So cute I wanna cry!
This show is a MUST MUST WATCH!!!!Everything about this show was perfection and adorable. It gave me so many butterflies. I watched the whole show without skipping any scenes or cringing at any point(which is a rare standard to keep for a Chinese show).
I loved the whole cast. Not only are the leads brilliant but the supporting cast was amazing too. The FL and ML are such good actors whether it be funny, romantic or emotional scenes.
The love story between ML and FL is so organic and nuanced. The FLs family dynamic is so well done and her relationship with her brother is a show stealer.
The OST is so good and complements the story. I already have a couple of songs added to my playlist.
It was such a feel-good romcom and it is definitely going on my re-watch list. I can't recommend this show enough.
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One of the best C-drama I have ever watched
This is one of the best dramas I have ever laid my eyes on. Like literally. It is in my top four being LLTG, Mr Sunshine, 25-21 are the other 3.The storytelling and acting is top-notch. This is one of the best portrayals of real-life sweet siblings. More than the main couple I loved siblings' relationship more. I don't know how many times I have re-watched Sang Yan and Sang Zhi fights. Each time I wanna rewatch the whole series again.
Another unique thing about the drama was the story, the main female lead was innocent, scheming, soft-hearted, loyal, dedicated, and clever at the same time, like how the writer managed to write such a character. It blew my mind. Usually, such crybaby characters annoy me but even the spoiled brattish phase of Shan Zhi I found it somehow adorable. I fell in love with Sang Zhi. Character developments were out of this world, I witnessed how mature Sanag Zhi became with each year passing, and I felt like a proud momma.
I loooove Zhao Lusi, Usually, she picks great scenarios. So far her other jobs such as LLTG(which is my favorite), Who Rule the world, Long Ballad have been great too. The Last Immortal didn't meet my anticipation but I could say she has great taste
And the Couple. I could confidently say they had one of the best chemistry(but usually Zhao Lusi always have great chem with her male leads). They had very healthy relationship, trusting non-toxic, each problem is resolved like magic, and each one wanted the best for each other, was steadfast, and self-sacrificing/devoted.
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(In my best Yoda voice) “Feel the Love!”
Once in awhile a show comes along that just tells a simple story really well. No fuss, no unproductive theatrics, just the basics.This show is all about the love story between a handsome dude and a beautiful girl 5 years his junior. Their association started when the girl was in junior high and she developed a crush on him when he was introduced as his older brother’s roommate in college. The ML played the "brotherly" role for years until the FL comes of age and he started to have romantic feelings for her. That’s how the show portrayed his side of the story and we shall leave it at that.
The Show took its time to recount their early meetings and how the girl crushed hard on him and going through all the highs and lows of an unrequited love. The Show really hits its stride when they meet again by chance after the FL finished high school and went to a college in the city where the ML is working. Their chemistry is a sight to behold.
As I mentioned in other reviews, in a romance drama, you want to ship the OTP and watch them overcome adversities and fight foes arm in arm. More often than not, dramas will have them fighting each other due to some weak plot twist and go through a breakup or two just to "spice things up". I am thankful that the writer heard my prayers and there is none of that in this show.
Instead, there are lots of playful teasing and plenty of heart fluttering moments and bonus skinship. Their deep love for each other should be distilled and bottled for sale. There are challenges but they are handled with aplomb by our OTP. The writer seems to have gone out of her way to collect all manners of relationship challenges and then set about resolving them in the most positive ways. Each obstacle serves to reaffirm their love and make their relationship stronger. There is little fuss and definitely nothing can come between these two lovebirds. There are no real antagonists and a circle of good friends cheer them on. This type of honest yet heartfelt love story is rare in today’s dramaland. I, for one, give thanks.
The leads are perfect for their roles. ZLS was born to play the lead. I believe this is her first high school drama and she did it with ease. She looks cute and vulnerable in her high school scenes. She then blossomed into a beautiful and radiant young woman in her college years. This goes double after she is in a committed relationship. CZY is handsome and showed a lot more maturity in his role. He played the big brother role well but his take on a devoted boyfriend is next level. He is loving but respectful and always caring. He will make any girl swoon. Their scenes are always worth watching and their chemistry is off the chart. You can really feel their love and commitment especially in later scenes when their resolve is tested.
