The First Frost

Presentation

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Overview

Synopsis

Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan met in high school. They had a crush on each other and promised to go to the same university. But circumstances decided otherwise and their paths diverged. Years later, they meet again.

My Opinion (No Spoilers)

This C-drama is as excellent as its predecessor Hidden Love. The romance is a slow burn, soft and warm. It’s clear that leads love each other, but there are so many issues they have to deal with first. Wen Yi Fan has had a difficult past and has been through a lot of bad experiences. This caused her to isolate herself and deal with everything on her own. However, Sang Yan is patient and devoted. His gestures, words, and behavior all aim at one thing: healing Wen Yi Fan. I also liked that the drama tackled darker themes related to the toxicity of a family for example that really serve the intrigue. Even secondary characters are great and their romance compelling. If you’re looking for a romance, I highly recommend this one! They gave me butterflies and melted my heart in every scene. Not to mention the actors’ incredible chemistry on screen. That’s a must-watch!

Analysis

• Characters
  Wen Yi Fan
  Sang Yan
• Timeline of their love story
  First encounter in Nanwu
  Beiyu
  Yihe
  Back to Nanwu
  Hong Kong
  Nanwu, the final destination
• The healing romance
  The sun and the moon
  Meaning of their names
  The bracelets
  The wedding ring
  Ballet
  The butterfly
  The quotes
• Themes tackled
  The toxicity of family
  A despicable mother
  Harassment
  Long-lasting love
• The second romance
• The atmosphere

Characters: The First Frost is literally carried by the lead duo. They are a match made in heaven, although it takes them some time to realize it. The reason is that they first need to overcome personal struggles before they can fully be happy together.

Wen Yi Fan: Wen Yi Fan (Zhang Ruo Nan) is quiet and reserved. She’s more of an introvert. In high school she shone. That’s what attracted Sang Yan. But she was forced to grow up too fast. She went through terrible events (death of her father, abandonment of her mother, harassment from her uncle) which made her lose her spark and shut herself from the rest of the world out of fear of being hurt again. Her resilience allowed her to keep on living, but she struggled to overcome her traumas. As she doesn’t easily express her feelings, her body developed a defense mechanism to unload her stress through sleepwalking. Throughout the drama, this condition is an indicator to Sang Yan to assess whether Wen Yi Fan is doing well or not. Yi Fan either refused to create new connections or cut the ones she had. She turned into a taciturn, lonely person, who would deal with her issues on her own. Her re-encounter with Sang Yan allows her to regain the spark others had stolen from her. She becomes cheerful, playful and bold again.

Sang Yan: Sang Yan (Bai Jing Ting) is the epitome of patience and devotion. From the moment he laid eyes on Wen Yi Fan, his entire world revolved around her. He’s never wavered, despite their break up. Sang Yan may appear arrogant and cold, he can sometimes be harsh with his words, but he’s truly warmhearted and soft. He’s affectionate and attentive towards Wen Yi Fan. Contrary to her family, Sang Yan prioritizes her and her well-being. He’s her greatest ally and best supporter. Sometimes, Sang Yan is petty, childish and jealous, but that’s part of his charm. He’s protective over Wen Yi Fan – hence his fight with her uncle in the last scenes – and would do anything to make her feel safe and comfortable. He’s a man of honor and never failed his promise. Needless to say that he’s a green flag!

Timeline of their love story: Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan have built their story over almost a decade. Whether they spent time together or not, they’ve never ceased to think about each other.

First encounter in Nanwu: Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan met in high school in Nanwu. Both were transferred students in the same class. On their first day, Wen Yi Fan immediately caught San Yan’s eyes. So, he schemed a little plan to have her talk to him. It worked and she asked him for directions, not knowing that he was new to school to. They ended up sitting next to each and eventually stroke a friendship. Sang Yan developed a real crush on Wen Yi Fan. He’d follow her everywhere, spend time with her, try to find ways to grab her attention. This it seems unrequited at first, we slowly discover that Wen Yi Fan shared Sang Yan’s feelings. She didn’t openly express them, as she was more reserved. Unfortunately for these two, fate intervenes in their innocent romance. Wen Yi Fan loses her father to cancer and is thus sent to live first with her grandmother and then with her uncle (her father’s brother) and his family in Beiyu.

