The First Frost

Exquisite masterpiece after a long time:)

This is my first review and here it goes!❄️🍃
The First Frost has a special place in my heart! That happy feeling that you've just finished one of the best shows you've ever watched and also that empty feeling that you've just finished one of the best shows you've ever watched. That's what it feels like when you complete this drama. This is a story of a girl who carries lots of trauma and emotional distress with all her relationships, wants to take a chance and find her happiness, starts with Sang Yan.

I actually haven't watched a cdrama for quite a long time, so when TFF started airing, I learned that it was Sang Yan's story. I remember that after HL ended, the announcement for TFF was confirmed later. So, I knew it was supposed to air, but didn't follow much. One day, when I discovered that TFF started airing, I didn't expect much and started watching it late, believe me, I couldn't stop watching. The story felt so real because it wasn't what I expected, and I was hooked. And it wasn't too much fluff. It is just perfect. The perfect story with the perfect romance. I've never really felt the way I feel now about a drama. I did enjoy WIFTY and HL but this one just hits different. I didn't expect the characters to be this real, the experiences they went through, the way they love each other, everything felt so real. The ML and FL complement each other really well. The only drawback was that the SML story with grandparents felt a bit lengthy, and could've been shorter. But I was blinded by ML and FL, so I just didn't mind it. Later, I realised that the grandfather was kinda similar to WYF on how they reciprocated their feelings.

If you're someone who wants to watch slow burn with tender and soft romance, you should definitely start this! It has some intense emotions too, it was rollercoaster. I'm all here for the second chance, the first love, and these two huge green flags. And their chemistry was top notch. Every single detail, be it fluff, trauma, emotion, heartwarming moments, romantic ones, they nailed it! Their acting was great and so were the dialogues and the OSTs were chef's kiss. The way they look at each other, their chemistry, even the dialogues, everything is so heartwarming and thoughtful! Never did it feel cringey for a second. I also loved how the opening OST was SY's POV and the ending OST was WYF's OST. I feel the HK arc was necessary to add to the emotional depth of the leads and how much trauma affects an individual, and to show that trauma doesn't disappear overnight like magic. WYF is the strongest FL I ever witnessed in a drama, and SY is the biggest green flag I ever saw. And the emotional depth depicted in the drama and it's importance was insane. This was probably the drama with the most satisfactory ending. This drama brought me back to cdrama again. This is the best drama of 2025. And probably the best of all time to me. The First Frost will always be special to me. Thank you Bai Jing Ting, Zhang Ruo Nan for the perfect portrayal of Sang Yan and Yifan. Thank you to the cast and crew for making this unforgettable masterpiece. I enjoyed every second of this drama, and it was worth the wait;)

I can't believe it's done, I already miss them! It's hard to let go and say goodbye - and I'm sure I'll re-watch the drama again and again. Let me conclude by saying: EVERYONE NEEDS A SANG YAN IN THEIR LIFE!

P.S: I rewatched twice already, and their dating era once, and still rewatch many episodes and can't watch any new drama. I listen to the OSTs everyday, such an unforgettable drama. SY raised the bar so high and their love feels eternal. They deserve each other and love each other unconditionally. TFF will always be my comfort and healing drama. The direction, production and cinematography was top-notch. Once again, thank you to the cast and crew for creating this masterpiece.

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THE DRAMA I WATCH WITH 1X SPEED

I really pat myself on the shoulder for watching The First Frost in real time. It's challenging but this is an experience to see everyone being so passionate abt it ! And this is the best drama I've watched in a looong while. Bless. the first frost is literally everything I've been looking for in a drama and it's the best feeling when you've been waiting for something for so long and it absolutely exceeds your expectations like it's literally so so good!!! im obsessed!!No one could have played wen yifan and sang yan better than zhang ruonan and bai jingting, their acting was so good, felt natural and they had great chemistry together. I am so glad that they got casted as the leads of the first frost🥹❤️

