Hi everyone! During my ‘one year hiatus for dramas’, I found extreme love for something else… Variety Shows! In particular, Chinese Variety Shows. What could be better than seeing all my favourite stars doing funny, stupid things with their real identity!? It doesn’t matter if ‘all these are k-variety rip-off’ like many claim, it only matters that I love and enjoy watching them! While there is MyDramaList to record all the dramas I have watched, there sadly isn’t any of such platforms for variety shows. Hence, I have decided to keep a manual record here! Everything is arranged alphabetically according to the year I watch it!
PS: the years in bold are the year I watched the show; the actual year the show was aired can be found under the Airing Date. Check out my Recaps Index for the the recaps/reviews I did for these variety shows 🙂
2016/2017
- 变形记 第九季
Starring Li Hong Yi - Dinner Table 饭局的诱惑
- Go Fighting! 2 极限挑战 2
Starring Show Luo Zhi Xiang, Lay Zhang Yixing, Sun Hong Lei, Huang Bo, Huang Lei, Wang Xun - Grade One: Graduation Season 一年级 — 毕业季
Starring Chen Jianbin - Date! Superstar 约吧 大明星
Starring Ethan Ruan Jing Tian, Xu Lu, Huang Jingyu - Who’s The Murderer 明星大侦探
Starring Gui Gui Emma Wu Ying Jie, Bai Jing Ting, Sa Bei Ning, He Jiong, Wang Ou - Grade One: University Season 一年级 — 大学季
Starring Tong Dawei, Yuan Shanshan, Tong Meng Shi (Shitou), Xing Fei
- Who’s Still Standing 一站到底
- Hello 女神
Episode 4: Kimi Qiao. His last reality show, filmed 9 days before his death and aired 5 days after it. - Diva Hits The Road 2 花儿与少年2
Starring Zheng Shuang, Jing Bo Ran, Yang Yang, Ivy Chen Yihan, Ning Jing, Xu Qing, Mao A Min
- Challengers Alliance 2 挑战者联盟 2
Starring Fan Bing Bing, Li Chen, Chen Xuedong, Evonne Xie Yilin, Xue Zhiqian, Chen Han Dian - Go Fridge 拜托了冰箱
Starring Happy Fridge Family including Jackson Wang Jia’er, He Jiong - Burn U5 天生是优我
Starring Show Luo as coach - Give Me Five 高能少年团 (Youtube)
Starring Liu Haoran, Zhang Yishan, Dong Zijian, Wang Da Lu, Wang Junkai - War of the Singles 单生战争
- Big Brother China 室友一起宅
- Keep Running 5 奔跑吧 5
Starring Dilireba, Luhan, Deng Chao, Li Chen, Chen He, Wang Zulan, Zheng Kai - Diva Hits The Road 3 花儿与少年3
Starring Tony Yang Youning, Chen Bolin, Zhang Ruoyun, Jing Boran, Maggie Jiang Shuying, Gulinazha, Lai Yumeng, Song Zu’er - Fighting Man 我们战斗吧
Starring Bai Jingting, Jackson Wang Jia’er, Jam Hsiao Jing Teng, Wang Kai, Yang Shuo, Jing Boran - The Coming One 明日之子
Starring Yang Mi, Hua Chenyu and Xue Zhiqian as competing coaches - Go Fighting! 3 极限挑战3
Starring Show Luo Zhi Xiang, Lay Zhang Yixing, Sun Hong Lei, Huang Bo, Huang Lei, Wang Xun - Are You Normal 3 你正常吗 第3季
Starring He Jiong and Henry as host - Flowers On Trip 旅途的花样
Starring Hua Chenyu, Lin Chiling etc - Chinese Restaurant 老友记
Starring Vicki Zhao, Huang Xiaoming, Zhang Liang, Zhou Dongyu, Jin Meng Jia - The Inn 亲爱的客栈 (Youtube)
Starring Liu Tao, Wang Ke, Chen Xiang, Ji Lin Chen, Kan Qing Zi - Youth Inn 青年旅社 (Youtube)
Starring Wang Yuan, Li Xiao Lu, Jing Tian etc - Pretty House 漂亮的房子 (Youtube)
Starring Wu Yanzu, Feng De Lun, Tang Yixin, Pan Pan, Yi Yi, Huang Rende - Takes a Real Man 2 真正男子汉2 (Youtube)
Starring Yang Mi, Wang Zitao, Tong Liya, Jiang Jinfu, Sun Yang, Shen Meng Chen, Lanxin
2015
- Survivor Games 跟着贝尔去冒险 (Youtube)
