The Secret of Us

A really well done drama.

A well done drama indeed, the last time I felt this way was when I watched a korean drama called "Familiar wife" and it's Japanese remake.
These two cast members gave me the same kind of feeling, like they were made for each other, along with excellent OST and camera work. Support cast members were nice too, especially the FL's assistant. I just wish the drama was little bit longer because the last episode seem a bit too rushed for some reason.

Anyway, this drama was well worth it, you won't regret watching it.
And thanks to the subtitle team for their hard work.

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Weak finale.

I think when i first started watching it that it's the best GL i've watched. Everything seems to be on point, tho i think i have issues with some parts of the story like believing someone instead of communicating with the one you love. Like if you love someone you should trust them 100% and you should be open with them about what's bothering you. I know it's part of the story but i just hate how everything can be solved if they just talk to each other. The last episode seems rushed and has been done before, like a disapproving family member fainting. HAHAHAHA i don;'t like that the mother let her daughter suffer in the 1st episode and suddenly in the finale she suddenly changed.

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Heartwrenching yet a beautiful story

Honestly, the story is quite simple and even has a dejavu vibes but still, it got my attention and it made me want to follow what's going to happen till the end. For me, it's even a lakorn (soap thai opera) with women love women storyline for me so for sure there's going to have some conflict and heartwrenching moments.

Since I didn't read the novel, I can't compare to it but I have to admit, some subplots / some parts could be more developped and should even be added to make the general storyline a bit better and to feel more complete than this.

I didn't know the actresses but they are so good at portraying their characters and they also have good chemistry, they are so pretty and cute together!!
For their characters, I might sometimes not be agree with their choices or behaviors but I don't know, I can't help but at the end, I still like them (or maybe I looked at the situation differently and I was trying to understand them).

The OST are nice to listen but I don't know if I gave a higher rating because of it or it's because of the quality of the production and also with the acting of the main leads..lol

Anyway, it's one of my favorite GL series despite some flaws.

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This GL series has a strong premise, but as episode 4 happened, it started to become silly with a jealously trope between the main characters and the supporting characters, especially when these are grown adults who used insults and water to show their hatred for each other. However, I liked the miscommunication between the two women because every relationship has problems with the lack of communication, showing what it means to care for each other and sacrifice for their own happiness. It's weird that Earn's character is more likeable than the one in Blank, where Neung is pursuing Ar-Neung, refusing to stop like here with Earn and Fahlada, maybe because their ages is the big difference in this despite Fahlada and Earn with a 6 year age gap compared to a 16 year age gap in Blank.

I also really like the guy Tan in this series. I don't see enough male characters who strongly support their main female characters, and I hope there is more media portrayal between men and women who are platonic.

The chemistry was okay to me, some parts of the acting was good here and there. I do feel like the story deserved to be more fleshed out and longer because some GL series are 12 episodes long versus this one to be 8 episodes.

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a neater, though not necessarily more polish gl

The Secret Of Us is a wonderful change of pace in Thai GL. With (relatively) mature leads, minimal boyfriend drama, and cleaner production values it's easy to get swept up in enjoying the drama and antics of these women's lives. An entertaining story, charismatic actresses, and a good sense of pacing carries this story above the pack in a GL-heavy year (and I hope there's many more to come). That said, the script is still relatively weak and focus on being pretty sometimes overtakes the opportunity for a more heartfelt performance. It's a step up, but I hope we don't stop here!

-The Full Review-
STORY:
This story is a bit... shaky. While Earn and her devotion is quite sweet and charming, the context behind it is paper thin. Despite the break up hinging on her mother's health, we almost never see Earn interact with that mother again. Likewise, there are many other plot points (and characters) that are treated as vital to these women's lives... only to disappear the second their entertainment value is spent. It feels... sloppy. I enjoy the chance to get to know adult women with prior history and firm ambitions, but the script struggles to fill out their lives.
Additionally, I found the finale episode to be quite weak. A large piece of plot is introduced and solved in 3/4 parts, leaving the final moments to largely montage wrap up. It felt oddly rushed and empty at the same time, leaving a rather pale impression after so many weeks of enjoyment. I would have liked to see the plots more connected throughout the episodes leading up to a finale that resolves them in a more satisfying manner.

