The First Frost

First Frost

“First Frost” tries to be a poetic, slow-burn romance, but unfortunately it ends up feeling more like a slow freeze. The drama is visually beautiful, but almost everything beneath the surface struggles.
1. Pacing That Moves at Glacial Speed
The biggest problem is the pacing. Scenes drag on long after their emotional point has been made, and side plots stretch thin just to fill episodes. Rather than atmospheric, the slow pacing often becomes boring and repetitive.
2. Chemistry That Never Quite Melts the Ice
Despite the story hinging on the romantic tension between the leads, the chemistry often feels forced and inconsistent. Their emotional beats don’t land, and intense moments don’t build on each other. The romance lacks sparks—ironically for a show named First Frost, everything feels lukewarm.
3. Plotlines That Start Strong… Then Vanish
The show introduces intriguing mysteries and conflicts early on, but many either get resolved too conveniently or fade away entirely. Secondary characters disappear for episodes at a time, only to reappear with abrupt shifts in motivation.
4. Overly Dramatic Dialogues
The script leans heavily into flowery monologues that sound deep but don’t actually say much. Instead of delivering emotional weight, the dialogue often comes across as self-indulgent and melodramatic.
5. Gorgeous Production, Wasted Potential
The cinematography, costumes, and setting are undeniably stunning, which makes it all the more frustrating that the narrative can’t keep up. The drama feels like it relies on visuals to compensate for weaker writing.
⭐ Overall Verdict
“First Frost” is visually captivating but narratively hollow. If you enjoy atmospheric dramas and don’t mind extremely slow pacing, it may still appeal to you. But if you’re looking for strong storytelling or compelling emotional arcs, this drama may leave you out in the cold.

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First Frost is not for everyone!!

I never write any reviews publicly; this is the first since I had written notes about this drama on my phone, so I thought of sharing them here.

Love is rarely a straightforward path—it is often tangled with misunderstandings, regrets, and the lingering weight of the past. With that said, love alone cannot guarantee a happy ending. The First Frost perfectly captures the fragile nature of love—one that is hard to coax but even harder to forget.
Wen Yifan and Sang Yan shared a deep but unspoken affection for each other in their youth. Though they never put their feelings into words, they both understood what was in their hearts. When the time finally came for Sang Yan to confess, Wen Yifan ruthlessly rejected him, leaving him alone in the rain—like a loyal dog abandoned by its owner.

I won't be too detailed about their characters because it might take me too long praising how wonderful they are. Sang Yan is indeed a green flag, but someone that you will not find in reality. He have the capabilities and willingness to do everything for her. But imagine if he grew up in a different environment, like not a lovely family? Or what if he isn't wealthy? Would he be able to do anything that he did? I doubt. But I guess Sang Yan will opt for an alternative. What am I trying to say here is that he's too good to be true. Let's be real that you cannot find someone who have both the same level of capabilities and willingness of Sang Yan. Some may have the will, but no capability to do so. Some may have the capability, but get tired easily. Some may have both, but you can't expect them to reach Sang Yan's level. Because he set it too high!!

Wen Yifan, on the other hand, was said to be weak by the other audience but in actuality she's just reserved and hyperidependent; even with all those that happened to her, she still stood tall. In the first few episodes, her innate loneliness aura deeply resonates with me. I remember that when Zhong Siqiao called her, Wen Yifan just listened. She just stood there inside the train, listening but not saying anything. I don't know but that single scene entirely captures her loneliness. That reason alone made me continue watch it. Her eyes speaks so much sadness, no words needed.

Anyway, they finally meet again after few years, but for Sang Yan, it never felt like they had been apart. Throughout the years, he kept his silent promise—to always be there for her, even if it meant flying back and forth between Yihe and Nanwu. Just as he had once traveled from Nanwu to Beiyu every weekend during their sophomore years to accompany her, he continued to go out of his way for her without expecting anything in return. Despite being rejected and treated as a 'backup plan', it didn’t matter. As long as he could watch over her, even from a distance, that was enough.
His love ran so deep that he was willing to let his own special moments slip through his fingers just to witness hers, like missing his own graduation to watch her's. (This is top tier but actually creepy in reality haha)

Even as she pursued her career as a journalist, Sang Yan remained her silent supporter. Every article she wrote, he made sure to buy directly from a newspaper stall in Yihe. I really love how he still did it even though it's not guaranteed that WYF will see his effort.