However, it is not a perfect show. the FL uses a breathless, higher pitched voice when she was playing her younger self and it can be unpleasant to the ears at times. Most of the support casts are from central casting. Their subplots are largely superfluous.
Hidden Love is a sweet, fluffy romance with little angst and few stress points. It is not going to win any awards but this is a show that you can rewatch with guilty pleasure. If you have Romantics Anonymous on speed dial, then you will be doing a happy dance. However, If you want to watch a show with complex plots and matching level of angst and intrigue, then you should have stopped watching 24 episodes ago.
For me, this show has a permanent spot on my rewatch list.
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Mellow but underwhelming
I know this one is getting glowing reviews but it really felt underwhelming to me. Objectively I think everything is well-written, but I just didn't really feel the spark in it.To start with the good things, it's definitely a mellow, down-to-earth drama. No conflicts feel overblown, there aren't any purely evil villain characters, and misunderstandings are understandable and realistic. I also think the age gap was handled really respectfully; they talk about it explicitly and emphasize that it began one-sided (that it would be weird otherwise). By the time feelings are revealed, the characters are older and wiser, and the romance is mature and communicative.
Ironically, I think this is one of the few dramas that would've benefitted from having a little more drama so that I would feel more stakes. I don't know if the story with the ML's backstory got as much closure as I would've wanted, considering it was the most interesting part since aside from the romance, SZ unfortunately doesn't feel that well-rounded.
Another thing is that the side characters feel lacking. The best one was Sang Zhi's older brother; the sibling relationship was perfectly depicted and hilarious, but I do wish we knew more about him outside of it. Similarly, we get hints of the friends, roommates, and coworkers of our two leads, but they're not really fleshed beyond the cookie-cutter roles of side characters in dramas (the boy-crazy one, the smart one, the tomboy, etc.), and they definitely felt sidelined in favor of the leads. It's understandable — after all, they are leads — but it made scenes where the leads weren't together feel bland.
I really do think this would be enjoyable to viewers who like romance dramas that are low-stress, mellow, and mature, like You Are My Glory. For me, I think there's an element of liveliness that I really missed, whether it was between the leads or the other people around them.
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This review may contain spoilers
its simplicity delivered a superb, binge-worthy drama that will leave you smiling and feeling good!
What I like about this series is that it really is a very simple plot line. A young girl's admiration developing into a crush then to a puppy love then the love growing as she matures and eventually getting her happily ever after. I like how the interaction between the characters shows the difference as they grow/mature. The initial stages, the interactions of DJX and SZ are like an older, doting brother taking care and indulging a younger sister. Just like a different version of Sang Yan - SZ's real brother who happens to be his best friend in school. Whereas SY often teases and makes fun of SZ when they are together and is portrayed as being brash and a bit cocky, DJX is the caring, gentle and warmer brother. Though he is indulging her, he makes sure to still teach her and correct her behavior when needed - like when he told SZ to (1) pay attention in class when he helped her by pretending to be her older brother so her parent wouldn't know that her teacher requested another meeting, (2) how she should act when she gets confessed to - study first as she is too young, but to thank the other person for having an interest in her and to either accept or not to hurt him but to politely reject the other person's interest if she does not reciprocate the feeling. Not that SY does not indulge her, SY just has a different love language shown to his sister. When they met again when SZ was in college, you can see how DJX starts seeing SZ as a woman, not just a younger sister. You see him starting to fall in love with the adult SZ. You then get to join their journey from their courtship to how they lay the foundation of their relationship and how it (their relationship) and they (SZ and DJX) grow as individual and together as a couple. In today's society of instant gratification, I especially love how they brought back the art of anticipation during the courtship period. Qian Fei had a point when he asked Jiaxu why he is still decided to pursue his girl when he knows she likes him and they could have gotten together then. I like that they build up the anticipation of them becoming together. The kilig moments in this series is just *chef's kiss*. (KILIG is not misspelled, its a Filipino term that I think best describes the situation in the drama. It refers to the feeling of excitement or elation one gets in various romantic situations like making eye contact with your crush, holds for the first time, your first kiss with someone you are romantically interested in and other situation like that. I may have mucked up the explanation, Google it if you must.) They did great in making their experience in their courtship period very relatable, makes the series more endearing because it somehow reminds you of your own experience - remember the scene when SZ was telling her girls about her and DJX status and ending up giggling with each other and laughing and being silly about it? I was smiling along with them, like its a secret between us sisters!I am not the biggest Chen Zhe Yuan fan out there but I must say HIS ACTING WAS SUPERB in this series. I've seen his other works and they were good, don't get me wrong. Boy can act, but he would not be the first actor I would have in mind had the character of Duan Jiaxu been explained to me before seeing this drama. As CZY mentioned in their special, this is the first time he is acting as an older brother/senior. I think he really pulled it off. He has shown DJX being playful, teasing SZ and even his friends, being cold to Jiang Ying, being indulgent to young SZ, being cutesy and loving to adult SZ. I love how even his eyes are delivering in this series. If you watch how he looks as SZ from start to finish, you can see how even they way he looks at SZ had changed as their story progressed, especially how his eyes looked when he kisses SZ at the later episodes. I especially like the scene in the airport when SZ confessed she liked him since she was a kid. You can see in his whole facial reaction that DJX was having a whole flashback of (1) what had transpired in that very airport when SZ went there in HS - what SZ said, what he said, how SZ reacted and cried and (2) when he picked up a drunk SZ from a bar and she shared her secret about liking someone. You can see minute changes in his face as realization dawns on him.
