Frost_edelweiss

Oh yes, I'm eagerly waiting for those scenes lol

Yes, it was puzzling to me, because as much as it was "Sang Yan seen through Sang Zhi's eyes", how could Zhi not have known about her brother's love life, at all, when she grew up to university and marriage?
But OK, these are just two separate and different stories: HL was light-hearted and in the sun, TFF is much darker and in the night and shades.

Still on board although I sometimes wish I could forget HL to watch TFF with no filter. But on episode 6, I like Bai Jingting as Sang Yan, and Zhang Ruonan is not detracting.

We never got introduced to Sang Yan's girlfriend in Hidden Love. Did not even hear her name: it was not clear he had one. But he did have a bar.

Better watch the two dramas as independent stories, because Hidden Love has drawn quite a fan base, and most of the characters there were played outstandingly by actors who are perhaps not first-liners (except leads ZLS and CZY), but still were hoped to be seen again in the new drama.

I remembered fondly Zeng Li as the mother of Sang Yan and Sang Zhi (she is a versatile and skilled actress, so I am sad the production decided to find someone else), Victor Ma as Sang Yan (but he said he was not up to playing the darker version of the goofy brother, so that should be accepted), Qiu Xinzhi as the father, Hu Yuxuan as Qian Fei ... The First Frost could not get ZLS and CZY to reprise their roles even as cameos, more the pity, but let's accept that these two stars were totally overbooked and HL and leads had been a target for unfortunate cyberbullying at the time, so understandable they were perhaps not going to accept minor roles alongside Bai Jingting. I am perhaps not thrilled to see a nondescript Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu with the actors chosen here ; Sang Zhi even as a naughty kid was not as unkempt as the one glimpsed here in first episodes, and I absolutely can't see in TFF why Duan Jiaxu and Sang Yan were best friends, to the point of being seen as "brothers", with those new actors.

That said, I'm Ok with Bai Jingting who is also a skilled and versatile actor. He is a good Sang Yan, probably much better than Victor Ma the rapper might have been if he had been offered the role and had not declined it.

I am also warming up to Zhang Ruonan, just hoping she'll be shown with better skinship skills and not the unfortunate fish kisses with annoyed expression we were left with in other dramas (perhaps more directors' fault than her own). She drags along a reputation for not being very sweetly romantic. But this may be the drama which will change that reputation, perhaps. Just hoping. Wishing the best. And I'm still on board, despite having read the second novel, for once. I usually don't, but the wait to watch it on screen was too long ;)

So that's the complete answer to your question about the connection : the stories, the expectations, the wishes that it will stand out as well as HL. The heat index is soaring, so that's good news for the new cast and audience.

Zhao Jinmai is 6 years younger than Zhang Ruonan and her face is more almond shaped, nose shorter and more upturned, eyebrows more regularly arched, eyes a bit different as well, but okay, at cursory glance their faces and usual haircut may look a bit similar.

Both dislike having to kiss mouths on screen (so unhygienical: I don't blame them although the guys may take care to wash mouths properly first, take care of dental hygiene and whatever, not spreading germs to partner, and there are shooting tricks to make believe... Maimai's family was not agreeing with such acts anyway, especially when she was still under 20 ; it's a wonder they agreed to let her play the torturous Drifting Away.)

Their acting style is different, at least in the dramas I watched starring them (Reset, Amidst a Snowstorm of Love, Drifting Away. for "Maimai", A Date with the Future, Love is Panacea, My Boss... for "Nannan"). I think both of them are stars on the rise.

Presently enjoying Zhang Ruonan acting as "Wen Yifan" "DianDian" in The First Frost. I read the book and think both her and Bai Jingting fit their roles well.

Interestingly for fandom explorers, Zhang Ruonan's fan-group name changed in September 2024 from Nán péngyǒu 楠朋友 (Nan's friends) to Xiǎo yìnzhāng 小印章 ("little seal") as a play on her last name, to replace her former fan-group name that could awkwardly be mistaken for "boyfriend" 男朋友 [Nán péngyǒu] 🤣

Well DJX .... Yuanyuan was and is still too busy, with one drama following another, so no time. Just finding someone that does not look too different would have pleased me more. I am more annoyed with the different Sang Zhi, although of course, Zhao Lusi could not have been here even in guest role: too busy as well.
I agree that I too would have liked the overlapping characters, mom, dad, Qian Fei, to be back.
But I will adjust, probably.