On the day of her resignation, Wen Yifan found herself mindlessly staring at a strawberry cake—her favorite. Yet, she didn’t buy it. It wasn't because she couldn’t afford it, but because she believed she didn’t deserve good things. This belief had been forced upon her by her terrible aunt, who had ingrained in her mind that she was unworthy—even of something as simple as a bowl of chicken soup.

To Wen Yifan, Sang Yan was the best thing in the world while she wasn't, which was precisely why she pushed him away. She convinced herself that she would only burden him. She knew his personality—knew that he would go to great lengths for her, flying back and forth between cities just to be by her side. What she didn’t know was that, despite her rejection, he still did.

Their story isn't only about rekindling a lost romance. It is about learning to love oneself to fully able to love another without fear and hesitation. To demonstrate one's love, it doesn't require grand romantic gestures; sometimes, you can find it in quiet and awkward moments—stolen glances, silly actions.

Sang Yan prove it that love, no matter how difficult it is to coax, is worth the patience it demands. As Wen Yifan's reluctance to embrace love is deeply rooted in her past, Sang Yan were able to melt her cold defenses with his silent but warm affection—one that is filled with respect, understanding, and consideration0.

After they became roommates, he appears cold yet his actions speaks otherwise. Afraid that the intensity of his love might scare her away, he could only expresses it in quiet and imperceptible ways; even if, in her pespective, he was seen shameless.

It might seem shameless, but for Sang Yan, it is his way to make up for the opportunites he once missed. After all these years, he never loved anyone but her. And for her, it was also the same. Yet, for Wen Yifan, loving—and being loved—was never easy.

It may have seemed selfish for her to accept his warmth then running away without returning it. But in truth, she was selfless. She let him go, giving him the chance to choose someone better—even if it meant she would be left alone once again.

This was reflected in the way she lived—unbothered, in a small and unkempt apartment—despite having the means to afford a better life. It wasn’t about money or circumstances; it was about the belief that had been ingrained in her for years—that she didn’t deserve anything good. That his love was never hers to keep.
She believed she was a burden—someone no one would ever make an effort for. Who would dare love a woman covered in callouses from the scars of her past? Yet, for him, loving her was breathing—effortless, instinctive, and without hesitation. It wasn’t just love; it was unconditional devotion that only Sang Yan can do.

No matter what, he was always there to catch her. No matter how long it took, he would make sure she knew she had a home to return to. So, when she ran away, he never resented her. He simply understood. Even after all the time they had spent together, he realized how little he truly knew about her world. But it wasn’t because she had hidden it from him—it was because her life had always been like a cage, so small that she could only run in circles, forever trapped by her past. Hence, when she finally broke free and ran toward something new, he understood even if it means leaving him behind. What angered him was not her leaving, but the realization that he had been blind to it all along. He had always thought he was by her side, watching over her from the distance—yet, in the end, she hadn’t trusted him enough to fully open up. That was his failure.

When she was gone, she fought the battles within herself. Without facing them, she knew she could never love him the way he deserved. Before she could coax his heart, she had to first learn to coax her own. That's why, you have to treat yourself well, and the world will hold more love for you.

In comparison to the novel, I might have expected a different ending, wishing that they would sneak a wedding clip, but the ending is undeniably portrayed well. Among all the drama with wedding as the ending, I never thought that ending it with a proposal feels this good. It didn't only looked good, but actually made me feel things. I feel proud as if I contributed in making the proposal be successful. Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan acted so well that I totally forgot it's a drama and not their reality.

The cinematography is immaculate as well with the sun almost setting, and the added scenes of other characters giving their blessing to their marriage made me cry more. I thought proposal is just for formalities so I never really think of it as special, but this scene just gave me butterflies. I thought, how nice it is to be proposed with so much effort and consideration. Sang Yan didn't need to kneel down, which actually suited his character, but them sitting in the classroom where their romance started to bloom feels so special. He wasn't wearing a suit, but a school uniform, because to him, their high school life wasn't just a phase but a symbol of their romance. Those little things made it so extra special and authentic for me.

Lastly, as someone who easily get cringed whenever I see an unnecessary scene and if the actors would overreact or if they're too underwhelming; for instance, even if they're on the background, they should still act naturally. In other words, I'd like it if everything is logical and natural. Nevertheless, First Frost never made me feel awkward. Although I can feel their awkwardness, I just think that it was so natural and it has the right amount of it. Like, they portrayed it so well that it made me love their awkwardness and sillyness. (the subplot is little annoying at first but it's because I always crave for SY and WYF momsnts, so it needs to be rewatch with much patience)

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Slowburn or boring?

