Why These Stars Always Make My Drama Time Better
Introduction
As a drama lover, I’ve realised that my viewing experience isn’t just about the plot or the romance arcs. It’s about the presence of the actors — the ones who walk into a scene and make it feel instantly alive.
Sometimes, all it takes is one pause, one expression, one shift in energy, and my mind quietly whispers, “Ah, here comes the real acting.”
These nine actors do that for me — effortlessly, consistently, and with a touch of theatre-like magic.
So here’s a friendly, chai-time celebration of the stars who make my screen light up.
Yang Yang – The Stillness-and-Strength Hero
Yang Yang has that quiet charisma that doesn’t scream for attention. His strength lies in subtle control — the stillness, the sharp timing, the clean emotional flow. He brings a grounded presence that anchors even the most dramatic scenes.
Dilraba Dilmurat – Charm, Warmth, and a Little Magic
Dilraba glows. Her expressions are clean and truthful, her emotions easy to read and feel. She doesn’t overplay — she simply inhabits the moment with charm and natural warmth.
Yang Zi – The Queen of Comedic Timing
Yang Zi has that rare instinct for rhythm — especially in comedy. The pauses, the quick switches, the playful delivery… everything feels effortless. She makes even ordinary scenes sparkle.
Luo Yunxi – Elegance in Motion
You can see his dance background in everything he does. His movements are intentional, his stillness meaningful. Luo Yunxi brings grace to emotional scenes and precision to action sequences — a beautiful blend.
Li Xian – Controlled Intensity
Li Xian’s strength is quiet power. He doesn’t rush emotions; he lets them simmer. His reactions feel real, not rehearsed, and his steady presence adds weight to the story.
Zhao Lusi – Sparkling and Spontaneous
Zhao Lusi brings fresh air to every role. She’s lively, spontaneous, and wonderfully expressive without ever being over-the-top. She has a natural warmth that makes her characters instantly likable.
Chen Zheyuan – Youthful Energy with Surprising Depth
Don’t let the boyish charm fool you — Chen Zheyuan has a sincerity that shows in his reactions and timing. He’s one of those actors you spot once and think, “He’s going to go far.”
Tan Jianci – Thoughtful, Measured, Artistically Grounded
As a dancer-turned-actor, Tan Jianci carries himself with rare awareness. His gestures are precise, his emotional moments unhurried. He gives scenes space to breathe — a mark of a grounded performer.
Zhou Ye – Quiet Fire
Zhou Ye doesn’t push for attention — she draws it gently. There’s a subtle intensity in her eyes and a quiet determination in her roles. She’s one of those actors who makes you lean in without knowing why.
Raison D’Etre for Viewership Choices
I didn’t choose these dramas because they were trending or hyped; I chose them because something in the actors pulled me in. Every time Yang Yang steadied a scene, or Dilraba lit it up with warmth, or Yang Zi shifted the emotional rhythm, or Luo Yunxi slowed down just enough to reveal intent—I felt that familiar instinct spark.
My choices were never about genre or popularity. They were about presence. If an actor’s timing was clean, their reactions truthful, and their emotional movement believable, I followed them into the next drama and the next.
Before I knew it, I had built a personal map of stories across different genres—romance, fantasy, historicals, slice-of-life—guided entirely by the actors who made me pause for a moment and think, “Ah, here is someone who makes fiction feel real.”
My Drama Watch List
1. Yang Yang
- Love O2O
- Fireworks of My Heart
- You Are My Glory
- Who Rules the World
2. Dilraba Dilmurat
- Eternal Love
- The Pillow Book (3L3W)
- The Long Ballad
- You Are My Glory
- Love Designer
3. Yang Zi
- Go Go Squid (Season 1)
- Go Go Squid 2: Appledog’s Time
- Ashes of Love
- The Oath of Love
- Immortal Samsara
- Flourished Peony
- Lost You Forever (Season 1 & 2)
4. Luo Yunxi (Leo Luo)
- Ashes of Love
- Till the End of the Moon
- Love is Panacea
- Lie to Love
5. Li Xian
- Go Go Squid (Season 1)
- Go Go Squid 2: Appledog’s Time
- Flourished Peony
6. Zhao Lusi (Rosy Zhao)
- Please Feel At Ease, Mr. Ling
- The Last Immortal
- Love Better Than Immortality
- The Romance of Tiger and Rose
- The Long Ballad
- Hidden Love
- Dating in the Kitchen
- Love Like the Galaxy
- Who Rules the World
- Love of Thousand Years
- Love’s Ambition
7. Chen Zheyuan
- Hidden Love
8. Tan Jianci (JC-T)
- Love Me, Love My Voice
- Lost You Forever
- Twisted Fate of Love
- Filter
9. Zhou Ye
- Love Me, Love My Voice
- Everyone Loves Me
- Back From the Brink
- Word of Honor
- Scent of Time
Closing Thoughts
These nine actors each bring something beautiful to the screen — sincerity, timing, grace, humour, or that perfect dramatic pause. But the thread that ties them together is presence.
They don’t just act.
They believe.
And when they believe, the viewer believes.
Maybe that’s why, every time they appear in a drama, I feel a small spark of clarity — the theatre-loving part of me recognising truth in performance. That quiet recognition is enough to make any drama hour a little brighter.
Nine actors.
One shared presence.
And endless joy for a viewer like me.
Research Source: Mira (AI Powered ChatGPT)
Credit: Viki Rakuten Personal Viewership List
Itinerant Storyteller 