The comprehensive content studio Playlist (CEO Park Tae-won) successfully concluded the drama "Secret Love" last week.
Playlist's first BL (Boys Love) drama, "Secret Love," is based on a popular office BL webtoon of the same name by writer McQueen Studio, which has repeatedly topped the Kakao webtoon romance rankings.
"Secret Love" is a joint production of Playlist Studio, Fuji TV, and Kakao Entertainment, featuring creator Jung Soo-yoon of "Boys on Flight" and "Your Taste" and writer Lee Yoo-jin, who took on her debut work. The direction was handled by director Yang Kyung-hee, known as the "BL home of fame."
"Secret Love" gained immense popularity both domestically and internationally immediately after its first release on Feb. 27, recording high viewership ratings on various global platforms. In Korea, it maintained the number one spot for four consecutive weeks (WATCHA), while in Japan, it was ranked number one in the Asia drama sector for four consecutive weeks and first in the overall genre real-time rankings right after all episodes were released (as of March 22). It also achieved the highest initial viewer count for an Asia drama (FOD), ranked first on the day of completion in North America (iQIYI), and dominated the rankings in 10 countries including Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia (GagaOOLala).
Creator Jung Soo-yoon noted, "I was happy to portray the passionate romance of four boys who are perfect but awkward in love," while writer Lee Yoo-jin expressed gratitude, saying, "I wanted to convey the true meaning of love through these four characters." Director Yang Kyung-hee commented, "I hope the time spent with these charming characters has created good memories for the viewers."
The lead actors also expressed their affection for the work. Kim Jun-seo (as Daon) said, "I hope it was well conveyed to the viewers as I acted with all my passion," while Cha Sun-hyung (as Sung-hyun) remarked, "It was a precious experience where I could learn and grow." Cha Jung-woo (as Soo-hyun) shared a warm review, saying, "I was worried at first, but I was able to enjoy the filming," and Kim Ho-young (as Jae-min) expressed his fondness, stating, "I enjoyed the time spent with the character."
Meanwhile, on March 24, the "Secret Love" OST album was released. This album will be a special gift that soothes fans' regrets over the drama's conclusion and allows them to reminisce about the drama's emotions and lingering effects through music.
Playlist Studio plans to use the success of "Secret Love" as a stepping stone to produce high-quality content in various genres to touch audiences domestically and internationally. The success of this work has once again demonstrated the production capabilities of Playlist Studio and the popularity of Korean dramas in the global market.
[Photo] Playlist
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