I don’t get it
Ok, this is my opinion..No hate on anybodyI know I’m a bit late to the party. I was strangely reluctant to first watch this drama (because I was afraid of being disappointed if it did not turn out to be as good as everybody said it was) and then I was hesitant to post my thoughts about it; mainly because I couldn’t understand why I was “not impressed”. (For some reason, I kept remembering Superman saying to Steppenwolf, “Not Impressed”).. anyhoo..
The show ticks so many boxes.. it has a perfect recipe of a perfect romance. Really good looking ML, quite pretty FL, supposedly swoon worthy romance, all the usual tropes, etc. But for me, something was missing. And I still don’t know what. May be it’s a case of it’s not the show, it’s me.
There seem to be polarized views on the kid playing young Zhao Lusi. It didn’t bother me much. Probably because I was prepared for it. And ML during that phase really treated her as an elder brother. Did not creep me out. I wasn’t a fan but I also didn’t find it gross.
I just couldn’t get the romance between ML and FL. I understand she had a crush. But it takes a lot for a crush to transform into once in lifetime kinda love. And I really didn’t get that feeling from our leads. The drama tried to sell that, but I just couldn’t buy. I don’t get why he gets attracted to her. Is it just because when she takes care of him, he suddenly sees her in a different light? If that, then I somehow don’t see it as love. It’s gratefulness at best and selfishness at worst. I don’t want to believe that he always had a specific soft spot for her (even though it is hinted.. he keeps just his and her photo from the graduation ceremony). That would feel weird because in my eyes it’d make him a creep. She was pretty young at that time. So no, I don’t want to believe that. Then I really hit a wall there… why?
It was easier for me to see how her fascination with her brother’s friend progressed to a crush. Those who have older siblings or cousins would know, how your sibling’s one friend seemed like a perfect specimen back when the puberty hit. So I get it. What I don’t get is why that progresses into this forever kind of love? Granted at such an young age, all the emotions are extra bright. But I find it difficult to accept that none of the other friends in her widening circle capture her interest? If they made her fall for him after they meet again, it might have made more sense. They could have shown how the new encounters slowly remind her why she had a crush on him, and I’d have accepted that.
I really like Zhao Lusi. She has the looks and the skills. But somehow in this drama, she appeared a bit stiff. IMO it’s on the director. Same with Chen Zheyuan. I don’t think he is a great actor but he is not bad either. He gets the job done. But here somehow he looked .. I dunno.. bored?!? Personally, I didn’t see their chemistry which is driving people nuts. But yeah they were effortlessly together. I give you that.
One thing that was like a sour note for me was in their bid to show her as an apple of her family’s eye, they treated the bro rather shabbily. Her mum-n-dad were very much about her but mostly treated the big bro like an unwanted adopted child. To be honest again it could be just me. But I hate it when in dramas, parents treat main leads’ siblings more favourably. Similarly I hate it when parents are so darn biased in favour of main leads. I dinna find it cute, I dinna find it funny. I was second hand annoyed for her bro.
The drama is polished. It looks good, OST is not bad either. I just didn’t get hooked onto it the way I expected after the reviews. My expectations were way up there. But at the end I was underwhelmed. I just couldn’t see the “wow”.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
How I wished that the girl just hid her love forever
It was a weird and intolerable sight for me. I was having such a good time watching the show during the first half but then it became draggy. It all started when the guy started to grow feelings for the young girl. I know that five years gap in a relationship is not considered a very far-away gap, but damn! Why did they not hire a young actor to portray the main male lead during his university days? They just stick to the same actor till the end in wherein it seem too hard for me to accept their romance. The guy felt like a predator who fell in love with a middle school girl.The main girl's characteristic sticks with being childish until the end. I know that this is not their intention but I can’t help but to feel cringe at their scenes. It was a better ending if the girl ended up with someone his age or those men who tried to court her.
A disappointment from the good reviews from the majority. It wasn’t as good as it seemed to be. The punches that the main guy received from the young girl’s brother are all my feelings towards their pairing. If there’s a different concept, I guess they can win me with their chemistry. But this one is such a meh for me.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Must watch and rewatch
First of all the story, for me it's the story that wanted me to give it a try , I think this story is kinda new for me after watching mang drama which were very similar(and i really love the concept of liking ur brothers friend actually it was little hurting to see her not able to say her love out because she was afraid of losing him and also the airport scene which made my eyes swollen because of crying and the scenes after he realised that she actually loved him for so many years was very good and the scenes on her birthday was also very good and I am waiting for the scenes on his birthday when sang zhi says yes )Next is the cast i really loved all the cast and I love the fl and ml so much and i hve also watched their drama before and i personally think they have given their best in this drama in portraying the characters so well which made me fall in love with this drama.
This drama actually makes my heart flutter especially the ep 15 and I am also waiting for ep 16 and 17 , the trailer of these two episodes made my heart melt which makes me impatient and i hope it does the same for everyone who loves this drama
And this drama is actually very good which I will watch again . Overall this drama is good if u love watching youth , romance kinda genres and it's a worth giving it a try even if u don't usually watch this kinda drama , it's does cringe u out and it's romantic scenes actually make ur cheeks red better have an ice pack with you when u watch this drama
Was this review helpful to you?
