Platinum Fox

Yes, the first eight episodes can be deemed as creepy and that is okay. The first five to seven minutes of this drama tells you that this story will be about relationships with age gaps, especially those in the teenage years as per Sang Zhi's age. Not every guy is a green flag male like DJX that is why girls must take precautionary measures and wait. Many viewers see this drama as a sweet, fluffy, simple drama, but it is way more than that.

And I agree with you, it does deserve a 10 rating as it is an intelligently written social commentary on the age of consent law.

Actually, the first eight episodes are the reason for the entire drama. The author of the Hidden Love novel stated that she wanted to create a story where her unrequited love actually turned into love. If you take out the unrequited love aspect, then the story does not make sense. The writers of the drama turned this story into a cautionary tale, not every guy is a green flag male like DJX. Thus why you feel that creepiness in the beginning. Also, the age of consent in China is 14, so 14 year old Sang Zhi according to Chinese law is mature enough to handle a relationship even with someone five years older than her.

This is why the beginning episodes. In most of the world the age of consent is 16. The drama is saying that 14 year olds are still children and need to be protected from predatory older people, even those just five years older as they are at a different maturity level and height. This drama is actually a very intelligently written social commentary on the age of consent. jmo

Thank you for your detailed response. Yes, we certainly have a different perspective as I have not fully read Hidden Love. I made it through 8 chapters. When I first watched this another commenter read the novel and I read The End of Eternity and we compared notes, but not to the extent that you did. Since you know the novel Hidden Love really well, could you answer some questions for me? What was DJX's job after graduation in the novel? How involved were the parents in disciplining Sang Zhi? Were the bear and dog stuffed animals in the novel? Did DJX call her a puffer fish in novel? Was the structure of the novel chronological or did it have flashbacks like the drama? These are just some of the easter eggs that I saw in the drama. what easter eggs did you find? For me, there are at least 20 or more.

In addition, I went back and watched episode 10 again and you are right. It is a picture of the roommates, not the computer students and their professor. Thanks for correcting me. I will write more over the weekend, but wanted to ask those things.

If you annotated The End of Eternity, did you notice all the references and concepts to it in Hidden Love? I would love your thoughts on this since you read The End of Eternity.

There are numerous reasons why The End of Eternity (TEE) is related to this drama, but I will focus on your questions.
First, The End of Eternity is a social commentary on the use of nuclear energy, so you know right from the start that this drama will be a social commentary as TEE is shown within the first five minutes of the drama and repeatedly after that for the first few episodes. I watched this for that very reason as Zhao Lu Si always plays a character who speaks out for or against societal issues. This has the standard bullying, female education, and the sins of the father should not affect the family. However, I did not understand why she spoke like a child up until the very last episode. I literally turned off the sound as her voice did not match her age. But her voice makes sense when you understand the laws of the country. At 14 she is old enough to have sex with anyone she wants from the age of 14 and above, no restrictions. Females are able to get married at the age of 20 and males the age of 22. So at 14 she is old enough to have sex, but not get married. She is essentially a child until she is 20 in a social sense. This is why she keeps stressing throughout the later part of the drama that she is all grown up. She is an adult, when in reality she is not according to Chinese law. The drama asks is it morally right for 14/19 and 17/22 year olds to get together? No, wait until the person is at least 19 or older. It is very taboo to have a child out of wedlock and before marriageable age, yet the age of consent is 14. The people of China are trying to get the law changed, but with no luck. If you can't change a law, change the people's mindset about the law.

In TEE, Harlan describes Noys, a 28 year old woman, as a child as she appears to not understand what Eternity does. According to Harlan, Noys does not understand the ways of the world just like a 14 year old does not understand the ways of the world. Yet, they are fully capable of having sex with anyone 14 and above. This drama is a cautionary tale/references to Little Red Riding Hood are sprinkled throughout when she is 17.

As for the picture, DJX has pictures of his mother, his computer friends, and Sang Zhi. These are the people he is closest to and cares about. He does not have pictures of his roommates. Why, because he has nothing in common with them except where they live. You can tell he has fallen for Sang Zhi when she is 17 by his expressions while they are walking up the stairs when he is moving in and during the bicycle ride. It is most apparent when they reunite after a year and he is extremely angry at her for ghosting him. Love must wait. In episode 23 we learn that DJX has liked Sang Zhi since she was 17, but is too embarrassed to say so. At graduation, neither Sang Zhi nor DJX knows what to call the other as both are clearly not thinking of each other as brother and sister, especially Sang Zhi. Societal norms says that DJX should not be chasing after someone five years his junior, especially when she is 17 (still a child), and he is a full blown adult. It is what makes him a dog. Now what does all this have to do with TEE?

In TEE, Noys and Harlan must hide their relationship from the people Harlan works with as it is against the rules for people who work at Eternity to have relationships. Harlan finds out that on the next write in, Noys will be eliminated, so he hides her in the future. In the future after he destroys Eternity, he will be able to love her without restrictions. Much like DJX can fully love Sang Zhi when she turns 20 as she is of marriageable age and no longer socially a child. No restrictions. The eternity of childhood will come to an end in time. "Time has its magic drawing us closer in height and distance." Sang Zhi narrates this at he beginning of the drama while the book The End of Eternity is shown.

A hundred years we would not think twice about the age gap of 14/19 or even 14/21 as these were normal age gaps. It is only with time that we have changed our perception of childhood. Perception drives this drama.

