The First Frost was a hard drama to rate. There were things I liked and things I didn’t, and after 32 episodes, my feelings remain a bit muddy. Since it’s fresh in my mind, I’ll try to write down some thoughts.
Disclaimer: I know 难哄 is one of the most popular modern romance IPs in China, but I haven’t read it, nor have I watched Hidden Love (yet). These are just my thoughts on the drama itself.
My favorite aspect of the show was the main character, Wen Yifan. Even though it’s touted as a romance drama, she feels more like the main character than simply the female lead. The entire narrative revolves around her story. I've read a number of people describing her as cold or emotionally distant, which is true, and isn't that precisely what the show is focused on? She is numb because she is exhausted. Her response to life was pretty much, “It’s okay, I’ve lived another day.”
We’ve seen manyyyy male characters written this way (often without much justification btw) who didn't receive the same kind of criticism. I’ll admit that some of her mannerisms and traits (the unfocused gaze, the mumbling, the passivity...) got repetitive at times, but I didn’t see them as flaws in the storytelling. They made sense for who she was. I mean, the main reason I kept watching the drama was not because of the romance but because I genuinely wanted to see Yifan have a happy ending of her own.
I do think the show could have leaned more into such themes of women’s pain and WYF's own personal growth and healing, but I know it's a romance drama so... okay. I guess.
The first half of the show dragged a little, although I understood the need for a longer timeline to make their reunion feel earned. Still, for the first 10 episodes or so, I felt like every episode went like this: SY "accidentally" buying too much food, then asking WYF if she had eaten, then WYF mumbling a non-answer, all of this without making eye contact. He also ignored most of her questions, which pissed me off a bit.
Speaking of Sang Yan! While I think both actors did a good enough job with what they were given, he just felt lacking as a character. I know he is the "knight in shining armor", I know that, but still! He's essentially the "perfect" love interest: born wealthy and good-looking in a loving, functional and supportive family, not only a business owner but also a high-ranking office worker in a job he got without much effort (because he's also super smart). Yifan even questioned whether loving her was the only “imperfect” part of his life. Well, his defining trait was that he loved her. And that's fine, but I personally need more from both parts in a love story to truly connect with it. Honestly, my strongest impressions of Sang Yan were that he had a nice wardrobe and that he really loved Wen Yifan.
With the rather incredible amount of flashbacks in this show (almost every episode had at least one), I expected to gain some real insight into not only Yifan’s past but also their high school relationship, such an unforgettable love that Sang Yan could not move on for nearly a decade. There must have been something to it, right? There really wasn't. The explanation was rather simple: he fell in love with her at first sight, and she came to love him too. He was there for her when no one else was. That should be enough of an explanation, the drama wants to convince you. Even so, I wasn't able to grasp the depth of their bond, which was imperative to my understanding of their current relationship. Despite the high emotional stakes, it all fell flat. Like, is this what so many people were raving about as all-timer great show? Personally, I thought it was a bit bland compared to the hype it got.
Now to some other positives: Zhong Siqiao and Su Haoan were a cute side couple. I also liked his grandpa and the dog. The show is well-directed, and looks gorgeous.
In the end, I didn’t fall in love with Wen Yifan and Sang Yan as a couple the way I hoped to. Even so, I was happy to see Wen Yifan finally get a good, peaceful life of her own.
"Why do I end up attacking myself in the moments I most need to protect myself?" This show has been absolutely incredible so far. I went into it with no expectations, but it has been a profoundly resonating watch, one that I believe everyone could relate to or empathize with. It's a story about loneliness, anxiety and shame, but it never feels constricted. It's about how to grow and move forward in spite of that.
I also love how every episode ends, as it helps me process the events of the drama and my own feelings and observations.
I loved the first few episodes and thought it was going to be a neat, simple and charming romcom. No way they could screw up such a short show, right? 10 episodes and with such a straightforward premise... I was confident it would remain a feel good watch focusing on our little restaurant gang. Well...