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First Frost

“First Frost” tries to be a poetic, slow-burn romance, but unfortunately it ends up feeling more like a slow freeze. The drama is visually beautiful, but almost everything beneath the surface struggles.
1. Pacing That Moves at Glacial Speed
The biggest problem is the pacing. Scenes drag on long after their emotional point has been made, and side plots stretch thin just to fill episodes. Rather than atmospheric, the slow pacing often becomes boring and repetitive.
2. Chemistry That Never Quite Melts the Ice
Despite the story hinging on the romantic tension between the leads, the chemistry often feels forced and inconsistent. Their emotional beats don’t land, and intense moments don’t build on each other. The romance lacks sparks—ironically for a show named First Frost, everything feels lukewarm.
3. Plotlines That Start Strong… Then Vanish
The show introduces intriguing mysteries and conflicts early on, but many either get resolved too conveniently or fade away entirely. Secondary characters disappear for episodes at a time, only to reappear with abrupt shifts in motivation.
4. Overly Dramatic Dialogues
The script leans heavily into flowery monologues that sound deep but don’t actually say much. Instead of delivering emotional weight, the dialogue often comes across as self-indulgent and melodramatic.
5. Gorgeous Production, Wasted Potential
The cinematography, costumes, and setting are undeniably stunning, which makes it all the more frustrating that the narrative can’t keep up. The drama feels like it relies on visuals to compensate for weaker writing.
⭐ Overall Verdict
“First Frost” is visually captivating but narratively hollow. If you enjoy atmospheric dramas and don’t mind extremely slow pacing, it may still appeal to you. But if you’re looking for strong storytelling or compelling emotional arcs, this drama may leave you out in the cold.

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First Frost – Overhyped, Awkward and Disappointing

For me, this drama was boring and awkward from start to finish.
The female lead is written as extremely weak, while the male lead is portrayed as the obsessive “hero” who constantly saves her, a dynamic that feels outdated and forced. Almost every other male character is framed as a bad guy who sees her as an object, simply to make the male lead look better. But he’s also stalking her which the plot conveniently romanticizes to win over the female audiences.
Bai Jingting’s portrayal of Sang Yan didn’t work for me. I actually preferred Victor Ma’s performance in Hidden Love , it felt unique and fresh.
Bai Jingting’s acting here is too safe, mainstream and sometimes awkward, especially in scenes with the female lead.
Their chemistry feels wooden and visually, I don’t find him fitting the “so handsome” image Sang Yan is supposed to have. In some angles, his features, especially his large nose made me question if this was really the heartthrob the story claimed.
The female lead, however is undeniably pretty.
Their relationship is equally unconvincing. The plot conveniently forces them to live together despite the FL repeatedly experiencing sexual assault.
In reality, someone with that trauma wouldn’t easily trust any man, yet here she just goes along with it.
It’s another example of the drama prioritizing a cliché romance over realistic character behavior.
Overall, First Frost feels like an overhyped, typical romance drama with little depth, a frustrating portrayal of its leads and nothing truly fresh to offer.

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Loved the novel...but definitely not this drama. Huge Letdown :(

I came in with lots of high expectations because I love Sang Yan & I read the novels of both Hidden Love and First Frost...so imagine my surprise that I would dislike this drama this much. I may prefer Hidden Love's drama & novel more because of the sweetness, but I also loved the First Frost novel for its own charms-- none of which met my expectations, to be honest. I went in not comparing Hidden Love with First Frost because I really wanted to love this drama for what it was, Sang Yan & Wen Yifan's story (which I also adore). I know that First Frost is from Wen YiFan & Sang Yan's point of view, so he isn't going to be as silly as he was in his big brother role, but in First Frost, he is still supposed to have a realistic goofy side to him besides his fake nonchalant/charmingly narcissistic persona. I have lots of respect for Bai Jingting's other works, but I didn't feel like he suited Sang Yan, nor could he connect with this character enough for it to feel genuine. As for Zhang Ruonan, I don't usually enjoy her dramas, but I love her in real life. However, I do think that this was the first drama of hers that I liked the best out of the rest.

First Frost is supposed to be more serious because the themes involving the FL are traumatic to her directly, so obviously, she would be more guarded against opening up...but dang, they really made her look flighty with that Hong Kong plot. She never did this in the novel but instead followed Sang Yan to Yihe when he discovered Sang Zhi dating Duan Jiaxu. It was more romantic because it wasn't just Sang Yan doing all the chasing, but her finally taking steps to join him in the fight for their love. The drama's version of their reunion in Hong Kong was also...stale. They really dulled down the love in the drama adaptation to make it seem like Sang Yan loves her so one-sidedly that his whole life decisions creepily revolve around Wen Yifan because of how he constantly follows her without her knowing over the years, & they never really portrayed why he fell for Wen Yifan well either. It makes his feelings look shallow, like puppy love for her appearance at first sight, which became obsessive. Wen Yifan didn't really do much to show how much she loves Sang Yan in return besides standing up for him a few times & since she was in a vulnerable state in their youth, she never showed much interest in Sang Yan (understandably), so I can't understand how Sang Yan fell that deeply with how they made it seem in the drama. Many of the men in the drama were either creeps or obsessed with Wen Yifan, and as hard as it was, she really should have opened up about her problems to her friends/Sang Yan to avoid so many unnecessary misunderstandings. One of the best things about Hidden Love was how open the main couple communicated despite having misunderstandings as well, but their misunderstandings were never big because the second one of them had doubts, they talked it out clearly.