Nice poster, already stored in Photo section by BaekhyunoonaID
https://i.mydramalist.com/YY4q1W_3f.jpg

Night and Day - literally (just count the night scenes here already, lol)

There's already quite a few items pinned into Discussions section here :)

For the nostalgic of Hidden Love sister drama (in all senses lol),
be warned that the Discussion section items for that other page got mistakenly re-wired to Hidden Love (2020) which is an unrelated movie. This includes also Peachey Blossom's OST links post for the drama....
But since I had kept a list/directory organized by themes, in my own "companion piece" for Hidden Love, I just added a copy of that section in a new "Discussions item" there, and it does the trick to find all that was stored there in July-September 2023. In case you look for songs or clarification about the characters there.

But The First Frost is a different cast and a different "color". Let's wish it smooth sailing !
Reaching episode 4.

For the nostalgic of The First Frost currently airing sister drama (in all senses lol), be warned that the Discussion section items for this drama HIDDEN LOVE here got mistakenly re-wired to Hidden Love (2020) which is an unrelated movie. This includes also Peachey Blossom's OST post for the drama....

But since I had, at the time, ended my companion piece there on a directory list to those Discussions items, with links to them, I just copied that part in the Discussions section here, and you can find what was written then, plus the links to the music videos of Peachey Blossom and MK916's video "edit" summary of the drama.
Enjoy!

The First Frost aired today on Youku with 4 episodes and should soon be on Netflix too, from what I read.

I am not quite clear how you managed to mangle the character names. Perhaps this section of my companion piece will bring you what you are looking for :
Characters analysis, names, ages, in Hidden Love drama and book ; assessment of characters played by main cast, and goodbyes from them (https://mydramalist.com/discussions/hidden-love/109103-shooting-locations-and-dates-misc-other-links?pid=2646315&page=1#p2646315)

poor you -- lol
But seriously, take your time and don't hook up with a random person just because this drama gave you an urge to live a love adventure!
And even if you remember every scene and detail, don't be ashamed to rewatch on occasions what you like : for the tingle and the fluff that are undying.

Yes, I also went on a Rosy dramas re-watch binge. There will be an upcoming one with William Chan but I am not sure what will happen to the one with Peng Guanying. Rosy has been slowly reappearing but it is clear she is not up to get back to the hectic schedules she used to have; she needs to take it cautiously so as not to jeopardize a full recovery.

Yeah... I am missing the lovely guys here, while trying to adjust to the sister drama.

If I stay on with that one, it will be a testament to ZRN having improved drastically and to BJT successfully taking on the role for which we remembered Victor Ma... So, Victor Ma said he was not confident with romantic roles : it is also him who preferred to let another play Sang Yan. Given this info, I am less wistful, but still disappointed by some other faces to portray Sang Zhi, Duan Jiaxu, Qian Fei... in the new drama. Perhaps I'll get used to them:it's early days to decide whether I'll only stay with HL or also appreciate TFF.

That whole comments exchange started by you is just trolling here!
As a Lusi, Yuanyuan, AND Liang Jie fandom friend (yeah, I am into multi fandom exploring and to me a true fan is not one who scolds other ones to drag down admired actor or actress, their circle of friends, or their real fans) : this here has me very annoyed.
You ought to know that some people masquerade as keluli or yuanbao and other fandom with an agenda, and the best response is to ignore them. Are you one of them, sowing seeds for strife ??
It has NOTHING to do with Hidden Love or even with Rosy or Gege.

You certainly should not to bring such kind of toxic disputes up HERE.
I am sorely tempted to signal your persistent negative messages as "spam" in breach of MDL comments rules for honest and polite exchanges!

In first episode, she looks to fit the role fine. It will be good if she gets a hit here.
I too was lukewarm about some of her previous drama characters. The kissing scenes were a turnoff there... Rest was... okay... But she can improve, I assume.
I have not watched her movies.

I wished to see some of the old cast reprise their roles... But BJT may be OK as the "other version of Sang Yan", not the brotherly one, although I'll sure miss Ma Boqian.
I am less satisfied with the choice for Sang Zhi, even if she should not be seen much, according to the book. And I am very dissatisfied with the choice for Qian Fei, who was one of the characters that did stand out in supporting cast of HL.

Now, it's really a different story, the city is different (Chongqing instead of Xiamen), the houses are different, Sang Yan's bar looks more glam than just students...
Trying to readjust. The first episode seems to be set mostly in dark places : the rainy night of breakup that is unexplained (but ok, I read the book, so have the back story somewhere back in memories), the slummy apartment, the dark bar, the night out for the crowded New Year waterfront... Will it be a persistently dark story? Staying for now until I decide or not to continue. If I do, I'll drag it out of Plan to watch :)

Forever Star - 张洢豪 (Zhang Yihao) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wL9ByL4mf8

thanks for your fan work :)