What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

I found the story somewhat similar to Pride & Prejudice, where you've got what seems to be a handsome, rich, extremely narcissistic and selfish MC paired with a smart, caring secretary who's been 'tortured' by her boss' narcissism and has formed her own prejudiced opinions about him, which is far from the real picture. Each episode aims to reveal little by little, the MC's real character and how secretary Kim responds to the those revelations. It is a simple and sweet story which started out strong but fizzled out in the middle. Even the big reveal wasn't so much of a surprise and failed to inject any excitement into the plot to keep me from feeling bored. The actors did a good job at playing their roles, although I can't say I fully understood PMY's character's behaviour sometimes.. It's difficult to completely describe it, but the story felt shallow and listless. Parts that were meant to be deeply felt failed to evoke any real emotions, and as the story progressed, it felt less and less authentic. I can't deny the chemistry between PMY and PSJ; they've managed to play out the romance in a sweet and lighthearted manner that makes me smile. All in all, it's very mediocre. I liked it enough to finish 16 episodes. Truthfully, I would've dropped if it had been longer because it was getting really draggy. Would I watch it again? Definitely not.

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‘What’s wrong with Secretary Kim’ Is a drama full of clichés, full of things we’ve already seen and we often find annoying. But the way those clichés are shown is what makes this drama different from all rom-com dramas we’ve seen.

Even the plot seems familiar – a rich arrogant man and his secretary fall in love with each other without realizing their feelings at the beginning.
Park Seo Joon plays Lee Yeong Joon – a narcissistic vice president who is full of self-confidence. When i first read the summary before started watching the drama, I thought that he will be like those arrogant male leads people usually find annoying. But he wasn’t like that, he wasn’t that arrogant type like Joo Joong Won from ‘The Master’s Sun’ for example. I think the writers exaggerated a little bit, saying that he doesn’t pay attention to the people around him since I didn’t see much of this side of him.
Park Min Young plays Kim Mi So – a smart secretary who was by his side for more than nine years. She is one of the strongest female leads I’ve seen in rom-com dramas. It’s really rare to see a mature female lead who is honest with herself, who always says what she thinks and who will always show your mistakes while being understanding at the same time.
Their romance was well-developed, one thing I liked the most about this drama is how honest their conversations were. They proved that when two people are honest with each other without having any secrets, the things between them will work out for sure. I liked how their relationship was getting stronger with every episode, the writers didn’t dragged the things between them much which was a big relief. Their chemistry was perfect, but what else can we expect from such actors like Seo Joon and Min Young. Their romance reminded me of Bo Yeong and Dr. Ye in 'A Poem a Day', no wonder the screenwriters are the same.

The other two couples – Yang Cheol & Se Ra and Ji Ah & Gwi Nam were also funny to watch. I especially liked Yang Cheol and Se Sa’s story, they were hilarious. I will never forget the moment with the Cola, it was my first time seeing that kind of confession, it was such a precious moment.

Most of the other characters had funny roles (except Yeong Joon’s brother maybe). Yoo Shik was hilarious most of the time, he’s the type of character we often see, but he was somehow different.

And now, the thing I didn’t like – all the shits with Secretary Kim and Yeong Joon’s past story. Another drama cliché – the two main leads know each other from their childhood and something bad happened to them then. With or without, it would have been the same. I think the writers tried to put some pressure to ‘shake’ the watchers a little bit, but it was boring most of the times. Yeah, the relationship between the main leads got stronger because of that, but still, they brought a character such as Yeong Joon’s brother, which dragged the drama a bit. Still, I didn't hate him.

The cameo appearance of Lee Minki and Jung So Min as Mi So’s parents made me so happy, it made me realize how much I miss ‘Because this is my first life’.
Also, I think it was 13 or 14 ep… They showed Eric and Hyun Jin’s kiss in ‘Another Miss Oh’, why did they do that? I almost got a heart attack. I mean, it was that kiss, that powerful kiss. If you’ve watched the drama there’s no way you can forget about that kiss, it was that powerful. Why did they have to torture me like that, I got too distracted of the romantic moment between the main leads when I saw that kiss.

Overall, it’s a good drama. Simple plot, but yet entertaining, cheesy and funny moments, a lot of kisses and brilliant acting. You can watch it if you want a light romance that won’t pressure you too much.

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Ewwwww

Horrible. PSJ is amazing overall but his character in this series is a complete nauseating jerk. I'm baffled as to why this has such a high rating. The main FL lines are all made up of "de?" What is wrong with this writer? Can a female character stand.upbfor herself? Regardless of her circumstances, there's reason for the indignity she has to suffer. The fact that the ML has trauma of his own is no excuse. Two Hallyu stars could not save this production. I hated the drama when I was finished but decided to wait a few weeks before I wrote review. I still stand by my originalassessment.