I also couldn't feel any chemistry between the main couple in this drama. The acting felt very robotic, like they were simply going through the motions rather than the micro-movements that make all the difference. It felt like Sang Yan did all the heavy lifting in the relationship, but even with him, I couldn't see much emotion beyond just through his actions (like I felt there was a disconnect with how much he did for her vs how much emotion he showed in his eyes/face, but that may just be the acting). Sang Yan is more emotional than the drama gives him credit for & so is Wen Yifan. Her love is supposed to be more cautious but warm, not silent/non-existent. I initially tried to watch this drama but didn't like what I saw from skimming it while it was airing, so I dropped it...I felt like I should at least get through it once fully, just so I could give a proper review. Thus, I finally watched it fully this time. And my oh gosh, it was torture. They added things that made the story boring, like the 2nd couple's story & the grandpa...like what was the point. This drama needed to cut out lots of scenes or replace them to show more relationship buildup, but even then, no more than 25 episodes. Some stories need a longer run, but this drama didn't, so it didn't feel like a slow-burn-- it was a letdown.

It honestly felt like every slow-burn ever, but without any refreshing elements to help it be even remotely engaging. I typically love slow-burn dramas, but this drama made it look painfully one-sided till the very end so the slow pace & long episodes didn't feel worth it. In conclusion, I will say that this may be for people who like dramatic darker stories with a ML who is obsessively in love with the FL (ML falls first and harder), but for those who like more of a balanced relationship, Hidden Love may be more your cup of tea (FL falls first, but ML falls harder) even if the first 8 episodes are a bit boring since it's about FL's innocent teen crush on ML before they meet as adults which is when he finally falls for her. Just because I didn't like the drama version of First Frost doesn't mean it's still not good for other people since we all have different opinions/preferences. :)

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Zhang Ruonan & Bai Jingting Shine in The First Frost

I finished the first frost a month ago but i’m still emotionally wrecked in the best way possible. This drama hit all the right notes — from its quiet emotional depth to the beautifully layered love story between Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan.

Wen Yi Fan is such a complex, quietly strong character, and Zhang Ruonan absolutely nailed the performance. You could feel her pain, her hesitation, and her growth so clearly — especially in those subtle moments when she’s just trying to hold herself together. She made Wen Yifan feel raw and real.

And Bai Jingting as Sang Yan? Easily one of the most emotionally grounded male leads i've seen in a while. He brought this calm, steady presence to the character that made all of Sang Yan’s little acts of love feel incredibly impactful. He’s not your typical male lead — there’s no over-the-top drama or flashy gestures. His love is quiet, patient, and unwavering. Bai Jingting portrayed Sang Yan with such sincerity and warmth.

Their chemistry is the kind that simmers — not loud or overly dramatic, but full of longing, warmth, and emotional depth. You really believe in their bond and root for their healing, both individually and together.

Also, the drama’s cinematography and music add such a nostalgic, dreamlike vibe that it honestly just pulls you right in. If you're into slow-burn romance with a lot of heart, emotional storytelling, and characters that actually grow, this one’s for you.

The First Frost is 100% worth watching. Beautiful story, beautiful acting — especially by these two. Definitely a standout in the modern romance genre.

I love this drama so much and Sang Yifan will forever be in my heart.

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Is this really a spin off of Hidden Love??

While watching The First Frost...i really wondered,would this drama be this much popular if it wasn’t connected to Hidden Love?

Cause if you enjoyed Hidden Love,this drama compels you to compare both of them and guess what,Hidden love wins and its not even close! When I watched Hidden Love, everything got me hooked to the screen,the story,acting,chemistry,direction,cinematography... everything. I could see Sang Zhi's yearning for Duan Jiaxu,her slowly turning from a rebellious teen to a mature adult who can definitely be a support to Jiaxu....Jiaxu's perspective changing when he realized its not the same girl he once saw,she has grown as a woman,as a person,She's strong and can take care of him and thats where the story shone. You can see them growing as person,being in love from both sides,building a very healthy relationship.Everything was evident,the innocence, the yearning, the support,the care,the love,the understanding... everything. This is where TFF falls flat,this drama couldn’t show the depth of the bonding between Sang Yan and Wen Yifan.

