Hidden Love

2 puppies in love!

This is the perfect drama if you are looking for "feel good" series. It is overloaded with sweetness and pure moments between 2 very "nice" people.

Plot: a naive girl falls in love with her brother's best friend. Being 5 years younger than him, they find themselves in different stages of life, but when she becomes an adult they finally get the chance to be together.

This is a very sweet story but and it's fame is well deserved but of course nothing is perfect.

First point: I feel that adding the scenes of a middle school FL added nothing to the story, but made it a bit weirder. Why? Just why? If they met when she was already in highschool would have been better.

Second point: this is my first drama with Zhao lusi and I can confidently say her fame is well deserved. She is amazing and very believable. The main "beef" I have is with her character.
She is frankly one dimensional. Except for being in love with this guy there isn't much else. I am not even quite sure what she studies at university. School days are basically non existing.

Third point: why did they have to make the ml such a miserable guy. The amount of trauma this guy went through... I know the drama wants to make two opposite face each other (they guy who had a hard life and the sheltered princess) but this doesn't really work. Even though he went through so much he is heavenly sweet just like the FL who didn't face a single struggle in her life.

Fourth point : this is not really a point but just a preference. At the very beginning I thought the FL was playing a more childish voice to create a contrast between her character as a teenager and her character as an adult... I quickly realized that is just the way she speaks😅. I know that China probably has some sort of sweet spot for aegyo like in Korea.. but man.. sometimes it is hard to listen to a 20 something years old girl like a child. That's nobody a fault. It's just the actress way of speaking. No big deal.

Talking about positives: the actors have such good chemistry. They really feel like a real couple.

Going back to negatives : I am currently at episode 20... Ok I love their story, but this entire series is only based on their love story. Nothing else is happening. It's starting to be a bit boring...

Finally over.

Definitely a good drama, worth watching but only if you really like romance cause there isn't anything else in here.😅

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Worth it ❤️

The story is just perfect. I love the development of the plot. The scenes are very simple yet it invokes so much emotion. I also like the fact that there is no dull moment nor toxic parts. The story does not only gives entertainment but it also gives lessons. Like how the characters build their own self, there’s self-love, there’s patience, there’s hope. The story is really nice and i don’t want to spoil it.

The casts and their acting is FRENCH KISS💋💋 They are so talented and very natural. Especially the female lead both her kid and adult version. I also love the dynamics between their siblings relationship. Everything about the cast is just so pretty, natural, and VEERRYYY talented. Just imagine how thier subtle smiles or movements looks so natural 🥹 Gossssshhh, I so want to hug her in her middle school airport scene, that scene is so impactful that I totally felt her what she felt that time, very relatable. The story is nice but I must say that because of the casts, the story was brought to so much life.

OSTs are so cute that it feels well to the scenes. I must say that they chose prefectly well the osts for this series.

Overall, I will definitely recommend this 🥹❤️

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A Simple Story That Created Magic❤️❤️❤️

Hidden Love is proof that a drama doesn’t need a complicated storyline, huge plot twists, or massive production to become a masterpiece. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple story told with sincerity and heart with the right cast. This drama hit all the right spots and created something truly magical. It’s amazing how such a simple story could leave such a huge impact and stay with people for years.

I love this drama so much! The characters felt so real that they made me believe they exist somewhere in another world. Even now, I still think about them and imagine their lives. Three years later, I am still stuck in my Hidden Love era.

What makes this drama so special is how genuine everything feels. The family dynamics, the sibling bond, and especially the relationship between Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi all feel natural and authentic. They don’t feel like fictional characters,they feel like real people. Their love story is pure, comforting, and beautifully written, and I can’t help but wish them endless happiness.

I love Duan Jiaxu and Sang zhi so much!! 😍😍😍. They bring me so much joy, and watching them together always makes me smile. The warmth, care, and respect they share make their relationship one of the most beautiful I’ve seen on screen. I truly wish everyone could experience a love like theirs.

I keep rewatching this drama, and it never gets old. No matter how many times I watch it, it brings the same happiness and comfort. I’ve never been this attached to a drama or rewatched one so many times. But Hidden Love is different,it’s a story I could revisit endlessly and still fall in love with again.

For me, Hidden Love is more than just a drama. It’s a comfort, a happy place, and a story that will always have a special place in my heart. The fact that such a simple story could create such deep emotions and leave such a lasting impact is what makes it truly special.

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Hidden First Love

Hidden Love is a sweet romance that captures the magic and vulnerability of falling in love for the first time. With its soft atmosphere, lovable leads, and heartfelt storytelling, this drama feels like a comforting memory you want to hold on to.

The story follows Sang Zhi, a bright and somewhat awkward high school girl, and Duan Jiaxu, her older brother’s friend. What starts as a quiet crush gradually grows into something deeper, and the drama carefully traces their relationship over several years. It’s not rushed, not overly dramatic, but instead focused on small moments—glances, shared silences, and emotional growth.

