Hidden Love
"Hidden Love" is an absolute gem of a Chinese drama that left me utterly enchanted. From the very start, I was drawn into the intricate world of emotions and connections that this drama masterfully weaved. What truly stole my heart were the leads, whose chemistry was nothing short of magical. Their performances brought the characters to life in a way that was both mesmerizing and deeply relatable.The entire cast deserves applause for their impeccable work. Every actor contributed their best, delivering performances that were both sincere and impactful. The seamless teamwork among the cast members created a harmonious on-screen atmosphere that enhanced the storytelling.
At the heart of it, all lies a concept and story that captivated me from beginning to end. The delicate manner in which the narrative unfolds allowed me to immerse myself fully in the characters' experiences. The drama's ability to blend emotion, suspense, and romance in such a balanced manner was truly commendable.
"Hidden Love" is not just a drama; it's an experience that resonates on multiple levels. With a heartwarming storyline and outstanding character portrayals, it's a shining example of how to create a captivating drama that stays with you long after the final scene.
Was this review helpful to you?
Pure Innocent love at its best!!
what a heartwarming love story ...the pure innocent crush of a girl was so beautifully portrayed... I also loved d fact that in the beginning when she was still minor they refrained from showing any romantic feelings from the ML.....it was just pure adoration for someone he considered a sister like younger friend ...the progression in the love story was so organic you can literally see the ML starting to develop feelings and also the exact moment when it transitioned from brotherly adoration to something more for him...I love how the FL was cute and childlike (not childish..huge difference) when it came to her loved ones but also knew where to take a stand for herself ...the acting the ost everything was sooo good! Definetly one of my all time favorites and one which I will watch multiple times !!Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best modern rom-com dramas!
I don't usually watch cdramas but this drama turned out to be so unexpectedly good. The last cdrama that I liked was Le Coup de Foudre, which was also a rom-com drama, I had loved the chemistry between the main leads there. It's the same reason I liked Hidden love so much too. The chemistry between the leads was so natural, they really felt like a real couple. I will say though that I found the first few episodes a bit slow, but the story picked up after San zhi went to university.I liked the way they showed the main leads relationship through all the stages. They didn't fast forward through anything and it made me root for them even more as the story went on.
They didn't focus much on the side characters in this drama which I initially wasn't too keen on but later appreciated a lot because I just couldn't get enough of the main leads scenes. Although I wouldn't have minded having more scenes of Sang Yan, he was so fun to watch.
The OST is so goood too. The vibes reminded me a bit of Our Beloved Summer. (Forever star reminded me a lot of V's Christmas tree. Both such great songs)
Definitely one of the best dramas I watched this year!
Was this review helpful to you?
Extremely cute
Firstly zaho lusi never disappoints in her dramas.This drama was really cute and so entertaining, i loved the dynamics and squabble between the brother and her. It made it feel so realistic.
I loved how the story unfolded.
Everything of this drama was on point,
The music was fitting and the fact we didn't spend a lot of time on incident was a bounce.
The ending was perfect and bright.
A definite must to watch.
All the characters were well matched and played their role absolutely perfectly
Was this review helpful to you?
ngl hated it
So cliche. So textbook. and so overdone.This plot from the beginning was horrible. I hate cliche plots. Give me something unique???
Not only that, the acting. THE. ACTING. I wanted to die. Don't get me wrong, ZLS is wonderful. However, I don't quite understand the hype. Her acting... is only okay. And I think it's because she quite literally sucks at these cutesy girl next door roles. It's way beyond cringe (which is weird because all she needs to do is be herself and it'd be great). Her more powerful and independent roles is where she really shines. This, was just not it.
On top of that..... just not a huge fan of CZY. hes.... just okay I guess....
Was this review helpful to you?
Was not totally for me
I shouldn’t have read so many reviews like I did before finally watching this. My expectations were seriously so high but I ended up not really seeing what majority of the people who have watched this were raving about so I guess I am in the minority with this one.This was a very cute fluff albeit with no bite. I like me some romcom with fluff but I need it to have bite in it and this one didn’t for me, so I struggled to finish this. It took me almost 3weeks to finally finish this drama even with employing the fast forward button a bit.
