The First Frost

the definition of " i will always be there for you even you don't see me"

" Tell me, were you sent by my dad to take care of me? " Wen Yifan asked. "No, I volunteered." Sang Yan replied.

The First Frost is a heart warming story about two young people who met at high school and they had a crush on each other, but life wasn't fair enough, so they don't met for like 7 years, then became accidently a roommates !
our ML is Sang Yan is a handsome confident man who had a crush on his highschool friend " Yifan" a beautiful and talented girl and she seems to have feelings too but her life was complicated enough as after her father died, her mom abandoned her to get marry again and sent her to relatives, that's how Yifan find herself in her aunt's house where ahe gets the truma of her life " poor girl". any way San Yan and Yifan decided to go the same collage but suddenly she tells him she don't want to see him again in that heartbreaking scene..
after about 6 years, they met again but this time as roomates by accident and it's finally when you should hold your breath and get ready because all the secrets will be revealed and with every episode, we get to understand the past and why she broke up with him like this. and did they really moved on?
..
with each flashback in every episode, your hear will grow warmer because these two had the most beautiful and heartbreaking story ever!
but no worries cuz the ending is so beautiful too.
and for us " Hidden Love" fans , thia story tell us about Sang Yan who is is the older brother of San Zhi which is soooo warm cuz i swear to god i was so curious about him since Hidden Love.
i loved everything about this drama and i don't know how I'm gonna move on! so probably gonna rewatch soon :)

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The leads ruined it for me

Things I loved

1 That it was related to Hidden Love that I adored and I thought I knew the character of the ML since I had adored him as well in Hidden Love. So I was excited to watch this.

Things I liked

1 That she was a journalist. My favorite job in the world. Unfortunately she never convinced me that she was a good one.

2 The parallel between present and past. When it's well done it's great and I've seen other dramas where I adored that. Here there were some good scenes in the past and the resent but all in all nothing to make me care.

Things I disliked

1 The second couple. It's funny that both actresses, the FL and the 2FL are in the list of those I won't watch any drama with her anymore. I think they're no great and every time I try to watch them they come out as too childish or too flat.

2 The ML. I won't say I hated him, but honestly after watching his role in Hidden Love played by another actor and loved him, here he felt lifeless. I can't comment of how he was written in the novel, but it would be surprising if the novelist created two so much different versions of him. in Hidden Love he was one of my favorite characters other than the leads. Here he tried too hard to play the brooding hero but in the and he wasn't convincing. To be honest I don't think I'd watch the actor in anything else since he doesn't appeal to me and seems like an adolescent and I can't see him in any thing adult. Unfortunately I don't find him a great actor either.

3 The FL. This was my last attempt to watch something with her. She isn't a good actress, it's now established. She is flat and bland and doesn't steer any emotion when she recites her lines. Is she pretty? Probably for many people. I don't like her acting so i don't find her attractive either. It happens when you dislike the acting of an actor to find them unappealing and the opposite is also true. I don't find some actors handsome but when they act I suddenly find them gorgeous. To make things short, the casting was wrong if you ask me. This is nowhere near the masterpiece that is Hidden Love. Humor, emotions, romance are on the highest level. Here there's nothing to keep. Maybe a scene here and there, but that's all.

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The First Frost changed the trajectory of my life and will forever be etched in my heart.

The First Frost is not for the faint-hearted. It tackles themes of suffering, sexual harassment, and heartbreak, but beyond that, it delivers an important message: the pursuit of justice is essential, especially for those who, like Yifan, have endured unimaginable pain. Above all, it tells the beautiful love story of Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, who faced countless trials before finally getting their happily ever after.

Bai Jingting perfectly embodied Sang Yan’s blend of shamelessness and arrogance, while also capturing his deep yearning, empathy, and unconditional love for Wen Yifan. His portrayal feels raw and genuine, as if he’s living Yifan’s pain. Zhang Ruonan’s portrayal of the gloomy Wen Yifan is equally powerful — her performance will move you to tears.

What I love most is how involved the actors were in creating certain scenes, including contributing their own ideas. This collaboration made these moments feel incredibly authentic — especially the proposal scene.

Finally, the soundtrack. Every OST was so thoughtfully chosen, perfectly complementing each scene and deepening the emotional experience.

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If it doesn't speak to you, you won't like this

Objective rating 7/10, subjective rating 8.5/10

This story is:
- a vibe (atmospheric)
- heartbreaking
- slow-paced and drawing you in slowly
- glorifying romantic relationships
- not about healthy relationships either
- delivering on all your dramaland fantasies

Storytelling:
We get thrown right into the very confusing relationship between both, no explanations given. Heartbreaking music wants to convince us that every single scene is utterly dramatic, yet what we see looks like a random dramaland breakup scene. Skipping between past, present and trauma, we only get to know each character painfully slowly. What do they like, what is their life like - all we get is melancholic slow-motion with heartwrenching music while watching the characters live their life. Something clearly is off, but what is it?

Tiny pieces of Wen Yifan's past - the only thing that initiates and drives the plot - are thrown out to make up your own mind about it. For me, it was too little too late, but the atmosphere still had me hooked. Until these scenes became too repetitive as we never saw any of them from a different angle or adding a different detail - nothing changes. While at first that felt realistic, it later felt like buying screen time. As we saw Wen Yifan grow in character, so should have her interpretation of her past.

