Chu's 'The First Frost' Receives Success and Backlash

Taiwanese filmmaker Chu Yu-Ning adapted the popular web novel, Zhu Yi’s “The First Frost”, into one of Netflix’s most-watched Chinese dramas. The controversy behind this serial begins with Zhang Ruonan playing Wen Yifan, the female lead, and Bai Jinting as Sang Yan, the male lead.

The audience views these two former high school students enduring their hardships together and reconnecting after college due to consequential circumstances. Wen Yifan is expressed as a delicate girl and a victim of repeated sexual assaults throughout her teenage and adult life due to her attractive appearance. As a result, Sang Yan is left to be her safeguard and protector.

Although the drama advocates for security and the realistic portrayal of sexual abuse, many fans express their disappointment in the show’s depiction of a weak female lead, as her defenselessness in situations was a critical reason Sang Yan received acknowledgment. Its illustration of sexual assault and alternations from the original have led fans to demand its removal from platforms like Youku and Netflix.

However, The First Frost has consistently received positive reviews after its release, following Zhu Yi’s “When I Fly Towards You” and “Hidden Love”, which also sparked positive reactions. Watchers post about their experiences with the show and express their intense passion and approval of the plot: “The show isn’t just a tear-jerker, it is also one of the funniest, sweetest, and bingeable Chinese dramas you’ll ever encounter.”