The Secret Life of My Secretary (2019)

Review of "The secret life of my secretary". (Spanish, English, French)

(Spanish)
“The secret life of my secretary” es un drama coreano con elementos de romance y comedia. La pareja protagonista está compuesta por el CEO Do Min Ik y su secretaria Jung Gal Hee. Do Min Ik, tras un ataque contra su vida, tiene prosopagnosia y solo puede reconocer la cara de Jung Gal Hee, lo que los mantiene más unidos.
La trama de la serie es original ya que el protagonista masculino es incapaz de reconocer rostros, lo que hace que limite su vida cotidiana y le trae complejidades cuando se relaciona con los demás. Además, gracias a esta enfermedad, irónicamente acaba conociendo más profundamente a la gente que le rodea. La secretaria, por su parte, trata de ayudarlo, pero sin querer termina mintiendo a su jefe, así que su relación se enreda. No obstante tengo que decir que me gusta cómo se desenlaza todo, el guion está bien escrito. En cuanto al resto de personajes, en mayor o menor medida, todos tienen un desarrollo y un propósito, no son un adorno.
Las actuaciones y la producción están bien hechas y dirigidas. De lo único que no estoy contenta es que los 32 capítulos se me han hecho un poco largos y he sentido algo de aburrimiento. Pero, hay varios momentos de química entre los protagonistas, con más emoción de lo que podrías encontrar en otros dramas y hay ciertas escenas que se quedarán en mi memoria.

(English)
“The secret life of my secretary” is a Korean drama with elements of romance and comedy. The protagonist couple is made up of CEO Do Min Ik and his secretary Jung Gal Hee. Do Min Ik, after an attack on his life, has prosopagnosia and can only recognize Jung Gal Hee's face, which keeps them closer.
The plot of the series is original since the male protagonist is unable to recognize faces, which limits his daily life and brings complexities when he interacts with others. Furthermore, thanks to this illness, he ironically ends up getting to know the people around him more deeply. The secretary, for her part, tries to help him, but inadvertently ends up lying to her boss, so their relationship becomes entangled. However, I have to say that I like how everything unfolds, the script is well written. As for the rest of the characters, to a greater or lesser extent, they all have a development and a purpose, they are not an ornament.
The performances and production are well done and directed. The only thing I'm not happy about is that the 32 chapters have seemed a bit long and I've felt a bit bored. But, there are several moments of chemistry between the leads, with more emotion than you could find in other dramas and there are certain scenes that will stay in my memory.

(French)
« The secret life of my secretary » est un drame coréen avec des éléments de romance et de comédie. Le couple protagoniste est composé du PDG Do Min Ik et de son secrétaire Jung Gal Hee. Do Min Ik, après une attaque contre sa vie, souffre de prosopagnosie et ne peut reconnaître que le visage de Jung Gal Hee, ce qui les rapproche.
L'intrigue de la série est originale puisque le protagoniste masculin est incapable de reconnaître les visages, ce qui limite sa vie quotidienne et lui apporte des complexités dans ses relations avec les autres. De plus, grâce à cette maladie, il finit ironiquement par mieux connaître les gens qui l'entourent. La secrétaire, de son côté, essaie de l'aider, mais finit par accidentellement mentir à son patron, leur relation s'enchevêtre. Cependant, je dois dire que j'aime la façon dont tout se déroule, le scénario est bien écrit. Quant au reste des personnages, à des degrés divers, ils ont tous un développement et une finalité, ils ne sont pas un ornement.
Les performances et la production sont bien réalisées et dirigées. La seule chose qui ne me plaît pas, c'est que les 32 chapitres m'ont semblé un peu longs et que je me suis un peu ennuyé. Mais il y a plusieurs moments d'alchimie entre les protagonistes, avec plus d'émotion que l'on pourrait trouver dans d'autres dramas et il y a certaines scènes qui resteront dans ma mémoire.

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If you hate misunderstandings I would avoid this show

TLDR: Every issue in this show could be solved by someone saying one sentence at the right time but everyone refuses to open their mouths.

