romantic
“Age is only a number in love!”
About : Korean Drama
Year : 2014
Episodes : 16
Distributor : JTBC
Type of Entertainment : TV show
Rating : 4/5
Genre : Romance/ Melodrama
Where to watch : Viki
Cast : Kim Hee ae, Yoo ah in
The Story :
Secret Affair is a 2014 Korean drama, and JTBC distributes 16 episode run. It is available to watch on Viki app.
By the end of episode the premise is well set.Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) is a 40 year old successful Director of planning of a music Arts foundation. Married to a professor working in the foundation, she is in a very callous marriage. She is more successful than her husband and he depends on her for his extravagant lifestyle.
The first episode opens into two constrating worlds – the life of a meagre delivery boy versus the dark world of the ultra rich.
Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) had started off as a musician but her hunger for success and money was stronger and she has come up the ladder by being the “right hand man” of the Foundation’s chairman & family. This involves regular embezzlement of funds.
Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) is a 20 odd year old, young piano genius. His mother runs a small restaurant and he helps her with food delivery, apart from other odd jobs. He has always had a natural flair for the Piano. He cannot afford formal education in music; but pursues his passion on his own through self learning.
Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) runs into Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) & her husband during one of his deliveries. Few events later they become aware of his musical genius.
Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) ‘s husband wants to leverage Sun-jae (Yoo ah in)’s talent to be able to push forward his dull career as a music professor.
Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae),on the other hand appreciates his true talent & wants him to succeed as a musician.
His hunger and passion for music attracts Sun-jae (Yoo ah in).
Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) has had supportive friends and mother; but no one understands the cynical music genius in him.
Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) mother passes away. He does not pursue music but instead he gets enlisted in the Army. But Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) is empathic to him and tries to pacify him for his loss. This further trigges Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) liking for her.
Once Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) returns, he comes back to see Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) and both realise how much they missed each other.
Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae)’s husband pursues Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) to join the music foundation and this time Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) agrees, more as a reason to be around Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae).
Review :
Secret Affair Korean drama series is a Korean drama of a younger man falling in love with an older woman. But the drama’s premise of falling in love, is so well penned; here it is apt to say, “Age is just a number in love”.
Both Kim Hee ae and Yoo ah in have enacted their roles perfectly. They literally have given into the characters they play on-screen. You can feel the chemistry between them. The chemistry between the leads is very imporatant for passonate and emotional stories like these.
The shooting of passionate scenes is well and aptly added into the story.(You will feel the heat!).
They says, “it takes one to know one”. That is the case with the protagonists. Both Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) and Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) play Piano together as a teacher and student and they enjoy their mutual love for music and the joy of playing the instrument. They totally compliment each other as musicians and dangerously attracted to each other.
Yoo ah in is supposed to have taken formal piano lessons to play this role. His efforts have completely paid off on screen. You will dig for more Yoo ah in drama, post watching this. I did!
It is a bold role for Kim Hee ae, especially since she is married and a mother in real life. But hats off to her, she has done this role as a true professional! It is not at all vulgar, but more like a woman whose has found love, after being devoid of love and affection all her life. She won the prestigious Best Actress award at the 3rd APAN Star Awards.
There are various scenes which are memorable & real. The time when Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) does his morning running around Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae)’s house, as promised to her. She scolds him earlier, acting all uninterested; but waits for him constantly peeping out of her window.
The scene where she has to stay away from him because of the police investigation, but comes to meet him as he is her only respite.
The time she lashes out at him because she sees him out with a girl friend of his. He is delighted at her reaction because it is only a confirmation that she likes him too.
The Secret Affair Korean drama series is melodramatic, flirty, passionate with a very strong story-line. It has a lot of Piano music in it. Classic music lovers will love it.
It emerges more than a forbidden love story! Sun-jae (Yoo ah in) and Oh Hye-won (Kim Hee ae) are only two characters in a larger set of events.
The director Ahn Pan seok, has again proved why he is a master story teller. He can truly bring about human emotions while potraying a bigger issue. He was awarded the Best Director award at the prestigious 50th Baeksang Arts Awards,for this Kdrama.
Secret Affair Korean drama series nominated under various categories in various prestigious Awards of 50th Baeksang Arts Awards, 7th Korea Drama Awards,9th Seoul International Drama Awards and 3rd APAN Star Awards.
The series ending is realistic and arduous! I have a mixed feeling about it, maybe it could have been a bit more open ended.
I highly recommend this series, simply for the lead actors and the director. Its a combination of masters of the trade coming together! This Korean drama should definitely be included in your list of Korean drama romantic category.
It is a passionate love story of two people who loved music so much that they fell in love all over again; discovering their musical addiction together!
