The Asian drama community is currently obsessed with The First Frost, and for all the right reasons. Blending themes of love, longing, trauma, and angst, the new C-drama, starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan, is a must watch. But why is The First Frost being linked to the 2023 hit Hidden Love, and do you need to watch Hidden Love before The First Frost? We break it down below.
The First Frost is adapted from the web novel First Frost written by Zhu Yi. Following the success of First Frost, the author penned its spin-off, Secretly, Secretly; But Unable to Hide It, the novel that inspired Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan's starrer Hidden Love.
The novel First Frost follows the story of Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, while Secretly Secretly; But Unable to Hide It explores the love life of Sang Yan's younger sister, Sang Zhi, who falls for his best friend, Duan Jiaxu. While the timeline of First Frost begins years before Secretly Secretly; But Unable to Hide It, the drama version of the latter came out first.
After Hidden Love became a global phenomenon, The First Frost underwent significant changes to mirror the success of its spin-off. This included roping in A-lister Bai Jingting instead of Victor Ma, who played the role of Sang Yan in Hidden Love. The move has also sparked backlash from Ma's fans, but most have deemed Bai Jingting the right choice, as he comes with extensive acting experience to convincingly portray the nuances and complexities of Sang Yan's character.
You don't necessarily need to watch Hidden Love before The First Frost, as the latter is a spinoff that focuses on the story of Sang Yan and Weng Xifan. Although Sang Yan and Sang Zhi are siblings, they have distinct narratives that stand on their own.
The First Frost weaves an interesting narrative around Sang Yan and Weng Xifan's life, starting from their first meeting on the first day of high school when Sang Yan was just 15. The drama follows a non-linear storyline, with each episode depicting their high school life as they navigate their mutual but unspoken feelings. The story then jumps to the present day, where they face the challenges of rekindling their relationship after years apart.
While characters from Hidden Love, such as Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, make appearances in The First Frost, they are not the main focus of the story. Sang Yan and Weng Xifan's journey takes center stage, allowing viewers to become invested in their romance without any knowledge of Hidden Love.
Despite being the brainchild of the same author, The First Frost and Hidden Love deal with entirely different themes. While Hidden Love is a feel-good romance drama that leaves you kicking your feet, The First Frost perfectly portrays the angst and longing that come with unrequited love.?
Sang Zhi, the female lead of Hidden Love, has lived a guarded life with loving parents and a protective brother. This has also given her confidence to carve her own path, which reflects in her journey of pursuing Duan Jiaxu.
In contrast, life has been unfair to The First Frost's lead, Wen Xifan. A troubled childhood has made her underconfident and indifferent towards worldly affairs, and she hesitates to admit her feelings for Sang Yan.
Hidden Love callbacks in The First Frost?
The First Frost can also be viewed as a prequel to Hidden Love, as Sang Yan's story unfolds before the events of Hidden Love. For viewers who have already watched Hidden Love, The First Frost offers a delightful treat: subtle callbacks and hints at the budding romance between Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, which ultimately blossoms in Hidden Love. These Easter eggs have also gone viral on social media, with fans of both dramas lauding the connections that makers have managed to establish between the two dramas despite setting up different tones for them.?
In many episodes of The First Frost, we see Sang Zhi expressing her fondness for Duan Jiaxu. Meanwhile, in some Hidden Love scenes, we see Sang Yan talking about a girl pursuing him.
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The First Frost is currently streaming on Netflix in select regions, with new episodes dropping daily. As of now, 24 out of 32 episodes have been released.??