Hidden Love

偷偷藏不住 ‧ Drama ‧ 2023
Completed
Circularinsanity
24 people found this review helpful
Jul 20, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 2.5

Cute!!

Loved it till 18th episode and then it felt like it was dragging on. Finished the last couple of episodes in 1.5x. The sibling dynamics were a treat to watch and the cast acted well. I just liked "When I Fly towards you" better because I was watching them parallelly and the general lack of misunderstanding and cliches in When I fly made it a better watch than Hidden Love. One thing that I did like about HL is that female lead was not a damsel in distress and could take a stand and not just for herself - but for the male lead as well. All the female characters written by this author are strong and know their mind - I truly appreciate the fact that these characters are unlike the naive/weak/gullible ones usually found in dramas,.

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Completed
sarahv
21 people found this review helpful
Jul 20, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Beautiful little drama

A Lovely warm and uplifting little drama. The Male lead was beautiful. It is the first drama with Lu Si that I thought she looked good in. Her acting has certainly matured ironically, in a youthful role. It was a heart warming story of love and loyalty. It is my First drama with The Male Lead playing Xiang and what a treat that was. He is exquisite. His role was very touchng and honest. He is swoonworthy. A Nice story of a supprtive family unlike the usual tyranny that often exists in Asian Dramas. LuSi's character was wonderful. Her loyalty and committment to Xiang was truly wonderful. Her acting was good and her character was excellent. She moved through the different stages of her life beautifully. Excellent though she was He stole the drama for me. Perfection.

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Completed
peachiee
16 people found this review helpful
Sep 12, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Best Chinese Drama!!!

This is my first time completing a Chinese drama and I’m so glad I decided to watch this. Zhao Lusi and Chen Zhe Yuan’s popularity can be explained through this drama because they performed their roles excellently. Seriously they have the best chemistry out of all romantic dramas I’ve watched. They portrayed a couple in love and expressed romance so naturally. I especially love every moment between ML and FL when they start dating because we get to see how much they deeply love and care for each other, absolutely precious bond they have. It was a beautiful series that teach many valuables lessons about familial, romantic, and platonic love. I cried tears of joy and sorrow and sympathized with the characters from beginning to end. The rewatch factor value is a 10/10! I feel like I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed watching this series. No exception I would definitely recommend Hidden Love to anyone who likes romance.

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Completed
rapunzels
16 people found this review helpful
Sep 12, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Heart warming drama!

The plot, the soundtracks, and the chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Chen Zhe Yuan were extremely perfect! One of the cdramas that I would recommend to many people. A very sweet love story, warmth of the family also the cuteness of the brother-sister siblings make our heart feel so calm, It’s really worth watching over and over again. The acting all of the cast are chef kiss (they look so natural).

Sang Zhi is such a thoughtful, cute and smart character. She never gave up on her love and pursue her dream in education. Duan Jia xu, HE IS A WALKING GREEN FLAG MAN i love his character and started dreaming about where I could get a man like that in the real world??😭

At the end, good job hidden love team this drama is a masterpiece!✨

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Completed
xenq001
16 people found this review helpful
Aug 18, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

watch it, you won’t regret it !!!

This has to be one of the best dramas I’ve ever watched. The actors did such a great job portraying their roles. I’m one of those people who don’t mind clichés, but sometimes I just need something “new” and different, you know ? Well, Hidden Love didn’t disappoint. The plot is unique, so bonus points for that. Just a heads-up for those who don’t like the age-gap trope : the ML was 19 when he first met the FL, who was 14 at the time, but it’s important to note that they DID NOT have any sexual/romantic interactions until much later in the show. The FL was of legal age when the ML started developing feelings for her. Personally, it didn’t bother me much, but I get why some people might find it icky.

Now I’d like to talk about the main characters a bit.

