The First Frost

Romantic & Aesthetic but ML lacks depth

I’m sad cause I really wanted to like this. I’m a big of the writer’s previous projects and I loved the casting for main and second couple.

But what kept me from loving this show was how little the show let us get to know the ML. The FL dealing with trauma she experienced and breaking societal norms about family ties was beautifully well written. She seemed docile and gentle during a majority of the show but really showed her back bone during scenes that mattered. Highlighting that she was not going be your typical “victim”

However because this was a romance, I found it off putting that we knew next to nothing about the ML. What was his family situation like that made him seem so distant and cold? what was his dynamics with his parents and his sister before and after they went to college? what about the FL healed him enough for him to wait all thos years and become so dedicated to her? what was the internal dialogue of his feeling towards her?

We never really see what type of person the ML is besides being a lover and protector of the FL. Because of that the sweet scenes seemed bland and the heavier scenes left you wanting more of what the ML was thinking.

Still worth the watch if you have the time for 32 episodes but definately a bit dissapointing.

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Tension, Tension, Everywhere

As someone who devoured the novel with the restraint of a squirrel, I was, as usual, a wee bit skeptical about the drama adaptation.

Thankfully, the drama gets so much right with Bai Jing Ting and Zhang Ruonan as leads. While it makes a few adjustments for pacing and side character development, it stays faithful to the heart of the novel: two people who once let misunderstandings and bad timing tear them apart, finally getting the second chance they deserve. And yes, Sang Yan is still the same smug menace we all love.

Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan’s dynamic is the heart of this story, and the drama adaptation absolutely nails it. Sang Yan is exactly as he should be: annoyingly charming, quick with a joke, and 100% the kind of man who would rather jump down a cliff than admit he’s been emotionally wrecked for years. Meanwhile, Wen Yi Fan remains the warm but emotionally-guarded girl who is composed outwardly but internally, also a wreck.

Sang Yan spends much of the first half acting flippant. Throwing out shameless one-liners? Check. Smirking like he owns the world? Check. When Yi Fan looking at him like he’s an overgrown child? Double check. Bai JT and ZhangRN do this so well.

Come Ep 17 a.k.a. The Moment I Ascended to Another Plane of Existence: Sang Yan, who has spent YEARS acting like nothing matters, finally lays his heart bare with vulnerabilities all laid out, though to a sleeping Yi Fan. The scenes immediately after totally turned the relationship. At this point, my logical self had clocked out. All that remained was my romance-loving soul screaming.

The drama is as much about first love and tardy communication as it is about timing, growth, and learning how to not mess up a good thing for the second time. If you loved the novel, you’ll love this adaptation. If you’re new to the story, prepare yourself for an emotionally -constipated male lead who thinks he is smooth, a sharp and independent heroine who can dismantle his entire existence with a look, AND enough emotional tension to power a small city.

Highly recommended!

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Unfortunately, very flat...

DISCLAIMER: I have read Zhu Yi's original novel in Mandarin and understand many of the story's flaws are directly copied from there.

With that being said, I think this drama is pretty overhyped. It's not bad by any means, but I'd compare it to a less "gritty" and "real" Lighter & Princess (which comparatively, I prefer), where the male and female roles are flipped (and the trauma comes from something besides SA).

Some good things about it:
1. Acting was pretty good. For what the script offers, Bai Jingting portrays a nuanced Sang Yan, and Zhang Ruonan absolutely fits the mold of how I imagined Wen Yifan. Zhang Miaoyi is always wonderful, as is Edward Chen.
2. A LOT of different OSTs. I enjoyed many of them a lot.
3. Sang Yan's deadpans are always comedic relief. I have never seen somebody actually existing with that level of confidence.
4. Explores a lot of themes that tend to go ignored in Chinese society. I appreciate the attempt at depth which really isn't that present in Zhu Yi's other novel to drama adaptations.

