It’s that time of the year again – midterm season for those on the quarter schedule and stronger tensions for those on the semester schedule, such as those here at Berkeley. The beginning of the month of February marks a time closer to Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day, if you prefer). It represents a closer day to the epic moment of when Haas School of Business applicants will know whether their two (or more) grueling years at Berkeley paid off in the end. February also represents yet another new start for all of us to introduce something new into our routine-driven lives, whether that be a new productive habit of meditation before bedtime, a social media detox on Saturdays, or a bullet journaling session on Mondays. This weekend could also be a good time to check out a talented show at Cal Performances, if you like.
The start of the month also functions as a good excuse to watch a new television show in the spirit of novelty – specifically, a K-drama.
There are so many entertaining K-dramas out there worth watching simply due to the number of accolades and attention they’ve garnered in their respective local audience hubs but I’ve done the painstaking (though rewarding) work of hand-selecting the ones that I would recommend in a heartbeat to any and all viewers interested in K-dramas.
You’re welcome, ladies.
I curated my selection on the basis of the cast’s praiseworthy acting skills, the direction and storytelling, the quality of scriptwriting, the cinematography of scenes, the plot, the setting, the musical scores used (Original Sound Tracks or OSTs), and the overall execution of the entire drama from the pilot to the ending episode. Of course, my own personal preference also tied into my show choices.
Last week, I brought you My ID is Gangnam Beauty as the first K-drama in this installment, featuring toxic friendships and major societal issues regarding beauty and physical appearance.
This week, I introduce you to an interesting take on the scandalous boss-secretary love duo and how that relationship develops in a K-drama known as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? It’s a likable story with plenty of times to smile through the show.
Let’s find out more!
Keywords: Humorous, Interesting, Pleasant
One of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history, this 2018 South Korean TV show evokes major Fifty Shades of Grey vibes but I mean this in the most positive way possible. I know that many consider the leads in Fifty Shades to lack chemistry and genuine connection between both leads, but I promise you, that this series has a cult of fangirls begging to have the two show leads to date in real life: their chemistry is that evident! The show is romantic, funny, and, occasionally, didactic for its viewers.
Also known as Why Secretary Kim? , this is the second show I’ve seen that makes a woman tying a man’s necktie look so sexy (the first show was a Bollywood one if you’re wondering). Only a few moments of eye contact, sometimes one-sided, and sometimes two-sided, is enough to make my heart flutter and my stomach grow butterflies. We have the classic story of a highly narcissistic executive who begins to see his secretary as a woman instead of as an office assistant, but we also have the fact that this highly skilled secretary has worked for the egotistical Vice President for over nine years. That’s a long time to work for someone, and a long time to get to know them. It’s enough to catch some cooties, so to speak. What I also liked about this program is that both leads have the same first name – Park Seo-Joon and Park Min-Young. Coincidence, much?
If you look at the TV posters, you’ll see the power pose of both the leads. It draws you in. It makes me wonder: how narcissistic is the boss? How does he develop a soft spot for his secretary? Does she ever like him back? Does he like her only because she happened to spend eight hours a day five days a week (sometimes seven) with him? Is their relationship purely based on proximity? Does that mean that the human race mainly chooses its mates and companions on the basis of proximity alone and 99% of our romances are about where and how often we meet people in our daily lives as opposed to who we meet in our lives? Is love just another loose term for ‘convenient bond’?
Those questions may be stretching too far, but, within the context of a highly crude thought process, they all make some sense and truly provoke the mind. The show’s cute, though, and doesn’t make you think too hard, so there’s still a lot to be refreshed by to recover from the daily hubbub of academics. The show’s full of lines that make you re-evaluate your life and reflect on the true value of self-care and how moderation should be considered even when you are caring about yourself. The scriptwriting is commendable, to an extent.
Here are some quotes bound to get your curiosity juices flowing strong – watch the show to figure out the context in real time!
“From now on, I am going to be falling madly in love with you.”
“I would take you in my suitcase if I could.”
“I want to hold you more, even for one more second.”
“I never even had the greed to keep any rare artworks. This jealous you, I want to keep it with me forever.”
“Bulldozer of jealousy!”
“Don’t be tense, Secretary Kim.”
“Hurting someone or stealing something isn’t the only things that make you guilty. Incompetence and being unaware of your incompetence make you guilty too.”
“Even if you hide it, a lie only gets bigger with time”
“There’s nothing better than being honest.”
Also, if you’re looking to charm someone lately, just utter these six magical words to dazzle your victim: “I’m not cute; I’m fatally attractive.”
“Stay in touch. I’ll scold you if you don’t.”
Ladies, “scolding” within the context of this show takes on many different meanings, so interpret what you wish, but our main lead scolds quite scandalously…