She Would Never Know

A breath of fresh air

I wasn’t expecting anything serious from this drama. I was just grateful for the good looking characters and simple story line.
The story was a bit cliche but it wasn’t cheesy.
I loved the fact that there was no ‘bad guy’ no conniving work colleague, just simple and straight story with amazing characters.
They talked about cheating, unrequited love and breakup too. My favourite part of the entire series was towards the end. When it portrayed that, in a relationship, if the effort is coming from just one person, it’s bound to fail.
All in all, it was a pretty good drama. That’s if you’re looking for simple and sweet.

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Good lord another typical Kdrama romcom with stupid relationship actions. This had one of my most hated tropes...The forced relationship b/c the other person will harm themselves. Jeez. They never even explain why the female character in that relationships even likes the guy she's willing to kill herself for.

Anyway, the best part of this series is Wang Bit Na as Ji Seung and Lee Kyu Han as Jae Eun. Their relationship was so refreshing. I enjoyed them getting to know each other and falling in love. I also loved young actress Park So Yi. So expressive and had the brightest, biggest eyes. The other thing the series did well was the portrayal of the relationship between ML, his sisters and his niece.

7/13/23

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Zero star for the depressing female lead

I watched 5 episodes in bits and pieces for 2 years - and then completed the rest quickly.
How?
By forwarding every scene with the depressing female lead who has about two sorry expressions throughout and just drags the drama and every other character down with her.

So why not just dump the drama?
Because of all the stellar supporting cast and their interesting melodramas.

The poor ML.- of course his looks are off the charts, but he is so mismatched with the FL that even his noona's have more chemistry with him.

The storyline had some intriguing scenes - all well played by all the other actors.
But sadly too much emphasis on an ill-fitting female lead made this drama disappointing.

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Stay away from my girl, you bastard

This instantly became a drama I would place in the 'comfort watch' bucket. As someone else mentioned in their review, the plot isn't over complicated. This isn't a thriller or murder mystery folks. This rom com leans more into the melodrama space for me, although I will say the office staff did an excellent job of bringing in some comedy to an otherwise emo story.

I've seen some mention Hyun Seung was like a stalker but I did not get that vibe at all. If anything, he seemed a lot like me and my friends in our early 20s with our office crushed. Learning to love her 'strange' coffee order, stealing glances at her phone, being overly attentive to anything she did. It felt to me like more of a role reversal. Traditionally, females are the ones who tend to pick up the habits and likes of the person they are attracted to. Also Song Ah was easily one of the most clueless FLs I have watched. Your coworker sparks up a conversation about office romances (while looking at her with hearts basically coming out of his eyes) then proceeds to pretend your dating as a cover. It's no wonder Jae Shin was able to literally be engaged and she didn't have a clue.

I will say Hyun Seung has some of the sassiest dialogue in the early episodes. Homeboy was so ready to deliver that line at the end of E3 to Jae Shin. Their little passive aggressive rivalry was interesting to watch as Song Ha was paralyzed in her inability to process what was happening. By the time she caught up with the timeline, her self loathing and self sabotaging kicked in at full speed. How are you going to watch that man dance from pure happiness that you aren't going anywhere only to tell him 'I don't deserve the feelings you have for me.' Girl, pick yourself up off the floor!

I have a note from E8 that the 'eat a lot of Italian food.'

I totally understand why some people want to shake/slap/be violent towards Song Ah. I also get her trauma from her mom/dad deeply influenced her thoughts on love. She mentioned not being about to understand her mom and how she gave everything up for love. This seemed to influence her decision to go to Europe (at least for me.) When she was starting to really like Hyun Seung, she bolted.

E14 has one of my favorite endings or cliff hangers. The way he walks away *chefs kiss.* I need that cast and crew to know that I personally give that scene a standing ovation. So well done. I would have loved if they would have provided a look into how hard things were for Hyun Seung after the break up. It would have played nicely to the fact that 2 of his girlfriends commented that things are so easy for him. Having a true sad boy moment would have really helped shown even more growth/development in his character. I did love the scene with him and Jae Woon sharing a drink and talking. It made me want to know more about how some of the other relationships grew in the time jump. I had a soft spot for the older sister and CEO from the beginning. I found the younger sister to be unlikable so I was less invested in her messy marriage.

The ending is dreamy but I do agree seeing the wedding with the coworkers and family would have been great. The song from the last scene (which plays throughout the series) has been stuck in my head for days. Overall, I will most likely be re watching this one again as either a pallet cleanser or for the cozy vibes. Maybe even with a coffee from McCafe.

