Platinum Fox

Poetic justice is why it happens. The Shen's lie to SHM for 12 years about who his real parents are. They strip him of his true identity in a drama that is all about finding who you are all the way back to your roots. jmo

For me, that scene is one of the most sexual scenes I have ever watched in a Chinese drama (both modern and historical).

Yes, that scene is one of the most sexual scenes I have seen in a Chinese drama. The second one being in the second season when they are talking about protective moves.

Have you read the novel The End of Eternity the one shown at least five times at the very beginning of the drama? It will answer your question about the picture and why he has it. This drama is a social commentary on the age of consent law in China.

The rom-com is there to juxtapose the real with the illusion. The entire drama's theme is illusion vs. real. The first 14 episodes show the illusion that the Shen family and her put on for themselves and the business world. When that illusion crumbles, it becomes a different drama as the characters are trying to discover who they really are. They are going back to their roots. The rom-com is used in juxtaposition to the "real" couple the Russian businessman and his wife. The two are putting on a show to win the bid from the Russian business.

Even though I despise drunk scenes, this one had its purpose (besides funny ha-ha). It is while they are drunk that they let down their inhibitions and allow themselves to fully give into their desires which is to be together. For me, this is a beautifully done drama about finding your true self going all the way back to your roots. Hence, why they make modern/traditional clothing from handmade cloth. jmo

Yes, her baby voice was done perfectly for the drama even when she was 19. But I couldn't take when she turned 19 then I felt her voice did not match her age, but there was a reason for it. I still enjoyed the drama very much. In fact I am still blown away by how intelligently written it is. Zhao Lu Si is one of my favorite Chinese actors. Have you watched her in Love's Ambition?

Yes, she speaks in a childish voice for several reasons in Hidden Love. Viewers who complain about it do not understand the reason for it, and mark it down for that reason. The drama is a social commentary on the age of consent law in China which is 14.

Yes, there are specific reasons as to why she speaks in a childish voice for most of the drama. When she is 14, she is a child, but she is old enough to consent to sex with anyone age 14 and older (age of consent law is 14). When she is 17, she is old enough to consent to sex, but not enter into any business contracts (age of majority), nor is she old enough to get married (age 20 for females). When she is 18/19, she is old enough to consent to sex and business contracts, but not get married (socially she is still considered a kid).

Also, her childish voice reflects the main female character in the novel The End of Eternity who is 27, but according to the main male character ( who is 32) she is still a child because she doesn't know about Eternity the place where he works. Hidden Love is structured like the novel The End of Eternity, the novel shown at least five times in the first two episodes.

I know this is probably more than you wanted to know.

She is upset because she thought that all of her promotions were based on her own merits. When in fact it was him who gave her everything. She really loves him, but he takes her as his bride because he thinks she is a gold digger just like every other girl. The most powerful scene in the first episodes is when she takes off her made up face after being on camera and walks out the door to find a job. She is on her way to finding out who she really is.

The theme for the entire drama is illusion vs. reality. Both are putting on an illusion for each other and the world. From 14 on the illusion falls apart and the real is revealed. This drama is a very well done social commentary on Chinese life.

Hope this helps.

Your interpretation is spot on. In the first part she is putting on an act just like all the rest of the people in the drama. After episode 14 she drops the act and starts to become a real person, thus leading everyone else to start acting like real people as well. The main theme of the drama is illusion vs. reality.

How can the Shen family criticize her for bringing in a fake family when they faked their family as well. In the beginning we see the Shen family as the perfect, rich, snobby family. Throughout the drama we discover just how much of an illusion this perfect family was. Xu Yan does the same thing in order to fit in to this family illusion. When the family realizes how genuine she really is, the illusion starts to crumble. Remember SHM knows she is lying about her family and could easily tell his mother. He doesn't because Xu Yan and he are equal in their lies. SHM has a family that he doesn't claim. She has a family that she doesn't claim.

