Hidden Love (2023)

Sang Zhi's diary: A story of life, love and friendship

Love the flow of the story. Worth to watch every episode. Even though I finished watching it, I rewatched it again and again for consecutive days now. And the OST, gaaaad!! It is well-made for the whole series.

The casts portrayed their characters well. They can delivered their emotions without overacting the situation. Especially, when Sang Zhi personally went to Yihe to confirm if Jiaxu has a girlfriend and she hides her tears as much as possible in front of Jiaxu, I felt her brokenness on that part. And to Jiaxu, I felt his sincerity and respect towards Sang Zhi that even though he already knew that Sang Zhi likes him, he still pursue her.

Also, you can see the transition of Sang Zhi from being a simple school girl to college girl with lots of maturity in mind. Like, the confrontation of her and to the lady who constantly harassed Jiaxu for the death of her father. Sang Zhi handled that confrontation so well that she managed to stay calm the whole confrontation part even if the lady bombarding her with a number of negative comments about Jiaxu.

Overall, the series is worth of your time to watch. The series is not just about a secret love but it tackles also the supportiveness of the parents, friends. You can grasp a number of lessons towards the story.

Congratulations to the production, staff and crew, and to the casts for a wonderful project! Job well done!

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Refreshing take on a modern romance

Such a lovely story of a young crush turning into more in adulthood. There is nothing remotely sinister in the childhood portion, as seen from the perspective of a young girl, with the object of her attention having no idea, but just being kind and helpful to her. No ulterior motives by DJX. The adulthood portion is wonderful as feelings start to develop and will ring a bell with so many people when falling in love.
This is a very realistic story about romance, helped by the amazing chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan! The smiles, sparkling eyes looking at ech other, they are so beautiful together. Lusi again does that youngster to grown up seamlessly, not just in the way she speaks but in all the physical attributes she brings to playing a youngster. Chen Zheyuan has never looked so attractive as the sly, sexy, foxy DJX, trying to woo SZ when she is grown up and he has fallen for her. Brings alot of emotion to the character as well. Her brother is amazing as well, as is all the other cast. A supportive loving couple ,it is a delight to watch and wish it had gone on longer!

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The kind that will make you have butterflies

If you're wondering and going through the review to see if you should watch this series or not, then without a second thought, dive into it. You'll fall in love with the characters, Sang Zhi as a whole will be someone you'll relate to because like her we have all had crushes in our school life , whom we kept to ourselves , we admired , respected them from a distance knowing that they can never be ours ?? ?

Duan Zixu is one of the greeenest flag someone can ever be ??
So trust me , you won't regret it ? I didn't, and I have waited for it to finish to bingewatch at once ??

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Light and Warm, and visually pleasing!

This is the type of drama we need to unwind after long, tired days. It’s light but not too light, and it warms your heart perfectly.

The ML and FL’s visuals are so so so adorable. Their overflowing chemistry adds everything so perfect and makes it so hard to resist.

I know that the story like Sang Zhi and Duan JiaXu is too good to be true, but I love how realistic the interaction in Sang Zhi’s family is. First, between Sang Zhi and her brother, Sang Yan. Seems real just like bro-sis in real life.
Second, the moment Sang Zhi’s parents convey their concerns about Duan JiaXu directly to him. I mean, despite how good man that he is, it’s just what happens in life, parents will still be worried about their daughter’s potential unhappiness, no matter how small it is. But they’re also reasonable enough to finally put trust in their daughter’s choice and say that if anything, they got their daughter’s back no matter what.

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I was completely and utterly captivated by every second of this incredible drama! It has undoubtedly secured its place as one of my all-time favorite modern dramas, standing proudly alongside "Lighter and Princess." From the very beginning, the storyline gripped me tightly, refusing to let go until the very last frame. It was a perfect blend of intrigue, suspense, and heartfelt moments that had me hanging onto every word and scene.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this drama was the characters. Each one was crafted with such depth and complexity that I found myself fully invested in their journeys. They felt like real people, facing challenges, pursuing dreams, and navigating the tumultuous twists and turns of life. I laughed with them, cried with them, and celebrated their triumphs as if they were my own. Their relatability touched my soul and left an indelible mark on my heart.

The chemistry between the actors was nothing short of extraordinary. It crackled and sizzled on the screen, igniting sparks of electric energy with every interaction. Their performances were so genuine, so nuanced, that I almost forgot they were playing characters. The palpable connection they shared breathed life into the story, making me believe in the power of their relationships and the depth of their emotions.

Oh, the emotions! They ran rampant through every episode, taking me on a wild rollercoaster ride of feelings. From heart-pounding excitement to heart-wrenching sadness, the drama had it all. I found myself perched on the edge of my seat, eagerly awaiting the next plot twist, the next revelation, the next surge of intense emotions that would leave me breathless. It was a true testament to the exceptional writing and skilled direction that wove such a tapestry of emotions into the fabric of the drama.

As I reflect upon this masterpiece, I am struck by the profound impact it has had on me. It has carved out a permanent dwelling within the depths of my heart. Its storytelling prowess, its relatable characters, and its ability to evoke such intense emotions have solidified its place among the greatest dramas of all time.

