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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watched it for the leads
literally forced to put 1 for rewatch value although this drama deserves a 0.this story plot is the worst. certain scenes were extremely uncomfortable and cringe to watch.
one reason was that FL keeps calling ML 老哥哥, while ML keeps calling FL 小朋友. even though 6 / 5 years age gap is not that big, but the way the drama keeps using these two terms made it felt like a 12 years age gap and it felt really uncomfortable to watch.
however that being said, i especially enjoy the ost!!
literally only watched this drama for the two leads , zhao lu si and chen zhe yuan!! it is a pity that such great cast was for such a horrible drama. i almost could not finish it and had to take a break from it.
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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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In this realistic slow burn romance, Sang Zhi carries the show with her playfulness paired with a fiery stubbornness. She is willing to defer and let Duan Ji Xu lead but only to a point - determined and opinionated she doesn't hesitate to push if necessary. The suspense and tension comes from a few different places - their age difference, Duan Ji Xu's complex family and financial situation. In terms of ethics, their relationship matures with Sang Zhi's age with plenty of time skips. The plot hints at the forbidden without crossing the line.
The plot is simple and it's really the acting and chemistry that sets this apart. You, the audience, can feel and know the longing and hesitation from both sides. As they get older, the awareness that they are physically attracted to each other builds due to excellent acting.
The music is fine, production values bit low. I ended up dropping this before the end as once the central tensions were resolved, I started losing interest.
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Must watch and rewatch
First of all the story, for me it's the story that wanted me to give it a try , I think this story is kinda new for me after watching mang drama which were very similar(and i really love the concept of liking ur brothers friend actually it was little hurting to see her not able to say her love out because she was afraid of losing him and also the airport scene which made my eyes swollen because of crying and the scenes after he realised that she actually loved him for so many years was very good and the scenes on her birthday was also very good and I am waiting for the scenes on his birthday when sang zhi says yes )Next is the cast i really loved all the cast and I love the fl and ml so much and i hve also watched their drama before and i personally think they have given their best in this drama in portraying the characters so well which made me fall in love with this drama.
This drama actually makes my heart flutter especially the ep 15 and I am also waiting for ep 16 and 17 , the trailer of these two episodes made my heart melt which makes me impatient and i hope it does the same for everyone who loves this drama
And this drama is actually very good which I will watch again . Overall this drama is good if u love watching youth , romance kinda genres and it's a worth giving it a try even if u don't usually watch this kinda drama , it's does cringe u out and it's romantic scenes actually make ur cheeks red better have an ice pack with you when u watch this drama
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I will not say it's overrated, because it's always nice to see a mellow, sweet drama with minimal conflict to be rated high. After all, the ratings are always subjective, that is the point, and I am sure that each one of us can name plenty of dramas that we consider either overrated or underrated; it all boils down to personal preference. And feel-good shows need their spot in the sun too!
"Hidden Love" is a heartwarming series and I understand how people relate to this and find solace in this simple yet touching story. Not to mention the leads are great here!
Personally, I didn't mind the slower pace or the lack of confict. I only felt that it became a bit repetitive towards the end and that the main couple at some point stopped really talking to each other. I mean, they did interact, but it felt superficial to me. It almost reminded me of "Intense Love" in that respect: pretty people being cute but somehow never talking about their likes and dislikes, hobbies, work, friends or even their future in detail....I just like my OTPs talking about stuff and going through things together, you know? :D
I am not sure if I will rewatch this in the future, but if I'll ever want a sugar sweet balm to calm my poor nerves, I know where to look :).
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A sappily charmed romance that is simply irresistible
One of the things I like about C-dramas is that their stories are relatively simple yet the relatable characters draw you in. Hidden Love is no exception.Hidden Love revolves around Sang Zhi who has a crush on her brother's friend Duan Jia Xu. From the get-go, you know that the major conflict from this story is their age gap but this suprisingly this C-drama has more to offer.
The story follows Sang Zhi (played by Zhao Lu Si) throughout her high school and college days. We watched how her feelings evolve through time. What was once a harmless crush turned into an undeniable affection and beautiful love. I was impressed by how Lu Si was able to pull of the 13-year-old school girl look similar to how Kim Tae Ri effortlessly portrayed her role in Twenty Five Twenty One.
Sang Zhi's object of affection is Duan Ji Xau (played by Chen Zhe Yuan). I initially thought his character would be just one-dimensional, a male lead who only exists to be handsome and serve as the eye candy of the show. As the story progresses, Ji Xau's back story is revealed which ultimately affected the relationship dynamics between him and Sang Zhi.
In another note, this Cdrama reminds me so much of Twenty Five Twenty One sans the sports and slice of life theme. Hidden Love heavily focuses on romance while 25 21 revolves on ML and FL chasing their dreams. They may have different narratives but I must commend how they both handled well the age gap between the leads including the right time and the transition for the romance to bloom.
