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From 22 to 22
Sangzhi meets Jiaxu when she was 14, and fell in love with him when she was 17 and he was 22. Jiaxu was her brother's best friend and honestly, this is the healthiest drama ever. The plot, the acting, the storyline was amazing in so many levels. Sangzhi was very personality driven, never accepted unlawful behavior from anybody. She's by far the smartest character I've seen. And damn!! her brother Sangyan was the most beautiful character to exist. He really raised the bar for brothers and best friends. And Jiaxu! damn that man is one charming man!! his efforts to win Sangzhi was just worth dying for. Conclusively, this is the best drama I've watched. Highly recommended!!Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
a truly healing and heartwarming romance
"I healed the wounds of his youth and he fulfilled my young first love."This drama was such a sweet surprise for me. I confess I wasn't expecting much of it and as we say in portuguese: this show promised nothing and delivered everything.
There are such great points to talk about here that I don't even know where to start... The screenplay for this drama was perfect, the cast, the ost, the acting, the friendships, the chemistry... everything was perfection and there's no other word to describe it.
It was truly a healing romance and I loved every second of it, from her young first love, where she had a crush on him when she was younger, to when they meet again as adults and he starts to fall for the little things about her.
Their relationships with the people around them were also great, I truly loved seeing Zhi grow and find some real friends and the tragic first best friend of hers we are introduced to at the start of the show. There was also some drama along they way and things that could've easily brought misunderstandings among the main couple, but in the end, I loved how they always made things clear, allowing no wedges to come between them.
This is the first time I give a drama a 10/10 in rewatch value and that's just how good this was. I would rewatch it a thousand times all over again, just to seem them slowly falling for each other once again.
Jia Xu was also such a great guy, I loved how forward he was in persuing her and making himself clear about it, knowing she would probably feel insecure at first.
Anyways, it's a beautiful story about love, friendships, family and youth. I loved this and truly recommend it to anyone, because if you don't like this drama... well the problem it's probably you lol
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Sweet, light, cheesy, and everything the drama intended to accomplish
This drama was very light and sweet... to the extent that every now and then I got goosebumps from the cheesiness :) All else aside, this was definitely an easy, joyful watch. As other reviews note, there's a notable lack of toxicity, reality, and cynicism from this drama, so it's one of the light + sweet watches that you get every now and then. The leads and supporting characters are all delightful, and it's very well-written pacing/story wise. For the most part, scenes make sense and you don't get the inclination to skip them because they're so wholesome.The story's very simple and basic, and there isn't really much to say. Nevertheless, it was executed beautifully and wholesomely. I do want to say to those more sensitive to 'questionable romantic lines' in the script, there are some very, VERY cheesy lines in this drama. In an interview/fan event, I think Zhao Lusi noted that this script gave her goosebumps while filming more than any other script. That being said, it's not cringy in a 'everything happened as a coincidence and none of this makes any sense' way, but rather in a 'this is very sappy and sweet lol' way. Do note that it started dragging a little around episode 18, though most of the drama does flow smoothly along.
The acting and 'chemistry' (as they say) is on point. Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan are wonderful together. I've watched a lot by Zhao Lusi, and she definitely does a great job but never struck me as something spectacular. However, this character really brought out her acting, and she's definitely grown so much! Chen Zheyuan played a very charming, heartthrob Duan Jiaxu : ) Everything played out very naturally and beautifully thanks to the great acting. I'm not sure how much there is to portray many times in non-tragic dramas, but you could see the items here were done very well.
The music I didn't enjoy as many others, but I know many really enjoy the OST especially 'Forever Star'. So it might be something to look forward to too~
Overall, sweet drama that's a good break from all the 'over-dramatic' dramas, iykwim. I'd definitely recommend watching it.
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A MUST WATCH
I absolutely love the story, there is nothing in here that left me unsatisfied-- although I WANT MOREEE!! yes, it's that good.I've grown in love to this story. The phasing was a bit expected, I thought we would dive right in to the romantic stuff but it was surprising refreshing that they took time introducing us to the characters and making us fall in love with them, understanding how the characters also fell in love. It was a great story phasing, i dare not to miss a single episode.
This is my first c-drama and thank you God, it is. The butterflies in my tummy did not left, the chemistry between the leads is giving!! I would love to watch more of c-drama, with them as the leading stars.
