Hidden Love (2023)

I think every person, especially girls, can relate to Sang Zhi because, at some point, all of us fall for that one person who we can't confess our feelings to for different reasons. I like this drama a lot. I usually don't like Chinese dramas because most of them are too long or some have historical plots that I don't like. There are very few historical Chinese dramas that I watched, but I obviously loved them. But again, they were so long, so when I had enough of long dramas, I decided to stop watching them anymore.
I wanted to watch this for a long time but couldn't get free time, but really, the wait was worth it. I enjoyed it so much, and I cry a lot. One thing I didn't like about Sang Zhi's character was that she was too simple, like she always nodded her head whenever Jia Xu stopped her from doing anything. I mean, no offense. Obviously, he was just worried for her in the whole drama, but still, I think she needs to stop him some time (like when he stopped her from dating when she was already an adult and was already in university). It's understandable that he just wants to protect her, but still, because she was in her move-on phase, she needs to push him and stop him from interfering, especially when he meets her after 2 years. From a girl's point of view, it feels more controlling than worrying about her. I mean, it's understandable that you love him so much, but still, it doesn't mean you have to do everything he tells you to do. On one side, you're saying that you're already an adult, and on the other, you're letting him make decisions for you. seriously?
As for Jia Xu, I think he should have understood that Sang Zhi is his best friend's younger sister and not his, so he needs to stay in his lane and not interfere in her matters as long as she isn't asking for help or isn't in danger. These two really frustrate me on this. As for their friends, especially Sang Zhi's friends, they were so supportive that I really want friends like them. They were ideal friends.
Let's not forget about the ongoing sibling quarrel. They were so cute and adorable throughout the drama, and I wish I had a brother like him; they were just so adorable. It was a horror when he found out that his baby sister was dating his best friend. I was actually expecting the beating, but I didn't think that they'd sort it out in a night. It was funny when Sang Zhi fought for Jia Xu with her brother in the cafe and then changed sides when she found out that her boyfriend punched her brother. That scene was so cute that I really wanted to pinch Sang Zhi's cheeks there.
Over all, the drama was too good—more than I expected. I waited to watch this drama because I was busy, but I think the wait was worth it. I'm in love with them.

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Fluffy, comfy and stress-free drama

This is my first time to comment and give a review here in MDL and I'm happy it's about Hidden Love. Here's my two cents.

I haven’t really been INTO Chinese dramas until Hidden Love. I watched a few of them that are really eye catching but it’s very seldom. Hidden Love opened the doors for me to notice other notable C-dramas out there.

SPOILER ALERT!!!
What I love about it?
1. The storyline. Hidden Love mastered the art of portraying the spirits of youthful love, like those heart fluttering feelings when you have a secret crush on someone are SPOT ON. It transported me back to the early days of our relationship with my then boyfriend, now husband of which I can relate to the feelings Sang Zhi felt towards Duan Jiaxu because that’s EXACTLY how I felt towards my BF. Apart from that, I love that there are no evil 2nd leads in the story that would challenge the main leads’ relationship as well as there are no overbearing, overprotective parents/family members. I love how they wrapped up the drama with the best marriage proposal ever. Who wouldn’t melt with this line, “Six words. Only one person in a lifetime.” My tears just keep rolling here together with SZ and DJX.
2. The casts. From the main leads to the supporting casts, all of them did their parts exceptionally well. Kudos to the casting team on finding these actors who brought our beloved characters to life! Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan are the perfect Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, there could be no one other than them. They will forever be immortalized in my system.
3. The OSTs. I think one of the things that made this drama successful are the OSTs played in the series. Seldom do I find a drama where I enjoyed almost all songs included in the official soundtrack. With Hidden Love, all songs felt comfortable to listen to even if I don’t understand the lyrics, the melody are relaxing and sets you in a mood. Zhao Lusi contributed two songs in the OST which I soooo love dearly – “I Just Want To Hide You Secretly” with Silence Wang and “I Have Someone I Like”. Victor Ma who played as Sang Zhi’s brother (Sang Yan) also contributed to the OST with his song “Be Your Light”. I couldn't tell which is my favorite because all of them are just sooo good.
4. The BTS. Their behind-the-scenes interaction can easily become a drama of its own. You can see how happy the atmosphere on set was. If the chemistry of the main leads is already top-notch in the drama, then their BTS is way beyond that which made me pine for them to be a REAL-LIFE couple. They are just sooooo amazing and comfortable with each other.

