The First Frost

Heart warming story!

The First Frost is an absolute masterpiece of emotion and storytelling! From start to finish, the show is brimming with raw, heartfelt feelings that will completely pull you in. The casting is nothing short of perfection, with Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan delivering phenomenal, deeply authentic performances that breathe incredible life into their characters. Their palpable chemistry anchors the entire emotional journey of healing and second-chance love. If you love deeply moving, character-driven romances with top-tier acting, this is an unforgettable watch that will stay with you long after the final episode!

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best c drama

story 8.5
the story is very realistic and intriguing but of course there are flaws but that's fine and i love the story pace it's slow but it's intriguing and unique in it's own way and I even like there extra clips by the end it is super adorable
acting and casting 8.0
the main lead played by Bai Jing ting is good he is good In acting emotional but it's still far from excellent acting same as the female lead she still lacking in many ways but her acting is not bad and not great but it will do since that's the character she is playing
music 10.0
opening and ending ost is brilliant I don't skip it because it's captivating even the lyrics moved me.

rewatch value 9.0 but I don't repeat series that I already watched only if I forgot to save it here ..

overall rating 9.5
I recommend this series
it is the most realistic series I ever watched

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yifan me tocou profundamente

acho que posso começar dizendo que senti e muito. chorei diversas vezes ao longo desse c-drama porque quando comecei, não tinha lido nada sobre como seria a história, então realmente foi uma descoberta sobre dor, amor e sobrevivência.

ainda fico chocada com a força da protagonista, não por ser algo novo, até porque não é de hoje que vemos — seja na ficção ou na vida real — mulheres que passaram por diversos momentos ruins, com a família, pessoas de fora, abusadores, pedófilos etc., e continuaram suas vidas, mesmo quando não tinham rede de apoio, sentiam dor e tantas outras coisas. e é exatamente isso que toca: a trajetória da yifan não é nova para nós, mulheres. ou já passamos por isso, ou conhecemos outras que passaram. infelizmente, como é algo que a gente conhece, assistir acaba tocando nosso coração de forma muito direta.

ver a vida que ela viveu até o momento atual em que se passa o c-drama nos faz entender a forma como ela se comporta, suas decisões — mesmo as que não gostamos — e, principalmente, sentir empatia por ela como mulher e ser humano.

um ponto que destaco — pois vi muitas pessoas comentarem — foi quando a yifan deixou o sangyan depois de estarem juntos e acabaram passando muito tempo separados. entendo demais a frustração por esse momento. mas como eu falei antes, ver tudo o que ela passou nos ajuda a entender suas ações, mesmo não gostando!! fiquei de coração partido pelo sangyan e pela amiga dela, mas um trauma mexe com você de todas as maneiras possíveis. pensei muito no quanto ela se sentiu culpada e com medo a ponto de a dor de sumir, da culpa e da saudade parecer a melhor opção do que ficar e se abrir. a gente se frustra do outro lado da tela, mas não é como se a pessoa que não teve confiança suficiente para falar e resolveu sumir lidasse com tudo de forma tranquila e não sofresse. esse comportamento dela é um reflexo de tudo o que ela viveu, e ainda bem que ela teve pessoas incríveis ao seu redor para lembrá-la de que nunca vão desistir dela. entendo todos os sentimentos das pessoas que não gostaram, e eu também gostaria que isso não tivesse acontecido no c-drama, mas acho o cúmulo atacarem ela por isso, como se ela estivesse apenas sendo dramática ou como se não amasse ele e sua amiga o suficiente. eu sei que foi algo que magoou muito eles, mas sinto que depois disso ela aprendeu bastante.

eu amei que a yifan não perdoou a família no final. estava com receio de que a colocassem como uma mulher que perdoasse e voltasse a ter algum tipo de laço com aquelas pessoas. é muito doloroso assistir àquela situação, mas nada justifica o que aquelas pessoas fizeram com ela. nada vai tirar a dor de uma vítima que foi desacreditada, que não foi acolhida no momento em que mais precisava. achei extremamente necessário ela cortar os laços.

preciso também dizer que sou completamente apaixonada pelo sangyan, e que ele se mostrou um personagem incrível, que sempre esteve ali pela yifan — confiando, esperando, sendo paciente e amando. ele é definitivamente aquele tipo de personagem masculino que a gente pensa "ah, só pode ter sido escrito por uma mulher".