The plot wasn't as heavy as other drama I've watch but this definetly is on par in many great dramas. I wished yo watch a lot more of drama's like this one!! Thank you so much for making this masterpiece!! xoxo
Sang yan, is def my fav character fkcjnsedfncsfnwdashdb
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That first love type of feeling
You know that feeling--where your heart flutters, you feel butterflies in your stomach, and you feel fluffy inside? That feeling where you feel so giddy, and can't stop smiling as if you're on cloud 9--that first love type of feeling? You blush, smiling wide, feeling super warm and fuzzy...this is what this drama is. It's so WHOLESOME! After watching a few angst-type dramas, I'm so glad Hidden Love came into my life. It provided the HEALING and positivity that I needed. So warm, fuzzy, all the feels from start to finish.I felt myself going through the motions of the FL as she experiences falling in love, heartache, then happiness of having that love blossom (reciprocated). So nostalgic, making you remember what it's like to fall in love for the first time. The chemistry on screen was like no other, you get so emersed into the story of the drama and feel almost like you're the one falling in love.
If you are looking for a happy, wholesome, sweet, make-you-cry-happy-tears type of drama, then this is the one for you.
Storyline was very refreshing and well written. I was a little skeptic with the time skips at first, but it actually all flowed very well. It was nice being able to witness the gradual "growing up" of FL--how she grew and matured from an adolescent young lady who is still naive and innocent to a fine mature adult who understand resposibilites and is able to withstand hardships. Being able to watch the main leads grow (especially FL) makes you feel a special bond to the character and you find yourself cheering them on throughout their journey of discovering love and navigating those feelings for the first time.
Thank you to casts and all production crew for this wonderful love story!
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GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW
I've already watched this 5 times now. I don't really like cdramas and usually stick with only kdramas, but this one completely kept me hooked. I swear there is not one cringy moment just pure love and cuteness. I absolutely love the way that the FL character is portrayed. She is not a pushover and yet she is kind and soft at the same time. I would give anything to watch this drama once again from the start. I can't get over it. I freaking love it and it is my #1 drama of all time mostly because it's realistic.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Terrible Script, 19 & 24 is a Terrible Age Gap for Romance!
Sit back because it's a lot; coming from a fan who looked forward to Hidden Love since the start of this yr.People accuse Hidden Love of the Big P word, here I'll be accusing it of terrible, ignorant writing, and plain illogical plot progression. It's terribly written and lacks self-awareness. A 5 year age gap is nothing between consenting adults—the problem is that Hidden Love develops this relationship when SZ, (a rich, immature, sheltered brat) is 19 years old (MAYBE SHE'S 20—same thing) and the ML is 24, but acts older.
I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone, because how can I be the only person to find it strange how there's really only 1 episode of DJX having conflicting emotions over his change in love for his meimei...and then the next ep is him confirming it, then the next ep we move immediately to him flirting and beginning to pursue her. Pursue a 19 year old....
❌ Here's what they should have done differently:
1. ❌ DJX accepts his feelings too quickly—alarmingly quick. Yikes.
~2/3 episodes. First, him thinking about her more, then acknowledging his feelings, then WHAM! he's pursuing her now???
I would have hoped for there to be longer hesitation and for there to be a point where he pulls away—It's weird because he has known her since she was 14 and he was 19. It doesn't help that the actress casted for 14 year old SZ literally looks like an 8 year child, not a pre-teen. (actress is 12, which doesn't help either).
Shouldn't he find that so conflicting and feel some amount of disgust or have a knee jerk reaction to reject these feelings? Shouldn't he at least sit down with a trusted friend and share his conflicted feelings? Withdraw from SZ? Analyze his memories with SZ and wonder where he went wrong, maybe where these feelings started changing? Analyze if what he feels is really romantic love, or just appreication for a close friend/family member that have been amplified because he's lonely?
2. 🌻Sang Zhi has not grown. She is NOT a grown up.
I thought the time skip would take us to a Sang Zhi that was more mature and wordly in her mid 20s. Maybe take us to a Sang Zhi in her final year of school (age 22), the same age DJX would have been when she was in high school. No. Instead, SZ is 19, and only 2 years have passed since she entered her senior year of high school. It's a black box of 2 years until we see SZ again, and although she tries to pull away she has very weak resolve towards distancing herself from him. Why? BECAUSE SHE'S ONLY 19!