Hidden Love will forever be my “go to” comfort drama, when I just want to have a relaxing, happy viewing to cap a long, stressful week. As of writing, I am re-watching this series for the third time. And it never disappoints every single time.

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One of the best C-drama I have ever watched

This is one of the best dramas I have ever laid my eyes on. Like literally. It is in my top four being LLTG, Mr Sunshine, 25-21 are the other 3.
The storytelling and acting is top-notch. This is one of the best portrayals of real-life sweet siblings. More than the main couple I loved siblings' relationship more. I don't know how many times I have re-watched Sang Yan and Sang Zhi fights. Each time I wanna rewatch the whole series again.
Another unique thing about the drama was the story, the main female lead was innocent, scheming, soft-hearted, loyal, dedicated, and clever at the same time, like how the writer managed to write such a character. It blew my mind. Usually, such crybaby characters annoy me but even the spoiled brattish phase of Shan Zhi I found it somehow adorable. I fell in love with Sang Zhi. Character developments were out of this world, I witnessed how mature Sanag Zhi became with each year passing, and I felt like a proud momma.
I loooove Zhao Lusi, Usually, she picks great scenarios. So far her other jobs such as LLTG(which is my favorite), Who Rule the world, Long Ballad have been great too. The Last Immortal didn't meet my anticipation but I could say she has great taste
And the Couple. I could confidently say they had one of the best chemistry(but usually Zhao Lusi always have great chem with her male leads). They had very healthy relationship, trusting non-toxic, each problem is resolved like magic, and each one wanted the best for each other, was steadfast, and self-sacrificing/devoted.

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a warm hug in a very cold day

A young love story put in a simple frame, but still shinning enough to win the one's heart!you may think that the only story is about Sang Zhi who falls in love with Jia Xu, her older brother's friend and he is 5 years older than her.
but after watching a few episodes,you get to know those characters more and find out how is Jia Xu suffers from the consequences of a painful past that his family had, he works hard since highschool, and even after graduation, he doesn't fall in love with anyone, he sometimes feel guilty. But still he is very gentle with everyone, and when Sang Zhi come back to enter his lonely world when she is finally 19 , she is still secretly in love with him, feel sad for him, and still hoping him to notice her as a girl friend not a little sister. But what i really love about these two that no matter what kind of relationship they have, they were there for each other, they protect each other.
And then they both take steps towards eachother to show us a wonderful love story full of trust and caring.
I enjoyed a lot of watching their love grows, and the romantic scene was so soft and heart warming.
The chemistry between Zhao Lu Si (Sang Zhi) and Chen Zhe Yuan (Duan Jia Xu) is unbelievable and gave me many butterflies ?
Another thing i appreciate most is the brother-sister relationship in this drama is so real, while i watched how Sang Zhi always acted with her brother Sang Yan (Victor Ma), i thought " this is how i behave with my older brother. very funny scenes between them. So i loveeeed her brother, he was such a caring friend too.
And i liked that this story was focused only on the leads only.
The music is so good too, i liked the intro, and my favourite ost is " be your light" which I'm listening to it in repeat now.
So if you are home after a long tiring day, or even feeling depressed and blue, you must watch this drama to cheer you up. It's like a warm hug in a cold day.

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fluffy, sweet, heartwarming, and so beautiful!!

Happy first anniversary to this super cute drama! I'm rewatching it now that it's airing on one of Indonesia's channels!

i'm convinced that having a crush on an older sibling's friend is a common experience, and i'm not alone in this. Zhizhi is a cheerful and optimistic girl who is in love with her older brother's friend. Sang Zhi's story is like.. exactly what i've always wanted. seeing her grow up in this show totally feels like i'm there with her. Jia Xu is the dream boyfriend material and Sang Yan is the best big bro ever! those three are seriously unforgettable and i really love them.

i love how the story isn't too slow or fast, it gives the characters room to develop perfectly. and i love all the OST, i've been replay so many times! All the adorable stuffs fit Sang Zhi's personality so well, her family is so warm and her brother's friend group so fun. there's some conflict, sure, but it all works out in the end in the sweetest way. it feels pretty realistic too, how the characters' feelings develop, and the acting is on point!

seriously obsessed with this drama! Sang Zhi's life seems perfect and i know i'll totally rewatch it again. it's my comfort drama!

i reallt appreciate the lighthearted plot, the well-developed characters, and the heartwarming story. i also love the OSTs and the acting of the cast. i would definitely recommend this drama to anyone looking for a sweet and heartwarming watch!