mostrarem o presente e ficarem voltando para as cenas do passado foi algo que não me irritou tanto como achei que iria. gostei da trilha sonora, e boa parte dos outros personagens foi ok para mim, mas confesso que meu interesse maior era nos protagonistas, então eu não me importava com nenhum deles o suficiente, e alguns dos enredos não me prenderam. como é algo que tem muitos episódios, eu já esperava que, em algum momento, o ritmo fosse se perder para mim — e realmente isso aconteceu, o que foi uma pena.

no geral, eu gostei. fiquei presa logo no início e assisti a um episódio atrás do outro. adoro um slowburn, então não tenho do que reclamar nesse aspecto. senti que trataram a história da yifan de forma real e sensível também. enfim, foi um c-drama que assisti quando eu realmente estava querendo algo assim. teve altos e baixos, mas foi uma descoberta incrível, que tocou meu coração tantas vezes que só me restavam as lágrimas de emoção.

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A green forest

Sangyan is not just a green flag, or a green tree, he is an entire green forest. Love is patient, kind and it waits and he is the #1 example to prove it.

I have been meaning to watch this for awhile now since Hidden Love is on my all-time fav drama list.. I kind of knew going into it based upon clips and trailers that it had a bit of a different mood than Hidden Love, meaning, it already looked to be a bit less lighthearted. And indeed it was.

The trauma and difficulties are very pronounced and present. So while Hidden Love gives you butterflies and makes you smile to ourself, this one pulls your heart strings and will make you tear up.

PROS: As I mentioned just Sangyan, a true gentleman with a loyal heart, who holds your hand and is willing to give everything he's got to protect you. He has a heart of gold and his character is what carried this drama for me. Super sweet eye candy, First and second couples are super cute.

CONS: For starters, I do think this drama could have been done in less episodes. There are a lot of flashbacks, which isn't necessarily bad but just take note. My main con is actually connecting this to Hidden Love. I was very intrigued when I heard we were getting ZhiZhi's gege's love story but let's be honest, First Love Sangyan had the complete opposite personality of Hidden Love Sangyan (even ZhiZhi, Jizxu, etc characters have completely different vibes). Both Sangyans are wonderful but the stark difference is quite shocking. I actually struggled the first several episodes because the contrast was so great, I had to actually disassociate and it got better for me. I did receive a suggestion to view it as Hidden Love is ZhiZhi's POV and First Frost is Sangyan's which is helpful to some extent too.

Ultimately, it isn't high on my rewatch but it was very sweet, I am going through some things right now so the FL having someone who was always there for her in spite of everything felt very comforting.

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ABSOLUTELY STUNNING.

When I first noticed the drama I was sure that I would not like it, but, oh boy, I truly loved it that I savored it in two days.

It was absolutely stunning.

It's not a common thing to find a Chinese drama that has such a strong plotline — the themes that the show presented are deep and happens every day to a lot of girls. Sexual harrasing at work, at home, by family and friends and, yet, only a few times justice found its target. Luckily, that show did not disappoint.

The ML was such a green flag that I could not help but feel giddy throughout the show and the chemistry between these two was unbelievable. Hands up to the actress presenting the FL for showing the despair and the agony of her past.

It is absolutely worth watching, yet, I would not re-watch it a second time. That kind of drama is best when watching for the first time.

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A poetic ode to love stories that wait: when timeless love knows no end

‘The First Frost’ feels like a miracle love story. Rich in emotion and poetic quality, it follows the lives of Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan; two people who meet after what feels like a lifetime has passed between the abrupt departures that separated them and where they stand now. Such pairings in real life, where one person is open and ready for the next step in a relationship while the other isn’t yet ready to commit because of past trauma and low self-esteem, typically don’t end well. In most cases, the emotionally unaware person fails to heal or open up to others. One can only wonder how this common trope will unfold between the leads. How far will Sang Yan’s love bring them? Will it be reciprocated strongly enough, on her side, for her to rebuild herself and heal? Like a sunflower growing towards the sun, Wen Yi Fan slowly leans into his embrace; a space he crafted with patience, security, understanding, and warmth, ready to support her healing journey and allow her to find safety....and eventually bloom.

