What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

the story was boring...yes its funny (not as funny as some other drama) but this drama doesn't deserve the point, it's soooo overrated because nothing special in it. its sit nicely in 'warm' territory for me.
main lead was good but nothing special. but...i like almost every interaction between support role (and their story).
the music is good, but i don't remember any of it...even after finishing all episode, i still humming some track from My Beauty Inside (its not that they're a lot better drama, they got their own flaws, its just about the track in it).
will i rewatch ? of course not...its sooo overrated. i've been hesitating to watch this because i'm not sure i'll love it but i decided to watch it because i'm curious since they got high rating and a lot of praise. it turn out to be one of the dramas that overrated for me. i'm not disappointed, but i'm not over pleased either, but i guess i'm expecting to much from this drama (because of the praise OMG)..no rewatch for me, to many dramas on my watchlist.

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DISCLAIMER: (please read)
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As of episode 12, I've decided to drop the series. So keep in mind that the following review is based on my personal taste and those 12 episodes. As such, I encourage and advice everyone to read two or three more reviews before deciding whether you should give this series a shot. Something I hated or was disappointed by might be something you love and was surprised by. This review is subjective, after all.

PLOT: It dragged
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The story had potential (to go into a dark and rarely explored territory) which is why I stuck to it as long as I could. The problem is that said darkness it's buried deep underneath clichés, wooden dialogue, absurd sound effects, fluffy romance and sidequests (all support characters' scenes which add nothing of value fall into this). As much as I love comedy, I think this series could've benefited from taking out the forced --and often cringy-- humor in favor for leaning into the melodrama that was at its heart (the only thing I found interesting).

Keep in mind that the reception of this drama has people in two camps. Those who love it and find it hilarious, and those of us who feel like we're trapped in the twilight zone. After some reflection, I believe that if you like watching romance with some story to the side, then this might appeal to you. If, on the other hand, you are like me and you like to watch a story with romance on the side, then I would skip this one.

Episode 11 sums up my experience. The first half dove into the parts I found interesting, focusing on the narrative with a more serious tone. Unfortunately, the last half was weighted down by the standard dose of fluff, cheese and what I can only regard as silly humor (I must say that the "cartoony" sound effects broke me out of the series and often got on my nerves, though I know a lot of people loved them).

The series as a whole had mostly fluffy & nonsensical scenes which never really hooked me or left me wanting more. In the end, I had to muscle through most of the series, forcing myself to keep watching in hopes that it got better. By episode 12 I have given up hope and had decided to drop it.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Dull
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Before I dive into the protagonists, I feel the need to make a note about the source material. Since this is a show based on a web series (which I'm unfamiliar with), I curved my expectations and set the bar very low. I intend no offense, but some web series tend to be beautifully drawn but present very superficial stories. Sadly, this show wasn't an exception and, despite my precautions, I was disappointed.

Kim Mi So (female lead): She's introduced as a strong protagonist. She's as perfect as her boss, with elegance and charm to match. Of course, she's also inexperienced with love, easily flustered, lovably clumsy and a bad liar. So after the first few episodes, she became ultimately boring. I kept waiting to be surprised, only to learn that what I saw was what I got. I truly believe that Kim Mi So would've benefitted if she'd been graced with a sharper wit, streets smart, a weird sense of humor... or something that made her stand out. She needed something to break that "perfect" character and give her an edge. Otherwise, you have a lead that falls flat, like eating an unremarkable dish. Sure you don't hate it and you might even finish it, but you won't remember what it tastes like either.

Lee Yeong Joon (male lead): As much as I like Park Seo Joon, his character was the most frustrating. It had less to do with his acting, and more to do with the source material. Lee Yeong Joon was riddled with traits that were so over the top, it was hard to take him seriously. When analyzed outside the story, he had the potential of becoming an interesting character because he's full of contradictions. He's a man who hides his insecurities behind a wall of arrogance. However, instead of using that contradiction as a base for character growth; his arrogant attitude was used to create cheap humor. There's also a lack of commitment from the writer to give him solid traits and stick with them. Case in point, he was introduced as a player, BUT he was never intimate with anyone. He's observant and smart, BUT he failed to see certain things when it mattered (ex. the flower thing). He's supposedly very smart, BUT he constantly misreads situations. He's bold & straightforward, BUT he can't be honest about his feelings. And on and on. One contradiction makes for an interesting character, but when you have so many, it's hard not to see the wishy-washiness of the writer.

ANTAGONIST: Stale
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Lee Sung Yeon (ML's brother & semi-2ML): He's the closest thing to an antagonist we get and, like the leads, he suffers from lack of depth. He's a paper character and never really comes alive. I wasn't able to either hate or love him and the writing made sure of that. He was introduced as a likable character, sweet and observant. Then, in record time, he was unraveled before our very eyes. We were told how to feel about him, rather than make the reveal of his story more impactful by giving us time to relate to him first. So the only thing I felt towards him was a sort of tired indifference.

SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Painfully shallow
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This is a series that got bogged down by having so many two-dimensional support characters who added nothing of value to the story. Chances are that if you skip all of their scenes (most of them which are aimless repetitions of their actions), you won't really miss anything...

PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Fluff with an extra dose of cheese
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This romance started on the wrong foot but at least it did move away from a toxic relationship into a more fluffy one. The thing that didn't work for me, aside from the extra dose of cheese, was that the characters felt and acted like kids. This could've been less ridiculous if both characters had been younger. As it stands, watching them made me feel awkward (I also had to fight second-hand embarrassment during most scenes).

Keep in mind, if you like fluffy romance, you might really enjoy this series.

OVERALL: Based on the 12 episodes I watched, I hesitate to recommend it unless you have a high tolerance for fluff.
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If the series was edited to take out the parts that were a waste of time, it might've been something wonderful. This could've been a good eight-episode story, but by extending it without having good material, it became mediocre. Though I tried to hold on, it became increasingly difficult with each episode to keep my mind from wandering. Now that I've watched more than half the series, I feel like I can make a proper assessment, which is that I doubt it'll get better and I'm unwilling to put more time into it.

Again, the potential was there but the story fell into the wrong genre. This should've been a romantic melodrama with comedy sprinkled in, not a rom-com with a side of melodrama.

I frankly do not recommend this drama if you are expecting a strong, impactful or memorable story, complex characters that grow as the series progresses and/or something refreshingly new. If, however, you are searching for fluffy romance with lots of scenes dedicated to their courtship, then this might shoot to the top of your list.

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This doesn't have basic spoiler

At first it was good and there was a mystery that happened decades ago that was the cause of the brothers conflict. Young Joon was treating her like shit and putting her into much stress for the past 9 years and when she snapped he realizes then that she was worth and fall for her. Let's say that is okay but after she first found out that Young Joon's brother was the one with her when she was kidnapped she was supposed to stop searching at that point even tho he couldn't remember anything from that time - yes he couldn't remember because it was painful for "him",so she should stop pressuring him to remember and just move on, start dating Young Joon, instead she keeps digging in because she wants young Joon to be the one there with her and that's because the director said so. After the truth was revealed the nightmare and trauma stuff just disappeared it's like "now that the the truth is revealed let's forget about it" like a phase and for the last 3-4 episodes I REALLY wanted to finish it fast so bad those episodes were unnecessarily long. The supporting characters' story, interaction was better in my opinion. That's what keeps me to finish it even tho I hate.

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Story - 7.5/10: Overall, the plot was a letdown from what I had expected. There was so much talk about this drama even before it got released so it got me hyped up. I know that this is suppose to be a romantic comedy series but it focuses so much on it that it didn't give justice to the other elements. At the end, I even had to skip scenes because I wanted to watch the romance of the second leads rather than the main characters. However, I have to say that the beginning was really good but it fell flat near the middle.

Acting/Cast - 9/10: I do believe the individual actors and actresses were really good and I love them individually but the fluttering and happy I feel during kiss scenes and other romantic scenes were just not there. I feel like the chemistry with one another wasn't that strong. I love them as people but I didn't enjoy them much in this series. The side characters were amazing though!

Music - 9/10: I love the music in the series! I feel like this was one of the best parts of this entire drama. I was hooked on with the music. They did a nice job with insertion.

Rewatch Value - 6/10: It was just so boring, I don't think I could watch this again...

My final words are to give it a try. Although the majority of this review is bad, don't skip over this just because the rating isn't good. Others have very positive reviews of this and I just happen to have a different opinion.

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It took me until episode 6 to get into this drama and even then I wasn't fully engaged.

The story is nothing special, just your usual chaebol prince who falls in love beneath his station. The twist is that he and the female lead have a past connection dating back to their childhood and they kind of promised to marry each other when they grow up ...... and so it goes.

I enjoyed the two leads together, they were so cute with each other and their love story is portrayed in a mature manner, especially their interactions, this aspect of the drama is absolute gold. The male lead had good character development, he was first portrayed as an arrogant and cold person however as the story progresses the true nobility of his character is revealed and he turns out to be so sweet, selfless and loyal, I loved that about how he was written.
Secretary Kim on the other hand, I found her character the same throughout, she never changed and remained constant, this can be seen as a good thing that shows how reliable and genuine she is, but I must admit to finding her boring towards the end. Park Min Young is a great actress but maybe they could have written Mi So with a bit more growth at the end, she just remained the same, I don't know........

The supporting cast was entertaining and sufficient attention was given to their stories without taking away from the leads, this supporting cast actually helped me to enjoy the drama more.
The older brother of the male lead was just flat, any friction and angst he should have brought to the table quickly fizzled out and he just remains an annoyance, why was even there?

