She Would Never Know: (aka Sunbae, Don’t Put that Lipstick On) 2021

November 13, 2022 12:04 PM - Season 1, Episode 16

Based on a popular 2017 Webtoon, this show tells the love story between a lovely "sunbae" and a bold "hoobae". (hmmm . . this was taken from IMDB, but it might not be entirely clear, especially for folks who are unfamiliar with kdramas, so I added more descriptions below the fold) IMDB Rating: 7.5

DramaBeans Rating: 8.2
A woman who works for a cosmetics company is in a secret relationship. When the young man she's training at work witnesses her boyfriend cheating on her, he decides to reveal the truth. As he helps her navigate her heartbreak, the two grow close, and he pursues her romantically.

MyDramaList Rating: 8.1
Yoon Song Ah works as a marketer for a cosmetics brand. She enjoys her job and dreams of launching her own brand someday. Chae Hyun Seung is a fellow marketer who becomes attracted to Yoon Song Ah. He tries to develop a romantic relationship but Yoon Song Ah rebuffs his advances, not wishing to date younger men.

the fangirl verdict
If you’re looking for big plot developments, then this story might feel like much ado about nothing, to you. However, if you adjust your expectations to expect a slice-of-life treatment to this romance, and turn your attention to how characters’ thoughts and emotions are teased out, and how they get from point A to point B when they’re processing their feelings, or trying to arrive at a decision, you might find a lot more to enjoy in this show.

posted by kbar1 (2 comments total)

This show is a melodrama and an office romance. There are some comedic moments, but it also features depression, heartbreak, and betrayal.

It’s primarily about the two leads, Hyun Seung played by Rowoon (who also starred in Tomorrow) and Song Ah played by Won Jin Ah (Just Between Lovers aka Rain or Shine) and I thought they did a great job, but it was the supporting characters and their relationships that I found more compelling. For me, the conflicts faced by Hyun Seung’s two sisters, played by Ha Yoon Kyung (“spring sunshine” from Extraordinary Attorney Woo) and Wang Bit Na (who was previously unknown to me), were relatable and his precocious niece (played by Park So Yi) led the conversations in some of my favorite scenes (for example, this one in the bookstore, which might seem a little too cute on its surface, but demonstrate what a fantastic job her mother had been doing in modeling skills for listening and empathizing).

Overall, I liked this show, but I'd be remiss if I didn’t point out that there are a few red flag moments in the first few episodes, with Hyun Seung crossing boundaries. It could be argued that these scenes were for dramatic effect and highlighted his character flaws to help viewers see him change and grow, but to me they seemed excessive and out of character – especially when contrasted against how sweet and empathetic he was with his sisters.
posted by kbar1 at 12:13 PM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

I enjoyed this (and, shallowly, enjoyed how hot Rowoon is!) but I agree that Hyun Seung came off as pretty stalkerish in a way I found uncomfortable. I do think the show tried to smooth that over by showing how kind he was with his sisters and especially his niece, and how dorkily happy he was in, like, the factory all-nighter scene when he's dancing after his conversation with Song Ah.

I did also like that they showed Hyun Seung generally getting invested in the comestics company even aside from his megacrush on Song Ah--when the other team stole his makeup idea I thought they did a good job showing how upsetting this was for him.

One major flaw in the show for me, though, was the attempt to redeem Song Ah's wannabe bigamist ex. Like, sorry, he was awful to her and his feeling trapped in his official engagement was no reason to lie to Song Ah and try to move her to Europe without giving her full disclosure!
posted by TwoStride at 5:34 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]