- Drama Title: You Are My Secret
- Also Known As: 私藏浪漫, Hidden Romance, Office Hidden Marriage, Ban Gong Shi Yin Hun, Si Cang Lang Man
- Genres: Romance
- Director: Jin Xiong Hao
- Cast: Karlina Zhang, Wei Zhe Ming, Wang Zhen Er
- Number of Episodes: 33
- Date of Release: July 31, 2024
- Original Network: Hunan TV, Mango TV
- Where to Watch: Viki, MangoTV
- Adapted from the novel “Ban Gong Shi Yin Hun” by Qing An
Dear readers… I was in a good mood when I wrote this You Are My Secret drama review. The weather was hot, but I had a glass of iced tea and cold snacks on my desk. I like to munch on something when I work on my computer, it feels like I can think better with food compared to without. Do you feel the same way, dear readers? I wonder how many of you ate while you worked. Aside from the Cdramas obsession, I think we have something in common. 😁
You Are My Secret Drama Synopsis
Tu Xiao Ning worked at Dairui Bank for 3 years as a lobby manager. She aimed to become a regular employee and worked very hard to get it. Meanwhile, Ji Yu Heng, a promising and talented young man, had just returned from abroad and joined the same bank. The two of them met each other at a matchmaking event, and they recognized each other right away because they went to the same high school.
Tu Xiao Ning’s dream of becoming a regular employee was shattered when a colleague snatched her chance for promotion. She was then transferred to the Development Department’s Division One as an assistant to the account manager. Dejected, she went there to quit her job. However, she regained her motivation and worked hard to be a regular employee.
Both Ji Yu Heng and Tu Xiao Ning needed to get married. Ji Yu Heng was in dire need of marriage because his mother was terminally ill and wanted him to marry the person he loved. Meanwhile, Tu Xiao Ning wanted a stable marriage with a compatible partner. When they learned that they were in sync, Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng decided to get married.
However, their new life had to be hidden because Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng worked in the same bank, which prohibited office romance. The problem became more complicated when Ji Yu Heng was transferred to the same department as Tu Xiao Ning’s boss. Could Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng hide their relationship from their colleagues and at the same time build a real relationship between them?
You Are My Secret Drama Review
It’s been a while since I watched a drama on Viki. This streaming platform always has the best subtitles compared to other platforms. Thanks to the contributor systems. And as a non-native speaker, I was glad that Viki was there so I could watch this drama without a frown. But the downside of Viki is that there are country restrictions, so I couldn’t watch all the dramas listed on this platform.
You Are My Secret is an urban Chinese romance drama about young people. Those who work hard and live in a big city can surely relate to the feelings of the characters. The helplessness when you encounter an injustice at work, the loneliness when you have no one to share all the good and bad news with, or the excitement when the opportunity you’ve been waiting for finally comes.
There’s no need to mention the parents who urged their children to get married as soon as possible. I think most of the urban romances in Cdramaland had this trope because it was a common problem for us, Asian people. 🤨
At first I thought this drama was a tad too slow for me. However, that didn’t lessen my excitement to watch this drama. The story was sweet and heartwarming. There were some exciting kissing scenes. And they were not those stiff kisses. This one is for real, dear readers! Every romance junkie would love this drama. 😍
A Simple Storyline
Story-wise, the plot of You Are My Secret drama was pretty simple and cliché. Marriage of convenience, secret crush, a forbidden office romance, jealous love rival, reverse Cinderella story, and rival-to-lover romance. You could easily find these tropes in Cdramaland.
For example, you could find stories about marriage for convenience in She and Her Perfect Husband drama (I wrote She and Her Perfect Husband drama review and She and Her Perfect Husband ending explained), The Starry Love (I also wrote The Starry Love drama review and The Starry Love ending explained), The Princess Royal (and wrote The Princess Royal drama review and The Princess Royal ending explained), or Wei Zhe Ming’s 2020 drama Perfect and Casual.
If you want to see stories about secret crushes, you can watch Everyone Loves Me or Love the Way You Are drama. I don’t need to show you dramas about jealous rivals, right? There are tons of jealous rival trope in Cdramaland. Pick a romance drama and I am sure there will be one 😆.
You Are My Secret is a good drama. However, I am sure they could have wrapped it up in less than 30 episodes. They waste too many episodes on the slow progress of the relationship. There weren’t many misunderstandings in their relationship. The main problem was Ji Yu Heng’s decision to hide his longtime crush on Tu Xiao Ning. When his ideal type of girl was revealed.
