The First Frost

Did You Know?

• A Chinese animation adaptation of First Frost was announced on Bilibili on 15 November 2025.
• Two episodes were screened for 91 minutes at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on 23 August 2025.
• Taiwanese rock band Mayday released an official OST and music video for the series on 31 December 2024.

Plot

Wen Yifan accidentally meets Sang Yan at a bar after six years. They were high school classmates who once had a crush on each other, but she rejected his feelings, causing them to drift apart. They pretend not to know each other until circumstances force them to share an apartment. Their relationship changes when Wen Yifan's sleepwalking returns due to past family trauma, leading her into Sang Yan's room.

Reception

Director Qu Youning participated in a Q&A session at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Before its official launch, the series amassed over 8 million reservations on Youku and earned billions of views on Douyin and Xiaohongshu, breaking records for contemporary dramas and earning the title of 'Hottest Youth Idol C-Drama'. Its success prompted the opening of its first merchandise pop-up store in Taiwan. During the broadcast, Bai Jingting and Zhang Ruonan were recognized as 'Top C-Drama Artists in the International Market', with Bai's character Sang Yan topping the 'Character Index List'. Critics described the show as a mature, emotionally intense journey with powerful performances, praising its non-linear storytelling, visual aesthetic, deep emotional themes, lead chemistry, and a script that captures regret, leaving a lasting global impact.

Production

The First Frost was produced by Wajijiwa, Youku Information Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., and Hunan Galaxy Cool Entertainment Culture Media Co. Ltd. The production house announced a live adaptation on Weibo. In August 2023, script polishing and content development were underway. Initial posters were released on 24 March 2024. Filming took place in Chongqing from February to June 2024. The first official teaser came out on 27 June 2024. In December 2024, the series received its airing permit for 32 episodes on Youku.