Given the subject matter they did a good job with the well crafted story with enough humor in the situations and emotional background. Surprisingly the premise is quite involving and romantic. Didn't expect to be in to a love triangle with a cat. At 12 episodes it didn't get boring. The lead actress is likeable enough - she could have been an annoying role but she wasn't. The lead actor L does have the looks like of a human cat. The cat does look cute. Better than some shows with higher ratings. Not just for cat lovers.
7 Reviews
Spoiled by the ending
leahcubed12 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
My rating 7/10 (low rating mostly attributed to ending). Also known by the titles "Hi" and "Meow, the Secret Boy". This is a 2020 Fantasy Romantic Drama with 24, 30 minute, episodes.
Kim Sol-Ah (Shin Ye-eun) has an artistic mind and an active imagination and works at an ad agency but dreams of writing Webtoons. She categorizes people as either dog like people or cat like people. She thinks she prefers dog like people because cats are generally quiet and independent. When the boy she has had feelings for since high school (10 years), Lee Jae-sun (Seo Ji-hoon) suddenly returns Sol-ah finds herself thrown back into longing for the guy who broke her heart by suddenly leaving and having anither girlfriend. It is a mystery as to why he kissed her and acted like he wanted to be with her and then suddenly left. Friends before the brief interlude Sol-Ah falls back into the pattern of friendship all the while wondering what happened and wanting more. Jae-sun seems relatively cold toward her but does not say why. Seo Ji-hoon newest ex brings a cat they both had and says she can't keep it and for him to take it back. . The problem is he's very allergic to cats so Sol-ah steps up and says she will keep the cat while he finds another place for it. What she doesn't know is this is no ordinary cat. Something about being around Sol-ah makes the cat turn into a human. Suddenly this strange boy is appearing around Sol-ah. When she finds the stranger in her house she mistakes him for her step brother she never met but is to share a house with. She renames the cat Hong-jo and decides to keep hi. As her feelings grow for the cat she begins to feel an attachment for her new housemate as well. As she grows more distant from Jae-sun he discovers he still has feelings for her after all. Who will Sol-ah choose?
I started out liking this one really well. The premise was interesting and I like the supernatural aspect. I was also really happy when the lead girl did not continue to pine after someone that did not seem to have any feelings for her. I thought the relationship she developed with the cat was one any animal lover could understand. They sort of creep into your heart even if you don't really mean for them to. It was a little harder to understand how she developed such a deep connection when he turned into human form. While I was happy to see her able to move on and not long for somebody that didn't seem to want her, it was sad for her to love so deeply someone she could never be fully with. When the second guy actually came around and you found out his backstory I found out I was rooting for him too. There were several ways this could've ended happily but, for me, it made me feel really sad towards the end and I was not happy with the way it ended. In fact I would've found it much better and rated it much higher if I wasn't as disappointed with the ending as I am. For those that don't mind endings a little sad it may not bother them as much but I don't like ending a series I otherwiseI enjoyed on a sad note. It had "Pirates of the Caribbean" Syndrome in terms of a sad Situation. It reminded me of how I felt about "Absolute Boyfriend" where the ending had me irritated - it felt like such a waste.
Kim Sol-Ah (Shin Ye-eun) has an artistic mind and an active imagination and works at an ad agency but dreams of writing Webtoons. She categorizes people as either dog like people or cat like people. She thinks she prefers dog like people because cats are generally quiet and independent. When the boy she has had feelings for since high school (10 years), Lee Jae-sun (Seo Ji-hoon) suddenly returns Sol-ah finds herself thrown back into longing for the guy who broke her heart by suddenly leaving and having anither girlfriend. It is a mystery as to why he kissed her and acted like he wanted to be with her and then suddenly left. Friends before the brief interlude Sol-Ah falls back into the pattern of friendship all the while wondering what happened and wanting more. Jae-sun seems relatively cold toward her but does not say why. Seo Ji-hoon newest ex brings a cat they both had and says she can't keep it and for him to take it back. . The problem is he's very allergic to cats so Sol-ah steps up and says she will keep the cat while he finds another place for it. What she doesn't know is this is no ordinary cat. Something about being around Sol-ah makes the cat turn into a human. Suddenly this strange boy is appearing around Sol-ah. When she finds the stranger in her house she mistakes him for her step brother she never met but is to share a house with. She renames the cat Hong-jo and decides to keep hi. As her feelings grow for the cat she begins to feel an attachment for her new housemate as well. As she grows more distant from Jae-sun he discovers he still has feelings for her after all. Who will Sol-ah choose?
