Secret Love Affair (2014)

Music can be something that brings passion and fire out of people. It can be soft and delicate, and sometimes very sensual. Secret Love Affair brought that to the table and I have to say it was a huge factor in why I loved this drama. The music, it was breathtaking, and the way it was used in this drama was also beautifully done. I'm a sucker for music, instrumental music, since I was in the orchestra from sixth grade through my senior year of high school, I played the flute, but something about a piano always got to me. I wasn’t lucky enough to be able to afford or learn to play this beautiful sounding instrument, but dramas like this one make me want to start right now. There is something so sexy and sensual about a man playing the piano, and throw in a woman with him and that is something better than any sex scene could ever give you. You see the passion, the sexual tension, and the climax (almost and sometimes orgasmic) when these two characters play together, and I have to say..sometimes I could help but scream and have to fan myself from the hotness they solely brought through playing together.

This is a drama with an age gap, quite a big one. I'm not usually a fan of noona romance dramas, as you can tell through some of my reviews of such dramas like Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, I Hear Your Voice ..etc But something about this made it okay for me. I think it was the chemistry. The chemistry between our two main characters was electrifying and I couldn’t look away. And though this drama is about an affair, I don’t condone them and I don’t think they are right, I couldn’t help myself but root them on. They lived in a world where people were using them for their own gratification. Being abused by power, money, and greed, I thought these characters found each other in a rather important moment in each of their lives. Dramas like this, where the characters chemistry is beyond amazing, where you can cut the sexual tension with a knife, where the greed and money hungry people make you sick and you can’t help but weep a little, are the types of dramas I live for. Even though this drama was on the slower side, I didn’t mind it. I love a slow drama if it has a purpose and it did. It helped along with really getting to know the core of a character and seeing the situation in which they were forced into. It gave you a sort of suspenseful feeling to it because it seemed that all the love and drama was happening minute by minute.

This drama was shot in a unique way. I loved the camera work in this drama, and I felt like it was shot like a movie more than a drama. Each episode just seemed like its own short film, and I loved it. The artistic shots along with the beautiful music and outstanding acting really did it for me. It was a drama that I fell hard for, however, it may not be for everyone. Everyone might not be into the type of camera work that was put into this drama, nor the pacing of it either. Some may find it boring with all the business talk and mind games that the secondary characters were playing or even their story-lines. But I found myself impressed with it, and I couldn’t get enough. Sixteen episodes, though it did its job, really seems so short to me. I wanted more! But I got my fill and I loved it. I am a little disappointed in the fact that more people aren’t talking about this drama, but as I said before its, not for everyone and I think it takes a more “mature” mindset to really enjoy this drama for what it is and not just for the “oh he is so hot”, “where are the bed scenes”, “Look at them lips and booty”, type of person. Someone who wants to enjoy a well put together story with acting to go along with it, and isn’t only interested in the more romantic and superficial elements of dramas.

I thought Yoo Ah In did a fantastic job. He is really a great actor and I’m going to be sad when he enters the military soon. I think beyond his physical appearance, he brings a lot to the table. Sometimes he doesn’t choose his dramas well, *cough* Fashion King *cough*, but any role he is in, I can tell he gives it a 100% and I enjoy that about him. He seems to play characters that are not as straightforward as they may seem and they have depth, and like this character, I really enjoy that. He pulls it off well. His chemistry with Kim Hee Ae was fantastic and I really enjoyed seeing them work off each other throughout this drama. I thought Kim Hee Ae did a fantastic job as well. This beautiful woman actually looks her age, and I loved that about it. They didn’t dress her up in young clothes or try to make her seem younger than she really was, her natural beauty shined through. Her acting was fantastic and I thought she played her role well. I loved her character and I thought she was so elegant even when she was pissed off, and I loved it.

Overall I thought this drama was fantastic. Though I am still suffering from some major depression because of it, I really liked it a lot. It was the type of drama that really gets me. I can go for romantic comedies sometimes, but a real deep and interesting intense melodrama are always going to be welcomed in my heart, and this was it. The music was amazing and it's a shame that it wasn’t released as an OST because I would have bought it right away. This drama had amazing writing with amazing actors and actresses who pulled it off well. The entire production seemed to be like watching an independent foreign film that you like to brag to your friends about because it's so artsy. I loved that about it. I would highly recommend this drama to those who are into more mature dramas, who don’t mind slow pacing and a lot of character development and story-line development along with it.

