The First Frost (2025)

Certainly the best modern C-Drama I've ever watched :)

I don't normally write reviews, and if I'm being honest, this is only my second review ever. Now after watching The First Frost, for some reason I felt very much obliged to write this review (definitely due to how much I enjoyed this drama and how powerful I think the drama is). I'm not really a review writer so I'll hopefully keep this short!

First off, I can hands down say that this was the best modern C-Drama I've ever watched, and maybe THE best C-Drama I've watched in general. The story was amazing, emotional, and impactful - a true masterpiece. I'm a simple person. I don't ever give my opinion about a drama publicly - usually I just give each drama I've watched on my watchlist a rating and move on (no matter how good or bad) - but The First Frost stirred something inside me. Dare I say that the realistic nature of the show had some sort of grip on my emotions. It had everything; it was comforting, captivating, compelling, and let's not forget about the romance. I think the mature nature and the slow-burn love story really shone through.

Now, massive massive credit to both Zhang Ruonan and Bai Jingting. Absolutely incredible acting, and I can see why they were chosen as the main leads. The way they portrayed the drama's love story was powerful, raw, and passionate. Fantastic chemistry between the two. They made the drama feel so personal and immersive, and I felt like I was there experiencing everything with them. I understand why The First Frost went so viral on Chinese social media now, and why it was trending every single day. The acting + storyline was and is certainly at the peak of modern C-Dramas.

I think the two main things that stood out to me were both the cinematography and the soundtrack. I've watched plenty of modern C-Dramas in the past, and from the moment I laid eyes upon episode 1, I knew The First Frost was going to be one of, if not, the best Chinese show I've ever watched (and it was!). Everything was beautifully shot, from the choice of lighting, the transitional flashbacks, and the story's pacing. - absolutely flawless. The way everything was laid out felt so different to other C-Dramas I've watched and for some reason felt more professional in a sense? I hope other dramas in the future take note of this type of production level.
Of course, a work of art drama requires a work of art soundtrack, and boy did The First Frost deliver! I'm never one to listen to a show's soundtrack, nor do I ever go out of my way to search up certain music pieces in a drama, but once again, The First Frost changed that. The way the drama intertwined the background music to fit with each respective scene was perfect and very much highlighted the impactful nature of every single scene. Do make sure to read the lyrics of the intro song - those lyrics represent the lead couple's love story so accurately and so intensely that it really does make you feel sentimental once you fully understand it. Absolutely incredible choice of music and was without a doubt the best I've ever heard.

Definitely recommend watching The First Frost. I don't think I'll watch such a powerful and impactful C-Drama for a while now as I have doubts that a new modern C-Drama will be able to surpass the level that The First Frost showcased for a long time. Will 100% rewatch :)

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Heartwarming. A tear-jerker. It will capture your emotions.

I would rate this 11/10 because it exceeded my expectations. This drama is definitely one for the books, with its outstanding storyline, cinematography, and OSTs. They made the perfect choice in selecting the actors and actresses.

Honestly, I watched this because of Zhang Ruonan. I’ve already seen some of her other dramas—A Date with the Future and My Boss—where she played bubbly and strong-willed characters. But in The First Frost, you’ll see a completely different Zhang Ruonan! She completely pulled off her character, and I didn’t expect her to showcase such depth as an actress.

This was also my first time watching Bai Jingting, and oh my gosh! Why am I only discovering him now? He is such an amazing actor!

I also appreciated the second male and female leads. They had their own story, but it wasn’t too time-consuming, keeping the focus on the main leads.

I also want to highlight how this drama truly captures your emotions. The story is not complicated—it’s easy to understand, full of wisdom, not dragging, and blends light drama with humor.

I described this drama as binibigyan ka ng pag-asa sa pag-ibig—it gives you hope in love. If you have a great love, there will always be a place for it. When you love, you take a risk. You will do everything just to win in the end.

This C-drama is a must-watch in 2025! You won’t regret it!

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He was her safe haven......

A drama that I cannot ever move on from . I love how wen yifan's heartbreaking yet beautiful love story was depicted. All I could say is that he was her safe haven .

The cast were perfect in their roles , i don't think that anyone could play sangyan and wenyifan better than BJT and ZRN . They practically lived in their roles. I really liked the pacing of the drama . From the first 10 or 12 eps there's nothing much happening if u go back and think about it but it never felt boring , it was like I was watching their life go on standing on the side.