The plot:
There isn't much plot apart from the relationships forming. I really liked how they showed the couple do the most mundane daily tasks together and although it was slow-paced, the build up was made very well.
The family drama was realistic, its closure very anticlimactic. Wen Yifan's story ended up feeling a bit rushed, over the top and lost its relatability when they tried to make it even more dramatic later on. I wish they would have stayed closer to reality instead of one-upping it unneccessarily. For me, that sent the wrong message and the topic could have been handled with a bit more sensitivity, especially after they dealt well with it for the most of it.
Certain archs were understandable, but I still strongly disliked them and wish the drama had explored their neccessity for the characters in a bit more depth. And of course, nobody ever goes to therapy.

The couples:
This story should have centered entirely around the main couple or at least have portrayed the friendships they had a bit stronger. Instead, we got a second couple thrown in that I personally fully could have done without. Their story lacked depth, and as individual characters they got so few screentime that it was almost impossible for me to root for them. They barely had any relevance to the story and seemed to barely impact the main couple's life. It felt like they were meant to include some story about the true meaning of life and love without considering if that was actually the atmosphere this show was going for.

The second couple felt like that one person hitting the light switch after you've gotten cozy in a dark room. You get sucked into the pretty yet cruel world of the main couple, heartwrenching music, warm colours and soft imagery everywhere, just to then get thrown into bright, crystal clear images with standard music, standard bickering and standard "cute petite happy-go-lucky woman". Others might have found that relieving, I almost skipped their parts as I found them too disruptive.

Characters:
Wen Yifan was the star of the show and actually the only one with clear characterisation and character development. She had things she loved doing, a work life, a past and clear issues to resolve. Sang Yan revolved so much around her, he seemed to not have a life of his own. I don't mind romantic dedication, carrying the damsel in distress to her happy end, but he barely had any personality to him. Instead, we had a green flag guy with a big red flag called stalking. No hobbies, no work life, no past aside from her, no issue beside trying to win her over. The side characters in Wen Yifans life all worked towards giving us an impression of her life, adding outside perspectives of her, while everyone else seemed like an NPC without a real purpose.

Acting:
Zhang Ruo Nan did an amazing job at portraing that strong-willed yet always wary character, trying to be stronger than the past that kept haunting her. Her story spoke to me on more levels than it should. Bai Jing Ting did a great job at portraying his character with the few personality traits he was given. His facial expressions were the only reason he didn't come off as the guy with no personality who doesn't really care about the FL either. At least he visibly cared. Apart from that, I am very convinced they tried to pull the face-card with their cast to enhance the atmosphere they were trying to create.

OST:
The music was beautiful, but as mentioned above, seemed a bit over the top not knowing all that had happened. Slowly increasing its intensity through the course of the episodes instead of throwing it at the viewers right away could have helped build and maintain suspense even with the slow pace. The repetitiveness left an impression too, but I wish they used it more selectively. And sometimes, silence can create a lot more tension than any soundtrack could. 10/10 for the music, 6/10 for its use.

Final conclusion: This drama lived from the atmosphere it created, the mysterious depressing aura around Wen Yifan and the viewer's despair to see her have her well-deserved happy end. If you look behind its incredibly beautiful facade, you will find that this drama actually leaves a lot to be desired. But then again, a beautiful fairytale from time to time won't hurt. As I slowly grew to like the silent and calm beauty of it all, Wen Yifan's story deeply spoke to me. I never knew I could fall in love with heartache like this.

PS: I still can't get over the clock in the background of the living room always showing the exact same time.

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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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HOW DO I MOVE ON FROM THIS!!!

OMG...It has been a while since I've watched a drama that was this PERFECT!!!
To say it was worth the wait is an understatement!
So how do I move on from this???!!!
An amazing series that had me addicted from Episode 1!
The Soundtrack will make you swoon...
The casting ABSOLUTELY PERFECT...
The storylines amazing...
THIS IS ONE FOR THE AGES.
Everything about this drama is perfect, the music, the casting, the storylines, the production itself...just amazing!
Watching it, I was truly drawn into this beautiful complex story.
I thought the acting of Zhang Ruo Nan as Wen Yi Fan was superb in this complex role. Portraying a character innocent yet flawed and damaged was quite a feat! She was so very believable! A young woman with a past of crippling encounters with males, tentatively opening up and trusting her lover was so beautifully handled by her!
Bai Jing Ting as Sang Yan was the perfect combination of bravado and fragility together in his portrayal of Wen Yi Fan's first love/protector. Both of them, as innocent truly ""first time" lovers was, I can't think of a better word, then precious.
The secondary couple, Edward Chen as Su Hao An (my first encounter with him and I think he is fantastic!) . And the wonderful Zhang Miao Yi as Zhong Si Qiao (who I watched in my very first Asian drama: "When I Fly Towards You "...so she holds a special place in my heart) were really wonderful and I found myself almost as invested in their storyline as in the Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan story!
Where many dramas rush the end/resolution of their story, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that The First Frost took the time to give us two beautiful episodes after the "conflict" was resolved to just develop the end to their story...creating such a satisfying feeling of closure to this drama ....perfect!!
Kudos to the director, writers and cinematographer for gifting us with this amazing series...it is one I will savor for a long time, probably rewatch many times in the future and for sure buy the DVD when it is available!
A MASTERPIECE!!!!
Do NOT miss this!!

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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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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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