Hidden Love

THIS C-DRAMA IS ***PERFECTION***

This is the most perfect Chinese drama that I have ever watched. I loved every moment of it. It has only been a week since I completed it and I already want to re-watch it!

Why is it sooooo perfect?

1.) THE CAST was gorgeous. Zhao Lusi, Chen Zhe Yuan and Victor Ma, brought this drama to life in such an enjoyable and aesthetic way. The sibling chemistry, the couple chemistry, and the bromance chemistry was amazing all around.

2.) THE PACING. I cannot stress this enough. A lot of C-Drama often fail to catch my interest because they tend to drag and this mainly has to do with the pacing of major events in the drama. With 'Hidden Love,' on the other hand, everything unfolded beautifully, there was NEVER a moment where I was bored, there was something to look forward to with every episode. This is the first time I didn't want this to end, and I even wanted the drama to be longer than 25 episodes.

3.) SANG ZHI, which was Zhao Lusi's character, exceeded my expectations and gave me hope that other C-drama heroines could be just as fantastic. I liked that Sang Zhi was quick witted, intellectually sound, and that she never did anything cringe to express her affections towards Chen Zhe Yuan's character Duan Jiaxu. She kept her cards close to her chest and was smart about how she faced her one-sided crush as a teenager. I love that she understood how to keep things appropriate as a kid/teen and simply wrote her secrets down rather than making things awkward by confessing. I also like there are distinct changes in her way of talking, demeanor, clothing style and behavior as she ages so she doesn't remain feeling like a little girl as the drama progresses. There is a confidence/determination to her as an adult that is sooo charming in her character.

4.) AGE GAP! Given that the plot of the drama is a semi-forbidden romance between a younger girl and older man, the writers did a great job NOT making Duan Jiaxu creepy and inappropriate. I enjoyed the fact that he never saw her as anything other than a little sister until she was a grown woman. Even when they finally got into a relationship their communication on the matter of their experiences in dating and their age gap was a welcome conversation between them. Green flags, truly.

5.) VICTOR MA. I need him to be a male leading his own drama, immediately. He does amazing as the role of the older brother, but he has all the makings for a great male lead. He was funny and believable in all his scenes. I also just have to mention how FINEEEE he is, he was enjoyable to watch in every scene he was in.

6.) MAIN COUPLE ONLY. One of my biggest pet peeves with C-dramas is that they consistently use a second lead couple to fill out their episodes and I am never interested in their story lines. Thankfully, 'Hidden Love,' focuses primarily on Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu. There is a teensy bit of second lead romance going on towards the end, but not enough to detract from the plot or the ML & FL's relationship. More C-dramas need to adopt this format going forward because personally I find it significantly more engaging.

7.) BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND. I didn't know that this was a trope that I would thoroughly love, until watching this drama. I need more dramas about girls falling in love with their older brother's best friends, because I ate it up in this drama. The overprotectiveness from the brother was adorable, and the anticipation of him finding out once they got in a relationship was just EVERYTHING, I could not get enough.

8.) NO GIMMICKY COMEDY. If you've watched C-dramas as long as I have you probably know the difference between a drama that is playing up the comedy aspect and ones that feel more natural/realistic in their interpretation of funny moments. 'Hidden Love," is a blend of both with all the right characteristics, the comedy wasn't gimmicky or annoying but relatable and genuinely got a laugh out of me. It also had its moments of really bringing you into the tense melodramatic scenes without feeling overwhelmingly heavy with tension and anxiety. It was perfect in its execution of each character interaction, and this enhanced the viewing experience immensely.

9.) CINEMATOGRAPHY. Beautifully shot, especially Zhao Lusi she looks absolutely flawless in this drama. There is quality to every scene and it definitely makes the drama that much more addicting. You simply cannot detach your eyes from the screen.


Please watch it. It was absolute perfection in my humble opinion. I never rewatch dramas and I'm itching to rewatch this one. You won't regret it. Its officially my favorite C-drama .

