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This is another South Korean BL drama that doesn't use its potential. And no, this is not due to the obviously small budget. Having a good script does not depend on your budget -- on the contrary, if you have a great script, your budget won't matter as much.
I do think that the drama did well regarding sets, casting and directing. The actors were good for rookies, and the way they were styled and dressed and the set design gave the drama a distinct flavour.
Another aspect that I liked were the characters themselves, who were charming -- everyone had his own personality too.
But the one thing that I find most important was lacking: the story.
Yes, I know. It's a cute and fluffy love story -- don't expect much depth, right? And if this was all the drama would be, then it would have been fine. I could live with "vampires" being just the framework for the story. I could live with a simple tropey love story.
The problem here is that they tease with hints of world building but never deliver. There is no singular vampire lore that every vampire story uses; it's rather that there are many, at times conflicting, takes on how vampires "are" -- can they be exposed to sunlight? Are they born or made? Are they shape shifters? How do families work -- is it more coven-like or more like a human family? Can they eat human food? And many more.
And "My Secret Vampire" seems to think that viewers know these answers already (when they don't), so they never explain them. Or maybe even worse, it seems that the vampire lore here contradicts itself, the vampires can't eat human food, but then they are looking forward to Dongha's eggy toast? At times, I can't decide if the script is bad at keeping to its own world rules or if the character development is just not written well: Seonjae claims that "relations between vampires and humans never end well" but then he supports their relationship?
I could give more, and better, examples, but I want to avoid spoilers.
Overall, the drama had potential in its premise, in the actors, and in the design quality, but it's let down by confused writing that fails to explore its world to the point where I understand the world's rules.
Was it good?
It's so-so. It's entertaining, sure, but leaves more questions than it answered.
Did I like it?
I would have liked it more if the script were better.
Who would I recommend it to?
I would not recommend it at all.
I do think that the drama did well regarding sets, casting and directing. The actors were good for rookies, and the way they were styled and dressed and the set design gave the drama a distinct flavour.
Another aspect that I liked were the characters themselves, who were charming -- everyone had his own personality too.
But the one thing that I find most important was lacking: the story.
Yes, I know. It's a cute and fluffy love story -- don't expect much depth, right? And if this was all the drama would be, then it would have been fine. I could live with "vampires" being just the framework for the story. I could live with a simple tropey love story.
The problem here is that they tease with hints of world building but never deliver. There is no singular vampire lore that every vampire story uses; it's rather that there are many, at times conflicting, takes on how vampires "are" -- can they be exposed to sunlight? Are they born or made? Are they shape shifters? How do families work -- is it more coven-like or more like a human family? Can they eat human food? And many more.
And "My Secret Vampire" seems to think that viewers know these answers already (when they don't), so they never explain them. Or maybe even worse, it seems that the vampire lore here contradicts itself, the vampires can't eat human food, but then they are looking forward to Dongha's eggy toast? At times, I can't decide if the script is bad at keeping to its own world rules or if the character development is just not written well: Seonjae claims that "relations between vampires and humans never end well" but then he supports their relationship?
I could give more, and better, examples, but I want to avoid spoilers.
Overall, the drama had potential in its premise, in the actors, and in the design quality, but it's let down by confused writing that fails to explore its world to the point where I understand the world's rules.
Was it good?
It's so-so. It's entertaining, sure, but leaves more questions than it answered.
Did I like it?
I would have liked it more if the script were better.
Who would I recommend it to?
I would not recommend it at all.
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