Completed
theo11
3 people found this review helpful
Nov 13, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

NICE STORYLINE AND CAST??

I started getting into Chinese movies after watching the untamed ...... and I'll tell u I have a high taste for movies especially if the ml is hot?..

This drama met all my expectations from the romance to the siblings relationship .
the ml is charming and flirty and outgoing .
the fl has a charm of her own and I'll admit she is the definition of a daring and brave fl..
when she splashed water on the girl who bullies her crush .. I was like dammmmmmmm .. ????

am so happy I watched this drama ????
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Completed
marz28
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A very great, sweet and satisfying drama

Wow.... finally I watched this drama

To be honest, I have no expectation of this drama despite the great rating shown in MDL

However I must say this is a very great drama
The story is totally sweet, the FL & ML chemistry totally awesome and without any over react evil / bitchy character

I love the sweetness of the FL & ML and love the FL family chemistry
This is the best drama other than

The music & ost is also great

This is so far my No. 2 favorite drama all the time (Number 1 is still "The Centimeter of Love" for me personally)

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Completed
Duckk
3 people found this review helpful
Oct 28, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0

I think I'm in love

Guys this actually became one of my favorite ever dramas so freaking quickly. I think I was pretty much hooked from the beginning. I’m slightly biased in favor of Zhao Lusi since I’ve already seen her in another drama and liked her from there, but I thought she was the absolute cutest and most perfect FL for this drama. You simply can’t change my mind. I’m still so high from finishing this drama literally a few minutes ago so I don’t think I can offer any constructive or cohesive thoughts about this show besides just wow. Simply the sweetest, least problematic drama ever. No idiotic misunderstandings, so stupid fights, no pointless breakups. Just vibes and cuteness and a simple story about a girl who was in love with her brother’s friend. Definitely not a rom com despite what the genre says, more of a melo/drama than anything else. Probably one of the best executions of a youth drama though, hands on. Usually the time skips where they get older feel weird, and quite frankly this one felt a little awkward too, but it didn’t last long and was pretty easy to transition to. And this is coming from someone who’s pretty freaking sensitive to time skips in dramas (big reason I usually avoid the youth genre), don’t really know why. My only complaint is that the drama did run out of steam a little toward the end. There weren’t many conflicts left and it very obviously slowed down in terms of plot development, interestingly this happened quite a bit after they got together and not right away, so kudos to them for that. Nothing too terrible, still worth watching, just probably soured my vibe a tad bit when I had to force myself to watch the last couple episodes when it was far from being an issue in the beginning (guys, I was eating up those episodes like tic tacs). Still 100% worth the watch, hence the rating. Just something to be aware of hehe. Anywho, watch this drama! If you’re a fan of cute contemporary romance that isn’t very heavy on plot and is just pure ***vibes*** then this one is def the one.

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Completed
cacauduartex
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 31, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Amar é cuidar e cultivar

Eu consigo entender por que o primeiro diretor quis desistir dessa história. Uma história de amor em que o homem (nem tão) mais velho se apaixona pela irmã do melhor amigo, a qual ele conheceu quando ela ainda era muito nova, realmente é um enredo difícil de não cair no desagrado do público. Porém, estou feliz que não desistiram desse projeto, pois o resultado foi simplesmente lindo!

Sobre a protagonista feminina: apesar de gostar de alguém mais velho, em nenhum momento o seu tempo é desrespeitado. Ela não buscar fingir ser mais madura do que o que de fato é, ela não pula etapas pelo relacionamento que quer ter. E, embora a família a trate com o cuidado dado a crianças, ao reservar ela se mostra muito madura emocionalmente - sem deixar de ser meiga, delicada, atenciosa e muito fofa.

Sobre o protagonista masculino: que show de atuação! Senti muita sinceridade nas cenas dele, em especial quando o assunto era a sua família. Gostei que ele foi construído como alguém que aprendeu a ser uma boa pessoa, apesar de tudo. Gostei, também, de como ele se mostrou decidido uma vez que entendeu que seus sentimentos pela prota mudaram de cuidado para amor, que é um detalhe que faz toda a diferença nessa história.

Os protagonistas mostraram que o amor é cuidar do outro, mas é também cultivar no outro felicidade, conforto, confiança.

É um dorama simples, no fim das contas, mas que mostrou personagens como pessoas reais. Nem perfeitos, nem caricatos. Os pais tem suas questões quanto aos filhos, os irmãos brigam, quem se ama tenta dar o seu melhor pelo outro, e é isso.

Muito grata a atriz principal que deu o melhor de si para fazer esse projeto acontecer, valeu a pena cada segundo gasto.

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Completed
Mademoiselle Noir Flower Award1
3 people found this review helpful
Feb 8, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Falling crazily in love with Hidden Love

Where do I even begin? I mean, MDLers far and wide got to witness my complete meltdown from heart palpitations while watching this drama. I could not keep it together to save my life! Don't look at me! Pay no attention to the Noir under the blanket, giggling and screeching at 11:30 p.m.!