Sang Zhi (FL) : She’s childish at the beginning of the show, but I promise it’ll get better (they skip 2 years foward to when she’s 19 in 8 ep, so dw). She’s quite shy and introverted, which isn’t much of a problem, not every fl has to be badass or wtv, but even after she gets with the ml, she has issues with intimacy and i’m not even talking about sex, just simple things like kissing. I found that a little annoying, because Imagine getting the man of your dreams, who’s not only hot af, but also respectful and considerate and not wanting to kiss him. Even when she did it, it felt kinda forced, like girl, kiss him like you mean it 😭 Aside from that, I liked her character and the way she stood up for others and herself.


Jia Xu (ML) : He’s the most considerate ML I’ve ever seen in a drama, he literally pays attention to her every little move. He’s too good of a man to be realistic tbh. Their relationship is healthy, no unnecessary fights or arguments, just pure love. He’s like a fatherly figure to Sang Zhi, but not like in a weird way, it’s just the way he cares for her so much and always puts her first.


Overall, I loved this drama and I’ll never stop recommending it :)

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Completed
Ivyclary
11 people found this review helpful
Jun 22, 2024
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

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.

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

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!

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Completed
VanessaWomack
11 people found this review helpful
Oct 2, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Hidden Love is a MUST Watch

Honestly one of my favorite dramas, ever! The 2 leads had amazing chemistry together and I also really enjoyed the dynamic with the female lead’s brother.

Due to watching this drama, I’ve started reading the book and manhua.

If you are on the fence about watching the drama, I highly recommend it! If you love Zhao Lusi or have watched any of her other shows, you will really enjoy this one. It’s the first drama I’ve seen of the male lead and he did an amazing job - I’m looking forward to watching more dramas from him.
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Completed
purviiiiiiii
28 people found this review helpful
Jul 6, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

A Captivating Drama That Envelopes Hearts and Minds

This riveting drama exudes a remarkable warmth that envelops its viewers, transcending age barriers and igniting a heartfelt connection within each individual. DJ stands as the epitome of an ideal partner, possessing qualities that every person craves in their life—a beacon of unwavering support and genuine compassion. Meanwhile, SZ embodies the essence of our long-lost inner child, evoking memories of innocent infatuations and profound love. The overall portrayal of first love in this captivating masterpiece is remarkably soothing, offering solace and tranquility seldom found in the realm of entertainment. It is a rare gem that has bestowed upon me a profound sense of serenity, eliminating any apprehension about its conclusion. A must watch.

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Completed
jcg
27 people found this review helpful
Jul 7, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Worth the watch

Perfect Summer time drama! So sweet. ZLS finally found her match in an actor who can turn on the puppy charm. CZY really has the most expressive face and able to convey those tender emotions without looking effeminate. Director did perfect castin this time. All the supporting actors were great, especially the older brother as well as the rommies in college. It's such a pity that the detractors of the drama made a big stink about the age difference without watching the drama through. It's actually very well handled and even mentioned outright and it does show the FL growing more mature to meet the ML at his level. Kudos to ZLS for being able to convey both innocence and maturity all at the same time.

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Completed
bokminthe
43 people found this review helpful
Sep 8, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 12
Overall 4.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 3.5
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers

Some cute moments but annoying teenager, superficial and inconsistent characters and a plain story.

Had this show started when FL was already in university it would have a bit of a higher rating on my part, I found from that point onwards it was more entertaining, not great by any means, but better. From the beginning up to that point I almost quit several times solely on the fact that the FL was EXTREMELY annoying.
I'm not familiar with the actors in this show nor I generally care who is in what. There are actors I like, but I won't watch something only based on that. I say this because I don't know if the acting of Zhao Lu Si is her or it's the director and direction that pushed her to do that (and in that case not sure why they would be happy with that result). It was extremely annoying how she was acting as a 17 year old like she was 7. She was shown as more mature at age 14 in her way of speaking and mannerisms (although physically that actress was clearly younger so it was also very jarring).
I think at this point after two cdramas watched being set in high school I should avoid cdramas set in high school. It feels at times like I'm watching a video on morality and good manners directed at high schoolers, like the civil education videos I had to watch when I was around 12-14 years old. It's also so forced how they try at some point or another say some grandiose moral quote like they're talking to me directly instead of the character.
Also, for the love of all things dear, how was she so dumb and childish when technically she had good grades in school? It makes no sense at all.
They want to show later in university that she's more of a grown up but there are so many things in her way of doing and especially her voice that she still seems so childish. On the other hand ML changes completely of character once he's starting to be interested in her, he's all of a sudden super cocky and flirty, it was very out of character. From that point onwards it's like they're trying to keep reminding me that she's a girly girl and he's a boyish boy.... MEH.
I still don't understand fully how or when Jiaxu started having feelings for her, it's kind of sudden.
I didn't care they didn't show much of the drama involving his father because I had zero interest really, it seemed kind of typical and like it was not going to add much to the story other than some cliché trauma, but I didn't understand either why introducing that daughter of the family affected, she was very annoying and contributed nothing to the story either. I'm guessing she was only there so FL could show her more "mature" side but it's very weak.