I did enjoy Sang Yan a lot when he was onscreen. Shame he didn’t have more screen time. The proposal switch out was cute and different, I am not so sure about parents attending a proposal but to each their own.
This is not something I would rewatch but if you are a fan of both leads as I am plus the fact that majority of people love this drama so much then go ahead and enjoy the gooey sweetness.
Was this review helpful to you?
underwhelming romance development
I love both Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan... also i am an absolute fan of fluffy love story but to be honest they would both have better chemistry if it was for a different drama. Saying that this show is overrated does not mean it sucks it just doesn't justify for the high ratings in my opinion (FYI my review is also just based on the drama not the novel).Throughout the show I have a few ???? moments.
(1) I didn't liked how the FL is portrayed in the show.
The show started with FL when she was about 14 years old and she fell in love with ML who was 19 years. BUT the child actress does not look like 14 but 8-10. it looks strange and cringy. Why couldn't they cast a young girl that look more like her 14/15 (or atleast give ML a younger boy actor too).
Also, when FL grows up, she still speaks like a kid in a kiddy tone, the way she behaves is as though she is like 12?
(2) The romance
Throughout the show, their 5 years age gap is heavily emphasized all the time.. is it really such a big deal. I have watched so many drama with big age gaps but i didn't know 5 years is a lot to be a problem. They portray the male lead to be OLD like he is just 24?
I also didn't liked the development from bro/sis to lovers. ML's pov of how he fell in love was pretty sudden to me. In the show, there weren't any progress in how he fell in love but more like a one time and boom "i gonna woo you" the next day. Even ML confession didn't felt wow.
I guess u can dissect this drama into
1st part: FL's pov, her falling in love
2nd part: FL grew up (aka. went university) and met ML again
3rd part: ML fell in love and happy ending
Despite all these, the romance is quite sweet to watch after they got together.. but it's really not my cup of tea. I wouldn't rewatch this.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Rom-Com That Can Make Anyone's Heart Skip
Hello everyone!! I know I am VERY late to this show and all it's glory, hence why likely not many people will end up reading this review, but I must write it anyway---even though I'm not 100% done this show myself (which is something I seldom ever do for my reviews). I will preface this review by saying I don't usually watch C Dramas, the only other Chinese show I have seen is The Untamed, which is of course a very different genre from this one. Nonetheless, I stumbled across this show on Netflix and can't wait to give you my review!!Story: 10/10
Now, I will preface this by saying I have not yet read the English translation of the original novel, but I am aware there are certain differences. Such as in the novel, Duan Jiaxu is 7 years Shang Zhi's elder, but in the show, he is only 5 years older than her. I usually steer away from age gaps in shows and books personally, ESPECIALLY when the ML and FL meet when one is a minor. However, this show does an incredible job of showing both characters, their personalities, and how their dynamic changes over time. The ML, Duan Jiaxu, treats the FL (Shang Zhi) as nothing more than a younger sister for the first several years of their relationship and then slowly he begins to see her as a woman when they meet again.
Although the age gap could slow down any other rom-com show, we never lose any of the chemistry from start to end. The writers do an incredible job of selling the story to us through the FL's innocent, fluttering heart. Even as an adult watching this show, I feel teleported back into my own middle school and high school days as we watch them interact in a heartfelt way. The writers also do an excellent job of showing the FL's innocence without making her unintelligent or unaware of others' feelings, and as you watch, you start to root for her and the ML. Both the ML and FL are kind and honest, and are willing to communicate their concerns to one another. It's very refreshing to watch--no unnecessary miscommunications!
In the second half of the show, when both are now adults, that fluttering feeling only gets stronger for the audience. Only now, this fluttering is accompanied by more adult-like issues. The show shifts to a slightly more "grown up" vibe effortlessly, and we start to see some problems in the ML and FL's lives, how they cope like adults, and how they support one another. It's incredible how almost all of the scenes in this show have just the ML and the FL, but we never get bored as the story is always pushing forward and we can see slow changes in both leads' personalities for the better.
The story itself is a simple brother's best friend situation, but the emotionally mature characters and sweet romance make you feel like you're teleported into their world--it makes you feel like a love like that is waiting for you around the corner! So heartwarming.
