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Romance and workplace dramas featuring characters in their 50s are gaining traction, proving that love and career growth aren’t just for the young.
Veteran actress Liu Xiaoqing leads the upcoming short drama Cute Baby Assists: 50-Year-Old Lovely Marriage set to premiere on 28 March.
At 74, the beloved "Grandma Qing" takes on the role of a 50-year-old skilled acupuncturist who enters a marriage of convenience to escape family troubles.
Her husband is played by actor Geng Dayong, who is significantly younger than her in real life.
The drama leans into classic romance tropes—an overbearing CEO and love after marriage—but with a twist: middle-aged leads.
Some viewers find this “outrageous,” but others see it as a fresh take on romance dramas.
Meanwhile, the ever-youthful Carman Lee stars in Dr Wu (1) as Chen Lin, a wealthy housewife who re-enters the workforce.
She joins forces with Zhang Xiye’s Qiao Ran, a struggling "nobody," in a story of women empowering each other to rediscover their self-worth.
Carman, who also produced the drama, believes that 59 is the perfect age to start a new journey.
Her drama recently trended on hot searches after its first TV broadcast, while Liu Xiaoqing’s show is set to debut soon.
With these stories finding their audience, later-in-life dramas may just be carving out their own niche in the industry.