C-Drama Review: “Hidden Love” Sweetly Assures That True Love Is Not Fleeting

Hidden Love Series Quick Recap

Hidden Love follows the story of Sang Zhi, a young girl who has a crush on his brother’s friend Duan Jiaxu. Navigating her life, she went through frustrating moments while understanding her emotions. But her perseverance to claim her “one true love” defines not just the romance she worked hard for, but also her sincerity as a woman in love.

Sangzhi’s Secret Crush

Sang Zhi is a kind and smart girl. She loves to draw. She has an older brother, Sang Yan. Sang Zhi leads a sheltered and comfortable life with her family.

Duan Jiaxu is a college student. He is Sang Yan’s best friend and dormmate. He is caring, smart and hardworking. He has a poor family background. He lost his mother because of an ailment and his father is in a coma for years resulting in debts. He supports himself and his father financially.

She first met him when she was in high school. Duan Jiaxu is five years older than her. He left a deep impression on her when he helped her out of a sticky situation at school. After three years, they meet again. Sang Zhi becomes more interested in Jiaxu. She develops a one-sided crush but Duan Jiaxu treats her only as a younger sister. Nothing more.

When Duan Jiaxu finishes college, he returns to his hometown in Yihe to work. Sang Zhi decides to study hard to get into the university in Yihe. But because of a misunderstanding, she thinks Duan Jiaxu got himself a girlfriend in Yihe. Sang Zhi decides to forget and let go of her feelings about Duan Jiaxu.

Sang Zhi pursues her plan and enters college in Yihe. She had a chance encounter with Duan Jiaxu while in a KTV. Sang Zhi’s encounter with Duan Jiaxu rekindles the feelings she hides for the longest time. They grow closer together. They learned about each other. Duan Jiaxu is always there every time Sang Zhi needs her. She also found out that Duan Jiaxu never had a girlfriend in the past.

As they spend more time together, their closeness grows into something deeper and Duan Jiaxu tells Sang Zhi that he doesn’t want to be just his “brother” anymore. He wants Sang Zhi to be his girlfriend. Playing hard to get, Sang Zhi tells him that he has to woo her first so that she can see if she also likes him. They eventually became a couple on Duan Jiaxu’s birthday.

Is it a happy ending?

Sang Yan finds out that Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu are dating when he visits her sister during the summer break. He finds it hard to accept right away. He worries about her sister and the age gap. Thinking Duan Jiaxu is too old for his sister. But after spending some time with the couple, he feels relieved that Duan Jiaxu is his sister’s boyfriend. He sees that Duan Jiaxu really takes care of his sister.

When Sang Zhi’s parents learn about her relationship with Duan Jiaxu, they cannot help but worry. They know that Duan Jiaxu is a good person but he has a complicated family situation. Sang Zhi’s father meets Duan Jiaxu to tell him about his concerns regarding their relationship. He is afraid that Duan Jiaxu’s personal problems might take a toll on Sang Zhi’s happiness. They only want what is best for their daughter.

Duan Jiaxu decides to resign from his job in Yihe to start a company back in Sang Zhi’s hometown. He wants to get everything ready by the time Sang Zhi finishes college. He also wants to prove to Sang Zhi’s family especially her parents that he is really committed and serious with his relationship to Sang Zhi. This gesture manages to convince Sang Zhi’s parents that his intentions are pure and will do his best to give them the happiness that Sang Zhi deserves.

Sang Zhi graduates and Duan Jiaxu surprises her with a marriage proposal with her friends and family as witnesses. And of course, she says YES!

Hidden Love Series Highlights

A Perfect Capture of a Woman’s One True Love

Gradually presenting the phases of romance, Hidden Love taps into any woman’s fond memories of when they first had their one true love.

It was particularly nice that the 25-episode series did not rush things to happen by showing how a teenage crush turns and develops into real love.

Viewers especially women would be able to relate to the story credit to the nicely-done presentation of how Sang Zhi traversed realistically her own emotions.

An Honest Relationship Yields Growth

There are no pretensions in Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu’s relationship as a couple. He willingly shares his past and his family’s situation with the woman he loves.

In return, Sang Zhi understands his pains and what he is going through. She learns to love him even more.

They did a good job in the character development of the two main leads. We get to see that they have grown into two adults ready to face and be responsible for the choices they make.

In detail, the series also limned realistic reactions common between two people assessing the beginning of love and understanding the emotional responsibilities they have thereafter.

Resolving Love Disparities Involving Age

Tackling the possible problems that may occur when you have an age gap with the one you love, the series shows it from different points of view, from Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, to Sang Yan, from their parents and even their friends. Still, it boils down to the truth that in love, age is just a number.

The resistance from Sang Zhi’s parents, help them become closer as a couple and motivated them, especially Duan Jiaxu to do better.

Hidden Love Series Musings

Keeping the tradition of endearing youth C-Dramas, Hidden Love is another story worth adding to the stack of your drama favorites that you watch when you want to feel good. Its intention to show innocent and pure love was done in an amazing way.

Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan made sure the onscreen chemistry will make viewers not imagine someone else playing their roles.

Notably, Zhao Lusi’s facial expressions and immersion as someone who has a hidden love is so natural. Chen Zheyuan equally portrayed the role of Duan Jiaxu convincingly. All those gentle gazes, stealing glances, and captured small gestures will make the viewers’ hearts flutter.

Committed to their roles, the lead pair act out their parts with utmost honesty and sincerity, which are reflected on screen.

The supporting cast is a huge help to make this drama even more successful. Sang Zhi and Sang Yan’s bickering is fun to watch because it looks so natural and funny. We see a common theme for the plot but they try to narrate the sensitive part of the story in a way a wide range of viewers will understand.

They made the drama very engaging and easy to watch. We will surely smile, laugh and even blush while watching this drama. This is one of those dramas that will linger for a while after watching. This will surely be added to one of our all-time favorites.

Also looking forward to the next projects of Zhao Lusi and Chen Zhe Yuan. They did an excellent job that we want to support them in their journey as actors.

Hidden Love Takeaway Quotes

“Our story begins when he was 22 and ends when I was 22.”

“Am I really getting old now? Why are my parents no longer here?”

” Can you believe that you are a great person? Seeing how much I like you; can you ignore what people say about you?”

Photos: Hidden Love Weibo Page