Hidden Love (2023)

Age gap romance done right finally !!!

I delayed watching this because I usually don't like age gap romances where the heroine is still a minor but I was absolutely proven wrong.

Lets talk about the many positives:
- Age Gap discussion done maturely
The story is aware of its weakness which is Sang zhi liking Jiaxu when she was a minor. But their relationship remains that of a brother and sister even when Sang zhi is an adult. Their dynamic only changes when Jiaxu realizes his feelings after they meet and get to know each other as adults. The characters even have a serious discussion about their age gap and were aware of it. It just made the story more realistic because the age gap was shown as a serious consideration.
- Chen Zheyuan stole my heart !
Even though both the leads acted well, Chen Zheyuan as Jiaxu stole my heart and I haven't recovered yet. His eyes and micro expressions were just swoon worthy and his character (playful and mischievous) was so refreshing to watch unlike the serious and cold CEO characters in other dramas. Jiaxu had his flaws and he owned it. He did an amazing job of portraying a smart, playful and cunning character. Whenever he smiled, you could feel the different emotions he was portraying. He was so natural and his character overall felt realistic. I'm madly in love with his acting right now and I can't stop gushing.
-The heart fluttering chemistry between the leads
The chemistry between Lusi and Zheyuan was palpable. I could feel the tension between through the screen and I was screaming giggling and kicking thd whole time whenever they had their moment on screen. The pining was swoon worthy and the kisses were heart melting. Strangely I didn't find their skinship moments cringey and I usually skip forward when the leads get too intimate, but I didn't do it here. It just felt natural.
- The character dynamics was fun to watch
The supporting characters felt real and their relationship with each other was fun to watch. Not many characters were toxic and didn't make too much drama. I also like Sang Yan and Sang Zhi dynamic, their sibling energy felt real and I liked that Sang Yan was protective over his sister but still wanted his friend to be happy.
- Sang Zhi's character was written so well
I was skeptical how they would show a younger female lead in a age gap romance since they typically go for the naive and innocent damsel in distress route. But i was pleasantly suprised by how mature Sang Zhi's character was. She thinks like an adult and is very clear about her feelings but still has the youthful and fresh vibe of a college freshman. She was very careful about her relationship dynamic with Jiaxu and even acknowledges real life concerns with their relationship. She was just a joy to watch and she was the best female character I've seen in an age gap romance till date.

Now even though this series was near perfect, I still have a few minor negatives:
- The earlier episodes could've been better
The childhood arc could've been thought out more. The cinematography looked weird and Lusi with her very childish voice was off putting since no high school student will willingly talk like a baby. The child actress could've also looked more mature. She acted well but she didn't look like a 14 year old and that just made the age gap thing more weird.
- The supporting characters could've been more fleshed out
The supporting characters were boring especially Sang Zhi's college mates. I just fast forwarded when it was only them on the screen since they were written too stereotypical and didn't feel fully fleshed out.
-Can we stop with the cheesy proposals already ?!
What is with China and its obsession with cheesy proposals. I was hoping that maybe this one will have a normal proposal since the story till then felt mature and realistic but they had to end it on a cringey note.

Overall:
Don't get scared of the plot and give this drama a chance if you want a swoon worthy romance that'll keep you up at night. 9.5/10.

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