Hidden Love — A secret crush on her brother’s friend, and a second chance

Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu together against trees and warm sunlight — Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu · Official Netflix lead image · Official image source
© Production company and respective rights holders

Hidden Love is a 25-episode Chinese romance about Sang Zhi, who reconnects with her brother’s friend after starting university. Its focus is the development of a long-hidden crush into a relationship rather than a succession of major plot twists. Netflix series listing

Spoiler guide · Covers the setup, reunion, and character backgrounds in Episodes 1–10. No late-story resolutions or finale spoilers.

Title: Hidden Love
Original title: 偷偷藏不住
Country · Year: China · 2023
Episodes: 25 regular episodes · Early episodes run about 44–45 minutes
Genre: Coming-of-age romance · Based on a web novel
Principal cast: Zhao Lusi · Chen Zheyuan · Victor Ma
Where to watch: Netflix Korea series page · Official YOUKU series page

Information checked: October 28, 2026. Netflix’s Korean listing shows a 12+ rating and Korean subtitles. Availability depends on region and subscription.

Meeting her brother’s friend again

Sang Zhi likes Duan Jiaxu, her brother Sang Yan’s university friend. He helps her with trouble at school and with her studies, but sees her as his friend’s young sister. A misunderstanding separates them before she confesses; they meet again after she begins university. Opening episode descriptions

Sang Zhi with tears in her eyes, her face tucked into a scarf — Sang Zhi’s unspoken feelings and tears
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · ELLE Taiwan source ↗

Sang Zhi no longer wants to be treated only as a younger sister. As they reconnect, she learns about Jiaxu’s family difficulties and financial burdens, and cares for him when he is ill. The beginning of their relationship also involves learning about each other’s daily lives. Netflix episode descriptions

Sang Zhi wiping Duan Jiaxu’s face as he lies in a hospital bed — Sang Zhi looks after Jiaxu · Hospital scene
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · ELLE Taiwan source ↗

The couple and the brother between them

Sang Zhi turning to look beside a dressing table — Sang Zhi · Zhao Lusi
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · ELLE Taiwan source ↗

Sang ZhiZhao Lusi · The more she feels, the less she says

Sang Yan’s younger sister speaks her mind around her brother but becomes shy with Jiaxu. After entering university, she begins to say more clearly what she wants from the relationship.

Duan Jiaxu holding a white box among the trees — Duan Jiaxu · Chen Zheyuan
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · ELLE Taiwan source ↗

Duan JiaxuChen Zheyuan · Financial strain behind an easy smile

Sang Yan’s university friend helps Sang Zhi with her studies. His teasing, affectionate manner conceals family difficulties and financial pressure.

Official character poster of Sang Yan seated at a table — Sang Yan · Victor Ma · Official character poster
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · Cosmopolitan Taiwan source ↗

Sang Yan Victor Ma · Sang Zhi’s brother and Jiaxu’s friend

Sang Zhi’s brother teases and argues with her, then looks out for her when trouble arises. Unaware of her feelings for his friend, he also brings comedy to their situation.

Affection in gifts and changes of tone

Sang Zhi wants a photograph of Jiaxu without revealing why. Choosing gifts and trying to sound casual are among the small actions through which her crush becomes visible. Reviewer kfangurl praises these performances and the leads’ chemistry. The Fangirl Verdict review

Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu looking at each other on a white bench — Sitting side by side · Official promotional still
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · ELLE Taiwan source ↗

Sang Zhi’s shyness around Jiaxu contrasts with her ready retorts to her brother. The central romance shares the story with relaxed sibling exchanges. Official episode information

Scene collage showing Sang Zhi and her brother Sang Yan’s expressions — Sang Zhi and Sang Yan · Sibling scene collage
Released by Hidden Love’s official Weibo account · Cosmopolitan Taiwan source ↗

Availability and the official trailer

Check the Korean Netflix listing and the official YOUKU page for availability. Netflix Korea lists a 12+ rating and Korean subtitles; playback may depend on region and membership. Netflix · YOUKU

Praise for the performances, reservations about the premise

The Fangirl Verdict’s kfangurl finds the changing feelings engaging without requiring large plot events. She reads the childhood material as Sang Zhi’s one-sided crush, while finding the supporting stories thin and some coincidences implausible. kfangurl·August 27, 2023·Full-series review·Ending spoilers

Writing for Wenhui, Zhang Minghao criticizes the use of a childhood crush as the foundation for an adult romance and the familiar meetings-and-misunderstandings formula. Alongside praise for the performances, the relationship’s starting point and age difference are relevant considerations when choosing the series. Zhang Minghao·September 30, 2023·Cultural criticism

If you’re looking for similar stories

Our Beloved Summer · Netflix — Former lovers reunite on camera when a documentary they made at school becomes popular again. It may suit viewers interested in everyday romance and feelings revisited years later.

Sources and image credits

Netflix Korea: Hidden Love — Basic information, subtitles, descriptions of Episodes 1–10, and lead image.
YOUKU: Hidden Love — 25 regular episodes plus a separately listed special; official behind-the-scenes videos.
The Fangirl Verdict: Review: Hidden Love [China] — kfangurl, August 27, 2023. Full-series review; contains ending spoilers.
文汇网: 影视剧圈层化生产的冷思考 — Zhang Minghao, September 30, 2023. Cultural commentary on drama production and premise.
YOUKU ROMANCE official trailer — Released June 19, 2023.
Netflix · official descriptions for Episodes 1–10

Images · One official Netflix lead image and seven photographs released through the series’ official Weibo account: five reproduced by ELLE Taiwan and two by Cosmopolitan Taiwan. Sang Yan’s image is an official character poster; the sibling image is a scene collage. Original publication links accompany each image. Logos and full compositions are retained. Copyright remains with the production company and respective rights holders.

Video · Official YouTube player embed · Autoplay off.

OTT FAIR · A guide to Hidden Love. The plot discussion covers the opening ten episodes and excludes the ending.