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A beautiful, healing love story
I honestly don't even know where to begin in my review of this, since I honestly don't have much to complain about. I was coming into this as a huge Hidden Love fan, so the chances of me disliking it were pretty slim, but even though I had huge expectations for this drama it still managed to surpass them.The casting was absolutely perfect, to start. Bai Jingting did such an amazing job as Sang Yan, and made me fall absolutely head over heels in love with his character pretty much immediately. I'd never seen him in anything before so I didn't necessarily know what to expect, but I'd seen a lot of people hyping him up prior to the drama being released and he absolutely managed to reach the expectations that were set for me.
Zhang Ruonan especially was absolutely perfect as Wen Yifan. She played her role so convincingly, and managed to hit every single emotional beat perfectly. She completely shattered my heart with her performance, and I will absolutely be watching more dramas that she has starred in.
Together, both actors had amazing chemistry and I loved watching their story unfold. I also especially appreciated how gentle and patient Sang Yan was with Wen Yifan, and how unwaveringly dedicated he was to her throughout everything she went through.
As for the second leads, I also loved the casting of both Zhong Siqiao and Su Haoan. The actors both did a great job with their roles, and as a couple they also had great chemistry. My only small criticism for the drama overall was their storyline. A lot of their arc revolved around the SML's grandpa, and it felt like far too much of the focus was on that part of the story and it completely overshadowed their relationship for me. I didn't really feel like I got to see them really connect and fall in love with each other, since every time they were in a scene together the main focus was on what was happening with the grandfather, and his story really wasn't that engaging at all. I was quite disappointed with this part of the drama since it left the second lead couple falling quite flat and it just kind of felt like wasted potential.
I also think this drama was shot absolutely beautifully - so many of the scenes looked so visually stunning and it really added to the atmosphere. I also really enjoyed the way each episode was structured, with the opening scene(s) showing more of Sang Yan and Wen Yifan's relationship and background from school through to university, and the closing scene(s) showing a little tidbit of Sang Yan's POV of other things that we saw in the episodes. The OST was also absolutely perfect, and I've had the songs stuck in my head ever since it finished.
Overall, despite my tiny issue with the second lead couple and their storyline falling quite flat, I absolutely adored this show and I can see myself rewatching this several times in the future.
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Worth to wait a year!!
I have checked this page probably every day for the last 3 months, but I have been waiting at least a year for it to come out. Absolutely worth it! I love a good slow burn, and this delivered more than a slow burn! It has a great story, amazing acting, amazing visuals and amazing stories. Even with my favorite show, I am known to skip forward a lot and I never start a show before it is finished. I have never skipped one scene, not even the old grandparents, more than that I watched many scened a few times. This was so warm and heartwarming.Sang Yan is one of the greenest flags I have ever seen, and Wen Yifan has one of the best character developments ever. At first, I was skeptical about Bai JinTing. I love the man in comedies, he delivers so well, even with his eyes... However, he played the cold-faceted yet golden-hearted, silly goose in love so well! His looks made it even better. I am so glad he was chosen to act as Sang Yan.
FL has displayed the scared and scarred little teenager to the brim. She reflected the emotions and love so well. I was about to get annoyed with the character right around the ending but, no, quick saves!!! And as characters, they were both super understanding and willing to grow out of it. Although I believe he needs the comfort of having her trust and safe harbor, he was there for her without judgment.
I appreciate this drama so much. I think it will go down as my all time favorite show in the history.
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful and captivating drama
This is just a beautiful drama.There are not so many dramas in recent years that have me smiling , giggling and excited for the couple. This is one of the few. I loved this so much, I gave a review after the 10th episode and the review stayed consistent till the end.
The chemistry was through the roof and the acting was superb. Very big kudos to the actress for portraying her character so well. I felt the depression, trauma , tears through the smiles. She really did a very good job.
Now the ML has caught my attention in previous dramas like reset and you are my hero (both amazing dramas). He is such a natural and didn’t disappoint at all. His character here is the greenest flag I have ever watched in a ML. His love and gestures towards the FL is very reminiscent of the kind of love in older k dramas. I can’t even explain it but I was hooked lol .
The OST/ music wow….., let me just say my Shazam was working overtime. The music captured the emotions in the scenes and made them more impactful. I don’t remember liking any Chinese drama ost but this one , every song was perfect.
The Side characters were also very good. I loved the bromance and the friendships. The toxic Family dynamics were portrayed well. I felt bad for the FL mum until I didn’t feel bad for her anymore lol. I am glad there was no unnecessary redemption arc.
What I didn’t care too much for:
- Grandpa and grandmas story , it was cute at first then they started getting more screen time, I had to skip a lot of their scenes.