Whereas I am not a big fan of CZY, I love, love, love, love, love Zhao Lusi. Other than those that have not been aired yet, I have not see (clips in YT included) only 4 of her works. She is one of my go-to actresses when I want to rewatch a drama. I love how she portrayed SZ in this series. She had shown a different SZ in each stage of the series. From being a young, bratty, spoiled princess to growing up and being a mature young adult. I love how for the most part, she looks timid but she knows how to stand up for herself. I like how they showed in the drama that even when she is in love with DJX she has not lost herself and her priorities.
This is the first time I have come across Victor Ma and I must say, I love his voice. He played Sang Yan so well, I could not imagine another actor playing SY. He and Lusi has such great sibling chemistry. I love that despite being brash and a bit cocky and always teasing and making fun of his sister, he is his number one protector - remember the scene with the bully when SZ injured his leg? and when he picked her up at the airport when SZ went to Yihe in HS? and when he visited Yihe and SZ was getting bullied at the office where she was interning? I absolutely adore that the show still reflected his love language for his sister.
I could go on and on about what I like in this drama and it will make this review waaaay too long. So overall, I love how even though the plot line pretty simple, all of its cast and crew delivered a phenomenal job. I can go on an elaborate episode per episode what I liked about it. Suffice to say, after this drama aired its last episode, it has been a constant repeat whenever I want something on to pass time. I think I've watched this 6-7 times now since it last aired. That's how much I love this.
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This review may contain spoilers
I understood the hype
I truly understood the hype. I had huge expectations, and it didn't disappoint.The first thing that I like about this drama is that they made the sister-brother relationship of San Zhi and Jia Xu more acceptable. It's not weird to see since Jia Xu sincerely saw her as his sister when she was still a minor. He didn't have any romantic feelings or show any signs of them. You could feel that it was really genuine.
The second thing I like is the acting of the leads, especially Lu Si. I saw her in two dramas, but this one made me fall in love with her due to her natural acting and cuteness. Now, I also understood the hype around her. She's indeed a good actress. I just couldn't stop smiling when she was smiling. She's so cute!
When San Zhi said something like, "I don't care about the reason, but if you mistreated him, then I'll do the same with you," That's when I fell in love with her character. Again, I said it in my review of When I Fly Towards You: Both of the female characters know how to stand up and fight against those annoying people. They're not just cute, but brave too. It's so refreshing to see that in cdrama because they always present some cute characters that are too kind to stand up for themselves and for others.
And about the chemistry, do I really need to say it too? It's so great! They complement each other from their visuals up to their personalities.
When I Fly Towards You is for those who like youth romance and wholesome friendship. Watch Hidden Love if you like a drama that only focuses on the main lead. Personally, I enjoyed Hidden Love more.
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Absolute Perfection 10++ stars
I could have sworn I'd left a review already. Anyway, this is the sweetest, most romantic C drama I've ever watched and it's one that I'll rewatch often.XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
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ISSO MERECE O OSCAR E TODOS OS PREMIOS DA CHINA
First of all:Zhao Lu Si (Sang Zhi) and Chen Zhe Yuan (Duan Jia Xu) = SPECTACULAR you were perfect.
