New KBS melodrama Secret prepares to wring tears

75 September 4, 2013November 16, 2013

by girlfriday

It’s kind of strange, but amongst all the time-travelers, aliens, and super-powered folk in dramaland these days, the conventional melodrama is becoming the rarer species. Not that I’m one to complain about that, since my melodrama tolerance is lower than most. But KBS’s new Wednesday-Thursday drama Secret has two things going for it: a solid cast (led by Ji Sung and Hwang Jung-eum) and a pretty twisted premise, enough that I’ll give it a chance to win me over. It sounds a lot like Nice Guy, but Nice Guy was compulsively watchable, so it’s not a bad association.

The drama stars Hwang Jung-eum as the sunny, optimistic heroine who’s about to marry the love of her life, up-and-coming prosecutor Bae Soo-bin. He’s spent his whole life taking care of his disabled father, while she’s spent her youth sticking by her boyfriend’s side through it all. Then one fateful day he’s behind an accident that leads to a woman’s death, and Hwang Jung-eum, believing naively that love conquers all, takes the fall for the crime.

Ji Sung plays a second-generation chaebol who’s got it made in life and doesn’t believe in things like love, until he meets the one woman who changes him and opens his heart. He doesn’t even realize just how much he loves her until she dies tragically and suddenly, and it’s too late. That’s the setup behind the stills down below, where the leads meet for the first time in the police station, and Ji Sung believes that Hwang Jung-eum killed the woman he loved. (Still, do you maybe want to rethink going with that as your promo image, Show?)

The drama will then jump forward to after the heroine serves her prison term for the crime, and Bae Soo-bin has left her high and dry. Ji Sung will have a new fiancee in Lee Da-hee, the daughter of a congressman. She’s privileged and spoiled, but she’s also capable and smart, and is tired of being the little doll that her father wants her to be. The only reason she tolerates the engagement is because she grew up knowing Ji Sung. The true complication, of course, is when the hero starts to fall for the woman he swore to tear down in revenge. Because… uh… there’s a thin line between love and hate? Listen, I didn’t say it was going to be logical, did I?

Secret follows Sword and Flower (with a break for a few drama specials) and premieres September 25 on KBS.

Via KBS

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51 Vish

October 12, 2013 at 6:18 PM

First, Ahn Do Hoon played by Bae Soo Bin did not spend his life looking after his disabled father. The disabled father is Kang Yoo Jung's (played by Hwang Jung Eum) father. He wasn't always like that. He ended up like that afterwards. If your going to write a review about something at least get the details correct. Also, when you review something only review that specific thing - what good are comparisons? You should only compare if it is based on a book, true life story or a remake of a previous programme. It's like comparing a duck with a dog. You can't - why? They're different species.

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52 Victoria

October 12, 2013 at 10:31 PM

I've been watching this on Viki, and I LOVE it.

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53 imnida yun

October 23, 2013 at 8:01 AM

who's the hero?ji sung or soo bin??answer me please..

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54 sel

October 25, 2013 at 1:53 PM

Hey guys youve got it kind of wrong, ive been watching it for all this time (11ep) and it is not a melodrama, like it had a little bit of romance but unlike cliffhangers in the melodramas which is about love, the cliffhangers in this story is actually about like other things that leaves you really hanging, and the photos and plots only make sense if you watch it. Trust me guys, its seeriously gewd.
P.s i think this post/article is alot biased, i know it is the watchers opinion but try and be a bit more broader in your liking.