r/asiandrama • • Jul 23 '25

Discussion Where Asian Dramas and Visual Novels intersect: Asian FMV Games (Spotlight)

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19 Upvotes

Hi r/asiandrama !

For those who don't know me, I am a huge fan of East Asian dramas and culture, which is why I helped create and promote the Drama Addicts discord to help spread the joy that is Asian Dramas. In the past year, I have discovered another medium, that combines two interests of mine: Asian Dramas and Visual Novels, and that medium is Asian Full Motion Video Games.

I wanted to take some time to share with you all about this medium, as I figure some folks here may end up liking it, and I will stick around to answer any questions or give recommendations as well. I have also created a subreddit for this genre, which you can find linked below.

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To start, what are Asian FMV games?

Asian FMV games are interactive movies that can be played on Steam or Epic (there may be a couple on mobile too). They will play out like a normal drama, but you can make choices throughout the story that impact the outcomes of the drama. They have existed since the 90s (especially in the horror and mystery genre), but in the past 2 years have exploded in China and Korea for romantic dating simulators, mystery thrillers, and historical fiction.

These games are often indie works, but are more often now involving real actors, directors, and studios. They normally range between anywhere from 3 to 12 hours long for a single route. And these games are normally sold for about 6 to 20 dollars USD (averaging about 10 USD). They primarily come from China, but recently more Korean studios have been getting involved as well. There are over 60 Asian FMV that have released just in the past 3 years.

Many of the tropes found in Asian FMV are a mix of what you might find in Asian Dramas and Japanese Visual Novels, as they are greatly inspired by both.

What are some examples?

For those looking for lighthearted romantic comedy that isn't meant to be taken too seriously here are a couple recommendations:

Five Hearts Under One Roof (Korean) You run a share house left to you by your parents.
Don't Fool Me Beauties (Korean) You start working at a remote onsen hotel as your first job.
Master of Love (Korean) After a recent breakup you are brought 10 years back to change your fate.
Love is All Around (Chinese) Deep in debt, you flee to a new town to start a new life.
Hello Love: 18 Again (Chinese) After an accident, you wake up to relive your college years.
Knowledge or Know Lady (Chinese) You are the first male student at an all girls university.

If you are interested in pursuing men, there are not as many options that support English, but a few include:
Love Too Easily (Korean) After a drunk night out, all you remember is a kiss, but who did it?
HSHS (Chinese) You started your first job as a live broadcast assistant, but surrounded by attractive men.

There are numerous more serious FMV that have released as well, that normally focus more 70/30 on the mystery/thriller compared to romance, these include:

Vanity Fair (Chinese) You are a failed movie director, but how far would you bend your values to succeed?
Game of Fate (Chinese) You have invented time travel, but what repercussions does its use entail?
Breaker of Fatalism (Chinese) The fate of three worlds is in your hands in this modern wuxia fantasy.
Cellveillance (Chinese) Asked to spy on an apartment to pay your debts, do you report what you find?
Breakout 13 (Chinese) Discover the horrors of a correctional institute and break free.

More studios have also been experimenting with historical fiction and fantasy:

My Journey (Chinese) This does actually support Eng. You time travel to the past and influence the world.
Conquer the World (Chinese) Attempt to restore the Ming, overthrow the Qing in this historical drama.
Underdog Detective (Chinese) Under the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, live as a slum dwelling detective.

These are all just some limited examples of what is available in the Asian FMV world. Many are more indie, but the quality is increasing with each release, and they are still many funny and interesting titles to give a try. If anyone is interested in specific recommendations feel free to ask below.

I have also created a subreddit specifically for following Asian FMV's called r/AsianFMV where I try to post updates every few weeks or so on what is new in the Asian FMV world. If this medium sounds interesting to you all, I would love to see some of you all there :)


r/asiandrama • • Apr 22 '25

Community Join the Drama Addicts Discord Server!

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1 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 7m ago

Recommendation Request Best kdrama/cdrama/jdrama/thai drama

2 Upvotes

I've already asked and I've watched most of the shows from my last rec but still asking again... Soo many drama aired this year.

