asmitha chandini
INDIA
This review may contain spoilers
Our Secret is a type of youth drama that would bring you down memory lane. It emits a nostalgic feeling if you have left school because of the realistic portrayal of a student’s life. High school and campus romances tend to be a bore because of the repetitive storylines. But this one is a rare exception because the way the story is told will draw you in to follow the couple’s progress and growing up pains. There is no exaggeration to take away the seemingly ordinary life of the protagonists. This is what gives the drama a healthy dose of realism.
In short, if you like youth dramas, this should be one of the better ones to watch. There are no cheesy cliches like those found in My Unicorn Girl. Neither does it weigh you down with plenty of melodrama like in Go Ahead. There are sad moments but nothing so dramatic that an ordinary high school student is unable to overcome. The couple is cute and this is what most viewers would be looking for in a youth drama like this one.
Simple But Realistic Plot
I think many people would be able to relate to the main characters in Our Secret. They are teenagers and hence, you will find issues like quarrels with parents, bickering with sibling, making friends, exam pressures, course choices, and of course, first love being part and parcel of the drama. Except for the relationship between the leads, the rest of the issues are not explored in depth but naturally weaved into the story to provide viewers with a more comprehensive understanding of their lives. They also help to build the characters’ development as the story progresses.
With only 24 episodes, the drama doesn’t get bogged down with unnecessary details and long-winded subplots of all the issues mentioned above. Hence, the story is easy to follow. It is akin to the daily life of a high school student who develops feelings for the boy sitting next to her and vice-versa.
Great Acting
I think both the leads did a great job in portraying their characters. Chen Zhe Yuan seems like a natural fit as Si Yue with his smirks and air of indifference. Si Yue’s character is not cold and arrogant but neither is he friendly and warm. He is somewhere in between. Chen Zhe Yuan manages to give Si Yue this balance so that he appears just like the typical boy next door.
Rainbow Xu is not an experienced actress but she is still able to make Ding Xian looks timid and introverted as required. She captures the essence of the character with the way she speaks and her mannerisms. Thus, both of them provide viewers with very realistic characters with the way they depict their roles. Their chemistry as a high school couple is evident in the drama. There is no skinship given that they are students then but their interactions are sweet and cute to give off a feeling of an innocent romance.
Well-Written Characters
Our Secret is different from some other idol dramas like Love 020 which has unrealistically perfect characters. Ding Xian is like your typical teenager who is anxious in a new school and has to learn how to make friends. She is weak in Maths and doesn’t know how to refuse others. Si Yue is brainy and confident of his abilities but still has his moments of self-doubt.
The characters are written in a way that matches real life with their flaws. Yet, they do not end up being annoying. Instead, they easily entice viewers to root for them. There is also room for growth as they mature to become adults. In short, the main characters are not one-dimensional but have depth to their personalities.
My Verdict – Engaging For The Young
I think it is clear that Our Secret will easily resonate with the younger viewers especially those who are still studying or have just left school. This is simply because the story is very typical of what a teenager would face in real life. However, for the older viewers, this might be a tad draggy. Their high school life spans 15 episodes which means if you don’t enjoy high school romances, this would not be as engaging. It is different from Forever Love which has a much shorter school life arc and a more matured couple.
On top of that, I find a few episodes in the later part of the drama to be unnecessary. The obsession of the female lead to be with the male lead and his hesitance towards a relationship with her are unnecessary. This is where it falters to me when it has been going rather well for the most part. The second arc doesn’t have the same depth as the first and has a quicker pace. The screenwriter tries to incorporate more issues in their university life which I just don’t think add much value to the plot.
I would give a score of 7.5/10 for this Our Secret review. The start will immediately make you curious about the couple’s story. The girl expresses her feelings right at the beginning but got rejected. The story is then told as a flashback for 15 episodes. So, watch it if you don’t mind stepping into a teenage girl’s world and the experience of developing feelings for the boy next door. But skip it if you are looking for a more matured romance because the slow-moving school life will bore you.
In short, if you like youth dramas, this should be one of the better ones to watch. There are no cheesy cliches like those found in My Unicorn Girl. Neither does it weigh you down with plenty of melodrama like in Go Ahead. There are sad moments but nothing so dramatic that an ordinary high school student is unable to overcome. The couple is cute and this is what most viewers would be looking for in a youth drama like this one.
Simple But Realistic Plot
I think many people would be able to relate to the main characters in Our Secret. They are teenagers and hence, you will find issues like quarrels with parents, bickering with sibling, making friends, exam pressures, course choices, and of course, first love being part and parcel of the drama. Except for the relationship between the leads, the rest of the issues are not explored in depth but naturally weaved into the story to provide viewers with a more comprehensive understanding of their lives. They also help to build the characters’ development as the story progresses.
With only 24 episodes, the drama doesn’t get bogged down with unnecessary details and long-winded subplots of all the issues mentioned above. Hence, the story is easy to follow. It is akin to the daily life of a high school student who develops feelings for the boy sitting next to her and vice-versa.
Great Acting
I think both the leads did a great job in portraying their characters. Chen Zhe Yuan seems like a natural fit as Si Yue with his smirks and air of indifference. Si Yue’s character is not cold and arrogant but neither is he friendly and warm. He is somewhere in between. Chen Zhe Yuan manages to give Si Yue this balance so that he appears just like the typical boy next door.
Rainbow Xu is not an experienced actress but she is still able to make Ding Xian looks timid and introverted as required. She captures the essence of the character with the way she speaks and her mannerisms. Thus, both of them provide viewers with very realistic characters with the way they depict their roles. Their chemistry as a high school couple is evident in the drama. There is no skinship given that they are students then but their interactions are sweet and cute to give off a feeling of an innocent romance.
Well-Written Characters
Our Secret is different from some other idol dramas like Love 020 which has unrealistically perfect characters. Ding Xian is like your typical teenager who is anxious in a new school and has to learn how to make friends. She is weak in Maths and doesn’t know how to refuse others. Si Yue is brainy and confident of his abilities but still has his moments of self-doubt.
The characters are written in a way that matches real life with their flaws. Yet, they do not end up being annoying. Instead, they easily entice viewers to root for them. There is also room for growth as they mature to become adults. In short, the main characters are not one-dimensional but have depth to their personalities.
My Verdict – Engaging For The Young
I think it is clear that Our Secret will easily resonate with the younger viewers especially those who are still studying or have just left school. This is simply because the story is very typical of what a teenager would face in real life. However, for the older viewers, this might be a tad draggy. Their high school life spans 15 episodes which means if you don’t enjoy high school romances, this would not be as engaging. It is different from Forever Love which has a much shorter school life arc and a more matured couple.
On top of that, I find a few episodes in the later part of the drama to be unnecessary. The obsession of the female lead to be with the male lead and his hesitance towards a relationship with her are unnecessary. This is where it falters to me when it has been going rather well for the most part. The second arc doesn’t have the same depth as the first and has a quicker pace. The screenwriter tries to incorporate more issues in their university life which I just don’t think add much value to the plot.
I would give a score of 7.5/10 for this Our Secret review. The start will immediately make you curious about the couple’s story. The girl expresses her feelings right at the beginning but got rejected. The story is then told as a flashback for 15 episodes. So, watch it if you don’t mind stepping into a teenage girl’s world and the experience of developing feelings for the boy next door. But skip it if you are looking for a more matured romance because the slow-moving school life will bore you.
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