Do you need to watch Hidden Love before The First Frost? Crossover details so far explored

The Chinese drama The First Frost, released in 2025, has gained massive attention as it unfolds the story of Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan in the main roles.

Adapted from Zhu Yi’s hit web novel First Frost, this drama serves as a prequel to the 2023 hit Hidden Love, which has been inspired by Zhu Yi’s novel Secretly, Secretly; But Unable to Hide It. Hidden Love tells the story of Sang Yan's sister, Sang Zhi.

Although both dramas revolve around the romantic tales of the Sang siblings and feature interrelated characters and shared timelines, each presents distinct narratives and themes. While they mainly focus on a handful of recognizable characters, Hidden Love and The First Frost stand as independent stories that can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the other.

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Exploring the crossover details between Hidden Love and The First Frost: Does one need to watch to understand the other?

The relationship between Sang Yan and Wen Yifan unfolds separately from Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu’s love story, making it accessible to viewers unfamiliar with Hidden Love. The First Frost storyline also predates the events of Hidden Love, focusing on Sang Zhi’s older brother, Sang Yan.

His love story with Wen Yifan in this 2025 spinoff begins during their high school years when both of them are 15. Given Sang Yan's 4-5 year age gap with his sister, Sang Zhi is 10-11 years old. It explores Sang Yan and Wen Yifan’s relationship starting from high school, leading up to their reunion years later.

Hidden Love's story, starring Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan as Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu, begins years later when Sang Yan meets his university best friend, Duan Jiaxu. He then becomes a frequent visitor of the Sang household and encounters Sang Zhi when she is 14, causing her to fall in love with him.

Hidden Love was the first to be adapted into a drama in 2023. As it became a major success, the spin-off was prompted to be developed as a high-budget production.

This led to a significant casting change, replacing Victor Ma, who played Sang Yan in Hidden Love, with Bai Jingting in The First Frost, with the addition of Zhang Ruonan as Wen Yifan.

The 2025 drama also replaced the original actors who played Hidden Love's main characters, Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu - Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan- with Liu Chutian and Wu Yuheng. The prequel introduced various new characters like Zhong Siqiao as Zhang Miaoyi and Su Haoan as Edward Chen, who were never mentioned in Hidden Love.

While Hidden Love is centered around Sang Zhi’s perspective, The First Frost expands on Sang Yan’s backstory, which was only briefly referenced in Hidden Love. This shift in focus provides deeper insight into his character, his past heartbreak, and his eventual reunion with Wen Yifan.

For those who have already watched Hidden Love, the new spin-off offers additional layers to Sang Yan’s character. In Hidden Love, Sang Yan is portrayed as a playful older brother, but in The First Frost, he emerges as a more complex figure carrying emotional wounds from his past with Wen Yifan.

For the audience of both the dramas, the connection between the two dramas is evident in certain moments. One such sequence is in Hidden Love, episode 13, where Sang Yan hints at a woman pursuing him. This aligns with the events in The First Frost when Wen Yifan, after learning about her feelings towards Sang Yan, actively starts pursuing him.

Another key connection between the two dramas unfolds during a wedding attended by the Sang siblings and Duan Jiaxu. In Hidden Love, in episode 13, this scene captures some of Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu’s earliest romantic moments. Later, Duan Jiaxu drives Sang Zhi home while Sang Yan stays behind.

The prequel extends this sequence, revealing that after Sang Zhi leaves, Wen Yifan arrives late due to work. She joins Sang Yan, who is now her boyfriend, at the wedding. It is here that Sang Yan introduces her to his friends as his girlfriend, marking a significant moment in their relationship.

In another sequence, in Hidden Love episode 20, Sang Yan learns that Sang Zhi is dating an older man. Unaware that it is Duan Jiaxu, he rushes to Yehi University, which is also shown in The First Frost in episode 24.

In Yehi, when he discovers the truth, he ends up punching Jiaxu. During this confrontation, viewers notice a black bracelet on Sang Yan’s wrist. Fans of the prequel recognize this bracelet with a snowflake charm as a gift from Wen Yifan, given to him in episode 21. The charm symbolizes her nickname, which means "first frost."

Additionally, The First Frost includes subtle references to Hidden Love, such as glimpses of Sang Zhi’s growing admiration for Duan Jiaxu, creating an interwoven narrative between both dramas.

However, despite these links, Hidden Love and The First Frost also differ in tone. Hidden Love presents a heartwarming romance with a focus on youthful love, while The First Frost delves into themes of separation, longing, past trauma, and emotional healing.

Sang Zhi’s journey in Hidden Love is driven by her determination to pursue Duan Jiaxu despite their age gap. In contrast, Wen Yifan in The First Frost faces a troubled past that affects her ability to make a close bond, adding complexity to her relationship with Sang Yan.

So, while the prequel is closely linked to Hidden Love, it is not a direct continuation but rather a standalone story that enriches the overall universe. Watching Hidden Love first is not a requirement, but for fans of the original drama, the 2025 spin-off offers deeper character exploration and meaningful callbacks.

With its layered storytelling and emotional depth, The First Frost stands as a compelling drama in its own right while complementing the world of Hidden Love.

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All 32 episodes of The First Frost are now streaming on Youku, while Netflix currently offers 28 episodes.