Starring Bear Grylls, Michael Tse, Bai Jing Ting, Janice Chang Junning and others
Aired: 15 Oct 2015 - Challengers Alliance 挑战者联盟
Starring Fan Bing Bing, Li Chen, Kris Wu Yi Fan, Lin Geng Xin, Chen Han Dian, Da Peng - Go Fighting! 极限挑战 (First Impression)
Starring Show Luo Zhi Xiang, Lay Zhang Yixing, Sun Hong Lei, Huang Bo, Huang Lei, Wang Xun
Episodes: 12 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 14 June 2015
` - Off to School (China version) 我去上学啦
Starring Wallace Chung (Zhong Han Liang), Jiang Jinfu, Sun Yizhou, Zhang Kaili & guests (Selina from SHE, Calvin Chen Yiru, Amber Kuo, Jiang Xin etc)
Episodes: 12 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 17 July 2015
` - Real Hero 真心英雄
Starring Liang Kun, Chen Xue Dong, Joe Cheng (Zheng Yuan Chang)
Episodes: 12 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 24 July 2015
` - The Voice of China Season 4 中国好声音 《第四季》 (Recaps)
Starring Jay Chou, Harlem Yu, Wang Feng, Na Ying
Episodes: 90 minutes each
Aired: 17 July 2015
` - Up Idol 偶像来了
Starring Brigitte Lin, Ning Jing, Ada Choi, Athena Chu (Zhu Yin), Zhao Li Ying, Xie Na, Guli Nazha, Yang Yu Ying, Ouyang Nana, Kristy Zhang Han Yun
Episodes: 90 minutes each
Aired: 01 August 2015
` - We Are In Love 我们相爱吧 [Recapped until ep 3]
Starring Kimi Qiao Ren Liang, Xu Lu, Ruby Lin, Ren Zhong, Choi Siwon, Liu Wen
Episodes: 12 (80 minutes each)
Aired: 19 April 2015 – 17 July 2015
` - Where are We Going, Dad? Season I 爸爸去哪儿 《第一季》
Starring Jimmy Lin Zhi Ying & Kimi, Tian Liang & Cindy, Guo Tao & Shitou, Zhang Liang & Tiantian and Wang Yue Lun & Angela
Episodes: 12 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 11 October 2013 – 27 December 2013
Also watching long running variety shows: 100% Entertainment 娱乐百分百, If you are the one 非诚勿扰, Perfect Dating 非常完美 , Happy Camp 快乐大本营
2014
- Diva hits the Road Season I 花儿与少年 第一季
Starring Zhang Han, Hua Chenyu, Zheng Peipei, Zhang Kaili, Xu Qing, Liu Tao, Li Fei’er
Episodes: 8 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 25 April 2014 – 13 June 2014
· - First Grade 一年级
Starring Chen Xue Dong, Song Jia, Ma Haoxuan, An Qi’er, Xi Men Zi, Li Haoyu, Wang Zi Xuan, Chen Si Cheng, Lu Yu Lin
Episodes: 11 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 17 October 2014 – 26 December 2014
` - The Voice of China Season 3 中国好声音 《第三季》
Starring Na Ying, Wang Feng, Liang Kun, Chyi Chin and contestants
Episodes: 14 (90 minutes each)
Aired: 18 July 2014 – 07 October 2014
SkimmedMilkDRAMA 
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Do you know where to watch diva hit the road 2 full episode with english subtitle? Thank you 🙂
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Hi, sorry but I can only find eng subs from episode 9 onwards here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BadLrbqJwhU
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i just came from your review on the go fighting profile on mydramalist, bc i’ve been looking for a list of variety shows to watch bc i’ve recently gotten hooked on them. i just finished all 3 seasons of back to field and im so sad LOL … i plan on watching go fighting, but i was wondering if you have an updated watch list for after 2017, or even a recent favorites list? would love to hear your recs!