In most of the rare happy moments that wenyifan had in her life sangyan was there or were influenced by him in some way . And everything that sangyan had done has traces of wenyifan in them. If you think back she really had no one and by that i mean NO ONE in her life to take care or support her. Only he was the one beside her and truly cared about her . I loved her courage to chase sangyan , she wasn't embarrassed about it and just straight up admitted that she was the one pursuing sangyan. She comes off as a soft and weak girl but she is the strongest and most courageous girl ever . People in her situation would straight up take their lives, to keep on living is the most bravest thing that she could do in her position and I RESPECT her for that . I really liked the decision that she took about her mom , for a second i thought she was about to forgive her mom which i didn't like . But I'm glad that she didn't and she cut off all the connections with her. Realising their mistakes and coming back to take care of their child doesn't wipe off all their mistakes that they did in the past just because they gave life to you. If i were in her place i would do the exact same thing , the mom is non forgivable . The amount of times that she called and asked her mom to take her away with her , the way she was crying and begging , my heart broke . No matter how much the mom begged her , the ignorance that she showed to yifan is non negotiable.

The moment that broke me the most was when she was harassed but the asshole uncle and aunt was gaslighting by saying he was drunk and entered the wrong room and her mom couldn't even take the time to stay with her daughter after literally being 🍇ed and went off just like that . The look in her eyes .............. i just couldn't anymore.

And if we have to talk about sangyan 😭😭😭 that guy is the GREENEST flag ever . I couldn't understand why people were saying that he was the greenest flag ever but after watching the series i do. He is the non existent type of greeflagyness. I wonder would a man truly ever love like sangyan loved wenyifan . I loved the moments that he teased her and they didn't skip out on the steamy scenes ( which I'm glad for ) .

The side characters were cute to watch too . Loved edward chen to see working again with the same director for your name engraved herein ( a movie which broke me apart , but that's for a another day ) . The Ost's were a cherry on the top. I loved the cinematography of the drama , a lot of reflective angles were taken which made the screen dreamy to look at . I could definitely sense some taiwanese directing for this drama , which I loved.

An absolute 10/10 for me <3.

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Humorous and Melancholic All in One

Updated 18/03/2025 (10 to 8): I came into this drama without any expectations as I was just looking for something new to watch. Little did I know I was going to binge watch the first 6 episodes that came out. It’s the characters that make it so endearing and their dialogues make it fun. You will often see them carry a “sharp tongue but a soft heart”.
Mind you, the FL is not your typical Cdrama fluffy or fun lead. She is a melancholic yet silently strong character that has dealt with a lot of trauma in her past, which slowly reveals itself as the drama moves along. ZRN is perfect for this role in every way - her looks, her acting, just brilliant. She is a mixture of melancholic and adorable that you just want to eat her up.
The ML is consistent with his character in Hidden Love (from a loving family, confident, “soft but I will never let you see that” vibes) and it hits different when you see it in a romantic setting. It makes him so appealing, and BJT brings this to life superbly. His micro expressions are top notch.
PRODUCTION (10): The overall production is amazing - I must say these actors look so good in this drama than when compared to their other appearances. This can't happen if it weren't for the whole team - lighting, stylists, makeup artists, etc. From the details in clothing choices (e.g. baggy clothes for the trauma ridden FL) to the chosen actors/actresses for the roles, you can see the attentiveness given to this series. The director uses music to its max to sensationalise your feelings, which I thought was very effective.
ATMOSPHERE & PACING (9): The drama excels in creating a palpable atmosphere. There's a subtle tension that permeates each scene, hinting at deeper secrets and emotional scar, without losing its sweetness. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the characters to breathe and the audience to truly connect with their inner turmoil. It's not a fast-paced, action-packed drama; instead, it's a slow burn that builds anticipation and emotional investment. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the nuances of the characters' expressions and the beauty of the setting, which adds to the overall melancholic yet beautiful tone.
STORY (8): This is where I dock points, from what would have been legendary to an excellent watch. Throughout the drama, there were small details that nagged at me and I couldn't help wondering, could there have been a better way? And the answer for me is yes. Where the screenwriter could have opted for a powerful, logical narrative of the FL reclaiming her agency, he instead chose the more sensationalistic approach. It does bring out the emotions, but makes it a missed opportunity to showcase her survivor spirit more prominently.