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I went into this thinking this would be a noona romance as it was labelled as such, but for me, a one-year age gap does not constitute a noona romance. For me, the difference would have to be greater than 5 years to be even called that. Despite this, it was enjoyable show because not only it centered on the romance, but also focused on different familial relationships. Rowoon is adorable as the patient trainee who was overeager to please his mentor. We see him struggle with his feelings and also with the knowledge that his crush has a two-timing boyfriend. Won Jin Ah isn't so shabby as the no-nonsense manager who was very private about her relationships, that she had wool over her eyes, if it weren't for Hyung Seung.

As for the other characters, the sisters of Hyun Seung stood out for me, and their relationship with their brother was endearing. While I find Lee Hyo Joo a cloying biatch who gaslights a spineless Jae Shin into a forced marriage, her odd-ball brother Jae Woon became more of a decent character as the show progresses. One setback for me was the numerous characters this drama introduced with the many side arcs, and some of which were predictable like I can spot the backstory of Yun Seung's husband from a mile away. Otherwise, a decent drama.

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An enjoyable drama

First: Other than Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) I have rarely come across an OST that catches my attention. But during this drama, I was surprised to find myself thinking, "That's a great song to put there" or similar thoughts. I mention this first, because it's so rare that the music impresses me.

Second: Rowoon. He's a good actor, and I am fascinated by how good looking he is. I hate the scenes where they put too much makeup on him....maybe the makeup didn't change but the lighting did. Idk. But he didn't need as much as they put on him most of the time.

Third: I enjoy Asian dramas, whether they be Korean, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, etc. I like the good ones and the bad ones. I can confidently say that this was a good drama, because I've seen so many. It had a high production value, good acting, and decent chemistry among the cast. It had enough drama in it to be dramatic, but not so much that it was cringey. It was, over all, a feel-good drama, which is nice because dramas are an escape, and it's nice to fantasize that there are happy endings. I teared up a time or two, but I never had to break down sobbing for the characters, so that was nice. There's enough reason to sob irl.

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The complexities of relationships

