Grief, mourning, loss, widow/widower titles

An all-time classic, a powerful and utterly sad love story with a superb Nakayama Miho .

One of my most fave romance movies!

Incredibly beautiful OST, impressive cinematography and a tragic love story, elegantly acted by Lee Joon Gi.

A fast-paced, intriguing, well-written and genre-balanced drama.
With lots of suspense, mystery and fantasy elements, heartwarming stories and a proper closure.
No unnecessary or annoying characters or subplots, no dragging, no typical cliches.
Time well-spent.

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Not as fast-paced and suspenseful as season 1, but equally intriguing and well-written - and beautifully acted.
With more intriguing mystery and fantasy elements, heartwarming and heartbreaking stories with a proper closure, interesting characters and subplots, and a welcomed possibility of another successful season on the way, this was definitely a rewarding, bittersweet watch.
Time well-spent.

A wonderful watching experience, a bittersweet road trip in a red S800 Honda beauty.
Though slow-paced and mellow, it was an intriguing and very emotionally charged story, beautifully filmed and superbly acted by Ono Machiko, Takito Kenichi and a great supporting cast.
A journey of loss, grief, reconciliation, revelations and life lessons, but most of all a sad but wholesome, heartbreakingly affectionate story of love and devotion.
A highly recommended hidden gem.
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A bittersweet story of a found family, full of heart, warmth and strong emotions.
A heartfelt journey of grieving, healing, making amends, character development and second chances in life.
Fantastic acting from child actress Yang En You and Zhu Yi Long, with an incredible bonding and chemistry.
Highly recommended!
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An eerie, thought-provoking story about the meaning of life and death, and how regrets, choices, determination, desperation and love can be the light or darkness in someone's life.
Devastatingly sad and, at the same time, full of warmth and hope, this unique concept -with all of its surprises, revelations and interconnections- was beautifully written and paced, while the stunning cinematography, the masterful use of darkness and light, and the exceptional performances from the cast made this a fascinating and memorable watching experience.
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Such an awesome family drama!
A wonderful depiction of father-son and friendship bonding through life's ups and downs, with their love, caring, support, respect and acceptance.
Full of funny, touching and inspiring moments, a stellar cast and a magnificent Uchino Seiyou, who gave us one of the most dotting fathers ever existed in dramaland!
Dramas like this are the reason I love family j-dramas.

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A delicately affectionate, beautiful study on how death can be seen as a dignified, reconciling and comforting part of life process, with some very strong emotional moments and full of the Japanese calmness, discipline and attention to details.
Impeccable acting from Motoki Masahiro and Yamazaki Tsutomu, wonderful music score from Joe Hisaishi, it leaves you with a very warm, soothing feeling.

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What a heart-warming and heart-breaking story! Hachi was phenomenal!

Touching and delicate, with great performances, especially from young Tang Jun Sang.

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With astonishing cinematography, beautiful scenery and filming settings that highlight the four seasons of Japanese countryside, a well-fitted smooth and melancholic tone, beautifully choreographed powerful action sequences and a solid well-written story depicted by skillful cast, “Samurai’s Promise” is a tribute to jidaigeki genre that depicts samurai’s dignified way of living and a painful but beautiful story of love.
However, the choice of music sounds a bit off and, for non-Japanese viewers, it is often difficult (especially at the beginning) to figure out who’s who and follow all the plot's and politics details.

Probably the 1st title I've watched from Go Soo's works, and he was really good!

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Strong, impressive, heartbreaking and captivating story, a solid 10/10 performance from Song Kang Ho.

Ye Ji Won's "Jennifer" was the best and most memorable part of this enjoyable rom-com.

Smooth and relaxing, like a cup of hot chocolate... Heartwarming stories, 'poetic' filming, with no annoying side stories... Give it a try!

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A biting social commentary wrapped in sci-fi/futuristic/mystery layers done right.
Philosophically challenging and thought-provoking concept questioning our views and beliefs about loneliness, grief, memories, dream and reality, life after death, heaven, happiness.
Top-notch production quality, wonderful cinematography and music, and a superb performance from chameleon Shin Ha Kyun in a captivating, binge-worthy outcome. Highly recommended!

