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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Just my thoughts on this show!!!
It was a random pick, no one recommended it to me, I watched a reel and immediately looked for it and yeah I finished all the 25 episodes plus a special so here is my honest review!!!1. Reality / Fiction:
It's purely fiction💯, I understood how the author of original story created or made up a whole show on thought of "how it will look like if it's too good to be true"
All went well no drama indeed. it's far away from reality and only satisfies the delusions of ppl nvm!!!
2. Story:
A cliche, mediocre and typical, it's good to watch n nothing else, we can predict most of the scenes as what's happening already so.
3. Acting:
FL is such an expressive actress I really appreciate they way she played her role and ML too. Good chemistry.
4. The loop:
it's a delusional story of 'what too good to be true looks like' as I mentioned above, and the childish voice why was director okay with that. It's nice as it's fiction it can be uneasy and discomfort when we think in reality pov like
- 8th class, 14yr old girl first saw 19yr old boy, she likes him because he is good looking and then for kindness which came next after!!!🤓 idk it's her thoughts so idk
- 11th grade, 17yr girl crushing on 22yr guy, okay girl teenage phase can understand, she flew ✈️ to see him as she overheard a rumour like okay!!!
-1st year, 18yr old girl meeting 24yr guy and after being taken care of indeed he should fall for her right like on snowy day!!!🫡
-19yr old girl, her birthday, he is 25yr and it all started like nice, good for them it's fiction
after graduation 👇
-22 her and 27yr him, proposed right away like bro 😄, okay okay marry younger is what writer is telling and settling in life by that age. such delusions.
.
The story is so sweet like good roomates, no exs bs, good parents, good everything and story of ml idk it's unsettling even as fiction. idk why I watched but went on coz I'm bored.
.
Well age is just a number and maturity comes with experiences then idgaf with drama logic because its a pure delulu story. wake up to really pals!!!
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overall, Looks good only to watch and nothing great or impactful drama so, 8.5 star for ost and for crew who worked on this drama, it's my personal opinion so nvm!!!
.
have a great day 💚
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Suggest you start at episode 8
I overall liked this drama, but I hated how young they had the youngest Sang Zhi look. There was too much time taken for the scenes where they were younger and I have a fondness for age-gap stories, provided they don't creep me out. (so for me, historical is better than modern, the older the characters, the more comfortable I am in general.) And the eventual love story that occurs doesn't creep me out, but some of those early episodes would make me feel uncomfortable in a couple places, knowing where it was going.So, when I rewatched, I just skipped those first 8 eps and there were enough flashbacks to tell the story well enough, IMO, and then I still knew she's had a crush on him for forever, but I didn't feel like he was being creepy at all. (I know he's clueless when she's young, but because I "know the future", it can just be looked at in an ugly lens.)
Past ep 8, it's a heartwarming love story, with many of the familiar tropes. But I do like that her mom gets to be nice to her in this one! LOL
Overall, confirms my enjoyment of Zhao Lusi and adds Chen Zhe Yuan to a list of preferred actors.
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very simple but super adorable
I should start by saying that i usually enjoy dramas with more thrill or supernatural tropes, but i was still really hooked by this.This drama was about growing up, falling in love, and life in general and the hardships that come with it. The stages and problems that come with adolecence were captured really well.
Its important to note, that this was a slow burn.
The cast was great! I watched a few of Zhao Lu si's dramas and really adore her acting. She tends to have great chemistry with everyone but her and Chen Zhe Yuans chemistry was unreal!! They looked so in love and their kisses were great!
The drama showed Sang Zhi at very different ages and her styling was always very suitable: the hair, clothes, shoes and phone cases really reflected her age well in my opinion. Same for Jia Xu, but it wasnt as noticable.
Next, about the characters:
- Sang Zhi is very kind, creative, pretty, caring and hard working. She is not perfect and gets protected by Jia Xu but she still stands up for herself and can deal with her problems on her own.
Especially in Cdrama, the female characters tend to be weak and always need their ML to save them so i was really positively surprised by how strong and independent she was.
She was very popular in school but only had two suiters that we know about and they did not trouble her after she rejected them.