Victor Ma (Sang Yan) = CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE TOO FUNNY.
Screenwriter Shen Fei Xian thank you 7 years after you deliver this masterpiece and I wish you make 1000000 more of these. Rational! And you are very beautiful.
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What is this show?
What is this C-Drama?
Is this real Chinese? Is it really C-Drama?
How to watch another Drama after this one?
Everything was RATIONAL, what I always complained about.
DELIVER THE OSCAR TODAY.
9.2 IS A JOKE. The grade is 10 - 100 - 1000
This is perfect.
Even the Familia's objection is rational.
It's 2023 and this is what should happen.
The Airport episode was really nice.
NO NEED TO BE MEDIEVAL, ANGRY, IDIOT AND ABSURD TO BE GOOD. THIS DRAMA DESERVES ALL CHINA AWARDS.
He also teaches people about balance. You are you, the other is the other, even if it is your Father.
Thanks.
Watch today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sweet, adorable and funny moments
Another excellent series of Zhao Lusi. This series is very sweet, heart warming, adorable and endearing. A childhood crush come true is, I guess, many people's dream. All the casts in this series really did a great job on the series. I love every single one of them. The male and female lead of course is also extremely excellent - also working together as a couple. The innocence and shyness of both of them is very cute to watch at many scenes, though the overthinking on the female lead's part does hit home alot in reality. I bet many of us also thinks like her in certain scenarios of life. Really reflect alot on real life scenarios etc. The songs paired for this series is also beautiful.Was this review helpful to you?
Like A Warm, Comforting Hug. Worth The Hype!
This Chinese drama shall go down as a modern day classic.It has a relatively simple story, but the execution is marvellous. The casting is on point and all the characters were brought to life so incredibly well. Every single song in the soundtrack is lovely and fitting. The plot and premise of this drama is fairly straight-forward but perhaps that is what makes it so brilliant. It is realistic, relatable, and immersive. Slowly but steadily, Hidden Love will blossom in your heart as you watch the ML and FL's relationship grow, transform, and mature.
There are many similar productions that I would've rated a solid 8/10, but Hidden Love just feels too special. There is not an ounce of artificiality or overstatement. I laughed, I cried, I felt their heartbreaks, and I felt their ecstatic moments too. This drama also contained hands down THE cutest drunk FL scene I have ever witnessed, plus many other scenes that were so adorable, funny, and heartwarming that I rewound multiple times.
This drama will remind you what it feels like to love, and to be loved.
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Always a must watch!
DANG, IT! I loved this drama! I couldn't wait for every 5 episodes to be out on Netflix so I just binged watched it on Dramacool and I'm glad I did. This drama was sweet all the way. Not even any breakup scene. YAH!The couples are soooooooooooo cute together! I love that we showed him starting to have feelings for her and wanting to woo her. I loved every episode of it. Made me laugh, cry, and just happy all the way!
The acting was amazing all the way! And honestly, 5 years isn't bad at all. Trust me. I looooved both ML and FL. They worked perfectly and adorably together.
Honestly, I loved everything about this whole drama. It was so adorable to see the two lead together. You can tell there was so much chemistry happening, even down to all the kissing scenes!
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Classic Rom-com
This cute love story has 3 arcs as to when SZ met DJX: middle school, HS and College. The pre-teen yrs to teenage was shown from ep 1-7 where she displays puppy love/crush. Ep 7-25 is the adult arc. They met again when SZ is already an adult and attended university in DJX hometown. This drama depicts one-sided hidden love on SZ side. Just to be clear they got together when she was of legal age.How is this different from other rom-com or coming of age dramas:
- focus briefly on school but instead the challenges of young love
-pure and innocent love that flourished to real love
- matured teenager, she basically knows what she is fighting for but at the same time she is not aggressive.
Pros:
ahhh-mazing chemistry of the leads, sibbling and family relationships
ML background did not lead him to go astray but responsible and loving
Great acting, directing and novel adaptations
Cons:
As much as I love ZLS, the first 7 episodes where she is acting as a teenager still attached to her stuff toys with her childish vocals was quite overdone. Not sure if it’s per the novel or director’s call. But her character devt was amazing.
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