User Reviews

This drama has so many slow scenes, but there's something magical about them, there's always something important expressed through everything song played and wordless conversations.

Brilliant acting from the male lead, Yoo Ah In, his emotions manage to get you through the screen, you can feel him hesitating, suffering, craving and bursting with passion and desire, even when he plays the piano, you understand everything he is feeling just by looking at his gestures and facial expressions.

I enjoyed watching this.

This drama or simply beautiful even in its most rugged moments it was deep and gritty and lovely and warm and romantic you felt all the emotions with the top class acting especially from the Main characters.. the music tied the whole drama together it matched the energy and the emotions and I'm going to go and find the OST because it was that good.. This drama may not be for everyone but it's definitely one to watch there's just something about it and if you've seen it and loved it you would know what I'm talking about.

Anyone who watches this series, hoping for a depiction of a torrid, passionate love affair will be disappointed.

This series is handled with a certain delicacy; a restraint that doesn't prevent or hold back, but depicts the tender beauty of two people in love. I submit that a viewer may find it very difficult to pass judgment, for how does one justify judging love? Can love be judged?

To the naive viewer, Sunjae Lee is a young man, barely 20, who thinks and feels with his hormones. This is a gross misinterpretation and understanding of who he is. Sunjae Lee is a simple young man who knows how to do things in only one way: with love and passion. A gifted pianist, Sunjae is able to captivate his audiences, whether they be a concert hall or a few listeners, not with just the beauty of his play, but with the heart and passion he puts into it. Several viewers are so captivated by his play, that he moves them to tears. It is a bit ironic that a young man of 20 already knows the secret to love and living simply.

Oh Hyewon is a middle-aged woman, approximately twenty years older than Sunjae. A renowned pianist when she was Sunjae's age, she has now found herself pulled into the world of wealth and power. She works for a Seohan Art Institute as an executive/accountant. She loves the life that her money buys for her, and she has long forgotten the passion and her own love for music. She is married to a university professor, who also works for the institute. They share a house and a life that is more like those of roommates than of spouses. There is little tenderness or warmth in their relationship or in their house, which looks like a cold bastille atop the street. It is somewhat ironic that the only room in the house that has any warmth at all, is the music room.

Sunjae's talent is soon discovered, and he's asked to come over to the professor's house to play. Hyewon is asked to listen, given her musical background. Immediately, she is taken back to a time when she used to share the same love and passion for music that Sunjae has. Hyewon can't help but be enamored by the young man, unable to realize that she has already captivated him.

There is a certain degree of irony in their relationship, in which Hyewon attempts to teach Sunjae about her world; the world of power and treachery. It is a world that is completely foreign to Sunjae, and he already realizes that he wants no part of it. He is not interested in money or acquiring things. And yet, it is his simple and complete way of loving, that makes him Hyewon's teacher in that regard.

The acting performances are all first-rate, especially those of Ah-in Yoo (Sunjae) and Hui-ai Kim (Hyewon). The relationship between these two characters is handled deftly, like a piano piece...full of love, beauty, and grace. Viewers may find themselves longing for their own "Sunjae"...someone who can love so unequivocally and unconditionally as Sunjae can. His love is all the more profound in the little things that he does to ensure her comfort.

One cannot mention this series without the incredible musical performances. Nearly every episode has a piano piece that seems to perfectly coincide with the feelings of Sunjae and Hyewon. Watching this series is like listening to a long concert, and by the end, you feel all the better for it!

Being introduced to the heroine as a well paid executive who spends her day and night pandering to the desires of her rich, powerful and utterly despicable bosses did not give me a good first impression. I don't particularly enjoy watching the meaningless lives of such pathetic characters and gave up less than halfway in episode one. A week later, I decided to give Secret Love Affair a second chance, mostly because of the good ratings and the fact that it was an earlier recommended work from Ahn Pan-Suk, the director of Something in the Rain and One Spring Night, two shows that left me with a strong impression.

Without giving away any spoilers, shortly into the second episode, I was mesmerized by the music. Or more precisely by the emotions expressed by our two protagonists as their first artistic communion through their music. How can two strangers with 20 years difference in age come to such an emotional climax in their first encounter without knowing anything of each other, without even any actual physical contact? They have nothing in common except for their love of music and their talent as pianists. To me, their first duet is of such emotional intensity that it is infinitely more passionate than any torrid love scene that only reduces a relationship to physical desire.

But don't let my word choices mislead you into thinking their relationship started off as banal sexual attraction. That would be an unforgivable distortion of the beautiful and pure passion that drew them together in the first place - their love of music. This love of music is the bond that binds them together, yet it represents drastically different things to each of them. To 20 year old Sun-jae it is his present and his future even if he does not have any realistic ambition to turn it into a career at the start of the story, as he is just a lowly deliveryman. To our heroine Hye-won however, it is a painful reminder of the pianist career (and passion) that she gave up long ago in pursuit of money. As viewers, we wonder if their budding love story sparked by their love of music will also lead Hye-won to reorient her career and her life.

As a matter of fact, as the story moves on we can't help but be astonished, and repulsed, by the deceitful human beings gravitating around this music business that contrast with the purity and beauty of the world of classical music that transcends it all. How can such opposites coexist?

This leads me to what I hate in the series: the corrupt lives of the upperclass and the futility of those whose life mission is to join them. No doubt such people exist in real life but I really have no interest in them. Their scheming and powerplay left me cold and I am bored when I see our heroine pander to them. I cannot stop asking, why did she choose this utterly despicable and unfulfilling life when she could have been a world class pianist in her own right?

