Surprisingly good and cute! worth a try!!

The ML improved SO FREAKING MUCH since PYHOMS. His visuals, acting, chemistry with the FL has improved A LOT so give it a try, you won't regret. I fell in love with the entire cast. The story progresses really well and I'm glad I didn't skip this. I didn't fast forward any scenes but instead I rewatched (which I almost never do). the story doens't get draggy or boring anywhere.

The FL isn't the typical damsel in distress but quite a strong one for a big change from her previous works. The leads have a sizzling chemistry and not to mention the second leads too! They have an interesting story. The actors portray their roles perfectly. I don't know how I'll be able to move on from this! Their smiles are so damn freaking contagious OML I can't stop smiling. The second couple have a really good story pace and not simply rushed just because they had to be together for the sake of being together. I wish they had an entire drama for themselves!

In short, you'll get hooked up when you smell the chemistry between all the actors and not to mention the kisses :,-) honestly this drama set the bar high for cutesy rom-coms xo.

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24 eps seem too short for the first time!

"Our Secret" is a drama with a good plot, lovable characters and excellent acting. the actors in this drama aren't that famous (edit: this was before hidden love) but their acting is really good; definitely how a high schooler would behave, in my opinion. it's fast paced with little or no filler scenes so overall it was a good watch. it felt so nostalgic (even tho I haven't finished my high school yet).

the ML was portrayed splendid, props to the actor. he wasn't oblivious but seemed to get along with people around him quite well unlike other leads who act like they are allergic to humans or whatever. no super rich high school 'chaebol' heir so it makes the viewers easy to empathize. the way he looks at the FL melts me uwu. he really set the bar high for a "boy in love".

the FL did an excellent job in expressing a desk-mate who gradually falls in love with someone who she never thought she would and thinks he doens't reciprocate her feelings. she portrayed a girl chasing her love in a charming way and we can't help but root for this cute couple pairing.

the side characters weren't annoying. they had their own story to tell, making us cheer for them even with the little screen time they had. I loved the friendship among all of them.

I really had fun watching this!! trust me, it's a really good watch/re-watch!! ♡. if only someone would look at me the way ML looks at FL... I should prolly stop dreaming *cries in Chinese*. jokes aside, this is definitely a drama that'll stay with me for a long time. I could literally feel the emotions conveyed in the story. wow, what a ride! best of luck to all the actors' future works! signing off.

I'm in love with Chen Zhe Yuan if it wasn't obvious already ♡

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realistic. relatable. refreshing.

ik we are here for the "dimple couple" Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho (atleast I am) so I'll skip the introduction. I haven't seen the original work so i won't mention any comparison to it. the plot seemed like something new to me and trailer gave fresh vibes so I didn't hesitate to start (nor do I regret). I'd discuss some aspects in the drama I particularly loved so you may relate to it or consider watching :)

PLOT/PALETTE:
so. back to the drama. a girl leaves her job and goes to some rural place and sees a guy who's... everywhere? I thought it would be cdrama style cliché but it's actually far from that (thankfully). color palette of episodes are really relaxing to watch. I'm not an artsy person and I don't know much about palettes but it's really calming and definitely suitable for the picturesque sceneries.

CHILDHOOD CONNECTION DONE RIGHT:
what i really loved in the drama is that despite the leads having a couple of childhood interactions, they don't give much importance to it and (rightfully) move forward because it was simply a part of their past. it was refreshing to see such an arc because in most dramas, the leads who hate eachother suddenly fall in love because they "vowed to marry each other as 3 yo kids" or whatever, you get the idea.

BEST PORTRAYAL OF LOVE TRIANGLE:
the characters are written realistically and mature. props to the crew for including minor details that may seem unimportant but really adds on to reality. there's no over the top cheesy lines and exaggerated portrayal as seen in many other rom-coms. every single arc (including love triangles) is carried out so well that no part of the drama bores the viewers. I simply can't stop admiring how beautifully the love triangle was carried out because in most case it would simply ruin the overall drama experience.

SIDE CHARACTERS HAVE THEIR OWN LIVES TOO:
the side chracters had their own story to tell, not just being comedic clowns or matchmakers for the main leads. ofc their story slightly depends on the leads because they are centres of the drama but we can agree the writer gave justice to the supporting casts by not always placing them in scenarios where leading characters need them. EVERY character had their own situations and struggles but the way each person grew through the story made me happy and proud.

overall, the drama kept it charm throughout. 100% worth the watch! long story short, start watching now!!

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screaming, squealing and swooning.

oh my god what have they laced these episodes with! simply can't stop watching them. from the very first scene, the cinematography is breathtaking. i really love the setting of the show- winter aesthetic never fails to deliver. also, shooting abroad with the snowy backdrop was legit one of the best decisions made. it doesn't feel like watching 30 episodes. everytime an episode ends it feels like it's over so soon. everything is made so well to make it look like watching an extended movie, you'll find yourself casually transition to next and next episodes on autopilot.

acting:

as expected, both Leo Wu and Zhao Jin Mai deliver standout performances. Wu Lei is the best on screen boyfriend for the year. oh boy, the way he's hopelessly in love and expresses himself with his entire being is simply adorable and incredibly sexy at the same time. he plays his character with so much nuance. man he conveys a range of emotions with just his eyes and even when he's just... there, he makes his scenes so impactful. i haven't seen many actors that have this much captivating aura tbh.