The plot in TFF is quite darker than HL... and thats what bothered me in the first place,why making this dark story into a sunshine rainbow with so many filters when it itself had the capacity to stand strong as it originally is?It could become much more touching,heart wrenching love story if everything didnt look so perfect, so polished, so much filtered.Wouldn’t it be so much better if they made it into a more dramatic way instead of following the same filtered dreamy tone??

If i come to character writing, both male and female lead lacks substance. Male lead had no other personality, character arc except being in love and it became boring after some episodes. He's arrogant, cocky but in a middle school teenager way.His whole life revolves around Yifan,he does everything only for Yifan.He spent his whole high school and uni life travelling to Yifans city,he took a job for Yifan, opened restaurant for Yifan, cooks for Yifan, leaves his family meetings for Yifan,plays games for Yifan,is left heartbtoken by Yifan, waits for Yifan,looks for Yifan.... in his life,there's nothing but Yifan which is really unrealistic and very much one dimensional character writing.It wasnt clear why he became so obsessed with Yifan in the first place when female lead was practically showing no emotions towards him in their early age..It really felt like a one sided love story cause it was all him,always him,yearning,loving,caring,living with broken heart still never forgetting and always forgiving.

Female lead is a victim of sexual assault and many other abuse in her extremely traumatic life.... But somehow this drama made her without personality too with little to no expression. She leaves whenever she wants without explaining anything.... she cant express herself,she can't talk,she lacks emotion... At some point you will feel bad for Sang Yan for being so much invested in her... like,why??? Sang Yans emotions towards her could be felt to some extent,he possibly did everything to be with her,but I couldn’t feel the same emotional attachment from Yifan.Even the dialogues doesn’t deliver anything, you can't feel the depth of Sang Yan's desperation or Yifan's communication... There is not even a proper I love you from Yifan's side when Sang Yan was ready to burn the whole world only to save her. She was cold to Sang Yan's action, lost in her thoughts...and mostly unsure. Everything that happened between them will leave you in confusion about the base and depth of their relationship.

I couldn’t care less about the grandpa plot or second lead couple or that annoying ass intern... They're just not entertaining. Had to skip Everytime they showed up on the screen.They also wasted so many times of the show which could be used to make a better plotline for main leads.

Another thing that was really annoying was the amount of repetitive flashbacks they used....it became boring and hard to focus at some point.And the slow pacing wasn’t helping either.Many things happened for no reason,could've avoided easily and added nothing to the story. The whole thing would be much much better if ended within 25 episodes.

Also,was the Hong Kong arc really necessary?? Haven’t yifan and sang yan suffered enough already that they had to give them more sufferings? There could be thousand more possible better ways to show the character development of the female lead than her just leaving everything and running away. This part really bothered me. Sang Yan is right there,she could just always talk,at least try to talk.Its understandable her trauma took a huge toll on her and the way she expresses herself...but this plotline really made me question the whole buildup of their relationship... wasn’t there any other way?? What was the need??Sang Yan had every reason to be angry with her....I really wish there was at least one scene of him being angry with her. When she did it first time,understandable, she was helpless, probably couldn’t think of anything else. But doing the same thing again without any explanation.... So unnecessary... The story writing had no logic here.

I really wish this drama was made by the same team of Hidden Love. The story had potential, it really did. But poor direction,screenplay,lack of depth of the characters,dialogue writing ... everything made a hot mess.Its not a bad drama,not at all. I could see the actors trying to make the best out of whatever they're given which is really appreciable. Many people enjoyed it, i also tried. But just couldnt.

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"I Will Always Catch You."

Very proud of BJT for this role; he took his usual almost comedic persona and created a character who was deep, emotional, sensitive, and an iron wall of protection for his high school sweetheart dealing with trauma and tragedy of her past. Even though this series is in the Hidden Love universe (character names, more or less timeline, family, locations), it's a totally different world from the bubbly and happy romance we saw there. This story is so much deeper and more emotional than that one. One thing is for sure, both Sang siblings brought their traumatized yet loved significant others home to a warm and loving environment.

Pros: I watched this show for BJT, I didn't know it was going to be dealing with trauma, abandonment, PTSD and sleepwalking, and a love so strong from one person, even in his darkest moments, he still made sure she was safe and ok. Sang Yan is the iron wall behind the girl he fell for at first sight. He doesn't know what she has to go through or ultimately went through until their reunion 6 years later. All he wants to do is love and protect. He doesn't know what so silently as we see in the ever well crafted flashbacks in the beginning of the series (that are essentially puzzle pieces that slowly come together as the series comes to a close) and the "the story is not over yet..." at the end (where we see something that happened during the episode that explains a missing piece of the episode). We see what they went through, what their lives became and how through becoming roommates he got a glimpse into her inner world of pain and self torment.