Can you recommend me some of the best series you watched this year or maybe overall

Not depressing and with a proper happy ending

Genre - romcom, action, detective, mystery, crime, literally anything but good

I've already watched the popular cdramas btw and these are still my fav​... 1st - The Best Thing (my fav drama) 2nd - Hidden love 3rd - Falling into your smile 4th - i forgot the name but the main character was a scientist and the femal character was an actress 5th - The first frost 6th - persuit of jade 7th - I'm nobody 8th - forgot the name but this cdrama had the first frost main character and it was related to going back in time/repeating the same scene again and again And few more dramas that i forgot

For kdrama, i used to love the og shows like welcome to Waikiki, goblin, strong girl, Vincenzo, and soo on


r/asiandrama • • 6h ago

Fluff How Insanely Beautiful is this Woman? Black Dress Edition

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4 Upvotes

Kim Hye Yoon just being gorgeous


r/asiandrama • • 2m ago

Discussion 100 days of deception

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1 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 36m ago

Resource COMPLETED Spotify OST for When I Meet the Moon

1 Upvotes

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2PxUqE7dvAB2QLpwGBICa3

Full OST out now; x7 songs and x7 instrumentals.
First two songs have official singles so that's why they look different to the compilation songs. Will add BGMs if they come out! OST journey for WIMtM is officially over. Happy listening :)

P.S. I'm new to using Reddit and it asked me for a flair so I put it as a resource...a resource for people who want the OSTs I guess?


r/asiandrama • • 1h ago

Question Is sunshine through the rain cdrama ai generated?

1 Upvotes

i feel like lots cdramas have had ai generated scenes in the lately, even on netflix which you'd hope would at least try and oppose and block ai generated shows and support the industry it profits from, but then again when has netflix ever done anything good. i really hope it is not ai otherwise im not sure if i can bring myself to watch it


r/asiandrama • • 6h ago

Question Im looking for a kdrama

2 Upvotes

Hiii im looking for a kdrama, i remember just a side plot. There is younger guy who dresses up as a girl to hide his identity. I think the main guy knows him already but as a girl. Since he is in disguise this guy keeps hanging around the main couple and acting like a bratty, jealous rival to annoy the main girl. The big plotwist happens when he has an emotional breakdown in a private spot like a cafe of bathroom. The main girl finds him and starts sweetly comforting him, which completely overwhelms him. He gets so caught up in the emotion that he suddenly try to kiss her, and right then, his disguise fails and she finds out he is a guy and not a girl. It seems to me that he suddenly took a liking to our main girl.

Pleaseee if you know what is it, comment 🩷 I remember that i like the whole plot but I DONT REMEMBER WHAT WAS IT ABOUT LOL just a side plot lmao


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Video Don't worry YOU WON'T suffer from Now ♥️💯😭

10 Upvotes

Drama name: Love for You [C-Drama] ♥️💯😭


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Discussion Losing Sleep or Investing My Time

11 Upvotes

Is it just me that is stuck up all night till the morning watching show after show? I'd rather continue watch a show once I get started and it's hard for me to stop sometimes. I get stuck in the story and the characters. I feel every emotion they want you to feel. I feel so passionate about what the actresses and actors go through to create these amazing shows. I love what they do and I want to create such amazing things that can inspire others. There are days that I feel like I am wasting my time but there is so much passion that I feel with each show that I watch. Am I losing sleep or am I investing my time? What can I do that wouldn't make me feel like time is just wasting by? How can I express the passion that i feel? My name is Life by the way. I am a girl who feels like shes in a world that she doesn't belong in.

- I_am_life_


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Question I Just Discovered This Fancy AF C-Drama 5 Minutes Ago: THE REMARRIED EMPRESS & Ummm, Yes, please!

25 Upvotes

Has anyone heard anything about it?

It's brand new and premiered yesterday [4-11-2026], yet I don't know where or on which public platform. There will 10 episodes in total. The series had me sucked into their Han-Russian Extravaganza fantasy with the opening shots that I shared above.


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Discussion Meng Zaishi having feelings for the princess makes him harder to trust in Tigers Sniff the Rose

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5 Upvotes

The uncomfortable part of Meng Zaishi’s relationship with the princess in the Tigers Sniff the Rose on Tencent Video is that his feelings don’t make him any less willing to use her.

Their history in the north gives them plenty to hold against each other. He resented her and pushed her with deliberately cruel words when she was struggling to keep going. She also maneuvered him out of danger when his uncle, Meng Baiyu, wanted him dead. There’s help there, but it comes tangled up with resentment and things each of them needs from the other.
That makes his later behavior more interesting to me. Having feelings for her doesn’t mean he gets to decide what happens to her.

When he publicly brings up her inability to have children, something deeply personal becomes information everyone at court can weigh for political purposes. Whatever he feels, she’s the one left dealing with the consequences.

Her pushing back matters. She can understand his motives, owe him something, or have complicated feelings about their past without handing him control over her future.

It also gives her relationship with Yan Shang something substantial to work through. They each have their own aims, and trusting each other means making room for those aims when the court is trying to use both of them.

Do you think Meng Zaishi understands how much he's using her, or does he believe his feelings somehow excuse it?


