Ambix
London
This review may contain spoilers
Here we have it folks - Shopping King Louie Joseon Edition!
It pretty much was, you can't deny it. However, all jokes aside, I cannot deny that I immensely enjoyed watching this drama. Without a shadow of a doubt I looked forward to each episode which brightened my Monday and Tuesday evenings (which are pretty grim), as the whole drama was just sweet and oh so refreshing. I absolutely loved it. If you are wavering about this drama, please give it a go, it was amazing.I'll actually begin my review with the acting and cast. It was lovely to see Kyungsoo as a main male lead, he pulled off the role incredibly well and proved his acting ability. I loved whenever he would get triggered by things and go "Oh hO!!" lmao. D.O. is clearly an amazing actor and that goes without saying. Nam Ji Hyun was also good, but I have to say that it felt like Kyungsoo was the one who shone between the two of them and pretty much made the drama - but I suppose it was inevitable by the way in which the show had been written. Nam Ji Hyun has proven before that she can play some stronger women roles, like in Suspicious Partner, so I thought it was alright. Jo Sung Ha was brilliant as expected but what I really enjoyed were the characters in the village! God it was so sweet that I felt like I wanted to live there at times lmao. The second lead syndrome was there for me in this one - it wasn't too much because the guy pretty much knew he had no chance from the start and didn't really make a move (unless it was to tease the crown prince) but I actually enjoyed his character and thought he was an amazing friend to the main leads. Lastly, I want to address the I know the King was annoying to some but I actually greatly enjoyed him as a character. Yes, we are seeing weak kings crop up quite often when the drama circles around a Crown Prince main lead but I felt his character was a bit more lovable. There wasn't too much fault with any of the acting.
Okay, so, the story. We can all agree, as I said earlier, it was pretty much a Joseon version of Shopping King Louie, with the rich guy with amnesia, Nam Ji Hyun (lol bless her, always having to play these roles) finding her brother- I mean it is quite coincidental but hey I still love both. I actually enjoyed the story, I didn't really skip much and I am glad that they didn't add too much seriousness and conflict as it would take away how sweet this drama actually was, but not so little that we were sitting here thinking "ugh when is something actually going to happen". The only disappointment with the story, in my opinion, was towards the end. I definitely felt that the last episode was rushed and there was too much to do - start/end a war and also get the main leads together. Moreover, I was getting a little annoyed that Hong Shim was telling the Crown Prince that she didn't want to be with him! I think that they had been through enough shit together that they really deserved each other. I genuinely have no idea why the writers decided to make us go through that bs at the end when instead we could have got some more heartwarming scenes between the main leads to finish it all off.
Moo Young's death was expected on my part. The man literally had been shot by so many arrows through the series as well as so much pain that I was surprised they didn't kill him off sooner. I definitely did not want him to die in the slightest, I liked him a lot, but I think the fact he went through so much pain and then DIED - ugh it's so upsetting. This fact was so important to me I put it in its own paragraph lmao.
The music was lovely, it fitted the series well and familiar faces, or voices I should say, popped up on some of the tracks which was a treat. It was memorable at the time in which I watched the series and perhaps if I heard them again, but nothing really stuck in my mind. It was wonderful though. What was nice was that there wasn't music in many scenes which meant that the music never felt 'overplayed'.
I probably wouldn't rewatch this drama unless I was with one of my friends and trying to get them to watch it. That being said, I've only rewatched half of one series lol.
Overall, this drama was an absolute treat, I really enjoyed it and I do hope that you did too. Thank you for reading my review and I hope I didn't bore you too much.
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I did, like many other people, come into this drama because I love Myungsoo. It was a short drama and I was struggling to choose something to watch so I gave it a go, not expecting much, especially since the only way I could find to watch it on was some blurry version on YouTube (as I don't have Netflix). Instead, I came out this drama not regretting a moment that I spent watching this. Yes, my fangirl heart was fulfilled with lots of kiss scenes but truly, what made me continue was the fact that I was enjoying the story's progression. The only letdown in that regard was that it was a bit slow for my liking. It was predictable what was going to happen next so I wanted it to continue quickly but I can accept why others may disagree with me in that regard. The story was not too slow that it hindered the plot at all, in fact it appeared intentional, but I feel that you could skim through each episode to get the general gist of what's going on instead of watching the whole thing and still enjoy it as much.