ACTING:
This one is tricky. I think Orm and Lingling are both enormously talented... but the show did not truly showcase that. The chemistry is undeniable and the character work consistent, but everything is plastered over with perfect hair, perfect make up, perfect costumes, and perfect lighting. There is no real sense that these are real women, rather than actress dolls. It severely undercut the emotional pay-off of the more dramatic scenes, despite these actresses clearly giving it their all.

PRODUCTION:
This whole show is very shiny. Everyone has is perfectly dressed with glass skin and designer clothing, living in magazine houses with sports cars. I'm not sure this was always the right move or mood for the story. It made the characters and their problems feel more distant and false, creating a detachment to the story instead of getting to explore the circumstances of these women and their love.
That said, it was a beautifully shot show that was easy to watch. The lighting was always gorgeous and romantic, creating a strong tone for the story to build off of. I especially loved Juepak's colorful and lively costuming, and the levity it brought to the story. Each prop specific to Lada and Earn was well designed--especially the puzzle, Earn's scarf, and the music box girls. Their appearances helped tie the story together.

INTIMACY:
I really enjoyed Orm and Lingling together. Despite Ch. 3 mostly offering low-heat and... poised intimacy, they brought a real affection and comfortability with each other. It was easy to believe these women were in love and desired to be near each other, and truly beautiful to see the way they gently cared for each other. While I'm always advocating to allow women to be as sexual and present as their male counterparts, this seemed like the right tone for this company and this production (as opposed to a cop out). I really enjoyed it.

In all, this was probably one of the cleanest GL productions I've seen yet, but I'm not sure it was my favorite. I would like to see some of the improvements made here mixed with the heart and passion of less-polished works. I enjoyed the lead actresses immensely and would love to see them in something again soon.

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i thought this would be my favorite gl but no

loved the trope and overall the story but they didn’t had the change to make justice to the whole story with 8 episodes and the last 2 episodes was so annoying like I could barely watch because of that adding some annoying stuff to the story ruined the whole plot atp. like what was the point to make lada break up with earn since she fight a lot for their love?? or why would make her mother agree about their relationship after she wake up from coma?? like this is gap trope and im so tired of it

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“I want to be like this with you every day. I want you to be the last person I see before i sleep and the first person I see when I wake up.”

Somebody put a lot of love and thought into the making of “The Secret of Us” and it shows. MDL suggests that my overall rating should be 9.5 but search as I might, there is no reason to dock half a star so a 10 it is.

It's always great to see new concepts in shows and dramas and movies but there's a certain irreplaceable charm in taking the tried, age-old concepts and bringing them to life. That's exactly what “The Secret of Us” is. The story of two queer women who fell in love but were broken up by the choices of their parents. It is a duplicate, perhaps, but not tedious. It is sad but not morose.

Dr. Fahlada, a capable doctor and to-be executive manager of the hospital run by her parents is faced with demons from her past when her ex-girlfriend, Earn returns to her life after 4 years of being apart. In these 4 years, Fahlada has barely managed to recuperate from her wounds but Earn is back and the wounds bleeding anew. Like a scab that needs to be peeled to allow healing, Earn heals the wounds that she had herself created.

Although their story takes the centre stage, it is continuously emphasized how love can only bloom in the backdrop of other healthy relationships. And so, the interpersonal relationships of Earn and her actressing manager and colleagues, Fahlada and her friends who were always there for her, and their families, most importantly that of Fahlada and her mother are equally important. These are ultimately the little stories which breathe life into it, making it not a story of just romance but of lasting love.

Apart from the superb actors, like I said previously, somebody put a lot of care into the story. I suspect it is the awesome director; the slightest of details, easy to miss maybe, were incorporated both into the acting and story. It's never enough to just present a story, but we must understand the motivations of the characters, the good and the bad.

The pacing was also important to not mess up, considering there are just 8 eps. Timely back-and-forth in the present and the past, revealing only as much is necessary and only when it can create maximum impact allowed the show to proceed without feeling choppy or rushed. Basically I have nothing bad to say about this :p

Moving and tender, this is a gem of a drama and well-deserving of all the awards!

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