I think this drama would have done well at 12 episodes, the story wrapped up around episode 11 so five more episodes with no dramatic tension was overkill, I mean it was cute but I got bored and wished it would end. The final episode was very well done, with all that build up they had to give us a grand wedding right?

Music was great and the ballad is super romantic.

Personally, although I can see the charm of this show, ultimately it failed to engage me as other dramas have so I give it overall a 7 out of 10.

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I didn’t really enjoy anything about this drama. The acting is okay , the plot is non existent, the aesthetic is non existent as well...
The little sparks of story here and there are not used properly , and it didn’t even feel like a feel-good-brain-off drama.
I just really don’t see any reason to watch it. It’s not absolutely terrible , but there’s nothing good or interesting about it.
The persistent and nice girl working for the rich narcissist guy , he abuses his power and money, she doesn’t like it but still falls for him... a classic but not even a good one.
Even when looking for a simple and fun drama to laugh and relax, I wouldn’t recommend this one.

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TL;DR at the bottom of this review if you don't wanna read this wall of text.

I'd first like to address the rating guideline for reviews--I think the list is rather specific, and this review isn't going to completely adhere to it. After all, I rate completely based on enjoyment--so you can for the most part, ignore my rating, as that's not the main purpose of this review.

The responses to this drama seem to be largely divided between those that love it, and those that hate it. I fall into the former, but I'm going to try and address viewpoints from both parties.

Plot/Story:
Synopses for What's Wrong With Secretary Kim describe it as another typical chaebol//rich man--poor woman drama. In general, this holds true, but the tropes WWWSK brings are executed in a much different manner--over-the-top comedic, and at some points borderline parodic. At its core, this drama is a comedy above all else.

The plot and story isn't deep or very meaningful in any way, and that's fine, because this drama doesn't aim to be profound This is quite evident in the execution of the story within the very first episode. There's a more serious substory to the main characters' pasts, but it's not what drives the drama; the comedy drives it. And that's precisely why the plot or lack thereof, has little impact on my rating. If you're a watcher that prefers a good story and deeper plot over comedy, you might not find this drama as appealing. It's more of a 'turn your brain off, relax, and have a laugh' type of drama.

Characters/Cast:
The highlight of the show--what makes it dazzling. Befitting the comedy, the characters are also for the most part, over the top.

For our male lead, if you're unsure about this drama since you dislike rich jerk leads, rest assured, a jerk is precisely what Young Joon is not. He's still tad bit (by tad bit, I mean through the roof) narcissistic, and is still occasionally rude, but unintentionally due to his ignorance and obliviousness, not because he's an asshole. He's very over-the-top and charismatic. I tend see people finding this trait either oddly charming or ridiculously annoying. His personality could make or break the show for you.

Now for our female lead, her character is also a fresh breather from the typical heroine of chaebol themes. Mi So radiates a strong, responsible personality who is also independent as opposed to the common trope of being poor and helpless. Mi So as a character is interesting, but her personality is often outshined in comparison to Young Joon's, which just has many more layers in terms of depth. That's not to say that Mi So isn't also charismatic though, because she is.

Moving onto the side characters--they're all pretty quirky, weird, and over-the-top the in their own fashion. They played a large role in driving the comedy, and often times, I found myself just as or even more invested into them than the main leads.

A lot of the interactions between the characters are cheesy and cringe due their lack of romantic experience (though also largely due to the nature of the drama). I find that weirdness one of perks of the comedy; each character having their own quirky means and methods of displaying affection. However, the same interactions could be a major turn off to your enjoyment. If you aren't enjoying the cheese at the beginning, you probably won't enjoy it later on. Save yourself time, drop the drama.

Effects/Sound/Music:
I'm going to address these together as they're all external elements added.

If you've seen "Because This is My First Life", you may be familiar to the cartoony visual and sound effects added to minuscule actions such as blinking or glaring. This drama is filled with these effects, and they added a lot of comedy and enjoyment to my experience. At the same time, it's understandable to find these effects too repetitive or just outright annoying. These effects can potentially ruin your enjoyment, so just be forewarned.

As for the music, the OST was never out of place, and always added a nice flavor to their respective scenes. In fact, many scenes' comedy were amplified due to the music.

Rewatch Value:
I never really completely understood the point of the 'Rewatch Value' rating, so I'll just say it's not something to completely rewatch, but rather many comedic scenes are great to go back to.

--TL;DR ver--

Watch if you:
- enjoy comedy above story, or if lacking story isn't a bother
- enjoy the cast and their interactions
- don't mind over-the-top comedy or occasional cheese and cringe

Drop if you:
- prefer dramas with a meaningful story
- don't feel the chemistry between the cast
- can't stand occasional cheesy, cringe interactions (there are quite a few)

If you aren't enjoying the comedy aspect in the first few episodes, or the comedy is slowly growing duller, chances are you won't enjoy it later. Save yourself time, drop the drama.