Beiyu: This new house is a turning point in Wen Yi Fan’s life. Beiyu will only leave her with traumas and scars that she struggles to overcome even 8 years later. First, she goes to a new school in a new town. Second, she’s mourning her father and suffers from her mother’s abandonment. Third, life with her uncle’s family is horrendous. She sleeps in a storage room with blankets, her aunt constantly reproaches her that she’s costing her too much, her cousin steals her money and her uncle remains willingly ignorant to the situation. However, Beiyu turns out to be even worse than Wen Yi Fan could’ve ever expected. Her aunt’s uncle, to whom the family owes quite a lot, starts residing with them at some point. Though he seems nice at first sight, we discover he’s a rapist and murderer. He gets interested in Wen Yi Fan and harasses her several times. Matters escalate when her uncle enters her room one night and tries to assault her. She defends herself, but both end up falling from the second floor of the house. Yi Fan breaks an ankle, the uncle breaks his leg. The police are called and Wen Yi Fan is silenced by her aunt because she fears for the family’s reputation. Unsupported and scarred for life (physically and psychologically), Wen Yi Fan finishes high school. She takes her distance from Sang Yan who’d been constantly visiting her in Beiyu and leaves for Yihe. Though she and Sang Yan had promised to attend Nanwu University together, she rescinds her promise and vanishes. Sang Yan, unaware of Yi Fan’s situation, is heartbroken, angry and resentful.

Yihe: After 2 tumultuous years in Beiyu, Wen Yi Fan lands in Yihe University. She doesn’t know anybody and doesn’t try to create connections either. Though she finishes college there and finds a job at Yihe Daily, Wen Yi Fan is like an empty shell. That’s why, she easily quits her job and leaves Yihe when an incident arises at work. Her boss harasses her and his wife accuses her of being a mistress. Although her company takes it seriously and defends her, that’s the last straw for Wen Yi Fan. She doesn’t care about the rumors, but feels the need to get back to the place where her happiest memories are. While Yi Fan was in Yihe, Sang Yan continued to check up on her. He’d regularly go to the university and her office. He never mustered the courage to talk to her again, so he endorses the role of a guardian angel instead. The drama even suggests that Sang Yan’s reassuring attention is what drew Wen Yi Fan back to Nanwu. Indeed, he knows that she loves strawberry cakes and secretly offers her one to comfort her. This gift reminds Wen Yi Fan of her time in Nanwu and pushes her to return to her hometown.

Back to Nanwu: 8 years after their first encounter in high school, Wen Yi Fan and Sang Yan officially meet again. The male lead pretends he doesn’t remember her, but it’s a facade to hide his lingering feelings. Deep down, he’s hoped and prayed for his lover’s comeback. Sang Yan is determined to rekindle the flame and manages to set up several meetings with Wen Yi Fan. At some point, his apartment burns and he ends up becoming Yi Fan’s roommate. Their romance slowly blossoms over the course of their 2 years of cohabitation. Yet, another hurdle presents itself when Yi Fan’s criminal uncle pops up in her life again. She’s afraid that he would hurt Sang Yan – as he already does with his business – and leaves one more time. She disappears into thin air, leaving behind a worried Sang Yan who desperately looks for her.

Hong Kong: Wen Yi Fan arrives in Hong Kong, another place where nobody knows her. She has escaped her uncle’s claws and needs time to deal with her past traumas. She doesn’t want to bring harm to Sang Yan again. Hence her desire not to stay in contact. Wen Yi Fan stays for 6 months in Hong Kong. But thankfully her friends get wind of her presence there and inform Sang Yan. This stay away from everything helped Wen Yi Fan understand that she can’t deal with everything on her own. There are events in life that require the strength of others such as friends or a lover. Lesson learned for the female lead who misses Sang Yan’s warm embrace. The couple’s reunion is smooth and heartwarming.

Nanwu, the final destination: Nanwu is the first and final destination for the couple. Wen Yi Fan can finally let go of the ‘shadow that’s been haunting her for years‘ as mentioned by Sang Yan. Her uncle and aunt are arrested and trialed for murder. She has a heartfelt conversation with her mother and definitely cut ties with her. She’s been hired at Nanwu News again. Her friends are happy, her relationship is great. There are no secrets anymore. Sang Yan has invited Wen Yi Fan to meet his family. This is the start of a new chapter. Approximately after a year of dating, Sang Yan proposes to Wen Yi Fan in their former high school. They are surrounded by their best friends and enjoy a video of all of their acquaintances wishing them happiness.

