Best tv shows like War and Beauty
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Fifteen years after Qing Emperor Jiaqing was crowned the country appears to be in harmony. However, fights between the imperial concubines escalate. All the imperial concubines including the emperor's beloved Yu-Yue understand this and becomes nervous when the triennial imperial concubine election approaches. Yu-Yue's position is threatened by an imperial descendant, Yuk-ying, a powerful eunuch's adopted daughter, Yi-Sun, and an experienced imperial servant maid On-Seen. They are friends and enemies in the war for the emperor's love. The four beautiful women are either friends or lovers of an imperial physician Sun Bak Yeung and a trooper Kong-Wu. Plots and lies undermine their love and friendships in the palace.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 216
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: costume drama, captivating
Best tv shows and movies like War and Beauty (2004):
Similar in 80%
The Gem of Life (2008)
Plot Summary:
The Gem of Life was a TVB grand production drama, that broadcast between October 2008 and February 2009. The series was specifically filmed to celebrate TVB's 41st Anniversary. The series was filmed in many locations apart from Hong Kong, including Tibet, Taiwan and France.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 40
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration:
Plot tags: captivating
Similar in 76%
La Figlia di Elisa Rivombrosa (2007)
Plot Summary:
La figlia di Elisa – Ritorno a Rivombrosa is an Italian television series, the third season of the popular TV-series Elisa di Rivombrosa.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 329
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: Italy
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating
Similar in 87%
Deniz Inside My Heart (2016)
Plot Summary:
Deniz has everything a woman can ask for. But when her husband disappeared no trace, this happy life changes. Deniz, who is in a desperate state with her two children and her father, meets Mirat who will be a lover and be a life-saver.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 205
Genere: Drama
Country: Turkey
Duration: 150 min
Plot tags: captivating, entertaining
Similar in 84%
Beyond the Realm of Conscience (2009)
Plot Summary:
Beyond the Realm of Conscience is a 2009 Hong Kong television series. Produced by Mui Siu-ching, the serial is one of the two grand TVB productions to celebrate along with the channel's 42nd anniversary, the other being Born Rich. The drama aired five days a week on the TVB network with 45-minute episodes starting October 19, 2009. Set in the latter years of the Tang Dynasty, Beyond the Realm of Conscience tells the story of palace maid Lau Sam-ho and her relations in the Imperial Palace, beginning with her experiences in the Imperial Household Bureau. The series title roughly means "Plots in the Palace" and is a play on the phrase, a homonym which roughly means "Plots that target and attack the heart".
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 103
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 85%
Mendirman Jaloliddin (2021)
Plot Summary:
Jalal al-Din Khwarazmshah, the ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, initiated a tragic but united struggle against the Mongol invasion. After unsuccessful attempts by the Khwarazm shahs to stop the Mongol invasion that began in the Central Asian steppes, Jalal al-Din, the last ruler of the empire, put dynastic fights between Seljuks and Khwarazmians aside, and tried to establish a united front to stop the Mongols.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 957
Genere: Action, Drama, History
Country: Uzbekistan, Turkey
Duration: 80 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing, costume drama
Similar in 78%
Legend of Dragon Pearl (2017)
Plot Summary:
The story of the ill-fated romance between Zhu Yi Huan, the last princess of the Ming Dynasty and Kangxi, the young emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 51
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: China
Duration: 35 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing, historical drama
Similar in 78%
Beauty's Rival in Palace (2010)
Plot Summary:
A dramatized account of Empress Dou and how her efforts and achievements in the royal court positively influenced the reign of her husband Emperor Wen, which paved the way for the creation of the Rule of Wen and Jing. Set in Chang'an, China during the beginnings of the Han Dynasty.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 60
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing, costume drama
Similar in 86%
Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2018)
Plot Summary:
The road to becoming an empress is paved with treachery. Ruyi is a consort who quickly learns to navigate the treacherous politics of the the royal court and move up the ranks. After becoming Empress, Ruyi still must survive the many conspiracies against her. Her relationship with Emperor Qianlong becomes eroded even when Ruyi is able to overcome the challenges. Can Ruyi maintain her role as Empress under such difficult circumstances?.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 930
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, factual, touching, captivating, costume drama
Similar in 80%
The Qin Empire (2009)
Plot Summary:
The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title. The 51 episodes long series chronicles the rise of the Qin state in the Warring States period during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin. It was produced in 2006 and first aired on television channels in China in December 2009.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 136
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating
Similar in 88%
Palace of Desire (2000)
Plot Summary:
Palace of Desire, also known as Da Ming Gong Ci, is a Chinese television series based on the life story of Princess Taiping, a daughter of China's only female emperor Wu Zetian. Directed by Li Shaohong and Zeng Nianping, the series starred Chen Hong, Zhou Xun, Gui Yalei and Winston Chao in the leading roles. It was first broadcast on CCTV-8 in mainland China on March 30, 2000.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 145
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 47 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 83%
Royal Shakespeare Company - Richard II (2013)
Plot Summary:
A monarch ordained by God to lead his people. But he is also a man of very human weakness. A man whose vanity threatens to divide the great houses of England and drag his people into a dynastic civil war that will last 100 years.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 517
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: captivating, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Ming Dynasty in 1566 (2007)
Plot Summary:
A series based on the events in the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming dynasty.