The ending reminded me a lot of the anime film 'Kimi no na wa' (which I highly recommend if you haven't watched). An ending it is essential to take into account when considering what makes a good drama. The ending is a major deciding factor in the memorability of a drama. I feel that these sort of final scenes, which are open to the interpretation of the viewer, does exactly this - encouraging remembrance long after the person has moved on to other dramas. Another point surrounding the ending that I would like to mention, is that in this kind of circumstances, with a plot written as it is, a happy ending that does not feel too forced by the writers is close to impossible. This bittersweet type of ending fits with the story and is perfect on occasions like this. The watcher does not feel too unsatisfied but also does not feel that if the drama was stretched in order for the audience to be pleased.
I thank you for taking the time to read my review. If you are considering this drama, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Any sort of drama, of course, requires some sort of 'drama' in order for anyone to continue watching, which indeed it had, with the confusing past between Mi So and Young Joon, along with the brother. However, that wasn't the main focus of this drama and what it was trying to show its audience. If you are looking for a drama which you can properly immerse yourself in and has a heavy plotline, this is not for you. What's Wrong With Secretary Kim i is a drama which is light and fluffy, something to look forward to on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, where you can sit back from a hard day of work and lose yourself in the romance between these characters - something I like to call 'vegging time' (which is necessary for all of us - don't pull a Go Gwi Nam and overwork yourself).
I can wholeheartedly say that this was exactly me. Since I usually juggle watching multiple dramas at once, I like to watch one airing drama, along with a series that has already been fully released. Since this drama is so light and easy to watch, I could delve into other dramas with, indeed, heavy plotlines, and whenever a break was necessary I could sit back and watch some Secretary Kim.
With wonderful side characters, which were NOT annoying AT ALL for once (thank you so much Secretary Kim team <3), I actually found myself enjoying this drama 24/7, and not having to skip any parts of an episode. We had three side romances going on, and I enjoyed every single couple immensely. Besides that annoying brother, which I began to forgive in the last episode, I can say that I enjoyed every single character and their involvement in the series.
But who am I deciding to pick out specifically as the one who made the series for me? Without a shadow of a doubt, I'd say my man Kang Ki Young playing Park Yoo Shik. Each of his scenes was a blessing to watch, in which I found myself crying with laughter thanks to his failed attempts to get back with his wife, his absolute EXPECTATION for his secretary to mess SOMETHING up every single day , his tolerance of Young Joon despite his narcissism and willingness to listen to his problems with Mi So, regardless of his own problems. Once he got back with his wife at the end, I found myself literally leaping with joy (and getting weird looks from my parents at the same time).
The only flaws of the series I came to pick up on, which explained the 9.5 is how the drama dealt with Young Joon's narcissism. Besides the fact that Young Joon did NOTHING the entire series to help my precious baby Park Yoo Shik with his wife problems (which really got me annoyed, especially considering I had waited for the entire series to see Young Joon return the favour and help him out for a change), was never really 'finished' to my taste. One of the main themes of this drama was the narcissism of Young Joon, one of the main reasons that Mi So had decided to quit her job, but instead of really battling with this aspect of him, it was put aside for the audience as well as Mi So to simply just accept. Now, I can understand the argument against this which first comes to mind, that it was about Mi So learning to love him in spite of his narcissism, but I think there was just so much more they could do with that quality of him, more comedy and indeed some more emotional chemistry between the main couple as Kim Mi So helps him overcome it.
But why am I so hung up over it? For me, the narcissism of Young Joon was actually due to the fact that he was incredibly insecure. With family issues left and right, having that sort of 'disconnect' from his colleagues and friends, it was obvious that he wasn't the kind of person to get love or befriend others, because he couldn't do the same with himself. Instead of Mi So helping him learn to love himself first, we were just thrown the choice to 'accept it or leave'. As a key theme (even being in the description of this drama), I feel quite disappointed that from the main theme at the beginning towards the middle, it became an underlying one at the end.
