luzitania

Not sure I agree with your first point. Tae Joo is very introverted and guarded because of his past. Just because he doesn't go crazy doesn't mean he doesn't feel emotion or isn't alive.

He reminds me of Shi-Mok in Stranger (Forest of Secret) who had a brain operation removing most of "emotions" and yet he still felt something and was one of the most intriguing character I have seen.

I am okay with people who drop a show and write a review explaining why they did. What I have an issue with is people who watch 1-2 episodes, write a 10/10 review because "Idol X is so HOOOOOT" and then never update it.

Urgh, talk about unhelpful.

The World Cup messed the schedule so they cut this drama short by a week because another show was premiering that week.

I agree. They dropped a few plot points mid-shows: as you mentioned, Poong's ex, the horse.

They also showed something about Sae Woo's ex seeing Sae Woo and Poong together but they never did anything with that.

I think the writer was a bit too ambitious. Wanting to cram too much details into one 16-hours show.

Poor sweet Young Joon. Watching child Young Joon pretend to lose his memory and trying to shoulder all the burdens of the family, urgh, my heart broke for him. :( No wonder he never saw proper counselling for his nightmares and phobia since he had to pretend he couldn't remember.

Also, they still haven't explained who that woman was. From that last episode, I got the feeling she targeted Young Joon. Could she really be Dad's mistress?

Healer? Why are you comparing an action-thriller with an office romance? Or did you expect the whole secretarial department to be secret agents working for an international spy agency?

If that is the case, no wonder you were disappointed.

Watching the episodes this week, there were so many high and lows.

High- When Poong won the competition, cause duh?

Low - When Poong hired Asshole Wok Handler/Notebook Thief. Why, Poong?

High - The hugs between our three leads after the competition. Friendship Goals!

Low - When Sae Woo's mother and father preventing Auntie and Oppa from accomplishing their dreams. Apparently Sae Woo's mother meals are more important.

High - Sae Woo enduring Asshole wok handler's abuse. And Poong brushing her teeth after a long day of work. Supportive boyfriend FTW.

Low - that Hungry Wok is put on sale. :( I prefer it to the hotel's kitchen.

It does look very realistic which I love.

I always found it weird in older dramas when two 30-years old would hug and made it out to be a big deal. It didn't seem very believable, but I see the couple of Wok of Love often in the real world.

Sae Woo's mom: "I married your father because he was an educated and wealthy."

Who said romance was dead? /sarcasm

Sae Woo needs to drop her mother like a hot potato. Her oppa and auntie are not any better. At the beginning, I thought the thugs were the immature ones in this show but they have a really good work ethics compared to Sae Woo's family.

Totally agree with you both. I can see how she became that way. Probably raised to be taken care of by her husband and only raise her children but now that she has to fend off for herself, I would have enjoyed the mother learning to appreciate her job and the person who graciously gave it to her.

I have a feeling she will learn so I am holding on to hope but man, the character arc is loooong. :D

I have said this before and I will say it again: I don't like Sae Woo's mom.

Forgive me, but you don't shit all over someone's hard work just because they don't have a house or are not at 'your level'.

/rant over

"The misogyny and how sometimes other cultures are portrayed" It's so funny that she mentioned it because I was just thinking about how foreigners (and French people, specifically, being in France right now) are always represented as playboys and sexually experienced in mangas and asian dramas which is obviously a stereotype and yet one, that doesn't seem to go away.

Super interview and thank you to Steph and real_Mokona.

Completely agree with everything. If I had anything to add, it might be the concept of time. From what I have been told from friends, Korean work insanely long hours and don't get off work until super late and yet in every drama, there is this whole second life happening during the night (dinner/ stroll along the river/ dates...) and yet they still look so good back at work the same day.

Did they get their hands on Hermione's time turner and if so, where do I get one?

My comment was in response to StJohn which I don't agree with on many levels. Just because a comment is lengthy or grammatically correct does not make it accurate.

As for fangirling, well, can you really blame them? We watch dramas to de-stress after work (especially romantic comedies) not to enter a debate about genders and society's expectations. If debating is your de-stress mechanism, go right ahead but if you prefer to fangirl on a celebrity thousands of miles away, that's also ok.

To go back to your last comment, I don't put feminism and gender empowerment in the same category. While feminism is a belief in the equality of sexes, gender empowerment is to me a tool to achieve that purpose.

There are many layers to feminism. Many of them involve empowering women to have more opportunities (education, career-wise or otherwise), to have their own voices when it comes to their life or their bodies but it also includes things such as men having the right to paternity leave for example (and a reasonable amount).

There are many fights ahead of us, but I don't think What's wrong Secretary Kim is approaching any of those topics. In this particular instance, I don't find what's wrong Secretary Kim feminist or anti-feminist.

I could have taken you seriously until this happened: "And yes, there she is. Jung Kyung Yoon, the writer, with hair cropped like men, and dyed. Definitely feminist."

Women who have short hair = feminist? Yeah, you lost me there.

FYI, the definition of feminist: Belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes (I don't see hairstyle mentioned anywhere)

Ohh, can't wait to see if they stay true to the original then.

I hear you. Even the most vile mother and father always go through redemption at ep 14 or something (Looking at you Radio Romance) which is so hard to buy because people don't really change in real life.

Is it just me or is that brother hella suspicious? You are cute, Sung Yeon, but you still set off my warning bells.

Completely agree. I don't think the new secretary will make it very far in the industry with her big mouth.