One of the best chinese drama!
I can’t get over with this drama. I really love Hidden Love. The characters, the soundtrack, the acting, everything! I’ve watched it 6X already including behind the scene. Oh my! This is the drama that I will never forget and never get tired of it.I can’t get over with this drama. I really love Hidden Love. The characters, the soundtrack, the acting, everything! I’ve watched it 6X already including behind the scene. Oh my! This is the drama that I will never forget and never get tired of it.
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So cute I wanna cry!
This show is a MUST MUST WATCH!!!!Everything about this show was perfection and adorable. It gave me so many butterflies. I watched the whole show without skipping any scenes or cringing at any point(which is a rare standard to keep for a Chinese show).
I loved the whole cast. Not only are the leads brilliant but the supporting cast was amazing too. The FL and ML are such good actors whether it be funny, romantic or emotional scenes.
The love story between ML and FL is so organic and nuanced. The FLs family dynamic is so well done and her relationship with her brother is a show stealer.
The OST is so good and complements the story. I already have a couple of songs added to my playlist.
It was such a feel-good romcom and it is definitely going on my re-watch list. I can't recommend this show enough.
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The purest Love Story of them all
I have been watching kdrama, twdrama, kdrama & cdrama since 2008 & this is the sweetest, loveliest & squee worthiest drama, I've seen in a really long time. It made my heart feel so warm & fuzzy. The male lead is extremely charming & charismatic, the female lead is as cute as newborn puppy but turns into a wild cat when it comes to protecting her loved one.The acting was really great & there was nothing toxic, dramatic or overly exciting BUT I still enjoyed every minute of it, because the potrayal of this young love made me just giddy & happy.
Just do yourself a favor, watch it now.
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This is what you called a TOP TIER SERIES
This is the classic romance series yet the execution was just so fkcing good! Everything was perfect.Lusi and Zheyuan put their blood,sweat and tears for this drama likeee?? They're chemistry is servingg.
Now for the plot, i think people would easily misunderstood it if they don't watch the show especially with the ml meeting fl when she was a kid, however it was done perfectly and i feel like people who misunderstood it either watch the show with eyes close or just saw people hating on it and decided to join them. (Also there was even a scene in the show where they explained that if he ml likes the fl since she was a kid then he have a fcking problem).
The music was soooo fkng good likee, it was the first time i ever put a song from a series in my spotify list.
I'on even wanna talk about the acting cause one look at that series and you would knoww that they are doing it great. Also i love the micro details.
The rewatch value is definitely high for me because why not?? Everything is perfect, the way both the main lead and support lead act, the chemistry, the little details, the execution and pacing of the story, and last but not the least the music.
SO IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A SERIES WITH MINIMAL ANGST OR NOT EVEN EXISTING THEN THIS SERIES IS PERFECT FOR YOU. HOWEVER IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A ROMANCE WITH ANGST OR ACTION THEN THIS SERIES TARGET AUDIENCE ISNT YOU.
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This review may contain spoilers
Use of aesthetics to cover a lacking story
Honestly, I was not very keen to watch this drama but given the ratings & hype I decided to give it a try. Visually the drama is very pleasing. I liked the first half where it told a story of a young girl having one sided crush on an elder guy who happens to be her brother's best friend. It reminded me of my childhood when I had a similar type of crush. There were scenes which was so relatable such as when she found his name spelling like the excitement was so real! I suddenly recalled those moments when I was 19-20 y.o and my entire day used to be blooming just because I found my crush's info- his full name or fb profile. So yeah it felt so so like a normal crush story.The second half however was meh and i ff/skipped a lot. There were two reasons for that:
A. The storyline was bland. There was nothing going on plot wise. The leads just met in different clothes & different ambience with flashbacks which was shown like 15 mins ago. Their conversations were like that of a constipated person. The entire line of side characters were made just to make the relationship arc shine which felt redundant. They wasted resources on actors which had no purpose and could have been done by one actor alone. The scope was so limited.