She keeps constantly repeating that she's grown up now, but none of her 'grown up' life is shown, such as actually focusing on her career, working a part time job, interacting with her professors, taking up positions of responsibility at school. She majors in Digital Media? I have not heard this word since it was first mentioned in the time skip episode. SZ is a sheltered, pampered kid who functionally has not changed since she was 17. Her character simply revolves around her meetings with DJX.
3. 😬There should have been a longer gap in between when they got together.
(why does it have to be her freshman yr of uni? Why not the same year when she was graduating uni, as it would have been for DJX when SZ was in highschool) I've said this many times but 19, even 20 is still TOO YOUNG. She has not dated anyone else. She's still a sheltered rich kid. What does she know?
4. ☀️ DJX should have had more wealth of characters around him.
A healthy adult, not suffering from trauma and not having many close friends who they open up to, would not form such an emotional reliance on their 19 year old meimei. Compared to SZ, DJX is much less developed, except for his backstory with his father. Does he have no friends in Yihe? He doesn't really get deep and personal with anyone besides SZ, not even Sang Yan, his jie at work, or his friend who's getting married. Let's not forget the psychotic Jiang Xing or whatever her name is, to act as a foil and make SZ look better. He should consult someone about his changing feelings the same way SZ spoke to her roommates.
5. 🙄 DJX is that DENSE!? How could he not realize SZ's feelings?
You're telling me this highly intelligent, (both EQ and IQ) guy, at age 19, 22, and then 24, did not realize or have an inkling that SZ might like him? The story deliberately never lets him find out when she is in HS or as a child, because then the right thing to do would be for him to flat out draw a boundary, reject her, and distance himself.
Instead, DJX is always 'teasing' in an I'd like to believe innocent way, but isn't taken that way because the audience knows SZ likes him, and that he 'doesn't know'. Such terrible writing, in the year 2023? Do you want to show a proper depiction of a healthy relationship, or do you want to just romanticize these....weird grooming-esque interactions, because the person in power (DJX) NEVER gets the opprtunity to draw a boundary and tell SZ to stop being delusional and obsessive.
5. 🧐❓DJX is only 24. He doesn't FEEL 24.
I get that originally he would have been 27, which would have made more sense with what he does day-to-day, but I find it hard to believe that every 24 year old is this mature and flirty and with a job and a car and a chief engineer at a top gaming company. I can suspend my disbelief that he's really smart, and was forced to grow up early. But some script changes should have been made for us to believe that DJX really is younger in the drama version VS. novel, because what it then really starts to look like is that they just changed his age to be younger so netizens would get off their back about their 7yr age gap.
Honestly? I had high hopes going in! I've been waiting for this drama all year. I loved Chen Zhe Yuan in Secrets in the Lattice, and also can always count on Zhao Lu Si do deliver a great performance.
But the progression from their relationship from brother-sister, to lovers, is concerning.
There were some netizens condemning this show and comparing it to pedophillia, and I can see why. I don't think this show **is** that, but they've done a piss poor job at having 0% evidence of that. When you're making a story with this kind of premise, you need to handle it very carefully and make very deliberate decisions, and Hidden Love didn't do it carefullly enough, and made POOR deliberate decisions.
The novel material may very well have had grooming and pedophilia, I haven't read it and don't plan to. But why wasn't this fixed for an adaptation, with such a good cast? Better yet, fixed for an adaptation that will be aired internationally, that many young children will see? I'll reiterate, a 5 year age gap is nothing. It's PROBLEMATIC and hORRIBLE, however, when it's between a 19 year old, immature and childish girl, and a traumatized, emotionally vulnerable 24 year old man. I'm SZ's age group. I would never date a 24, much less 27 year old. And SZ is 19, and acts 12. Aiyaaa.
ANYWAYS, TL;DR, could have been a great story, with especially great actors after this drought from Cdrama land the past few months, but even my desperation will not allow me to keep watching this (at least not right now). A story with potential, with GREAT ACTORS and OST and PRODUCTION, that had a very poorly thought out,ignorant, misleading, and harmful script.
Could have all been solved by keeping things innocent until SZ is older and mature.
