LayarHijau – Competition in China’s television drama market intensified toward the end of last year, particularly around the premiere period of the crime drama The Punishment, which officially began airing on December 25. Based on popularity data compiled by Sohu for that period, crime and investigation dramas demonstrated strong competitiveness despite the continued dominance of romance and urban genres.
During its initial days on air, The Punishment quickly drew widespread attention and climbed to the top position on the popularity list. This performance made it one of the biggest late-year surprises, especially as crime dramas were directly competing with romance titles that traditionally command large and loyal audiences.
Another crime drama, Light of Dawn, also posted solid results by entering the top five shortly after its premiere. This trend reflected sustained audience interest in fast-paced storytelling, intense conflicts, and performance-driven narratives, even as romance dramas continued to dominate the broader market.
On December 25, the second position was held by the urban romance drama Shine On Me. Set in the workplace, the drama stars Zhao Jinmai as Nie Xiguang, who conceals her true identity when joining her family’s own company. Her relationship with her reserved superior Lin Yusen, played by Song Weilong, gradually evolves from initial friction into mutual support. The drama’s mature and balanced portrayal of romance resonated strongly with younger viewers.
Meanwhile, the urban family drama Uncle, starring Guo Jingfei, had already concluded its run. The story follows Cui Guoming, a man who repeatedly fails in business ventures yet continues to persevere. His relationship with his wife, portrayed by Wang Jiajia, presents a grounded depiction of a couple supporting each other through life’s pressures, earning the drama steady word-of-mouth recognition.
In the historical costume genre, The Vendetta of An stood out for its dense political intrigue and rapid narrative reversals. Led by Cheng Yi and Liu Yijun, the drama has been noted as one of the more “hardcore” historical series in recent memory, relying heavily on strategy, power struggles, and layered conflicts.
Light of Dawn further attracted attention by blending criminal investigations with the hidden secrets of an elite family. Two protagonists who initially have no connection find their lives irrevocably bound together by a single case. Zhang Ruoyun’s performance, particularly in emotionally explosive scenes, became a major talking point and continues to fuel discussion among viewers.
In addition, titles such as Speed and Love, The Unclouded Soul, and The Company occupied the middle to lower ranks of the list during the late-December period, highlighting the wide range of genres competing for audience attention as the year came to a close.
Entering the new year, the competitive landscape shifted once again. According to Maoyan data as of January 2, Shine On Me now holds the top position. The fantasy costume drama The Unclouded Soul follows in second place, with Glory ranking third. The Punishment currently sits in fourth place, indicating that while its initial momentum at premiere was strong, rankings continue to fluctuate as different genres advance with ongoing episode releases.
Overall, these movements underscore that crime dramas still occupy a significant place in the market, even as they face constant competition from romance and costume dramas with broader audience bases and steady update schedules.
