The First Frost

Too less and Too much

Too less of angst, and too much slow-paced. Starting of the story actually made me feel so much confusion especially that it didn't explain much about how they actually knew each other from the start, it felt complicated. And so, it made me feel pause-stop-rewatch situation during the first few episodes of the show. However, ending it also made me feel like it lacked something - more moments of them together.

Story-wise, it is quite boring at the first few episodes, and it only got me hooked by around the 5th one. Ever since then, I slowly kept up with the story - until the separation arc. To be honest, it felt quite good that there's a part of the show that they inserted it, but then, it also didn't move me much. As for Sang Yan, I can see how his character yearned so much. Yi Fan, however, it made me felt too cold since there is not much really showing how she yearned for him during their separation, or how much she tried to check him out or something - unlike Sang Yan who would literally scavenge the whole world for her. I believe that it's one of the downsides of the story, and it made me feel that the scriptwriter only added that for the sake of the viewers to miss them being together. Yi Fan clearly has an avoidant attachment issue, but they also missed out of her actually reassuring Sang Yan that she won't do it again. She did tell Sang Yan to never disappear again when they dated, but it happened for the second time, what's the possibility of actually her not doing it for the third time? I hope they would've added a scene where another issue arise and she did not leave again, that at least would be a very good reassurance. I felt kind of bad for Sang Yan at that point, 'cause it honestly felt that he is only there whenever it's convenient for Yi Fan, and I don't think anyone is as patient as Sang Yan regarding that. Yi Fan may have been some traumas regarding her past, but her realization during the separation, did not once even come to her mind how she can show a strong reassurance towards Sang Yan to never ever leave again, especially that he is her only family other than her best friend? Which is why, it felt off for me on this part. Another lacking part of the story is the less justice towards women like Yi Fan, I think they deserve more limelight, like at least a little revenge for what generally happen, so it gives the viewers a little satisfaction too. For instance, how that uncle suffered after, and such.

Character-wise, Sang Yan is not a very complicated one, he loves Yi Fan - that is very straightforward right at the beginning. He has some moment where he felt confused and a bit impatient of his feelings towards her, but it somehow is understandable knowing he has always felt that way ever since before. However, I see Sang Yan as somewhat of a static character, other than knowing Yi Fan's past, I don't really see no major changes about him. He has always been caring towards her, soft, gentle, and a lover boy - which what everybody wants as a male lead, but it would have been nice to see him being vulnerable too (except for the separation arc ofc). But then, it is also understandable if there's not really showing off much story about him as a person since the show is basically not his to tell, but Yi Fan's - as the show's title is the meaning of her name. It would have been much better if we can see a different side of Sang Yan though, other than his good ones. On the other hand, Yi Fan as a character is actually very well rounded and dynamic, she slowly changed from being a silent one who loves to keep her feelings to herself, into someone who is brave enough to make changes for her future. And I think, this is part of the reason why both Sang Yan and Yi Fan worked good together, since one person is changing the other one for goodness.

As per the acting, both actors do actually have the chemistry, and are pretty good at showing empathetic emotion, especially Zhang Rou Nan. This is the first drama of her that I've ever watched, and this is convincing me to try her other dramas in the future as well. As per the OSTs, it did not really give much impression towards me, so I can't really say that it's good or bad, it just depends on the preference of who listens to it.

Overall, this drama is pretty good if you are into light dark romances. It too less angst, since I think the villains could've gotten more karma for what they did, but also too much of a slow-paced that there's some plot holes that could've added more to the story. Both the actor's chemistry is undeniable, and the supporting characters story are pretty much interesting as well and didn't bore me out unlike the other dramas. This drama is not generally one of my top modern ones, but it could work out for some.

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greatest love that heals wounds and puts the happiness of the loved one first

Sang yan's love is a love defined by quiet devotion- a love that persists despite rejection, distance and time without expecting anything in return. A love that help him to grow brightly. It's that kind of love where he silently cherishes and supports her,even from afar, never forcing his feelings but always be present. He respects her boundaries, and waits, believing one day, when she is ready, she will find her way to him, open her heart to him. This is a love that stands the test of time- SILENT YET UNWAVERING, DISTANT YET EVER-PRESENT. It's a love that doesn't fade but instead waits in silent hope. She didn't confess before but her untold words, were enough for him to heard and wait. Maybe there are Sang yans out there but all cannot hear those untold words for they leave.
Sang yan is too much fictional even for fictional world.

I’m not obsessed with Bai Jing Ting, but I can’t imagine anyone else playing this role better than him. He made me fall in love with Sang Yan—his arrogance and deep love were just perfect.

Ruonan was really incredible in portraying Yi Fan’s suffering till i'm crying along with her.

Also for Qiao and Hao’an really brought the story to life. Their journey, especially alongside An’s grandparents, was so touching. Their playful, cheerful, yet sharp personalities were such a joy to watch. i guess we should also thank Wang Lin Lin for the rental house and Xiang Lang for mentioned Hong Kong, right?
And of course, Zhi and Sang Yan’s parents, who were full of love. Mu Cheng Yun and A Sen also deserve a mention—some of their words really helped Yi Fan realize her next steps.

