“A Love So Beautiful” — the 2017 Tencent series widely credited as the gold standard for the entire youth-romance genre. Nearly a decade later, it’s still the drama fans point to when explaining why they fell for Chinese dramas in the first place, and its DNA is visible in nearly every “innocent girl, cold genius boy” romance that followed.
Overview
“A Love So Beautiful” is a coming-of-age romance spanning roughly 19 years, following two childhood neighbors and classmates — a cheerful, academically-challenged girl and the aloof, brilliant boy she’s had a crush on since childhood — as they navigate high school, the university entrance exam, and the slow, bumpy road into adulthood together.
Key Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 36 minutes per episode |
| Episodes | 36 |
| Genre | Comedy, Romance, Coming-of-Age, Youth, Slice-of-Life |
| Cast | Shen Yue (Chen Xiaoxi), Hu Yitian (Jiang Chen), with a supporting cast including Wu Bosong, Lin Jing Xiao, and Lu Yang |
| Release Date | 9 November 2017 |
| Where to watch | Netflix, Youku app,Youtube |
| Rating | 7.9/10 |
| Based On | The novel “To Our Pure Little Beauty” (致我们单纯的小美好) by Zhao Qianqian |
Plot Summary
Chen Xiaoxi and Jiang Chen have been neighbors and classmates since kindergarten. She’s a cheerful, easily distracted girl who excels at art but struggles academically; he’s the top student in school, popular for both his looks and intelligence, but has grown distant and guarded since his father’s death. Xiaoxi has had a crush on him for years and makes little effort to hide it, while Jiang Chen, despite his cool exterior, quietly looks out for her in his own way.
As the two — along with their close friend group, including the loyal and athletic Jing Xiao, the funny Lu Yang, and swim-team member Wu Bosong — push through the pressures of the gaokao (China’s grueling university entrance exam), their bond deepens amid typical teenage misunderstandings, a lingering love triangle, and Xiaoxi’s determination to become someone Jiang Chen can be proud of. The story follows the group from high school through university and into their working adult lives, tracking not just the central romance but the friendships, heartbreaks, and growing pains that come with it — culminating in a nearly two-decade journey toward the two leads finally, fully finding their way to each other.
Why You Should Watch
- It set the template for a genre. Many of the tropes now considered standard in C-drama youth romance — the “female chases male first” dynamic, the cold genius/warm airhead pairing, the long timeline from adolescence to adulthood — were popularized by this show, and it’s still held up as doing them best.
- Shen Yue’s performance carries the show. Reviewers consistently praise her natural, effortless portrayal of Xiaoxi’s innocence and growth, and it’s frequently cited as launching her into wider stardom (including her later role in “Meteor Garden”).
- A genuinely great soundtrack. The opening theme, “You’ll Know Just How Much I Like You,” and other OSTs (including one performed by lead actor Hu Yitian) are still fondly remembered by fans years later.
Recommendations: What to Watch Next
If “A Love So Beautiful” is your kind of youth romance, here’s where to go next:
- When I Fly Towards You (2023) — Frequently cited as this drama’s spiritual successor, sharing its friend-group structure and unhurried, low-conflict romance.
- Hidden Love (2023) — Another beloved slow-burn C-drama romance, if you want more of that same warm, coming-of-age feeling.
- Love O2O — Another hugely popular early C-drama romance from the same era, blending gaming culture with a similar sweet, uncomplicated love story.
- Meteor Garden (2018) — Shen Yue’s other major breakout role, for a higher-drama, more melodramatic take on youth romance.