Both Her Private Life (HPL) and What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (WWWSK) star the popular rom-com queen Park Min Young (PMY). With both K-dramas having a huge fan base, it will be hard indeed to have a clear answer as to which is a better story. Different people would have different opinions and I have seen diehard fans having arguments online to express their like or dislike for either one of the dramas.
There is really no right and wrong answer here. It is what stirs you more emotionally as you watch the plot unfolds and the characters’ interactions. So, after watching both the dramas, I thought it would be interesting to do a comparison of Her Private Life vs What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim from my own perspective.
HPL vs WWWSK From Various Angles
Chemistry Between The Leads
This is a hard one to decide for me. Both Park Seo Joon (PSJ) and Kim Jae Wook (KJW) have such great chemistry with their co-star PMY. Perhaps it is the story and characters that they play that result in KJW having an edge over PJS. For me, the interaction between KJW and PMY is more natural and they look perfectly in sync and very comfortable with each other which is a joy to watch. I can practically feel the love that they have for one another through the screen.
The little details in HPL like the touches, hand-holding, glances, and stares into each other’s eyes just upped the chemistry between the two leads. Unfortunately, such scenes are far fewer in WWWSK.
On-screen chemistry: HPL wins
Characters
PMY is a curator in HPL and a secretary in WWWSK. Both are professionals working in an office who later started to fall in love with their boss. Thus, there are a lot of similarities in the characters that PMY portray in both dramas.
The difference lies mainly in the male characters. PSJ’s character as Vice Chairman Lee in WWWSK is more childish with his egotistical and narcissistic attitude. So, no matter how on fire is PSJ and PMY’s on-screen chemistry, they are also limited by the story and PSJ’s character which is the more dominant one in the relationship.
On the other hand, KJW’s character as Ryan Gold is more matured and open to communication. Therefore, it is definitely easier for me to relate to him than with Vice Chairman Lee. I dare say that Ryan Gold is like a perfect boyfriend that every woman would dream of with his caring and tender ways.
Characters: HPL wins
Acting
PMY did a fairly good job in both dramas but I don’t see any difference in terms of her performance for both, especially when the two characters that she play are somewhat similar.
For the males leads, I think PSJ’s Vice Chairman Lee is the harder one to perform. He has to show that this person is a genius and a narcissist while being likable by the viewers. I guess he nailed it with his convincing facial expressions – cold at times and funny at others to suit the circumstances.
KJW also did well with Ryan Gold. It is a nice surprise to find KJW to be able to do a rom-com role so well. His smirks, smiles, and gazes are just oozing charm and masculine appeal. He knows when to use them effectively to raise the temperature in a scene and make a woman’s heart flutter.
Acting: A tie
Plot
Both HPL and WWWSK carry flashbacks to the past. There is a childhood connection between the male and female lead characters with memory loss thrown in. At one point while watching HPL, I automatically thought out WWWSK because the nightmares faced by Ryan Gold was very similar to the ones Vice Chairman Lee was having.
Basically, there is nothing original in terms of the storyline for both dramas. There are also plot holes here and there although they don’t really affect the enjoyability of the dramas. I guess the plot is not exactly the top priority for a romance drama fan. However, I have to say that HPL’s theme is more refreshing as it centers on fangirling which is a relatively new phenomenon for a drama. But in terms of plot, both are equally mediocre to me.
Plot: A tie
The Romance
This is what women-folk look forward to in a rom-com, right? Yes, I know the kisses are important too, but the feelings have to be there to make the kissing scenes more emotionally fulfilling to watch. In WWWSK, the whole romance is very fairytale-like because the man is ultra rich. Opening a theme park at night and arranging for fireworks just for the girl is indeed very romantic but it isn’t very realistic either. To have a super-rich boyfriend come down to the level of the girl in terms of cheap dinner choices is also sweet but also seems a little awkward at times.
On the other hand, the romance in HPL is more down to earth. While WWWSK is more about the man pursuing and convincing the girl to be with him, HPL is more invested in the characters being there for each other. Hence, the relationship between the man and the woman is more matured and the love is more tender and deeply felt. This allows for many sweet moments in the drama that can easily make your heart melt which is part of the reason why many fans find it hard to let go of HPL when it concluded.
Romance: HPL wins
Kissing Scenes
There are more kissing scenes in HPL than WWWSK. But it is not just the number that matters. It is the intensity of the feelings and how real their kisses seem on the screen. HPL did it better with the building-up of sexual tension between KJW’s Ryan Gold and PMY’s Sung Deok Mi. While WWWSK’s kissing scenes are steamy (the bed scene comes to mind), KJW and PMY really nail it with their kisses in HPL to make you scream for more. It is not that the kisses in WWWSK are not heart-warming but those in HPL just don’t seem like an act at all.
The way Ryan Gold kisses Deok Mi’s wrist, cheek, forehead, and nose can be much sweeter and hotter than the actual kiss on the lips in some scenes. The little kisses during their playful moments will leave you with a raised sugar level while you can feel the passion and tenderness behind those deep kisses in more serious scenes. The bed scenes are also very different from other romance dramas. There are no steamy kisses to leave you breathless. But you can expect sweetness overload with their pecks, hugs, gestures, and conversations which are more emotionally satisfying.