B. The infantilizing of the FL was way worse compared to other dramas. ML attended her PTM, buy pads for her, changed her shoes, cooks and clean for her, picks her from office basically treat her like a 5 yr old. FL parents controlled her too much, yeah one can say this is common in Asian families but that makes you a kid and not a person suitable for romance drama. This portrayal of women is not new in dramaland and has been a constant hit amongst audience so I won't waste my energy on saying like please give us a semi-independent FL or least someone with half a dime of brain, so i'll let it go.
My recommendation- go for a mature plot , there are plenty ones out there. This is not worth it no matter how good looking the cast is and how aesthetically good the production.
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Absolute Perfection 10++ stars
I could have sworn I'd left a review already. Anyway, this is the sweetest, most romantic C drama I've ever watched and it's one that I'll rewatch often.XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
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If you like fluff and you can survive annoying baby voice - this drama is for you
POSITIVE:- If you want to watch warm and nice people loving and taking care of each other expecting nothing in return - this is right drama for you. Characters love each other, and I am not talking only about romantic love, I am talking about love itself: love between siblings, parents, friends, co-workers. So, love and care 11/10!
- No toxic triangles and relationships.
- No stupid misunderstandings and breakups.
- Child actress who plays young FL is wonderful actress, beside being so adorable.
NEGATIVE:
- The way first encounter between FL and ML was directed is ... yuck. When they meet for the first time she is 14 (actress is 10 or 11 at that point and it is so obvious that she is not 14) and ML is 19-20. It was made as you would make romantic encounter with two adults. It was cringeworthy, tbh. I don't understand why they didn't go with some cartoonish version, him as knight on white horse, or something like that. Something funny to tone the cringe down. Because, little girls do fall for older boys, but it is so different from adults.
- The way director decided to portray FL
So, young FL at the age of 14 is very smart, charming, playful and cute. Actress Zhao Lusi is smart, charming, playful, cute. Director could let her "just be herself", but, ah, no! They decided to make her "cute" by giving her the most annoying baby-voice ever and they dumbed down her behavior. We have 17 years old girl that sounds like 3yo, then 19, 22 years old young woman, university student, who sounds and acts as she is in kindergarten. And she stays like that till the very end. Even when she is doing or saying something smart, you don't believe her due to her baby voice and baby manners.
Acting(Cast): 5/10 (10 for acting and cast, ZERO for baby voice)
Dumb baby-voice + baby-pouting isn't "cute"! It's ANNOYING! And disturbing because you keep wondering: "Hey, is this FL mentally challenged, or what?"
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This review may contain spoilers
A well-done romance drama with age gap
Personally, I am not fond of these types of plot where there's a big age gap between the leads. However, I decided to give this one a shot because I've heard good things about this drama, and also the actors are some of my favorite chinese actors. And I'm glad I gave this one a go because the story was really written carefully and still preserves that sweet innocence of love.I love Zhao Lu Si and Chen Zhe Yuan's acting and chemistry. They are just so good and so natural in bringing their characters to life. No wonder their works in the industry are so popular because they are just that good at acting. I just have one tiny tiny issue with the casting though, and it's the child actress for the female lead. I think she's too young for a 14-year old. If they decided to cast someone as young as her, they should've also casted another actor to play the younger version of the male lead. Other than that, the rest of the casts are perfect.
The portrayal of the family of the female lead is so lovely. They are so good with gentle parenting. I think the parents should be set as a standard for any parents, especially in an asian household. The brother-sister dynamic is also hilarious. I love watching their scenes. They always give me a good laugh. Also, it's too bad we didn't get to see the brother having a love life haha that would have been the cherry on top.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with this drama and also sad when it ended. I've given this a 9.5/10 just for the tiny issue with the casting as I've previously mentioned. But this is definitely a must-watch drama this year 2023!