One of the drama’s biggest strengths is its atmosphere. The cinematography is warm and nostalgic, almost dreamlike at times. The pacing is relaxed, which might feel slow to some, but it works beautifully for a story built on unspoken feelings and growing trust. The OST (original soundtrack) also adds to the overall feeling, matching the tone perfectly.

Zhao Lusi as Sang Zhi is incredibly charming, capturing the innocence and uncertainty of young love. Chen Zheyuan plays Duan Jiaxu with a calm, steady presence that slowly reveals more emotional depth as the story unfolds. Their chemistry feels natural, never forced, and the age gap is handled with sensitivity and care.

Beyond the romance, Hidden Love also explores themes like family relationships, personal growth, and emotional healing. It doesn’t rely on dramatic twists, but instead lets the characters grow organically. It’s a story about timing, patience, and the quiet ways people come to care for each other.

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One of my first cdramas that I will never forget and also one of the first series that I allowed myself to rewatch. When I found out that I didn't have a review for this gem yet, I had to fix it right away and now. Jiaxu and Sang Zhi won my heart in the first episode without having to try, the same with Sang Yan (who also managed to do it in First Frost Imao). I don't regret the day I watched the series, but I regret finishing it and then drowning in tears that this masterpiece ended. As I already wrote, it's one of the dramas that I've watched for the second time, which is a miracle because I don't normally do something like that haha and I laughed, cried and cursed again. I love Hidden Love and all the spin offs connected to it. I love the main characters and the supporting ones, played by actors on the 1st. I love the story itself and the OST, which added a touch of spice to it. I love the whole Hidden Love thing and applaud those who put so much work into it because this masterpiece is worth watching. I said it in 2023, I'm still saying it in 2025.

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This "coming of age" story is filled with heart wrenching and fluffy scenes that are delivered so impactfully by the cast that I was genuinely opposed to watching First Frost after I heard they replaced the entire cast. It was nice seeing Zhao Lusi and her mom from Love like the Galaxy in a warm mom-daughter relationship. The part with her traveling to another city to "meet an online boyfriend" was absolutely terrifying. She was an unaccompanied minor and could easily have been trafficked or much much worse. The fact that the ML cared and ran to make sure she was okay made him the greenest flag. The rest of the show just made him so green I'm having Elphaba from Wicked adopt him. This was one of the last projects Zhao Lusi made before her illness and subsequent transformation into more adult roles and appearances. While I wish she had never gone through what she did; I am happy and proud of her for her perseverance and coming out on the other end. Not everyone does in the entertainment industry. Dark mode aside: this was a fluffy happy drama that you should watch and rewatch a gazillion times. And yes, those siblings are sibling goals.

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"HIDDEN LOVE is resilience, honesty, care, and timeless love."

This drama really deals with the tragedies of young first love in such a sweet, respectful manner that it's so refreshing to see. The drama hits off with absolutely lovely writing of Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi. Their chemistry is on par with actual real-life couples, and especially how the age gap is treated here is so sweet and brilliant. I think the drama emphasizes this by constantly reminding the audience of the differences in Zhizhi and Jiaxu's environments, and also the different pressures for example, when Jiaxu had to cancel the dates because of what he said were "trivial life matters," but in reality there were true problems with him being the man, showing that it was his fault, and Zhizhi being the woman respecting that while also asking him if it was really okay. The number of times Sang Zhi showed what falling in love means is to stand up for love when times get hard, with Jiaxu reciprocating the same, supporting her. The prejudice of others about their age gap, the very real worries of parents about their children dating, and whether Zhizhi and Jiaxu were really honest with themselves about their feelings are all explored.

It shows what it is like when you support someone endlessly and do not doubt the person you love. In this case, the story of Jiaxu's family history and the Sang family knowing it and questioning it, and how Sang Zhi comes forward truly and maturely with a tender heart about liking him for a long time, is shown in a very true manner: first being just an infatuation, then when Zhi reaches a certain age realizing it may be a crush, and then the story kicks off to the "hidden love." The show doesn't undercut when it comes to choosing or having to make decisions, with Zhi enrolling in Yihe University and then having an internship, which matters not just for love but also for personal growth both Zhi's feelings and career, and Jiaxu's feelings and career. The parents show concern and take steps like confiscating phones and making time to be at home for Zhi, having Yang pick her up, actually video calling her in college days, and everything in between. The college days are shown very truly: friends, school bullying, college tests, and seminars.

