My Secret Vampire – Series Review & Episode Guide

Dongha is a university student from the countryside. He recently moved to the city alone. His parents passed away, leaving no loved ones back home. It's a fresh start for him. Dongha found a place to stay for his first month. The landlady, Okhee, arranged for him to live in a shared house with four other guys.

Dongha arrives at the house and immediately clashes with Joowon, one of his grumpy housemates. Joowon, who hasn't been feeling well, snapped at him earlier when he asked for directions. Dongha also got annoyed because Joowon took his umbrella. These minor incidents are enough to put them at odds. Joowon opposed having a new tenant and even claimed he was part of a cult. However, Okhee ignored his complaint and still welcomed Dongha. From now on, Dongha will be sharing the house with Joowon and his three friends, Seonjae, Eunho, and Okhee.

Dongha finds a new part-time job at a café near his new home. The house is a convenient place to stay, but he struggles to get along with the others. His roommates are all close friends. Joowon and Seonjae seem very chummy. Gyumin and Eunho are also inseparable, doing everything together. Dongha wants to get along with everyone, but he feels out of place. Joowon's hostility makes it harder for him to fit in.

Unbeknownst to Dongha, his four roommates have a secret. They are all vampires disguising themselves as humans. Although they can go out in sunlight, their bodies become weaker when they do. Most of them prefer to stay indoors. Okhee, a researcher, has created a plasma alternative, so they don't need to feed on humans. The fake blood doesn't taste as good, though. Seonjae still prefers to hunt for prey at night. Gyumin and Eunho are also curious about how human blood tastes.

The group's nocturnal habits have the neighbours suspicious and spreading rumours. Okhee planned for Dongha to stay at the house for a month to divert attention from the secret vampire den. The residents are under strict orders not to hurt Dongha. He isn't meant to be prey. Still, Seonjae, Gyumin, and Eunho are tempted. Dongha is so clueless that he makes himself an easy target. Only Joowon, a half-blooded vampire who hates drinking human blood, feels protective of his new roommate. He stops the others from going near him.

My Secret Vampire didn't have the strongest start. In fact, the first two episodes were my least favourite. The story felt clunky at the beginning and didn't introduce the characters well. It focused on the two leads clashing, but their conflict was annoying and failed to grab my attention. Some scenes felt like they were obviously feeding information to the viewers. Open wide, here's a spoonful of plot exposition! As I docked points for minor annoyances, my early impression of the series was: meh, mediocre, maybe it'll improve.

To my pleasant surprise, My Secret Vampire grew on me. The story leaned into the hilarious scenario of "four thirsty vampires vs one clueless human". The comedy was charming! Around this time, Joowon stopped acting like an emo punk and started falling for his roommate. His clumsy attempts to be nicer to Dongha felt endearing. Who knew this brooding vampire with his sullen eyes and permanent scowl could have such a cute side? After an awkward start, the series found its rhythm. With a bit of humour here, a touch of flirtation there, and some supernatural drama, I'm enjoying each episode more and more.

Dongha & Joowon's romance is the best part of My Secret Vampire. These two are cute together! It's hard to explain, but they have that secret BL sauce that gives their relationship scenes an extra spark. I always find myself smiling at their interactions. Sometimes, it's triggered by Joowon's dry wit. Other times, it comes from Dongha being so genuine with his feelings. A lot of the time, I'm just smiling over how kind and gentle they are with each other. I adore this couple so much that my heart triumphs over my brain, ignoring how impossible a vampire-human romance is.

The two leads work well together in their relationship scenes. Their natural chemistry makes it easy to ship this couple. Joowon's actor (Yu Sin) has mastered the persona of a brooding vampire, but his best moments come when he shows a softer side. His co-star (Park Dong Ju) has such a sweet smile. He radiates warmth and innocence, adding to Dongha's charm. And for an actor with little screen experience, his performance is an impressive debut. Out of the whole cast, my favourite still has to be the scene-stealing kid from Episode 5. That boy outacted them all!

Although I enjoy Dongha and Joowon's romance, the rest of the series isn't as appealing to me. I only care about the two leads. Everything else? Not interested. *shrugs* The supporting characters feel like weak links. I zone out during Joowon's scenes with Seonjae. Ugh, this love rival subplot takes up too much screentime. I'm also not a fan of the secondary couple and find them annoying. Most of all, I'm iffy on the vampire storyline. I know it's the whole point of the series, but I've never been into supernatural lore. Not Twilight, not Buffy, and not My Secret Vampire either.

During the finale, my favourite moments are when the leads spend time together. Their exchanges are still cute! However, the ending doesn't really address the issue of Joowon almost losing control around Dongha. That seems like a big deal, but the characters brush it off. The story feels lazy in how it handles and resolves this conflict. Overall, My Secret Vampire leaves me in a weird spot. I love the BL couple, but don't feel invested in the rest of the story. Ultimately, I'll follow my heart and give a positive review purely because of how much I adore Joowon & Dongha.