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Adorable

The show is mostly understated. The leads are believable as high schooler/college student in the beginning and as more mature budding adults in the later episodes. When the FL does cute stuff - for instance when she doesn't want to leave her angry brother alone with her boyfriend, but they wont listen to any of her protestations and she just whines cos she doesn't want to go - it is cute, and you don't want to slap her and say "Act your age". LOL
The ML carries off the mushy stuff without making me want to throw up.
The FL lead's family is adorable. The parents dont over react, the brother is such a goof foil for the FL in their arguments. Her friends are cute AH.
Overall, I am not sure how I managed to watch 25 episodes in 4 days - but here I am - a great watch

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Special place in my heart

There is a lot of hype about this series and i really expected something different from it. The story is just about two people who fall in love and grow their relationship.
Nothing new yes, but… is so warm this one and gorgeous that after finishing it i started to re-watch those heart-melting moments. The scene at the airport - oh i really cried with her, the scene when she is explaining (again at the airport) that she came for him and not for on-line boyfriend. There are more beautiful moments that you just enjoy just watching it.
Zhao Lusi love most of her dramas and i really saw through the years her grow up, she has great chemistry with all her partners.
Chen Zhe Yuan i liked him from Secrets in the Lattice and Mr Bad. He has very good face expressions.
This drama has a special place in my heart because of beautiful feelings of hope, confidence, trust, courage, persistence, and love.

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When your high school love turn real

Made me giggly like a high school girl thinking about her first crush. But also bawling like a girl that just breaking up with her first love.

The main couple both are sweet human being and the biggest green flags ever. Their love is so pure, and I love that they really respect and rely to each other in a very healthy manner.

FL's family is a model family with believable moral compass. I really adore this family relationship with each other.

Setting, costume, OST, and direction is so well thought. And the last but definitely not the least, the acting! All cast working so well and looks very natural. I never watch these casts work before, but I think Lu Si and Zhe Yuan are romance monster. They are so good. Really good. Whoever has first idea to put them together should get an award😂

I'm gonna give shout out to Victor Ma. He is the most believable brother in drama land. He reminds me with my own brothers and several other stories about my friends brother. And he looks like he deserves his own story, I bet he will be very charming. But the rumored spinoff will use different actor, it's okay, but I still want to give shout out to him, haha.

I'm such a Kdrama girl before. But I should say well made Cdrama are superior. I really appreciate that they not afraid of 'cliché' ending and forcing plot twist. Well made cliché is good. I mean, so many people living similar life, yet so different.

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Very sweet and highly recommended

From the first episode to the last, it was simply captivating and yet sweet at the same time. I’m sure most have had the all too familiar storyline of having a crush on your older brother’s friend at 13/14yo. I know I did;) and that crush became my first bf at 18yo! Sadly though it didn’t last haha.

Sang zhi had a crush, which turned into a very real liking , going to great lengths to be with him, and it eventually worked out for her. I absolutely loved the young actress at 14yo- she had a natural talent. Sang zhi at 14 was very outspoken and confident, so I’m not sure why at 17, she became rather quiet and reserved. That didn’t really make sense to me. Maybe the writers wanted to portray how she grew as a person in university. But still, her character development didn’t seem to jive.

ML Duan Jiaxu was extremely well acted by Chen Zheyuan. Minimalistic change of facial expressions, his eye connections and how he moves his mouth- all very convincing and engaging. Oh his tears!! [Spoiler- the scene where he spoke to his comatose state father, and after that when SZ hugged him.. OMG it was SO TOUCHING!!! Cried and cried) Well done CZY… a very promising career awaits you!

Storyline was beautifully written. Initially I was a bit concerned on how she would let him know about her feelings, then how he would turn from seeing her as a little sister to looking at her as a woman. The writers did a good job with that transition. Many many good principles and morals to learn from the storyline too; and how SZ handled the “other woman” and her friend aka her supervisor was admirable and so matured.

As for the romance development- also very very good pace, good chemistry, LOTS AND LOTS of PDA :):):) although the kissing was a bitttt forced I felt. ZLS has kissed many many of her male costars ;) so maybe .. idk haha. I’m expecting too much? Lol. But YES!! From the accidental kiss, to the first light touch kiss, to holding hands to the roller-skating kiss etc etc.. plenty to look forward to;)

Definitely highly recommended for a youth drama! Simply enjoy this one:)

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So impactful, easy to fall in love with it.

This drama could've been terrible. It could've been uncomfortable and tasteless. But it wasn't. It was endearing, emotional, intense, and heartfelt. There was a very thin line around the appropriateness of it, but what they accomplished with the writing , acting, and overall storytelling is a beautiful example of an innocent crush blooming into first love. I loved the way they handled such a delicate topic. At no point did it ever feel inappropriate or cringey. It just felt real. The ML's acting was phenomenal. I truly felt he loved the FL. It was so convincing, I couldn't have even imagined who else the MCs could've ended up with. It felt destined and they did a great job portraying that. This drama takes a special place in my heart. I will watch it many times over.