I originally tried to watch this drama a while back, but dropped it because I wasn't sure about the female lead, and the story seemed like it wouldn't hold me, but I started to rewatch it because it was about to leave a streaming platform so I wanted to give it another try. I am so glad I did. The intimacy between the ML and FL took some time to get there but once it did, wow! I feel this was the most grown up kdrama about relationships that I have seen in this genre for a while. It tackled adultery, broken hearts, suicide, emotional manipulation, intense love both in bad and good ways. It even tackled same sex relationships, and the hurt it can cause yourself and everyone around you if you are not true to your sexuality. The only problem with this storyline is how thick the married sister was in not realising her husband's 'friend' was gay, or that her husband could be gay, or at least bi. Trying to set him (husband's friend) up with single girlfriends and even her husband saying he will be not interested and not interested in marriage, still didn'tmake the penny drop for her. Also how close he was to his 'friend'. Maybe it isn't an obvious thing in Korea to notice a man's sexuality, but I noticed from about episode 3 or 4 that her husband was in the closet, and really struggled with his sexuality. He just looked miserable throughout his marriage, even on his first date (the flasback/reminiscing scene) with his future wife he looked miserable. I found this storyline was more interesting that the FL and ML one. This main storyline was frustrating at times. The ML did all the chasing. The FL was cold at times, and was so selfish. I get she was hurt and betrayed by her boyfriend. A secret relationship for 2 years, I would have binned him after 6 months, but that isn't the point. His complex, and hurtful actions I think didn't help her open up, and because of her past trauma of seeing her dad's affair, and her mum's clinging behaviour towards her (which we find out later on was due to her own awareness of her husband's affair, and then subsequent death, had it's own complex issues). I loved how close she (FL's mother) became to the ML in the later episodes, and how when they (FL and ML getting back together. Never understood why she would leave him for 5 years, yet again FLs selfish behaviour), the FLs mother did not approve of them getting back together because the ML was to good for her daughter. Good on her. Calling her own daughter out for her selfish behaviour. Loved it. Overall I found this series enjoyable. Some good acting from some great actors. The various relationships that were going on around the main ML and FL were just as good. if not more interesting at times, than the main romantic storyline. I loved how the second sister found a deep and loving relationship with the brother of the 2nd FL. Their courtship, and subsequent relationship was the purest and most healthy out of all of the relationships that were going on in this drama. The 2nd FL I found irritating beyond belief. She used her attempted suicide to cling on to a man who everyone could see did not love her, but because she was obsessed with him, and only her obsessive (and oppressive) love mattered, a marriage was going to take place. I am glad he walked away in the end. She was irritating beyond belief. A spoilt princess. Hurghhh!! Nothing grates me more than those stereotypical girls in a drama. After her suicide she needed therapy to bring her back to reality, and sort out her complex ideology around love and relationships. The 2nd ML lead also needed therapy. After coming from parents who abandoned him in their own ways (who does that to a child, one parent a con-man always looking for money, and then leaves his son to pick up the pieces. I couldn't believe the people his father conned coming into his school and manhandling him in order to find out where his father was, and demanding the money back! Who does that!? The other just ups and leaves, and even after 25 years still shows not an ounce of remorse for leaving him with a feckless father who only brought pain and trouble to his door, and no emotion when he shows up, just tells him basically to not find her again!) No wonder he can't hold onto the one healthy relationship he had. He felt obliged to be engaged to the 2nd FL because of his past relationship with her brother and her attempted suicide, but the real relationship, the one where he could genuinely be himself, and I do believe he loved the FL deeply. Could not be real or open about because of his messed up relationship with his 'friend' and fiancée. I think it was fitting that he ended up alone. His messed up childhood and distorted ideas of what relationships are (he didn't believe that his fiancée's brother was genuinely his friend! That was so sad.) He needed to heal. He at least was honest with all his past girlfriends about how he felt, and how he dealt with everything. How wrong he was to not be honest with the FL and how he should never had agreed to the 2nd FLs brother's request to be by his sister's side forever. That is not a heathy way to live your life. Overall I really good drama. It looked all the complexities of relationships, be it friendships, sexuality, adultery, parental, romantic or long standing marriages it tackled everything, and it did not sugarcoat the darkness that some of these relationships can bring. It also brought the light when it comes to finding a good and honest healthy relationship. In the end the FL and ML got their happily ever after, and all the other relationships sorted themselves out. I was hoping that the divorced sister would find someone who loved her as deeply as she loved her ex husband. She poured her heart and soul into that relationship, and he was as cold as ice throughout. It took her acceptance of his sexuality and him finding peace with it for him to be truly happy, but I felt she could have done with a bit of love too. A deep love that was based on him wanting her, and her not chasing and clinging onto a ice cold relationship. I thought the 2nd ML might have been that. Giving him a family he never had, but I think that would have been a little to incestuous even for this drama. Some of the relationships were very close, and how they ended up together was mind-boggling at times, but overall it worked out for the best. A throughly enjoyable drama, and I was glad I found it again and gave it a second chance.

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Yes this is real life

Eventually I thought the FL , Yoon Song Ah was written and directed as a very selfish and heartless person but it did seem that from her upbringing, she would turn into one of those grown-ups who create mayhem in their relationships, wherever they go. She was destructive of everything and everyone.
The male lead, Chae Hyun -soung was like a redeemer but no he chose to love this bomb waiting to go off and pretended he was brave and unaffected. And yes he was too forgiving, forgiving too many times, giving too much in return.
It sounds an unlikely storyline but how many of us know people like that? Anyone who thinks it's not the real world only has to visit an office where there are romances, scandals, fall outs. Many of us have been there. Perhaps we don't remember all those idiotic decisions we made years ago - moving jobs, falling in love with an idiot. Being an idiot ourselves.
Acting was uniformly very good especially Rowoon and Park So Yi (The Atypical Family). The script must have been difficult to play with more information about their upbringing coming out later. This was not a shouty drama, nor oceans of tears. Well done, writer, direction and cast and crew.
The ending was not a gushy explosion. Just well time did have to go by for people to heal and it was not a jackpot.
100% recommend to you to watch.

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A well written plot with really good character development.

This is a drama where I felt like I understood where all the characters were coming from and I couldn't hate them for the decisions they made, despite how stupid these decisions may be. This was a really well written drama and focused really well on several very different, somewhat out there (for a Kdrama) couples:
- A married couple consisting of a queer potentially gay or bi man and a heterosexual woman.
- A really unexpectedly adorable couple where a man who seemed like a player turned out to be the most down to earth and also faithful character.
- A really toxic engaged couple consisting of an obsessed woman and a cheating man.
- The main couple which was sort of a slow burn office romance that grew from the ML's long time crush and genuine admiration of the FL.