IMDB Rating: 9.0
IMDB Votes: 348
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense
Similar in 82%
Kangxi Dynasty (2001)
Plot Summary:
Kangxi Dynasty is a 2001 Chinese television series based on the novel Kangxi Da Di by Eryue He. The series is a prequel to the 1997 television series Yongzheng Dynasty, and was followed by Qianlong Dynasty in 2002.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 284
Genere: Drama, History
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, disturbing, costume drama
Similar in 89%
National Theatre Live: The Madness of George III (2018)
Plot Summary:
It’s 1786 and King George III is the most powerful man in the world. But his behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic as he succumbs to fits of lunacy. With the King’s mind unravelling at a dramatic pace, ambitious politicians and the scheming Prince of Wales threaten to undermine the power of the Crown, and expose the fine line between a King and a man.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 318
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 210 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 82%
Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures (2019)
Plot Summary:
A determined Qing dynasty princess contends with palace intrigue and a vendetta against her family while navigating the treacherous terrain of romance.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 339
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 76%
The Legend of Dugu (2018)
Plot Summary:
“He who has Dugu, has the world”. Daughters of a court official, Dugu Banruo, Dugu Mantuo, and Dugu Jialou were always destined for greatness. Blessed with beauty, intelligence, and connections, the Dugu sisters grew up knowing they were the subjects of a prophecy that could someday tear them apart. Determined to remain loyal to each other, they vowed to always put their relationship first. But time has a way of changing things, and vows are easily broken.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 45
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 88%
Love is Beautiful (2002)
Plot Summary:
LARINE (HEUNG HOI LAN, ANNE) and JOJO (CHAN MIU YING, MARIANE) have been friends since childhood. They have both been chosen to be mistresses to the emperor because of their beauty. LARINE’s mother died a long time ago. She pretends to be ugly when the government officials visit in order to stay with her father. However, during one festival, she saves the plain-dressed emperor, without realizing who he is. He cannot put her aside when he gets back to the palace and decides to marry her. JOJO is jealous of her. She lies to her and takes her to a gypsy, who switches their faces. From then on, their fates change.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 22
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing, costume drama
Similar in 85%
The Bride with White Hair (2012)
Plot Summary:
The Bride with White Hair is a Chinese television series very loosely based on Liang Yusheng's novel Baifa Monü Zhuan. Except for some characters' names, the plot is almost completely unrelated to the original story. It was first aired on Hunan Satellite TV on 14 September 2012. Shooting started on 26 April 2012 in Hengdian World Studios, Zhejiang. The series stars Nicky Wu, Ma Su, Louis Fan, Liu Sitong, Li Jie, Guo Zhenni, and Ye Zuxin.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 18
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 84%
The Last Empress (2018)
Plot Summary:
In an alternate-reality South Korea, where a constitutional monarchical system prevails, Oh Sunny, a musical actress, becomes the empress of the country. Thus begins a dispute for power in the royal palace. Nothing is what it seems, and Oh Sunny is ready to fight until the end to uncover a mysterious homicide within the royal palace, fighting to protect those she loves the most and obtain happiness.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 720
Genere: Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 59 min
Plot tags: suspense, psychological, tense, captivating, suspenseful, disturbing, dorama
Similar in 88%
The Glorious Era (2019)
Plot Summary:
Set in the period before and after the founding of PRC, it is a story that follows the first generation of People's Public Security. CCP undercover agent, Zheng Chao Yang, engages in a battle of wits and will against KMT operatives. Before the battle of Liaoshen, Communist operative CCP undercover agent, Zheng Chao Yang (Zhang Yi), infiltrates and lurks in the Peiping police station. Zheng Chao Yang's identity is discovered by a traitor, forcing him to evacuate the police station immediately. In his escape, he is able to take with him a secret list of KMT spies that can deal a detrimental blow to the KMT. After the liberation of Peiping, Zheng Chao Yang returns to the city. However, waiting for him is a new battlefield. The KMT has dispatched a team of elite spies operating under the codename "Tao Yuan". Tao Yuan is led by the elite spy codenamed "Phoenix" and who is actually Chao Yang's older brother, Zheng Chao Shan (Huang Zhizhong), who is a famous doctor.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 9
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 76%
KL Gangster Underworld (2018)
Plot Summary:
KL Gangster Underworld bermula selepas insiden KL Gangster 1 (lakonan Aaron Aziz dan Adi Putra), semasa kongsi-kongsi gelap di Kuala Lumpur kehilangan nakhoda akibat dibunuh atau dipenjara selepas ditangkap pihak berkuasa. Masing-masing bersaing dan berbunuhan bagi merebut takhta kosong yang ditinggalkan. Pertumpahan darah, pembelotan dan sabotaj bermaharajalela sepanjang tempoh darurat ini. Di tengah kekalutan ini, terdapat seorang ahli kongsi iaitu Shah yang ingin mengundur diri dan memulakan kehidupan baru sebagai insan biasa, namun dihalangi oleh rintangan dan aral yang melintang sehingga memaksa dia kembali bergiat dalam aktiviti haram ini. Tak tersangka, pengembalian dia ke arena kongsi gelap ini mencetus satu revolusi baru kepada dinasti kongsi gelap di Kuala Lumpur.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 81
