Romance donghua breathes new life into web novels and manhua by bringing blush-worthy moments into motion. How to Steal 55 Kisses, Psychic Princess, I Am Joybo, and Fox Spirit Matchmaker are just some classics that fans recommend for their sweet moments. Adults or mature persons dominate the cast, female characters are as assertive as male characters, and couples give each other reasons to fall in love.
2023’s slate of romance donghua’s variety of couples fit the mold. Most titles are from well-known manhua and web novels, with some receiving live-action adaptations before their donghua debut. There’s a variety of genres as well, with college slice-of-life, fragile xuanhuan, fantastic qihan, and other Chinese fiction staples.
7 The Demon King Who Lost His Job
- 失业魔王 (Shī Yè Mó Wáng)
- The Laid Off Demon King (Alternative name)
Being a demon king and destined hero were steady gigs for Merlin and Alice until bureaucracy and the church forced them out. One impromptu kidnapping later, Alice unwillingly serves Merlin as he looks for a way to cure his birth curse, and Alice looks for a way to regain her status.
The Demon King Who Lost His Job is a ludicrously long-running web novel and manhua. Merlin and Alice do not develop true romantic tension until some way into its more than 1,900 web novel chapters and nearly 400 chapter-manhua. With donghua usually averaging 17 minutes each episode, this could be quite the slow-burn romance in slapstick format.
6 The Girl Downstairs
- 爱上她的理由 (Ài Shàng Tā De Lĭ Yóu)
Juntang Yuan is in love with Zhu Zhu and enrolls in the same university to get close to her. Although he does reconnect with Zhu Zhu, it’s not before he saves ex-idol Li Shiya, who begins to flirt with him non-stop. Not long after that, Ira Choi nearly gives him his first kiss at a mixer and falls in love with him despite having a boyfriend.
Episode 5 onwards, Juntang is stuck in a love triangle that has surprising emotional maturity. The leads act like their age and make emotional, complicated, and sometimes impulsive, choices. Bilibili’s adaptation also takes a turn from the manhwa, as a different girl ends up with Juntang in the end.
5 Oh! My Goddess!
- 我的灵异女友 (Nushen You Dian Ling)
- My Psychic Girlfriend (Original manhua name)
Human civilization was digitalized without their knowledge after an asteroid nearly wiped it out in 2050. A glitch in their servers allows Hu Xiaozhen to see the spirits of the dead and even system administrators. Zhu Ming, one such administrator, cuts a deal with him when his childhood friend Yao Ling goes into a coma after an accident.
But instead of claiming him, Zhu Ming gets a punch from a now-astral projecting Yao Ling. Intrigued, Zhu Ming allows Hu Xiaozhen to remain alive in exchange for Yao Ling helping spirits find peace. If Yao Ling wants a happy ending, she must deal with errant spirits, shady characters, and Hu Xiaozhen forgetting her and everything about his abilities.
4 Don't Give Up
- 无聊就完结 (Wú Liáo Jiù Wán Jié)
- Boredom Causes Death
Men Ke thinks life is boring. She was born to an average family, to normal parents, and graduated from school to a dead-end job. Quitting doesn’t hold any appeal as she doesn’t even have hobbies, friends, or lovers to fall back on.
However, a superpowered fight outside her office window leads to an alien organism latching inside her brain. With no cure in sight, her only hope for preventing death and a hostile takeover is to avoid boredom. Out of guilt for causing the accident, superhero alien Ya Sen becomes her live-in caretaker and wage slave.
Boredom Causes Death is a romantic comedy series that never takes itself seriously. Man Ke and Ya Sen’s dynamic works because of their silliness and the resulting slow-burn romance. Moreover, Men Ke’s growth pulls the series and gags together.
3 I'm Ying Tai
- 在下英台 (Zai Xia Ying Tai)
I’m Ying Tai borrows elements from the Chinese legend “Butterfly Lovers”. In the legend, Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo become sworn brothers while Zhu is disguised as a male scholar. Liang eventually discovers her gender, and they fall in love, but tragedy befalls them, and they are reincarnated as a pair of butterflies.
The adaptation spins the tale into a wuxia donghua with Xianxia elements that center Zhu as a plucky cross-dressing hero. Tomboy Zhu faces supernatural creatures with her martial arts and butterfly powers while holding down her place as a scholar.
2 My Heroic Husband
- 赘婿 (Zhui Xu)
The word “zhuì xù” refers to a son-in-law living at his wife’s parent’s house, where they feel criticized for their deficient outcome and personality. It’s a phenomenon that’s gaining traction in recent decades in real life and online self-publishing platforms.
Zhui Xu is a prime example of a “live-in-son-in-law” web novel that gained enough traction to get a 2021 live-action adaptation. The parody follows Ning Yi as he reincarnates from a betrayed businessman into a zhuì xù. His knowledge of modern economics, strong personality, and newfound powers, prepare him for the unexpected challenges of an alternative ancient China.
My Heroic Husband’s donghua builds a solid relationship between Ning and his wife Su Tan’er. It also lets the harem aspect of the story take root and picks up the languid pace of the web novel original.
1 Agate
- 无脑魔女 (Wu Nao Monu)
- Brainless Witch
Cursed with eternal life, Agate decides to throw away half of her head to forget the pain of losing her loved ones through the ages. Tears from her discarded half flood the deepest valley of hell, forcing the prince of hell Alois/Aloys to make her undo her mistakes.
Aloys is stunned by Agate’s kindness when she distributes alms and cures to his people. He’s also rendered curious by the cause of the flood and the witch’s passive benignity. The prince of hell is also shocked at her sloppiness and decides to renounce the throne to set her straight.
What follows is a supernatural friendship, then romance, that is patient but firm with Agate’s recovery. Aloys isn’t Agate’s outright savior, as Agate does a fair bit of growing up. Aloys also grows up, in body, strength, and mind.