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Hidden Love
"Hidden Love" is an absolute gem of a Chinese drama that left me utterly enchanted. From the very start, I was drawn into the intricate world of emotions and connections that this drama masterfully weaved. What truly stole my heart were the leads, whose chemistry was nothing short of magical. Their performances brought the characters to life in a way that was both mesmerizing and deeply relatable.The entire cast deserves applause for their impeccable work. Every actor contributed their best, delivering performances that were both sincere and impactful. The seamless teamwork among the cast members created a harmonious on-screen atmosphere that enhanced the storytelling.
At the heart of it, all lies a concept and story that captivated me from beginning to end. The delicate manner in which the narrative unfolds allowed me to immerse myself fully in the characters' experiences. The drama's ability to blend emotion, suspense, and romance in such a balanced manner was truly commendable.
"Hidden Love" is not just a drama; it's an experience that resonates on multiple levels. With a heartwarming storyline and outstanding character portrayals, it's a shining example of how to create a captivating drama that stays with you long after the final scene.
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Nostalgic ; -)
The storyline is simple yet wistful. It brings back feelings from decades ago -- the ones you want to reminisce about and those memories you want to forget but can't ;) ML & FL have great chemistry, their acting was so natural that I almost felt like I am watching my own teenage years! Not only the memories but the feelings as well. great emotions in portraying their characters. Zhao Lusi and Chen Zhe Yuan are great actors, they made a masterpiece out of a simple plot! not to mention also other actors involved also, they were all great!This is my first time writing a review out of all the dramas I've watched -- Kdrama, Lakorn, Mexicanovela, and Cdramas.
Looking forward to a season 2 with the same actors in it. Thank you, Rosy and Chen, and all the Hidden Love cast for bringing back good old memories. Thank you mydramalist for allowing us to write reviews ;-) Highly recommended.
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What to expect from c dramas lol?
First of all I don’t watch Cdrama , cause it’s always silly kiddos , but about hidden love, everyone was taking about it , so I wanted to give it a try but what the heck?? I think the people who are planning to watch it based on it’s rating please don’t waste your time and ruin your mood , the people who are giving rating are 90% Chinese and all kids , it’s a drama for 13,14 years old kids literally, even when I was 14 I didn’t even watch this kinda silly things but its an another Chinese drama with 00 story , female leads acting is 00 ,the male leads acting was good but what’s the use?? The total drama is 00 🤦🏼♀️Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Take a shot everytime FL says she's a grown up
First, this drama suffered with too many episodes. If you're going to make a drama with no side stories, second and third leads to create conflict so the main couple can grow stronger, etc. Then you have to cut the episodes. It becomes extremely boring to watch half of a drama of nothing but mindless fluff. This would have been better with 14-16 episodes like most K-dramas. 25 was too much. You Are My Glory also suffered from this. Too much fluff and not real story telling.Anyway, this drama is about a 14 year old crushing on her older brother's roommate. Nothing original really. We've all been there. The thing I didn't like about this whole drama was that it was FL personality trait at some point.
If you also hate the naive childish female to mature woman trope, you'll really hate it here because she never got to the mature part. Everyone said as soon as she got to university, she would mature, but it never happened. ZLS really put the baby uwu talking on thick in this drama. If you are around real life teenagers, you know they do not act like this.
Then there is the repeated phrase "I'm not a kid anymore." or "I'm an adult now." I don't know if she was trying to convince ML or herself. But for a supposed adult, she didn't understand simple stuff like him having a real grown up job and that having to come first instead of a date.
At one point, something breaks in the game. Not just any game. It's the most popular game in China in this drama. Anyway, something goes wrong and he has to stay at the office and work on it because you know, that's his job. Instead of understanding this like an adult, she pouts and gets all sad and questions if he likes her. Not only that, her roommates also jump on that train instead of saying "You know, he's a grown man with a job and actual responsibilities. Calm down and have a snack."
I also didn't like miss "I'm an adult" playing games after he confessed. Young women of the world, do not try this in real life. It backfires every single time. You don't need to test men of their love like a soap opera.
The most realistic thing in the drama was the parent's concern and brother's reaction to finding out they were together. Even that was solved quickly.
All in all, it's just another teen love story with a male lead written by a woman for women. Turn off your mind to watch this if you're older than 20.
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