Chocolate covered strawberries berries
Food analogy: Rich Dark Chocolate covered fresh strawberries with drizzle of burnt caramel on top.Just the right amount.
I am actually writing this review after my Third Rewatch.
Chinese Romance dramas tends to turn cheesy as the show progresses, but this one dragged me out of this stereotype and delivered a near perfect story.
Story: Ah, the calm. The emotional turmoil and the dedication took the cake in my POV. It is a story that you won't be able to get it out of your head and after around 10th episodes will make you feel that you know them personally.
Acting: Found my new chinese bias in this drama. ZLS was already good as I have seen her in other dramas but it was my first time seeing the ML and boy, have i watched all of his work after that. Answer is Yes.
Music: Generic but fits well. Not in my playlist.
Rewatch value: I already started the review stating that I already completed my 3rd rewatch.
Overall: deducting a 0.5 from total score, solely for tbe reason that it has set such a unrealistic standard that I am searching for all the set characters everywhere to no avial. Which proves that the men, in our imagination is very much different from real men. Sad.
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Boring and Overhyped
I came into this drama with pretty high expectations , seeing the way people were glazing it like it was a masterpiece, it seemed like the perfect occasion to break out of my full avoidance of romantic tropes ,since i've been loving very different genres of dramas.The first few episodes seemed interesting and it made me want to continue the drama until the story became extremely flat.
It felt like i was watching the same episode on repeat and in full honesty, nothing interesting happened , like ever. The chemistry between the two main leads also died down as the ''story'' (if i can call it that ) went on. The Age Gap isn't big but the way it is presented at the start made it uncomfortable to look at, feels like the only reason people like this drama is because of the popular actors in it. The discussion on the age gap isn't about the age gap itself , 5 years aren't many, but the way it is positioned in the story, they meet when she's 14 and he is 19, basically two worlds apart, and yes he doesn't really like her until she's 19 but he still spent a lot of time with her when she was a kid, and he basically switches up from ''she's my little sister'' to ''she's the girl i like'' like it was nothing, which again, odd, even though the authors like to underline how it isn't weird at all. There were some cute moments between the two but nothing extraordinary.
I physically could not bring myself to care about any of the characters.
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"Hidden Love: A Heartwarming Evolution of Innocent Crush to Everlasting Love"
Hidden Love, a masterfully executed drama, fearlessly explores the complex themes of unrequited love and age difference, delicately avoiding any potential for discomfort or unease. The series deftly captures the essence of a young girl's infatuation and takes audiences on a captivating journey as it evolves into a passionate, enduring love between the lead characters.The chemistry between DJX and SZ is nothing short of electric, igniting the screen with their palpable connection. From DJX's charming yet teasing remark, "You are not my girlfriend yet," to the heartwarming kitchen scene, viewers will undoubtedly find themselves enamored with SZ's transformation from a timid teenager to a courageous woman who unconditionally stands up for her man and their love.
The aesthetic choices throughout the drama evoke a sense of refreshing tranquility akin to a gentle summer breeze, punctuated by moments of conflict and introspection that add depth to the narrative.
An additional source of enjoyment lies in the endearing love-hate dynamic between Sang Zhi and her brother, Sang Yan. Whether it's the exasperation Sang Yan experiences while tutoring her or their playful banter, the on-screen chemistry between the two siblings is a delight to behold. Not to be missed are the scenes where Sang Yan fearlessly confronts SZ's bullies, transforming from a comical brother figure into a fiercely protective guardian.
Furthermore, the confrontations between SY and DJX showcase extraordinary performances that vividly convey a range of emotions. The actors' remarkable talent enhances the storytelling, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.
Hidden Love has undoubtedly secured its place as one of the standout dramas of the year, earning a spot on many viewers' re-watch lists. It skillfully blends elements of romance and comedy, intertwined with moments of conflict resolution, resulting in a truly engaging viewing experience.
For those who have fallen under the spell of Chen Zhe Yuan's acting prowess, exploring his other works such as "Mr. Bad" and "Our Secret" is highly recommended.
Note: This review is written by me, edited by ChatGPT for readability.
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Not something new, but it has some lights.
Some aspects of repetition worked well but on the whole I felt there was too much repetition. I find the transition of the main couple's relationship from a brother-sister dynamic to a romance unconvincing and forced, the age difference between the leads when the relationship starts and the early framing of their relationship are seems a little uncomfortable.Underdeveloped Side Characters:
Side characters and their storylines are being just as cookie-cutter and sidelined, leaving some parts of the narrative bland when not focused on the leads, which is something i didn't like, i wanted more depth and story for the side character.
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I don't understand the hype.
This drama was very underwhelming, I don't understand the hype. I watched it because of all the good reviews. To my surprise the drama was not worth my time.It was uncomfortable watching a child fall in love with a guy. They could have at least used a child actor who looked 14 not 10. The story was nothing knew. I think people liked it because they love the main leads.
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Lovey dovey story line
Very cute acting and good storyline. Even though the trailer shows some lovey scenes but it makes you look forward in watching the full episodes.Both actress and actor has cute expressions at the right time, Not boring storyline and makes me look forward to very episode. Would like more sweet scenes with both leads. Lovely dresses for the female actress and her hair is always on point amazing! Makes me want to do my hair up when I watch her. Love suspense is getting real and hot. Can't wait for all the episodes!
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Drivel
I was absolutely shocked by how much I disliked this drama after reading other reviews here and elsewhere!I've enjoyed everything else I've seen of Zhao Lusi's work, and I do think both she and Chen Zheyuan portrayed their respective characters well, but I found the character of the FL wholly unpleasant - spoiled manipulative lazy brat anyone? - and the story itself decidedly uncomfortable.