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Sweet Romance Teenager Story!♥

My new comfort drama ever!! The plot is very simple but really beautiful, I really enjoyed watching the drama which made me smile without realizing it^^ Zhao Lusi as Sang Zhi and Chen Zheyuan as Duan Jia Xu are the right choice and really suit their characters well. Their chemistry was extraordinary and look so natural♥

I like seeing the development of Sang Zhi's character from a cute and spoiled high school student to a mature, brave and open-minded college student also Duan Jia xu, very dreamy character, wondering where I can find a man like him ಥ_ಥ
One of my fav cdramas that I would recommend to many people because this drama really worth to watching over and over again!

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Hidden Love, Hidden Gem, Hidden Talent

What I really liked about this drama was not only the romance, but the couple’s journey itself. Sang Zhi’s coming of age was a lovely and relatable tale. Including Jiaxu’s and Sang Yan’s transition to working adult-hood. I felt like I wasn’t alone. They were worried about college and graduating, and then there was the having to find a job and stick with it. Those aspects made me really enjoy the show. Adulting is hard but it’s not unbearable. Especially when you have a friend or family beside you.

And in episode 23, Sang Zhi’s love confession was everything. I think this scene was acted so well. Zhi looked so pretty. And Jiaxu looked so handsome. The actors really stunned me here. Second to “The Day of Becoming You”, I’d say this is one of the best love confessions in all of CDRAMA history. I really felt that scene. I’ll always go back to it.

I liked how steadfast Zhi was when it came to her love for Jiaxu. She was bold, and her personality really came alive. I like how when people came at Jiaxu wrong, she’d defend him. Wholeheartedly. With no effs to give. I’m really, Duan Jiaxu held on to her love as well.

Jiaxu was a good character too. He always said what he meant, and was extremely genuine as a best friend and boyfriend. He was never out of line. Zhi was great at reading people. And wasn’t cringe.

And I really adored Zhi’s older brother. His fashion style fit the actor and made him even more attractive. Yan’s personality really gave the show some relief. He was understandable and he never alienated Jiaxu or his sister when it came to their relationship. I was so annoyed with him at one point, but his personality and smile made me feel all fuzzy inside too. I was so sad when he was off-screen sometimes. He was a good older brother, who never hesitated when it came to defending his sister from the bullies.

Overall, this drama will always hold a special place in my heart. The characters did and said what you wanted them to say (which was pleasantly surprising). And none of the characters that mattered were harmed in any serious way. I wish I had a friend like WeiWei and the others. Alas, I can only write about friends I wish I had.

Will watch again one day. I recommend! 10/10!

P.S.

There’s no grooming or weird-isms in this drama. So, don’t let some weird words from others cause you to overlook this drama.

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I think I'm in love

Guys this actually became one of my favorite ever dramas so freaking quickly. I think I was pretty much hooked from the beginning. I’m slightly biased in favor of Zhao Lusi since I’ve already seen her in another drama and liked her from there, but I thought she was the absolute cutest and most perfect FL for this drama. You simply can’t change my mind. I’m still so high from finishing this drama literally a few minutes ago so I don’t think I can offer any constructive or cohesive thoughts about this show besides just wow. Simply the sweetest, least problematic drama ever. No idiotic misunderstandings, so stupid fights, no pointless breakups. Just vibes and cuteness and a simple story about a girl who was in love with her brother’s friend. Definitely not a rom com despite what the genre says, more of a melo/drama than anything else. Probably one of the best executions of a youth drama though, hands on. Usually the time skips where they get older feel weird, and quite frankly this one felt a little awkward too, but it didn’t last long and was pretty easy to transition to. And this is coming from someone who’s pretty freaking sensitive to time skips in dramas (big reason I usually avoid the youth genre), don’t really know why. My only complaint is that the drama did run out of steam a little toward the end. There weren’t many conflicts left and it very obviously slowed down in terms of plot development, interestingly this happened quite a bit after they got together and not right away, so kudos to them for that. Nothing too terrible, still worth watching, just probably soured my vibe a tad bit when I had to force myself to watch the last couple episodes when it was far from being an issue in the beginning (guys, I was eating up those episodes like tic tacs). Still 100% worth the watch, hence the rating. Just something to be aware of hehe. Anywho, watch this drama! If you’re a fan of cute contemporary romance that isn’t very heavy on plot and is just pure ***vibes*** then this one is def the one.