WYF seems like she has it all together on the outside; good job, cares about strangers, wants to improve herself, has a friend. But on the inside she's a scared, traumatized young woman with scars that run very deep. She was abandoned by her mother soon after the death of her father and tossed from one house to the next until she landed at her uncle's where a relative nearly SA'd her; she had to jump from the second floor balcony to get away from this monster at the expense of her foot and being unable to dance again which was her passion. We see her break her promise to SY to attend the same university and break up with him in a cruel manner because of the shame, blame, and fear she had. She then ran away from everything and everyone. And still ran into a different freak at her internship after college where she had to quit her job though she got justice. It was like she never had any security anywhere she went and only during her college days when she functioned like an automaton. SY though still followed her and was always watching her silently, protecting.

When the monster gets out of prison and comes after her again, we learn that she was not his first nor his last sadly, just one of two that got away with their lives to boot. Meanwhile, in the apartment the two (SY and WYF) share as roommates, SY starts to see the sleepwalking and other signs that show things are far worse than he thought originally of just an unhappy home life in the past and her not wanting to be with him. Though there is humor (more on his part as she is very shy) and great chemistry, we know that at some point she has to tell him everything so there are no more misunderstandings. As he says to her, "I will always catch you." His love is unconditional no matter what; from the moment she walked back into his line of sight in the first episode, he would always be there, hovering like an earthbound angel protecting soundlessly.

What she had to learn and understand was that she could lean on those she loved and tell them the truth. She didn't have to face everything alone. It was SY that ultimately captured the bastard that traumatized her who was on the run for an unsolved murder years prior and assault on his brother in law's wife. It was SY who safe proofed the house so she wouldn't hurt herself when she sleepwalked. He walked beside her always calmly talking to her even during the times she just walked around and cried. It was SY who had his heart ripped to shreds when she ran away a second time; this time he didn't know where she was though he chased down more leads than the cops ever did. He even went to where she actually was off a tip from her childhood friend who thought he saw her and other leads and even though they happened to be in the same locations, they conveniently missed each other. But he was the one who never gave up and she had to let him in.

The second couple is ok, both deserving of love especially the guy who went through a lot of tragedy, trauma, and self blame himself. I think as best friends of the leads, they deserved a bit of their own storyline told.

I'm glad she cut ties with her "mom" and the bastard and his sister went to prison (with him sentenced to death). Going to the Sang house for a holiday made her see and appreciate what a real warm family with caring parents looked like. Their chemistry was great and they had great kisses and decent skinship; it was just enough for this story. I was glad she found out about all of his travels to Yihe, kept all of her article clippings, and the fact that he went to her graduation. For 6 years he never left her; he was always just behind or on the sidelines. The proposal was unique and heartwarming and SY getting emotional was beautiful; definitely a tear jerker. We even see that it was he who initiated their first contact, so love at first sight it was for sure. Even the ring was symbolic because it had a ribbon on it and SY explained they were each other's most precious gifts.

OSTs, modern sets, camera angles were all good.

Cons: I don't agree with her leaving a second time. I don't read the source material but it didn't jive with her character development at all. A few days before she had confronted her "family" bastard included and told them that if they came near her or her loved ones again she would go to the police and yet still she ran? It just didn't match up. Furthermore, her reasoning was that if she left, SY wouldn't get hurt? Yeah ok, because it wasn't the bastard that was harassing a woman at SY's restaurant and then got into a fight with SY where he told him kind of what happened 6 years before. That it didn't shatter SY's heart to know how badly she was harmed, that he didn't know, couldn't help and now not knowing where she was. To a man like him, it was the ultimate heartbreak. Plus, as a journalist, she should know that predators will go after their prey's loved ones if they can't find their prey. They want to harm the ones that person loves the most. They're all hard wired like that. So her choice didn't hold water for me and shouldn't have deviated. Production could have chosen for her to tell him some other way finally and not have him and friends run around the entire country looking for her. Though he did learn a lot of what she went through in the years away from him, I just think a more balanced version of who her character had become would have been best in that situation. Then she got mad at him at the hospital after he went against the bastard and caught him; he felt like a man, the man she deserved as before he felt useless. But she's mad? Because she would have done what? Run away for a third time? Come on now. Her anger was misplaced; yes most likely more fear for his safety and worry but still, she had to see it from his side of things.

