Kdrama Review: Her Private Life
One of the best Kdramas of 2019
You know when you want adult kdramas that are relatable but also give you all the butterflies and are funny? Her Private Life is the epitome of it.
Plot
This kdrama starts off by introducing us to Sung Deok Mi, a 30-something art curator who seems to live like a fairly ‘normal adult’. She goes to work, hangs out with her friends, gets annoyed by her parents and lives on her own because her apartment is a sanctuary. But she has a private life. She is also a fangirl.
She is the OG fan girl of this kpop idol called Cha Shi An and she has to hide that to maintain her job and her status as a ‘normal’ adult in the society. But Cha Shi An!!!
Ryan Gold is an artist who lives in the US who comes to South Korea and crosses paths with Sung Deok Mi. They start off on the wrong foot. He turns out to be her new boss. She must do everything to protect her fan girl identity.
But this is all only the first 10%. This kdrama is SO MUCH MORE.
*Spoilers ahead*
Lion Gold
I fell in love with Ryan Gold way before he became the romantic interest of Sung curator. I fell in love with his mind, his heart and his sensitivity when he showed such consideration and understanding towards what he perceived Sung Curator’s lesbian relationship.
From the very beginning, he went over and beyond to not just help them by giving them his hotel room but also till the end by protecting their identity every chance he got. The fight with Eun Gi when he thought Eun Gi would reveal their identity.
Volunteering to be Sung Curator’s fake boyfriend during the Cha Shi An scandal when he realized that since she’s gay (or so he thought) and she can’t come out she doesn’t have any boyfriend to protect her from all the backlash from Cha Shi An’s angry fans. I mean oh my god. That man. Need I say more? Pretty much no but I’m going to anyway.
Emotional maturity
So a lot of family drama and estranged kids/parents is very central to most kdramas. But I love how the drama and emotionally heavy stuff was balanced so well and weren’t the spotlight of the show.
But what I loved more was how understanding and mature all the characters were, especially Ryan Gold and Sung Curator. Because they were so understanding and mature, they got through all the painfully hard stuff and could be together without blaming anyone or feeling resentful.
They communicated flawlessly but also gave each other some space when it was needed because in the end no matter how much support you have from your loved ones, sometimes you just need to be alone for a while to process everything.
Also, he didn’t get all mad at her when she lied to him and took him to the church to show Lee Sol’s final painting while his mom was also there. Any other kdrama and I can tell the male lead would have thrown such a fit and got all angry on her for lying to him. But see this is what I mean about them being so mature and understanding – he obviously knew she did this for him.
Relatable intimacy
Another striking thing about Her Private Life was how grown up and chill the two leads were about intimacy. Kissing, sleeping in the same bed, making out and all that jazz. I mean you know that awkward first kiss scene in most kdramas where the guy lunges in for a kiss and the girl is just standing there like a statue with her eyes open and lips stationery? Yeah, their physical intimacy was the exact opposite of that awkwardness. It hence felt natural, the way two adults in love would behave.
Intricate relationships well done
I also love how they explored different relationships and their intricacies like Sung Deok-Mi’s and En Gi’s complicated yet pure connection and history. Cha Shi An’s and Ryan Gold’s relationship before they figured out their brothers (and even after).
Her parents and all the pain they had to bear and how they found ways to cope with it. Cindy and how her character really grew up in the span of the series. It was quite heartwarming. The relationship between her friend and her husband. And oh my god their adorable child! So fucking cute.
Special mention for how Hae Yoon Jae handled his relationship with his mother as well as Deok-Mi’s mother after he got his memories back. He was such an emotionally advanced, sensitive, compassionate, forgiving human. He really raised the standard for kdrama male leads. Ugh. My lion.
The ending was happy and well rounded except one tiny thing – Cha Shi An didn’t find out that Sung Deok-Mi is behind his favourite fan page. I mean considering how they are on their way to becoming family he probably does find out but I wanted to see that reveal. Because I feel like the first half of the show was really building to that. But other than that, no complaints.
Final thoughts
It was a super cute show with the right amount of emotional stimulation and thought-provoking moments. Also, the art based themed made the show more romantic and delicate.
I guess we all know what was stuck in my mind for days after watching this kdrama – chakka chakka snapshot, chakka chakka snapshot!!!
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