We’re all familiar with romcom classics like When Harry Met Sally and Notting Hill but what about Asian films? While I love Meg Ryan, sometimes it’s nice to watch movies where the characters look like you and aren’t just quirky, supporting characters filing the blonde lead’s nails.
As a certified Chinese Person (thanks, 23andMe), I figured I’d make a list especially since Lunar New Year just passed and we’re coming up on the dreaded Hallmark holiday to shame singles. So here are my favorite Chinese romcoms that would make Bridget Jones shake in her boots.
Disclaimer, I categorized Chinese loosely since some of these may well be Taiwanese. These are movies and don’t include tv series which would be its own list. I also did not include American produced movies otherwise of course Crazy, Rich, Asians would be on this list. Sadly though, that would’ve been a very short list because *ahem* lack of representation in Hollywood.
- Hot Summer Days (2010) 全城热恋
If you love an ensemble cast (think Love Actually), have ADHD, or just need some summer vibes, this movie has you covered. It takes place in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shenzhen. Did I develop a, “Do I want to be her or do I want to date her or both” conundrum with the badass motorcycle girlie? Yes. What am I talking about? Guess you’ll just have to watch.
- Love In Space (2011) 全球热恋
Quirky, fantastical, camp. This movie follows the love lives of three sisters. Many of the same actors from Hot Summer Days are also in this one (directed by the same people) and I especially liked Angelababy. Like Hot Summer Days, Love In Space is set in multiple locations including Beijing, Sydney and—you guessed it—outer space.
- This Is Not What I Expected (2017) 喜欢你
If you’re Yes chef’ing all over the place, you’ll probably enjoy this culinary movie centered around a frazzled but lovable chef and a perfectionist hotel mogul. It’s a classic haters turned lovers scenario—very fluffy and fun. If you like Pride & Prejudice, you’ll dig this. Bonus, there’s a cute dog and Takeshi Kaneshiro is a complete babe. I don’t know how this man is fluent in both Japanese and Mandarin Chinese but boy does he set my delusional standards high.
- Shaolin Soccer (2001) 少林足球
I couldn’t find a non-dubbed trailer so here’s a scene that cracked me up. Ok hear me out, I didn’t just put this movie on the list because I had the biggest crush on Stephen Chow growing up. While Shaolin Soccer arguably falls more under the martial arts/comedy genre, the romance plot-line is quite sweet and heartbreaking at times. Honestly, any of Stephen Chow’s movies would fit the bill of romcom but King of Comedy is also a good contender. Chock full of magical realism, his absurd humor is unmatched and makes me wish I could speak Cantonese Chinese.
- In The Mood For Love (2000) 花样年华
Before you come at me for putting this so low on the list, this movie is not a comedy but because it is just SO GOOD, I have to put it here. The story shows how love can be messy, imperfect and not what we expected. It doesn’t sugar coat. It’s a classic and Wong Kar-wai’s moody movies are just a whole aesthetic vibe. And hello, the music???? Iconic.
Of course I’d follow up with Fallen Angels and Chungking Express. Be forewarned, you may want to time travel to the days of qipaos, record players, and chain smoke in Hong Kong after this.
- Us and Them (2018) 后来的我们
At this point in the list, I’m just putting movies that don’t fit the romcom genre but because I really liked them. Us and Them will likely have you ugly crying for most of it. It may not fulfill the comedy part of romcom but it certainly checks the box for romantic. In the trailer, it shows one of my favorite lines in the movie: “Happiness isn’t a story, misfortune is.”
Think star crossed strangers à la Before Sunrise mixed with the heartbreaking mistakes of young love in Like Crazy. Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. It looks back at their relationship much like 500 Days of Summer but without the incel “but I’m a nice guy wah wah wah” sob story.
The Chinese title for Us And Them when translated is actually “The Future Us”—which I felt was quite bittersweet. It’s directed by Rene Liu who acted in Hot Summer Days and Love In Space along with the lead actor, Jing Boran. The lead actress, Zhou Dongyu, was also the lead in This Is Not What I Expected.
It poses the question: do you ever stop loving someone who was your best friend—even if you part ways permanently and become strangers again? It’s a good movie to watch when you’re single because it’s a reminder that we wouldn’t be the people we are now if we ended up with the people of our past.
By the Wei 