Blooming Shanghai is a lavish 30-episode drama directed by Wong Kar-wai and adapted from Jin Yucheng’s novel set in 1990s Shanghai. The series was a cultural phenomenon, garnering over 3.6 billion views.
For viewers in 2025, there are now legitimate ways to watch it online for freein North America and the UK (with English subs). But what about Australia, Canada, Africa and beyond?
Our complete guide below explains where to watch Blooming Shanghai online…
Where to watch Blossoms Shanghai for free
You can see first two sections before free on iQIYI (China) – complete with English subtitles. You can then pay $1.99/month to subscribe and watch 30 all episodes now.
In the United States and Great Britain, The Criterion Channel (7-day free trial) the first three episodes debut at 8:00 PM ET, November 24th. Three new episodes will be released every Monday through January 26, 2026.
How to see Blossoms Shanghai from anywhere
The criteria channel is displayed only Blooming Shanghai to the United States and selected territories.
Those traveling or working outside the US/UK may need to use a VPN to access Criterion.
There are plenty of VPNs, but NordVPN is the one you can trust to unblock Criterion and watch from anywhere in the world.
Using a VPN to watch is super easy Blooming Shanghai free.
1. Install VPN of your choice. As we have said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Select the location you want to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you are visiting Canada and want to watch your usual free stream, select ‘Canada’.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Go to Criterion, log in and watch Blooming Shanghai free with 7 day trial period.
What devices is The Criterion Channel available on?
You can use Criterion on all of the following devices and platforms:
Web browsers – via criterionchannel.com
Roku (3rd generation and newer)
Apple TV (4th generation and newer)
Amazon Fire TV devices (Android 5.0+)
Xbox One gaming consoles
Selected Samsung Smart TV (2018 or later, Tizen OS)
iPhones and iPads (iOS 12+)
Android devices (OS 5.0+) with Chromecast support
Blossoms Shanghai Season 1 Cast
Hu Ge seam Ah Bao / Mr. Bao
Ma Yili seam Ling Zi
Tiffany Tang (Tang Yan) as Miss Wang (Wang Mingzhu)
Xin Zhilei seam Lee Li
You Benchang seam Uncle Ye / Ye Shu
Huang Jue seam Mr. Qiang
Dong Yong seam Mr. Damn
How popular is Blossoms Shanghai?
Blossoms Shanghai, which debuted on Chinese TV in late 2023, is one of the most successful Chinese dramas of all time with over 3.6 billion views on Weibo. On Douban, more than 190,000 viewers rated it 8.4/10. It won big at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival, including Best TV Series, Best Actor (Hu Ge) and Best Cinematography. Critics, such as those at Roger Eberthas praised its “beautiful visuals”, emotional depth and how Wong captures the hopes and conflicts of a generation.
What has director Wong Kar Wei said about Blossoms Shanghai?
Wong Kar Wei: “At its heart, Blossoms Shanghai is about universal human progress—the quest for reinvention… I hope this series offers both insight and connection wherever you look from.”
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