Terius Behind Me (2018)

With "My Secret, Terrius" the KDrama-World shows what it can do, too: simply entertain.

"Terius Behind Me" playfully and lightheartedly balances between RomCom and spy thriller. The series dates back to 2018, but in view of the global corona pandemic, it is probably more up-to-date than intended. That makes the spy story a bit very serious in retrospect. Otherwise, "My Secret, Terrius" is a bit funny - the investigations and relationship dynamics intertwine in capricious ways. It's a bit cute - with the two twins as well as a second "romance" in the subplot. A bit tart - the legendary star spy undercover as an inexperienced babysitter for two bright six-year-olds. Between the two main leads, it's actually a bit about romance, too. But there is also room for a bit of bromance - male friendships. And there is a little something in it for handbag freaks.

An exclusive highlight in "Terius Behind Me", however, is the Korean style neighborhood watch - the distinctive esprit of the mothers' association of the Kingsman neighborhood, that is characterized by notorious curiosity (by the way, a man is part of that, too). As the Kingsman Information System (KIS), they prove to be several times superior to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) - especially in terms of efficiency when it comes to their high-tech networking and highly motivated investigations.

In passing, you also gather some impressions of life in typical high-rise condominiums in Seoul´s new development areas, the over-committed mothers in such neighborhoods, and (in case I didn´t already mention it before)... handbags... :-)

With "My Secret, Terrius" the KDrama shows what it can do, too: simply entertain.
Enjoy.

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I need to thank whoever decided to make So Ji Sub into a Secret Agent-Babysitter which is pretty much the perfect man. That concept may sound crazy, but it actually works extremely well in this drama that is equal parts comedy and spy thriller. The comedy parts are really cute and genuinely made me laugh. The thriller parts weren't too heavy or dark but still managed to be surprisingly exciting complete with some cliffhanger episode endings. I admit that it was my love and complete bias for all things So Ji Sub that made me keep watching when the kids made me roll my eyes, and the lead actress made me frustrated often, but I quickly fell in love with this show and the entire cast.

Of course, I will start with So Ji Sub, who this role seems custom made for. I always admire his acting but to see his more comedic side, even as the serious-faced straight man, was really impressive. He definitely gets to show off his action skills too, and kick @ss in a way that made me swoon, but there are also so many funny scenes that made Kim Bon irresistibly charming. He was matched well with Jung In Sun as Go Ae Rin, who I think played her role well even if I was often annoyed by her character's actions. They may not have had a passionate chemistry, but I loved their innocently flirtatious and sweetly considerate moments together. Normally I would wish for more blatant romance, but considering their pasts in the story I think it was handled just right. However, I do kinda wish that I could see their story keep going beyond the last episode.

This is also the kind of drama where the supporting cast really shines, and I loved the entire cast. There's the KIS crew who turned nosey neighbor behavior into a true art form and had some of my favorite moments in the show. They are mostly there for comic relief, but I love how they were actually woven into the more dangerous and suspenseful parts of the story as well. Then there are the NIS agents, specifically Im Se Mi as Yoo Ji Yeon and Kim Sung Joo as Hacker-Bae Ra Do Woo, who had great chemistry of their own from the start. Joon-Joon were super cute, even though I initially wanted to put them on permanent time out. I guess they needed to do a good job of showing why Ae Rin was so desperate for a babysitter. Even Son Ho Jun grew on me in a way I didn't expect. Although some of the supporting characters and guest roles were cliché and over the top, it worked with the style of the story, which at times was campy, and I think the whole cast embraced that.

As for the writing, even though I was entertained the entire time, there were definitely some weak moments. What this drama does best is balance comedy and action, and both are done well without taking away from the other. You just have to embrace the totally unbelievable moments, but they did do a good job of not leaving many holes. The ending did feel a little abrupt and rushed, but they did a great job of ending the story without leaving any of the characters I grew so attached to ignored or forgotten.

Would I watch this again? Yes. This is a drama I wasn't ready to see end, so I can see myself rewatching more to enjoy the characters than for the plot. I would much rather see a sequel instead, which isn't likely, but the ending does open the door to a possible one which I would absolutely watch!

I don't really have any major complaints except for the obnoxious product placements. I think they made some of the moments extra cheesy on purpose, but especially in the last episodes. I couldn't believe how many commercials they squeezed into the story so blatantly (Did Quiznos really need to become part of the plot??!!! lol)

Overall I am glad this drama lived up to the excitement I had over first seeing the ads for it. If you're expecting a serious spy thriller or an epic romance, you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment, but I still think there's enough in this drama to keep a wide range of fans entertained. This is also an obvious must watch drama for any So Ji Sub fan. I wish he could give me "nose to nose" through the screen, but alas... I guess I have to settle for another drama to add to my favorites list.

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