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The Secret Crush Of A Teenage Girl

I'm usually not a fan of C-dramas, especially if it's an adaptation of Manhua but this one is really good. Some scenes in the drama may be different from the novel+manhua but it still doesn't change the storyline or the mood. The main lead actors really suit the characters. Others say the male lead actor doesn't resemble the Duan Jiaxu but I think he does. And Zhao Lusi matches Sang Zhi a lot, mostly because of her cute nature. She can definitely show how Sang Zhi acted when she was worried by Jiaxu. I have seen many people not want to watch drama simply because of the age gap but honestly, it's only 5 years. The male lead does not fall for her until she's in university. People mistook him as flirting with her when she was younger but he was teasing her as a little sister. Jiaxu's story is told after she's in university and is also the reason why she felt more sympathy for him. Overall, you guys should definitely watch the drama and Manhua!

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Drivel

I was absolutely shocked by how much I disliked this drama after reading other reviews here and elsewhere!

I've enjoyed everything else I've seen of Zhao Lusi's work, and I do think both she and Chen Zheyuan portrayed their respective characters well, but I found the character of the FL wholly unpleasant - spoiled manipulative lazy brat anyone? - and the story itself decidedly uncomfortable.

I'm aware that the portrayed crushes of both the young and teenage FL were entirely innocent, but imo the ML could not have been unaware of the soulful stares and puppy dog eyes that were directed his way. Which makes the ML's behaviour look not so great. He should not have encouraged her in the ways that he did - in my own subjective opinion!

I tried hard to see it as a coming of age style story, but by the time FL starts university she's still painfully immature despite her frequent sulky assertions of being an adult!

When I realised that I was fast-forwarding through most of the episodes in a vain attempt to get to any point where the FL was bearable to watch I surrendered and finally dropped the show. I hope that FL did continue to grow emotionally and intellectually, but I couldn't stay the distance.

I'm glad that many people clearly love and enjoy this drama but sadly it's not for me.

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Hidden Love: A Bittersweet Delight - Love, Atmosphere, and Talent

Lets be real, the story is at most a 7/10, BUT everything else in this novel adaptation is top-notch. From the atmosphere, music, progression and setting, to the cast and production. Especially, the performances of both the female and male leads carry 70% to 80% of this drama's rating, elevating it to a 9 - 9.5 .

First Chen Zhe Yuan, his character is the perfect mix of the most bitter and darkest chocolate and the sweetness of cotton candy. An example of a humble, disciplined and determined human to almost transcendent extent .
And Zhe Yuan portrays those qualities on a remarkable level on screen. Personally this is my first time watching him, but after this I will make sure to watch some other dramas with him in the main role. (..also funny thing for me is, Zhe Yuan expressions resemble a lot Ahn Nae Sang acting (like a younger version) *haha*, and I remember Nae Sang for a lot of villain roles, so I had a more negative impression of the character Duan Jia Xu at the start "xD") .

Zhao Lu Si, daaaaaaaamn. In this role her character is a total airhead, gentle and insecure but also a little shrewd and astute (except when it comes to romance...).
Idk, how should I describe it? It felt like Lusi entered a different kind of level in this role, a higher plane in comparison to her other roles. To be fair it is a modern setting in comparison to most of her other roles, but still... the expressions felt carefree and captivating, and a lot of times like it was off-script.

To wrap thing up: A great cast, pleasing to the eye environment, a good story pace, gentle romance and no rage inducing plot-armor plot. In the end we are left with a few unresolved questions, but nothing that breaks my impression of the show, and if I truly wanted to know the answers I probably would read the novel.

This drama was undeniably worth my time, and if you're a fan of the cast, I wholeheartedly recommend giving "Hidden Love" a try.

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Plot of the drama

This drama is quite a refreshing one for those who love the fantasy of elder brother's best friend and sister falling in love. Upon entering university Sang Zhi ( female protagonist) falls in love and makes sure of her feelings through her daily interactions with Duan Jiaxu (male protagonist) as they go through life's problems and solve them in their own way. Although DJ always sees SZ as a younger sister but slowly falls for her charms as time passes and discovers his inner feelings.
I personally liked the story because I like male actor and have watched all his previous works. Along with it I like their cute interactions and you can really gush over them. Overall I liked it and the story is a good one-time watch.