Zhao Jin Mai's acting is equally commendable. she brings grace and authenticity to her role with subtle gestures. impressed by how she delivers her dialogues being expressive and realistic at the same time. overall they complement each other so so well. best duo of the year istg.

together their chemistry is top tier. I've not found a single scene where their chemistry is below perfection, its always sizzling. their interactions elevate the entire mood, there's like an invisible magnetic pull beutween them- like every glance loaded with unspoken intensity and sparks fly. forget butterflies i get the whole damn fireworks going on. Yin Guo and Yi Yang have this chemistry that's not just seen but felt and resonates.

lovable side characters:

also it's a huge bonus that the side characters aren't boring or annoying! Jiang Yang, Meng Xiao Dong and Wu Wei in particular stood out to me for being incredible support characters that we don't usually see in dramas.

• Wu Wei has this soft aura around him who's easy going, supportive and the kinda person you can always count for being by your side. when he was genuinely happy for Yi Yang and sheds happy tears on hearing about his comeback, wow that one scene showed how much he truly values and supports his friends.

• Meng Xiao Dong is prolly my fav of them all (no surprise there). he's hot, wears suits, has this cold unapproachable aura and hot (oh i mentioned it already nvm). he's the scene stealer in this show for me.

• Jiang Yang seemed cold at first but soon turned out to be a sweet guy who also goes beyond limits for his friends. i don't think he's much appreciated but man is the one who was persistent to bring Yi Yang back to court.

• also honorable mention to Xiao Tian who we saw more in the beginning and towards the end of series and was the first shipper of main leads lol. he's got this bubbly personality that automatically makes you smile.

i could go on and on about all the characters as well but if you haven't watched yet, I'll let you witness it firsthand. I'll just say it's hard not to love the characters- mentioned or not. they all have amazing chemistry and it truly shows how close their friendship is. they've picked just the right actors for the right roles I'm so satisfied. this cast really had actors that can act well. i could also say the same about the actresses but one stood out to me in particular- the actress who played He Jia (He laoshe's daughter); she was simply excellent with her delivery and micro expressions. unfortunately she wasn't highlighted much in the series but her performance was hands down the best among anyone here.

final words:

i can't say it's perfect, this show definitely has its own flaws. i would say there are some scenes that seems to not fit in with the pacing or overdone or even unnecessary at times. also I believe some scenes (like intimate ones) were cut off due to censorship. also I'm a little disappointed with the screentime of side characters, i was hoping to see more of other couples as well. but truly it can be overlooked by everything else that made up for it- like the stellar performances, mesmerizing soundtracks, not to mention the overall aesthetics, that combine together to create a cozy atmosphere that seems like a warm hug on a cold day!! it was such fun experience watching and swooning in the comment section (shoutout to angela who couldn't keep her excitement in like many of us and was so relatable with her timely comments). bittersweet to say goodbye to this show and hoping to see the cast in future works. snowstorm may have passed but it's always in our hearts ❤️

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let's face it, every sequel gets compared to its prequel and mostly fails to deliver anything better but this was thankfully an exception. maybe because s1 set the bar so low that nothing can be worse than that (yes I personally hated it). s2 delivered everything s1 failed to. if you haven't watched the s1, you'll be missing out on something or the other but i suggest to skip that season altogether bcs they add flashbacks almost everywhere necessary that even new watchers can understand (or people like me who forgot the story can remember what had happened).

Acting:
if you've watched the S1, i think you might agree with me, the acting in S1 was almost unbearable. i was so bothered by ML's acting. i remember skipping his scenes even tho he was the main character. coming to S2, thankfully he seems to be better in here. the other actors did a great job too. special shout out to actor Cai Yi Jia who portrayed Ning Fei. his character was so much different from s1 but still he nailed it (I'll talk more about him later on).

story:
oh boy i was disappointed as hell by the s1 but this story was damn better. i do believe this season has its own pros and cons so i wanna discuss them here without giving much spoilers.

cons:
actually I would've given this a 10 (refer pros) but the reason its a 9/10 is because of the ML. not just because of his acting, but his character in the beginning was an old fashioned drama lead. the controlling, selfish, misunderstanding, "i did this for your good, so be thankful" cold CEO again. he did have a character development arc later on and change to a totally soft fluff ball but it still was annoying no matter what. when I was watching the initial 2 eps, i was wondering how he got a worse personality than s1. they actually tried to give the FL a character development to make her seem more independent. it did work, I agree but i just felt i couldn't justify some of her actions as being a "strong woman", especially when she was with her boss.

another reason is because they kinda ruined the Fei Fei couple in the beginning. a misunderstanding which could've been easily avoided. harsh fact incoming: this entire season could've been avoided. i have no idea why this sequel even happened cuz the s1 actually tied the loose ends (if there was any) and was wrapped up even tho i wasn't a fan of it. tbh i liked the S2 more (obviously cuz i rated it a 9) but it could've been better if Fei Fei couple were the lead (edit: my wish came true). back to what i was saying, they did some damage to our beloved Fei Fei couple but soon enough it went back to normal. they were the best of the show.

pros:
wow, this one took me by surprise. i initially thought not to watch this cuz i almost skipped all ML scenes in s1. I'm really glad i gave this a try tho (maybe you should too!). i really liked that Fei Fei was more matured than her past self. i don't remember how the married couple were but they were really good this season.

ladies and gentlemen, i present you the star of the show, the show stealer: Ning Fei!!! damn where do I even start, he was the only reason i even gave this show a chance lol. he was a cutie in s1 and i liked him but here oh my god we get to see a totally different Ning Fei being a hottie and flirty. we can see a totally matured Ning Fei (or Xue Ning?) i guarantee you'll 100% fall for him. we get deja vu at times during 2 Fei interactions which i thought were cool cuz it reminded me how much i adored this couple (more than the main couple lol). Ning really set the bar high for a man (♡‿♡). i hope to see them both as main couple someday (edit: happened!). their chemistry was so damn good with the tension and anticipation. i was literally watching them with hearts in my eyes.

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