- The second ghosting arc was unnecessary and the reunion after that was also too forgiving and quick.
- The flash backs became redundant at some point towards the end.
Overall
Highly recommend this drama, especially if you are in a drama slump. It’s just a great watch. I wish I didn’t watch it yet so I could watch it for the first time again 😅
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Best modern Drama of 2025 so far
I went into this drama a little scared cos I knew how heavy it was going to be,and I was scared of how it would turn out bcs not many actors know how to potray grief,depression etc but ruonan literally devoured like she’s amazing. the way she potrays her pain is so beautiful,and let’s not even talk about BJT he never disappoints and he definitely wouldn’t start now,Sang Yan is on my top 3 characters played by him. He embodies this role so well. BJT and Rounan’s chemistry are really of the charts,they make me giggle and blush so hard. So far out of the modern drama’s of 2025 this is the best.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
To everyone who is here for a hidden love 2.0 I’m sorry to tell you this is not it.
First Frost is a complex story that deals with several darker themes like, SA hurt/comfort, verbal and physical assault and a feeling of abandonment from family.Hidden Love was told from the eyes of Sang Zhi, who was a literal child when the drama started and was still a well protected child even as she grew up, hence the themes in the drama are lighter, more softened and overall a brighter landscape.
Here however, Wen Yifan grew up in a completely different household. Her family is a mess and she had to suffer being SA’d by her uncle, and even after that he came back to harass her, asking for money and other things from both Wen Yifan and Sang Yan was really a light at the end of the tunnel for yifan. A safe space for her to let her guard down in.
I’ll tell you exactly why Sang Yan I green-forest coded:
The reason I love Sang Yan is because his love language is literally acts of service. He knows she doesn’t eat much and that’s why she’s so baka-piece (thin) and so he always buys or makes extra food so he can *act nonchalant* and give it to her. When he finds out about her sleepwalking, instead of being frightened he’s more concerned about her hurting herself in his absence so he babyproofs the entire room and puts lights around just so that she would be safer.
[ NOVEL SPOILERS AHEAD ]
One of my favourite thing from the novel was in the last chapter where Sang Yan and Yifan were at the police station and Sang Yan goes “Remember, I am your pillar of support” like he is always there for her to lean on when she needs him.
[ SAFE ]
another thing I really like about the Zhu yi-verse (we might as well call it that now) is that now we can think of it as points of view, ykwim? Like in Hidden Love with CZY playing DJX we can imagine that is what DJX looks like from SZ point of view and Victor Ma is what Sang Yan looks like from SZ’s point of view, and in First Frost, in Wen Yifan’s view, BJT is what Sang Yan looks like and that cutie who played DJX is what DJX looks like to Sang Yan. It’s a funny little thing.
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This series broke my heart and heal it at the same time
Few takeaways from this series:1. It’s okay not to be okay. Do whatever it takes to heal from trauma—even if it sometimes hurts the people around you. Those who truly love you will understand.
2. Treat yourself well, and the world will treat you well.
3. No matter how low you may think of yourself, you still deserve the best—just allow yourself to see it.
4. Lastly, when a man truly falls in love, he will hold on to you no matter what it takes or how long it takes.
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Damn, This Is the First Time I’ve Written Such a Long Review!
I first heard about The First Frost a year ago because of Bai Jing Ting, but at that time, I had no idea it was about Sang Yan. Then, about six months ago, I found out through the comments section that this drama is actually his story—and that got me so excited! I loved Hidden Love so much that I rewatched it 3 to 4 times within just 10 days of its airing. But one thing always bugged me—I wanted to know more about her brother. I never imagined he had his own novel, let alone a drama adaptation!Now, let me be clear—this drama is not for everyone. If you're expecting the same vibes as Hidden Love, you might be disappointed. But if you watch it with a fresh perspective, I’m 100% sure you'll love it. Yes, some episodes felt a bit slow—not because of the main leads, but the second leads’ parts didn’t interest me as much. Who knows, though? Maybe after my second or third rewatch, I’ll end up liking them too.
For me, the best episodes were from 1 to 15. Then, between episodes 15 to 26, they gave more screen time to the second leads and their grandpa, which I personally found a bit boring. But hey, you might like those parts—it really depends! What I can say for sure is that the editing, music, and cinematography are top-notch. The flashbacks of their high school days and Sang Yan’s POV clips? Damn, they added so much depth to the story. That’s what made me fall for this drama even more than Hidden Love. Don’t get me wrong—I still love Hidden Love. Its story is great, but it only really stabilizes after she enters college. The First Frost, on the other hand, is solid from start to finish.