I really don’t know how KJW and PMY did it but you get the feeling that the love, passion, and tenderness are overflowing when they did those kisses in HPL. It is as if they are so invested in the relationship themselves that we seem to be intruding on their private moments.
Kissing Scenes: HPL wins
My Verdict
For me, HPL is the clear winner in the HPL vs WWWSK comparison. It is just my preference based on the chemistry between KJW and PMY that simply raises the bar for a rom-com. Maybe because they are so comfortable with each other as can be seen behind the scenes that it is easy for them to make it more natural on-screen. Hence, it is enjoyable to watch this couple which makes HPL one of the best rom-coms in recent times.
So, which one do you prefer – HPL or WWWSK?
Hello..
So far, I do agree with you.
Right now, I just need 1 more episode for HpL to be watch.
And yes, I love chemistry between PMY and KJW inspite of with PSJ.
But i like to add more, both drama have a good comedy. I have great times watching these dramas. :))
Anyways, I also watch Touch your Heart. Have you preview this one too?
Kamasahamida.
Xoxo
No, I have not watched Touch Your Heart yet. There are just too many good dramas to watch and too little time! 🙂
Ah this is just too much biased…. it’s wrong to compare individual plot and declare a drama better. The overall feel, the funny scenes, the cast and acting is just suberb in wwwsk and it’s quite a unique drama , not to mention the beautiful visuals.
Almost every support character is enjoyable in wwwsk
I don’t think there is anything wrong in comparing dramas and to prefer one over another. We all have different likes and dislikes and it is perfectly fine to have different opinions. At the end of the day, these are just dramas and there is no right or wrong in which drama one prefers.
Yes, even from the beginning this post is too much biased lol
It is just a simple comparison based on my own perspective as mentioned in my post. You can certainly have your own conclusion and your own likes and dislikes. I think each of us can have our own biasness because all we are doing is just watching a drama on a screen!
So it was “Biased”
I have never denied that it wasn’t because it was written from my own perspective and I have also stated it is my own preference in the verdict. That is why at the end of the post, I also asked readers which do they prefer because different people will have different reactions to the dramas they watch. Would that make all of us bias then? Actually, I’m more interested to hear why readers would prefer one over the other and what they like or don’t like about the dramas rather than arguing over the perceived biasness of the post when our preferred choice or conclusion may differ.
Your are just saying WWWSK is shit. Shame. You are just jeolous of Seo Joon.
No, I’m not saying that. In fact, I recommended a watch in my WWWSK review. All I’m saying is I prefer one over the other. And, frankly speaking, I’m too old for idolizing stars and indulging in jealousies although I love watching dramas! I don’t even know what all the celebrities involved have been up to after I have finished watching WWWSK and HPL. I also wish I’m at an age where I could be jealous of Park Seo Joon or any other idols but unfortunately, I’m not. Sigh! 😂
I’m Sorry but i thought it was just a “Biased” “Oppinion” i mean cause honestly about the “Romance” I Think it was a Fair but i really Expected on the “Kiss” one to be atleast WWWSK cause we all know both are really great kissers. I watched both Kissing Scenes and i gotta say. WWWSK was really something. Since we all know Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young are good kissers. I would not say this is a Bias Oppinion if you could have add WWWSK in one of your votings but you almost… Wait.. not almost. You Choosed HPL ON ALL THE VOTINGS except the “Tie”.
And also doesn’t mean if i am a young fan girl i’ll fangirl over Park Seo Joon or whatever “Age where i could be jealous over Park Seo Joon or any other idols but unfortunately i’m not, SIGHHHHHH😂😂😂”
But anyway just thought it was kinda funny to add that rant but dunt worry hehe i was just joking at the last part but i meant the first part though
Frankly speaking, fairness or biasness did not cross my mind when I wrote the post. I just came up with it based on how I felt after watching the 2 dramas. I certainly didn’t think much about it. I guess if I’m bias towards HPL, it is because I like it better and it resonates more with me as I watched. It is as simple as that.
Anyway, maybe I should now write a post on Park Seo Joon vs Kim Jae Wook – Who Is More Handsome And Manly… and start another round of interesting argument! Come, come, let me know your pick now! 😂
I have yet to watch WWWSK (in fact I’ve just finished HPL!) but I do recall trying to watch WWWSK for an episode a few months back, but never eventually got hooked for a next episode. I thoroughly enjoyed HPL, and though the plot veered into unrealistic melo territory in the last episodes, I did enjoy the rest of the plot very much (the fangirl in me giggling as I watched Deok Mi’s fangirl antics on screen – so real). Good looks in a romcom is a given, but the interesting premise, well-written MATURE characters, and their sizzling chemistry is what sets the drama apart from many others before them. This is probably one of best kromcom I’ve watched in recent years. As for WWWSK, since the plot if quite similar to HPL’s plot, I guess I’ll give it a pass for now.
I just loved both! And I mean Loved!
I don’t understand why people are attacking your post. Though subjective bc it’s your opinion, I can tell you spread out your thoughts objectively. I agree too, to me it felt like one drama was a copy and paste of the other in certain scenes. idk which came first but the second definitely copied the other. They both have their beauties and feel good moments but HPL has that mature and realistic outlook of a relationship that older viewers can appreciate as opposed to WWWSK.
To me these are the same exact dramas! No one wins except the people making Money! – She looked and acted the same in both dramas LOL- the plot lines were not even different – no twist here