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L'infantilisation de la FL à son paroxysme
▬▬▬ Whether you agree or not, I respect your opinion, so respect mine too! Here or in private messages. I'm past the age of fan wars. Thanks!Hidden Love connaît une surmédiatisation délirante. Ce n'est pas sur MDL qu'on pourra en dire le contraire avec son offensante collection de 10/10. Forcément, quand je débarque avec mes grands espoirs, j'en attends tout un spectacle. Alors... Feu d'artifice d'exception ou pétard mouillé ?
L'histoire commence par Sang Zhi adolescente, j'y vois deux problèmes. Le premier est que l'actrice n'a que 12 ans alors qu'on parle d'une adolescente de 14 ans. Deux ans, ça fait une sacrée différence à cet âge. Ensuite, cette période ne sert strictement à rien si ce n'est mettre la FL dans des situations embarrassantes. Lorsqu'on arrive à l'âge adulte, rien ne change. Sang Zhi est physiquement présente parce qu'elle doit l'être.
Zhao Lu Si n'est pas une actrice que j'apprécie. Après 4 drames dans des genres différents avec elle en tant que personnage principal, je pense pouvoir le dire. Je ne lui trouve aucun talent pour jouer la comédie. Pour moi, elle fait partie de ces actrices dont je ne comprends pas la popularité. La voir jouer m'ennuie. Si je suis capable de regarder une série avec des acteurs/actrices que je n'apprécie plus que ça, j'arrive toujours à m'impliquer d'une façon ou d'une autre. Cependant, je dois avouer que Zhao Lu Si me fait juste souffler d'ennui. Bien sûr, certaines personnes l'adorent et je n'ai aucun problème avec ça. Après tout, les goûts et les couleurs...
Mais le pire de son personnage n'est pas là. La production a sacrément abusé de l'infantilisation du personnage. D'abord sur le fait d'assister le personnage sur tout ce qu'elle fait. Alors quoi, si elle fait ses lacets toutes seule, elle explose ou... ? Et comme si ce n'était pas assez, le doublage enfonce le dernier clou. C'est une pratique récurrente dans les C-Dramas, ce n'est pas un souci. Non, le réel problème c'est que ce doublage n'a fait qu'accentuer l'infantilisation de la FL au point de devoir couper le son ! Pétard, j'étais tellement mal à l'aise que j'en venais à couper le son... C'est du délire.
Quoiqu'il en soit, c'était un personnage avec du potentiel. Pourtant, c'est gâché en raison d'une performance sans conviction et des choix de production sur lesquels je n'ai pas envie de revenir.
Ensuite, Chen Zhe Yuan. C'est un acteur que j'aime bien et qui m'avait conquise dans Our Secret. Par la suite, je n'avais pas apprécié Mr Bad pour son scénario casse-gueule et son personnage, mais j'en garde un vague souvenir pas très mauvais. Pour moi, Chen Zhe Yuan fait partie de ces acteurs qui parviennent à transmettre l'émotion par un regard, une esquisse de sourire ou un geste. Il n'est pas le plus talentueux de sa génération, mais on sent de l'amélioration dans son jeu au fil de ses projets.
Pourtant, je dois bien reconnaître que son personnage (Duan Jia Xu) m'a laissé de marbre. En réalité, Duan Jia Xu est un bon gars qui se trouve (souvent) au bon endroit au bon moment. Rien de plus, rien de moins. Aucune prise de risque sur le personnage ou son évolution. On suit un schéma bien rodé des romances modernes chinoises - et c'est peut-être une des causes principales de son échec pour moi. En plus d'avoir des personnages qui n'ont aucun artifice. Ils sont là parce qu'ils doivent y être.
Les 8 premiers épisodes sont longs ! C'est une partie qui se concentre sur la FL adolescente, une période sans intérêt si ce n'est des situations gênantes et du garçon plus âgé qui est son héros. Et une fois à l'âge adulte, on ne change pas tellement.
Cependant, je tiens à préciser une chose. Ils commencent à se fréquenter lorsqu'elle est majeure. À aucun moment ML ne donne de faux signaux à FL lorsqu'elle est une adolescente. La limite n'est jamais franchie et reste claire. J'ai vu pas mal de personnes outrées, mais non. N'avez-vous donc jamais eu le béguin pour un lycéen alors que vous n'étiez qu'une petite collégienne ? C'est exactement ce à quoi ça ressemble. Mais en aucun cas, le ML profite de la FL lorsqu'elle est adolescente !
