Right from the beginning I had problems in accepting the whole basic concept of the story (which I won't spoil) as I found it to be too extreme and unrealistic but I carried on watching the drama nevertheless because of the incredibly good acting but also because I hoped that the story would take a more believable twist as the episodes unfolded.
Instead the masochistic turn of events carried on becoming more and more extreme up to the very last episode.
What, in my opinion, made this melodrama special was the outstanding acting of all the four main leads (my favourite was Ji Sung) who had an amazing chemistry amongst them and were extremely talented in portraying their anxieties and distresses.
Personally I will not rewatch this as I couldn't go through all that anguish again, however I heartly recommend it to all melodrama lovers.
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Previously, I had written a very lukewarm review for this drama. Originally, I did not think this drama was anything special. However, upon rewatching a few scenes I found myself enjoying it more than I did the first time. That doesn't make it the best drama in my book, but I found that once I overlooked a LOT of annoying sub plots I liked the drama much better. In fact, I now think that it is one of most unique Kdramas ever.
According to my observation, most Korean dramas start out great and then go downhill towards the end. This drama started fine, had some unbearable moments in between but by the time it picked up, it became very addictive.
For me, majority of it till episode 8 or so was unbearably bad. I personally hate tragedies which take place without contributing anything to the plot. This drama was supposed to be about her boyfriend's betrayal but what we got was a whole lot of useless crying scenes.
There is way too much crying, too many sacrifices and too much loss in the drama without making much sense half the time. Till the time this dramas sets out to redeem itself, it seems like it is too late. I, however enjoyed the romantic conflict which takes place in the second half of the drama. It doesn't make sense too but the characters and actors pull you in and I found myself rooting for them.
In my original review I had said that the bad outweighed the good in the drama. Now, after a certain time passed I can't remember the bad stuff but definitely remember the good parts fondly. This drama was very and still is very conflicting for me. On one hand- I absolutely hated it and on the other hand, I couldn't get enough of it.
I always feel that a drama that manages to get the right reactions out of you is a job done well indeed. Too bad that I couldn't digest the 'sad' part of it otherwise I wouldn't have had any issues with the story at all!
The strongest part of the drama lies in its acting department and the romance. All actors did an amazing job especially the two main leads. The OST is simply wonderful and Ailee's ballad is one of my favorites ever.
I'll be on the lookout for a better or similar drama now. :)
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1beautiful, heartbreaking but also perseverance and healing love
phenomenal melodrama indeed , pretty heartbreaking but beautiful .. i absolutely loved it and i wanted to kick myself for not watching it soon but this year is the year i decided to watch a few gems from previous years that people talked about that I didn't watch and this was one of them .... oh my goodness i put everything on hold to binge this and man was it worth itthe ml has a character development . he's one of the best ml i've ever stumbled across to be honest .. he's gonna be a memorable one indeed... ji sung's acting was just oozing with talent and jung eum was insanely talented and her acting so heartfelt and very exceptional, you literally cry with her she's that good and she looked absolutely stunning here .. sometimes i couldn't take my eyes off of her and o course our handsome ju sung a 9.5 for me and only cause i felt the need for more scenes with them , the sexual tensionn , the angst , the tenderness at times .........ughghhgh guiltiest of pleasures
i'm not one to write detailed reviews or posts about drama so that's about it .. one of the best melodramas and possibly best dramas of its time .. and it holds up so well with time and it's just such a good one when craving a classic i'm willing to rewatch this maybe later .. sadly i want more of them and now i understand why the fans were so happy about kill me heal me reunion .. sadly for me i already watched and adored that one gave it a 10 as well it's also in my fave drama list and i adored them but now that i've seen it all .. guess when i miss them i;ll have to rewatch one of them .. tho i wish i could just forget and rewatch for the first time .. as i'm not much of rewatcher ... ♥♥♥♥
for me these two actors have been a one true match and the best paired together in my opinion both for ji sung and jung wum, they have the best chemistry and ever since i watched kill me heal , shin se gi / cha do hyun and ri jin has always been one of faves but oh well .. imagine if i watched this first and then watch kill me heal me ... myyy myyy i would've felt double the intensity ..... since shin se gi and her resembled min hyeok and yoo jung here .. would've been so satisfying .. t
well anyway i highly recommend this ... the male lead isn't that much of unforgivable jerk like the drama advertised itself to be ... instead you'll see another character who is exactly the real jerk snake so ..... in fact i'd argue the ml is truly wonderful and sweetheart compared to other characters ... man that stopped me from watching thinking he's is inspired from terrible lakron characters ( i don't watch those because how bad it is there) but i thought that he's very low key and a very deep character who has one of the best character development i've seen yet ..