The way their relationship and feelings slowly shifted and developed over time was so lovely, sweet, and respectful. My heart felt full. I truly watched them grow as people and as a couple, supporting and protecting each other. I can see them teasing each other and leaning close, wrapping their arms around each other, looking for comfort after a long day many years later.

I would be remiss not to mention how much I appreciated and liked how the drama started with Sang Zhi having a harmless crush as a child with no sign of Duan Jia Xu noticing, let alone influencing her to like him romantically. Can we say easily non-problematic? Yes! We like that.

Not to mention, their relationship dynamic was simply overflowing with caring and joy from caring for the other person. Let me also just say that Duan Jia Xi was so attentive and proactive in how he pursued Sang Zhi once he finally did. He put himself forward, yes, but respected any boundaries she set. Likewise, Sang Zhi wanted him to open up to her but never truly pushed for him to explain everything he went through to her. This is what we call mutual respect and understanding.

Also, just a side note: THE CONSENT?! I perish! Not only did Duan Jia Xi ask for consent just to hold her hand—excuse me while I shove my pillow in my face and scream—Sang Zhi also asked for consent and regularly checked in and expressed her desires and comfortableness despite her nerves.

In conclusion, I fell absolutely madly in love with this couple's love. If you are wary of C-Dramas like I have been in the past, are a slow-burn romance lover, and/or simply want to watch something light and fairly low-angst, give this a chance.

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Completed
HopeDiamond
3 people found this review helpful
Jan 9, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Every now and then,, you just need a great chick flick!

This review has germinated for several months. Why? For me, the real test of a film that just makes your heart happy is tied to sustaining that viewing after viewing. "Hidden Love" as a script far exceeded the original story by adding character depth, a first love romance that most women remember, with ML/FL actors that fill the screen with emotion and...let's be honest, amazing visuals....but it was more than that. The entire cast ensemble created a story synergy filling in all the spaces in a series of interwoven plotlines with a director's sequence expertise that is missing in most dramas.

The relationships of siblings, parents, friends, and those college roommates we all had that have remained in our lives since our first dormitory room long ago. Scriptwriters who bring humor, sadness, conflict, and growing pains into each episode are rare in modern dramas but fortunately for the producers of Hidden Love, they took you on a concurrent journey through the storyline and our memories of similar moments in our coming of age from high school through our college years.

I could spend time exploring the chemistry among Zhoa Lusi, Victor Ma, and Chen Zheyuan, but each episode pretty much speaks for itself as we travel through the years watching the dynamics of these three grow individually as people and together in romance, friendship, and as siblings. An older brother protecting you growing up creates a very special bond that transcends time. The heartbreak of thinking our first love "couldn't wait for us to grow up" before finding someone was a sequence of emotional events that was handled so realistically you could feel her despair right along with her. The only aspect of this drama I would have to say I found disappointing was when it ended without a clear possibility for a follow-up season.

The story of this drama would be incomplete without congratulating the marking team who created a BTS series of videos that kept viewers engaged between episodes and added depth to the drama in getting to know the detailed work that went into the final product. Watching actors having fun while focused on their craft and supporting one another is rare. Those captured moments made each actor shine as people versus only seeing them in the roles they are portraying. I have watched this drama several times and purchased it for special friends who I know will be drawn into many of the college antics pulling from the collective memory of my college roommates and classmates. Happy Viewing--Hope

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Completed
LouannChenna
3 people found this review helpful
Dec 1, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

This drama is cute and wholesome.

Most of the dramas I watched have a tendency to have some toxic/red flag behaviors from some of its characters and I find that annoying. So watching Hidden Love where there are no red flags/ toxic characters is just a breath of fresh air for me.This drama really moved me, made me laugh and cry and gave me a lot of fun while I was watching. The acting was on point. The actors are great. What I like about this drama is that it doesn't have so much conflict that's why you will just enjoy watching it, giggling overtime, laughing, and feeling all the cuteness in every scene. In short for me this drama is an escape from my reality. It reminds me of what young first love feels like. The male lead was not only goodlooking but he also played his character well. Whenever he looked at the FL, it gave me butterflies. And the Female lead played her character so well, too. It was such a refreshing series.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. From all the ones I'm watching it was the only one that made me laugh and love little moments that I would rewind just to get a little bit more. I'm very glad I watched this drama and you should give it a chance too.

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Completed
Ria Ma
3 people found this review helpful
Sep 2, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A cute romance that doesn't feel ankward!

I went into this show already feeling skeptical, because our leads first meet when Sang Zhi was still a child and Duan Jiaxu already a university student. The writer did however an excellent job.

Sang Zhi fell for Jiaxu from their first meeting. Jiaxu only saw Sang Zhi as a younger sister he should protect.

They lost touch and met again when Sang Zhi was in university herself.

That's when they get close again and Duan Jiaxu slowly starts to see Sang Zhi from a different point of view. Sang Zhi is now a grown-up and shows her MATURITY numerous times by being there for Jiaxu and protecting him at all costs.