It always felt like though she said she loved him and trusted him, there was a hesitation and the running away the 2nd time was a huge example of that. Communication with her character was lacking; she would declare things and then take two steps back. No wonder SY felt less than even after all this time. Also wish WYF when kissed or just in a general conversation with SY didn't have her eyes roll around on her face like she didn't know where she was or what was happening, again didn't quite fit her characterization.

Several characters were completely unnecessary like that Mu guy, his whole point of being there was what? And the grandparents love line was unnecessary too. They could have just been there to bring the 2nd leads together and let SML get past his own trauma. Their entire point was lost on me. Also the once in a blue moon HL storyline that didn't quite match up in timeline sequence could have been overlooked.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. I gave .5 higher than HL because this one was darker and deeper and the ending was much more satisfactory (not knocking HL, as that one was also good but just a much lighter version) and totally came full circle in more ways than one. BJT is definitely the perfect SY for me. Give it a chance.

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"The First Frost" – A Beautiful, Poetic Journey Through Time and Emotion

The First Frost is a Chinese drama that captivates not only with its stunning visual aesthetic but also with its emotionally resonant story. This series beautifully balances delicate moments of love, personal growth, and the passage of time, all while weaving a narrative that is rich in symbolism and cultural depth. From its mesmerizing cinematography to its poignant themes, The First Frost is a must-watch for anyone seeking a heartfelt, visually enchanting drama.

"A Visual Masterpiece"

From the very first frame, The First Frost envelops its audience in a world of beauty, where nature plays as important a role as the characters themselves. The titular "frost" is not just a seasonal change; it becomes a metaphor that the series uses to explore themes of time, memory, and transformation. The crisp, frosty landscapes serve as a canvas for the emotional and physical journeys of the protagonists. Snow-capped mountains, delicate frost patterns on windows, and the soft hues of early winter mornings are expertly captured, giving the drama a dreamlike quality.

The careful attention to detail in the cinematography is one of the defining aspects of the show. Every scene feels like a painting, every gesture of the characters as subtle and fleeting as the frost on a morning leaf. The visual metaphors of the changing seasons tie perfectly into the narrative, reflecting the inner transformations of the characters. The coldness of the frost in the beginning gives way to warmer moments, mirroring the thawing of hearts as love and understanding bloom. It’s a beautiful visual metaphor for life’s inevitable cycles.

"A Story of Love, Loss, and Personal Growth"

At its heart, The First Frost is a love story, but it is so much more than that. It’s about the quiet, intimate moments that define relationships and the difficult, often painful, growth that comes with them. The series explores the notion of change—not just physical change, but emotional and spiritual transformation. The characters are multifaceted, each with their own personal struggles, dreams, and fears. Their paths are not easy, but each challenge they face becomes an opportunity for growth.

The central romance is tender and slow-burning, built on moments of shared vulnerability and understanding. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, but what makes their connection even more compelling is how their relationship develops. There is no instant love here; instead, we see two people evolve, both independently and together. This is a slow-burn romance in the truest sense, but it’s all the more rewarding for the patience it requires from the viewer.

Beyond romance, the series also dives deeply into themes of loss and longing. Characters grapple with the ghosts of their pasts—decisions they regret, people they've lost, and paths they wish they'd taken. The emotional depth of the characters is one of the drama’s greatest strengths. Each character feels real, flawed, and painfully human. This realism creates a connection with the audience, making every triumph feel hard-won and every sorrow feel deeply personal.

"Rich in Symbolism and Cultural Resonance"

The beauty of The First Frost is not only in its visual presentation and emotional storytelling but also in its rich symbolism and cultural depth. Frost, in Chinese culture, often represents the end of a season and the beginning of introspection, a time for reflection and renewal. In the drama, this symbolism is used to perfection, with the "first frost" acting as a turning point for the characters, a moment when everything seems frozen, but within that stillness, new growth is quietly beginning.

The series also beautifully incorporates elements of traditional Chinese culture, from its music to its philosophy. The quiet wisdom of the characters—often expressed through subtle dialogue or introspective moments—gives the show a depth that goes beyond surface-level drama. The interplay between personal desires and the broader cultural and familial expectations adds complexity to the characters’ journeys. This rich cultural backdrop creates a sense of timelessness, as if the struggles and joys of the characters have been mirrored in generations past.