It is no easy feat to weave compassionate male characters in shows like these. It comes as no surprise when I learned that the director and writer of Hidden Love are women. Because of the female gaze, viewers like me were able to empathize and follow along Sang Zhi's journey as she learns more about her emotions and intimacy with Duan Ji Xau. It helped a lot that both our main leads did not rush their relationship and instead made efforts to get to know each other's feelings and intentions. It was a good slow-burn romance, one that keeps you at the edge of your seat while you can't stop giggling and swooning over the characters.
Although the show started at a slow pace, it successfully drew viewers into Sang Zhi's experience of first love and heartbreak. The show also portrayed the green flags of a relationship as both Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu constantly communicates their worries and dreams for each other.
Overall, Hidden Love contains familiar tropes but perfectly delivers a sincere and pure love supplemented by charming performances. This show is far from perfect but the absence of annoying villains and over-the-top conflicts makes this rom-com a comfort watch.
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Saccharine sweet new adult romance
Hidden Love is saccharine sweet I almost got toothache. Very light cdrama focusing on first love. Chen Zheyuan reminds me of Chanyeol of EXO, kpop group☺️What I liked:
1) I really liked Sang Yan and his interactions with his younger sister, Sang Zhi. Victor Ma rocks the role.
2) The actress who played middle school Sang Zhi was really good despite not resembling Zhao Lusi.
3) Sang Zhi's characterisation once she was an intern. She didn't waver easily when her love rival threatened her and harassed Jia Xu.
4) Their kisses and intimate scenes were hot.
What I disliked:
1) 1st half of the series was slow.
2) Don't like how Sang Zhi was infantilised at start. I find her cunning because she knew how to manipulate her parents and brother to do things for her. I also don't like that she hero worshipped Jia Xu.
3) I am on indifferent about Jia Xu. Yeah he has conflict like any other main characters but I don't find him interesting enough to root for him.
Favourite scene
Everytime Sang Yan bickered with Sang Zhi
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My all time favourite ❤️❤️❤️
This would be my top Chinese drama followed by love O2O. The storyline is so soothing and I feel calm and content watching it. The chemistry between the main leads are overflowing……???. The acting is superb. The clothing is top notch….❤️??. I really like how they did Chen Zheyuan’s ( Duan Jia Xu ) hair on this drama. I have seen him in other dramas and never thought that he’s much attractive. But with this hairstyle as well as the clothes he wore here I couldn’t take my eyes off him….!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I’m so obsessed with this drama and I have already rewatched this multiple times. It’s a feel good drama for sure.Was this review helpful to you?
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Let's Just Say I Had a Change of Heart
As you can tell by the title, this was a drama that I initially dropped early on in my CDrama experience. This was one of the first few dramas I attempted to watch after falling in love with Falling Into You (2022). Obviously, there are some similarities with the age gap/age difference but that's about where the similarities start and stop. Anyway, I dropped this drama a LONG time ago and completely forgot about it. Fast forward to a few weeks ago where I watched the ML in another drama that I absolutely fell in love with, so I decided to come back to this drama and realized that it was the same actor. Everyone say, "Thank You, The Princess & The Werewolf!" If it weren't for that drama, I never would have circled back to watch this one. Chen Zhe Yuan is outstanding! I enjoyed him in that show and that's why I decided to go back and give this drama another chance.I'm typically not the type of person to watch highly rated and widely popular dramas because the expectations NEVER live up to the hype. I never fall in love with the same dramas that most of the people on this site falls in love with, so the hype surrounding this drama was NOT enough to make me give it another try. The dramas always fall on this side of overrated and over-hyped, unfortunately. At least, that's been MY experience. Now, let's hop into this review, shall we?
I'm quite outspoken regarding my dislike and hesitance regarding age gaps. Age gaps always tend to be a miss for me. It never ticks off all of the necessary checkboxes for me to thoroughly enjoy them. In this case, I'm not going to pretend like the age gap doesn't bother me because it absolutely does. It doesn't take away from my enjoyment of the show but it's certainly not something I can relate to or understand honestly. There's a 5-6 year age difference between the lead characters, right? I can't imagine being 25 and dating anyone under 21. I cannot fathom dating anyone that young because most people in that age range typically acts their age. Plus, Duan Jia Xu watched Sang Zhi grow up. This isn't a matter of grooming by any means, but the age gap could turn some people off and I'm not going to paint it in a positive light just because I enjoyed this show. If you had an issue with the age gap, then you have every right to feel that way because it does come off as kind of icky in the grand scheme of things. But I digress.
Also, the episodes where we watched Sang Zhi grow up dragged out for FAR too long! I think that's what initially made me drop this show the first time. It's one thing for there to be a trope I'm already uncertain about. It's another thing to force me to watch a show overly emphasize said trope by giving us 5 or 6 episodes of the FL being an underage minor and the ML being an adult. That part of the drama dragged out so long and it would easily take someone out of the story if they were already unsure about watching this show to begin with. We didn't need to see that much of her being a kid in relation to Duan Jia Xu. We didn't need to be constantly reminded of the age gap/age difference in that way, honestly. It went on too long!
