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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After all the pain he went through, he should have exploded, told her everything he had on his heart, instead of simply forgiving her without any explanation after six months of absence.
Their love would have been even stronger if they had gone through this real emotional confrontation. It’s a shame the drama skipped this step!
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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?
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?
THE BEST SHOW EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just finished watching The First Frost, and I am absolutely in awe!Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan have officially stolen my heart. Bai Jingting as Sang Yan—wow, just wow. His ability to portray those deep, quiet emotions had me glued to the screen. You could literally feel his inner struggles and every bit of longing. And don’t get me started on his soft, heart-melting gaze.
Zhang Ruonan brought Wen Yifan to life in such a beautiful way. Her performance was the perfect mix of strength and vulnerability. She made every scene feel so real, and the way she expressed emotions with just her eyes? Goosebumps!
Their chemistry is unreal! It’s that kind of slow-burn romance that just makes you root for them with every fiber of your being. I caught myself holding my breath during their scenes together—every glance, every small gesture felt so loaded with meaning.
And oh my gosh, the cinematography! Every shot felt like a painting. The melancholic visuals, the delicate use of light and shadow, and the way the camera captured even the smallest of emotions—all of it added such a rich, dreamy layer to the story. It wasn’t just a drama; it was pure art on screen.
The First Frost isn’t just a show—it’s an experience. The story, the acting, the visuals—everything comes together so perfectly. I’m still not over it, and honestly, I don’t think I want to be!
I just want to forget everything so that I can watch the show again
If you haven’t watched it yet, what are you waiting for? Prepare your hearts—you’ll thank me later!
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This review may contain spoilers
Heartfelt Second-Chance Romance
As a huge fan of the webtoon and drama of Hidden Love, I had high expectations when I found out The First Frost was being adapted into a drama. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. The casting of both the male lead (Sang Yan) and female lead (Wen Yi Fan) was perfect—they truly embodied their characters, especially when it came to their visuals. I still remember the scene at the bar when Sang Yan and Yi Fan cross paths unexpectedly. He looked absolutely stunning, almost angelic, and that moment really set the stage for their reunion.One of the things I really loved about the drama was how Sang Yan took things slow with Yi Fan. There was no rush in their relationship; he remained patient and loyal, which made their connection feel authentic and deep. His dedication to Yi Fan was incredibly touching and gave their romance a sense of stability and sincerity.
I also enjoyed how the drama subtly weaved in aspects of Hidden Love, which was a nice treat for fans of the webtoon and drama. There were several emotional moments that really struck me, especially when Yi Fan says, “Nobody loves me anymore, only you, SY.” That line hit hard, and you could really feel her vulnerability and longing.
However, while the story was beautiful, the ending left me a bit unsatisfied. The conclusion, focusing mostly on their school days, felt incomplete, and I couldn’t help but wish for more closure. A glimpse of their future, like a wedding scene, would have been the perfect way to wrap things up. Despite that, the overall story was moving. I loved how the male lead never stopped loving the female lead, and how she worked to become a better version of herself. Some might see it as unrealistic, but for me, it was comforting. It's the kind of love story that gives you hope, something beautiful that we may not always experience in real life.
All in all, The First Frost is a touching and emotional drama, with a romance that stays with you. While the ending left me wanting more, the journey of the characters was more than enough to make this story memorable
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I hope the story can develop in the future.
It turned out to be better when reading the manhwa. Here the director messed up the story too much, so it became uninteresting.Wen Yifan's character is indeed beautiful and gentle but looks stupid, does not get meaningful and substantial dialogue. Quite disturbed by music that does not match the conditions. Compared to the previous sequels which are very memorable in terms of story, characters and music that is often played and helps build a sweet atmosphere. Yes, maybe the genre and story are different, but at least make it memorable. Romantic atmosphere is given a romantic song, a sad atmosphere and full of emotion too. But this does not come together At all.Secondly, the second couple actually attracted attention with their funny behavior. It's a shame, even though our main characters are talented and amazing, they are given a lot of parts. But the conversations and things in them are not important at all for character development.