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The background story that the show was based on, had no potential at all. When I found out the real reason and what happened, I was so disappointed. The rest of the episodes were fillers.
I don't understand the hype of this show, probably because of the good looking pair maybe?
The acting was fine, nothing extraordinary. I have watched many romcoms, but without an intriguing story, the show itself falls short, this is exactly what happened to this show in my opinion.
Wasted a good amount of time over this show, ended up forwarding most of it. Won't recommend.

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Honestly, their relationship and chemistry were just meh. Really bland. The main lead carried everything on his back. He was the one who did everything first and developed the relationship. She did nothing, just responded. The efforts were one-sided and I feel like they don't fit each other. Lack of communication and understanding. It was just awkward cause I feel like he loves her WAY more. thought about her, texted her first, asked to eat together, asked out on dates, and wanted to spend time with her. Her actions didn't really show. She was like the robot in the relationship. She just went with things. I don't ship them. She did get a bit better at the end, bit wasn't much and didn't change the overall experience I had with their relationship. Also, she was really nosy about his life. I got mad when she asked others about his past. Her sister treated him like trash and he was supposed to win er favor..? that was on the worst scenes in this drama. What's wrong with being rich? He worked way harder than those sisters combined. I didn't like how The ML doesn't take a "no" for an answer and always pushed things. He asked about stuff multiple times, showed up at her house even though she said no. I just didn't find that romantic. He should've respected her boundaries. He was a bit obsessive at times. His relationship with his friend was also kinda one-sided. They kept bringing up what happened when they were five, it's not romantic or that important in their adult relationship. They kept doing that until the last scenes of this drama. The connection is so cheesy, weird and unrealistic. What they experienced together is not cute. Warning: This drama has A LOT of cliches. cheesiness and stupid moments. I predicted everything from the start. The "secret" was so obvious! Its also slow, not a lot of things happened, especially in the last episodes. Really dragged out. At least Park Seo Joon is a good kisser:) What I liked was that the FL had a career and was feminine and dressed nicely.

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bunch of GARBAGE

I really really really love park seojun but this drama is really really trash. the plot is just downright boring with super stiff acting from PMYG i have been her fan since healer but my god I was so astounded to see her stiff acting in this project. like I felt no chemistry going on between her and seojun given how this is supposed to be a ROMCOM? I would not recommend this drama I really had to drop it when I usually don't DNF any drama no matter how trash it is

given how it is adapted from a well known webtoon, the drama really does not deliver. I find ML (character played by Seojun) entertaining at times but how far can one character drag the drama when there's nothing more interesting to it !

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THE PLOT was promising at first but soon fell flat. I liked the premise but there was no climax. I mean there was a main conflict but it was too underwhelming. If you like kdramas with good character development than this isn't for you.

THE CHARACTERS were surface level. They could've been more but everyone was mediocre at best. I liked Secretary Kim but I don't feel like she evolved. I was actually rooting for her to quit being that self-centered boss's secretary because she deserved better. In the end she got the side eye from me because she ended up with him. I didn't like Lee Yeong Joon too much but his character is fustrating. He's rude and selfish, and the comedic relief he provided only served as a cloak for his narcissism. But the worst part is he shows NO CHANGE. In the last episode I felt he was the same person from the beginning. Yeong Joon's brother had potential but it was wasted. I found him cuter than his brother lol.

THE MUSIC was rather forgettable. The only OST that stook out to me was "it's you" jeong sewoon.

REWATCH VALUE is non-existent. I won't ever watch this again.

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Erratic writing is costly.

I love both the leads, the supporting cast not so much. But I think it’s the writing that bogs this drama down; it drags with side plots that I found boring and some ridiculous overacting that is so awful I skipped their scenes. The plot drags aimlessly at ep. 14, and almost at the end, I’ve lost interest and will only check in to see how they wrap it up, but without much investment. And I get so tired of the relentless fake chaste scenes in romcoms: these characters are healthy young people in their 30s. Of course they have sex, and without grown women behaving like little girls until they do. The brother subplot is so badly handled, it dissolves in unbelievable sloppiness. Yeah, this is not the best effort in KDrama, and PSJ is wasted because even his character is just not very interesting, despite the background we discover. I’m disappointed because it should have been so much better.

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It’s been a long time since I was this found of a Korean rom-com. Even if it follows some very standard rom-com elements I do think this it managed to shine all on it’s own. It was a very well made rom-com.

If you strip away all the fun, colorful characters and the cute and fun scenes that were sprinkled all over the drama the main story really isn’t that special, but the characters and the brilliant chemistry between the main leads make it work. And that is the reason why you are watching. They sell the show.