Spoilers below.
These are the little nags that bothered me. Its a lot, and its a fight between my logic and my emotions. I think my rating is very high for all these little nuances, but I chose it because the characters are so loveable, the overall story has more depth than typical romances (thank the source material), the atmosphere and vibe is so beautiful, the buzz it created among the audience and I did enjoy it. A good emotional ride is still a good story, even if some things don't make sense. I did not read the novel btw, but have read up on the differences by commenters, which makes me wish that the drama had follow the novel more.

****SPOILERS****:
Harassment arc: There were so many instances that the FL was harassed. I think it would have been more impactful if they just showed one. In a short space of time, she is shown to be harassed so many times by DIFFERENT people which I felt was gratuitous. "80-90% of sexual assaults are by people you know. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), on average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States, out of a population of roughly 169 million women (2023 stats)." I'm just giving these stats just to give an idea of how unnecessary it was to show so many instances in this timeline. And the source material did not have so many instances.
CXD arc: Her perpetrator gets a job at her place of work, and she still allows herself to be the last person to leave the office at night. This is very contradictory to her character to me. They could have followed the novel here which makes more logical sense, or dealt with it in a way that didn't 'assume the characters or audience are dumb'.
Yihe arc: ML goes to her university plenty of times to see how she is after she explicitly said she does not want him around her anymore. It sounds sweet, but if someone did that to me, even if its someone I like, I'd be scared of how his mind works. I totally understand people who call him a stalker, although I'd prefer not to think that way because we've seen what a beautiful soul SY has. Once again, the novel does this more logically. He goes once to see how she's doing.
MCY arc: He just randomly shows up at the downstairs of her place of living, unannounced, strong-arming her to show him her apartment? Like the screenwriter wants to make every male creepy in her wake? Come on.
HK arc: The arc that caused the most controversy. It wasn't badly done but it changes the narrative. It uses the well-trodden trope of self-sacrifice for the person you love, instead of one which could have been about agency and power of a survivor. This is the missed opportunity I'm talking about that could have really transcended the novel version.
2nd Couple: They were initially fun but it did get a tad bit boring with the focus on the grandparents.

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A love letter to Wen Yi Fan

"No one loves me anymore, only you."
"I will only love you..."

It's been a long time since I've felt as deeply about a drama, enough to write a review about it. It's a love at first sight story, and the chemistry between the two actors is out of this world.

Bai Jing Ting plays Sang Yan, the greenest of green flags. If you've watched Hidden Love, you would have a deeper understanding of the environment he grew up in. Both he and Zhi Zhi (his younger sister) grew up in the healthiest environment, full of warmth, love, and support. At first sight, he falls for Wen Yi Fan played by Zhang Ruo Nan. Wen Yi Fan's upbringing was also full of warmth, love, and support until her father passed away. Her entire life was turned upside down and spiralled into the most horrific nightmare.

Wen Yi Fan deserves a separate paragraph as much as she deserves a happy ending. I've only skimmed through the novel and didn't have a firm attachment to it. I want to extend my gratitude to the director for being trauma-informed and giving us a beautiful love story without sweeping under the rug all the uncomfortable things that come with complex PTSD. It's rare for a Chinese drama to portray the recovery journey of PTSD accurately. Mostly because people are uncomfortable with the ebb and flow of healing. We like things to move in one direction - forward. But the reality of working through PTSD is back and forth, full of mistakes and darkness, which I think this drama portrayed incredibly well.

I've been a fan of Zhang Ruo Nan ever since her first drama, "Everyone Wants to Meet You". She truly outdid herself in this drama. Wen Yi Fan is a heavy character to embody. Zhang Ruo Nan carries Wen Yi Fan's sorrow and pain incredibly well. From the sleepwalking scenes to that moment when her mum abandons her on the worst night of her life, her portrayal of Wen Yi Fan's emotions will stick with me for a long time.

I'm also a huge fan of Bai Jing Ting, and goodness, if a man like Sang Yan truly exists, I will wait forever for him to arrive by my side. He loves Wen Yi Fan wholeheartedly. Some call it an obsession; some have called him a doormat, a simp, a loser - I see it as pure. His love for her is untainted, despite all the pain they had to experience to get their happy ending. By the end of the drama, there is no doubt that he is as loved by Wen Yi Fan as Wen Yi Fan is loved by him.