I'm aware that the portrayed crushes of both the young and teenage FL were entirely innocent, but imo the ML could not have been unaware of the soulful stares and puppy dog eyes that were directed his way. Which makes the ML's behaviour look not so great. He should not have encouraged her in the ways that he did - in my own subjective opinion!
I tried hard to see it as a coming of age style story, but by the time FL starts university she's still painfully immature despite her frequent sulky assertions of being an adult!
When I realised that I was fast-forwarding through most of the episodes in a vain attempt to get to any point where the FL was bearable to watch I surrendered and finally dropped the show. I hope that FL did continue to grow emotionally and intellectually, but I couldn't stay the distance.
I'm glad that many people clearly love and enjoy this drama but sadly it's not for me.
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um.... it was ok
first of all, i hated how the female lead was acting like a 5 yr old at 16 💀 and that is a problem i have with a lot of these romance cdramas where the fl is cringe and acting like a child. it got a bit better later on but i also hated the age gap 😭 ik that this is the trope and they got together when they were both old enough but it was so weird knowing they met when she looked 8 (when she was 14) and he was 19 like what. and then it felt weird that he started catching feelings and i also didnt care for the romance. the plot itself was lowkey a snoozefest as it drew into the latter half of the episodes like there was no need for like 30 episodes. all in all, kind of boring imo tropes just were not for me and didnt rlly like either of the main characters but give it a shot if you want ig?Was this review helpful to you?
The FL is boring
I dropped this drama after finishing the 18th episode. I had surprisingly no problems with the plot and thought they executed the age gap at the beginning pretty well. It didn't feel weird when the FL and the ML got together because you could tell she matured. The thing that drew me away from this drama though was the FL. She's portrayed as super innocent and her personality is just meh. I found myself really bored with her character. She always had this look on her face when he did anything that made it seem like she didn't even like him. The plot was more cozy than exciting so it was pretty much the character's job to carry the show but the FL just missed the mark for me. If the FL had more personality I could've seen myself really enjoying this drama.Was this review helpful to you?
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Ugh
I am very late to this cdrama because this didn't really appeal to me until a couple of days ago when I finished watching The First Frost and saw that this was sort of connected to it. I don't normally like cutesy female leads who can barely talk like a normal human being and this had exactly that. We start off with 8 episodes of the teen FL pining after the ML. These episodes were so boring and cringy and just kind of strange at the same time. I'm not sure why they focused so much on their interactions when she was underage. At least they changed the child that was playing the FL in the beginning cause that was super weird. Tbh even with the actress change later on, it was borderline creepy at times because the actress was doing this ridiculous voice that made her sound like a child. So I was just weirded out by their interactions. I pushed through since I can get over some dubious shit in dramas and I can ignore it somewhat if it's not too much. So I got through these 8 episodes and finally made it to the adult life bits excited to finally see some actual romance. And um, the same childish cutesy behaviour is there. Unlucky me I guess.I still persisted and hoped that the romance would make up for the first 8 episodes. And nope. The romance is bad. I didn't really buy their chemistry. The fixation on the age thing seemed so strange. He's 5 years older, not 50. Although based on the immaturity of the FL, I guess the age difference seems larger and more significant. I don't think him falling for her was shown properly. They have some interactions and all of a sudden he likes her I guess. He wasn't really conflicted, didn't hesitate at all and just went for it. His flirting was so cringy lol. I guess when you don't buy the chemistry, it's bound to seem cringy. And the FL is still acting in the same way as before. It's so jarring, at times it honestly seems like she might have some developmental disability. Feels pretty harsh, but that's how it looked like to me.
Anyway, I still persisted and wanted to keep watching to see what this relationship will look like once they start properly dating. And ugh. I think their relationship is so weird. Her juvenile behaviour is so jarring and him being attracted to her when she is so childish is giving me the ick. I also really hate the way he keeps bending over to study her face from up close, it's so odd lol. I genuinely think that if she had an adult woman's voice and behaviour, it would make this much less weird and tolerable.
Now I'm at the end of episode 18 and I can't persist anymore. He's just bent over AGAIN to get close to her face and talk to her like he's talking to a child and that was the final straw. I can't take these two anymore, it's time to drop it and move on to something I'm actually enjoying.
I knew I wouldn't like this back when this first came out and everyone was raving about it. Nothing about this appealed to me and my instincts were right. I blame The First Frost for this lol. If I hadn't liked it, I would have never watched this.
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watched it for the leads
literally forced to put 1 for rewatch value although this drama deserves a 0.this story plot is the worst. certain scenes were extremely uncomfortable and cringe to watch.
one reason was that FL keeps calling ML 老哥哥, while ML keeps calling FL 小朋友. even though 6 / 5 years age gap is not that big, but the way the drama keeps using these two terms made it felt like a 12 years age gap and it felt really uncomfortable to watch.
however that being said, i especially enjoy the ost!!
literally only watched this drama for the two leads , zhao lu si and chen zhe yuan!! it is a pity that such great cast was for such a horrible drama. i almost could not finish it and had to take a break from it.
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Zhao LS is the MFL
I started watching it because of ZLS. The story line just got too tedious after a while so i stopped.Acting was mediocre and the story line definitely not exciting. There's no twists nor suspense to keep me looking forward to the next episode. Even the "chemistry" between the leads were at best acting rather than genuine connection.
I was re-watching previous episodes because I kept losing track of the story. If there was any story. And whatever the story line was about, the details went from creepy initially to cringy. After a while I stopped because the details didn't matter.
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