K-Drama Review: Secret

Written by Kidge.

This show just recently finished airing, and had me on tenterhooks every week as I cried out for justice and secrets to be revealed. When I say cried out, I mean I was literally yelling at my screen as I bemoaned the evil deeds of characters and wailed that surely all the bad things couldn’t happen to just one person.

Needless to say, this show is seriously well worth the effort, with excellent acting and a story line that was intricately written and well executed.

Quick summary:
A woman goes to jail in place of her boyfriend, after a hit and run accident. A rich bad boy, who was in a relationship with the hit and run victim, seeks revenge on the woman he thinks ruined his life.

Thoughts:

So I don’t know about most people, but when I read the synopsis of this show, I was put off. I mean why would any sane person go to jail for a crime they didn’t commit, on purpose? But don’t let the summary dissuade you. When you begin watching, you will realise that it makes more sense that you thought it would. It’s still stupid, don’t get me wrong I haven’t misplaced my brain cells. But you will suddenly find yourself being swept up in these secrets that just seem to envelop these characters, and bind them to one another with the effect of quicksand - the deeper you get the harder it is to get out.

If you are looking for light hearted fun, happiness, or really your heart not to feel wrenched each episode, then you may want to look somewhere else. You will be waiting for a long time, for a train that ain’t never gonna come. However, if you want something with stellar performances and an actual storyline, then hop on my metaphorical train.

I don’t want to talk too much about the series in some ways, because I think that is part of what was so good about it - the incredibly slow (at times infuriatingly slow) reveal of secrets. The show is almost Shakespearean in nature, as you watch the impact of choices that tragically alter people’s lives. The rise and fall of Ahn Do-hoon (played brilliantly by Bae Soo-bin) is almost Macbeth-esque, particularly as he wasn’t always the way he becomes.

It isn’t a true tragedy though: everyone doesn’t die, and ultimately we are left with some happy kind of endings. But they are bittersweet, because we know things could have been so different. So be prepared. I warned you. But remember, it is worth your time and effort, because what we are left with is a reminder of the importance of our choices, and really that people deserve a second chance.

Let me know if your guts were similarly ripped out and replaced by this great show.