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What's Wrong with Secretary Kim is just an okay drama. It has a cute approach to the story, that also involves some mystery about a kidnapping and a chilhood drama, but they kind of overeploit that theme and it got tiring towards the end. The romance, for me, it was so so. There was chemistry and everything, but the script didn't help to create the right mood. In the end, the romance scenes seemed forced to be funny when they weren't. The performances, in addition, were nice and enjoyable at least. The side stories interesting as well. Overall, the drama is just a cute romance drama and it doesn't really have any originality in it to make it the great drama that most viewers claim it to be.

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Great start, boring end

The first half of this was excellent - very funny and well-paced, solid, attractive cast, lots of cuteness and interesting plot-threads, and I was enjoying it so much I stayed up well past my bedtime. But then it started to sink in the middle, the chemistry drained away, and after the mystery resolution came out of the oven the whole thing fell flat with still a bunch of episodes to watch. I skimmed through to the end, but was very bored. Still sweet, I guess, but not the tasty cake I was expecting.

As with a lot of dramas in this format, there just wasn't enough engaging dramatic content to last for 16 episodes here. I found the rest of the cast likable enough, but I wasn't invested in any of them. And even though the love scenes in the latter half were probably fairly 'racy' for a kdrama, they were also strangely unexciting! - possibly down to the way the FL was written? - and it felt like they were there as fanservice to fill up the boring space between the end of the mystery and the wedding. Disappointing, after such a fun start.

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It's just my opinion, but I think this drama is highly overrated. The story has a very simple plot which is not unusual in k dramas. However, the characters were one dimensional and way too cliche for me. Lee young Joon was a character with good potential in my opinion. I had hoped he would mend his ways and become less narcissistic after he got into a relationship with Kim Mi So. However, his character doesn't seem to have developed at all even at the end. The way he fell in love with her was also forced in my opinion as he first only had a an obsession with her and didn't want to leave that childhood friend of his and it's not clear how this obsession turned into love. I also felt that the couple never really faced challenges, fought or had any sort of disagreement. I also found it ridiculous that they married each other without even 1 disagreement. He also put her to hard work for nine years and developed feelings for her suddenly. The positives in the story were the humor and side character development. The backstory was honestly ok in my opinion. It had its effects in the future and was hence essential and unavoidable. Mi So's character was what I disliked the most. Even after she got into a relationship with Young Joon, there didn't seem to be much of a change in the boss-secretary behavior as Mi So still acknowledged every ridiculous thing that Young Joon said and carried it out as a secretary more than a girlfriend. Also, I didn't like the fact that in the end Mi So decided not to quit her job as secretary. The reason she wanted to leave was to follow her dreams and I believe she should have given more priority to her own dreams and left to fulfill them. That's pretty much why I didn't like this series too much.

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Objectively not a bad drama, just not my cup of tea.

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim, is a romantic comedy that follows four couples (all with varying screen times) and their daily life. It tried to be a little spicy by adding some light angst to it, but they probably should have left the traumatic past out of it as it didn't get enough screen time devoted to actually matter.

This drama would have been greatly benefitted by ending at episode 12, but they definitely tied up all the loose ends, and finished their character development. It was just a little dragged out in my opinion. There are a lot of sweet and funny moments throughout this, but it is by no means a riveting series. The chemistry was stronger between the side couples than the main couple even though we get our fair share of steamy kisses. I love the two main leads in other dramas, but I'm not sure they meshed together well in this one.

What I did like was that this is certainly a learning and development drama. WWWSK addresses the growing pains that happen in a first (or any) relationship, how important it is to compromise, and that understanding in a relationship is key. The acting is done well, but it was a pretty flat ride for me.

All in all, not bad if you're looking for something light and sweet, but it probably won't keep you glued to your seat.

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i was really waiting for any drama to seo joon cause i'm one of his biggest fans

but wz sorrow i was frustrated alot after watching this one
first i didn't like min young acting at all
i didn't feel any chemistry between seo joon and her
even when i watch the kissing scenes most of them i didn't feel it at all

i found at some parts seo joon acting was artificial and that shocked me cause i know him a brilliant actor

the drama was totally repeated thousand times the idea was consumed
nothing new and the part of how they knew each other cause they were kidnapped together was totally provoking

and what frustrated me more that i feel the writer was disparaging my mind when he made seo joon knew her from the first sight
it would be more logic if he made some investigations about her when he grow up so when he meets her it's normal to recognize her
but man.... u r talking about 15 yrs they didn't see each other and they know each other for just a day and they were totally kids can't remember
how come they still remember each other's features
it's illogical at all

SO plz if u r going to make a normal story so plz make it logic -_-

i was really FRUSTRATED T_T

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