9 Chinese Dramas About Rich People Pretending to Be Poor, from Romantic to Funny

Kapanlagi.com - The phenomenon of Chinese dramas about rich people pretending to be poor (or hidden billionaire) has become one of the most sought-after genres by Mandarin series fans in Indonesia. The classic theme where a CEO, heir to the throne, or top celebrity must disguise themselves as commoners, whether due to amnesia, business strategy, or in search of true love, always delivers fresh comedy and romance that makes you feel baper.

Its main appeal lies in the satisfaction of the audience when the character's true identity is finally revealed to those who once underestimated them.

For those of you looking for entertainment with a from zero to hero (or the other way around) plot, we have summarized a list of the best titles from official TV series to viral mini dramas. This article will review the synopsis, cast, and production details so you won’t make the wrong choice. Here are recommendations for Chinese dramas about rich people pretending to be poor, Monday (27/7/2026).

1. Please Feel at Ease Mr. Ling (2021)

Synopsis: Gu An Xin, a cheerful delivery courier, accidentally bumps into Ling Yue, a CEO who has just inherited a large company. As a result of the accident (and the power struggle in his family), Ling Yue pretends to have amnesia and seeks compensation by living in the cramped rental house owned by An Xin.

Cast: Zhao Lusi (Gu An Xin), Liu Te (Ling Yue).

Director: Zhong Qing.

Why You Should Watch: Chemistry between Zhao Lusi is so natural that the dynamic of "the spoiled rich kid" vs. "the tough poor kid" is very entertaining.

2. Forget You Remember Love (2020)

Synopsis: A remake of the legendary series The Prince Who Turns into a Frog. Shan Jun Hao is a cold CEO who loses his memory after an accident. He is saved by Ye Qian Yu, a village girl who is money-minded but kind-hearted. Jun Hao lives life as "Tonghao", a simple and poor village man, unaware of the wealth he left behind.

Cast: Xing Fei (Ye Qian Yu), Jin Ze (Shan Jun Hao).

Director: Liang Wen Yi.

Why You Should Watch: The drastic transformation from an arrogant CEO to a gentle village man is the main appeal of this story.

3. Accidentally in Love (2018)

Accidentally in Love (2018)

Synopsis: Si Tu Feng is a popular idol who is very wealthy. To avoid a political marriage and media pressure, he runs away and enrolls in college disguised as an ordinary student from a simple family. There, he meets Chen Qing Qing, a rich girl who is also pretending to be a nerdy girl to escape matchmaking.

Cast: Guo Jun Chen (Si Tu Feng), Sun Yi Ning (Chen Qing Qing).

Director: Zhong Qing.

Why You Should Watch: Both are "pretend poor rich people," making the conflicts that arise very silly and sweet as they try to cover up their lies.

4. A Romance of the Little Forest (2022)

A Romance of the Little Forest (2022)

Synopsis: Yu Mei Ren is a wealthy and famous fashion influencer who harbors feelings for a botany professor, Zhuang Yu. To win his heart, she is willing to go to the village where Zhuang Yu is researching and disguise herself as a simple, innocent village girl who knows nothing about fashion.

Cast: Esther Yu (Yu Mei Ren), Vin Zhang (Zhuang Yu).

Director: Cai Cong.

Why You Should Watch: A role reversal where the female character is the wealthy one and has to pretend to live a hard life in the countryside for love.

5. Count Your Lucky Stars (2020)

Count Your Lucky Stars (2020)

Synopsis: Lu Xing Cheng is a legendary, wealthy, and arrogant fashion magazine editor. Tong Xiao You is a poor designer who is always unlucky. Due to an accidental kiss, their fates are switched. Xing Cheng loses everything and falls into poverty overnight, while Xiao You suddenly becomes successful.

Cast: Jerry Yan (Lu Xing Cheng), Shen Yue (Tong Xiao You).

Director: Lin Zi Ping.

