LayarHijau.com—The new drama The First Frost (Hard to Coax), starring Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan, premiered on February 18, 2025, on Youku. As a related drama to the popular series Hidden Love, featuring Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan, fans were eagerly anticipating its release. Unsurprisingly, upon airing, the drama quickly climbed to the top of the ratings according to Maoyan data.
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Zhao Lusi’s character, Sang Zhi, became extremely popular when Hidden Love aired two years ago. This time, in The First Frost, Sang Zhi’s role shifts from a leading character to a supporting one. The focus of The First Frost is on the love story of Sang Zhi’s brother, Sang Yan (played by Bai Jingting), and Wen Yifan (played by Zhang Ruonan).
Additionally, the actresses portraying Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu have been replaced. Sang Zhi is now played by former child star Liu Chutian, while Duan Jiaxu is portrayed by Wu Yuheng. Liu Chutian previously starred in The Story of Minglan during her childhood. Given the popularity of Hidden Love, comparisons between these two new actresses and Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan are inevitable. When the drama aired, the phone case used by Sang Zhi in The First Frost attracted criticism.
As we know, both Hidden Love and The First Frost are adaptations from two novels in the same series by Zhu Yi, a writer from Jinjiang Literature City. In The First Frost, the main character is Sang Yan (played by Bai Jingting), who is the brother of Sang Zhi from Hidden Love, and it tells the long-awaited reunion love story with Wen Yifan (played by Zhang Ruonan).
Not only did The First Frost achieve popularity upon its premiere, but it also broke the record for the highest number of viewers on its first day of 2025. The drama was watched by over 10 million viewers during its debut, making it the most-watched Chinese drama on its opening day this year.
However, behind the drama’s popularity, certain elements have sparked negative reactions from Zhao Lusi’s fans in China. This backlash stems from the drama team seemingly using several elements from Hidden Love intentionally, such as the frog-shaped phone case that Zhao Lusi used in that series.
Fans of Zhao Lusi in China have protested, feeling that the drama team should create its own identity instead of relying on the popularity achieved by Hidden Love.
Some comments in fan forums stated, “Does The First Frost not have its own ‘Sang Zhi’? Why do they have to use already popular props?”
Zhao Lusi’s fans also believe that despite Hidden Love facing numerous challenges during production, it ultimately became a global hit largely due to her efforts in managing costumes and accessories, creating a new fashion trend. They feel that Hidden Love is now merely being used as a promotional tool for The First Frost, according to Upmedia.
It seems that this comparison will not end here. Such phenomena are common in the entertainment industry everywhere. What are your thoughts on the protests from Zhao Lusi’s fans in China?
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