Misunderstandings are one of those things that completely infuriates me when it comes to dramas. We know it very well, one of the characters mishears something and then we have to watch through five episodes how it spoils relations or leads to cringe situations. Complicating plot just because two grown ups cannot really articulate what’s wrong is just lazy writing for me. Saying that, I’m so happy, that those situations, in Her Private Life, even tough happen, ale so smoothly handled by well written and clear thinking characters. That was a great relief for me while watching this drama.
I’ve seen someone already writing that this series could end on 14th episode and I kinda agree. It seems like writers had the main plot finalised at this point but were bound by the contract to write two more episodes so they’ve just unnecessarily overcomplicated some minor themes making them a bit too long. This unfortunately spoils reception of the finale, but without much damage to the drama as a whole. I’d say it’s just slightly annoying. Luckily characters are cleverly written so all misunderstandings that come from this prolonged motives are quickly resolved.
The main praise I have for this drama must be characters. I’d say that this is one of those dramas that defends itself solely by the characters, making main plot secondary (what is not necessarily bad thing here). I had the same with some other series (like What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim), where action is used more for character development, rather that the action itself. With Her Private Life, feeling is similar. Characters are just so well written and interact with each other so smoothly, that watching it itself is sufficient.
But of course we have an action and we have classic drama tropes that are so repetitive sometimes in drama world, that we could make a drinking game out of them already. So one of the characters must have some sort of childhood trauma that took its toll on his adult life, we have long lost acquaintances that figure out that they’ve met long time ago very late in the drama. At least one of the parents has to be slightly unhinged (this time not even slightly, but I can fully forgive it, since the character is so entertaining in her quirkiness that it makes amazing comic relief). And of course second lead syndrome must be there, but in this case I’d say it’s here only because someone decided it has to, since it’s not very convincing and certainly we can see that it’s not gonna happen. Honestly, I’d see someone else on this position.
This all luckily is overshadowed by high quality of the drama.
Overall I highly enjoyed this drama. It’s one of those that you watch with constant grin on your face by how cute some scenes are. I don’t expect very much from romantic dramas, for me all they have to be is enjoyable and this one delivered it fully.