There might not be a whole lot of story there at times it never really fails to amsuse you or make you smile. I never felt bored watching these episode and most of the time they felt really light and fun. And I think that is what rom-com should do, in a way.

Recently Kdrama rom-coms haven’t really been working their magic on me, so finding one that did felt so nice. Very often I think these shows start of well - or in a way that interests me - but after a while I just get bored. But with Secretary Kim that didn’t happen. I sometimes watched these episodes again while I was waiting for new ones and that’s rare for me.

I said before that Why Secretary Kim did have elements of very standard Kdrama rom-com; with the rich CEO with too much ego and the hard-working yet poor heroine that takes most things with a smile and there is a tragic back story thrown in there as well for some drama.

But Why Secretary Kim tried to make that work to the best of their ability and for the most part they succeeded. I didn’t think the more dramatic storyline overshadowed the fun stuff and dragged the mooed down. And it didn’t drag on forever and ever. There were some that thought the story had ended after that got resolved, but since I thought that was the most boring part of the drama and I just enjoyed it for the characters and the main couple and all of that, I really enjoyed that part.

I never felt that was an awful lot on the way of the main couple. Not disapproving-family members or something that was too much of a road-block. Most things got resolved relatively quickly since the characters very often talked to each other or talked it out with someone else about the problems they were facing, so there were no misunderstandings that dragged on forever. The drama focused a lot on the dynamic between the characters and their relationships and I think that tributes to the drama just being really light and easy to watch.

The success of the drama is mainly because of the chemistry between the main couple and a lot of the drama was just about their relationship and them getting to know each other better (outside of work).

Also the main character of this drama was always Mi So. Park Min Young really shines in this role. We saw things through her eyes - sometimes the focus was on Young Joon, but that was mainly to highlight a certain point or something. But unlike so many shows her story was never put on the back-burner for the sake of the male character’s storyline. There was a nice balance there. And they both got a chance to grow.

I also felt like they managed to make some of the side-characters more deep and have them serve some kind of purpose by making them be there for the main character and talk about their issues with them and give them their own problems and the characters all supported each other, especially the ladies. They were not always just there for comic-relief, which also made the drama more fun. One of the few dull characters was Young Joon’s brother.

Like Young Joon’s friend, played by the brilliant Kang Ki Young (one of the best characters in the drama, aside from Mi So). I was genuinely excited whenever he or some of the other side-characters came on the screen. Sometimes I just think they take up space and time from the main couple, but not in this drama.

There was something really fun and nice to finally watch a rom-com like Why Secretary Kim after so much time had passed since I had genuinely liked a rom-com this much (the last time I wrote a review for a rom-com was 2014). It never had to grow on me and I didn’t get bored of it after few weeks. I didn’t have too high expectations but this show very quickly won me over and I am so happy about that. And while the story maybe wasn’t that grand or meaty, and some might say that not much happened, I never really got bored of this show. Not a single episode. I just had a lot of fun.

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the story was boring...yes its funny (not as funny as some other drama) but this drama doesn't deserve the point, it's soooo overrated because nothing special in it. its sit nicely in 'warm' territory for me.
main lead was good but nothing special. but...i like almost every interaction between support role (and their story).
the music is good, but i don't remember any of it...even after finishing all episode, i still humming some track from My Beauty Inside (its not that they're a lot better drama, they got their own flaws, its just about the track in it).
will i rewatch ? of course not...its sooo overrated. i've been hesitating to watch this because i'm not sure i'll love it but i decided to watch it because i'm curious since they got high rating and a lot of praise. it turn out to be one of the dramas that overrated for me. i'm not disappointed, but i'm not over pleased either, but i guess i'm expecting to much from this drama (because of the praise OMG)..no rewatch for me, to many dramas on my watchlist.

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DISCLAIMER: (please read)
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As of episode 12, I've decided to drop the series. So keep in mind that the following review is based on my personal taste and those 12 episodes. As such, I encourage and advice everyone to read two or three more reviews before deciding whether you should give this series a shot. Something I hated or was disappointed by might be something you love and was surprised by. This review is subjective, after all.

PLOT: It dragged
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The story had potential (to go into a dark and rarely explored territory) which is why I stuck to it as long as I could. The problem is that said darkness it's buried deep underneath clichés, wooden dialogue, absurd sound effects, fluffy romance and sidequests (all support characters' scenes which add nothing of value fall into this). As much as I love comedy, I think this series could've benefited from taking out the forced --and often cringy-- humor in favor for leaning into the melodrama that was at its heart (the only thing I found interesting).

Keep in mind that the reception of this drama has people in two camps. Those who love it and find it hilarious, and those of us who feel like we're trapped in the twilight zone. After some reflection, I believe that if you like watching romance with some story to the side, then this might appeal to you. If, on the other hand, you are like me and you like to watch a story with romance on the side, then I would skip this one.