Yi Fan is incredibly strong, going through life with a calm exterior. And Sang Yan’s overwhelming love had the biggest impact on her—it gave her strength and made him willing to change so much just to be with her. Even though Sang Yan feels almost too good to be true in this world, I still hope… may this kind of love find me.

The First Frost was my first cdrama in 2025, waited bcs Hidden Love and it was really worth to wait💞

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Good Drama

Very good drama. I liked the ending especially since this drama was 32 episodes, viewers may of forgotten key events and the flashback of it in the end was very nice. Haven't really seen a drama do this in a while.

Romance and execution of it was nice as the plot wasn't smooth sailing the whole time. There were ups and downs along the way, especially FL suffering trauma from family issues. Personally it was a very slow start to the ep so I don't think 32 eps is needed and it would be better if it was shortened. The grandpa plot was quite boring and they shouldn't be focused as much. I didn't mind Si Qiao and Hao An being together and having their own part. Just the grandparents mainly.

I think that episode 24 was when it started to get interesting. Very good as there was some sort of action in the drama when it's 24 episodes in, otherwise it would get very boring if it was constantly just romance. I think that was the moment where I wanted to find out more of what happens in the next ep. Very good acting from Xing De.

What I don't like is the FL fleeing for the second times to Hong Kong. 6 months too. That is a very long time and it doesn't make sense to me why she fled the second time. Did she not learn from the first time? Where was the personal development in this - can't be realistic I know since it is a drama after all so I will let it slide. Also wished they added a scene when FL found out that the ML was the one he was talking to in the game they were playing (his username was cool also as it was 败将 with the second character being Wen ShuangJiang and the overall word meaning to lose/being defeated so the metaphor is 'lost to Wen Shuang Jiang').

At the start was childhood times and then at the end was a more detailed version of a scene that had occured not long ago
Beginning of the episode had a few words with elipsis. Then end of the episode it completes the sentence. This was unique


For the below, don't think you will understand if you aren't Chinese.

What was the odds of FL teaching dance speaking Mandarin in Hong Kong. Majority speak Cantonese but can speak Mandarin but the clubs are usually Cantonese. I have never really seen clubs that speak Mandarin mainly. When FL was working in HKG and the owner of the restaurant scolded her in Cantonese, that was funny because in reality it is the same 'harshness'. Atleast they had an actual Hong Kong person be in charge of the dance (could tell from his accent that he wasn't a native speaker - making it more HK authentic).
In Episode 31, on the blackboard there was a love heart with a bunch of text in it. This was very interesting as it was like a poem with the use of lots of metaphors foreshadowing things that will happen to a human being.
The last line of Episode 32 using the word '哄' is quite nice as the title is translated 'hard to comfort. Don't really know how to explain this to be honest.
Good reference to the Chinese Calendar 'Shuang Jiang' along with the snowflakes - I kinda forgot what date this was when I first got introduced to it in the drama (haven't seen this term in a while).

Overall, in my opinion on the drama, I think that this had funny moments as there were some inside joke that was played that did make me laugh on some of them. Some people didn't like this drama as they said 'the 2 of them don't have chemistry'. In my opinion they do as I rate it based off how playful they are and their personality.

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Fluffy yet angsty

March 19, 2025

WAW. This is probably the first drama that I finished and did not drop for this year.

First Frost is a heavy drama I must say, given the FL background and how she deals with her mental health. This drama for sure is not like Hidden Love although they are part of the same universe.

I understand why this show has gained a traction in popularity with the viewers and I think it is pretty well deserved. The plot was pretty decent, I did think that some subplots for the second leads or other characters could have been slimmed down. There are instances where I feel like they took over a whole episodes and that could have been given to the leads.

I think that the chemistry we have here is through the roof. Sang Yan's is the greenest, a whole forest type of man. FOR SURE HE ONLY EXISTS IN FAIRYTALE FICTIONAL LAND BUT I HOPE HE EXISTS. A MAN CAN DREAM AM I RIGHT

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SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THIS SHOW

When I wanted to watch it for the first time, I had no idea that this was a hidden love spin-off. So let's say I neither was prejudiced against it nor hyped for it. I just saw the poster(not the main one on kisskh), thought it looked super nice and gave it a try. And Girl was this show soooo my cup of tea;)))
it think the most important aspect of romantic shows is the acting of the main characters and first frost NAILED it. Everything about the acting was on point. I absolutely deeply felt the longing and angst of the ML and the pain of the FL. The way they hugged each other , their chemistry and everything about them touched my heart. let's say these two live on my mind rent free even after almost a year.( and I mean Sang Yan is really handsome so that indeed plays a huge role:))) )
About the story, I can say it's not a brand new one but the way it is executed, makes it worthy and unforgettable. it tackles with dark subjects like SA and worse but the overall vibe of the show is light. However, It is more mature than most dramas of this genre. Some storylines weren't the best but it can be overlooked; at least it didn't bother me that much.
If you look for a romance show with generally mature plotlines and great acting, then you must give it a try. you will most probably enjoy the heck out of it.

