Title: 마이 시크릿 호텔 | Mai Sikeurit Hotel | My Secret Hotel
Genre: Comedy | Mystery | Drama
Episodes: 16
Broadcast Network: TvN
Broadcast Period: August 18 – October 14, 2014
Synopsis:
Nam Sang-Hyo and Gu Hae-Young fell in love, impulsively got married, then, eventually separated in a matter of 3 months when they met in the US . Nam Sang-Hyo is an adopted child and works as a waitress in Las Vegas, who dreams to be successful working in the hotelier business while Gu Hae-Young is a rising architect working and living in New York, belongs to a very rich family in the construction business. It was love at first sight for both of them, but, something happened that they ended breaking-up in 3 months after their impetuous marriage ceremony. Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever one of them may want to look at it, they never filed the documentation of their marriage. Seven years later and in Korea, Nam Sang-Hyo, now works as the manager of the wedding department of a hotel named, Secret Hotel, while Gu Hae-Young has a thriving architectural company and presently to be married to Jung Soo-Ah, a rich, spoiled heiress and his childhood friend. During this time, Secret Hotel is undergoing bad publicity in events particularly the wedding department that started when Nam Sang-Hyo took over from her predecessor, so, it is critical for her to resolve this problem. One of the solutions given to dispel rumors of failed marriages 3 months after a couple gets married at Secret Hotel, is to feature one famous couple who will be getting married in the hotel and has a high probability to be successful at it. Jung Soo-Ah happens to want to get married at the Secret Hotel, where her father is a stock holder. The Hotel Management finds it ideal to do this with Jung Soo-Ah’s wedding as approved by Jo Sung-Gyeom, a brilliant and attractive management director, currently hired by the hotel not only to manage it and dispel the rumors but to return the hotel’s reputation during its glorious days. Because of everything that’s going on, Nam Sang-Hyo’s dedication on her work caught Jo Sung-Gyeom’s eyes and became attracted to her. Jo Sung-Gyeom is actually ignorant what Nam Sang-Hyo is currently dealing with and, that is, to put into rest the ghost of her past while they are solving the hotel’s problems. She now has to make the extreme sacrifice to do the best wedding arrangements for her ex-husband to solve the hotel’s problems. Unknown to Nam Sang-Hyo, Gu Hae-Young’s real reason of returning back to Korea is to look for her, the only woman he really loved. So, Gu Hae-Young also found himself in a dilemma when he learned who will be making his wedding arrangements. He needs to get married to Jung Soo-Ah to do his father’s wishes. As fate would have it, it was solved for them their challenges by someone ending up murdered during Gu Hae-Young’s wedding. And, this is the beginning when all the secrets in the Secret Hotel shows to unravel. It starts revealing one by one all the secrets it holds on all the characters.
Characters:
- Yoo In-Na as Nam Sang-Hyo
- Jin Yi-Han as Gu Hae-Young
- Namgung Min as Jo Sung-Gyeom
- Lee Young-Eun as Yeo Eun-Joo
- Uhm Soo-Jung as Yang Gyung-Hee
- Choi Jung-Won as Yoo Shi-Chan
- Hwang So-Hee as Joo Jung-Eun
- Kim Jae-Seung as Kim Ki-Ho
- Choi Jung-Woo as Lee Moo-Yang
- Chu Kwi-Jung as Lee Jung-Sook
- Kim Bo-Mi as Heo Young-Mi
- Choi Tae-Hwan as Jang Ki-Chul
- Go Yoon-Hoo as Cha Dong-Min
- Ahn Gil-Kang as Kim Geum-Bo
- Lee Kwang-Hoon as Simon
- Kim Byung-Choon as Hwang Dong-Bae
- Ha Yeon-Joo as Jung Soo-Ah
- Lee Kwang-Hoon as Detective Lee
- Kim Dong-Gyun as Kim Soo-Bok
- Ha Soo-Ho as Soo-Ho
- Yoo Jung Rae
- Ahn Bo-Hyun
- Cha Hwa-Yeon as Baek Ji-Mi
- Hong Seok-Cheon as Cameo Role
- Woo Sang-Jeon as Cameo Role
- Lee Joo-Sil as Cameo Role
My Review:
The most difficult part of doing a review is not writing the review but finding time to watch what you will review. It becomes easier when the movie or drama you will give a review on is something you do enjoy and feel that your time didn’t go to waste especially since this is something I do only for pleasure not for income purposes. I don’t even know if people do read my reviews or give a crap of what my opinion/s about them. It only becomes truly worthwhile for me when I am able to find a gem and derive pleasure of watching an entertaining K-Drama or movie out of it. Just like this K-Drama. I’ve heard of this only now, 2 years after it was aired, from my housekeeper and it is indeed a good recommendation. I started to check-out tvN production K-Drama listing because haven’t seen one yet that totally sucks. And, this K-Drama is one in my books totally worthy to watch especially if you want not only a romcom but something with a touch of mystery.
So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?
(1) What I love most on this K-Drama is that it was able to sustain the suspense in revealing the secrets of the characters up to the entire 16 episodes.
(2) The murder mystery gave the twist and held my interest to what may have been a typical K-Drama love triangle or romcom.
(3) Although, I do know the actress, Yoo In-Na, from Queen In-Hyun’s Man and My Love from Another Star, I can’t remember the leading men, even though I’ve seen them in other dramas. In truth, both actors don’t do much to me to swoon over but they’ve really delivered their characters to the letter. Having said that I prefer Namgung Min as Jo Sung-Gyeom than Jin Yi-Han as Gu Hae-Young.
(4) Although, I normally don’t review on the technical stuff of film making, I like fast pace of the story and its editing. There’s no dull moment per episode and no scenes that seem to be done as filler.
(5) I like the OST, it is very suitable to the theme of the K-Drama.
What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?
(1) Initially, I don’t like much the temerity and pretentious goody two-shoes character of Nam Sang-Hyo, who inadvertently hurting the character, Jo Sung-Gyeom.
(2) I wish another actor did the character, Gu Hae-Young. Although, as I’ve said Jin Yi-Han delivered his character well but for some reason I can’t connect and be sympathetic to him.
As a whole though, there’s nothing much I didn’t like with this K-Drama.
Would I recommend this K-Drama? Yes.
My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars
OST:
01. Secret – Jo Yong Hoon (조용훈)
Play Me:
02. Lost in Love – Neon Bunny (야광토끼)
Play Me:
03. Trap – Swings (스윙스) and Yoo Sung Eun
Play Me:
04. Secret – Yoon Sung Ki (윤성기) feat. Lee So Ri (이소리)
05. Is It Love? – Young Joon (영준) of Brown Eyed Soul (브라운 아이드 소울)
06. Propose – All the Staff (임직원 일동) feat. Hoi Jang Nim (회장님)
07. Touch Me – Han Na (한나)
08. Tiktok – Edan (에단)
09. Bell Boy – Han Na (한나)
10. Ppuing Ppuing – Jo Yong Hoon (조용훈)
11. My Secret Love – Various Artists
12. Time After Time – Various Artists
13. Begin Again – Han Na (한나) and Edan (에단)
14. My Secret Hotel – Various Artists
15. Who is the X? – Various Artists
16. Secret Killer – Various Artists
For Lyrics in English, Romanization and Hangul, CLICK HERE