The healing romance: Without the shadow of a doubt, Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan had a real healing romance. Both were somewhat broken by life and/or love, but they got better together. At first sight, it seems as if Sang Yan had a greater impact on Wen Yi Fan’s existence. He stood by her side during the worst times of her life. He embraced her past and faults wholeheartedly, never judged or criticized her actions. On the contrary, he defended her and her honor, took her in, sheltered her, showered her with affection and lifted her up. Sang Yan replaced Yi Fan’s painful memories with good ones and has patiently waited for her to open up. Despite his broken heart, he knew from the get-go that Wen Yi Fan was the one. So, he refused to let her go. Nevertheless, I think it’s also important to mention that Wen Yi Fan positively changed Sang Yan too. When he was in high school, he’d never study. He was arrogant and thought the world was his. His encounter with Wen Yi Fan changed his perspective on life. For her, he decided to improve his grades and aimed at getting into Nanwu University with her. She taught him that you need to have goals in life. But also that you need to work hard to achieve these same goals. Their sudden break up destroyed Sang Yan. It shook his beliefs to their core. That lesson taught him that his arrogance was not always rewarding. It also forced the male lead to learn resilience and patience. That’s how he got Wen Yi Fan back in the end. I think it’s fair to say that Wen Yi Fan gave a future to Sang Yan, while he healed her of her past. She broke his heart when she left him, but put it back together when she returned. Sang Yan’s light illuminated Wen Yi Fan’s existence and forced her out of the cave she’d secluded herself into. He’s her light at the end of her tunnel, and so was she when she re-entered his life.

The sun and the moon: I would definitely compared Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan to the sun and the moon. For me, Sang Yan is the sun. He’s this warm star that showers people around him with comfort, happiness and affection. At some point in the drama, Wen Yi Fan even compares him to the sun. She’s sleepwalking in their apartment. In her dream, she’s in a vast dark forest that appears to be without issue. She eventually sees light, that is Sang Yan in the living room, and walks towards it/him. Her roommate stands in front of her, yet she’s convinced that it’s this big hot sun. She embraces it to receive its warmth. She’s actually hugging Sang Yan, who procures her that same warmth as the sun in her dreams. If Sang Yan is the sun, Wen Yi Fan is definitely the moon. She’s mysterious, hides secrets and only evolves in the darkness. Wen Yi Fan’s life has been a perpetual night ever since her father’s passing. However, the moon also has its own light. It brightens the world with its presence. It’s beautiful, stands strong and proud in the sky and can wash away darkness. That’s exactly what Wen Yi Fan does in the drama. She shines and attracts others, but she also cleans her life from the nightmarish dark influence of the night.

Meaning of their names: Wen Yi Fan’s nickname is ‘Wen Shuanjiang‘ which literally means ‘The frost’s descent‘ in Chinese. The female lead was born on October 24th which corresponds to the first frost of the year. That’s why her father gave her that nickname. It is actually well linked to Wen Yi Fan’s personality, as she’s quite reserved and guarded. It takes her a while to warm up to people. Even if we consider her relationship with Sang Yan, it took him a while to melt her heart. As for Sang Yan, his name also has a hidden significance. ‘Sang’ means mulberry. It symbolizes the abundance which is exactly what Wen Yi Fan receives from Sang Yan: abundant love.

The bracelets: As a way to seal their love to one another, Wen Yi Fan offers Sang Yan a very special gift on Valentine’s Day: 2 bracelets one with a frost for her and one with a mulberry leaf for him. Not only are these bracelets the representation of their love, but they also stand for each other’s name and personality.

The wedding ring: Apart from the bracelet, another jewel gains weight at the end of the drama. In the last episode, Sang Yan proposes to Wen Yi Fan. That moment is the consecration of their love and the peak of their romance. For that special occasion, Sang Yan has chosen a wedding ring with a ribbon. The meaning behind is that they are each other’s gift in life. Considering everything they’ve been through and how much they’ve changed in the other’s presence, I could only agree with that statement.