First high school sweethearts, then strangers, and finally, roommates. By pure chance, their lives collide with the force of old flames of passion waiting to reawaken their glow. Lit with a tender yet strong vulnerability, their reincounter blazes both of their worlds to their cores. Wen Yi Fan, now working in journalism, finally moves out of her co-living space after experiencing multiple harassment incidents. Sang Yan is owner of ‘Overtime’, a trendy bar where nightlifers go to take refuge from the rush of work and the neon lights of the big city. Graceful like ballet, Wen Yi Fan’s quiet resilience reveals itself through every step she takes, bruises and pain hidden behind a shy smile. The power of her determination that shines like a stubborn light that refuses to give out taunts Sang Yan to further discover her hidden beauty. To hold it, love it, and fuel it with his hands that dare let go of something so passionate. Slowly and quietly, their lives veer off into a journey of rediscovering the paths to each other’s hearts.

Usually, dramas in which the leads meet in a second encounter after having known each other when younger offer a fresh start to a new relationship, one where lost strings are quickly sewn together. Unlike these dramas, ‘The First Frost' handles the theme of reconciliation with a past lover with the fragile touch of melancholy, regret, and longing, showing the true face of separation rather than shying away from its rawness. Sang Yan is an attentive, confident, and thoughtful yet emotionally guarded character. He secretly carries a tender heart, despite his cold appearance. As for Wen Yi Fan, she is someone quiet yet strong, loving yet reserved. Together, they alight heart-fluttering sparks of chemistry. But the more hope that finds home in their hearts, the more something more sorrowful grows from deep within. Between every accidental and intentional brush of skin, the past lives in hiding, waiting to be found somewhere underneath the dark hues of hesitation, regret, and confusion that have tainted their bond. Is it possible to rekindle such a lost connection, one where trauma and years of no contact set them further apart?

When, in every conversation, there is something left untouched, and every silence is met with a lingering gaze, yearning to spill words left unsaid, there is a certain tension that builds, palpable through the screen. This tension is especially felt in a café scene in which they pretend not to recognize each other when first meeting again for the first time after six years. It is also ever-present when both are—seemingly very much against their own liking—forced to a closer proximity through a shared living experience after facing unfortunate fates in past homes. Even before their past is fully revealed, it is evident they share a complicated history. Viewers are left with the impending wonder of what the emotionally-charged energy between them will amount to: whether it'll burst in a second chance or a second departure and a retelling of past goodbyes. The leads attempt to build a completely new relationship, yet traces of past resolve, disappointment, and hope still lie behind faces of faked indifference.

Heavy on societal commentary and the problems faced by women in modern society, the visually appealing show—both cinematographically and in terms of the actors’ visuals—gains substance mostly through the trauma lived by Wen Yi Fan. Throughout the entirety of the series, Yi Fan carries the weight of past trauma and struggles. Left scarred from abandonment and abuse, she develops the habit of guarding her emotions, feeling undeserving of receiving or giving love to others. Her eventually opening her heart goes both ways: the way she ends up accepting Sang Yan’s love and reciprocating it is also her accepting and choosing to love herself. Her self-healing process manifests itself through the story’s central plot of romance, because it runs in parallel to her relationship with Sang Yan. This tactic at reflecting her inner growth to her outside relationship with Sang Yan only adds depth to the romantic component of the show. It showcases how love is a long, complex process and that true love is something that builds on patience, understanding and trust rather than arriving spontaneously.

As the story slowly progresses, the depth of their relationship is revealed in a gradual, non-linear way, breathing life into the series’ message. The mosaic of small moments that make up their past, scattered at the beginning of each episode, eventually becomes a fuller picture, coming together to create the core component of their relationship: true, long-lasting love. Alongside this coming-together of what becomes a legendary romantic tale, comparisons are drawn between their current and past connection, enabling viewers to fully grasp the characters’ choices and complex personalities. Across each timeline, there is no chase, but only a mere constant reminder for Wen Yi Fan that there is someone waiting even in the darkest of nights to catch and save her: Sang Yan. And it is this constant devotion of Sang Yan that pumps the chemistry, fueling their romance with timeless passion and love that transcends all. Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan’s story is one of choosing vulnerability over pride.