In conclusion, this drama is a magnum opus, a testament to the artistry and power of modern storytelling. Its ability to transport me into a world of captivating drama and unforgettable characters is a testament to its brilliance. I will cherish the memories it has bestowed upon me, and it will forever remain etched in the annals of my favorite dramas.

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Speechless

Production - paid a lot of attention to details and set was appropriately in synched with the scenes.
Story - Light and simple that makes viewers reminisce about their youth: first love, family and school. This series madenme feel sorry for not having an older brother to bicker with and love me the way the sibling relationship was shown here.
Directing - well directed, smooth transition of story, stayed faithful to the origonal manhua story. It is well balanced romance, family, friendship and colleague relationship. It isnt just a story about first love but also family dynamics, cultural & societal impacts, relationships, struggles, and much more that were interconnected.
Wardrobe - this isbthe area that is most times producers limit the budget. It throws viewers for a loop when wardrobe doesnt match the scenes [next day or another day scene but same outfit worn by casts]. Appropriate wardrobe shows honest goal of providing best portrayal of story that assist viewers in being able to follow the story.
Artists - the entire casts worked harmoniously together. Zhao Lusi's versatility as an actress got shown here.
I paid for Youku subscription to watch this then found out thisbjs available in Netflix which I already have.
I dont regret it because the series is worth the subscription I paid. It is very good and worth watching. I plan to watch again in Netflix.

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Amor. Felicidad. Constancia. Química. ??

Este drama me hizo reír de principio a fin, sentí todo tipo de emociones en el proceso de visualización. Me gustaría profundizar en ciertos aspectos, como en mi visión personal, las relaciones interpersonales principales como resumen. Esta historia comienza con una Sang Zhi en aprietos, en ese momento necesitando ayuda de su hermano para evitar que sus padres se enteren sobre la situación que venía atravesando en su lugar de estudio. Ellos tienen una buena relación pero a menudo discutían por asuntos triviales o puntuales, para ella era un hábito "sobornar" a su hermano dándole lo que desea para que pueda hacerle un favor. En un momento, después de llegar a casa, ella sube hacia su habitación con un bowl de frutas, para aprovechar su oportunidad y convencerlo para que fuera a su lugar de estudio y resolver el problema. Al llegar ella se encuentra con el amigo de su hermano, Duan Jiaxu, nuestro green flag andante. Sang Zhi en un principio lo confunde con su hermano pensando que se había hecho una cirugía estética. Después de un rato, ella le pide a Jiaxu que la ayude con ir a su lugar de estudio pretendiendo ser su hermano, diciéndole que solo tendría que hablar con su profesor, nada más.
Si quieren saber más, realmente, veanla. Es muy divertido e "hipnotizante", desde mi experiencia. Verla es como darle miel a tu corazón, no podrás con el amor que derrochan y es algo fácil de seguir.

En general, esta es una historia de amor, donde ambos protagonistas se encuentran después de unos años y comienzan a conocerse con el tiempo. Ellos lograron encontrar a una persona que los complemente, que esté en las buenas y en las malas, donde se apoyaron entre sí repetidas veces y a lo largo del drama, dejan claro que el amor y la confianza lo pueden todo.
Fuera de la relación principal, las amistades de los protagonistas lo fueron todo. Desde mi punto de vista, les dieron el coraje a cada uno para poder confesarse y dar pequeños pasos en su relación, que fue difícil debido a como uno pensaba que lo veía el otro (como hermano/a simplemente). Las compañeras de cuarto de Sang Zhi son las amistades que cualquier chica querría, son apañadoras, acogedoras y realmente simpáticas, se nota que disfrutan la compañía de la otra y se alegran cuando una tiene buenos logros.

Adoré la experiencia viéndola, por eso mi puntuación final es de 10/10. Como punto a destacar, los protagonistas son ???, los actores, los papeles, perfecto. Nunca olvidaré lo bien que me hizo sentir cada día con cada episodio, como podías ver 10 episodios seguidos sin aburrirte, es el tipo de drama que vería una y otra vez por las innumerables veces que me sacó una sonrisa. Ahora mismo lamento que haya terminado porque no quiero despegarme. ??
Realmente vale la pena.

PD: Los BTS, entrevistas y lives me mejoraron la vida al 100%.

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WHY IS THE RATING SO HIGH? let me tell you the SECRET

As you may have already seen my ratings, I loved this drama. I suddenly came across the manhua while surfing through webtoon sites and just like that I really like the art, the translation and the characters. My teen age is over and I had a crush so it was kind of relatable and maybe that is why i loved the manhua and i couldn't keep my patience when i heard that it was going to have an adaptation so i read the novel.

You may question the ratings at times when you get to this page but there really are reasons why they are so high. THE ADAPTATION DONE RIGHT !! it gave justice to the novel and the manhua with amazing leads playing the characters, the emotions, the clothing, the whole vibe of the plot and everything. So first of all, novel/manhua fans are content with how this drama turned out so beautiful and so true to the real line.