Ballet: Wen Yi Fan’s dream was to be a ballet dancer. Although she was never supported by her family, she kept on dancing. Sang Yan loved seeing her move on stage. He even rearranged an abandoned rooftop and turned it into Wen Yi Fan’s own studio. Unfortunately, Yi Fan’s dream was broken alongside her ankle, following her uncle’s assault. It was impossible for her to dance again and so she gave up on the one thing that brought her joy at the time. However, she proved that losing your dream is not synonymous with giving up on your passion. Wen Yi Fan feels free and serene when she dances. She’d forgotten that and thought she’d never put on ballet shoes ever again. But fate works in mysterious ways. She renews with her passion when she leaves for Hong Kong. There, she’d met a young girl she’d previously interviewed who’s working at a dance studio. When Yi Fan fills in for her for a few days. At the end of the drama, she even goes on stage for a performance at work. Sang Yan was unaware of that and is stunned when he sees her dancing again. Wen Yi Fan has healed and her dancing performance is the perfect embodiment of that.

The butterfly: I think we can all agree on the fact that Wen Yi Fan’s wings were broken by her family. Her spirit was crushed by the events in Beiyu and her dream vanished with her injury. She’d only started life, yet she had so much to carry. After that, Wen Yi Fan led an empty and solitary life. She’d hide in her cocoon and was too afraid to get out of it. The world was too dangerous and she’d already suffered enough. Sang Yan retrieved her wings and gave them back to her. He forced her out of her shell (or should I say cocoon) and carried her, so she would fly. By the end of the show, Wen Yi Fan has clearly deployed her wings. She’s happy, freed from her shackles, dances again and became the beautiful butterfly she was meant to be in the first place.

The quotes: There are two main quotes at the end of the show that are of importance to the plot. The first one is the poem by W.B. Yeats entitled ‘When You’re Old‘. Sang Yan writes it down on the blackboard on the day of his proposal. It’s a confession of love and a wish that he and Wen Yi Fan will be together until they grow old. The poem goes as follows:
‘When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.’

The second quote is from the book ‘Oranges are not the only fruit‘ by Jeanette Winterson. During a flashback to their high school days, Sang Yan asks Wen Yi Fan what she’s reading. She shows him this same book, while the voice off goes: ‘I want someone who is fierce and will love me until death‘. That’s Wen Yi Fan’s profound desire and she adds ‘That’s you.’ at the end of the sentence, emphasizing that she’s find that person in Sang Yan. Basically, these literary references are used by characters to simply confess their love to each other.

Themes tackled: The First Frost is not just a warm romance. It also tackles very serious and dark themes.

The toxicity of family: It’s very clear in the drama that Wen Yi Fan suffered a lot because of her family. Her mother remarried shortly after the death of her husband and thus left Yi Fan in her grandmother’s care first, so she could fit into her new family. Yi Fan’s stepsister would also throw tantrums anytime her mother paid attention to her. Later on, Yi Fan lived with her uncle’s family. She endured their awful behavior for 2 long years. Her aunt consistently accused of her being too expensive though she actually used that situation to get money out of her niece whether it’d be for her son or something else. Even years later, her aunt asks for money, highlighting that Yi Fan owes for the time she sheltered her in her house. Wen Yi Fan’s aunt is a hypocrite, as she often forgets she’s received a lot of money from Yi Fan’s father before. On top of that, Wen Yi Fan was assaulted and almost raped by her uncle. Years after, he’s blaming her for his downfall and wishes revenge. Even her mother is toxic. All of that to say that Wen Yi Fan has been unlucky when it comes to family. She lost the one good person in her life (her father) and was left to fend for herself against the greedy, selfish other human beings. Her family is so toxic that the stress caused her psychosomatic issues (sleepwalking). Wen Yi Fan will have to learn to cut ties with all of these toxic people in order to fully enjoy life. The drama also sheds light on the fact that you can choose your own family. You may not have been lucky with the blood-related one, however you can still escape. Wen Yi Fan does that and reconstitutes a family of her own made up of her friends, Sang Yan and her in-laws. All of them are kind and benevolent. They’re selfless and truly care for Wen Yi Fan. Thanks to them, she’s able to heal and move on. Proof is you can always get better if you’re surrounded by the right people.