Here is something that I wrote two years ago with someone else who read The End of Eternity.
https://mydramalist.com/profile/bokminthe/review/301991

Hope this helps. There are many easter eggs in this drama as well that support what I am saying. The brand name of the skirt is one them.

If you like Zhao Lu Si, you should watch her Love's Ambition drama.

Actually, she did support his revenge. Why do you think she and her family went to the Ling house after he dumped her on the eve of their marriage? She doesn't dump him because he wanted revenge, and it was not an easy choice for her. It was the smartest choice for her. If he hides everything from her now, what will he be like in the future? How can she trust him in the future?

Yes, you are correct. The novel is totally different than the drama, but the writer was not going for a scene by scene adaption. It was clear the writer was going for dark comedy. For me, this was an expertly done makjang parody on historical dramas up until episode 24. They poked so much fun at Love Like the Galaxy (LLtG), I was rolling with laughter. It fell off after episode 24 because they relied too much on slap-stick comedy to get their point across. It only came back in the last two episodes when they again started to poke fun at LLtG. jmo

What she wanted was to be recognized for her own merits. When she creates something that is practical, LBY is praised and given a fief for it. She is a very intelligent woman when it comes to creating inventions and making life better in a practical sense which is what the emperor emphasizes within his kingdom (frugality) with all of his kids. She wants to be treated as an equal contributor. This is why she emphasizes to the third prince I can do things on my own and be just fine. I don't need a man to take care of me.

As for LBY, she understands who he is, but he hides it from her. They are not on the same page when it comes to love. Why love someone who hides his most precious secret from her. Yes, he shows he loves her with a bunch of actions, but the most important part of his life he hides from her. It is her that solves his dilemma in the end. Had he told her all his secrets, they could have worked on them together to come up with a solution. He chose to go it alone.

It is only after they are separated for five years that he truly understands what she meant to him and vice versa. When they work together to finish what his and her family started at Lone City, they are on the same page when it comes to love. No more secrets.

Hope this helps. Happy drama watching

What were you confused about?

Enjoyed this and will probably watch it again sometime, but need to let it mellow in my brain.

Poetic justice is why it happens. The Shen's lie to SHM for 12 years about who his real parents are. They strip him of his true identity in a drama that is all about finding who you are all the way back to your roots. jmo

For me, that scene is one of the most sexual scenes I have ever watched in a Chinese drama (both modern and historical).

Yes, that scene is one of the most sexual scenes I have seen in a Chinese drama. The second one being in the second season when they are talking about protective moves.

Have you read the novel The End of Eternity the one shown at least five times at the very beginning of the drama? It will answer your question about the picture and why he has it. This drama is a social commentary on the age of consent law in China.

The rom-com is there to juxtapose the real with the illusion. The entire drama's theme is illusion vs. real. The first 14 episodes show the illusion that the Shen family and her put on for themselves and the business world. When that illusion crumbles, it becomes a different drama as the characters are trying to discover who they really are. They are going back to their roots. The rom-com is used in juxtaposition to the "real" couple the Russian businessman and his wife. The two are putting on a show to win the bid from the Russian business.

Even though I despise drunk scenes, this one had its purpose (besides funny ha-ha). It is while they are drunk that they let down their inhibitions and allow themselves to fully give into their desires which is to be together. For me, this is a beautifully done drama about finding your true self going all the way back to your roots. Hence, why they make modern/traditional clothing from handmade cloth. jmo

Yes, her baby voice was done perfectly for the drama even when she was 19. But I couldn't take when she turned 19 then I felt her voice did not match her age, but there was a reason for it. I still enjoyed the drama very much. In fact I am still blown away by how intelligently written it is. Zhao Lu Si is one of my favorite Chinese actors. Have you watched her in Love's Ambition?

Yes, she speaks in a childish voice for several reasons in Hidden Love. Viewers who complain about it do not understand the reason for it, and mark it down for that reason. The drama is a social commentary on the age of consent law in China which is 14.

Yes, there are specific reasons as to why she speaks in a childish voice for most of the drama. When she is 14, she is a child, but she is old enough to consent to sex with anyone age 14 and older (age of consent law is 14). When she is 17, she is old enough to consent to sex, but not enter into any business contracts (age of majority), nor is she old enough to get married (age 20 for females). When she is 18/19, she is old enough to consent to sex and business contracts, but not get married (socially she is still considered a kid).

Also, her childish voice reflects the main female character in the novel The End of Eternity who is 27, but according to the main male character ( who is 32) she is still a child because she doesn't know about Eternity the place where he works. Hidden Love is structured like the novel The End of Eternity, the novel shown at least five times in the first two episodes.

I know this is probably more than you wanted to know.

She is upset because she thought that all of her promotions were based on her own merits. When in fact it was him who gave her everything. She really loves him, but he takes her as his bride because he thinks she is a gold digger just like every other girl. The most powerful scene in the first episodes is when she takes off her made up face after being on camera and walks out the door to find a job. She is on her way to finding out who she really is.

The theme for the entire drama is illusion vs. reality. Both are putting on an illusion for each other and the world. From 14 on the illusion falls apart and the real is revealed. This drama is a very well done social commentary on Chinese life.

Hope this helps.

Your interpretation is spot on. In the first part she is putting on an act just like all the rest of the people in the drama. After episode 14 she drops the act and starts to become a real person, thus leading everyone else to start acting like real people as well. The main theme of the drama is illusion vs. reality.