Dans mon avis de Plus & Minus, j'avais mentionné que toutes les histoires d'amour, même les plus simples, avaient tout autant de mérite à être racontées. Des histoires compliquées, simples, difficiles ou faciles. Tant que l'amour reste l'essence principale. À mes yeux, Hidden Love a complètement manqué sa thématique. Duan Jia Xu tombe amoureux en se réveillant un beau matin au chant des oiseaux. C'est soudain, ça tombe d'on ne sait où ! De l'autre côté, Sang Zhi est toujours aussi expressive qu'un mur de briques. Au final, c'est une romance qui part au casse-pipe avant d'avoir commencé. Pour moi, rien ne fonctionne, pas même l'alchimie du couple qui n'existe pas. La superficialité romantique qui a oublié que l'émotion ce n'est pas seulement faire jouer deux belles personnes.
Bien qu'il m'arrive d'être assez dure dans mes avis, je me remets souvent en question. Je remets aussi des idées et productions en question. Ces deux dernières années, j'ai souvent remis en question le cinéma chinois après avoir enchaîné les déceptions quant aux romances modernes chinoises (en plus, ces derniers mois, des productions coréennes du même genre). Ce n'est pas la première fois qu'un scénario est sauvé par un duo visuellement attrayant. Si vous retirez le couple, l'histoire se fracasse au sol. Le duo donne de la visibilité, les spectateurs vont en parler parce qu'encore une fois le couple est attrayant. Parce que oui, Zhao Lu Si est une jolie femme, et Chen Zhe Yuan est un bel homme. Mais en réalité, il n'y a aucune substance dans cette histoire.
Naturellement, j'ai commencé à me demander quand le physique allait cesser de primer sur le talent ou un scénario solide. Parce qu'en fin de compte, j'ai vu beaucoup de drames chinois avec de beaux visages, mais où le talent et des histoires consistantes n'ont jamais franchi la porte.
Bref, la surmédiatisation de Hidden Love n'a pas aidé ce drame qui passe à côté de sa thématique principale, la romance. Des personnages faiblards, un manque de maturité global et l'infantilisation de la FL auront raison de lui. Peut-être que si j'avais été une adolescente en mal d'amour, mon discours aurait été différent, mais aujourd'hui en tant qu'adulte et avec mes propres expériences et blessures, c'est une comédie romantique sans comédie et sans romance avec seulement un duo physiquement attrayant. Enlevez-le, et il ne restera rien de Hidden Love si ce n'est un pétard mouillé.
PS : Non, ce n'est pas Hidden Love qui a lancé la carrière de Chen Zhe Yuan, n'abusez pas.
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Love maturity
The theme is good. The feeling is not controlled by the relationship. The true love always understand others and try to keep others in first. In simple way to say that love is selfless... Love needs understanding and adjustment... One's the feeling is built it's unable to shake it... We could see this in this drama. I love both the actors... They are such awesome and beautiful looking. God bless you... Thanks for directing such a lovely story and cherishing us by your creativity. Al the credit goes to the entire team as they had worked out on the drama.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
real-life struggle and finding a loved one
One of the best dramas that shows real-life struggle and finding a loved one. romantic. from school life to working life, smooth transactions. the overall scene is very relaxing. with so many dialogue and scenes that affect the watcher's emotions. Beautiful composition. and inspiration to love only one till your last. first love and successful love. Here both support each other to work and reach the goal. shows how to care and the girl thinks of his man more than herself by wanting to support and protect him.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Waste of My Time
I found it perplexing that 'Hidden Love' received a high rating of 9.1 which is equivalent to 'Nirvana on Fire.' I watch about 10 episodes but ultimately had to abandon it, lacking any inclination to resume. The series felt monotonous and lacked the promised romantic essence. The male lead's persistent pursuit of his friend's younger sister struck me as inappropriate, to the extent that I would have severed ties if I were the brother. Overall, the drama failed to captivate my interest. I'd advise against investing time in it. If you're seeking a contemporary romance drama, I highly recommend the Korean series 'Crash Landing on You' instead.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