So my advice? Give it a try. Watch until at least episode 15-20 before deciding whether to drop it. Honestly, this is the best C-drama I’ve watched so far—yes, even more than Hidden Love (No hate to Hidden Love! This is just my opinion—no one or drama was harmed in the process of writing this review. Just chill 😆).
Oh, and one last thing—please listen to the OST and read the lyrics. They are absolutely amazing. I’ve never liked C-drama music as much as this before, and now I’m actually thinking about learning Chinese just so I can understand the lyrics without needing translations!
So yeah—just try it, and you’ll know what I mean.
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Bai Jingting delivers a heartfelt performance as Sang Yan — a man who hides his guilt and affection behind sarcasm and restraint. His every glance carries emotion, his quiet moments say more than words ever could. Zhang Ruonan as Wen Yifan is equally compelling — fragile yet resilient, she embodies a woman who has learned to protect herself from love, only to rediscover its warmth through patience and understanding.
Their chemistry feels natural, grounded, and beautifully understated. The drama doesn’t rush them; instead, it lets the tension breathe. Shared silences, hesitant smiles, and small gestures become the language of love. Every episode feels like watching two people slowly melt the frost around their hearts.
Visually, the series is stunning — filled with muted colors, soft lighting, and quiet cityscapes that mirror the emotional distance between the leads. The pacing is calm but deliberate, allowing each moment to linger.
What makes “The First Frost” special is its honesty. It doesn’t romanticize pain — it acknowledges it, showing that healing isn’t instant and love doesn’t erase the past, but helps us move through it.
In the end, it’s a story about timing, forgiveness, and the courage to begin again. “The First Frost” doesn’t shout to be heard — it whispers, and somehow, that whisper stays with you long after it ends.
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Simply Excellent
Just to be brief without any frills or spoilers... This series is truly excellent. Zhang Ruo Nan once again proves she is sensational and grounded in her work. The acting from the entire cast, but especially Zhang Ruo Nan and her costar were so immersive. They embodied and played their characters with amazing depth and it was clear that the direction and writing were attuned and brought out the best in their performances. The story was well developed, well paced, and each piece worked cohesively with the characters allowed to drive the action. I am just so deeply impressed and proud to see Zhang Ruo Nan in this amazing role. I heartily recommend!Was this review helpful to you?
Sublime
Love, warmth, and everything in between.TFT is an intense experience walking us through dark nights, holding us close in its warmth in the cold, making space for silences and allowing trust to find its way back.
Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruonan are hauntingly captivating in their slow dance - Sang Yan being gentle and careful and wenfei hesitating but willing. A million lights light up when they get together, hope bubbling with every new day.
Excellent acting. Superb direction/ screen play. Music could have been even better but still great overall. Highly recommended for deep romance fans.
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the best chinese drama ive ever watch
the best of the best cdrama ive ever watch 😭 been watching cdrama since 2015 and this made it to the top for me. i dont think i will ever move on from it, from the plot, the actors, the songs, everything 😭🤍 became my source of happiness and comfort since february. i hope there would be a s2, or even just a special episode. wanna see the marriage life of sang yan and wen yifan 🥹 ++ the actors have the most amazing chemistry!! i hope they will have another project together someday!! 🥹🫶Was this review helpful to you?
Awsome, healing story - Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruo Nan did a fantastic job
I've read the novel and i liked it.It's a difficult story and I have had mixed emotion about the adaptation and some reservation on the leads too.
I was very excited and i had reserved the show, but later with some fearcaused by other novel with bad adaptation i started watching it only the second day, but i really really loved it.
I think it's wonderful, a work of poetry, a true masterpiece.
I loved the story, the adaptation, the soundtrack, the actors... everythings are absolutely perfect.
The actors gave such depth to the characters...
I really don't understand the haters, the novel reader's haters.
It's true that there are little differences, but which adaptation doesn't have it and here the overall story remain the same.
My characters image of the protagonists were slightly different from the adaptation but i admit that i really loved this interpretation.
The leads actor did a very good job, from the expression to the clothes style.
The pace was very slow, because the story is so, therefore i hope who doesn't know the story to give a little more time before giving up because it's worth. The episodes became better and better and i think it's difficult to watch such a satisfactory last episode.
I loved the attention the production gave to every single detail in the story.
I loved how they showed what wasn't written in the original story, but It makes sense as of an other pov, on the personality and actions described in both the novels.
It really gave you new insight of the story.
The soundtrack really fit the story.
It's a very healing story.
The script and the dialog are very well written and contain many quotes from the novel.
Rewatch the story is very recommanded because the story, the dialog and also because every time you can spot new details.
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