Let's just say that this drama did NOT need the entire Japan plotline and especially did not need the presence of YJ's backstabbing, scummy ex-boyfriend. It almost feels like they went and decided to film in Sapporo for a while because it's a beautiful place? Like, yeah, we know, it's beautiful and it's snowy! The production crew could have saved the money and stayed in Jeonju for all ten episodes instead, and given us viewers, you know, actual character development. Cooking and talking and getting closer.
There are only two episodes left now. I genuinely thought we would be past misunderstandings and schemes and just living in established couple land at this point, with a dosage of BW's evil brother and mother/boss's shenanigans. Now I'm mad at most of the characters and left disappointed, which is the worst feeling to have as a viewer.
This is actually such a good show. Very entertaining! I binged the first four episodes with my brother (who had never seen a J-drama before) and he really liked it too. I hope more international viewers give it a try.
I was not expecting to like this one so much but it's great. Excellent first week! You know it's a hit when 1h20 (which I tend to think it's wayyy too long for an episode) goes by like a breeze.
Overall, I liked it. I went into it with this mindset of "Don't compare it to Hospital Playlist, don't compare it to Hospital Playlist...!" (which was a 10/10 in my books), but that was kinda of an impossible task when there was a cameo every single episode 😅 Even so, it was a good show! Well-produced and well-acted. I was a bit apathetic toward our main character Oh Yi-young (maybe because I can relate to her), but I was happy to see her growth as a person and as a doctor. I also thought Go Youn-jung did a great job with the character.
That's where one of my main criticisms comes in—and bear in mind, this is just my opinion: I wish they had given more focus not only to the other characters but also to the non-romantic relationships between them. The couples were cute, of course, but I felt that some other developments were a bit lacking.
+ Nam-kyung and her first GYN patient's scenes weren't many but theirs was my favorite storyline in the drama. The last episode was done well.
Part of me wants only two episodes per week so it takes a long time to end... but I also want to binge-watch the whole thing NOW 😭 I'm obsessed. This drama is too good. There's often one element or two in otherwise great shows that annoy me but The Prisoner of Beauty is just *chef's kiss* I'm loving it all.
The Prisoner of Beauty felt like a long-lost love, but I'm so glad it has finally come home!!! I've been waiting and hoping for it to air ever since they dropped that amazing sneak peek back in 2023.
It's SO good and definitely worth the wait. It started on a high note and it keeps getting better and better. 45 minutes feel like 15 when you're invested. I love it when the main couple is the main attraction of a romance drama (I’ve been struggling lately because I keep getting invested in the second leads who only get five minutes of airtime per episode lol). I also love how complicated and intricate the relationships are and the political aspect is done very well. Calling it an 'aspect' feels a bit wrong since our main couple's relationship is (at least initially) very much based on it but well. You get it.
I feel like Liu Yuning was already well-liked internationally but I'm glad Zuer is getting such great reviews too. She's an absolute beauty and a great actress... I haven't seen The Demon Hunter's Romance yet, but I'll definitely check it out after TPoB ends ;-;
Disclaimer: I know 难哄 is one of the most popular modern romance IPs in China, but I haven’t read it, nor have I watched Hidden Love (yet). These are just my thoughts on the drama itself.
My favorite aspect of the show was the main character, Wen Yifan. Even though it’s touted as a romance drama, she feels more like the main character than simply the female lead. The entire narrative revolves around her story. I've read a number of people describing her as cold or emotionally distant, which is true, and isn't that precisely what the show is focused on? She is numb because she is exhausted. Her response to life was pretty much, “It’s okay, I’ve lived another day.”
We’ve seen manyyyy male characters written this way (often without much justification btw) who didn't receive the same kind of criticism. I’ll admit that some of her mannerisms and traits (the unfocused gaze, the mumbling, the passivity...) got repetitive at times, but I didn’t see them as flaws in the storytelling. They made sense for who she was. I mean, the main reason I kept watching the drama was not because of the romance but because I genuinely wanted to see Yifan have a happy ending of her own.
