4
10
1
1
This review may contain spoilers
aggressive pursuer & naive pursuee (watch suggestions)
Overall: I wasn't surprised to see it is based on a manga ("Itte Owarina Wake ga nai!" by Komeoka Shigu). It had that bodice-ripper, aggressive pursuit and confused/reluctant pursuee vibe. I haven't read the manga and reviewed the series based on its own merits. 12 episodes about 22 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala (not in Taiwan, Korea or Japan) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/5526/secret-lover-2025-e01 ; iQIYI https://www.iq.com/album/secret-lover-2025-1gamo9acu1d and GTV Drama YouTube channel (not in Korea or Japan) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk2gvyPpHLRfYzaDVqGeGwr7LPZlWNZQd&si=bCMJZNrnkEEwkbHx
Content Warnings: non con touching, non con touching/kissing turned consensual-ish, non con kisses, manhandling
Watch Suggestions (after episodes 1 & 2 which I'm not re-watching, these timings focus on sweet and steamy moments)
- start episode 3 at 12:20
- episode 4 watch 12:55-20:20
- episode 5 watch beginning to 6:40, 13-14 and 19-end
- episode 6 watch 6:40-8:10, 16:20-17:20
- episode 7 watch beginning-8:30, 21-25:30
- skip episodes 8 & 9
- episode 10 watch 3:30-14 and 24-end
What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
- the kids were cute*
- ML said he was fine with either
- supportive friends/not cliched female characters
Room For Improvement
- started with a flash forward, then went to a flashback before landing in the present
- ignored boundaries, was jealous over his nephew, self-centered, insecure, immature
- asking to slow down/pause on intimacy (a reasonable request) didn't mean ghosting (felt coercive)
- nonsense fever after being in the rain
- comedy sound effects didn't make things funny
- *too many childhood flashbacks
- did not care about the work drama, slow pacing
- way too many cliche running scenes
- noble idiot trope but at least it was communicated as to the reason
- the parents knew and should have realized it might make their son worry, they could have dropped hints liked watched a queer romance movie and talked about how love is love and they support marriage equality and rights
Content Warnings: non con touching, non con touching/kissing turned consensual-ish, non con kisses, manhandling
Watch Suggestions (after episodes 1 & 2 which I'm not re-watching, these timings focus on sweet and steamy moments)
- start episode 3 at 12:20
- episode 4 watch 12:55-20:20
- episode 5 watch beginning to 6:40, 13-14 and 19-end
- episode 6 watch 6:40-8:10, 16:20-17:20
- episode 7 watch beginning-8:30, 21-25:30
- skip episodes 8 & 9
- episode 10 watch 3:30-14 and 24-end
What I Liked
- visuals
- easy to understand premise
- the kids were cute*
- ML said he was fine with either
- supportive friends/not cliched female characters
Room For Improvement
- started with a flash forward, then went to a flashback before landing in the present
- ignored boundaries, was jealous over his nephew, self-centered, insecure, immature
- asking to slow down/pause on intimacy (a reasonable request) didn't mean ghosting (felt coercive)
- nonsense fever after being in the rain
- comedy sound effects didn't make things funny
- *too many childhood flashbacks
- did not care about the work drama, slow pacing
- way too many cliche running scenes
- noble idiot trope but at least it was communicated as to the reason
- the parents knew and should have realized it might make their son worry, they could have dropped hints liked watched a queer romance movie and talked about how love is love and they support marriage equality and rights
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