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Hidden Love: Built on Every Small Moment

I finished Hidden Love two days ago, and now that I’ve had time to sit with it, I can say this: it’s a story that knows how to be loud without raising its voice.

Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu didn’t rush into anything, and the drama didn’t force them either. It let them breathe. It gave space for all the small, important moments the ones that usually get overlooked and turned them into the whole foundation of their relationship. You could feel everything building under the surface, even when no one said a word.

What stood out to me the most was how natural it all felt. Nothing was exaggerated. Their feelings didn’t explode; they grew, slowly and quietly, until they couldn’t be hidden anymore. And when it finally happened, it didn’t feel like a surprise it felt right. Like it had been there the whole time, just waiting for them to be ready.

The acting made a huge difference. Zhao Lusi made Sang Zhi’s emotions so real shy, stubborn, sometimes messy, but always genuine. Chen Zheyuan gave Duan Jiaxu this calmness that never felt boring; he made patience look powerful. Together, they made something that felt believable, not just sweet.

I can’t talk about Hidden Love without mentioning the siblings. Sang Zhi and Sang Yan’s dynamic was pure gold. Their constant bickering, the way they annoyed each other just for fun it felt so real. But underneath all the chaos and teasing, you could see how much Sang Yan genuinely cared about his little sister. He wasn’t just a funny character; he was the type of brother who would throw hands if someone ever hurt her, even if he pretended not to show it.
Their relationship added this extra layer of warmth to the drama the kind you don’t always get but makes everything feel even more alive.

Even the way the show was shot soft lighting, warm colors matched the story. It wasn’t just "pretty"; it fit the feeling of growing up, waiting, and finally getting what you’ve been hoping for.

There’s a short poem I wrote after thinking about their relationship. I’ll leave it here, because it says what I think about them better than anything else:

The Quiet Bloom

In gardens where the soft winds weave,
Two hearts found room to slowly breathe.
No sudden storms, no urgent cries,
Just quiet mornings, steady skies.

A stolen glance, a warming hand,
The unspoken words they understand.
Not fireworks, but lantern light,
Leading them safely through the night.

She grew with dreams tucked in her chest,
He stayed with promises unexpressed.
And side by side, they came to know
Love is the gentlest thing to grow.

Hidden Love wasn’t about drama for the sake of drama. It was about growing up, holding on, and learning when it’s time to stop hiding how you feel.
It’s not a story I’ll forget easily.

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A Character-Driven drama for those in the mood of some sweetness and cuteness!

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75

A 9.1 MDL rating for a romantic drama is no joke as there are many other critically acclaimed ones that don’t reach this milestone. In order to give “Hidden Love” a fair chance to maximize the enjoyment of watching this, I prepared myself and will share my recommendations for those who hesitated. As an ‘older’ and veteran drama watcher, fluffy and cute romances don’t always work on me anymore.

Recommendations/Tips to prepare myself:
1. I am a romance junkie
2. I am in the right mood for a cute, sweet and fluffy romance.
3. I like the main leads.
4. I am OK with and am prepared for a character-driven drama.
5. I am OK with an age-gap that could seem big.

I know if I watch “Hidden Love” when it’s airing or when it just finished airing, I will be extremely critical in finding faults since the hype is real and positive reviews are everywhere. Therefore, I waited until I was ready. And I am ready now.


What I Like:

Acting - I am quite familiar with Zhao Lu Si’s acting and know that she has no problem acting shy or cute. She did not disappoint me. On the other hand, Chen Zhe Yuan surprised me in a positive way. I’ve seen a few of his dramas but don’t recall him having the ability to subtly control his emotions (happy and sad) and his big, beautiful eyes speak volumes in this drama. It’s only been a few years’ time and Chen Zhe Yuan has improved so much since his “Handsome Siblings” days, the first drama I saw him in. The rest of the supporting cast also did a great job. But this drama is about Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu. If Zhao Lu Si and Chen Zhe Yuan can’t act, this drama will be a disaster.

Siblings - Many have pointed out the amazing chemistry between Zhao Lu Si and Victor Ma. I echoed the praises that they are so fun to watch. Their banter, argument, and horseplay brought so much color to this otherwise quite mellow drama. Their conversations are fun and witty, and you can still see how much they care and love each other.

