Legend of Zang Hai Tops Charts in 2025 with Unstoppable Momentum

A Sudden Hit That Stayed Hot

When Legend of Zang Hai premiered on May 18, 2025, it already carried big expectations. Yet almost overnight, it turned into something more. Earth-shattering? Maybe not, but definitely one of the year’s biggest drama moments.

By late May, it had shattered Youku’s heat index record, and the final episode scored an impressive 40.1% of the effective viewership market share. It crossed the 1 billion views mark not long after.

Dominating Playback Volume in Early 2025

For the first half of the year—January through July—the show led the national TV series playback volume rankings. It was a simple but powerful sign: people were watching it again and again.

Summer Champ on Yunhe Data

According to Yunhe Data, among all new summer releases, *Legend of Zang Hai* took the top spot in terms of effective broadcast performance. It achieved an astounding total of 1.36 billion in broadcast volume during the vacation season.

What Fans Are Saying

On Douban, the drama opened with a 7.1 rating based on hundreds of thousands of viewer reviews—solid numbers for any show.

Fan comments are mixed, but passionate. One viewer wrote on Reddit:

“They said the drama is spectacular—the plot and cast are excellent. Xiao Zhan’s acting is excellent. I’ve been crying since episode one.”

Another added:

“It was strong until Dongxia, where the cinematography felt off and the ending just didn’t land for me.”

Why It Matters

This drama’s success isn’t just about big numbers. It’s a rare case of a show firing on all cylinders—great source material, solid lead performances, and a strong connection with fans. And that kind of broad, sustained appeal doesn’t come easy.

It also shows how a mid-May release can ride into summer dominance—and how Chinese TV can still deliver stories that grip millions.