There were some characters that I really disliked, like the FL's mother or the SML, but everyone had really good character development. By the end, I actually liked all the characters. There was a time jump towards the end of the drama, and though I didn't really like it, it was needed in order to conclude all the storylines. Everyone had their own happy ending, and you can say some of the characters had an open ending. Not all the happy endings went "and they lived happily ever after", they were real endings where everyone was happy with where they were and where they were headed.

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Sunbae

This is one of my favorite kdrama I have ever watched. I love the story plot. Because of this kdrama I fell in love with Won Jin Ah. This is my first time watching a kdrama that Won Jin Ah leads and right now I'm becoming crazy and lying in my bed thinking of Won Jin Ah (HAHAHAHAH so awkward). The love story speaks in a reality where as we grow older we kinda think practically on the things that are around us. This kdrama gives me post-series depression right now I still cannot accept that I have finished watching it I even felt loneliness and emptiness in my heart after watching this.

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You can watch it but you don't need to

It's interesting to see how a makeup company works. The story itself is pretty simple and I think what could have been a great drama ended just being ok. Don't get me wrong I think if you like a really good pretty boy chasing the girl that he likes and protecting her this drama it's made for you. To be honest I really enjoyed the side stories of the ML sisters and their acting than the main couple. It's watchable but doesn't expect great things out of it.

The first drama I watched of both Rowoon and Won Jin Ah. Both have decent acting but I found it hard to connect with both characters.

I can relate to what ML wants and his reasoning and actions and I like how the FL is portrayed on the situation that she's in.
But I felt SML was completely plain and bland, I can't understand his background and story and on top of that, I think it drowns the best acting in the show which is from Lee Joo Bin. I think she nailed that character and how it should be played but when both are in the same scene it was like she was all alone.

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Worth revisiting for Rowoon and Romance...

"She Would Never Know" is a drama I had to revisit after putting it on hold. I enjoyed watching this when it aired, but the slower pace made it easy to forget about, and more fast-paced and addictive dramas stole my attention. This is ultimately an office romance story with a realistic feel. If you like to have more time to get to know and feel invested in a drama romance, then this pace may be perfect for you. If you like mature and imperfect love stories then this drama has some interesting couples and non-idealistic relationships. If you don't like the leads together, then this drama is pretty much a waste of time since the plot revolves around relationships more than events or particular storylines.

I loved the chemistry between the leads, but they were more cute together than exciting and more real than sexy. Won Jin Ah plays Yoon Song Ah, an ambitious cosmetics marketer with a poker face when it comes to her personal life. She is matched with Rowoon who plays adorable Chae Hyun Seung. He can't hide his crush on his work mentor Song Ah. The alternative title of the show (and apparently webtoon) "Don't Put That Lipstick On" speaks to an office drama that ends up connecting the two leads, but this drama doesn't really rely on love triangles too much. It's more about the dynamics between the characters. From pure love to truly toxic love, the couples throughout this story have a range and the cast plays all aspects of these relationships well. Overall this is a great and believable ensemble cast but there are no major breakout performances besides the Swoon-worthy Rowoon who is charming in every single scene he is in. He was enough to keep me watching, but there are no weak actors in this cast.

The story however is not always as strong as the cast. I think along with the slower pace a lot of the things that happen start to feel repetitive. Some of the surprises in the story are pretty obvious, and some of the ways things are resolved seem a little too neat, especially toward the end. As I started to care about the characters more the pace started to bother me less. Some of the characters are extra frustrating, almost to the point of being nonsensical, but at least there's some character growth that becomes what drives the story. There also aren't too many tropes in this story (besides a major time jump) even though the plot does often seem pretty generic. This drama also isn't a romcom, even if there are a few funny moments, this isn't a very emotional story either, which may be why it falls flat at times.

Would I watch this again? Maybe. Some of the best moments are flirting scenes between the leads, and there are a lot of rewatchable flirting moments fueled by Rowoon's cuteness. The other stories were fine to watch once but I wouldn't have any interest in watching them again. Did I mention how cute Rowoon is in this? lol! That explains my 'higher than it probably deserves' rewatch score.

Overall, "She Would Never Know" is a drama for people who like traditional romance but don't want heavy emotions spoiling the mood. If you like a love story with a satisfyingly clear beginning, middle, and end, this drama delivers. All of the character relationships have a statisfying resolution, even if I didn't agree with some of the character's choices. This drama explores how love can empower and break us. Included in that is self-love, and although every story isn't happy, this drama felt inspiring in how it showed the way both good and bad relationships can impact our lives for the better. Binging also helps with this drama's pacing, and although It's far from a favorite, I'm glad I gave this one a second chance.

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