"A Soundtrack That Speaks to the Soul"

Complementing the stunning visuals and emotional depth of The First Frost is its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. The music perfectly encapsulates the mood of the drama, with soft, melancholic tunes that underscore the emotional weight of the story. The music is never overpowering; instead, it lingers in the background, amplifying the more poignant moments and adding layers to the scenes. The way the music intertwines with the frost-heavy imagery is poetic in itself, enhancing the feeling of winter's quiet embrace and the gradual thawing of hearts.

"A Story that Transcends Time"

What truly sets The First Frost apart is its ability to convey universal emotions—love, loss, and self-discovery—through the lens of a uniquely Chinese cultural perspective. While it is deeply rooted in its cultural and seasonal metaphors, the themes of the drama are universal. It speaks to anyone who has ever had to face the coldness of the world or their own heart, yet found solace and warmth in the quiet moments that follow.

The way time is explored in the drama is also remarkable. The title, The First Frost, hints at the fleeting nature of time, capturing the sense that no moment lasts forever. Just like the frost that graces the earth but soon fades away with the rise of the sun, the drama reminds us that every season, whether of the year or of our lives, eventually gives way to something new. The subtle passage of time within the story gives a nostalgic feel, but also a hopeful one—after the frost, there is always the promise of renewal.

CONCLUSION

The First Frost is a captivating blend of visual beauty, emotional depth, and cultural richness. It’s a series that will leave a lasting impact on anyone who watches it, offering a reminder of the fragility of time, the power of transformation, and the quiet strength found in love and personal growth. Its slow-burn romance, heart-wrenching moments, and stunning visuals make it a memorable viewing experience that resonates long after the final episode.

If you’re looking for a drama that is as poetic as it is profound, The First Frost will not disappoint. It’s a reminder that, even in the coldest of times, there is warmth to be found—sometimes in the most unexpected places.

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After every dark night, you will have a brighter day.

"The First Frost" is not your typical romance drama with lots of fluff and a little bit of angst. It is more about fighting your inner demons, loving someone unconditionally and the process of healing is not a straight line. It is my favorite work of the author, so I went in with huge anticipation though I had this fear that they might ruin the novel for me. They didn't. In fact they enhanced the novel at so many levels. There are flaws, but those flaws are not equal to the emotional ride this drama took me on. It is a drama which has right amount of fluff, angst and pain. I felt every emotion I can name with this drama. The cinematography is chef's kiss.

Story: It is the first love which turns into true love kind of story. ML and FL are high school sweethearts but due to the problems in FL's life, they separated. The FL has many problems, traumas and issues. These issues are not irrational. She went through so much that she should be applauded for how kind she is towards the world when the world was never kind towards her. She loves the ML but her problems are much bigger at that time. The ML has a perfect life. He has everything one could wish for. He has IQ, EQ, wealth, family and looks. His devotion towards the FL, even after the heart break he suffered was truly commendable. It is very rare to see MLs who are emotionally intelligent and he is one of the very few. He still cared for her after everything. The relationship is not one sided at all. FL hold ML at a high level because of how he affected her life, she calls him Sun and want to do everything to protect him from the shadows of her dark past. FL heals with time, becoming a better version of herself. The director showed how healing is not a straight line. You will have many setbacks on this journey but with the unconditional love, right support and help, you will eventually heal.

The love story is not really typical cdrama kind. It runs deep, feels raw and authentic. It has genuine and unconditional love and it is excuted too well.

Acting/Cast: ZRN and BJT embodied the characters really well. ZRN's acting is really commendable. She went from an emotionally distant character to portraying an attempted Se**al Ass**lt victim. You can feel the helplessness and how she lost her soul in the process. Her eye acting is amazing. BJT embodied a devoted man who loves and supports the woman amazingly. The way he used to tear up seeing the FL in pain was emotional to watch. The side characters too did a convincing job. The chemistry between both of them is electrifying. An eye contact between them will make you blush. The kisses were amazing. No fish kisses. It was realistically handled as the kisses went from awkward first kiss to sizzling hot kisses. There are many kissing scenes. The actors are treat to the eyes as well. The visual chemistry is beautiful. They both look so gorgeous onscreen that you might need to repeat few scenes just because you were too focused on their visuals. They compliment each other too well.

Music: The beats are nice and the songs are very meaningful, depicting the journey of the couple beautifully.

Rewatch Value: It is amazing but it has scenes which are heavy and emotionally draining. The actors will seep you in.