‘The First Frost’s ending is especially powerful because it reinforces this lesson and flips our perception of Sang Yan. Throughout the story, he is portrayed as the steady and composed one, while Wen Yifan is painted as more fragile because of her struggles at work, her family situation, and the trauma she carries. But when he confesses being the weaker one in their relationship, it is revealed that his “strength” was a mere façade to protect his pride. Instead of risking being vulnerable, he chose to pretend he was no longer interested after Wen Yi Fan when she started pulling away. For two years, he missed her but chose to love in silence, which mirrors their earlier dynamic when she had been the one waiting for him, scared to confess her feelings out of fear of not being good enough for him. This cycle makes their coming-together even more touching, because it reveals the one thing keeping them apart was the fear of being the first to let their guard down. In the end, by choosing to love her fully, he was finally able to be by her side not as someone who needed protecting but as the one who could protect. His authenticity finally allowed him to become her strength.

The cinematography captures the show’s essence beautifully, giving a poetic undertone to the bustling city life of Chongqing, the Chinese “mountain city” where the leads’ stories unfold. Each scene seems carefully curated down to every detail to build an overall atmosphere that feels intimate and satisfyingly perfect. Its soundtrack only reinforces this feeling. If not with its hefty narrative and deep nature in terms of themes, it is with its standard-meeting portrayal of the male lead that enables ‘The First Frost’ to resemble its sister series; ‘Hidden Love’, the iconic wholesome romance starring hit actress Zhao Lusi, released in 2023. What ‘Hidden Love’ didn’t delve deeper into with its main characters Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu, ‘The First Frost’ did through Sang Zhi’s elder brother Sang Yan and his romantic interest. Though much more mature, this series does draw comparisons to the show it spins off, at least with what it is at-heart: a beautiful, inspiring love story.

2025-10-20

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Genuinely one of the best endings I've seen till date

Hidden love was one of my top picks, which is why I decided to start this.
Won't say it doesn't have its shortcomings; around ep. 16 I did stop watching it, thinking it would be yet another misunderstanding trope. But THANK GOD I gave it another chance.
REALLY hats off to the author; she wrote a masterpiece with One and Hidden Love too. Also, BOTH the actors, the ML and the FL, really did a great job ESPECIALLY the FL; she really portrayed her role well
In the end, I just want to say If you are debating watching it
You SHOULD absolutely give it one chance

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A slow burn that sometimes burns too slowly

I actually enjoyed this one! There's a lot to love, especially the romance. The chemistry between the leads was definitely there, and I loved the sparks between them. Their sweet moments were easily some of my favourite parts.

And of course, Sang Yan deserves his own appreciation. He's seriously one of the greenest flag male leads ever. The way he quietly loved Wen Yifan and waited for her for years just melted my heart. WHY CAN'T WE HAVE MORE MEN LIKE HIM?

As for Wen Yifan, I do understand that she has her own trauma to deal with, and healing definitely takes time. I'm not expecting her to get over everything overnight. But still, I sometimes struggled to understand her decisions and reactions. I wish her character had a bit more depth and that we got to see more from her side beyond her trauma.

The plot itself was actually interesting, but the execution could've been better. I don't mind slow burns, but sometimes this felt a little TOO slow. There were scenes I could skip without feeling like I'd missed anything important. Maybe it's the pacing or the directing, but somehow the story just kept dragging in certain parts. I also expected more from the conflict resolution because the payoff felt a little anticlimactic.

BUT THE OST!!! Loved it. The songs were so good and fit the drama perfectly.

Still, a good watch overall. The romance and chemistry kept me invested, and Sang Yan definitely made it even better.

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Whew!

It took me over a year to finish this series. I would start watching it, then get bored, and then pick it up again. The whole of the series literally felt like it just dragged on. The theme was sad, miserable, lonely and it really put you in that mood. Not to take anything away from the acting of the leads, they were great. It just felt like such a chore to get through such heavy storytelling. It was like wading through murky waters and you just keep getting pulled under. It is understandable that the concept was dark and depressing. There were some scenes and episodes that I felt were unnecessary. 32 episodes of this felt too long. The sweet moments weren't nearly enough to compensate. But it was still a good series. I just don't think I would rewatch it again.

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