Hidden Love: A Bittersweet Delight - Love, Atmosphere, and Talent
Lets be real, the story is at most a 7/10, BUT everything else in this novel adaptation is top-notch. From the atmosphere, music, progression and setting, to the cast and production. Especially, the performances of both the female and male leads carry 70% to 80% of this drama's rating, elevating it to a 9 - 9.5 .First Chen Zhe Yuan, his character is the perfect mix of the most bitter and darkest chocolate and the sweetness of cotton candy. An example of a humble, disciplined and determined human to almost transcendent extent .
And Zhe Yuan portrays those qualities on a remarkable level on screen. Personally this is my first time watching him, but after this I will make sure to watch some other dramas with him in the main role. (..also funny thing for me is, Zhe Yuan expressions resemble a lot Ahn Nae Sang acting (like a younger version) *haha*, and I remember Nae Sang for a lot of villain roles, so I had a more negative impression of the character Duan Jia Xu at the start "xD") .
Zhao Lu Si, daaaaaaaamn. In this role her character is a total airhead, gentle and insecure but also a little shrewd and astute (except when it comes to romance...).
Idk, how should I describe it? It felt like Lusi entered a different kind of level in this role, a higher plane in comparison to her other roles. To be fair it is a modern setting in comparison to most of her other roles, but still... the expressions felt carefree and captivating, and a lot of times like it was off-script.
To wrap thing up: A great cast, pleasing to the eye environment, a good story pace, gentle romance and no rage inducing plot-armor plot. In the end we are left with a few unresolved questions, but nothing that breaks my impression of the show, and if I truly wanted to know the answers I probably would read the novel.
This drama was undeniably worth my time, and if you're a fan of the cast, I wholeheartedly recommend giving "Hidden Love" a try.
Was this review helpful to you?
The most boring drama ever
Even in my worst imaginations, I never thought Zhao Lusi would star in a series and I would get bored watching it.but they make that happen, well done!There was no story, just a kiddo fell in love with a boy jusy 5 years older (is this kinda taboo in china to date someone a little bit older?) i don't know, it dosn't even worth to mention this 5 years age gap let alone made a fuss about it.
The Side stories was absurd and nonlogical as well.
in conclution Hidden love not only overly overrated but GOD! BORING AS HELl!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Acho que é meu top 1
Eu amei, assisti umas duas vezes e provavelmente vou assistir de novo, este dorama tem de tudo um pouco, drama amor adolescente, complicações de vida adulta, e um romance maravilhoso, tirando o fato deles questionarem muito a diferença de idade dos protagonistas que hoje em dia não faz tanta diferença eu achei tudo maravilhoso, e mesmo a questão da idade ter pegado um pouco ficou perfeito não fez com que o dorama fosse um drama ruim, ainda não tenho total certeza, mas este pode ser meu 1°Was this review helpful to you?
it was a simple cute love story with a lot of great point of view..
the show is definitely good but i think it's very overhyped. I know a lot of dramas like the same genre but with better stories. They didn't show side love stories that much. But the main lead's story and his past was beautifully portrayed.the female lead was also strong but somehow childish which i don't like much. overall it was a great watch and czy always rocks his character i watched this drama because of him and fell in love with zhao lusi but sang zhi's character should have a little bit of adult touch then it would have been so much better. And i don't think so i will rewatch this.Was this review helpful to you?
Let's set some thing straight
So I've seen some reviews on here saying basically what the tiktoks are saying about this drama, the whole age thing.I assumed you would have watched the drama but considering the reviews being left I don't think that's the case or at least I don't believe they watched it with an understanding of what's happening.
Yes, they do in fact meet when she's 14 and he's 19, but that whole ordeal is like 2 days at most, after which they dont see each other again until she's 17 and he's 22. Again that whole meeting doesn't last that long either, he tutors her in physics and after that they don't see each other until she's a freshman in college.
During this whole time he treats her AND THINKS OF her as a little sister, nothing more nothing less, SHE catches feelings when she is 17.
So in the grand scheme of things, they're acquaintances AT BEST.
Anyways with that out the way I loved the drama, the acting was amazing, it was cute, fluffy heartwarming, the OST was actually suprisingly good, the chemistry of the leads to me is heart-fluttering.
I loved how supportive, understanding and mature the couple was , helping each other, understanding each other, COMMUNICATING, relying on each other.
In short to me this drama felt like a piece of fluffy and warm romance with some realistic elements added to it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Finally a series with an healthy couple
Finally a series with an healthy couple, without to much drama around them. Not a break up and back together, back and forth situations. No third parties that want them breaking up.No sudden amnesia etc.
Just a beautiful slow building romance 🥰
I can highly recommend this series and will definitely rewatch it.
I hope someday there will also be a WEBTOON about this drama.