Overall: I absolutely love this masterpiece. There is a few things they added which I didn't personally liked but it is not enough to affect my love for the drama. It is my favorite Zhu Yi's work and now, my most favorite c-drama. WYF is the character which will make you sob for her. Unfortunately, there are many WYFs in the world but not everyone has the courage to start fresh. Not everyone has their own SY. The love between the leads is just heartfelt and consuming. The last episode had me in tears. SY's love and understanding won me over. His emotional maturity is just amazing. Not many MLs are like him and being emotionally mature towards someone who had went through the hardest things doesn't make you a doormat. He loves her and she loves him too. Love is not a transaction that he will see what he is getting in return. It is one of those dramas which will stay with you in the long run.

Some people call SY doormat or a flat character. He is not. He had been grown up in a healthy environment, never struggling for anything and he was not ambitious. He is naturally gifted. He is intelligent and excels at whatever he does. The only setback he ever faced was loosing his first love. At the age of 16, he saw WYF for the first time, had a crush on her which gradually changed into love as they became deskmates. He did everything he could to make her his and suffered a setback but soon, he pulled himself out. He graduated, opened a gastropub, did excellent job and is an amazing person with a pure heart holding no malice towards anyone. Just because he loved FL with everything, doesn't make him a doormat. He knew she went through a lot, so rather than being impatient, he did what an understanding person will do. Loving someone with mental traumas is not easy. You have to be careful in every step you take. His love for her was the purest form of love I have seen in a drama. We need more people like him with emotional intelligence.

Some people call him stalker too. SY is not even aware about what goes on in WYF's life. He only knows her college. He waits at her college gate to just catch a glimpse of her, sees that she is PHYSICALLY fine and leaves. It happens once in a while. He does this not because he is obsessive or something, but he had promised her to always be there for her. Once, he went to her work place because she expressed negativity towards life. Do you guys even have any idea how frightening it is to know that the woman he loves so much has such negative perception towards life. If he really stalked her as some people claim, WYF wouldn't have to suffer so much. She would have known she is getting stalked. You will ultimately realize if someone follows you all the time but she never saw him, means he didn't followed her or did something inappropriate. He wasn't even aware that WYF returned back to Nanwu. He always knew that her family is not there for her, so he took it upon himself to at least check if she is doing fine.

I would have never defended him if he really followed her like a creep. He never did it. He was always respectful towards her. They lived in a house for 1 whole year as roommates but not once did he enter her room or her personal space. He let go of the bigger room so that she will be comfortable as it has an attached bathroom.

WYF is a person who is always on high alert mode. If he really stalked her for 6 years, do you think she wouldn't have known. He looked out for her in those 6 years, knowing no one was by her side. He knew nothing about her life. I don't know how people go on calling him stalker.

WYF is one of the strongest female characters I came across. Going through so much, she still had a smile on her face. She don't go around screaming, but she does take stand for herself when needed. You might feel she is docile, but she is not. She is ignorant of the things not concerning her. Her love for SY is selfless, always looking out for his well being. ZRN really did a fabulous job of bringing a character as complex as WYF to life. What I really liked was how she healed herself. She might haven't made good decisions in the process, might have made mistakes too but healing yourself is always a journey. She healed herself because it was her duty to do it. She took her time, analyzed everything and with time, she was healed. The people around her might support her, but her healing shouldn't be them. It is not their duty to heal her because after sometime, they will feel burdened and she knew it. She worked on herself, became better and accepted the blessing god bestowed upon her as Sang Yan. SY supported her throughout this journey. Love doesn't always heal you, especially with the trauma she went through. It was time and her inner strength which healed her and made her better.

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A ROMANCE SAGA WHICH ONLY COMES ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

𝙉𝙤, 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨. 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝.

I have consumed plenty of media in my lifetime but rarely do I experience something like The First Frost which truly seeps into one's heart and leaves an imprint impossible to remove. I don't think this review would be sufficient to put into words how much this show has impacted me and the love I carry for it in my heart. Their passionate and unflinching love for each other was so intense and heartfelt it overwhelmed me with the adoration and heartbreak I felt for these characters and everything they have been through.

- the feeling of yearning to be with your loved one but unable to take the first step in order to provide them the space to come to you at their own pace.
- the longing gaze hoping for someone to close the distance, to give themselves to the only person in their heart.
- taking one step in the direction of the person with whom you long to be, only to realise the other person has already ran the other ninety-nine towards you.
- a love which never blames the other person, always ready to understand and provide emotional support and empathy, always there to catch them when they are vulnerable, never faltering and never letting them feel weak or alone.
- the tender and gentle love which feels like coming home and getting embraced after a long tiring day.

oh to experience a love like sangyifan's ♡

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