Everyone knew that Ji Yu Heng liked a girl who wore a high ponytail and had a hearty laugh. He still hid the fact that he was referring to Tu Xiao Ning, who always wore a high ponytail in high school. Ji Yu Heng didn’t dare to say it to Tu Xiao Ning because of Tu Xiao Ning’s flippant remark. As someone who is sensitive, he seemed oblivious when Tang Yu Hui paraded her high ponytail in front of him.
Nice Acting and Chemistry
Although there were some flaws in the story, this drama has its own charm, the actors. Karlina Zhang and Wei Zhe Ming may not be as famous as Dylan Wang or Bai Lu, but they act in many good dramas.
You could see Karlina Zhang as a high school student in Shining for One Thing (you can read Shining for One Thing drama review and Shining for One Thing ending explained) or in the Ode to Joy series. Meanwhile, Wei Zhe Ming could be seen in Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact, Only for Love, or Word of Honor.
In the early episodes, you could see that Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng were a bit awkward and distant. As time went by, the awkwardness between them gradually disappeared. And I laughed so hard when I saw Ji Yu Heng trying to seduce his girlfriend by intentionally leaving his pajama top unbuttoned.
From the facial expressions and small gestures, I could see the great on-screen chemistry between Karlina Zhang and Wei Zhe Ming. And for the first time, I was glad that the story went at a slow pace… 😁.
But after watching all the episodes, I decided that my favorite characters are Rao Jing and Zhao Fang Gang. Yes, Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng have all the qualities of main leads. But they seemed to come straight out of the book. They were too nice and too positive, so it feels a bit boring.
Meanwhile, the characters of Rao Jing and Zhao Fang Gang were livelier and more natural. They weren’t perfect, and the way they seemed to hide their flaws seemed very real to me. I have friends who work and live far away from their loved ones because they dream of being successful.
But after they reach a certain position, they realize how lonely their lives are. They didn’t have any friends outside of their work colleagues. And I am sure you know someone who laughed and looked happy all the time, but was unable to reveal their true feelings, which were buried deep in their hearts.
I was amazed at how eloquent Wang Zhen Er and Zhou Cheng Ao were. Rao Jing and Zhao Fang Gang were the most extroverted and loudest characters in this drama. They were very talkative and expressive. Probably about 80% of their dialogues consisted of long lines. Wang Zhen Er and Zhou Cheng Ao did a very good job of delivering their lines. They are also not shy when it comes to acting. Moreover, their on-screen chemistry is great.
A Few Downsides
Of all the actors in this drama, I was quite disappointed with Dai Byun Fan and Ke Ying. Dai Byun Fan’s acting was a bit stiff. Meanwhile, Ke Ying’s portrayal of Ling Wei Yi was two-dimensional. Qi Yu and Ling Wei Yi were a couple with a huge financial gap. Money had become the source of unhappiness in their relationship. It was a good script for great acting. But I feel that they failed to deliver.
I also didn’t feel any screen chemistry between Dai Byun Fan and Ke Ying, although there were some intimate scenes between them. From the story of Qi Yu and Ling Wei Yi, we learned that money can’t buy a stable relationship. Financial gap is inevitable these days, and Cinderella’s happiness only existed in Disneyland and some Cdramas.
Still A Good Drama
You Are My Secret is a great collaboration between the director, the actors, the writers, and the production crew. Our director, Jin Xiong Hao, has just started his directing career in 2019, and this is my first time watching his drama. Considering how good he made this drama, I will surely look forward to his next works.
All in all, I really liked You Are My Secret drama. The story was heartwarming, the acting was great, and the visuals were excellent. The soft color tone was easy on my eyes. The lighting was also good. It was bright but not overwhelming. And I like how the director used close-ups in important scenes. Even though the actors’ makeup was too thick (or they probably use filters), making them poreless, I could still see the changes in their expressions.
I am sure some of you are curious about how You Are My Secret ended. No worries, the ending was of course a happy ending. Everyone in this drama got the best ending for them. And if you want to know the details, I also wrote the ending of this drama in a separate post.
You Are My Secret Drama Characters
Tu Xiao Ning
Tu Xiao Ning (played by Karlina Zhang) grew up in an open-minded family. Her parents loved and supported her unconditionally. Growing up in a happy environment made her sensitive and good at managing her emotions.
Tu Xiao Ning is also a compassionate person. She cares when others need help. Not because she wants to gain some merit, but because it is the right thing to do. Her positive spirit made her bounce back higher when she fell. Although she looked amicable, Tu Xiao Ning was courageous and could stand up for herself.
As for love and marriage, Tu Xiao Ning took a logical approach. She learned from her previous relationship that love alone is not enough. Stability and compatibility are also important. Although she seemed to fall head over heels for Lu Si Jing, she eventually realized that she was not angry with him because of love. Tu Xiao Ning was devastated because she felt abandoned.