Anyhow, I did find myself (someone who typically isn't too bothered by plot holes) seeing a lot of problems with this drama.
1. I don't think the characters themselves and their interactions had a lot of depth. I understand that Sang Yan is written in the novel as the character he is here, but there's no real explanation (besides the fact that she's beautiful) for why Sang Yan has such unrequited love for Wen Yifan for so long. The "angelic" BGM for whenever he sees Wen Yifan is pretty overused and corny too, in a way. Additionally— for two supposedly incredibly intelligent characters— Sang Yan and Wen Yifan do not have very many intelligent/interesting interactions that aren't corny or sweet (I actually think that Hidden Love had more reasonable development, in this respect. I understood how Duan Jiaxu started liking Sang Zhi a little better, and the characters just felt more consistent).
2. The pacing felt a little messy to me. I think a lot of scenes could be cut short, especially since so many are just focused on Sang Yan obsessing over Wen Yifan. Additionally, the Su Hao'an and Zhong Siqiao side couple seemed to divert focus from the main leads... I think the amount of ideas that the directing/producing team tried to put into this were great though not incredibly well-executed.
3. The script felt awkward. I think a lot of it is immediately adapted from Zhu Yi's novel, though. I didn't have this problem with "When I Fly Towards You" (which I think is still the best Zhu Yi novel to drama adaptation to date).
4. Some of the plots just don't make enough sense for me to believe them. When Wen Yifan escapes for 1.5 years in Hong Kong just to avoid hurting the people she loves, the way she gets back together with her friends and Sang Yan one miraculous day (after ~400 more with NO change of mind) felt rushed. There was no arc or development to the story here, which made the character feel shallow and "unalive."
4. I love Zhang Ruonan's acting... But, I think they could've gotten a dancer to do the dancing scenes (which were a little awkward, especially for a professional ballerina). This really broke some of the immersion and believability in the storytelling.

I know many people really appreciated this drama, so if you're into this sort of thing, I'd give it a try. But considering how long I waited for this (after Hidden Love and WIFTY I was expecting something exceptional), I felt a little underwhelmed : _ )

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The story is monotonous, only focusing on Yan chasing Wen Yifan. The plot is not too slow but it makes you sleepy. Moreover, we are not told anything about Yan, how she is and why she likes Yifan.Maybe because of Wen Yifan's POV but she doesn't even have enough dialogues to describe herself. Just silent and speaks a little, and it doesn't mean anything special. Some of the plots are a bit confusing, didn't Wen Yifan chase after Sang Yan when Sang Zhi and Duan were already dating. But why did Sang Yan announce their relationship during Qin Fei's wedding? Which in the novel happened when Duan Jiaxu had just chased Sang Zhi. This is a disability that not many people know about. That's why this back and forth flow is too messy, it's better to put it in its place and And it starts with something to differentiate. The impression of the story is not there because of the annoying music, only a few scenes are appropriate.

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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 episode

however 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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It had its positives and negatives

I was never more surprised to see so many 10s, so I wanted to add a counteropinion. There were good parts to this show; however, I wouldn’t have kept going if it wasn’t for my love of Hidden Love. It just didn’t start out well. The acting was stiff and San Yang (my favoritest of brothers) was an a**hole.

I was disappointed in their characterization of San Yang. They made him an emotionally immature, manipulative, lying man at the beginning. And I'm sure they made the excuse that “he was that way because of her.” But that is victim-blaming. It doesn't make him an appealing male lead or a green flag male lead when he acted that way towards her, no matter how devoted and sweet he was in the flashbacks. Yes, he was a beautiful, understanding, supportive boyfriend - a green-flag male lead throughout their relationship, but that doesn't excuse his behavior beforehand. He even had to make false excuses just to be nice to her. Prideful. That’s a good word. He hid when he helped her and he lied about what she did when she slept walked – and made her feel really bad about it too. I was hoping we were transitioning away from the mean, low EQ male leads, so I was really disappointed by this.

Also, their acting was bad in the beginning (or they were just playing wooden characters). I honestly only kept up with it because I loved Hidden Love so much. I did feel like their acting improved, their chemistry improved, and their characterizations overall improved. But I still can't get over his original toxic character and my original impression of their bad acting.

HOWEVER, I will say that they handled the abuse and harassment storyline very well, never victimizing her, with San Yang

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Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

“The First Frost” is a highly rated (currently on MDL at 9.0) and highly anticipated drama since it was announced. Was it worth the hype? Yes and No. There are so many reviews already so I am going to try to keep it short (LOL) and note down my own thoughts of what I like and dislike.

What I Like:

1. FL/ML Acting - I don’t think anyone would complain about the acting by our main leads, Zhang Ruo Nan and Bai Jing Ting. I was especially impressed with Zhang Ruo Nan in playing such a complicated and layered character. We see pain, controlled anger, embarrassment, shyness, flirtiness and love, all in her face. Bai Jing Ting sheds his sunny personality and plays the proud, arrogant, cold-on-the-outside character so well. Both of their acting is controlled and not dramatic.

2. Wei Yi Fan (FL) - Poor girl suffered so much and I wish her all the happiness in the world. It’s satisfying to accompany her on the healing process. She was abandoned and neglected, and does not think she deserves anything good in this world. It took her a long time, stumbled a few times, to get to the point that she is able to and wants to give/receive love, and believes she’s worth it. She had a few great and controlled confrontations with her family members. I was so proud of her!