The only thing i did not like about Sang Zhi was how soft and 'babyish' her voice was even when she was an adult. It was just a little unsuitable for a strong girl like her in my opinion.
- Jia Xu is a very nice, supportive, hard working, handsome and determined character. He has trouble concerning his family and is financially not well of. He is very skilled and smart but not to the point were he gets annoyingly perfect.
especially the male leads in Cdramas are often emotionless and can do everything perfectly, but he is not like that and i love it!
Moreover, whenever he appears the girls in the back often whisper "handsome" but not 1596 girls have a crush on him at the same time and are annoying and hate Sang Zhi. There is one girl, that troubles him and Sang Zhi because of her feelings but there is also more to it than just attaction and jealousy.
- San Yan and his parents. I always loved seeing them. The whole family was so cute and supportive. They bickered, supported and worried about each other. that was great to see.
This Drama showed a really cute, wholesome, nice and helathy relationship. He asked for concent before holding her hand and kissing her, there was no gaslighting, no frustrating miscommunication, just love.
Sang Zhis relationship with her dorm mates was also really beautifully shown. No jealous friends or anything like that.
Jia Xu and his work-colleagues were also very cute and him and his college friends had nice and realistic friendhips! (i also liked that the plump character Qian Fei got married)
The music was alright. Nothing great or emotional but it fit the vibe well.
Even though i'm glad that there were no unnecessary conflicts, there was also some drama missing, every problem got resolved after a few episodes and that made the drama alittle flat or boring at times. also the timeline was not always easy to follow. One time i thought i missed an episode because it started with a random scene.
All in all, it was a very cute drama, that showed a more realistic, mature, simple and happy relationship. At times it was a little boring if you like dramas with more action.
I can't picture myself rewatching it anytime soon, but i did enjoy it so maybe i will in the future.
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Sweet and tender
Hidden Love it’s a beautiful love story about love, overcoming grief, guilt and building a family. The acting is really good and the OST fun. I don’t know where scriptwriter Shen Fei Xian has been for the past 7 years but, God, I am so glad she’s back!This drama had two MVPs: Sang Yan for opening his home and always being a good friend and brother, and Qian Fei for helping Jian Xu figure out his love life. Where would our leads be without them? Probably still pining for each other.
Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan carry the drama with ease and sizzling chemistry. It was a joy to see their characters fall in love and dealing with everything that came their way as a team with a deep understanding of each other. They made an effort to communicate and this made them stronger and smarter as couple. Wonderful.
If you enjoyed this drama, you might want to check out Love O2O. Shen Fei Xian was also the scriptwriter responsible for that adaptation to the screen and she clearly very talented. And if you have already seen both dramas, then good news: she’s already working on her next project!
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Left me with a quote distasteful end
This show started really well, it is cute and fun, and heart fluttering. We can see the progress on how Sang Zhi took interest in Jiaxu and started to have a crush on him, even visiting him alone to Yihe and made stories up about a boy he met online, to Sang Zhi trying to forget him because of misunderstanding, and rediscover her love for Jiaxu, and also Jiaxu who always takes care of primary school Sang Zhi to college student Sang Zhi and then falling for her. Up until then, I like it so much. The corny romance and playful flirt back and forth, but also with care and thoughtfulness.Until when they dated each other, things kinda started to ick me, when Jiaxu keeps "pushing" himself towards Sang Zhi. I don't know why, it feels rushed and it wasn't the innocent love anymore. I just don't like the sight of him "throwing" himself to Sang Zhi. I am starting to get the cringe on ep 20ish, and therefore I skimmed toward the last episode.
It's just very unfortunate that the drama left me with a not so quite good note. I like both actors but I think the problem is in the writing. It's kinda tacky. Really wish I could finish it with satisfaction.