Disclaimer: I give average shows a 5 so everything above that is pretty good to excellent while everything below that is pretty bad to horrendous. Everything is also in reference to other shows. I am not an expert in film making so I cannot say how well the technical aspects were executed, but I can give my opinion on how they compare to other things I've watched and how much I enjoyed them relative to other shows even if I can't put into words the exact technique used that made it more/less enjoyable.

Overall: I would say this is a slightly above average drama with some fun elements and an interesting premise. Unfortunately it overstays its welcome and can't find a way to move things along which makes the middle of the show drag.

Story: The premise is interesting and entertaining at first. I has its own charm and its fun to see the FL try to navigate all the obstacles of her own making. But at some point it starts to go from fun to frustrating. Most K dramas have some element of misunderstanding/miscommunication that sparks the romantic plot and this one is no exception. However, it quickly becomes redundant as the character find themselves in the exact same situation over and over and over all while wondering how they're going to fix things when the answer is immediately obvious to anyone with a functioning brain. If the characters were reasonably intelligent for 30 seconds the episode count could have comfortably been cut from 16 to 10 without feeling rushed. Instead we are left with many episodes in the middle that feel like the the FL says "this time, I'll tell him the truth..." and then proceeds to not change or do anything. (side note: you know that whenever someone says they're doing something tomorrow that shit aint getting done). The only time the ongoing misunderstandings seem remotely organic is when the 2nd FL has a hand in it because it fits with her character. Outside of this, any cliche you've ever seen in a drama is present here (dead phone battery, ML protecting FL from car, tripping into close up, etc.) and it can get annoying.

The mystery elements of the story were interwoven throughout the story, but I never felt like they got the gravity they deserved. This is a pretty common theme in Kdramas but if someone is out to kill you that's not the time to brush it off and say that you're gonna be fine. The opposite is also true in that if there is a simple problem to fix its not the time to break out the sad violins and pretend like the world is ending. In this instance the tone falls into the former where there is some pretty serious stuff going on but the characters don't really seem to care which results in even more life threatening situations and makes it tough to know how to feel about it given the dichotomy between their reactions and what is actually going on. Spoiler: But like, if some guy has already tried to kill your boss, and he comes to your home with a weapon, saying your blind brother has trouble getting used to new places is not a valid reason to stay. Or imo if you use that reason then you kind of deserve to get killed the next time he comes. The mystery was also overall super predictable. It was pretty obvious who was going to be good and who was a red herring from the outset so some of the dramatic reveals felt more cringe than anything.

I would say my fundamental problem with the romance side of the story is that the emotional investment it tries to make you feel as the plot progresses don't feel earned. They try to make it seem like the characters are making tough decisions and grappling with lots of emotions, but then you realize that its a rerun of the previous 4 episodes so why should I care. Watching a character make the same mistakes over and over and over all while telling themselves and the audience how they are going to change requires fantastic writing/acting or a more comedic tone in order to keep the viewer invested. This show does not quite hit the mark on either of these leading to a frustrating rather than fun viewing experience at times. During every emotional or dramatic reveal instead of feeling sad/happy/whatever else they wanted me to feel, I just get annoyed that it didn't happen 3 episodes earlier when there was a perfect window and no good reason for it not to happen.

Characters: I liked all the lead characters. The FL is charming and charismatic in a bubbly kind of way that allowed me to still like the character despite the many questionable things she does throughout the show. She manages to play both versions of her character well and both were believable identities. The ML is ok, but I did feel like he was more of a passenger in the show being yanked around in whichever direction the plot needed him to go. He was supposedly instrumental in most of the plot threads but never seemed to actually have any agency in what was going on. Looking back, the only real things he does throughout the entire show is try to cure is illness so he can chase after a girl. (spoiler: perfect example but the secret org is scared that the ML is onto them as he reasonably should be, but we the viewers know that he hasn't given the file a second thought after finding it a few episodes prior and will only start to care about it once its convenient for that plot thread to wrap itself up) The second FL is probably the standout for me. The actress looked like she was having a blast playing the role and it definitely shows. She is over the top and quirky in the best way possible and I love her chemistry with the second ML. She steals most every scene she is in all while filling the comedic relief role in a show that could've used more lighthearted moments. The second ML is good as well. I think he is used by the story to add suspense and mystery to the show multiple times which actually worked initially because the actor can pull off the guilty without trying to be aura really well. Their chemistry was also great and I liked all the second leads scenes together.