So, moving on. I think there were some things about this show I would have changed to elevate this drama that much more. I feel like the stakes should have been higher in terms of the obstacles they faced as a couple. The stakes never felt high and there didn't appear to be any true threats to their relationship, which can make the drama feel a LOT longer than it actually is. It makes the drama feel more draggy instead of eventful. Duan Jia Xu's issues weren't threatening enough to make me believe it was enough to be an issue for them. My one pet peeve is that I feel like Sang Zhi should have had more of a presence and backbone. Sometimes, it felt like she was TOO passive for someone who'd happily accepted her love for an older guy. Someone who had wholeheartedly convinced herself of her love in that way should have been a LOT more defensive and protective of said love. While she did stand up when necessary, I feel like she didn't fight enough, if that makes sense. Knowing that you were going to have to deal with a ton of naysayers rightfully being hesitant, uncertain, and wary of your relationship should have made her more assertive when it came to fighting for her relationship with Duan Jia Xu. I think in these moments her age was fairly obvious. Her personality and her choices regarding certain things would remind me that she's still fairly young because an older woman wouldn't have been as passive as she was. Due to that, I extended some level of grace to her.
Also, I feel like Duan Jia Xu should have had a little more of an edge to him. Don't get me wrong, I'm a STRONG proponent of nice male leads. I love them dearly! However, I feel like he should have had more of an edge to him. I feel like he was TOO perfect. I kid you not - this man was flawless in every way. He had no real flaws and it can easily take you out of the story in some aspects. Also, I did see some people say they wished he was more uncertain about jumping into a relationship with Sang Zhi. While I understand the sentiment and reasoning, I feel as if that would have only worked if Sang Zhi were more determined about snagging him in the first place. I know some people hate that trope but I actually love the "female chases male lead first" trope because it's subversive and it's different. You don't see that much in CDramas, so I would have gladly been all over that. But again, that's the only way it would have worked. Otherwise, this drama would fall apart with a ML who's uncertain about acting on his feelings for the FL and a FL who is easily swayed by the opinions of her family and others; it would not have made for an interesting drama.
Anyway, I think I yapped enough for one night. Was this a great show? It was okay. Would I recommend it? Initially, I would have said yes. But after some time has passed, no. Also, I realized that I didn't actually like this show. Would I rewatch it? Probably not. Don't get me wrong. I did enjoy it somewhat but I don't think I can rewatch it. I skipped through the first few episodes of this show for a reason and I doubt I would want to go through that again.
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Pretty decent show and probably my fav this year But not the best.
Imo This drama played in two parts: the first 7 episodes and the remaining 18 starting from episode 8.The first part for me were just sooo boring I almost dropped it ngl. Plus I just kept wondering WHY?? Like WTF? Why would they choose a young actress that looked like she was 8 to play the part of someone who's 14. Whatever kind of messed up choice is that? So not to mention how uninteresting the first few episodes were, I was also pretty uncomfortable watching young Sang Zhi looking like she's 6 interact and be smitten with an already adult Duan.
Then came the second part at episode 8 and it couldn't come fast enough. From there the pace picked up pretty nicely. Even if it was slow burn it became enjoyable and entertaining. Because the chemistry between the leads were so great. And to my surprise considering a few other reviews I read, I thought SZ were really mature throughout the whole show even in the beginning. And I loved how naturally the relationship of SZ and DJX evolved. I mean it wasn't just an out of the blue moment that lead to the two of them getting together. It was very well built up and brought up. I loved SY as a character too and the whole cast just did amazing.
Overall I enjoyed watching this drama. But I have to say it's unlikely I'll watch it again and if I ever do I'll definitely start from episode 8. If not for the first part I would've gladly given this show a 9 or a 10 but I guess a decent 8 will just have to do.
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Best Drama In 2023
This is the best drama series in 2023, in my opinion. The casting was superb - Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan are both excellent actors and lived up to expectations in the series. They personified their roles so that you really cannot imagine anyone else playing the characters of Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu. Their chemistry is electric. They are physically so comfortable with each other that you will probably think they are a real-life couple. Many of their fans in fact, have been clamouring for them to work together again. This is the first time Chen Zheyuan has taken on this type of role - his character is generally more mature, calm and steady than what I have seen in his previous work. It's a good transition for him as he takes on lead roles in 3 upcoming dramas, all of which are quite serious. Special mention also to Victor Ma - very natural, totally believable as Sang Zhi's older brother. My only wish is that they had kept to the novel where the lead characters' age gap is concerned. There's a 7-year age gap in the novel, but in the series, the gap is reduced to 5 years. The OST has a good mix of cutesy-sounding tunes with a couple of touching ballads as well. Definitely songs to add to your Spotify playlist. If you want to have a warm, fuzzy feeling from watching a good movie or drama, watch this. It'll have you crying and laughing along. Most of the time though, you'll probably have a goofy smile on your face - the series is just that sweet! Happy watching!Was this review helpful to you?