Ji Yu Heng
Ji Yu Heng (played by Wei Zhe Ming) is a perfect example of a highly intelligent introverted person. He is quiet, calm and reserved. He is a meticulous observer with deep thinking and self-reliance. He rarely opens up to other people, including his mother. Ji Yu Heng is someone who focuses on both work and personal relationships. His longtime crush on Tu Xiao Ning proves that nothing can affect his feelings.
In the office, Ji Yu Heng is a great leader. Although he was a bit too strict, with Tu Xiao Ning’s guidance, Ji Yu Heng learned when to be lenient with his subordinates. Ji Yu Heng’s talent and ability were highly valued by the bank president. Ji Yu Heng’s tall and handsome appearance also attracted many women. This situation was certainly unfavorable for Tu Xiao Ning.
However, it was Ji Yu Heng who was often consumed by jealousy. He was very concerned about Tu Xiao Ning’s feelings. When Tu Xiao Ning was jealous of her love rival, Ji Yu Heng would do anything to make her believe that she was the only one in his heart.
Rao Jing
I will quote the rumor about Rao Jing (played by Wang Zhen Er) that was circulating in the office. Rao Jing is the king (shouldn’t it be queen?) of the Development Department Division One. She is a dictator who fought her way through the men. Her reputation as an ambitious career demon is well known. She is also a cold-blooded woman who only cares about money.
Rao Jing worked efficiently and was widely known as the bullet of Dairui Bank. Rao Jing’s dedication and hard work are truly the best in the entire drama. Although Rao Jing always said so many mean things, she has a kind heart. She protects Tu Xiao Ning from nasty client and teaches her to be a strong and determined person.
In her life, Rao Jing follows the principle of “work hard, play harder”. Her boyfriends were always younger than her and she changed them as easily as she changed her clothes. Every wild night she spent was nothing more than an escape from her loneliness.
Rao Jin has lived alone and relied on herself since she was young because her parents died early. She builds walls around herself because she is afraid of relationships. Rao Jing always looked polished, but all the shiny jewelry and expensive clothes didn’t bring any happiness to her life.
Zhao Fang Gang
This person is really a nuisance in this drama. He talks a lot and always annoys Rao Jing. They were rivals at work and loved to mock each other whenever they had the chance.
Zhao Fang Gang (played by Zhou Chen Ao) may look too casual and laid-back. But he was the only one who could compete with Rao Jing at work. He was resourceful, clever, and creative. He is also an extrovert who can easily make friends with strangers. Although he doesn’t look like a reliable person, Zhao Fang Gang is smart, kind, and a responsible family man who cares about his loved ones.
Ling Wei Yi
Ling Wei Yi (played by Ke Ying) is a humble rich girl. She comes from a wealthy family, but has never discriminated against others based on their financial situation.
Ling Wei Yi was Tu Xiao Ning’s best friend for a long time. They were very close, like sisters. Ling Wei Yi worked as a receptionist at a company in the same building as Dairui Bank. She didn’t work for money because her father always provided for her.
When it comes to love, Ling Wei Yi is a hopeless romantic. She fell in love with Qi Yu in college. But after they broke up, she couldn’t move on and still has him in her heart. Ling Wei Yi is a kind and simple girl. The most important thing for her is to live happily with her loved ones.
Qi Yu
Qi Yu (played by Dai Yun Fan) is the ex-boyfriend of Ling Wei Yi. Unlike her, who comes from a wealthy family, Qi Yu comes from a humble family living in a small town. His father always tried to control his life, and his mother was too weak to defend him.
Qi Yu’s father didn’t like his son having a relationship with a rich girl. He felt that it was an insult to his dignity, therefore he was the biggest obstacle in Qi Yu and Ling Wei Yi’s relationship. Even though his father always said mean things, Qi Yu was determined to be with Ling Wei Yi. However in my opinion, before they can restart their relationship, Qi Yu needs to solve his insecurity issues caused by his narrow-minded father.
The Conclusion
You Are My Secret drama brought joy to my weekend. This drama is so heartwarming that I spent some time rewatching some episodes while writing this review. If you have decided to watch this drama, be prepared to be swept away by the story. You might end up losing sleep because you just want to see what happened to Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng. In my case, I wanted to see more bickering moments between Rao Jing and Zhao Fang Gang. 😂
Through this You Are My Secret drama review, I highly recommend this drama to those who call themselves romance junkies like me. Just pick a quiet weekend, because once you start, there’s no turning back. Happy watching, dear readers!
