7 Heroic Dramas to Make Waves in 2021

Idols in uniforms coming to you this year!

The allure of men in uniform has always been mesmerizing. While there has been a recent preponderance of hot-blooded military-themed Chinese dramas, some have been disappointing especially when female characters with “love brain” and single-dimensional characters dominate. Here are seven current and upcoming dramas in 2021 with heroic themes and adrenaline-packed action worth your time:

The Glory of Youth

A rare drama to focus on army rocket forces or People’s Liberation Army, The Glory of Youth <號手就位> stars Li Yifeng (李易峰), Chen Xingxu (陈星旭), Viann Zhang Xinyu (张馨予), Xiao Yang (肖央) and Zihao Nie (聂子皓). Narrating the story of a group of varsity students reporting for duty, the four roommates face up to veterans and the “seasoned warriors” of the rocket forces.

Special Forces 

Hot on the heels is upcoming modern military drama Special Forces <特战荣耀> starring Yang Yang (楊洋), Li Yitong (李一桐), Jiang Lu Xia (蔣璐霞) and Meng Asai (孟阿賽). The coming-of-age story follows lead Yan Poyue’s (Yang Yang) growth as he learns the value of teamwork, and is molded by circumstance to change his self-centered focus.

My Dear Guardian

Starring Johnny Huang Jingyu (黄景瑜), Li Qin (李沁), Yang Shu (杨舒) and Nie Zihao (聂子皓), My Dear Guardian <親愛的戎裝> is adapted from a web novel. Since its romantic arc centers on a cold military officer and a warm and gentle military medic, My Dear Guardian has been dubbed the Chinese version of Descendants of the Sun.

Professionally trained to stay calm and collected while working on the frontlines tending to life-and-death situations, doctor Xia Chu (Li Qin) meets “cold mountain” military office, Liang Muze (Huang Jingyu), a machismo on the battlefield who is emotionally closed off to protect himself due to past trauma.

Ace Troops 

Since Operation Red Sea <红海行动>, Huang Jingyu has been the go-to actor for military roles and partners with Xiao Zhan (肖战) in upcoming patriotic drama Ace Troops <王牌部队>.

While only a short teaser has been released, the drama looks promising so far. Protagonist Gao Liang is tasked with retraining of the troops and successfully reforms the Blue Army he is in charge of using an innovative new combat method. On the romantic side, he falls in love with the same woman as his good friend, but eventually marries the daughter of an old squad leader martyred in war.

The Flaming Heart

Aside from military-themed dramas, firefighting dramas are also filling up screens in 2021. In Youku’s upcoming summer release The Flaming Heart <你好，火焰蓝>, Gong Jun (龚俊) shows his masculine side as the vice-captain of the Fire Rescue Team. Huo Yan (Gong Jun) had always kept his cool in the face of life and death in fire emergencies, but uncertain feelings sneak into his heart for the first time when doctor Yan Lan (Zhang Huiwen 张慧雯) enters his life. Working alongside each other in an earthquake relief mission and later an infectious virus breakout, Huo Yan realizes how much Yan Lan truly means to him.

Blue Flame Assault 

Upcoming drama Blue Flame Assault <藍燄突擊>  shows how a group of firefighters form a strong bond of friendship while saving lives from precarious circumstances.

Starring actor Ren Jialun (任嘉倫) oozes uniform appeal with a smart cropped do that adds to his charm. With many purported “firsts” in the drama, fans are looking forward to the actor’s portrayal of his role, which includes a marriage proposal scene!

Being A Hero

Since Being A Hero <冰雨火> wrapped up filming last year, the crime thriller has been on many eager watch lists and will finally stream on Youku in the second half of 2021.

After surviving death together, narcotics officer Chen Yu (Wang Yibo 王一博) is devastated to find out that his best friend and former police officer Wu Zhenfeng (Chen Xiao 陈晓) is now working for a drug trafficking ring. Chen Yu is unwilling to believe that Wu Zhenfeng, who had once risked his own life to save him, would betray the law. Chen Yu vows to hunt down the elusive Wu Zhenfeng and find out the answers in a thrilling chase.

Source: QQ

This article is written by JoyceK for JayneStars.com.