My First Love Is Secret Love (2021)

Major Spoiler Alert!!

This is not the typical high school drama. The story line is definitely tricky because it has to do with an "overweight" girl and what you consider to be attractive ("fat" vs. "skinny"). It's no doubt a sensitive topic for many viewers. But I'm not sure what the skinnier version of the FL really had to do with the drama. She appears here and there as an inner voice for the FL and we see her at the end, but to be honest, I didn't really know why she was there. The "overweight" FL was cute, put together, had friends, and she came across as being a "normal" student that faced being bullied for her weight in a brave manner. She liked the ML and wasn't afraid to talk to him or hang out with him (although I really couldn't find the chemistry between them). BUT 10 years later, the skinnier version of her wasn't any braver, seemed nothing like what she was like in high school, and looked SO sad. What happened to the adult FL in the 10 years since high school to make her lose that much weight. I never got the sense that she was obsessed with her weight to begin with. There was such a disconnect between the younger FL and older FL.

The drama spent so much time in high school (barely any time as an adult) that I didn't understand their adult versions. I just knew the FL went on a ton of blind dates (no idea why since she was so pretty). There seemed to be no personal growth for either the FL and ML beyond high school and no happy ending for ANY of them (the leads or any of the side characters). It's like the writer's decided that once high school ended, all connections would end too.

The last scene in the car, literally looked like something that would happen in the middle of a 24 episode drama, instead of the end of a 12 episode series. I was left wondering if there was a season 2 and if not, how depressing. I don't know... I'm at a loss.

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I hate writer

28/01 I finish watching this drama. First of all, I think this drama will be another best drama I've ever watched. the story is packed well at the beginning of the episode to the middle of the episode and is interesting before the ending. but the author spoils it all with a trashy ending. Secondly, I felt that it was a waste to watch this drama and smile in every episode because of their teenage love story. third, I think maybe it is true that the love of school student will not be long until marriage but the love between Qiao Ye and Qian Shuang must really be together. they don't have time to say love and the writer makes the audience hopeful. I hope there will be a second season for their love or at least 1 episode to clear up their misunderstanding. they are both single and don't make up stories like this please. And fourth, I really fell in love with actor Li Ming Jun, I always smiled when he smiled. I hope he gets another school drama project. I was really heartbroken when I saw the last episode. I beg the writers, there's no reason they can't be together, please finish this, give perfect ending and I'm sure this drama will get a good rating.
29/01 And last, this morning I'm still thinking about my regret watching this .. seriously I keep thinking they should be together, both single and the ending of this story destroys the whole drama. both of them still like each other and end up misunderstanding again. Good writer, I hope you add 1 more episode where they meet in Japan or in Shanghai. I hope.

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A realistic view on first love

I am a sucker for happy endings and it's something I couldn't get from this drama.
Harsh but real, not all first loves get a happy ending.

STORY
Slow-paced and not as sweet as you could get from other dramas. I feel the pain of the supporting lead in the last episode. I just wished they showed the couple falling out or whatever happened to them. A simple mention in a conversation would have even sufficed. I was rooting for both of them, but, whoah, plot twist!

ACTING
Subtle.

MUSIC
I am tone-deaf. I have no comment on this.

REWATCH VALUE
I think not. I don't want to feel the hurt again. I could feel their pain. I could relate to their pain. I emphasize, which is why I am not watching this again.

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bittersweet young love

I had 0 expectations for this one, and was pleasently surprised. Maybe the story is nothing new, but it's still a good, quick watch. 12 episodes without much filler.

Most of the story is set in 2008, with flashbacks to current time. I liked how well-placed the 2020s scenes were, and also we could get a tease of what happened to the characters after they graduated. Still, not that much was told, so whatever was happening in last 2 episodes still had me surprised. The pace of 2008 story isn't perfect, I felt like the misunderstandings were happening too often and honestly I felt flustrated at times. Still, every episode had enough developements to keep me glued to the screen in anticipation. The final story developements weren't easy to guess either.
As much as I don't care for "ugly duckling" stories, this one had female lead question her makeover in a refreshing way, at least to me.

The acting is good, the real star is the music to me. I enjoyed hearing again all the songs that were hits back in 2008. The art direction is also pretty nice, they nailed the aesthetic of that time.

I'm pretty sure a lot of people might end up complaining about the last two episodes, but as much as I was lowkey mad myself, after thinking.... it made sense. People miss chances all the time, albeit we watch dramas to escape that sad reality. The last scene was a nice wrap though.

Watch this drama if you don't mind slice of life approach and you like high school growing pains stories enough not to get flustrated at teenagers' choices.

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