Hidden Love (2023)

A FAIRYTALE ABOUT A FALLEN MILKY WAY :CRUSH + BUTTERFLIES!

A drama that counters on the POV of a young girl with a head full of love. the sweet feel of going back to the moment of that crush, reliving those feelings of doing those little crazy things for love. Stalking them?👀 Smiling at every little details you got of or with me, blushs and heart flutters at the simple sight or action of them. ah, That feeling of first love is always one that lingers forever. And that is what we view here from Sang zhi pov.

Call her weird, call her Silly but she's just a realistic portray of us at such age and it's rather refreshing to see.

And what if your crush is not your classmate..not the typical popular tsudere guy in school? not your typical Bad boy in school? but rather your Elders brother's friend who is 5 years older..

Of course things are about to get interesting!

This drama is one ready to give all those feels of a naive first love and won't forget to load It with endless BUTTERFLIES, sweetness overloaded I say and I mean it.

The acting? Gosh! it's on another level of real! I can't help but believe that this is what these casts are in real life. I can't stop praising lusi acting enough because she is bagging in this time.

if you watched Gen Z( I highly recommend you do) then you'll understand me when I say, This is literally the opposite of whom she is there! the switch up! wow!

Lusi had me impressed when she was portraying the 17 year old version! it was so convincing! Like I believed she was that age! and when she switched up much Older.. Gosh, give her an award already 😂😂

The ML, this should be my 3rd drama from him (our secret, Mr bad and this) and believe me when I say this is the best from him. His acting here had me smiling each time. he did it so well that I'm forced to believe he was actually the GEGE or an older brother to Lusi! The scenes of him helping her with studies when she was 17..their conversation. it was basically older brother younger one coded. Kudos

The other support roles are currently doing just fine for their forte and roles and especially the one playing Sang yan role. Gosh, why is this my first time seeing him?? he's amazing! And he has the best dynamic for me here with sangzhi. Their brother sister duo is on another level of BEAUTIFULLY REALISTIC ( I can relate lol)

The ost of this show is just benefiting and suitings the lyrics really are speaking the storyline and it's interesting to see. my fav song from this has to be FOREVER LOVE ( too bad they barely sing it😭)

And for the plot? do I need to say much? it's simple yet beautiful.

I basically didn't expect much from it since the plot was not grand. Your typical Crush tale with a pinch of age gap. So I won't call the plot a masterpiece. But what I shall call NICE Is the way the story is being told. the pacing is remarkable. and the storytelling is Ok.

I've seen people ( Annoying people) call this The Pedophilia word or so . Just because FL liked ML from her 14 year old and when he was 19...Like. Excuse me?

Setting Things straight, This is not IT! You can't judge the drama from literally 10 min into ep1. Or from synopsis. This drama ( Compared to the novel of 7 year old gap) reduced it to 5 year old. And not only that, made remarkable detailed efforts to make the narrative suitable and comfortable to view.

Firstly, A fourteen year old having a crush is not a crime! And on someone older is not a crime. unless this so called older person reciprocates the love...The red flag!
But the narrative of this drama was so careful to not do that! Even when the child actor was introduced. There was no Romantic sparks AT ALL. I for one watching only got the stare of the kid as a sisterly stare for ML. Lol. so stop complaining about the child actor there. it was clear with the kid's Arc that nothing Romance was on. She didn't even stare at him romantically 💀

and even when lusi stepped in, the ML didn't like her at her young age. so stop with the false rumours. It's caused by your lack of understanding of the storyline and narrative.

Because basically this drama did a good job to keep a legal Greenflag Romance drama and they nailed it. Just wanted to clear it up.

If I say I waited 1 year for this drama, Then You heard that right 🥹. Basically knew when the drama was announced and when the leads were being picked (I prayed for Zheyuan to be lead because I feared Lin Yin couldn't execute the characters as I wanted 😅) And waited till end of shooting to see this and I have to say..I'm not disappointed!

although I haven't read the Novel or comic because I'm a lazy reader. I still think the drama did a good job it it's aspects and still waxing strong. Highly recommended