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Malaysia
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense
Similar in 77%
The Confidant (2012)
Plot Summary:
"The Confidant" depicts how a group of eunuchs survive in the weakening Qing empire, and closely traces imperial eunuch Li Lianying's early life from the first day he entered the imperial palace to become one of the most powerful political figures in the latter years of the Qing Dynasty. The drama also follows Li's relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi, and how he eventually becomes her closest confidant.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 10
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Hong Kong
Duration:
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Cruel Palace: War of Flowers (2013)
Plot Summary:
There is no power struggle that is more cruel and vicious as among the concubines in a royal palace. Jo So Yong is a beautiful but conniving royal concubine during the Joseon Dynasty who will stop at nothing to win the love and power of King In Jo. Although she is from the lower class, she uses her unparalleled beauty and wit to gain power and control over Joseon, even if it means getting rid of Crown Prince So Hyun so her son can be king. When Lady Jo finally gets the power she wanted, it results in the bloodiest battle.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 44
Genere: Drama, History, Romance
Country: South Korea
Duration:
Plot tags: tense, romantic, captivating, political
Similar in 81%
Rosy Business (2009)
Plot Summary:
Set in Eastern China in the mid-19th century Qing Dynasty, "Rosy Business" tells a story of the mercantile Chiang family and the ambition and jealousy surrounding the issue of who will inherit the family business when Chiang Kiu dies. The story surrounds the life of Hong Po-kei, who marries into the Chiang family as Chiang Kiu's fourth wife. She gains ownership of Hing Fung Nin, the family rice shop, and guides the ambitious coolie Chai Kau to rise in the social status ladder.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 100
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing, costume drama
Similar in 84%
Lady & Liar (2014)
Plot Summary:
Set in Shanghai's 1930's, Jiang Xin (Tiffany Tang) is a young lady who was originally an heir to a rich family, is in search to find her family. Due to an accident, Xin loses her memory, and therefore, Du Xiao Han (Yang Rong) takes the identity of Xin. While the real Jiang Xin falls into the hands of Bai Zhangjie, a powerful business man, her previous lover, Sheng Jie Wen (Tony Yang) had been searching for Xin.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 27
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration:
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, disturbing, tense
Similar in 75%
The Palace (2008)
Plot Summary:
The Palace was a British drama television series that aired on ITV in 2008. Produced by Company Pictures for the ITV network, it was created by Tom Grieves and follows a fictional British Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of King James III and the succession of his 24-year-old son, Richard IV, played by Rupert Evans. It also stars Jane Asher and Zoe Telford. The series was filmed on location in Lithuania in 2007 and broadcast from January to March 2008. It was axed after one series due to low viewing figures.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 491
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 79%
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre (2019)
Plot Summary:
Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre is a 2019 Chinese wuxia television series adapted from the novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber by Jin Yong. Originally published in newspapers from 1961 to 1963, the story has been revised twice; once in 1979 and the second in 2005. This remake is primarily based on the third edition of the novel. The series is the first adaptation to be released as a web series and was first broadcast on Tencent in China on February 27, 2019.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 329
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: captivating, disturbing
Similar in 75%
Outbound Love (2014)
Plot Summary:
In order to develop new business, LAW SIK-SIK, who works for a travel agency, goes to Malaysia to have a meeting with her client. Unexpectedly, her plans are ruined by a local cunning tour guide, LUK KUNG-CHI, resulting in a falling-out between the two. All of a sudden, SIK-SIK"s boyfriend CHING CHIN-BOK appears to propose marriage to her. The pair start preparing for their wedding ceremony on the heels of their return to Hong Kong.
IMDB Rating:
IMDB Votes:
Genere: Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: light, romantic, captivating
Similar in 79%
The Imperial Age (2022)
Plot Summary:
The epic saga of Zhu Di's life, conquests, and, the rebellion to usurp the throne of the Ming Empire from his imperial nephew.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 33
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: political, captivating, disturbing, suspense
Similar in 76%
Secret History of Xiaozhuang (2002)
Plot Summary:
Xiaozhuang Mishi, also known as Xiaozhuang Epic, is a 2003 Chinese television series produced by You Xiaogang. The series is the first instalment in a series of four television series about the early history of the Qing Dynasty. It was followed by Huang Taizi Mishi, Taizu Mishi and Secret History of Kangxi, all of which were also produced by You Xiaogang.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 34
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, disturbing