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Brilliant, amazing, marvelous, masterpiece!!
A+++ Acting by all cast, especially Hwang Jung Eum. I have become her absolute fan after this stunning performance. And Ji Sung and Bae Soon Bin are amazing as well. And the story is on another level.Whenever i don't know what to do or whenever i am having hard time, i turn to this drama. I have watched it over 10 times!! You need to watch this drama in order to know what i mean. So many emotions delivered with so much passion and conviction, this remains my most favorite drama till date!
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It's true to it's genre and captivating till the end
I am a bit shocked they managed to put all that drama in 16 episodes but at the same time they could perfectly execute how hate turned into love at a rational manner without any inconsistencies. Most importantly it was very interesting to wonder "who is the victim here? who is the one who is suffering more?". They both did, but not because of each other. He manages to give her everything she deserved and didn't have from her previous relationship, for which he gave up her whole life and she gives him trust. She believes in him, till the very end. That was what made their relationship strong. He also trusted her back and for such a "obsessive" (as would appear to many) man he sure was not jealous or possessive at all. He trusted her words too and even wanted to give the minimum respect to the man who once was worthy of the love of the woman he loves, even if he took away someone so important to him.Overall I found the FL to be strong, consistent and capable. She portrays the emotions very well. But all leads deserve a lot of praise for their acting, the roles of the villains too.
The last episode was well made, it gives appropriate closure to every single character.
I rewatched it after many years and thought of leaving a review until I remember all that happened.
I will probably rewatch it when I forget about it all, because of the chemistry and great acting
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Anyways, this drama turned out to be very interesting plot-wise because it contained many twists and turns, which reminded me of a crime drama (see how the crime is unraveled). The actors had played their role, and I was not aware of what will happen next.
As for re-watch: I might rewatch or i might not. For the most part I found out what happened, so I probably won't watch it again. But I might come back and watch parts of it....
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I have never really been keen on Hwang Jung Eum's acting but she's really good here and makes you really feel for her. I know people say she looks plastic-y but honestly, I find the second female lead more plastic-y for some reason - probably because HJE can emote really well and her facial expressions feel more natural where Lee Da Hee feels a lot more stiff.
Also, Bae Soo Bin is always amazing. I mean, it's hard to believe that I had second-lead syndrome for him during Shining Inheritance and here, I just hate his guts - though sometimes he overdoes it (I mean, that crazy, over the top screaming and face-scrunching every time he sees Yoo Jeong lol)
I'm really starting to ship the leads and can't wait for all the intricacies to unfold so they can both move on, and heal each other's wounds. And SAN
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If all of the above sounds like the recipe for a drama befitting to your tastes, then go ahead, click "add" and set it to "currently watching". I will claim no responsibility in the time it will rob from the next 3-4 days of your life. However, you will thank me.
This melodrama, no no, melo- makes it sound too laid back. This MEGAdrama will hold you. Yea, sure, it has the typical Chaebol-poor girl theme. And I must admit, I found Lee Duk Hwa playing the Chaebol dad quite hilarious when I first accepted that was his role in this show. However, as much as it is typical, it is different. There's so much that is unexpected in the story that you can't help but be a prisoner to it; NEEDING to know what will happen next at the end of every episode. Knowing you have all the episodes right in front of you and trying to show restraint. Say goodbye to those 3-4 days. Apologize to your employer and friends ahead of time.
The story is non-stop drama. Even when it's moving slow, it's moving slow dramatically. In the beginning, you'll be angry. You'll want to drop it at least 5 times. You'll hope and be let down repeatedly. But at some point, all your angst will be rewarded. Trust me, it will. Remember this... it will. The elation you will feel when that point comes will be unmatched. Hang in there.
Bae Su Bin was good in his role, while Lee Da Hee fell flat, in my opinion. The two that make this story riveting are Ji Sung, and especially Hwang Jung Eum. They made it feel real and overwhelming, as if it was truly happening to someone somewhere. Very well matched actors for the main roles, indeed.
