Birth Secret

Peace be upon you. 

Birth secret as plot device is somewhat can’t be separated from kdramaland. It’s a typical cliché often seen even when it’s not truly necessary to be there. Some says, it wont be called kdrama if there is no some birth secret in it. Haha..just kidding. Guess, the writers really love birth secret thingy. But I’m not writing about numbers of dramas that used this birth secret thingy as the plot device. I want to share my thoughts about a drama entitled “Birth Secret” that I started to watch yesterday.

Yeah, the title is quite straightforward, it’s bland and posses no attractive features. Looking at the poster, it’s in sephia coloring and not really appealing to persuade me to watch it at the first place. Looking at the title, the only thoughts that came to my minds was that, “Don’t we get enough of those thingy these days?” Ten episodes had passed and suddenly, I gave in. 

I watched the first and second episode and started to love it. I’m glad that I decided to watch this drama. It’s a good one. Too sad I didn’t realize it earlier. What is so good about this drama? Let me tell you. What would you do if you wake up from sleep and unable recall what you've  done starting from 10 years ago? You think it is year 1997 but indeed you're in the year 2007. Time slip? Quantum leap? Time traveler? Nope, you're just losing your memories.

First, it’s the first drama that drags me to its emotional level. I cried countless time while watching. Ridiculous isn’t it? They tried as if to pull a comedy, but I just can’t help it instead of crying multiple times. I don’t know. Maybe I watched it when my mood was down, but I don’t think that’s the reason though. 

Maybe the relationship that ties them together made me immerse in every character’s feeling, especially Hong Kyung-doo’s love toward his wife Yoon-hee and his daughter, Hong Hae-deum. 

I personally think that Birth Secret is an atypical variant of countless kdrama with birth secret cliché. Though it has makjang-esque and amnesia as plot devices, I love the way it presented to me. With Yi-hyun’s memory lost, she is trying to put her memory together pieces by pieces in the journey called self- discovery of life. She was a genius, top student and graduated from Havard Business School but why there was a point of her life when she tried to commit suicide as if her future will be all ruined – and therefore fighting for the same spot to die with a so-called loser. What’s the difference between them? Why did she make such an impulsive decision? These questions intrigued me and made me watching 10 episodes in one night – yeah, because of the curiosity.  

For Hong Kyung-doo, though with his outer appearance may look just like a fool and a loser, deep inside he is a very good person. He is indeed a good husband and definitely a good father to Hae-deum. He looks like as if trying to pull a comedy but every time I see him on-screen, I felt bad for him and cried instead. What’s going on with me?  Actually this drama is not too sad to begin with, but it is very successful in dragging me into its emotional vibes. 

This drama also conveys mysterious element, about why Yi-hyun’s father can't be together with her, and why Yi-hyun lose her quite precious 10 years memory with her new family and one beautiful year with Kyung-do. Why Yi-Hyun’s family is so mysterious? What her  bestfriend, Suh-young did to Yi-hyun? And I’m also curious, if Yi-hyun/Yoon-hee really loved Kyung-do back then. We’re in halfway of Birth Secret, and there are a lot of secrets started to surface soon. I’m intrigued. 

Birth Secret for me is indeed a family drama that caught you red-handed. It drags me to its emotional level and gives warmth from the father-daughter / family relationship. I love the first half and I hope it’ll continue to impress me. Well, perhaps it’s my first time watching Yoo Joon-sang and Song Yu-ri together and I started to love them. And the little girl who plays Hae-deum is definitely so cute. Peeps, let’s give it a try. Till then, anyeong!