What’s better than a drama that can perfectly combine an office romance, marriage contract, first love, sparkling chemistry, and beautiful main leads? If you are looking for a C-drama that has all of that and more, then you cannot miss the chance to watch “You Are My Secret.” This 2024 C-drama tells the sweet story of Ji Yu Heng (Wei Zhe Ming) and Tu Xiao Ning (Zhang Jia Ning), two professionals in finance who enter a relationship with the mindset of getting married out of convenience. But they slowly find true love, friendship, and happiness along the way. Here are only five of the many reasons why you have to watch this C-drama if you haven’t already.
1. An intelligent and decisive female lead
There might be a lot of types of female leads nowadays, from the naïve and clumsy type to the aloof and strong-willed ones, every one of them with charms of their own. However, Tu Xiao Ning truly gives a special touch to this show. She is a beautiful and dedicated office worker who wishes to live a peaceful life with a stable job and a good partner. But all her plans start to fall apart the moment her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her and she loses her chance to become a permanent employee at the bank she works in. Contrary to what many might believe, she isn’t easily defeated when faced with disappointment. She accepts a new chance to start anew in Marketing Team 1 and starts to go on blind dates in hopes of finding a future husband.
When the opportunity arrives, she takes the offer from her old high school classmate to start a new relationship and puts all of herself into making it work, showing that she knows what she wants and what she needs to do to get it. Throughout the drama, Tu Xiao Ning has a very clever and diligent mindset when it comes to both her job and her family, not even letting her ex-boyfriend or petty coworkers get in her way. Her bright personality, beauty, and warm heart not only make the male lead fall irremediably in love with her but viewers as well. Not so many female leads in C-dramas can capture your heart and make you root for her happiness as Tu Xiao Ning does.
2. An almost too-perfect-to-be-real male lead
If the female lead in this C-drama is the biggest picture of diligence and perseverance, the male lead is the picture of perfection in itself. Ji Yu Heng is a handsome, smart, and successful bank employee who can achieve whatever comes to his mind, whether it is in his career or his love life. A male lead like this can often be a little too much to handle, however, he shows that he is human after all. He has flaws and can be awkward when it comes to matters of the heart. But the best attribute of Ji Yu Heng isn’t his dashing looks or his brilliant mind, but his pure and tender heart that has loved Tu Xiao Ning his entire life.
Pretty early on in the drama, we learn that he has been in love with her ever since their high school days. So, when he finds out she has broken up with her boyfriend, he doesn’t hesitate to return to his homeland and pursue her, not missing this new chance to be with the only one who has captivated his heart. Ji Yu Heng is the best example of a green flag: devoted and respectful towards his lover’s needs, caring with his family, and hard-working to his core. If there’s something that will make you swoon while watching this drama, it will definitely be its male lead.
3. Charming and unique secondary couples
Sometimes in C-dramas, when the main couple is so perfect, the secondary ones lack the charm to make you fall in love with them. But in this show, that isn’t the case, as both secondary couples bring to the table a unique element in their own way. Firstly, the couple formed by Rao Jing (Wang Zhen Er) and Zhao Fang Gang (Zhou Cheng Ao) slowly go from being frenemies and rivals at work to getting married and having their own little family. Their relationship is so fresh and entertaining, both of them always challenging their wits. But it also has a depth that will touch your heart and make you shed some tears along the way when they find a home in each other’s arms.
On the other hand, the relationship between Ling Wei Yi (Ke Ying) and Qi Yu (Dai Yun Fan) shows a completely different perspective and brings a touch of reality into the show. Both of them, with very different backgrounds, try everything to stay together, from accommodating each other’s likes to even trying to change the way they live. But even after all their struggles to make things work, it isn’t clear whether they end up together or not. They are a clear example that sometimes, no matter how much you love a person, it isn’t enough to ensure a happy ending.
4. Strong and loyal friendships between leads
Love is important for both Tu Xiao Ning and Ji Yu Heng, but another cornerstone in their lives is the friendships they create along the way. Xiao Ning and Wei Yi start as best friends from the beginning, but their bond is perfectly portrayed by how none of them try to fix each other’s life – rather they just kindly remain by their side, coping with every struggle they have to face. Xiao Ning and Rao Jing’s friendship, on the other hand, evolves slowly from mentor and mentee, to equal colleagues, and finally friends who have each other’s back inside and outside work. These three women, although fundamentally different, can form a true friendship that helps them go through their everyday.
In Ji Yu Heng’s case, he might not be as open and sociable as Xiao Ning is, but he also appreciates and demonstrates that he can be a loyal friend if given the opportunity. He and Zhao Fang Gang might have a rocky start, but Yu Heng quickly wins his respect, and the two of them end up becoming a dynamic duo. It’s so much so that they even get to compete against their respective partners to win important clients in the banking industry. And, although out of nowhere, Yu Heng also becomes a guide and strong support to Qui Yu, who never hesitates to turn to him for advice, showing how men can develop healthy friendships.
5. A steady and heart-fluttering romance
One of the biggest reasons you must definitely watch this C-drama is the amazing romance between the leads. Though it doesn’t start as a passionate and consuming love, it does warm your heart the way they steadily open up to each other until they fall completely in love. Even if Ji Yu Heng has loved Tu Xiao Ning for more than a decade, he does not force his feelings towards her. Instead, he patiently waits for her to develop feelings on her own. Throughout the drama, you can enjoy a perfect combination of office romance and friends-to-lovers tropes that will make you binge-watch every episode. Though for some it might appear as a slow-burn story, the pace fits perfectly for both characters and the situation they live in.
Their story is so endearing, not only for the little family they create with their in-laws, but because they truly show how a mature, honest, and thoughtful relationship can bring so much growth into their lives. There might be some clichés like the meddling ex-boyfriend or the annoying colleague who is in love with the male lead, but they don’t let them interfere in the peace of their relationship. Xiao Ning and Yu Heng are the perfect example of how you can become a better version of yourself after finding the right one. And although they do have their ups and downs, just like any other married couple, they always come up with a solution that will bring the best to their relationship. If you are craving a romance that will make your heart full of happiness, this is your queue to start watching “You Are My Secret” now!
Watch all the episodes of “You Are My Secret” here!
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Andy zar is an avid drama watcher, from K-dramas to C-dramas, she believes any weekend is a good weekend to enjoy 12 hours of binge-watching dramas. She loves romance, web comics, and K-pop. She is a declared “Subeom” and “Hyeppyending.” Her favorite groups are EXO, TWICE, and BOL4.
Currently watching: “Will Love in Spring.”
Plans to watch: “The Best Day of My Life.”