I started out liking this one really well. The premise was interesting and I like the supernatural aspect. I was also really happy when the lead girl did not continue to pine after someone that did not seem to have any feelings for her. I thought the relationship she developed with the cat was one any animal lover could understand. They sort of creep into your heart even if you don't really mean for them to. It was a little harder to understand how she developed such a deep connection when he turned into human form. While I was happy to see her able to move on and not long for somebody that didn't seem to want her, it was sad for her to love so deeply someone she could never be fully with. When the second guy actually came around and you found out his backstory I found out I was rooting for him too. There were several ways this could've ended happily but, for me, it made me feel really sad towards the end and I was not happy with the way it ended. In fact I would've found it much better and rated it much higher if I wasn't as disappointed with the ending as I am. For those that don't mind endings a little sad it may not bother them as much but I don't like ending a series I otherwiseI enjoyed on a sad note. It had "Pirates of the Caribbean" Syndrome in terms of a sad Situation. It reminded me of how I felt about "Absolute Boyfriend" where the ending had me irritated - it felt like such a waste.
Worth it but Sad
raekristi2 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Major spoilers ahead if the other review didn't spoil already- I was not expecting to love this as much as I did, but also I was not expecting it to be a love triangle between the cat and her ex-lover. I thought it would just be a cute story with some added drama about a girl falling for a cat-boy, but I was way wrong. By the time I realized how it was *most likely* going to end, I was sad. I was sat here in tears for the last 5 episodes, just hoping my prediction wouldn't come true. It sort of did. The ending made me so sad, and Jae-sun deserved better as well as Hong-Jo. I found myself pining for Jae-sun and hoping she would warm more to him, as he became one of my favorite characters. Massive character development and great story.
Overall, it was worth it but the ending was way too sad. I'm still thinking about it days later.
Overall, it was worth it but the ending was way too sad. I'm still thinking about it days later.
Ending explained!!! Brilliant!!!
elsamirre15 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What I liked.
It was cute.
The transformation was simple, more credible without any CGI to make it awkward.
The male leads. I really like KMS from Angel's Last Mission and any other than Seo Ji-Hoon wouldn't have been able to compete. SJH in Flower Crew was so handsome and heartbreaking that I wanted him to be happy, even if in another drama, that's how I couldn't help rooting for him, especially with his character's background. Lee Jae Seon is actually a very broken and very sensitive man who is just afraid of love. He so deserved to be with the girl he pushed away in a misunderstanding. At the same time, I didn't want the cat to end like the Little Mermaid. Even before starting to watch, you know things will go wrong once they realize cats age faster than humans. Unless you're in a fairy tale?
What I didn't like.
The lead actress's laugh. So fake.
No sexual tension, no chemistry AT ALL. Not even real romance. Hardly a kiss. This really felt like a fairy tale. It's a pity, because this story could have been way more intense, had they tried to improve the acting.
Also, the cat was...lifeless. Not all cats are just pretty carpets. Some of them are very strong-minded and have a temper.
Ah, this sentence was heart-wrenching. "I'm slowly losing my hands that I need to hug her with"
last but not least. The ending. I edited my comment to scratch everything I said about a WTF?ending. After spending my night thinking about it. Tada! I came up with an explanation that not only satisfies me, but also matches many clues. The ending was BRILLIANT!!!
Ready? Although I don't consider this a spoiler, I would advise watching first, so you can draw your own conclusions.
There. Quotations marks are sentences from the show.
The cat will always be able to turn into a human. It will only take more time if he overdoes it. Not being able to come back is the "white lie", so the girl won't get her hopes too high and spend her life waiting.