Just to relive this story.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
If you like Chic Flicks
Rated= 5~ 18/50 ~ 3.6Scene // Zombie stumbling through an abandoned House. I can at least smack it with a club.
Which I don't 😂What comes to mind is Legally Blonde. If you like films along those lines, you may like this.
I'm writing this before I can even rate this because I'm not sure what to go with.
I don't like the back and forth timeline type of plot flow because I find it jarring and for the first few eps this show did this by jumping from 14 year old FL to 17 year old FL a number of times. I prefer a more A to B approach, or give us the flashback at once. But that may just be me.
Personally didn't mind the FL's romantic feelings in her school days as it is very much a crush and the ML treats her like a little sister, and a possible substitute family environment that he lost due to a tragedy in his own life. There are no signs of romantic intentions coming from him that made me feel uncomfortable or feel like it was crossing into grooming territory. I also appreciate how, despite the trauma, the ML is not a cold and distant asshole and the writers took him the other way by remaining firmly grounded and compassionate to others. I could even look at it as over compensating slightly.
When we get the FL into Uni and she's now legal (which is stated multiple times by the FL and side characters in case we were still unsure) the ML seems to have a personality transplant and devotes himself to pursuing the FL when he figures out that he is the 'crush'. You may choose to interpret previous behaviour up until this moment as, he does have feelings but is in denial or he is continuing his brotherly protector role. Either way, there's something missing in the ML transition from brother to boyfriend. I do appreciate the writers at least trying to portray an inner struggle but I feel like it could have been more developed. His feelings were pretty platonic to me and within one episode he was suddenly smug, cocky and hot on the FL's tail lights as soon as he realised that he was the one she was crying over. Something just feels off to me. I think that's where the plot has gone wrong despite the careful approach to the FL's age.
I either have to see it as A. he only became interested when he found out that she had long been interested in him, and she's an adult now so can make her own choices or B. he did have other feelings but had repressed them due to her age and once she was a legal adult, there was a greenlight.
There was a lot of focus on the FL being underage and not enough of a portrayal of how the ML was really feeling.
What would make me feel better is showing more of an inner dialogue for the ML. I need to see a genuine developing growth from the little sister figure he wants to protect to a woman he now admires and is developing romantic feelings for.
There was one scene in the car of him first questioning his feelings and that was it. They dangled the complicated human condition in front of me and then said, nah, that's too much work. Let's just skip to undying devotion now.
I think this is why there are some reviewers who are feeling uncomfortable with this show. The key component to the relationship is missing and the viewer is left with having to choose between A and B.
Which brings me to the next reason I'm dropping this show. The 'Chic Flick' feel. There is this candy coated approach to everything. The FL is clearly from a rich family so gorgeous big house, with an older brother who might as well be her dad. Parents who seem to dote on her endlessly and treat their son like her servant. The sickeningly cute dorm room of the FL uni and she's complete besties with her roomies. Oh, and the love at first sight pursuer just to make the ML jealous. Everything is very picturesque and I can't help but feel like I'm being sold something subliminally from pinterest.
I don't even need to look to the end to know that this show ends with a proposal, doesn't it?
Another thing that randomly stood out like a sore thumb to me, is that the FL loves to draw and is studying Digital media at Uni. Perhaps it's my own inner creative being annoying about this, but I feel like this arty side could have been utilised more within the plot as it's a core element of who the FL is as a person. But instead, I feel like it's reduced to an aesthetic for the show's visuals like the little title screens. That bothered me a little. At least there is some groundwork done for the ML and why he's a game developer.
Acting and music was really nothing noteworthy because my brain shut off a lot of the time or I was simply skipping scenes.
I held on through the 17 year old who acts and is treated like she's still 5 arc so I could get to the main course of the plot, the beginnings of the actual relationship. But now I feel like the writers must have felt the same way. Go through the cutesy, enjoying your crush girlhood stage, get the first heartbreak in there, reconnect, then jump straight to being pursued by said crush.
Also, the 'other girl'.....they really lost me on that one but I guess it wasn't a love triangle so there's that. Block and delete should have been on his mind somewhere and then a restraining order but he just kind of takes it and relies on his place of work to amp their security. I'm sorry but what?
*Edit* when I was re-reading for typos it occurred to me (to my horror) that this is a scenario where a love triangle would be a legit issue simply because it would give that feeling that the ML was at least trying to just live his life and not just subconsciously waiting for the FL to be of age. Even if it was just a few dates that were being regularly spoiled by stalker girl. He's in his mid 20s, incredibly good looking, steady job and drives but has never dated and rejects any attempts to get him to date. So why the sudden interest in the FL?
One of those shows that I waded through to get to the point and then it just kind of glossed over it preferring to stick to what everyone just wants to indulge in. A privileged girl being spoiled by everyone around her and her 'impossible' first love becoming a possible soulmate.
Was this review helpful to you?
just osm
i really enjoy this seriesi really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
i really enjoy this series i really enjoy this series
Was this review helpful to you?