Acting/Cast: 10/10
I absolutely love all of the actors in this show despite it being my first time seeing them. Each actor knows their role very well, and conveys emotions in a way that makes you feel like you're truly watching a character be brought to life. One thing I have noticed is almost the entire cast is incredible at micro-expressions, whether it's a smile fading slowly or showing worry with a shift in their gaze. This is especially true for the ML and FL, who are both so good at showing their characters' love and concern for one another. I'd also like to point out the actor who plays the FL's older brother. He makes me laugh every time he comes on screen, and you feel like you're watching a brother bicker with his sister every time, but he does a great job in serious scenes as well. Seeing this quality of acting makes me wonder what I've been doing not watching C Dramas!
Music: 9/10
I'm not really a big OST person, but I truly enjoyed this show's OST. I particularly like the one song which goes "moonlight shines in your eyes", it makes my head beat fast whenever it plays during a romantic moment between the leads. How lovely!!
Rewatch Value: 10/10
This show is incredibly healing. You get lots of comedy and romance, and although there is a reasonable amount of sadness and problems, you don't feel weighed down by it. The writers have done an excellent but incredibly difficult job: making a show that is romantic and fluffy without making it feel plotless or like you can't enjoy the romance because of the heaviness of the problems. I am not all the way done this show yet, but I already know I will be rewatching it in years to come. We all need some rest and peace sometimes, and this show does that for me.
Overall: 10/10!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Use of aesthetics to cover a lacking story
Honestly, I was not very keen to watch this drama but given the ratings & hype I decided to give it a try. Visually the drama is very pleasing. I liked the first half where it told a story of a young girl having one sided crush on an elder guy who happens to be her brother's best friend. It reminded me of my childhood when I had a similar type of crush. There were scenes which was so relatable such as when she found his name spelling like the excitement was so real! I suddenly recalled those moments when I was 19-20 y.o and my entire day used to be blooming just because I found my crush's info- his full name or fb profile. So yeah it felt so so like a normal crush story.The second half however was meh and i ff/skipped a lot. There were two reasons for that:
A. The storyline was bland. There was nothing going on plot wise. The leads just met in different clothes & different ambience with flashbacks which was shown like 15 mins ago. Their conversations were like that of a constipated person. The entire line of side characters were made just to make the relationship arc shine which felt redundant. They wasted resources on actors which had no purpose and could have been done by one actor alone. The scope was so limited.
B. The infantilizing of the FL was way worse compared to other dramas. ML attended her PTM, buy pads for her, changed her shoes, cooks and clean for her, picks her from office basically treat her like a 5 yr old. FL parents controlled her too much, yeah one can say this is common in Asian families but that makes you a kid and not a person suitable for romance drama. This portrayal of women is not new in dramaland and has been a constant hit amongst audience so I won't waste my energy on saying like please give us a semi-independent FL or least someone with half a dime of brain, so i'll let it go.
My recommendation- go for a mature plot , there are plenty ones out there. This is not worth it no matter how good looking the cast is and how aesthetically good the production.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Such a good watch. Topic: brothers best friend
Boy was I concerned when I started this drama and the FL looked like a baby while the ML was a full ass grown man.After watching it I have to say they solved this age gap pretty well.
The ML is a green flag and I fell in love with him BUT the FL was just perfect not only is Zhao Lusi breathtakingly beautiful I also really enjoyed her acting. They really casted a good match.
Not to mention the big brother who was just perfect.
This drama contains the usual long and painful bild up before their first touch but plays it out really well.
I hope you enjoy watching this drama because I sure did.
Was this review helpful to you?
Favorite Drama of all time
Forever grateful to whatever stars aligned to make me watch Hidden Love. It was the first CDrama I have watched, and I am yet to find another cdrama that can keep me as bewitched by the drama and even the bts. Although the story itself is nothing extraordinary, and there are no real plot-twists etc, the viewer is kept hooked by the sheer chemistry of Chen Zheyuan and Zhao Lusi. Both of them were so beautiful and bewitching, there was no need for anything else. They could have been reading out the recipe to boil potatoes, and we would have been just as hooked. The OST was also chef's kiss. Forever star has become one of those unskippable songs.Was this review helpful to you?