Then again, I suppose you can say that I am always quite stingy with rating dramas a 10 and look for any sort of flaws with a drama in order to not rate it a 10. Although it is important to notice that I believe that if a drama can make up for its flaws in other ways, it can one hundred per cent deserve a ten.
Thank you very much, What's Wrong With Secretary Kim Team, for a wonderful drama that enjoyed immensely, and thank you for taking the time to read my review.
~ Ambi x
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What I loved about the story was that it's simple yet so complex at the same time. It's easy to watch, but your heart just aches throughout. Many scenes come to my mind when I try to think of my favourite one but there are so many to mention because each one was so important to the story. The whole cast was just brilliant, especially the kids. Their acting was just so brilliant that I could feel each emotion from their acting.
I don't know what else to write I'm still shaking lol
JUST WATCH THIS MOVIE IT'S REALLY GOOD IM KSPDFLK;LK
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This review may contain spoilers
As someone who hasn't watched the original Japanese drama, I feel that I can give a clear review without any comparison to the original (though I hear it is very good) and focus on this drama specifically."Rich man" is a perfect example of a drama which began with incredible potential, however, the plot dried up quickly and the writers struggled to fill the episodes with something entertaining for the viewers, so much so that it completely ruined what I believe could have been an actual good drama. However, there were other minor factors that come into play when considering what exactly made this drama flop.
I have been following this drama since the first episode came out. I was excited to see Suho's acting skills shine and I must say that the drama started off absolutely fantastically. However, as it began to proceed, my Wednesday and Thursday evenings had turned into a chore to watch this rather than actual drama (which it shouldn't be, just stop and do your homework lmao).
Before I get into the depths of my review of why the writers completely failed with Rich man, I want to take a consideration a minor factor which did contribute in some ways. It is important to take into consideration, that Suho is an idol, not an actor, but as much as I love him, the reality is is that he is not experienced enough in acting to pull this off. No one appears to mention this because they don't want to offend their oppa but it is important to note.
You probably wonder why I continued watching this drama until the very end if I clearly disliked it so much - I have two reasons for this.
1. My desire for Bora and Yoochan to get together
Perhaps what put me off this drama was Yoochan's character in general. I had first thought he was a decent enough guy but as the drama proceeded I began to grow tired of his immaturity, especially in his attitude towards work and Bora, to the point where if anyone mentioned the words 'Big File' I felt myself about to have a seizure. In contrast, I enjoyed Bora's character, even if she could frustrate me at times with her solemn adoration for Yoochan. With Min Tae Ra in the way nothing was proceeding in the main two's relationship - but this want for them to get together made me pursue this drama until the end; disregarding the fact that I had skipped the majority of each episode (lol).
2. The side characters and their romances
Possibly what I adored most, was the story of Taera and the painter (who I have forgotten the name of..). Their story together was so refreshing and I enjoyed their encounters with each other. I am grateful that the writers ended their story on such a high note, of them travelling to Venice together, but not so much so that we got a kiss scene. Along with the other side romances, seeing these characters be happy, really made my heart warm; especially considering that I am not usually a big fan of the side characters and their romances in dramas.
Overall, there is one word that's sums up this entire drama for me - disappointing'.
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Whilst I do hold this opinion, it is a very typical drama about getting vengeance on people who do you wrong, as well as of course the amnesia (most fans of the series may hate me for saying this). The use of amnesia specifically became annoying for me towards the end of the series especially. The ending gave me quite some confusion on how I felt that I couldn't particularly put my finger on whether I liked it or not.
On the other hand, there were many positives about this drama. Of course, Song Joong Ki is forever the ultimate bae (the reason why I watched this) and I believe he played the role of Ma ru well, even the character himself - showing how much people can go for doing something for someone they have an adoration for, and how much prison and isolation can change a person. However, definitely what stood out best to me was the soundtrack. By far, I believe Nice Guy/The Innocent Man has one of the best and most underrated OSTs in all of k-dramas.
Nonetheless, this drama kept me watching until the very end, even if it became a chore, and I cannot help but recommend it since it does find its way to having a soft spot in everyone's hearts after they've watched it. :) x
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