My favorite side characters were probably the FLs family. Her sister was great as the mature kid trying to be the adult and the brother was funny while also being the voice of reason when the story needed to give the FL a push. The slow mo secretary scene is also goated. Most other side characters don't get much screen time so its hard to say much about them, but the second FLs mother was also quite funny.

Music: I'm not a huge music person and I also watch at faster speeds 1.5x so can't really comment on the music much but I assume it was good.

Rewatch: This would probably be on the lower end of the rewatch list for me, but not at the very bottom. The story is certainly not a reason to rewatch and the characters aren't good enough to justify rewatching this show over others.

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The most unromantic romance

This story had a promising beginning, some interesting and different side streams and could have ended up with an 8 or even 9 star.
But Alas......

I think the script writer was trying to convince us that love is really blind.......that despite not being able to recognize faces, it's the inner soul that eventually wins the long lost love race.
And in thus trying to make the FL s soul shine, the script writer forgot to clean up the exterior - and viola we now have a scruffy looking FL who looks like she kept awake all night in her college dorm, trying to cram for an exam, then woke up the next morning, didn't brush her teeth, shower or comb her hair, wore mismatched socks under ill fitting pants and ran to the exam hall.

And on the flip side we have a ML who just steps out of a GQmagazine, looks dreamy enough to have a million weeping females, dresses impeccably - almost like he's going to step on the fashion runway.........

And now we have to watch 16 hours of how these two totally miscast characters find everlasting love!

God help us?‍?

Leggi di Più

A super sweet drama with awesome characters!

I especially liked the male lead. Kim Young-Kwang did a fantastic job. And kudos to the writing team from deviating from the cliché of the aloof, arrogant boss and going for a vulnerable, earnest character. Do Min-Ik was one of the sweetest MMC I think I've ever seen.

And, of course, Veronica Park stole the show every time she came on-screen. Kim Jae-Kyung did a wonderful job playing her.

Smiles and happy feelings all around!

P. S. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to the kooky OST. The Lion King, Queen, Damien Rice and Let It Go. Weird, random musical choices, but I liked them!

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This drama does have it's clichés. The cold hearted rich man falling for the poor good natured woman etc. But it's how the plot is executed on screen which made all of the difference. I liked this drama because it managed to deliver what it promised. It was supposed to be a simple romantic comedy and it's just that. I loved the chemistry between the main leads. There were cute moments between the two but not so many that you would get bored and sick of seeing them. The side characters such as Veronica Park were fun to watch as well. If you are feeling down or depressed and want to watch something fun without too much angst I suggest you check this one out.

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Prosopagnosia trope is real?

I have found this drama by accident while searching for "What's wrong with secretary Kim?" and watched it without any regrets ? It would seem that when you lie down with severe bronchitis, nothing will make you come alive better than syrup or hot broth but this show did a really great job! Story was fresh and unique and convinced my brain and body to focus on something else than coughing and sleeping ?

Maybe Do Min Ik and Jung Gal Hee started their relationship with cheating, what they built in the boss-secretary relationship was beautiful and unique. The story of the couple was very cool, but Veronica Park beat them anyway. This is one of those characters that after seeing it will stay in your head for the rest of your life.... Veronica Park nobo seyo .... I hear it in my head as soon as someone says that name ??

Good drama with good cast and fresh script. I'm giving it 6/10, it's not extraordinary but reccomendable and won't waste your time. Ideal for lazy watching during the lockdown but if you search for an action - have a look for example at "Mystic Pop-Up Bar".