Therein lies the power of this show. As much as I despise the life choices of our heroine, I came to identify with her. I share her suffering when she's in the company of her materialistic work circle and her husband. I am joyful when she's with her young prodigy and I dream of a new life for her, however improbable it may appear. Beyond being a musical genius, his innocence, his integrity, his simple desire for a simple and happy life with her is literally the only hope we see for her. Much to my frustration, why won't she take his hand and leave this corrupt and meaningless world she is in? isn't it so abundantly clear that music and their love for each other will give her so much more happiness than the golden prison she had built for herself, from luxury villa down to her nice dresses, luxury cars, live in maid and expensive beauty VIP treatments?

As we approach the end, I was afraid we'll either be given a over simplistic happy ending that does not go well with character development and the mood of the story, or more likely a tragic or ambiguous ending that may give the appearance of artistic writing but is ultimately lacking in terms of storytelling and viewer satisfaction. I can say my fear was not warranted. We have the ending our endearing characters rightfully deserve.

Should you watch this old drama from 2013? This is not a romcom and there is no humor. If anything this show is closer to an art film than your typical kdrama. But despite its gravity it is not pretentious and the amazing performance from Kim Hee-ae and Yoo Ah-in will not leave you indifferent. A masterpiece.

This is one of KDrama's best series with two fine actors in the leads. Yoo Ah-In was actually several years older than the age of the character he plays, so his capturing of the gawkiness and hesitancy of the youth is particularly noteworthy, as is the character's gradual maturing and literally taking the lead in the relationship. We also must compliment the actors' memorizing the piano pieces. They and the professional OST are amazing. I could have done without the side plots as I just wanted the love story because it is so touching.

This is such a great drama. It's about a forbidden love - a young man falls in love with his married piano teacher, who's twenty years older than him - but it never feels like they're engaged in a tawdry affair. It's clear, right from the beginning, that this is love and it's pretty epic. The two leads are fantastic. Yoo Ah-In is mesmerising. He infuses his role with exactly the right amount of awkwardness, sincerity, intensity and passion. Kim Hee-ae is equally impressive, though her portrayal starts out more restrained. The two shine when they're together. Whatever their characters are experiencing - happiness, despair, intimacy etc. - they hit the perfect note every single time.

The music is gorgeous in and of itself, but how it manages to convey their moods and their growing connection is absolutely marvelous. I especially like how joyful it feels when the two leads play piano together. The plot could've been fairly standard but the acting, writing and directing has elevated it to excellence. It all feels so effortlessly natural and real.

Seriously, watch this. It's fantastic.

I've watched over a hundred kdramas, and this is in my top 5. The story is about the relationship between a young piano prodigy and his mentor, and the piano playing is the best of any cinematic portrayal I know of. Their relationship is based on a shared love for music and his fascination with his very sophisticated mentor. She is in a loveless marriage, and gradually succumbs to his emotional directness and honesty. Those who are put off by the idea of a younger man/older woman relationship won't like this series for that reason, but anyone open to an unusual relationship should love the combination of sophisticated realism, romance, and great music.

I loved this series on Netflix. The tension caused by the two leading actors is fantastic. The clothing worn by Hui-Ae Kim and the luxurious surroundings are a sight to behold. it was lovely to see the politeness of Koreans which is similar to the Japanese in fashion. If you like classical music you should love this series as there is a good deal of it. I found Hui-Ae Kim very exotic and sensual as she learns to deal with her feelings. Ah-in Yoo is very good as the object of her fascination.

Juxtaposing the main leads' relationship with the seediness of the other characters completely pulled me out of their love story and diminished any enjoyment I would otherwise have had. I hated the supporting characters with a passion because their actions made no sense. Perhaps the writers of the script had a bad experience within the art and music world which they felt needed to be explored and exposed, however, the ways and manner in which the plot unraveled were so amateurish and obvious to the viewer. There was no suspense or twist that wasn't already foreshadowed. I mean, seriously, even I knew from episode one how the entire drama would unfold. That said, the male lead, Yoo Ah-in, gave a really good performance and was the sole bright light in this silly drama.

Really sweet and render story. But seems to be lost or slow towards the 12-13 episode.

I was on a k-drama addiction....but somehow this shows slowness has cured me.

This is a high romantic drama beautifully realised. Whilst it is Korean it has the feel of a sophisticated European film.

Wonderful performances from the two leads and indeed the whole cast , gorgeous music, elegant backgrounds and with an innate grace this is a series to be savoured.

Recommended highly to romantics everywhere

Strange but I hated this documentary but rated it a 10 because of the excellent performance and classical music by the lead male Yoo Ah-in. He brought so much emotion to the performance of his piano concerto scene that it just has to have a 10 rating. I did not care for the 20 year difference romance - teachers that take advantage of their naive students - that poor boy loved her so much it made me sick to watch it but just loved the way he played the role and don't think anyone could have done it better. I would have turned it off only for the music and his performance. The ending was terrible imo. One thing I did love though is the tribute to Billy Joel, The Piano Man, who is celebrating 50 years 2023.

I'm kinda disappointed, maybe I expected too much judging by who's behind it. It started off heading in one direction then ended up in a different direction. They took away the focus from the relationship/affair and brought the company issues in its place. The relationship already lacked depth and development but neglecting it in the later episodes harmed the drama even more. Speaking of which, I didn't like how they laid out the story with the any of the characters outside the 2 main ones. There was also no real tension or consequences to the affair. The husband failed to play any meaningful role in the story. The main leads brought a good performance but the same can't be said about the rest. Although, whenever there was a moment that required the leads to act "feeling guilty" it came across as artificial, they could have done better with these scenes. Which brings me to my last point that is the production, it was kinda a hit or miss, sometimes it was wonderful while other times was totally distasteful and experimental. Some transitions were off, as if some scenes were cut short and abruptly. At least the music bits were good. It's still a decent drama but not a one that I would recommend from this genre.