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Secret Love Affair korean drama review
Completed
Secret Love Affair
2 people found this review helpful
by Zoe
Aug 27, 2016
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This drama gets 10 points for atmosphere. They nailed it every time. This drama has attitude and personality which other stereotypical Kdramas severely lack. The mood is perfect. It never loses that beautiful, sophisticated and upper-class feel no matter what happens. I was fanning myself over the talk about the duet. I love it when film captures the smexiness of the piano. Not at lot of soundtrack, which is a good move so that the piano moments are really attention grabbing. Also, you know that Korean soundtracks can be cheesy, so best to keep it empty. Also, that moment when they introduce a riff and you know you're going to love it and it's going to mean a lot to you by the end of the drama. I love the idea of falling in love with someone's music before the person themselves. Or how you can know a person so intimately just from hearing them play. I liked the unexpected moments of intensity without the swooping slow motion or romantic riff. The actors don't need the music to portray the emotion. At first, the age gap was difficult, but as the feelings and the characters became more entwined, it felt more and more natural. And the piano really was the winning factor. I can understand if anyone falls in love over a piano. They really contrast Hye Won's calm steadiness with Sun Jae's girlfriend's teenage hysterics. “When a woman reaches forty, dignity is the biggest charm.” Hye Won “I will take the filth. That's my specialty.” I initially thought that she would trapped in a glitzy world due to her husband. But she's actually in the upper rich circles because she's a secretary to a rich family. Hye Won has classy sophistication. This lady is competent and exciting. “People who think this is my weakness...are so obvious. I'm not scared at all.” “I'm only clumsy with you. Outside, I'm cunning beyond your imagination.” She plays a dangerous game among the conglomerate family all hungry for what they want and wanting to use Hye Won to make it happen. Hye Won holds secret after secret from each family member. Hye Won's acting is convincing every step of the way. I understood her. The way she expressed her awkward love for Sun Jae was really subtle and tasteful and how the people around her could tell because she never says more than she has to and suddenly she's volunteering information about this student. Sun Jae “Yesterday, I just played what I heard.” Oh, the smokin' metre just went up a notch. Musical prowess is so sexy. “I gave everything to that Goddess.” He's attracted to her mentoring, her approval, her mothering. Poor Sun Jae, trying so hard to make a good impression when the rich couple comes to his house. It's comical. He treats Hye Won well, because he feels so inferior to her. You can see how dazzling he sees her. And she laps it up. And the first time Sun Jae actually speaks his mind. And he is indeed a man. How nice. “You just need to love me. You've got nothing to lose when clearly I love you more.” Romance I'm not sure if it was the way the romance was set out or was it purely the age gap/cultural gap that bothered me. But by episode 12 the relationship still wasn't making sense to me. Someone said she didn't seduce him. But there are a few blurred lines because she's so fascinated with his music, she's hungry for it. And he just eats up the attention. He's also never shared music with anyone, and to have her, the epitome of all that is graceful, elegant and powerful in the music world...oh the meaning I'm not sure about Yoo Ah In's portrayal though. I'm not getting the chemistry. At first, I understood Hye Won's passion for this musical genius. The youth, the freshness, the interpretation. Throughout the show I had conflicting views on the relationship but by the end I was firmly in the camp of "does not compute". Musical Moments Ep. 6 The sweeping music in the shabby conditions is making an effect on me. That despite all this, this is really a beautiful moment. Episode 7. I'm glad they made sure he was playing the right notes. I'm pitch perfect, I can tell. Interesting to see how nothing shakes her but a few words from him and she's riled. Episode 10. What's this piece again? Rachmaninoff Theme of of Paganini – love it.
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