Very mature characters, both Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, show respect for their original concerns about being together, from consent questions like "Can I hold your hand?" to "Do you want to...?" to showing menstruation problems, predatory relationship issues, and putting dreams and family health relationships first. Zhi smartly takes on the pressure of the problems given by the debtor's family while supporting Jiaxu's feelings of "You've done your part; she can't bully you forever; it's not your fault." Very lovely, both Jiaxu and Zhizhi, and the hard-hitting line "Am I really getting too old? Why are my parents no longer here?" just encapsulates everything in one line. Then Zhizhi embraces him and tells him, "I've got you," showing he has a home, a family that will love him.

The drama is very well written and exceptionally adapted, with incredible acting and a lovely cast. No fake drama, no plot twists just real, mature, cared for, true first love. Zhizhi had to hide it for a long time the treasure of "HIDDEN LOVE is resilience, honesty, care, and timeless love." That's the brilliance of this show.

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Puppy Love - a Slow-burn Romance across 25 episodes

Hidden Love follows the journey of Sang Zhi, whose childhood crush slowly blossoms into a mature romance over the course of several years.

As a child, Sang Zhi is a spirited, slightly spoilt girl who is forever bickering with her older brother and getting into trouble at school. When her teacher insists on meeting her parents, she recruits Duan Jia Xu—her brother's university friend—to pretend to be her older brother and rescue her from the situation. It is an amusing beginning to a relationship that neither of them realises will shape the rest of their lives.

From that moment, Sang Zhi quietly develops feelings for Jia Xu. Years later, they meet again while he is at university and she is a young teenager. Her childhood admiration gradually turns into genuine love, but like many teenagers, she is far better at hiding her feelings than expressing them.

When Jia Xu graduates and returns to his hometown, rumours begin circulating that he has a girlfriend. Heartbroken, Sang Zhi travels there hoping to find out the truth, only for a misunderstanding to spiral completely out of control. The consequences linger for years, driving them apart and causing them to lose contact altogether.

Watching this unfold, I could not help thinking, "If the two of you would simply sit down and have one honest conversation, we could save about eight episodes!" But then there would not be much of a drama. Miscommunication is hardly unique to Chinese culture, but in societies where people are generally more reserved about expressing their emotions, small misunderstandings can snowball into major heartbreak, especially during the early part of a courtship when each are uncertain of the feelings of the other.

Fate eventually intervenes when Sang Zhi enrols at a university in Jia Xu's hometown. They meet again as adults, and although they remain polite on the surface, old misunderstandings continue to cast a shadow over their relationship. As Sang Zhi cares for Jia Xu when he falls ill, his feelings for her deepen. Winning back her trust, however, proves far more difficult than falling in love.

The romance is filled with delightful moments of humour. Jia Xu is wonderfully smooth when it comes to flirting, alternating between subtle hints and bold declarations. One memorable scene sees him casually asking Sang Zhi about her "relationship status"—she nearly chokes in surprise while the audience is left grinning. At times, the drama feels like a masterclass in modern courtship: how to flirt, how to tease, how to pursue someone... and occasionally, how not to communicate.

Of course, once the flirting begins, so does the classic game of playing hard to get. Fortunately, neither lead becomes frustrating enough to make you want to throw your remote at the television.

The drama also explores a more serious lesson: making life-changing decisions without consulting the people you love can cause enormous damage to a relationship. One well-intentioned decision almost derails a romance that has taken years to bloom.

Several obstacles stand in their way.

First, Jia Xu carries an enormous financial burden because of his irresponsible father. I found this storyline particularly moving. Jia Xu spends years paying for mistakes he never made, and when he finally confronts his father, he says almost exactly what I had been thinking throughout the series.

The second obstacle is the five-year age gap. Personally, I never found this particularly convincing. Five years hardly raises eyebrows in today's world, so I felt the drama made rather more of it than necessary.

Hidden Love is, above all, a slow-burn romance. Very slow burn. It takes around twenty-five episodes before the relationship truly blossoms. I will confess that my streaming speed mysteriously increased to 1.25× somewhere along the way—not because the drama was boring, but because I was simply too impatient to find out what happened next!

One final nitpick: the English title.

How many Asian dramas have already been called Hidden Love? Surely we can do better. The original Chinese title, 偷偷藏不住, carries the meaning of quietly hiding one's feelings for someone. Titles such as A Love Kept Secret, The Boy I Secretly Loved, Love in Silence, My Secret Crush, or The Secret of My First Love would have captured that meaning far more beautifully while avoiding yet another generic English title. Come on, translators—if inspiration fails, even AI can help these days!

Overall, Hidden Love is an excellent portrayal of modern courtship in China. It captures the awkwardness of first love, the pain caused by poor communication, and the joy of watching two people gradually find their way back to each other. The cast is outstanding, the chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan is irresistible, and the story is both heartwarming and surprisingly relatable.

If you enjoy gentle romances, plenty of butterflies, and enough flirting to make you smile from ear to ear, Hidden Love is well worth your time. And who knows—you might even pick up a few dating tips along the way.

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