I watched this after all the hype I saw online, I also really enjoyed Hidden Love so I was excited to get this spinoff focusing on the brother. The acting was good and I enjoyed how the characters were portrayed. I was surprised by Sang Yang and how different he is in this compared to the character in Hidden Love. The music was good and visually the entirety of the show was nice to watch.
The plot is where I find the show to be the most lacking, I enjoyed how the writers tried to go for a more taboo and serious storyline but the execution was questionable. I found myself getting annoyed at how most of the men in the show were 1 dimensional and wanted to get with Wen Yi Fan or force themselves on her. It was just one after the other, it made the plot feel a lot less serious than it actually was. Also, I thought it was weird how Yi Fan would confront her uncle but also run away from him 2 minutes later, It felt out of character.
The pacing has to be this shows worst enemy, it was so slow and for no reason. Nothing happened for many episodes and I was bored out of my mind, I ended up watching it at a 1.75x speed and skipping a lot of scenes.
Overall I feel like this show had a strong premise but it was poorly executed. The acting and visuals were the only strong thing about it. It felt like a big downgrade from Hidden Love. I don’t think I could ever put myself through rewatching this show or the leads romantic scenes, not that they were cringe or lacked chemistry, I just got to a point where I didn’t care at all.
Cdrama are always a hit or miss for me and this one was a big miss.

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amazing drama, worth the wait <3

"The First Frost" is my favorite novel out of all Zhu Yi's work. I was so happy when they announced there would be a drama adaptation, I went from anticipating this drama the most to watching it with my very own eyes. Although it wasn't complete and exact copy of how the novel is like, I am still very pleased with this drama adaptation, there might have been changes but this changes still brought positive outcomes. From being a favorite novel to now a favorite drama. This drama will remain special for me for the years to come.

Bai Jing Ting potrayal of Sang Yan is immaculate. He nailed his character and didn't disappoint, his acting performance is outstanding. Zhang Ruo Nan did justice to her character as Wen Yi Fan, this woman is so talented. The chemistry between both of them what is there more to say when their chemistry is overflowing. I would love to see them working on another project together.

Thank you the first frost team for bringing us this amazing drama, the long wait is worth it.

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my favorite drama of all time

this was the second zhuyi adaptation and second c drama i ever watched and it was impeccable amazing beautiful perfect incredible i have no words. like i would give it an infinity rating out of 10 if i could because its just that crazily good- at least on my terms. it is my ultimate top tier show of all time and i will not shut up about it and i will never get over it or ever recover from how amazingly good it was; after i finished that show i was genuinely depressed for a week realizing that it was actually over and all i could do was scroll on edits mindlessly, listen to the ost 247 and think about sangyan and wenyifan every waking hour. compared to wifty its a lot more somber and less feel happy but the plot, storyline, and characters are just so beautifully written i actually can’t and will never get over this
the fmc wenyifan suffers from past childhood and family trauma + abuse and has always been more reserved and hesitant since, but sangyan the mmc is the only one who she genuinely trusts and hes the only one who genuinely cares about her and hes shown that through SO MANY different ways and the edits of him are actually so perfect hes an amazing character like hes unreal and basically nonexistent no one will ever be actually like that in real life and the thing with them two its that its a second chance because theres flashbacks to their high school lives and how their friendship grew there
just to prove how good he is i created a 18 point list on everything hes ever done for her thats actually like so thoughtful like it extends beyond princess treatment vs. bare minimum it is higher than queen treatment hes just too incredibly amazing
but okay its not only the characters its literally just the overall vibe and setting of this whole show like it was set in chongqing which is a beautiful city and the aesthetics of every scene thats filmed is just impeccably beautiful and i need new adjectives to describe how amazing it is because these adjectives dont do it justice but the setting is just gorgeous and every scene is absolutely pure bliss and perfection
NOT ONLY THE SETTING AND THE CHARACTERS- the ost is just as good as everything else and it fits it so well i love how the actors’ own songs that they published are also part of the soundtrack too and the songs are just so beautiful and i just can’t accurately describe how perfect they are just go watch it so you’ll understand because this show is life altering
i am absolutely obsessed with the characters and i wlll never get over this drama- 100% my favorite of all time and im still at the restaurant !!!