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I LOVE

When I first started watching this show, I didn't really expect much, but let me tell u I got MAJOR butterflies from it. Most people are pretty annoyed of the FL (Sang Zhi) when she was younger in the beginning, before the time skip to the main story. Which makes sense, bcs she is basically supposed to be a bit spoiled and immature kid, kind of how Jiaxu first saw her as nothing more than something like a little sister. You just have to keep on going for a few episodes if this annoyed you, trust me it's worth it. Once you get to the main story you will be jumping and squealing, at least I did, I know some people look for different things. I really loved seeing Sang Zhi grow and become more mature, as well as seeing Jiaxu's feelings start to change when he realizes Sang Zhi is no longer the little sister he remembered. AHHH it's so cute. I do feel like the plot wasn't as strong, since there really wasn't much other than the romance between the leads. I wish the delved into their dreams or goals more, since it didn't really seem like Sang Zhi had much. She said she did, but that was more of a result of her wanting to be around Jiaxu. I wanted to understand her more as Sang Zhi, not just a girl who liked Jiaxu since she was 14. I know she liked to draw, but I don't fully understand her dreams. I guess Jiaxu kind of did, but not so much Sang Zhi. Another thing I do wish, but it's not too important. I wish there was saucy scenes, but its rated G so we can't have, but that's okay. Nothing too saucy, but kind of like that scene from business proposal hehe jkjk. It is their first relationship so both of them aren't as experienced, so its cute. I guess it is more of a cute innocent feel-good TV show, definitely good to watch when you're feeling down. It is my favorite drama I've seen in a long time since it was totally swoon worthy.

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Slow burn, simple, charming

This was a no frill romance, yet perfectly executed.
So charming, simple, pure and just transports you into a world of warmth and everlasting love.
Perfect prescription for a rainy day, feel good moment.

The ML and FL are excellent with sizzling chemistry and intimacy is heart fluttering.
The brother is excellent. Never once drops his relationship with the sister.
That little girl who comes in the first few episodes is absolutely cute. There is so much mischief in her eyes and she pulls off the perfect brat scene well.

My only gripe with most c- dramas is the use of the squeaky baby voice....why why why is that so popular when it is irritating to most global viewers?

And the other irritating part are the tiny skirts and shorts that the girls have to wear.
Do the regional local girls actually wear such tiny skirts and shorts that almost reveal their groin areas?
If they do then I guess it's fair for cdramas to portray them otherwise it's sexist and actually turning-off.

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Love! Love! Love!

This is my first time writing a review!! OH MY GODDD🤌🏻😩❤️ This drama have my whole heart. The best CDRAMA I've watched till date!! If anybody are willing to watch it, just go for it without any second thought. You will never regret watching this.
Actually I became fan of CHEN ZHEYUAN after watching Our Secret. His Screen Presence and Acting are just amazing. 💗 Andddd, after watching this... He took my whole heart away with him 😭 How handsome that guy is!! 🤌🏻
The Chemistry between lead pairs is too beautiful to watch 😍 The best lead pair as far. You will never ever get bored by them at any point.
The story is well engaging... Everything is taken perfectly!!❣️
I don't have any favourite female lead till now... But from now, ZHOU LUSI will be the one 🤌🏻💗
Why only 25 episodes for such a beautiful story!!! I really miss them already 🥺
The ML and FL charecters were too good!! Not including any spoilers... People who have not watched it yet, Go for it!!

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STRUCK MY HEART!!!

Can this be considered as a drama or whattttt??
It is one of the best drama i have ever seen

The Story - WOW!!
The Cast - WOW!!
The Acting - WOW!!
The Music- WOW!!
THE DRAMA - JUST WOWWWWW!!!!

The Main thing about this drama is that it is light and soothing , it gives a feel. of satisfaction , happiness , etc.
Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu have the best chemistry and no words can be used to express that

So Hidden Love is a 10/10 for me for being that perfect light romance drama that makes you blush in and out with the butterflies. it's worth checking out for the fluffy, sugar factor!! Would definitely recommend it!!

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The ultimate sweet romance.

You think you saw unproblematic, cute, heartwarming and wholesome dramas? Let me tell you, none comes even close to Hidden Love. It’s an ultimate sweet romance.

Easily the best aspect of the show was how natural and real everything felt, and I’m not talking about just the romance. The relationship between the siblings? Exactly how it usually looks like in real life. The friendships? Hilarious and relatable - both for guys and the girls. How people act when they are drunk, sick, sad, happy, shy, excited - both the way it was written and then performed was just… natural, and that’s the best compliment a drama can get.