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WHAT A SUPRISE! O.o

OKAY! SO! Can we talk about this series?
omg I can't believe it omg!
I'm so happy about that he finally can see her pretty face uwu and the kiss scenes (especially at the end! are omg! I think I had a smaller heart attack at that part.)
This series is kinda cute and it's just an emotional roller coaster omg!
I'm really lucky and happy about that I was able to watch this beautiful and heart warming series. Thanks god! uwu
And at the last thing is what I want to say I just want to say thank you for the directors and to the cast and to the stuff, thank you for working hard <3
~ Rea

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Acting/Cast:
I'm sad I couldn't give this drama 10/10 the acting was so fluffy Min Ik spoiled personality was on point and Gal Hee was cute as hell with her big glasses.
The side characters were okay, nothing to comment on.

Story:
This drama had some fake diseases that make no sense and sort of focused on "love overcomes all" concept, if that's not your cup of tea just don't expect much cause that's kind of the main plot.

I felt like so many episodes ended exactly where they begun and they had no story progress at all, however that might be easier to watch if you're binge watching it. (stretched?)
Also, the whole secretaries club plot was stupid and poorly written.

Music:
Amazing, will probably get stuck in my head for a while, I mean for God's sake they have Sondia singing one of the OSTs

Rewatchability:
Lastly and sadly I don't think this has much in this department, knowing how the Veronica act ends spoils 99% of the drama, sometimes I wish I had selective memory...

Anyways if you decide to pick this up you're in for an emotional rollercoaster, have fun!

Leggi di Più

Let me start by saying that Jin Ki Joo is a wonderful female lead and she did a FANTASTIC job as the secretary in this show but overall she's a great actress. I also didn't mind Kim Young Kwang as Do Min Ik because he's an actual pretty good actor as well; especially with the way he was put into this position. Overall, the show is honestly really good; it's short and easy to watch, the secondary characters are funny and cute and a good story on it's own; especially when you hear "AWESOME" xD HAH! But the romance between the two are fantastic; just the way they click is good. I like the plot twist of the story to make it dramatic but I also like that you still get the cool family vibes, great friendship and mystery all in one. Like the story just made it keep going but we were in it for the fluff and it did not disappoint at all. It was worth the watch as a filler and just to watch for sure.

Leggi di Più

So I just finished this drama and I have to tell you that it wasn't the best drama nor one of the best dramas that I have watched but it certainly had its nice moments and all those cliches a drama lover like me enjoys
Overall like I said the story wasn't the strongest story that leaves you at the edge of your sit or filled your mind with a lot of questions, everything about this drama was typical and simple.
• About the love story, I have to say it was sweet and fluffy and the main cast had great chemistry.
• I love (jin ki joo) and I think her sweet smile melts the heart of any man, also I think she delivered the role of her character.
• And I actually loved the character of (Veronica Park) before watching the drama I thought she's one of those annoying brats that you just want to punch in the face but she was exactly the opposite she was sweet and had a very bold attitude which I loved.
So if you looking for something to spend your time this drama can be a good choice
but if you're looking for something great that leaves an impact on you this drama isn't the best choice for you.

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This was a cute and fluffy drama. I loved Kim Young Kwang in this. It was nice to see him in a rom com. The chemistry with Jin Ki Joo was wonderful! She’s just adorable and can’t wait to see her in another drama. My second favorite couple was Veronica Park and Gi Dae Ju. Veronica was hilarious and I loved the way he handled her quirky-ness. The OST was perfect, to include another great song from Sandeul! I don’t tend to over analyze dramas, especially romcoms. If it’s enjoyable to watch, has a little bit of tension, and it ends well, I’m happy. This drama filled those requirements. I loved Gal Hui’s brother! He was so funny and didn’t take his blindness seriously. I liked all of the little lessons sprinkled in throughout. I really had some laugh out loud moments, most of them with Veronica and Dae Ju, what a great pair. I will miss these characters!

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