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Genuine, Healing, and Full of Unconditional Love

I'm going to potentially bristle some hairs, and say that the extent one can appreciate this drama is a fairly good measure of one's maturity, emotional intelligence, and depth of empathy. It is not for every viewer, and I especially would not recommend it to viewers who are younger (mid-20s and under) or those who are simply looking for a good time.

I commend this drama's entire team for creating a masterpiece that delves so fearlessly into incredibly difficult topics. As a viewer, you physically feel the discomfort because the scenes do not shy away from taking you along as our FL endures abuse on multiple fronts. This drama can trigger intense emotions in the viewer - in the most painfully beautiful way, it shatters your heart but then brings it back together, stronger and healed.

The soundtrack is absolutely insane. This is hands down in my Top 3 for Chinese drama soundtracks, because wow. Gorgeous tracks, with a star-studded list of artists, that complemented the drama scenes so well. The cinematography was stunning as well. Nothing was overdone, but there was a clear sense of artistic flair that I really appreciated simply because it was beautiful. (Frankly, this drama is depressing enough without a more dark and gritty visual style.)

This is one slow burn. It doesn't drag, but I highly recommend you take the time to slowly savour the entirety of each episode. Each one is set up with the same formula: a snippet from the past, a time jump to the present, and a cute bonus scene before the ending credits. It's like a satisfying 3-course meal every time!

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

I want to defend the Hong Kong arc because it was widely discussed, with many viewers being discontent with it because it didn't "make sense". Those who had similar experiences, and/or share avoidant attachment tendencies like the FL, will not see anything amiss. If anything, the Hong Kong arc made perfect sense. The point was not for the plot to be logical. It was to send the FL on a trajectory of healing and was vital for how both her character and the main relationship progressed. Seriously. The people behind this drama knew EXACTLY what they were doing, and they executed it brilliantly. Kudos.

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When love becomes a healing power

I watched this drama for Zhang Ruonan, the leading actress. It catches my attention that she repeatedly starred in a drama in which she plays a wounded character, such as in Love is Panacea (she played a young woman who suffered from a terminal illness) and Date with the Future (her character is a survivor of a natural disaster). This drama is no exception but has led her to a new height. She played Wen Yifan's character, who suffered trauma, abuse, neglect, and sexual harassment so well. The way she portrayed the suffering and the strength of a powerless young woman who tried to survive in the harsh world is empathizing and touching. She delivered the character seamlessly.

The story itself is unexpectedly good. First, it takes human psychology seriously. The scenes involving responses to heartbreak, defense mechanisms, and trauma responses were executed naturally. It has strong sentimental nuances but doesn't fall into a melodrama. The cries and tears are controlled (suppressed and released) timely. Second, it respects the theme of love as a healing power. Love transforms people into a better version of themselves with understanding, forgiveness, unconditional positive regard, and genuine care. The villains are effectively portrayed as the antithesis of love, so we can compare and contrast things with minimum ambiguity. I like that they didn't try to "humanize" the evil people by giving them a troubled past and making them grey characters. Most evildoers deserve punishment, which should be the story's moral. Third, the relationship is burning slowly but simultaneously, full of tension and anticipation. From the first episode, we learn and know exactly about Wen Yifan and Sang Yan's love story. They just don't admit it and play along with the situation as mere roommates. The moment they realize their love, it is so monumental. The scenes of recognition were written poetically with some parallelism. Everything becomes well-rounded in the end.

It also gave us a strong message about social justice, women empowerment, and equality among people in society. This drama is packed with social criticism and reminders.

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First Frost: A Well-Written Slice of Life with Great Chemistry

First Frost is a well crafted slice of life drama with strong performances and a compelling story. The leads have great chemistry, making their relationship feel natural and engaging. The romance is well-developed, and the OST enhances the atmosphere beautifully.

Wei Yifan is a thoughtfully written character, and her journey is handled with depth and nuance. Sang Yan, the male lead, stands out for his emotional maturity, which adds a refreshing dynamic to the story. Both actors portrayed their roles exceptionally well, bringing out the emotions and complexities of their characters.

I decided to write this review after seeing discussions questioning whether the reviews for this drama are fake. This isn't about bias just something I wanted to share. I also don’t understand why First Frost keeps getting compared to Hidden Love. They are very different. If Hidden Love is sunshine, First Frost is darker and more serious in tone. I enjoyed both for what they were.

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