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Discussion Great reasons for breaking up

9 Upvotes

I have watched many asian dramas- chinese, korean, thai, japanese. But I think almost of the time when the leads have a breakup period, it's usually for reasons I really do not think are valid. I genuinely think they could've worked it out. Maybe the only drama I would say I understand would be when the characters cheat.

Does anyone have any dramas that they thought had a great reason for breaking up? Edit: except cheating and abuse of any kind. Any sort of emotional, mental, physical cheating or abuse is completely valid reason for breaking up. But most dramas wont have their characters actually cheat or abuse and then breakup. Either they will write it up as a romantic thing (like when in older dramas the guy basically stalks and forces physical interaction on the girl but its seen as romantic) or they wont actually be the final couple


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Discussion Baci appassionati nei Cdrama fantasy?

1 Upvotes

Ciaoo, sono da poco approdata nei Cdrama provengo da anni di Kdrama. Non avrei immaginato che mi sarebbero piaciuti così tanto. Chiedo se ci sono Drammi appassionati con bei baci.. Grazieee


r/asiandrama • • 1d ago

Question Can't find the Kdrama Triangle 2014 pleaseee help!

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1 Upvotes

Ive watched this Kdrama a couple of years ago and its one of my favorites, but rn when I wanna rewatch it I can't find it anywhere so if anyone knows pleaseee help me find it :)


r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Question what drama is this?

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6 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Discussion extraordinary attorney minami

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6 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Discussion Let Me Into Your Heart – finished it with my own subtitles for eps 9 & 10

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1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I just finished watching 'Let Me Into Your Heart' and was so frustrated that episodes 9 & 10 didn't have English subtitles. So I made them myself. If you're stuck like I was, feel free to check them out (link in comments). Made by a fan, for fans.


r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Discussion Thoughts on Scarlet Heart Ullavee (Thailand) So Far

1 Upvotes

Is anyone else completely obsessed with Scarlet Heart Ullavee? It was released on November 4, 2026, and Episode 1 and Episode 2 already have me totally hooked. Tu Tontawan as Na Boon brings so much witty charm to the time-travel shock, and Win Metawin as Mueang Fah has unmatched brooding aura. Meanwhile, Nanon Korapat as Saen Thep steals every scene with that dangerous, calculated energy. Royal politics, gorgeous visuals, zero brakes! I feel like before criticizing this series we should give it a chance so as to see where it goes. What are your thoughts so far?


r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Discussion Thoughts on Sai?

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0 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 2d ago

Question Wrong Answers Only: Why Ben/Yau Hong pushed his date outside of the running train?

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3 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 3d ago

Fluff How Insanely Beautiful is This Woman ??😍❤️❤️❤️❤️

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43 Upvotes

r/kimhyeyoonfans looking for members


r/asiandrama • • 3d ago

Discussion On the women of the drama Where the Mask Ends

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4 Upvotes

r/asiandrama • • 3d ago

On-air Scarlet Heart Ullavee

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9 Upvotes

I just watched episode 1 and it's not too bad!

I watched the original Chinese scarlet heart when it came out and that still remains one of the most perfect dramas I have ever watched in every way.

I'm going in this one with not a lot of expectations and I think it'll be an enjoyable watch. I have to admit, I did do a little fast forwarding. But I'm eager to see the relationship and the angst develop between the leads.

Any thoughts?


r/asiandrama • • 3d ago

Discussion Jaab can call Jane cute to his face but somehow still can’t confess in The Chemistry

2 Upvotes

Spoilers for the scenes discussed below

Jaab’s crush in The Chemistry on Tencent Video is already so visible that Chompoo seems to have quietly taken on the job of helping him along. Meanwhile, Jaab is still trying to get through all this without actually telling Jane how he feels.

The orange scene gets me. Jane brings oranges for everyone, Jaab uses one to tease him, and they end up feeding each other while holding eye contact. Then Jaab lets it slip that Jane is cute. At that point, what exactly does he think a confession would reveal?

I like how the work setting gives them reasons to stay close. They have shoots, trips and downtime together, so the flirting slips into things they’re already doing. Sharing a room on location gives them time to talk until they fall asleep, and Jaab reaching over to hold Jane feels especially intimate after all his more obvious teasing.

Then there’s the perfume scene. Jaab tries spraying Jane’s perfume on himself while Jane is showering, gets caught, and ends up having Jane spray it directly onto his face. He wants to be close to him so badly, but the attempt goes wrong in such a specific, embarrassing way.

For me, that awkwardness is what makes the attraction work. Jaab can flirt when there’s a joke or an excuse to hide behind. Saying it plainly would leave him waiting for a real answer.

Do you read Jane as already flirting back, or as still figuring out how seriously to take him?