There are some cute moments, but overall I was not so sure of why they liked each other, I'm not even sure why she liked him in the beginning to be honest, just because he was handsome and nice to her? not sure, I'm not shown at any point in the first or second half that they share anything when it comes to personality or likes or hobbies, they barely share even that many special moments. It's also very weird because he goes from calling her "sister" to 5 minutes later being interested in her, I couldn't shake that feeling of uneasiness, and it brings me to the fact that the sister thing was way overdone. It would have been so much better had he just been the brother's friend and kept that relationship of friend than making it so far as to his feeling of her as a sister, I felt that put a big barrier on there that I couldn't see a way of it being broken and so I was not surprised when it was just done suddenly and didn't work for me at all. It's also quite annoying when she's already in uni and she keeps saying he's old and they keep mentioning the 5 year gap, what is not a big one by any means.

As it happens in the other cdrama I watched recently (When I Fly Towards You), everything is shown in perfect stages, high school is the time for little crushes but ultimately focusing solely in studies, university ok for relationships, and as soon as you finish uni then get a great job straight away and save to quickly buy a house and start a family. It's very unrealistic, and after this being the second one with the same idea I'm starting to think that they're trying to precisely sell me an idea here more than a story. It was equally unrealistic his career, how he's able to achieve all that at his age, no problems in anything, same with her really, nothing of much importance. It's also the fact they feel the need to include in the story the whole process instead of only one part of it, it gives it even more that feeling of someone showing "how it's done" to me so I take it as an example.
Characters are also generally always kept superficially and secondary ones are pretty non existant.
I found the brother quite annoying at times as well, why was he ten times more patriarchal than the father? I know maybe he just has the older brother complex but seems so weird when it doesn't seem they have that dynamic in the family. Her parents were all right but I didn't really understand why they let the son be that way with her or take more charge of her than them, it was weird some times.

The ending is... well... the cherry on top I suppose. It was quite shocking she would be proposed on the same day of her graduation, like chill man!! Another cdrama that pushes the marry young idea, but I mean, considering they got everything else at unrealistic young ages no wonder by 22-23 they're bored of their lives and they need to marry or something 😂 (I know he's older but still applies, it's not like he had to do it like he has an expiration date and as far as we know he was not being pushed to do it by anyone either).

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Completed
kaps_merthotmail.com
22 people found this review helpful
Jul 7, 2023
25 of 25 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 10

surprisingly good

Having watched #HiddenLove brought back a lot of youthful memories. I remember having a huge crush on my best friend’s older brother in secret and the giggly feelings .
The story of Hidden Love is so heartwarming and lighthearted at the same time. I love the goodness shown in this drama that when you are well loved you pay it forward too. Moreover I just love the family dynamics as well as how SZ developed into a mature young lady. Both Zhao Lusi and Chen Shueyan delivered their portrayal of their respective role effectively plus Victor Ma wow what a pleasant surprise he did great too!
THE LOVE STORY! What can I say ‘chef’s kiss’ . I wish everybody can have this type of loving and healthy relationship .
I highly recommend this drama and it’s a drama for all ages👌🏻👌🏻

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Hidden Love poster

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  • Score: 9.0 (scored by 90,886 users)
  • Ranked: #67
  • Popularity: #46
  • Watchers: 161,002

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