I believe this has been the first drama that I ended feeling satisfied. I certainly wouldn't have ever thought that could happen when I started it, but it surprised me along the ride in a way that sets it apart from other dramas. Get your tissues ready, clear out your schedule, and remember... your angst WILL be rewarded.
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Usually I am watching dramas after downloading the entire episodes & watch 1-2 episodes per day. Everyday I am curious to know what will happens next. Even I go to work I am thinking of next part.Everyone in this drama do their best. Superb acting. A good drama! If you love korean daramas definitely you MUST watch this.
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I seldom watch tragic melodramas cause I have a very low threshold when it comes to hearttwrenching tragedies and unspeakable loss of loved ones coupled by horrid antagonist that from the start you pray for their death. So I have to be truthful that for my sanity I skip parts that I couldn't stomach. usually I would have dropped the drama but the plot was too compelling. Ji sung and Jung Eum are so perfect for their role I can't imagine this drama will ever work or reach their emotional pinnacle without them.
Ji Sung really cements his ability as a fantastic actor with his role of President Jo Min Hyuk. His pain, frustration, anger, loss and even hatred was so palpable. You almost reach towards the screen either to comfort him or shake him. His expression and the way his eyes speaks when he looks at Yoo Jung was so multi facet. He really channels that looks of love and longing. Of wanting to be closer to her to keep her by his side and yet still tear himself away from her. Episode 12 to 14 has really memprable scenes of them
I never thought too much about Hwang Jung Eum. She really blew me away with her role as the pitiful but strong Yoo Jung. Yoo Jung really turns out to be a character I have to admire .. To survive those loss, abuse in the prison, self guilt and looks of disgust from others. Also I think she cried truckloads in this drama and made me reach for the tissues too.
If I have to be critical. I would say the ending scene of them was too short for my liking. For all the tribulations we witness them, I would have liked to be rewarded for more. Which is why after this drama I'm moving on to Kill me, Heal me, another drama of them together.
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First, I disagree with all comparisons to Innocent Man, which I enjoyed. The only similarity is that both main characters go to jail for a crime they didn't commit, sacrificing their aspirations so that the person they love can follow their dreams. Other than that, the stories and characters are completely different. Secret Love lacks all the excitement of most revenge after betrayal stories by waiting way too long to get to that part of the story. The majority of the episodes are about horrible things happening to the painfully passive main character Kang Yoo Jung, and watching her cry too much, and then smile like everything is ok. Kudos to Hwang Jung Eum for being able to switch emotions so well, but it didn't make me care at all about her poorly written character. She was way too much of a doormat for me to root for her.
I was also let down by the romance. To me, it just didn't make any sense. Why did these two fall in love? Pity? And where was the chemistry? Ok, maybe they had one or two cute moments, but that's it. I really wanted to like Ji Sung as Jo Min Hyuk, but his character's transformation felt really forced to me, and so did the romance. In fact, it felt so forced that they had the 'rapey'-est first kiss I ever saw in any K-Drama. Even though he was my favorite in the cast, It didn't change the creepy factor of his overall stalking, and aggressive behavior. I'm surprised this couple got so much praise, because I just don't get it.
Now on to the rest of the cast.. The bad guys Ahn Do Hoon, and Shin Se Yeon, were very boring. Both had a few good character moments, but most of their scenes were skippable. And the idea that Ahn Do Hoon & Kang Yoo Jung were ever really in love, never came across. They had zero chemistry, so it was hard to care about their relationship falling apart. The rest of the supporting cast were pretty good. I liked Kang Yoo Jung's prison buddies, and Ahn Do Hoon's parents. There were times when they were more interesting than the main characters. That's probably because the main characters did so much crying and feeling sorry for themselves, that it became annoying to watch after a while.
Overall I had a really hard time getting through the first episodes, and didn't start to have any interest until about episode 6. The director got some good artsy shots in, and the music wasn't bad, just a tad too melodramatic at times. Still, nothing could save the story that dragged, and the "secrets" that were pretty predictable. I had to force myself to finish this drama, just because I was curious to see if I would like it more by the end. The answer? No.
I know this drama has a lot of fans, and usually I'm a fan of this genre of drama, but maybe this much melodrama is just not my cup of tea. My advice? If you start watching, and you aren't loving it, move on to the next drama.
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