Sang Zhi (FL) - At first, I thought I would be very irritated with Sang Zhi. I’ve seen clips of her acting all shy with that baby voice. However, I enjoy seeing her character grow from a spunky 14-year old girl, to an independent strong woman who can think on her own, make her own choices and protects the man she loves. We’ve seen female leads who are supportive of male leads. But Sang Zhi took it to a different level. She not only supports her man, but she’s there to protect him (physically, verbally and emotionally), to dispel any prejudice and stereotypes against him, and stand up for him. In a way, she was more emotionally mature when she’s 22 than when Duan Jia Xu was 22 or 27.

Duan Jia Xu (ML) - How can I not love a walking green flag like him? Yes, he’s too perfect and that could be a criticism. But I am also not going to deny the fact that he’s going to my Hall of Fame for Best Boyfriend/Partner. He is gentle, kind, considerate, understanding, and thoughtful. A unicorn that you can’t find in real life but I can indulge myself in this drama and pretend he does exist.

Main Romance - Chemistry is great. I was actually waiting for the college days to come so that I can finally see them interact as adults. I love the secret confessions in folded stars, the shy-but-in love glances/looks, the courting, the heartfelt yet somewhat awkward conversations by two inexperienced lovers, and of course, the hugs and kisses. This drama is made for romance lovers. I can’t help but smile throughout the drama.

Sang Family - I am so glad to see Zhao Lu Si and Zeng Li act as daughter/mother again. After the traumatic experience of “Love Like the Galaxy”, I am so glad to see them in a much different dynamic. The Sang parents are so lovely as well. Even though they disapprove of Sang Zhi’s rebellious trip, they never yelled at her, but just tried to talk some sense into her. They might have disapproved of the leads’ relationship, but the conversations are mature, reasonable and all come from the heart and love for their daughter. It’s so rare to find such amazing parents in a C-drama. Adding the fun Sang Yan to the mix, it’s no wonder Sang Zhi is able to grow up to be someone worthy of love and can protect her love.


What I have Mixed Feelings:

Sang Zhi’s baby voice - I can understand Zhao Lu Si using a somewhat younger voice when she’s 17, but when she’s a college student, that voice has got to go. She can speak normally with her roommate, so I know she can speak normally to her boyfriend. Towards the end of the drama, she has grown to be a mature young lady, and that baby voice really doesn’t match her. Is that Zhao Lu Si’s over-acting, or the director wanted her to act that way? I would never know.

Sang Zhi (14 years old) - No matter how short Sang Zhi is supposed to be at 14, the amazing young actress can’t convince me she’s 14 years old. She’s 12 in real life but she looks like she’s 10. If you are going to use such a young actress, maybe they should have a different younger actor to play the male lead.

Stalker girl - The side plot about the stalker girl lasted a little too long. I also think her presence changes the overall tone of this drama. I understand the reason for her existence in telling ML’s back story, but I wish that side plot was written better. Luckily, she’s the only annoying character and she’s still tolerable.

Supporting Cast stories - Because this drama focuses on the leads’ story so much that the rest of the side characters are forgotten in the back burner. This can be a good or a bad thing. If you just want to focus on Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu, then this is not a criticism at all. But I wanted a more well-rounded approach and wanted to know more about other characters. What happened to Sang Yan’s personal life? Did he really have a girlfriend? What is up with his knowledge of childbirth? I thought he got someone pregnant! What about the romance of the dorm mates? If you don’t plan to give them time, then let’s not start to begin with. Not every single character needs to have a love interest, but don’t start and forget.

Age gap - I don’t know if they have to keep on talking about how much older Duan Ji Xu is. 5 years isn’t really that big of a gap. It is central to the storyline, but it doesn’t need to be repeated and reminded so many times.


Overall, this is a great romance drama if you are looking for something easy, sweet and fluffy. The leads’ acting and chemistry are great and it’s a drama full of love, care and personal growth. If you are like me and like my tips above, that will increase your chance of enjoying this drama.


Completed: 8/27/2023 - Review #346

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Why do people hate it? It's beautiful!

I know, I know, though people might be like " This drama is so problematic" due to its age gap, like an old man dating a teenager, but that's what make it interesting. And besides, the chemistry is just cute and adorable, you can't say anything about that.
People also say about the " adult Sang Zhi" which she said she is already grown up but shows no sign of it, and even says about her baby voice. But like I said, this is an actress, Zhao lusi's natural voice is a baby voice, so you can't just blame the actress, or maybe blame the character. All the character act so well, even the first scene, while they judge Sang Zhi character's appearance, why don't they talk about her acting. She make it pretty funny, and she act pretty well, that scene make me laugh. She even cries pretty easy too!
Overall: this movie is worth a watch, but for people who doesn't mind the ML and the FL's 5-year age gap

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