It makes sense that the cat comes back as a young man since he is only three years old at the end of the story. That would be about twenty for a human being.
What's so beautiful and moving about this ending is that the girl actually turned into a cat. Remember, she said "let's live like cats" and earlier, Hong-Jo says "that's what cats do, wait for their owner." Also, as the cat explains to the pervert, it's okay, because it's love, and since it's love, it's worth it.
When the cat gives Ji-Eun a necklace and a name "Mignon", he becomes her owner and she fully "embraces it all" the moment she decides that it won't matter if he is "old and wrinkled" when he comes back and that she will "recognize him in a heartbeat". Because she loves him (and because she was well-trained in waiting too) she decides to become the pet who waits for tiny eternities with her owner.
Also, their story is different from that of the old cat because Hong-Jo didn't just run away, leaving Ji-Eun dumbfounded and full of questions. He explained why he had to say goodbye. That's how he allowed her to make her own choice, knowingly.
Is it a sad ending? I mean, he'll grow old and die before her. Or not. Who knows? Let's not forget that humans get sick and die young too. We never know. That's why we should all live like cats. Like everyday is today. Thanks for the lesson.
It was cute.
The transformation was simple, more credible without any CGI to make it awkward.
The male leads. I really like KMS from Angel's Last Mission and any other than Seo Ji-Hoon wouldn't have been able to compete. SJH in Flower Crew was so handsome and heartbreaking that I wanted him to be happy, even if in another drama, that's how I couldn't help rooting for him, especially with his character's background. Lee Jae Seon is actually a very broken and very sensitive man who is just afraid of love. He so deserved to be with the girl he pushed away in a misunderstanding. At the same time, I didn't want the cat to end like the Little Mermaid. Even before starting to watch, you know things will go wrong once they realize cats age faster than humans. Unless you're in a fairy tale?
What I didn't like.
The lead actress's laugh. So fake.
No sexual tension, no chemistry AT ALL. Not even real romance. Hardly a kiss. This really felt like a fairy tale. It's a pity, because this story could have been way more intense, had they tried to improve the acting.
Also, the cat was...lifeless. Not all cats are just pretty carpets. Some of them are very strong-minded and have a temper.
Ah, this sentence was heart-wrenching. "I'm slowly losing my hands that I need to hug her with"
last but not least. The ending. I edited my comment to scratch everything I said about a WTF?ending. After spending my night thinking about it. Tada! I came up with an explanation that not only satisfies me, but also matches many clues. The ending was BRILLIANT!!!
Ready? Although I don't consider this a spoiler, I would advise watching first, so you can draw your own conclusions.
There. Quotations marks are sentences from the show.
The cat will always be able to turn into a human. It will only take more time if he overdoes it. Not being able to come back is the "white lie", so the girl won't get her hopes too high and spend her life waiting.
It makes sense that the cat comes back as a young man since he is only three years old at the end of the story. That would be about twenty for a human being.
What's so beautiful and moving about this ending is that the girl actually turned into a cat. Remember, she said "let's live like cats" and earlier, Hong-Jo says "that's what cats do, wait for their owner." Also, as the cat explains to the pervert, it's okay, because it's love, and since it's love, it's worth it.
When the cat gives Ji-Eun a necklace and a name "Mignon", he becomes her owner and she fully "embraces it all" the moment she decides that it won't matter if he is "old and wrinkled" when he comes back and that she will "recognize him in a heartbeat". Because she loves him (and because she was well-trained in waiting too) she decides to become the pet who waits for tiny eternities with her owner.
Also, their story is different from that of the old cat because Hong-Jo didn't just run away, leaving Ji-Eun dumbfounded and full of questions. He explained why he had to say goodbye. That's how he allowed her to make her own choice, knowingly.
Is it a sad ending? I mean, he'll grow old and die before her. Or not. Who knows? Let's not forget that humans get sick and die young too. We never know. That's why we should all live like cats. Like everyday is today. Thanks for the lesson.