I do think the show could have leaned more into such themes of women’s pain and WYF's own personal growth and healing, but I know it's a romance drama so... okay. I guess.
The first half of the show dragged a little, although I understood the need for a longer timeline to make their reunion feel earned. Still, for the first 10 episodes or so, I felt like every episode went like this: SY "accidentally" buying too much food, then asking WYF if she had eaten, then WYF mumbling a non-answer, all of this without making eye contact. He also ignored most of her questions, which pissed me off a bit.
Speaking of Sang Yan! While I think both actors did a good enough job with what they were given, he just felt lacking as a character. I know he is the "knight in shining armor", I know that, but still! He's essentially the "perfect" love interest: born wealthy and good-looking in a loving, functional and supportive family, not only a business owner but also a high-ranking office worker in a job he got without much effort (because he's also super smart). Yifan even questioned whether loving her was the only “imperfect” part of his life. Well, his defining trait was that he loved her. And that's fine, but I personally need more from both parts in a love story to truly connect with it. Honestly, my strongest impressions of Sang Yan were that he had a nice wardrobe and that he really loved Wen Yifan.
With the rather incredible amount of flashbacks in this show (almost every episode had at least one), I expected to gain some real insight into not only Yifan’s past but also their high school relationship, such an unforgettable love that Sang Yan could not move on for nearly a decade. There must have been something to it, right? There really wasn't. The explanation was rather simple: he fell in love with her at first sight, and she came to love him too. He was there for her when no one else was. That should be enough of an explanation, the drama wants to convince you. Even so, I wasn't able to grasp the depth of their bond, which was imperative to my understanding of their current relationship. Despite the high emotional stakes, it all fell flat. Like, is this what so many people were raving about as all-timer great show? Personally, I thought it was a bit bland compared to the hype it got.
Now to some other positives: Zhong Siqiao and Su Haoan were a cute side couple. I also liked his grandpa and the dog. The show is well-directed, and looks gorgeous.
In the end, I didn’t fall in love with Wen Yifan and Sang Yan as a couple the way I hoped to. Even so, I was happy to see Wen Yifan finally get a good, peaceful life of her own.
I also love how every episode ends, as it helps me process the events of the drama and my own feelings and observations.
Let's just say that this drama did NOT need the entire Japan plotline and especially did not need the presence of YJ's backstabbing, scummy ex-boyfriend. It almost feels like they went and decided to film in Sapporo for a while because it's a beautiful place? Like, yeah, we know, it's beautiful and it's snowy! The production crew could have saved the money and stayed in Jeonju for all ten episodes instead, and given us viewers, you know, actual character development. Cooking and talking and getting closer.
There are only two episodes left now. I genuinely thought we would be past misunderstandings and schemes and just living in established couple land at this point, with a dosage of BW's evil brother and mother/boss's shenanigans. Now I'm mad at most of the characters and left disappointed, which is the worst feeling to have as a viewer.
That's where one of my main criticisms comes in—and bear in mind, this is just my opinion: I wish they had given more focus not only to the other characters but also to the non-romantic relationships between them. The couples were cute, of course, but I felt that some other developments were a bit lacking.
+ Nam-kyung and her first GYN patient's scenes weren't many but theirs was my favorite storyline in the drama. The last episode was done well.
8/10
It's SO good and definitely worth the wait. It started on a high note and it keeps getting better and better. 45 minutes feel like 15 when you're invested. I love it when the main couple is the main attraction of a romance drama (I’ve been struggling lately because I keep getting invested in the second leads who only get five minutes of airtime per episode lol). I also love how complicated and intricate the relationships are and the political aspect is done very well. Calling it an 'aspect' feels a bit wrong since our main couple's relationship is (at least initially) very much based on it but well. You get it.
I feel like Liu Yuning was already well-liked internationally but I'm glad Zuer is getting such great reviews too. She's an absolute beauty and a great actress... I haven't seen The Demon Hunter's Romance yet, but I'll definitely check it out after TPoB ends ;-;