Still, the highlight, the core, the true beauty of Hidden Love was the blooming romance between Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xiu. What started as a teen crush, turned into one of the most healthy and balanced relationships I have seen in any drama ever. Getting into the show I was afraid how they would handle the age gap. 5 years is not much, but it is not little considering the age Sang Zhi was. The writer did not disappoint.

What I loved the most about the relationship was the fact I could see true partnership between the leads. It was not an older guy just taking care of a younger girl sacrificing everything for her happiness. They also did not make Sang Zhi this unrealistically mature, 20 acting 30. They became each other's emotional support, they handled issues in a mature way while still believably presenting characters in their early and mid twenties. They also delivered some good kissing scenes, no fishes to be found on set ;)

And you know what’s great? The leads were amazing as a couple, but they were also great as their own individuals! While there were moments I found Sang Zhi’s behavior too sweet for my taste, it’s simply impossible not to love her. She was emotionally strong, empathic, driven and supportive. Then we have Duan Jia Xu - honestly too good to be real, and that makes me feel depressed. Good natured, patient, protective. But I also appreciated his own arc and the depiction of the loneliness he was facing.

What’s more to love? The sibling dynamics between Sang Zhi and Sang Yan. I’ve got both comedic and touching scenes. Yes, they might have fought a lot, but they also cared for each other deeply. And honestly? The bickering scenes between them were some of my favorite moments in the drama.

One thing that caught my attention production wise were the outfits picked for the characters. Not only did I love the slight couple matches Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu were wearing (even before they became a couple, their colors always matched), I also literally wanted to steal the whole wardrobe from Sang Zhi.

The acting from the whole case was so good it got me jealous watching. Jelly for the romance, the friendship, the family dynamics. It all seemed so real and so wholesome. I knew Chen Zhe Yuan is a good actor after watching Our Secret, but he was so much better in Hidden Love (even though I did not think it’s possible). Zhao Lu Si's little mannerism added to the realism of the character she was portraying and I could not stop smiling while watching her performance.

Anything I did not enjoy? Not that into the “debtor” story, or rather the closure it got. With how serious it was introduced, I expected something more to happen for it to end. I was also completely not interested in a love story of one of Sang Zhi’s roommates.

Overall, for modern romance fans, this is a golden standard. I’m extremely pleased I’m ending 2023 with this drama. Nothing better than entering the new year with a new found crippling loneliness after seeing the most perfect couple in dramas history.

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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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So happy to watch this drama... Fluffy rom-com with a lot of maturity...

Story about a girl named Sang Zhi (SZ) that falling in love with her brother's friend, Duan Jia Xu (JX). First they know each other when SZ still in junior school. Capture by the handsome & kindness that JX give her, the feeling start growing in SZ heart. After SZ start her university day, their love story begin their journey.

What I like:
+ Zhao Lu Si & Chen Zhe Yuan chemistry quite good. Zhao Lu Si with her usual cute & funny character. & what I really like is how Zhao Lu Si can make we sense the growing/maturity in SZ.
+ How JX really respect SZ. A few times he ask for permission when he want their relationship step further. Like how he ask for holding hands, kissing or even when they finally sleeping together.
+ How mature SZ is. Like how she handle JX's dad problem with the past. Although she sometimes quite childish, she's like a little princess in her home, but she show some maturity in other aspect.
+ How they keep communicating & have openness in their relationship. Like JX just telling SZ about his family problem, even when they just start the relationship, nothing JX feel the need to hide from SZ. So there is no such thing silly misunderstanding.
+ And I kinda happy to see Zeng Li played as SZ's mom, that give her love. It's kinda redemption for how she treated Zhao Lu Si in Love Like Galaxy. Haha...

Overall this really one good rom-com that I think I'll gonna keep re-watching... ^^

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STORYLINE VERY GOOD , VERY RECOMMENDED.

Sang Zhi falls in love with Duan Jia Xu, a boy who often comes to her house to play games in his older brother's room. He is five years older than her. Sang Zhi had a crush on Duan Jia Xu when she was young, but they lost contact with each other for some reason. After he graduated, he joined the university in the city where he was, and during their intimate and close daily interactions, they slowly fell in love.

Really support this drama chinese , the story line is never boring watching in every episode ❤️❤️ This the first drama me very recommended for you all.The chemistry between actors chen zhe yuan & zhao lu si is very good.

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