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I didn't watch the drama for the longest time because the title, promotion posters and the trailer turned me off. I imagined a story of an older woman seducing a younger man which did not appeal to me (the shiny faces were also a slight turn off). But boy am I glad that I ended up watching it after all.

It is so much more than a love story. It is a beautiful tale of two people coming together and making one realise what it is that really matters in life. Even though I have been watching K-dramas for many years, my love for "secret love affair" pushed me to write my very first review of anything ever.

Everything about this drama is beautiful (that is the only word that I find fitting to describe this drama), from the very beautiful leads to the sets to the music. The writer and the director have done a wonderful job making art come alive onscreen.

I loved the lead actors and their amazing chemistry. Kim Hee Ae's restrained and elegant portrayal of the very flawed Oh Hyewon took my breath away and watching Yoo Ah In bring the beauty of Lee Sonjae to life was a joy to behold.

The music in this drama is a character by itself. The background as well as the classical pieces that were played were very well matched with the tone of the drama. Yoo Ah In's performances playing the piano especially the concerto in episode 10 were very convincing.

The side stories about the chairwoman and all those people was okay and slightly stretched and boring at times but I guess that was a story that needed to be told as well.

I wish the makers of the drama had promoted it in a different way so that it would have appealed to more people. I am so glad that I watched it even though I put it off so many times.

This is by far the most beautiful drama (and pretty much anything onscreen) that I have watched both in terms of aesthetics and the story being told, accentuated by wonderful acting and music. I am sure I will be watching this story of Oh Hyewon and Lee Sonjae many times over in the years to come.

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Love so secret you can't see the affair on the screen

Story: Noona romance gets an ultra chaste makeover in this drama that is bent on showing everything except the affair itself.

Acting: Yoo Ah-in is a real deal. Unfortunately, the drama is heavy on business scheming nobody cares about so I skipped those parts (it's a lot of skipping!) and can't say anything about actors involved.

Music: classical music stands in for sex and climaxing.

Rewatch Value: For insomniacs only. Yes, it's that boring. Too much politicking, too much piano playing, not enough affair. If you are into noona genre, watch properly steamy Dark Desire (Netflix Mexican drama) instead.

Overall: Like Extracurricular (drama about sex trafficking without sex and trafficking), Secret Affair wants to broach a taboo subject (well, taboo in SK I guess) without being controversial. Hence chastely implied that the couple in question is having an affair without showing sex, while wasting its overlong running time on politics of running a concert or something. Do or don't. If you can't do subject justice due to PG rating requirement perhaps leave it to foreign television that has no such restrictions.

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this drama was going to be brilliant but wz sorrow it has 2 huge negative points
1st :
lots of piano music tracks wasn't necessary at all except filling the drama
2nd:
lots of flashbacks even from the same ep. which made the drama very slowly and at the same time boring
.
3rd: i couldn't find it
the sub was horrible i tried to figure out the drama as much as i could
.
in spite of all that i was fond of (Yoo ah in) love to (kim hee ah) sooo
his love was pure , innocent & faithful till the end
he tried as much as he can to keep the love relation between them in spite of the big age difference & the
Social level difference
i really loved how he tried to proof his love to her
first time to me to see (yoo ah) but his acting was brilliant but was a little exaggerating while pretending playing piano

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This is actually my first drama of Yoo Ah In and Kim Hee Ae and I'm really hoping to watch more dramas of their dramas! This drama didn't really live up to my expectations except for the acting, but thanks to this drama, I'm really looking forward to watching Chicago Typewriter and The World of The Married!

The plot was actually simple, student-teacher x affair. However, since the characters were about to do something wrong, I was expecting to feel so much thrill but I was kind of disappointed that I didn't. I felt like it wasn't enough. The plot was at a very good pace from the beginning and I liked how they incorporated music into it, adds more to its grace and elegance that was just a mask, however... It all went downhill. It got a bit boring and so many other things were incorporated which I think wasn't necessary for the main point of the story.

Despite the lack of thrill in the story, the cast is still inexplicably amazing. The acting was definitely superb and Kim Hee Ae and Yoo Ah In, along with the supporting cast delivered their roles well.

