way they evolve from cold hostility to deep trust — it’s the kind of enemies-to-lovers journey I live for.
So naturally, when the credits rolled, I was desperate to find other Cdramas with enemies-to-lovers trope that could stir the same kind of tension, growth, and emotionally rewarding romance. If you’ve also been under this drama’s spell, here are six Cdramas similar to The Prisoner of Beauty that echo its fiery dynamic — and trust me, they don’t just scratch the itch, they set it ablaze.
Cdramas like The Prisoner of Beauty
The Princess Royal
One of the most refreshing and painful enemies-to-lovers cdramas, with a twist of reincarnation. Zhao Jin Mai plays Li Rong, a hot-headed, sharp-tongued royal, who makes a strategic marriage overture to Pei Wen Xuan (Zhang Ling He). Their marriage is initially merely a cool, pragmatic arrangement: She needs protection, he desires power.
What happens between them over the course of the next 20 years is deceit, poison, and, eventually, a fountain of mutual destruction. But just when you’re rolling your eyes away from it, they wake up, 20 years ago, where they remember everything. To watch Pei Wen Xuan quietly plot to capture her heart again (with divorce as his motive) while Li Rong tries to figure out how to negotiate this emotional reboot is fascinating. The chemistry is there, and the slow burn is chef’s kiss.
Are You the One
Wang Chu Ran stuns as Liu Mian Tang, a justice-themed feminine heroine who has her memory wiped after she’s brutally assaulted. When she wakes up, she believes the man who rescued her — Zhang Wan Yi as the Prince Cui Xing Zhou — is her husband, or at least she is his wife. What starts out as mistaken identity quickly turns into a complicated emotional battle.
Tormented by the past and tied by obligation, Cui Xing Zhou tries to keep the burgeoning affection at bay, but Liu Mian Tang’s wit, determination and smile have him slowly unravelling. Their chemistry is electric, particularly when long-buried secrets from the past come a-knocking. Both leads are intense and vulnerable, and this is a top-notch enemies-to-lovers c-dramas.
Also Read: 4 C-Dramas Based on Zhu Yi’s Novels That Hook You with Their Characters!
Wonderland of Love
If your romance has to come with a side order of political machinations and identity secrets, Wonderland of Love is your jam. Xu Kai plays Li Ni, a prince with a hidden identity and an always-scheming mind. Jing Tian’s Cui Lin is smart, competent, and just about impossible to scare. They spar from their first encounter — both too smart and too proud to give way. Throughout the course of the story, their bickering escalates to begrudging trust, then to a profound bond grounded in respect. Xu Kai and Jing Tian keep rocky tension and sweet vulnerability in an eddying balance in the most satisfying manner there is.
Destined
Bai Jing Ting is Gu Jiu Si, the upright magistrate stuck in an arranged marriage to Liu Yu Ru, played by Song Yi, a feisty and strong-willed lady brought to life by the ever-adorable Song Yi. Neither of them is in favour of this marriage, and both their initial days together are full of cringe-inducingly contrived encounters and unspoken battles of wills.
But what is particularly memorable about Destined is just how organic Amira and Campbell’s relationship feels. Song Yi is poised and strong-willed as Liu Yu Ru develops, showing Lu Shi Yan gradually that love does not have to be complicated. Their enemies-to-lovers trajectory is bittersweet, and so heart-wrenching — the romance where respect comes before love, and love is all the more intense for it.
Lighter & Princess
This drama updates the format in the contemporary era, trading royal attire for hoodies and laptops — but the stakes are just as high. Arthur Chen portrays Li Xun, a computer whiz with a heart of stone and a troubled history. Zhu Yun, played by Zhang Jing Yi, is intelligent, kind and not intimidated by him on any level. It begins as a series of ego clashes in college computer labs, but quickly becomes something more intricate and more complicated. Arthur Chen brings some coldness to Li Xun, and Zhang Jing Yi fills him out with empathy and some strength. It’s just pure gold to see them bicker, grow up and slowly thaw towards each other.
The Long Ballad
To see it, one must consider the tragic past of Li Chang Ge, a woman warrior princess who seeks revenge, played by Dilraba Dilmurat. She meets Ashile Sun, a general from an enemy tribe, played by the talented Leo Wu. What begins as a pursuit becomes a hotly contradictory affair — they’re meant to be each other’s blood enemies by history and by blood, and yet they’re rescuing each other, and trusting each other, and falling in love eventually. Their tension is palpable, and the respectful camaraderie that grows between these two war survivors is really lovely. Dilraba and Leo Wu bring this romance a sense of both grandeur and closeness.
Dramas such as The Prisoner of Beauty don’t just show two individuals falling in love, but struggling to fall in love. They selected each other in the face of generational hostility, personal pride, and political chaos. And that’s where the above dramas excel, too. Historical or contemporary, each couple in here starts at loggerheads — and through sheer determination of will, exposure and development, they discover love at its strongest.