Episode 11 sums up my experience. The first half dove into the parts I found interesting, focusing on the narrative with a more serious tone. Unfortunately, the last half was weighted down by the standard dose of fluff, cheese and what I can only regard as silly humor (I must say that the "cartoony" sound effects broke me out of the series and often got on my nerves, though I know a lot of people loved them).

The series as a whole had mostly fluffy & nonsensical scenes which never really hooked me or left me wanting more. In the end, I had to muscle through most of the series, forcing myself to keep watching in hopes that it got better. By episode 12 I have given up hope and had decided to drop it.

MAIN CHARACTERS: Dull
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Before I dive into the protagonists, I feel the need to make a note about the source material. Since this is a show based on a web series (which I'm unfamiliar with), I curved my expectations and set the bar very low. I intend no offense, but some web series tend to be beautifully drawn but present very superficial stories. Sadly, this show wasn't an exception and, despite my precautions, I was disappointed.

Kim Mi So (female lead): She's introduced as a strong protagonist. She's as perfect as her boss, with elegance and charm to match. Of course, she's also inexperienced with love, easily flustered, lovably clumsy and a bad liar. So after the first few episodes, she became ultimately boring. I kept waiting to be surprised, only to learn that what I saw was what I got. I truly believe that Kim Mi So would've benefitted if she'd been graced with a sharper wit, streets smart, a weird sense of humor... or something that made her stand out. She needed something to break that "perfect" character and give her an edge. Otherwise, you have a lead that falls flat, like eating an unremarkable dish. Sure you don't hate it and you might even finish it, but you won't remember what it tastes like either.

Lee Yeong Joon (male lead): As much as I like Park Seo Joon, his character was the most frustrating. It had less to do with his acting, and more to do with the source material. Lee Yeong Joon was riddled with traits that were so over the top, it was hard to take him seriously. When analyzed outside the story, he had the potential of becoming an interesting character because he's full of contradictions. He's a man who hides his insecurities behind a wall of arrogance. However, instead of using that contradiction as a base for character growth; his arrogant attitude was used to create cheap humor. There's also a lack of commitment from the writer to give him solid traits and stick with them. Case in point, he was introduced as a player, BUT he was never intimate with anyone. He's observant and smart, BUT he failed to see certain things when it mattered (ex. the flower thing). He's supposedly very smart, BUT he constantly misreads situations. He's bold & straightforward, BUT he can't be honest about his feelings. And on and on. One contradiction makes for an interesting character, but when you have so many, it's hard not to see the wishy-washiness of the writer.

ANTAGONIST: Stale
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Lee Sung Yeon (ML's brother & semi-2ML): He's the closest thing to an antagonist we get and, like the leads, he suffers from lack of depth. He's a paper character and never really comes alive. I wasn't able to either hate or love him and the writing made sure of that. He was introduced as a likable character, sweet and observant. Then, in record time, he was unraveled before our very eyes. We were told how to feel about him, rather than make the reveal of his story more impactful by giving us time to relate to him first. So the only thing I felt towards him was a sort of tired indifference.

SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Painfully shallow
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This is a series that got bogged down by having so many two-dimensional support characters who added nothing of value to the story. Chances are that if you skip all of their scenes (most of them which are aimless repetitions of their actions), you won't really miss anything...

PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Fluff with an extra dose of cheese
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This romance started on the wrong foot but at least it did move away from a toxic relationship into a more fluffy one. The thing that didn't work for me, aside from the extra dose of cheese, was that the characters felt and acted like kids. This could've been less ridiculous if both characters had been younger. As it stands, watching them made me feel awkward (I also had to fight second-hand embarrassment during most scenes).

Keep in mind, if you like fluffy romance, you might really enjoy this series.

OVERALL: Based on the 12 episodes I watched, I hesitate to recommend it unless you have a high tolerance for fluff.
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If the series was edited to take out the parts that were a waste of time, it might've been something wonderful. This could've been a good eight-episode story, but by extending it without having good material, it became mediocre. Though I tried to hold on, it became increasingly difficult with each episode to keep my mind from wandering. Now that I've watched more than half the series, I feel like I can make a proper assessment, which is that I doubt it'll get better and I'm unwilling to put more time into it.

Again, the potential was there but the story fell into the wrong genre. This should've been a romantic melodrama with comedy sprinkled in, not a rom-com with a side of melodrama.

I frankly do not recommend this drama if you are expecting a strong, impactful or memorable story, complex characters that grow as the series progresses and/or something refreshingly new. If, however, you are searching for fluffy romance with lots of scenes dedicated to their courtship, then this might shoot to the top of your list.

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