3. Romance - it was a long, long journey. But when everything unfolds, and you get to see both sides of the story and how they feel throughout their cohabitation and courting, it was very satisfying. ML giving FL time and proceeding with caution. Him wanting to let her take the wheel (and scared that he would be left behind again). Him feeling powerless that he couldn’t take her pain away. Him wishing to break up with him is her biggest pain and not something more horrible. All these emotions and events throughout their journey are beautiful to see.

4. Visuals - Zhang Ruo Nan is so pretty even if she wakes up with bed hair. Bai Jing Ting looks awesome in black, especially in a suit. Edward Chen and Zhang Miao Yi also look good as a pair and give off totally different vibes.

5. Sleepwalking - The sleepwalking moments brought up so many different emotions. At first, it was funny when ML tries to figure out what’s going on, and their morning-after discussion/flirting. Then as daytime trauma really contributes to sleepwalking, it’s incredibly sad to see FL cries and seeks out comfort from ML.

6. .Flirting/Skinship - Despite being a little embarrassed, it’s nice to see FL flirt and want skinship and seek out kisses. When they have sweet moments, they are adorable and I feel like I’m a voyeur.

7. Prologues/Epilogue - I like how their past and different point of views are shown in the beginning and the end.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

1. Sang Yan (ML) - I debated whether to put this in the “Like” section or not. On the one hand, who doesn’t want a man who loves you unconditionally forever and ever. I love a male lead who does all the sweet things for FL behind her back. I love Sang Yan being all proud and arrogant, throwing sarcastic remarks here and there, yet deep down he’s done so much without anyone knowing. HOWEVER, if you look closely, is it really good to have a man who makes every single life decision revolving around FL? That’s a lot of pressure on the woman! Where are his own hopes and dreams? While focusing on FL, did he forget about his family and friends? Is he really a true Green Flag? I also always have a problem with perfect green flags who are bland and boring. Sang Yan definitely is not boring. So maybe his focus on FL makes him a flawed character, thus, actually more believable than a perfect guy? I AM CONFLICTED!!!

2. Hong Kong arc - Many people commented on the Hong Kong arc. I actually am OK with FL going to Hong Kong because I think that’s true to her character. She’s traumatized and she has a lot to lose now. Of course, it’s noble idiocy in a way, but at least it’s somewhat believable. What I dislike is all logic goes out the door during her time in Hong Kong and ML’s pursuit of her. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. I don’t believe you could just walk around and locate her. People just willingly give out information to ML, despite not actually knowing FL or verifying that ML is the boyfriend. FL’s change of heart to contact ML also seems so sudden. She held out for so long, so all of a sudden she has come to her senses after just meeting with Qiao Qiao and Su Hao An?

3. The hijack of Grandpa - The grandparents are important in being the catalyst of Qiao Qiao and Su Hao An’s romance. Unfortunately, instead of spending more time on the couple, too much time is spent on grandpa. The second leads could be so cute together, yet I got bored of their interaction when grandpa is in the middle of it all. I would have liked to see more flirting, loving moments or deep conversations.

4. Sexual Harassment/Assault - The girl can’t get a break. I am not sure we need so much screen time on this subject to inform viewers of the trauma that FL has endured. What’s worse is that we don’t see any satisfying consequences to these men’s actions. They were not punished enough (or we don’t see that on screen). Yes, the main villain might be punished, but those court scenes are so ridiculously done. I would rather see him bleeding to half-dead, or in tremendous pain in the hospital.


I would recommend “The First Frost” for its excellent acting and the incredibly long, steadfast and moving journey between the leads. It’s not a romantic comedy, but quite a heavy watch due to the trauma that FL has endured. I debated rating this a 8.25 or a solid 8.5. In the end, I compared how I felt after watching “The Best Thing” right before “The First Frost” (I know they are different genres), and concluded I like them both equally for different reasons. Thus, I am giving it the same rating of 8.25 (rounding up to 8.5).



Random Observations:
1. Why is Sang Yan always so wet after a shower? Doesn't he towel off? LOL. 😍
2. Who knew Bai Jing Ting is so muscular under that sexy black suit. 🔥
3. Xiang Lang is really annoying. Back off already, little kid.
4. Isn't it weird and rude for FL to butt in and teacher a little girl ballet when the real teacher is sitting right there?
5. Aww.. ML is FL's warm sun that brings her comfort.
6. FL is really adorable when drunk.
7. Thank god no one is dubbed, even those with a Hong Kong accent.
8. Lovely OST
9. Really cute and unique proposal
10. Damn.. this is a long review and I said I wanted to keep it short. 🤣

Completed: 3/19/2025 - Review #556

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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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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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