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This drama was the perfect balance between emotional depth, humor, and constant support from both partners. Trust me, there were definitely hard traumatic parts to watch, like Wen Yifan's back-story. But, I loved seeing their journey from childhood at school all the way to adulthood. Sang Yan is the ideal partner in a relationship. Throughout everything they went through together, he never stopped loving her and always protected her through everything. I genuinely have no criticisms for this drama. Also, I have like this whole drama's OST soundtrack on my playlist so...another plus!

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WOW...hard to come up with adequate words!

If you are a fan of incredible storytelling, complex characters, amazing acting and a beautiful OST, this is the drama for you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

It's been several months since I finished watching for the first time. Absolutely blown away, I rewatched it immediately. Then I found the book online and read it -- twice. And then I rewatched The First Frost again. Since then, I've tried to get into other dramas but none have the pull of The First Frost. Seriously, I compare every story to this one, every character to those in this one, every soundtrack to this one.

This is the most beautiful story and best acted and cinematically shot drama I've seen (and I've seen a lot). It gets deep into your soul to give you something to think about and ponder when you're not watching. It's really that good.

My only complaint is that the writers got sidetracked by the 2nd couple's story and that part (and ONLY that part dragged for me. Compared to the main couple's story, how in the world could it compete???). On rewatch, I hate to admit I FF'd through any scenes with the grandparents in them. It in no way affects this beautiful story and probably shaved an hour or so off of rewatch time.

WenYiFang and Sang Yan live rent free in my head and I'm more than okay with that!

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Worth the tears, bring the tissues- Sister to Hidden Love

It took me a while to start this drama, something told me to hold off. I binged and dropped many dramas of various genres before I came back to this title. I found out that this was the big sister to Hidden Love which I highly enjoyed and then began appreciating this drama even more. This drama is profound, not a casual watch. It is emotionally charged from the beginning and it brings you in, wanting to know more. The longing glances, the hurt expressions, the twinkling eyes, the subtle changes in the background music, or different lighting and camera angles... The whole crew did an amazing job. As my roommate said upon sitting for 5 minutes to watch it as tears streamed down my face "Man! This is freaking good. I'm getting emotional and I'm not even invested!"

If you are looking for a drama without contrived drama, if you understand that not everyone loves the same, if you are okay with exploring heavy topics in an emotionally raw fashion, if you love to see justice served but not without the injury first, if you love to see two people find, grow and love each other through it all then this may be the drama for you.

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Green flags don't have to be boring. Here's proof.

This modern romance drama has my whole heart. There. That's the review.
O, right...I need to add more to persuade you to watch this as well.

Let the men in your life know that this is what we mean when we say we need them to be a green flag. Carrying a torch for years and years, while never crossing he line, staying in her life (either seen or unseen) and making sure she is ok and protected. And when he finally meets her after a long time apart, he remains the calm, but strong force she needs. Giving her a shoulder, a home. Never pushing her boundaries, never expecting anything from her but to be herself.

All this while never really hiding his feelings, but in a way that is totally safe. He is passionate though, and we can see how he craves to be closer. But he never lays that on her. He cherishes her completely, supprting her in whatever she wants to do. Not one of us deserves such a man.

In the meantime, our girl is working through STUFF. Bad stuff. Traumatizing stuff. But she hides it all, to the point she leaves once again to not be a burden to him. Because that's how she has been treated all her life. As a burden. To her mother, her aunt and uncle, her teachers, her employers... No wonder she just wants to disappear. When she finally decides she will no longer be played or afraid, she takes the control back and has the courage to love our man like he deserves (As does she, btw!)

The best thing in this drama is that in all 32 episodes, it never gets boring. The pace varies, but even in the slow-paced parts it's still completely captivating. This is mostly thanks to the sub-plots and side characters, which are all equally well written and wonderful. The dialogues are chef's kiss, there's humor, drama, cuteness and passion. Nothing NC, but great kisses and a lot of them.

Go watch! Now!

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Overhyped, hollow performances, plot in service of visuals

I know I'm in the minority here, but aside from a fantastic OST, this drama was an empty, paint-by-the-numbers affair, very one-dimensional. It honestly felt like a bunch of fan serviced slapped together with some trauma in between to glue everything together. The entire thing felt formulaic, like they took all the pieces that people fangirl about on tiktok - a gorgeous lead couple, a cute second lead couple, a FL with a tragic backstory, a ML who is a 100% green flag coded - and tossed it into a pot and said "ta da!".

And the chemistry, or lack thereof: I know everyone thinks the chemistry was insane between the main leads but to me it all fell really flat. The FL is adorable. the ML is cute. There are lots of scenes that should have been chemistrying, but the screenwriters didn't do the work to build the ML up as a person beyond his long-time crush on the FL, so none of the yearning, the self-sacrifice, and the sweet scenes feel earned. And what's more, the way the scenes were constructed was so obvious and clumsily executed that there was no charm. No "movie magic". Just two very pretty people going through the paces.

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