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Heroine falling in love with her older brother's best friend: such a wholesome and romantic story
This drama depicts the story of Sang Zhi secretly in love with her brother's best friend Duan Jia Xu, who is five years older than her and how their relationship build and develop itself overtime. I really liked the premise of the series as well the pacing of the scenario. There are three acts to the romance and I was particularly seduced by the first one with the introduction and contextualization of the relationship: it kinda broke my heart a little bit but in a wholesome way.It is a really cute age gap romance and the screenwriter managed to make it sweet, believable and not creepy-like. The several part of the story are well done and allow a slow burn that I felt was quite earnest. It was super rewarding to see the male lead figuring out his feelings and the one-sided crush of the female lead evolving as well.
The two main leads were really great with a beautiful chemistry together. The romantic scenes were lovely and convincing and the character were also interesting outside of the romance, with growth storylines as individuals. The main actress make me care about her character, I liked a lot the heroine with her princess attitude, her relationship with her brother and her cuteness. It was never annoying to me and it could honestly have been too much but the actress really found the right balance even in her voice tone and all the little quirks. The male lead was just super swoon-worthy, it is impossible to not get why she fell in love with him and he is kind of clueless, just there at first as a protector which I found really lovable.
The production was quite beautiful...Some scenes were just dreamy and I enjoyed a lot the little drawings and animations over the course of the series. The OST was participating well to the surreal, dream-like atmosphere of the drama, with some appeasing and sweet ballads.
I would recommend this to people looking for sweet romance with an age-gap trope done really well and convincingly without any cringe factor, just wholesome. At its core, the story is super classic. There is also not a lot to be found in terms of secondary characters and layering of storylines. It is super simple and direct, and sometimes, that is just what you need. A wholesome romance, not too long and sweet to the eyes.
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I am envy to their love story .
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet drama centered around a boy and a girl who hide their feelings from each other. The girl falls in love with her brother's friend, who has always cared for her like a big brother. Despite seeing him as more than just a brother since childhood, she never confesses her love, fearing she might lose him. This often places her in awkward situations.The reactions from her brother and family are portrayed as justified. Her brother's perspective is understandable: if his friend had fallen for any other girl, especially one younger than him, it would be acceptable, but falling for his sister is a difficult pill to swallow. The family's concern for her is also depicted in a relatable manner.
I particularly liked the proposal scene; it was the highlight of the drama. The main male lead was, as always, amazing, and the brother was also very impressive. The female lead, their friend circle, and her parents, who are the coolest couple in the drama, all added depth to the story. The supporting characters further enriched the narrative.
Overall, a big thumbs up for this drama!
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Sweet Romance ❤️❤️
Sweet romance❤️❤️ this was a great series. Obvious why so many viewers gave high ratings. Highly recommended!!This had just the right amount of everything (young love, sad and tragic past for ML, true love, belief in the goodness of the other person, having that person realize that they're worth it..... overcomes all obstacles making a person whole again, giving purpose, dedication and happiness). Actors did an amazing job portraying their respective characters. Loved the Male and Female lead (the chemistry and the way they interacted with each other felt like a real love story) and along with all supporting characters.
Overall 10 rating as I can't give any critique. Rewatch value 10.
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A story of pure and unconditional love
Hidden Love is the first Chinese drama I ever watched and I am honestly surprised by how much I love this show. It's just so sweet and heartwarming that no matter how many I watch it I will not get enough and keep coming back for more. That's the extent to which I love and the funny thing is that I never expected to like it so much. So yeah, the sweetness and the tenderness with which this story has been portrayed was outstanding and that's why I give this show a 10/10.I have watched this show a number of times now but hadn't left a review of it on this site until now. I'm here now because I just realized that some haters have been posting negative reviews which have decreased the shows rating from 9.2 to 9.0. Their jealousy is truly astounding. Maybe they should try to make their favourite shows a success rather than try to diminish the success of Hidden Love. You haters can try all you want. It won't change the fact that Hidden Love is a very well loved show because it is relatable.
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Sweet love
It's been a few days since I finished this drama, but I took some time to reflect on it. The feeling of longing is still strong. This drama is so good that even after days, it still makes me sad to think that I've already finished watching it. During these twenty-five episodes, I felt very close to the characters, I laughed with them and cried with them. The casting was perfect, they really showed what good acting and chemistry are. I only have good things to say about this drama. I highly recommend it!Was this review helpful to you?
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