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also, might be unwarranted BUT if you’re looking for variety shows and haven’t been keeping up LOL, some of my recent favorites are 密室大逃脱 (the great escape)，勇敢的世界 (brave world), 我们长大了 (we grew up), and 5 seasons of 拜托了冰箱 (go fridge)！i will now peruse ur blog for recommendations haha 🙂
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Heh, you have caught me. I haven’t been watching much variety shows indeed recently… I have enjoyed the past few seasons of 明星大侦探 (Who’s the Murderer) which I guess might be similar to 密室大逃脱. I might try 勇敢的世界 when I have time, seems interesting and I recognise a couple of the guests. I watched an episode of 我们长大了 before but didn’t really fall for it. In the past year, I have acquired a taste for some trashy (but yet very addictive) variety shows. They all follow a similar format where random 路人 (normal people) are invited to stay together for a month and go on dates in order to look for a partner – the chinese classify them as “感情推理“ shows. While some series are better than others, I have enjoyed almost all of them: 心动的信号 (Heart Signal; 2 seasons), 和你相遇真好 (Meeting You) and 恋梦空间 (Dream Space; 2 seasons). In fact, I have been planning to write about these shows since two months ago but haven’t sat down to work on it properly… (Procrastination wonders!). If you like competition based shows, I enjoyed 明日之子 and the chinese version of Produce 101 as well. There’s also a variety show on 火箭少女101 which is about the travel tales of the girl band from Produce 101. I also followed 我们是真正的朋友 for a while – it’s a show where 4 friends (including Barbie Hsu & Dee Hsu – Da S and Xiao S) travel together. The first few episodes were not bad but I didn’t finish following it because I got busier towards the end.
I assume you understand Chinese as well. Not sure if you know of the game ‘Werewolves’ but I u have caught me. I haven’t been watching much variety shows indeed recently… I have enjoyed the past few seasons of 明星大侦探 (Who’s the Murderer) which I guess might be similar to 密室大逃脱. I might try 勇敢的世界 when I have time, seems interesting and I recognise a couple of the guests. I watched an episode of 我们长大了 before but didn’t really fall for it. In the past year, I have acquired a taste for some trashy (but yet very addictive) variety shows. They all follow a similar format where random 路人 (normal people) are invited to stay together for a month and go on dates in order to look for a partner – the chinese classify them as “感情推理“ shows. While some series are better than others, I have enjoyed almost all of them: 心动的信号 (Heart Signal; 2 seasons), 和你相遇真好 (Meeting You) and 恋梦空间 (Dream Space; 2 seasons). In fact, I have been planning to write about these shows since two months ago but haven’t sat down to work on it properly… (Procrastination wonders!). If you like competition based shows, I enjoyed 明日之子 and the chinese version of Produce 101 as well. There’s also a variety show on 火箭少女101 which is about the travel tales of the girl band from Produce 101. I also followed 我们是真正的朋友 for a while – it’s a show where 4 friends (including Barbie Hsu & Dee Hsu – Da S and Xiao S) travel together. The first few episodes were not bad but I didn’t finish following it because I got busier towards the end.
I assume you understand Chinese as well. Not sure if you know of the game ‘Werewolves’ but I do enjoy the game and have watched many variety shows which play it (饭局狼人杀，娱乐百分百). I have also moved beyond the usual variety shows to watch streams of pros playing 狼人杀 so let me know if you are into that so I can give you some recommendations :p My recent crack however is youtube! I watch episode recaps and reviews by youtube channels. My favourite channel is 小白瞅电影YouTube官方号 while my friend swears by 大熊观影.
Thanks for leaving a comment and hope to discuss more with you ^-^
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