338. Her Private Life 그녀의 사생활 (2019) Korean

Park Min Young, Kim Jae Wook, Ahn Bo Hyun, Kim Bo Ra, Park Jin Joo

Drama Rating: 7/10     Neck Score: A

I think the only thing that sold this show for me was the OTP. Ryan Gold and Sung Deok Mi were #relationshipgoals. They were the most mature and well grounded couple in the history of rom-coms. They talked things out, supported each other, and were just generally super cute. That being said, there really wasn't much else to the plot. Nothing was super compelling, and because our couple was so good at working things out, nothing was a huge deal and was resolved in the same episode. Mind. Blown.


I even started calling it: Ryan Golded. When the previews make it seem like a trope is going to happen and it's going to cause the usual drama, but instead they solve it in a logical and swift manner so it's not even a problem. Dramas would be a lot shorter if everyone took this approach. But because of that, I do think that it was a bit less compelling than some. Maybe we're all just so used to a bit of makjang/horror/melodrama/any other genre being thown into our rom-coms that the lack of a strong plot or even something compelling, made it a bit boring. I was literally just having a conversation with the t-list about this. But I don't think it was the ridiculous drama that was missing, they tried to throw that in a couple of times and we didn't like it (I'm looking at you, episode 15), I just think that the plot wasn't very strong to begin with. It was a series of little instances that all centered around a group of people, with the OTP at the head.


She's hiding the fact that she's a fangirl. That's more of a situation than a plot, because it's just an element of what might keep them from getting together rather than the driving force of the show. They were having to fake date because of a fake celebrity scandal- solved right away. They're putting together an exhibition using a celebrity's collection with a secret artist- that's more of a situation than a plot. They have to find all the paintings- also more of a situation. Throw in a bunch of last minute childhood trauma- no wait, we hate that. The strongest bit of consistent plot was that Ryan Gold was looking for his past through finding the paintings.

That being said, that plot finished with like 4 episodes to go, so there was nothing really compelling me to keep watching, besides that our OTP are gorgeous and super cute. I've always love Park Min Young,  but she was especially adorable in this. Also, super competent at both her real job and her fangirling job. Kim Jae Wook is gorgeous and is finally playing the male lead. He was perfect for this role. This sensitive, nice, respectful man, Ryan Gold, is really just one of the best male leads ever. This is 100% a case of the couple carrying the drama. Not that everyone else sucked, but since the plot was limited, they had to be the driving force that kept us all coming back.

I did like the rest of the cast. Yeah, the second leads in the brief little bit of love triangle, were annoying at times, but that lasted 2 seconds. They both grew out of it really fast too, and became cool people again. There was a brief bit of trouble for the friend's marriage that we all saw coming, but that also worked out nicely. I loved the three friends and their interactions and teasing.

Another thing that was a bit annoying is that they must have used every trope ever, they just all got Ryan Golded. There was the childhood connection, yuck. The love triangle/second leads trying to mess them up and crush their confidence- that got sorted quickly. Birth secrets, haha. Fake dating... that got real too fast. They even threw in the study abroad for a year/year jump. Thankfully that was solved in record time too.

By the end of it, I think that Cindy was my favorite character. She started out as the main antagonist, at least for the first mini-plot that made them fake date. But she had the most character growth, probably because she started out way more flawed than our leads. They started out practically perfect. She was immature and legit a sasaeng fan. By the end, she has grown up, found healthy passions, learned how to be a successful/healthy fangirl, and has improved all her relationships- with her mother, her co-workers, and has made some real friends. Also, she is consistently her, with that incorrigible attitude and lack of filter. I love how she just calls it as she sees it. Definitely my favorite. Also, he mother is amazing. Horrible, annoying, and the best. I love Kim Sun Young. She's literally a genius.

So, OTP gets a 10, the rest of the characters get at least an 8, the plot(s) get like a 5, but the wrap up of the plots (as in how quickly they are solved) gets an 8, so maybe this gets a 7? I think the OTP bumps it up higher than maybe it deserves, but it's all good. They're worth it.