A despicable mother: Wen Yi Fan’s mother is probably of one of the most despicable characters I’ve ever seen in Dramaland. Everything that she’s done and still does is a new nail hammered into her daughter’s heart. First, she abandoned her to settle down with her new family. Second, she prioritized a stranger’s daughter over hers. Third, she failed her promise to take care of her after her husband’s death. Fourth, she entrusted her with her crazy family. Fifth, she refused to listen and ignored Yi Fan’s cry for help, especially after the events in Beiyu. Sixth, she never protected her, even after she tried to renew her relationship. She would come to Yi Fan’s work unexpectedly, play the good mother, victimize herself by saying that this period was tough for her and guilt-trip her daughter. The latter gave her numerous chances to make amends, but her parent blew them all. She prioritized her selfish interests over her daughter’s. Even at the end, she’s trying to reconnect with Wen Yi Fan because her now-husband has cheated on her. She’s been abandoned, just like Yi Fan was. The difference is that there is no forgiveness. I was more than thrilled to see her express her feelings to her mother and definitely cut ties with her. Wen Yi Fan only received pain from her parent, no love, no care, no affection. So, why would she forgive? These two are strangers who are just forced by blood to have a sort of connection. Yet, Wen Yi Fan has matured and realized that this toxic behavior can no longer be tolerated in her life. She thought she needed her mother, but in reality she’s survived well without her all along. Now, it’s her turn to abandon her mother and turn her back on her for good.

Harassment: Wen Yi Fan has had quite a number of bad experiences with men. It started with her uncle and continued with her boss at Yihe Daily and her roommates in her first accommodation in Nanwu. All of them assaulted her and tried to get revenge when they couldn’t get what they wanted. Because of that, Wen Yi Fan has developed fear and distrust towards the male population. She’s wary of their moves and doesn’t feel comfortable with the idea of sharing the same space as them. However, it’s different with Sang Yan. She knows him well and can clearly feel that he’ll never attack or harass in any way. That’s why she accepts him as roommate. This also alleviates her burden in some ways. She feels protected at home and even outside. Sang Yan gradually shows Wen Yi Fan that she can trust him and that not all men are as trashy as the ones she’s encountered before. Proof is her colleagues at Nanwu News are supportive and respectful, her boss is upright and Sang Yan’s male friends and acquaintances trustworthy.

Long-lasting love: The drama focuses on the leads’ romance who are thriving towards a long-lasting love story. But it also shows the impact of time on relationships, using Su Hao An’s (Edward Chen) grandparents. Both met when they were young, got married early and spent decades together. But time fostered misunderstandings and led them onto different paths. The grandmother believed her husband was cheating on her and thus wanted to give him free space. She refused to hold onto someone if love was gone. As for the grandfather, he was hiding his sickness – he’s got Alzheimer’s – and thus caused the distance with his wife. Once these two have cleared the air, and once the taboo topic of the death of Su Hao An’s parents is finally discussed, this elderly couple gets a second chance at love. This shows that there will always be hurdles along the way in a relationship. The most important point is to learn how to confront them together. This is a the secret, I believe, to a long-lasting love.

The second romance: I was quite involved in second leads’ romance in the show. Zhong Si Qiao (Zhang Miao Yi) and Su Hao An come from very different worlds. Si Qiao has been sheltered by a big family who brought her love. She works hard to support them and pay them back for their sacrifices. Su Hao An was raised by his grandparents after the death of his parents and brother in a car accident. This loss greatly impacted him, as he’s always felt like a burden and longed for affection. His family also never really talked about it which increased his burden. On top of that, Su Hao An has been in relationships with women only interested in his status. They were ashamed of publicly revealing they were dating, despite Hao An’s efforts to conquer their heart. Si Qiao meet Hao An again when he’s just broken up with his girlfriend. She is the type of person who can’t see other people unhappy, so she comforts him and cheers him up. What starts as friendship slowly develops into romantic feelings on Su Hao An’s side. He’s smitten by Si Qiao’s warmheartedness and kindness. She’s bright, strong and resilient. She also gets involved in his family matters, helping him smoothen his relationship with his grandparents. However, Si Qiao is not immediately conquered. She has a crush on her childhood friend, who likes Wen Yi Fan. She gets rejected, but has lingering feelings. On top of that, she needs a bit more time before she can give Su Hao An a chance. She eventually gives in and a beautiful romance unfolds. I really loved seeing these two together. They had less hardships than the leads, so it was rather refreshing to witness their blossoming love.

The atmosphere: I couldn’t finish that review without talking about the ambiance of the show. First of all, the cinematography is absolutely fantastic and serves that warm atmosphere that transpires on screen. The chemistry between the leads is unworldly, their kissing scenes absolutely credible, and their romance slow but fire at the same time. I really thought they were a couple at some point.

P.S.: The opening OST ‘Willful’ by Mayday has now become a karaoke song for me. I can’t count the numbers of times I’ve sung it while watching the drama!