No doubt about the music that it's beautiful. I really love classical music because I think that it's very pleasing to the ear. I was really surprised that Yoo Ah In was actually the one playing the piano.

Overall, the plot was not that good but the acting and music were amazing. If the plot was given more thrill, I would've looked more forward to finishing the whole drama faster. Yoo Ah In and Kim Hee Ae had chemistry and I'm so glad that they pulled it off! I'd only recommend this if you love the lead actors, but I got bored with its pacing and plot. The Classical music in the drama is a very good bonus tho!

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There were some breathtaking moments, scenes I would watch again, and not to mention the acting from the leads and those musical performances, but that wasn't enough to save this as a whole for me. It started out decent but then like so many dramas, once the leads get together it loses tension and drive. I enjoyed the beginning but could barely make it past episode 11. A huge majority of the show, as in almost all of the show, was spent talking, whether it was group discussions around a table or side characters discussing nothing relevant to the plot for long stretches of time. If there had some kind of actual complex and engaging plot this could have been a true masterpiece, instead plot was nonexistent. 8/10 for the music and Yoo Ahin's performance.

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I am NO fan of infidelity, in fact it’s a big turn off for and I don’t hesitate to stop watching even if the plot line is good. I watched this one because I was very curious to see Yoo Ah In’s artistic interpretation of Sung Jae ‘s character. I think he is the most versatile actor I’ve ever seen (check out The Throne in Netflix). He has my highest respect in accepting projects with extraordinary roles. But this review is not about YAI, sad though that may be. I dropped the show after they caved in to their physical attraction in episode 8 but did read recaps of the remaining 8 episodes, big thanks to https://noonasoverforks.com/2014/03/19/secret-love-affair-episode-1-review/.

To me SLA calls out the elephant in the room, can two people, 20 years apart, really fall in love and remain in a marriage relationship? Not that the drama ever showed the main leads marry. Oh Hye Won represented what ladies yearn the most- love, affection, appreciation- no matter how high up one is in the social ladder or how much money they have while Sung Jae represented pure and innocent (puppy) love. His ideals, thanks to his mom, is still good and intact. It breaks his young heart to see the love of his life wade through the murky waters of lies and deception and get hurt, physically and emotionally. Sung Jae agonizes that he is powerless to save her. YAI did not disappoint in delivering Sungjae’s agony (have I mentioned I’m a fan? Lol!) Instead he turned to the one thing he can do, play music, along with a bunch of disavowed students. It was actually refreshing to know that he had some good times with his age group doing what he loved the most - playing the piano.

In summary, this drama is different, it’s complicated. Great actors, really good classical music if you like that genre.

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DUMPSTER FIRE

Holy crap is this a bad drama. The acting is horrible, the chemistry is listless and awkward. The story is shallow and uninteresting. The music is uninspired and poorly timed. The whole thing feels like porn-quality story without any actual porn. I'll be honest, I didn't finish this drama. I mean...ok I watched parts of all the episodes but it was so boring and lame-duck that I'd get a few minutes into the episodes, skip ahead, watch a bit more, and then eventually just be like uuuuugh maybe it gets better later, and then move to the next episode. I couldn't find a single solitary redeeming thing about this Kdrama and I feel like I wasted several hours of my life trying.

So what's left. If the acting is bad, the story is bad, everything else is bad... What's even left for a drama like this? Only the romance. If they could have pulled off the romance maybe maybe there'd be some redeeming quality to this drama. But the chemistry between the lead actors is so so bad. It's like high-school level awkward romance when you're not even really sure how kissing works or why you'd even do it. The interactions between these actors should have been full of romantic tension with complex emotions like shame and guilt...but instead it was all so very monotone. Even the guilt was monotone. Everything was this super bland gray of a pointless exercise in mediocrity. It was basically room temperature unseasoned tofu level bland.

Maybe if you're really into those weird Victorian era dime novels where the only romance comes on the last page for a brief kiss...maybe then you'd like this? It's basically like a romance you'd expect a grandma from the 1950s would enjoy. It's the kind of romantic interaction you imagine your parents having because it's too cringe to think of them actually being romantic.

Avoid this drama unless you're stranded in a post-apocalyptic bunker and it's one of two shows left in the world and the other show is season 1 of Marvel's Inhumans.

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