I'm starting to stop watching it, and waiting for the end. There might be something interesting. But for now it's very lacking.
There are several advantages, namely cinematography and the handsome face of the main actor 🙂
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Chinese Drama which raised the bars
You know the cdramas are mostly about bright, funny, lovely story lines and screen plays. This drama take the lovey dovey small moments and blends it with a pretty strong stroy. Music is my favourite and heros acting some of his looks, he just makes you feel like crying for some reason just by his expressions and mind you I didn't watch the more serious scenes yet. The base story line isn't new but the screen play, story telling and if you compare it with other dramas you will find noticeable difference In many locations. Loving my time with this dramaWas this review helpful to you?
Guarenteed Bittersweet, Slowburn, & Gentle Smirks
Overall, delicate production and visually pleasing. Lovely acting and chemistry between Bai and Ruonan, raising up my curiosity every upcoming episode. The back and forth flow of the story makes a bitter, rather sweet feeling. Those who are looking for a drama that offers portrayal of everyday life and it's tough, but real challenges of the world, and just contents that makes you lowkey smirk, this slow-burning pace will surely entice you! Reminds you of how imperfect human are, and how one action after another will change a person as a whole, whether it's an awful deed, or a positive one.Was this review helpful to you?
Story is good, but i feel no chemistry ?
The story is actually good, the conflict is kinda heavy and complicated yet it is wrapped in a very unique and interesting story. The plot & scene is somewhat unique, flashbacking & fast forwarding as well as surprise scene at the end of each episodehowever why i dont feel any chemistry between the main lead ( sang yan & wen yi fam) 😖 idk if its a bad act or smth but the feel is not theree ( compared to both zhuyi’s drama; hidden love and wifty) the couple doesnt really seem to ‘deeply fall in love’. Early episode is kinda boring ( fell asleep while watching 😭), gloomy mood, whispering convo, had to dropped but forcing myself to watchh.
in conclu : story’s good but sorry to say i dont like the act of both main leads :(
[EDIT] : It keeps getting better!! early episode is too boring for me, it is a very SLOW BURN drama, i started to enjoy more of the episode from ep 17/18 i guess. the chemistry is getting better towards the end. well afterall, the storyline is what’s keeping me watching till the end.
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This review may contain spoilers
Heartwarming love story that got shadowed with poor story telling~~
So basically I am in a kind of slump where I want to enjoy the dramas but have lost patience for it. When I started this drama I got invested in it so it means this was good stuff. But (as always there is a but) everything stopped making sense after 16-17 episodes. My issues were pretty similar to the pea size audience who had mixed feelings amongst the seas that rated it 10.1. The number of episodes- They were too long as the story had limited content. This was entirely one woman's story and didn't require 32 episodes. The storytelling through a book is different from that through television. You can write lengthy words and be repetitive which you can't do on TV. The attention span of the audience is much lower with the TV. To cover that all sorts of plots got screentime which added 0 to the theme of production/story like the intern actor or best friend couple and the grandpa story. The mixing of all the plots didn't go well and i ff a lot (ngl pretty much entire section).
2. Sang Yan's character- Pretty bland. The actor is hot and made it look good but there's so much he can do. SY didn't have any solid writing apart from being a romantic interest. I would have taken it had the drama been for superficial masala consumption. Giving so much depth to FL with a flat ML was disappointing. Funny I had this complaint for years about naive FLs, i guess times have changed now. >_<
3. The good part- FL was written brilliantly and the actress did a good job. I was invested in her story. I loved how she worked hard to overcome her circumstances and glad didn't give second chances to people who betrayed her. The romance was so good.
Conclusion- I feel they didn't speak enough of her trauma instead used it to move the romance forward for which i was not satisfied. I lost interest after the second time she left him. It didn't make much sense. That was the breaking point for me and i pretty much skipped scenes thereon. The union was literally the most disappointing with no real explanation.
All in all I won't be so hard on recommending this but if someone wants to watch casual one time dramas then sure go for it. Skipping scenes is always a way out.
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