Hong-jo, the stray turned domesticated cat-boy
dcemptor30 March 2022
I agree that this drama is very underrated. I laughed, smiled, cried, and empathised with the characters in the story. They were well-written and modeled after cats and dogs. The main couple were charming as well as the second couple. If in other dramas, even in Chinese dramas, you'd often feel like skipping the story of the second couple because they seem like fillers, but the second couple in this series was adorable. Both couples are like dogs and cats which are natural enemies but here, they fell in love. Even the parents in this drama were funny. All of them sorted out their differences and misunderstandings, some of which were thanks to our stray turned domesticated cat-boy, Hong-Jo. The actors were also exceptional and their portrayals will really make you see their cat/dog characteristics. If you're hesitating to watch this drama, give it a go and see for yourself. Maybe you won't look at your pet in the same way again after watching.
P. S. It's an (open) happy ending. I'd like to believe the webtoon Sol-A wrote and her story with Hong-Jo had a happy ending after all the waiting since there's not much explanation in the end.
P. S. It's an (open) happy ending. I'd like to believe the webtoon Sol-A wrote and her story with Hong-Jo had a happy ending after all the waiting since there's not much explanation in the end.
Just PURR..FECT!
priyashashank7912 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A super cute, heartwarming purrr..fect story! There was so much to love and so much to learn here! The relationship of the male and female lead was not something swoon-worthy, but very warm, very loving and truly heartfelt. What's more was the relationship between both the male leads, they were technically love rivals, but neither of them treated the other with contempt, and I loved their interactions. Just one star less for the ending, it could have been better if he could have stayed human since it was a fantasy series anyway, or if he could have gotten the girl together with the other male lead and stayed together with them as a cat. Overall, there were several laugh-out-loud moments, and the friendship between the female lead and her colleague cum school mate was very sweet.
Good Enough
PennyReviews17 May 2020
" Meow, the secret boy " crafted a beautiful atmosphere, but the story was boring in the end.
First thing first, the drama is that kind of drama that feels like watching a fairy tale being unfolded in front of your eyes, think the likes of Thirty but Seventeen or Angel's last mission love, in which, the same actor was the lead. So, the cinematography of the drama, as well as the light, heartwarming mood, were spot on for the story. The transformation of the cat to a human were handled masterfully too, and there were few awkward moments to it. Also, the second couple was adorable and it was easy to root for them.
However, even though the first part of the drama had some interesting aspects, the main story burned its momentum quickly. Which is a blessing the fact that they only made twelve episodes, or reduced it to that amount of episodes, for that matter. Actually, though the main couple had chemistry, their romance was odd and it got awkward in the end. The love triangle, moreover, was boring.
Now, for the performances, everyone in the cast did a great job and there weren't really any bad performances. Shin Ye Eun showed us a more comical side of hers, Kim Myung Soo was hands down, the perfect man to play the cat, and Seo Ji Hoon, with those eyes that seemed ready to shed tears in any moment, nailed the dramatic character.
So, overall, five out of ten.
First thing first, the drama is that kind of drama that feels like watching a fairy tale being unfolded in front of your eyes, think the likes of Thirty but Seventeen or Angel's last mission love, in which, the same actor was the lead. So, the cinematography of the drama, as well as the light, heartwarming mood, were spot on for the story. The transformation of the cat to a human were handled masterfully too, and there were few awkward moments to it. Also, the second couple was adorable and it was easy to root for them.
However, even though the first part of the drama had some interesting aspects, the main story burned its momentum quickly. Which is a blessing the fact that they only made twelve episodes, or reduced it to that amount of episodes, for that matter. Actually, though the main couple had chemistry, their romance was odd and it got awkward in the end. The love triangle, moreover, was boring.
Now, for the performances, everyone in the cast did a great job and there weren't really any bad performances. Shin Ye Eun showed us a more comical side of hers, Kim Myung Soo was hands down, the perfect man to play the cat, and Seo Ji Hoon, with those eyes that seemed ready to shed tears in any moment, nailed the dramatic character.
So, overall, five out of ten.
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