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I loved a lot of things about this drama but let me get this out of the way, the age gap WAS weird. Personally, I think the show could’ve made things feel a lot less awkward by having them meet when she was 17 rather than when she was in middle school and then later reconnecting. Even though her character is supposed to be around 14, the actress they cast to play this younger version of her looked about 7 years old and seeing her act opposite to the male lead felt extremely uncomfortable to me, especially because they kept flashing back to that time. There were way too many episodes taking place when she was a kid, it felt like maybe three or four would have been plenty. The show also made such a big deal about the age gap that it was hard to forget about it. It could have been the translations or a cultural thing, but at certain points when they were talking about their ages, it didn’t seem to line up with a five year gap. Again, I think this might be a cultural difference, but it was also odd to hear him constantly introduce her as sister. It could have been the translation but when he said “I don’t want to just be your elder brother, I want to be your boyfriend” I almost laughed out loud at how bizarre that sounds, when this is supposed to be a very sweet scene.

All this being said, I actually really did like the romance for the most part. Sang zhi was such an interesting character and was written so differently than a lot of other drama leading ladies. Jiaxu was of course written as the perfect boyfriend and the actor did an amazing job showcasing his charm. While age gap is not my favorite, the show allowed Jiaxu multiple opportunities to see Sangzhi in a different, more mature light that made him realize she had grown up. What was such a great aspect of their relationship is that they were a true partnership. They both were extremely protective of each other, not just him being protective of her. Sangzhi was constantly standing up for her man and Jiaxu’s reaction to that was heartbreaking because it was clear that he’d never had anyone on his side like that before. Sangzhi had a lot of scenes that I think in other dramas it would have the male lead in her role, for example when she wraps the scarf around his neck or when she confronts his harasser. They really highlighted that even though Sangzhi was younger than him, she was willing to go to bat for him just as much as he was for her.

Jiaxu was truly adorable and it was so understandable how Sangzhi had a crush on him for so long - who wouldn’t! The college roommate crew was such a good addition and it would have been great to see more of them. One of the other places that the show really excelled was with the depiction of the sibling relationship. Brother sister relationships are not often done this well; the way the two of them bickered felt so natural and even when they were fighting or didn’t know how to express it, you could tell how much they cared about each other. My only complaint is that there wasn’t enough of the brother, especially in the later portion of the show. I would’ve liked him to have his own storyline and I thought there would have been more shown with the girlfriend.

Sangzhi’s roommates were cute but they didn’t feel like realized characters because none of them really had their own arcs. The one roommate having the crush went nowhere and it felt like a waste for the show to spend time on it. The latter half of the show started to feel like it was dragging and part of that could be because almost every scene was just these two main characters. It could have worked better if the show was either a few episodes shorter or if they spent more time on some of the other characters, especially the brother!

Even with some of the issues, I do still think the show is worth watching. There were a lot of very sweet moments that I can see myself going back to rewatch, not even just with the main couple but also with Sangzhi and her brother. The part of the show when Sangzhi is a child is pretty long, so just be aware of what you’re getting into, but once she gets to college it was a lot more enjoyable.

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Mmm... Cute.

I don't usually watch cdramas but this one caught my attention and I really liked it. The story is cute, touching and the characters are adorable, I have a special place in my heart for Sang Yan -the brother- I always loved it when he appears on screen and the dynamic between him and Sang Zhi is so real, a real sibling behavior. Another thing I liked about this cdrama was how it portrayed friendship, between the female characters and the male characters, it made me want to have friends like them. Maybe I have a lot to say about this cdrama but some people find it a bit controversial because of the age difference (I highly understand), but from my point of view the story is well constructed, they met when she was little but he never saw her as a potential lover until they met again when she was older, having an older crush when you are little is very common, he never interacted with her with other intentions when they first met, she sees his actions in that romantic way simply because she is in love with him. I don't know what else you think but for me, this story was super cute, the ost was also super cute, I loved the songs, and again Victor Ma and his character was my favorite.
Maybe what I didn't like so much is how the female lead continues to be so innocent and pure even as an adult, as they emphasize so much.
But if you're looking for something cute, sweet and very cheesy, you should watch it.

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