Their relationship is like a blooming flower. They have a beautiful bond and you'll see many sweet scenes.

When Sang Zhi's family finds about their relationship - keep in mind the 5 year difference. Duan Jiaxu does all he can to receive Sang Zhi's family's approval and the way both Zhi and Jiaxu treat this issue show immense maturity.

The ending was beautiful to watch. The leads had amazing chemistry, the story was beautiful... everything was beautiful overall.
So yes, don't be shy and give this show a try. Who knows?

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Completed
bambbi
3 people found this review helpful
Oct 23, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

This feeling can't be concealed! So here I am

their acting is so good
in love with them
the story is so pure and made me emotional seeing the secret first love of sang zhi for duan jia xu
duan jiaxu is a gentleman
sang zhi is adorable ( luisi did a great job portraying her character)
sang yan is a silly dog hehe ( I love him so much)
this drama is the ultimate comfort and my most fav
the drama of the year award goes to hidden love
I'm glad I came across the manhua in 2022 and gave it a try..waited it for months to get chapter updates
and waited another months for this drama to be released
the summer vibes are immaculate
the way duan jai xu has raised my standards,it's pretty hard finding someone like that
I watched this while airing and everyday used to wait for 6pm for them to update the episode and used to get all excited , this is my precious drama memory

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Completed
BookReader
3 people found this review helpful
Jan 15, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

It's was so heartwarming !!!

She fell first ,he fell harder ...
I'm usually not a fan of having a crush on brother's best friend ,but jiaxu was such a green flag throughout. He was so kind and considerate of her at every point and they were both so good to each other. The chemistry is fire... And the story and all the relationship progress was so tastefully done . All the supporting characters were great , sang zhi's parents and here relationship with her brother were so wholesome and sometimes all you want is to watch something very sweet that makes you believe in love again ❤️.

Absolutely worth watching!!!
I might re-watch the episodes from after they got together :)

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Completed
Savnrose7
9 people found this review helpful
Aug 25, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 5.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 1.0

The FL is boring

I dropped this drama after finishing the 18th episode. I had surprisingly no problems with the plot and thought they executed the age gap at the beginning pretty well. It didn't feel weird when the FL and the ML got together because you could tell she matured. The thing that drew me away from this drama though was the FL. She's portrayed as super innocent and her personality is just meh. I found myself really bored with her character. She always had this look on her face when he did anything that made it seem like she didn't even like him. The plot was more cozy than exciting so it was pretty much the character's job to carry the show but the FL just missed the mark for me. If the FL had more personality I could've seen myself really enjoying this drama.

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Completed
Sarah
5 people found this review helpful
Aug 8, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
The story follows the main leads over a five year period. They first meet when Sang Zhi is 14 and Duan Jiaxu is 19, but it's a brief encounter. The story picks up again when Sang Zhi is 17, and the show chronicles how their relationship shifts from little sister/big brother to mutual feelings and finally, a couple.

What I liked about the story was that you really see each character go through different phases of their life, and the trials and joys of each period, be it losing friendships, finding a new job, graduating - from high school or university. Like changing seasons, we see our main characters getting their hearts broken, overcoming grief, and finding comfort and happiness.

Both the narrative and the cinematography (close-ups, focus on actors' minor expressions) reveal a story that is deeply personal. We mostly get Sang Zhi's perspective, and we spend a lot of time with her - she narrates her thoughts, we see her journals and sketches. It's cute, if you like that kind of storytelling, but there were moments when I wish they had used the screen time more wisely.

I will not say that this story is not meaningful or does not have depth, because it does. I will say that the world we see is very contained, and sometimes seeing the same faces gets old. This is exasperated by the fact that it's a low-conflict drama, which can be good or bad, depending on your preference. I thought the romance was sweet to the point of boredom. At times, I wished there was more conflict just so the pairing would feel like a more rewarding watch. However, if you want a sweet, comforting drama, this is a good pick.

The highlight of this show has to be the family bonds. I loved watching Sang Zhi interact with her brother. Their relationship was very relatable, from the bickering and petty fights, to the protectiveness. I loved how they could have little spats, but were a united front when it came to their parents. I also found the culture relatable - my parents would also ask me to focus on my education before my love life.

The romance itself was wholesome, if a little dry. Chen Zhe Yuan plays a charming Duan Jiaxu. Sang Zhi is meant to be cute and shy, and while that worked well when she played a teenager, it got a little drab as the story progressed. It was nice to watch them as a couple, but there isn't a lot to keep you excited once they get together. Or, at least, that's how it felt in my book.

It was an enjoyable watch but I'm clearly not the target audience of this show. At any rate, if it sounds like your cup of tea, you should give it a go. It's not my favorite, but it wasn't a bad watch by any means. I smiled a lot :)

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Hidden Love (2023) poster

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  • Score: 9.0 (scored by 49,009 users)
  • Ranked: #55
  • Popularity: #93
  • Watchers: 86,798

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