Then comes the acting, you may doubt the acting of leads in regards to their age but its the same as we expected. It should have been that way and it is that way, meaning the childish voice, the early adolescence, the growing up, you'll notice the character growth as you watch it so do watch it well before judging it.

Black fans created few accusations when this drama aired and many who initially hadn't felt that this drama showed anything bad that also started to doubt if it did, but you will notice it, the way ml looks at fl changing (when they meet after years), and guys we all had that secret crush on some senior, someone years older than us, we did that too, our crush didn't turn real but Sang Zhi's did and it was so pure and heartwarming that the age gap didn't matter, these days 10 years gap is normalizing, 8 years gap is considered IDEAL, so it shouldn't have been a problem right? Did you hear what Yu Xin (roommate) said ? Doesn't it make sense? it does right. Sang Zhi grew up well, i was rooting for her, i was feeling for her, the falling for someone, wishing for others, feeling sad, moving on, can't help the beating heart even after years, doubting if he can love me back and everything.. i was rooting for her even when i knew the whole what was going to happen stuff. and it was because the acting was so good.
the innocent Zhizhi, the am i falling for him Zhizhi, the i should help him Zhizhi, the you are my dram Zhizhi, the heartbroken Zhizhi, the growing up Zhizhi, the is he flirting with me Zhizhi, the playing hard to get Zhizhi, the working Zhizhi, the loved Zhizhi, LUSI did so well. the fighting back problems Jiaxu, the must work hard Jiaxu, the am i falling for her Jiaxu, the CAN I WOO YOU? Jiaxu, shameless Jiaxu, CHEN ZHEYUAN did well too. and ohhhhhh myyyy godddd VICTOR MA ! I loved the Sang Yan character so so much, the expressions, the brother sister relationship, him being the protective brother, him knowing his sister and bestfriend dating, him getting annoyed, i loved him so much. So i said at first, the actors here are irreplaceable. Can't think of anyone else playing these characters in such smooth way. Side characters are so good too.

The music in this drama, not a single song is bad. The love can be clear with Spotify streams. It is doing so well globally as a Chinese drama playlist. You may have heard the singers name before too and you can stream them too if you like.

There were so many problems while this drama was shot but the final results turned out so well. It was like an escape and a fresh light drama with no unnecessary twists and trauma an (dark past of leads kinda story which is very much in every drama these days), you can just watch this drama without having to stress out on whats happening now, who, what all that, this is a romance drama, crushing and all, and it SERVED WELL!!

So if you are a romance genre lover, or you are looking for sweet, heartwarming drama, good actors, music, pleasing cinematography and binge worthy drama, WATCH ITT!! Don't read any comments or doubt everything said or anything, just watch it and without any bias, you'll like this

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The most perfect Novel -> Manhua -> Drama adaptation I have ever seen.

I won't deny I had my reservations when I heard it was being adapted into a drama. As an avid reader of the manhua (and regularly screaming about DJX) I didn't want to be disappointed like other famous adaptations because it never seemed to capture the essence of the work I loved so much.
BUT.
I STAND CORRECTED.
They took care in portraying every detail that makes this story so unique and added scenes/plots to enrich the storyline further, rather than taking away from it.
This is one of the first few Cdramas I've ever watched and I do not regret it ONE BIT. I discovered CZY, Lusi and Victor through this show and I absolutely love their portrayal of the characters. They did the writing justice and brought to life one of my favourite stories ever.
Let's not forget the colour grading, cinematography and acting throughout the show. Everything was phenomenal.
I don't know about you, but this has officially become one of my 3 Dramas I will rewatch yearly!

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underwhelming romance development

I love both Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan... also i am an absolute fan of fluffy love story but to be honest they would both have better chemistry if it was for a different drama. Saying that this show is overrated does not mean it sucks it just doesn't justify for the high ratings in my opinion (FYI my review is also just based on the drama not the novel).

Throughout the show I have a few ???? moments.

(1) I didn't liked how the FL is portrayed in the show.
The show started with FL when she was about 14 years old and she fell in love with ML who was 19 years. BUT the child actress does not look like 14 but 8-10. it looks strange and cringy. Why couldn't they cast a young girl that look more like her 14/15 (or atleast give ML a younger boy actor too).
Also, when FL grows up, she still speaks like a kid in a kiddy tone, the way she behaves is as though she is like 12?

(2) The romance
Throughout the show, their 5 years age gap is heavily emphasized all the time.. is it really such a big deal. I have watched so many drama with big age gaps but i didn't know 5 years is a lot to be a problem. They portray the male lead to be OLD like he is just 24?
I also didn't liked the development from bro/sis to lovers. ML's pov of how he fell in love was pretty sudden to me. In the show, there weren't any progress in how he fell in love but more like a one time and boom "i gonna woo you" the next day. Even ML confession didn't felt wow.

I guess u can dissect this drama into
1st part: FL's pov, her falling in love
2nd part: FL grew up (aka. went university) and met ML again
3rd part: ML fell in love and happy ending

Despite all these, the romance is quite sweet to watch after they got together.. but it's really not my cup of tea. I wouldn't rewatch this.

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