Also, who did she really hurt in the end? So she didn't claim a family who didn't claim her. How did that hurt anyone? The Shen family stripped a child of his true identity and background just to create the picture perfect family illusion. That's why the ending is perfect. The two take a picture of their real family, them and the grandmother.

You will understand why by the end.

Yes, Reset is structured like a video game. When you die, you reset. Very clever idea. It's one thing I like about Chinese dramas is how they play with the structure of the story. Hidden Love is structured after Isaac Asimov's novel The End of Eternity. Love Like the Galaxy is a mirror structure. The Double is the yin and yang symbol with two or double being very symbolic.

Yes, the whole drama is about being honest with yourself and others. The theme running throughout the drama is illusion vs. real. Don't be scared it all gets sorted out in the end, and they come out a stronger, more loving couple in the end.

They get married in episode 6. Episode 13/14 is when the lies come out.
No, she changes a great deal during the drama. She becomes very honest and forthright.

around episode 29/30 with the last scene showing their full merger as a couple

They get married in the early episodes. They never get divorced but go through what they call the "cooling off" period twice. It is during the cooling off period that they reconcile. Despite what other commenters are saying, it is one of the most mature dramas I have watched even with all the silliness in the second half. That silliness supports the main theme that runs throughout the drama. In the end, that silliness becomes very serious as the couples look at their relationships in realistic ways instead of through the rose colored glasses they had in the beginning. For me, it is one of the most mature and intelligent social commentaries on Chinese culture. It is beautifully shot with the camera work supporting the main theme.

As for the business aspect of it, her journey through the world in front of the camera and then creating a clothing business reflects the main theme of the drama. His business venture stresses the need for a change in mindset of what is important when doing business. In the end their business ventures merge and what is created is a mature look at doing business and life in general. jmo

Happy drama watching. If you don't finish the drama, it's not the end of the world.

Yes, I totally agree. We can only hope.

Yes, they could file for custody if all other family members are gone, but the fact that SHC has known maternal grandparents and a maternal aunt, they carry more weight than a family who took care of him for 12 years. The fact that the Shens had a paternity test done in the first place shows that they didn't trust the mother's word that HM was the father of the child. This fact should have been double checked, but HM trusted Fang Lei and the lab report. Biological children carry more weight than non biological children in Chinese culture. This is shown through the man who usurped the company chair along with the god son. As soon as the god son was of no more use, he was sent far away which actually worked in his favor.

Everyone wants SHC to have a happy ending. The same goes for XY and SHM. However, life sometimes doesn't work out the way we want it to. The fact that SHC is not in the last episode shows that XY and SHM have accepted this fact. They can still think of SHC as their child, they just can't have physical custody of him until the courts say so. This is why it was important that they look ahead to having their own children.

Nice chatting with you again. Happy drama watching.

I understand that you and others want the fairy tale ending for SHC, but legally XY and SHM have no right to him. The point of the whole drama was about finding your roots and finding out who your true self is. SHC was deprived of this by the decisions made by the Shens and his biological aunt. Is it horrible that SHC is 12 when he finds out he is not actually a Shen, yes. But it is better to have him live as his true self then be part of a lie that is still being perpetuated and come back to haunt the family in some way. In society the definition of family is defined legally and socially. What you and others are describing is the social definition of family, not the legal definition of family.

Remember it was this lie that started this whole thing in the beginning. It was a sloppy lie and bound to come out. However, kids are resilient, SHC will recover eventually, and he will have the support of XY and SHM throughout the process. They can still be a part of his life if the other party agree to this. This is like being a step parent. Step parents can love a child who is not biological theirs and even raise them, but the child knows who their biological family is. Now whether the child accepts their biological family as their family is up to the child.

So I agree the photograph shows that family doesn't necessarily have to be a blood relative, but that is the social definition of family, not the legal definition of family. In this drama you have to separate the two definitions.

As always thank you for the discussion.