The First Frost review: Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan lead a slow-burn romance that leaves you yearning for more

Chinese drama Hidden Love had us giggling throughout its 25 episodes with its cute and fuzzy romance, but its spinoff, The First Frost, takes a different approach. It pierces through your heart, rips it apart, and sews it back. Starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan, the new C-Drama premiered on Netflix on February 18, with 8 episodes released so far.

What's The First Frost about?

The First Frost is about two high school sweethearts (sort of), Sang Yan (Bai Jingting) and Wen Yifan (Zhang Ruonan), who reunite eight years later as adults. Now, fans of Hidden Love know Sang Yan from the Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan starrer; however, expect something completely different here. While his character, played by Victor Ma in the 2023 C-Drama, was explored well, we just knew him as this annoying yet possessive brother who wore his heart on his sleeve.

Present-day Sang Yan, played by the charming Bai Jingting in the new series, now runs a bar, Overtime, with his three other high school friends. He is a man of few words but is confident in his ways. His only and also the biggest setback in life? An incomplete high school love story despite his earnest efforts.

Zhang Ruonan's Wen Yifan, a new media journalist, is a reserved young woman to whom life has been overtly unfair. Thanks to a troubled childhood that involved losing one parent and being abandoned by another while also facing harassment, the only way to live for her is to take things as they come without complaining.

As Sang Yan and Wen Yifan reunite as adults years later after a heartbreaking goodbye in high school, the old sparks fly, not in a way that makes you want to kick your feet but in a way where you feel the yearning and angst with the long stares, smirks, and moments of silence.

Atmospheric visuals blend with the drama's theme

The visual aesthetic perfectly complements the angsty theme of the drama, creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that immerses viewers in the emotional turmoil.

Hidden Love, seen through adorable Sang Zhi's (played by Zhao Lusi) lens, weaved a colorful world where even the existence of unicorns didn't feel like a far-fetched dream. But given the characters', specifically Wen Yifan's, traumatic past, The First Frost deals in muted tones. Even in the throwback scenes from their high school, the city leaves you with an eerie feeling, with its loneliness resonating with the main leads' cold and empty hearts.

Their emotional turmoil also reflects in their outfits, mostly blacks and whites, taking a break from florals and colors that we mostly see in modern romance C-Dramas.

What else is different in The First Frost from Hidden Love?

The First Frost marks a departure from the heart-fluttering romance of Hidden Love, instead reeling from the aftermath of it. As the series strips away the childlike innocence of first love in your youth, it exposes the harsh realities of adulthood, where love is not all you need to heal deep-seated wounds, and the past continues to cast an ominous shadow.

Do you need to watch Hidden Love before The First Frost?

Absolutely not. The narrative here is different. Although Sang Zhi remains a pivotal part of the main protagonist's life, this is purely Sang Yan's story.

Narrative Nuance takes centre stage

The non-linear storytelling, seamlessly transitioning from their high-school desk to their now shared apartment, never confuses you. Yifan's struggles to overcome the trauma of a past sexual assault and her resultant indifference are juxtaposed with Sang Yan's anguish of unrequited love.

Additionally, the drama's thoughtful, slow pacing allows for an exploration of subtle expressions like stolen glances and unsaid words, portraying their untangled yet impactful history.

Final thoughts

This drama may not be the best fit for a light, casual watch, but for those who crave a deeply emotional and intense romance, it's a must-see. The electric chemistry between the leads is palpable, even in the absence of physical contact.

Sang Yan's subtle yet ardent displays of affection¡ªcooking for Wen Yifan, poring over her one-word replies, and gazing at her with adoration while she watches fireworks¡ªare a masterclass in slow-burn romance.

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