I don't know if there is another modern C-Drama that is on par with this one. I can count on one finger how many dramas I've rated a 10/10, I didn't even hesitate to give this drama full marks. It's slow, it's healing, and it engages with all your emotions (including the uncomfortable ones).

Lastly, if there is a Wen Yi Fan somewhere in this world, I hope you know how brave and strong you are for surviving all that you have experienced. And I hope there can be more Sang Yans in this world, walking alongside their Wen Yi Fan during her darkest days without ever giving up on her.

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The First Frost, An incredible drama.

I come to this drama without any expectations of it being this good, I haven't watch Hidden Love thus I was going blind with the story. At first I was hesitating to start it since C-drama typically are long ep, and I like watching a drama in one sitting. But The First Frost might change it for me, I binged watch 1-10 at first, and kept up with new ep everyday.
The story is super super interesting, I really dig what's Yifan story is, how her hardships during her high school days made her do choices that only benefits her, what I am talking about is how she was only looking at herself, and it has a reason though. It is to protect herself. But slowly she realize that someone, ugh when she saw the tin box of Yang with the tickets and picture of her in graduation, I shed tears. I was happy that she saw it (was literally the scene I want to see).
Now Sang Yang, what a story he has. He endured the pain, might have blame himself on why she left him. But his strong attitude made me like him. I can see why Hidden Love would be a good watch knowing how different Sang Yang will be. I aspire to be like Sang Yang.
I want to talk about the cinematography of this drama, It's so beautiful, the places they go to in Nahwa, Beiyu, or even in Yihe we're gorgeous. It made me want to go there for real. The effects is also so good, even the practical effects of using reflections or the crystalize things complements the scene more and added emotion.
The cast is perfect for the roles, Bai Jing Ting facial expressions really capture a confident person, it hooks specially when he looks at Yifan. Zhang Ruo Nan is the perfect Yifan, her portrayal of it should gave her a LOT of awards, I really was sympathizing with her, I cried with her, I was happy when she was happy. She portrays a girl that left by her family really well. The second leads are also good too, well I may be bias since I really like Zhang Miao Yi, she's a perfect best friend for Yifan. Edward Chen too did a well job portraying a man losing his parents and having the doubt of him being the reason of their death, and I was happy with her grandparents too. All of the other supporting cast are to commendable too, especially the one who portrays Yifan's uncle or Che Xing De, whenever he comes to the screen, I just wanna punch that face. Nah seriously, his aura literally is like a deranged person.
I also like the music and background songs, it's not too emotional, just perfect. Plus how it enters the scene, using instrumental first then having vocals after it is so good.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend everyone to watch this. Even if you watched, Hidden Love or not, it's such a good start.

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There are a million reviews up and mine really doesn’t matter but I still feel the need the write something maybe for my own closure and sense of good bye. It’s been a minute since I’ve watched a drama that left such a lasting impression and made me feel so sad that drama didn’t have more than 32 episodes! I absolutely loved this drama for how deeply it spoke to me and for its portrayal of hope, perseverance, and love amidst brokenness and pain.

ML and FL’s story was beautiful and at the end of the day a fairytale but I guess that’s why we watch these dramas… to see the ML and FL in their unconditional love for one another. ML and FL were so well cast … even I could tell from my novice eyes that they were masters of their craft. I loved their chemistry and how drama used present and past timelines to tell their story. They let us into their world and I for once skipped nothing and thoroughly enjoyed every glance and unspoken word.

I’m going to miss this one!

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Heartwarming ,healing ,beautiful

Can anything be more beautiful than this
I guess No
While watching last scene ..i have tears in my eyes & iam all emotional
The things yifan goes through are terrible but how Sangyan healed her that process is beautiful
Sangyan isnt angel ..he hold grudges ,he gets angry too ,but there is only a girl in his life & he is devoted to her only ,when she isnt around ,he is like a lump of clay like his sis said
Sangyifan became part of daily life ..their interactions are so special & heartwarming that u cant get enough of it ... We watched them step by step from angry birds that barely talkEd to roommates to caring for eo to confession to become necessaity for eo ... They filled my heart with love for em...... They made me feel for em ..this show bring me back to c dramAs after 8 month ...thankyou youku for giving me such amazing show .. It is added to my most fav dramas ..rewatch value is 1000\10

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