After years of ups and downs, especially the three-year heavy blow from the Covid pandemic, China’s film and TV industry surprisingly saw a fruitful year in 2023. Here are eight films and TV dramas that won audiences’ hearts and signaled the rejuvenation of the film and television industry in China.

Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms

Released on July 20 in the Chinese mainland, the film is the first installment of a trilogy loosely adapted from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel Fengshen Yanyi, or The Investiture of the Gods.

Rated 7.8 out of 10 points on Douban, the film’s total box office reached more than 2.6 billion yuan ($356 million), according to the Chinese entertainment service platform Maoyan.