Blossoms Shanghai is a sumptuous, 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, clocking upover 3.6 billion views.
For viewers in 2025, there are now legitimate ways to watch it online for free, in North America and the United Kingdom (with English subs). But what about Australia, Canada, Africa and beyond?
Our complete guide below explains where to watch Blossoms Shanghai online…
Where to watch Blossoms Shanghai for free
You can watch the first two episodes for free on iQIYI (China) – complete with English subtitles. After that, you can pay $1.99/month to sign up and watch 30 all episodes now.
In the USA and UK, The Criterion Channel (7-day free trial) debuts the first three episodes at 8pm ET, November 24. Three new episodes will drop each Monday through January 26, 2026.
How to watch Blossoms Shanghai from anywhere
The Criterion Channel is only showing Blossoms Shanghai to US and selected territories.
Those traveling or working outside the US/UK may need to use a VPN to access Criterion.
There are lots of VPNs, but NordVPN is the one you can rely on to unblock Criterion and watch from anywhere in the world.
It’s super simple to use a VPN to watch Blossoms Shanghai for free.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you’re visiting the Canada and want to watch your usual free stream, you’d select ‘Canada’.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Criterion, sign in, and watch Blossoms Shanghai for free with the 7 day trial.
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-gen and newer)
Amazon Fire TV devices (Android 5.0+)
Xbox One game consoles
Selected Samsung Smart TVs (2018 or newer, Tizen OS)
iPhones and iPads (iOS 12+)
Android devices (OS 5.0+) with Chromecast support
Blossoms Shanghai season 1 cast
Hu Ge as Ah Bao / Mr. Bao
Ma Yili as Ling Zi
Tiffany Tang (Tang Yan) as Miss Wang (Wang Mingzhu)
Xin Zhilei as Li Li
You Benchang as Uncle Ye / Ye Shu
Huang Jue as Mr. Qiang
Dong Yong as Mr. Fan
How popular is Blossoms Shanghai?
Blossoms Shanghai, which debuted on Chinese television 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, like those at Roger Ebert, have praised its “gorgeous visuals”, emotional depth, and how Wong captures a generation’s hopes and conflicts.
What has director Wong Kar Wei said about Blossoms Shanghai?
Wong Kar Wei: “At its heart, Blossoms Shanghai is about universal human rise – the pursuit of reinvention… I hope this series offers both insight and connection, wherever you’re watching from.”
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