Why You Should Watch: Jerry Yan (the actor of Tao Ming Tse) returns to portray a rich character who must adapt to poverty, providing a sense of nostalgia.

6. Waking Love Up (2011)

Waking Love Up (2011)

Synopsis: A mainland Chinese adaptation of Prince Frog. Xiang Tian Qi, the heir to a luxury hotel, loses his memory and lives as Liu Xiao Yu in a small fishing village. He learns the values of life from simple people before his fiancée comes to take him back.

Cast: Roy Chiu, Tang Yan.

Director: Shen Yi.

Why You Should Watch: A classic filled with emotional drama, suitable for fans of old-school romantic melodramas.

7. Hi Venus (2022)

Hi Venus (2022)

Sometimes, wealthy figures do not intend to disguise themselves, but the situation leads others to mistakenly think they are poor people.

Synopsis: Lu Zhao Xi is the new hospital director who is on vacation in a remote village. Due to a storm and a disheveled appearance, he is misunderstood as a con artist and goat thief by Doctor Ye Shi Lan. Zhao Xi allows the misunderstanding to continue and is even asked to do manual labor to pay off his "debt".

Cast: Joseph Zeng (Lu Zhao Xi), Liang Jie (Ye Shi Lan).

Director: Wang Wo.

Why You Should Watch: There are no evil plot twists, just pure comedy about a boss who is mistaken for a poor unemployed person by his own subordinates.

8. Hello Mr. Gu (2021)

Hello Mr. Gu (2021)

Synopsis: Gu Nan Zhou is a CEO who is afraid of crowds. He enters into a contract marriage with Zhou Jian Qing, a student who is facing financial difficulties. Despite being wealthy, Nan Zhou often has to "downgrade" to follow Jian Qing's frugal lifestyle to keep their marriage a secret.

Cast: Chen Jing Ke (Gu Nan Zhou), Yan Zhi Chao (Zhou Jian Qing).

Director: Tian Shao Bo.

Why You Should Watch: It features a clash between a lavish lifestyle and a realistic yet humorous frugality.

9. My CEO in Disguise (2025)

My CEO in Disguise (MyDramalist)

Synopsis: A billionaire disguises himself as a package delivery courier to find a woman who truly loves him not for his money. He meets a female CEO who actually pays him to be her fake husband, unaware that her rented husband is far wealthier than she is.

Cast: New Actors/Actresses (Varied Cast).

Director: ReelShort Production Team.

Why You Should Watch: Full of "slapback" (satisfying revenge) scenes for those who enjoy belittling others.

10. Questions About the Chinese Drama Pretending to be Poor

1.What is the title of the Chinese drama where the CEO disguises as a cleaning service?

Many mini dramas (vertical dramas) use this plot. One of the most viral is titled The Cleaning Lady is a Billionaire or similar variations on the DramaBox app, where the female CEO disguises herself to see the sincerity of her employees.

2.Why is the theme of "pretending to be poor" so popular in Chinese dramas?

This theme provides instant psychological satisfaction (wish fulfillment) for viewers. Seeing a character who is belittled then turning the tables with their true power gives a sense of justice and moral victory that is highly favored by Asian audiences.

3.On which app can I watch these dramas?

For long TV series like Please Feel at Ease Mr. Ling or Accidentally in Love, you can watch them on Netflix, WeTV, or iQIYI with Indonesian subtitles. For viral mini dramas, apps like DramaBox, ReelShort, or ShortTV are the place to go.

4. Are there any colossal/royal dramas with this theme?

Yes, they usually tell stories about Emperors or Princes disguising themselves as commoners (known as incognito travel) to monitor the state of the people, as seen in the classic series Kangxi Dynasty or side plots in Story of Yanxi Palace.

5. What is the funniest drama recommended from the list above?

Hi Venus is the best choice for a relaxed and stress-free comedy. The misunderstanding at the beginning of the story when the hospital director is asked to catch a goose and is mistaken for a thief is very iconic and hilarious.

(kpl/ibr)