A riveting, brutally honest family melodrama revealing the multiple layers of a family's tribulations, as well as its hierarchy dynamics shifts, when faced with tragic events, moral dilemmas and a circle of bad decisions.
With a simple but gritty script that provokes our life perceptions, integrity and ethics, witty dialogues and some wisely embedded humor, subtle but powerful acting, aesthetically masterful cinematography and superb character building, this is a heartbreaking but unexpectedly healing story of a struggling dysfunctional family.
'Nothing is as fair as the sun, because throughout the year it gives each location on earth the exact same amount of sunlight' says one of the protagonists. But actually, the sun burns itself to give its warmth and, as long as there is sunshine, there must be a shadow. This duality of sunlight & shade, right & wrong, and the different perspective this symbolism induces is the core of this underrated hidden gem, which turned out to be a difficult but rewarding cinematic experience.
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A slow-paced, insightful portrayal of womanhood and motherhood through the study of different family shapes and problems.
Despite the somewhat incohesive narration and editing, this film successfully depicts the diversity of motherhood and how broadly the concept of family bonding can be interpreted.
The nuanced acting from the cast delivers smoothly its main messages concerning the strong, unbreakable mother-daughter bond, the not-always-bad decision of giving one’s child for adoption and the fact that family has not necessarily to do with blood ties, but with love and acceptance.

A stellar, heart-wrenching performance from lady Kim Hye Ja.

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A 'documentaristic', full of wonderful forest and rural scenery, introduction to the life, tradition and rituals of the Ainu indigenous people, through the eyes of a young orphan boy who tries to find his dream and place in between the world of tradition and modern society.

The role of a lifetime for Kim Jung Hyun!!!
Cheon Soo Ho was one of the most tragic, painfully real characters I 've ever seen...
He broke my heart into millions little pieces...
I really hope he fully recovers and see him in a joyful new project soon!

This iconic film is the synonym of Won Bin and Kim Sae Ron. A classic!

An underrated mystery-crime drama, with lots of suspense, interesting grey characters and great acting.
The only let down was its subpar ending...

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What else can be more heartwarming and comforting than food and family warmth combined?
What else can be more touching than a father subtly communicating his love and devotion for his daughters by cooking some incredible gourmet chinese dishes for them?
That opening scene with him cooking was pure perfection!

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A simple -but elegantly presented- story about an unusual friendship between two totally opposite but equally lonely people, who find comfort and a purpose in their lives through their strong bonding.
Not overly talkative, not overly 'forced' dramatic, but with some strong, very emotional scenes and some wonderfully depicted character development.

A typical but very enjoyable family drama, with interesting subplots and an adorable grandfather

Super intense thriller, beautifully orchestrated!
The acting was always on point, the suspense brilliantly paced...
Unfortunately underrated and definitely a must-watch!

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Fed up with her teenage daughter’s sullen indifference, a single working mom comes up with a brilliant way to vent her frustration: elaborate every day cartoon bentos designed to deliver her thoughts in a way so annoying that’s impossible for her daughter to ignore.
A funny and heartwarming story of mother-daughter bonding, which confirms that mom's food heals everything, “Bento Harassment” successfully delivers a simple yet inspirational message to persevere through life’s various difficulties and live life without any regrets!

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A quiet, slow and contemplative road-movie about love and loss, grief, guilt, solitude, longing, solace and human connection.
With a brilliant blending of Murakami and Chekhov's worlds, this was an absorbing experience in spite of its long duration, mainly due to the beautifully nuanced, reserved performances of its two protagonists.

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An artistic, elegantly subtle film about grief, based on a short story by Banana Yoshimoto.
The atmosphere, the narration,the aesthetics were superb, but eventually it was a one-woman-show: Komatsu Nana's impressive performance overshadowed everything else!

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A dark, intense, heartbreaking story of loss, grief, anger, guilt and regret, centered around the strong bonding of two childhood friends.
Quiet, slow and contemplative, yet very absorbing, mainly due to the powerful performances of Nagano Mei and Nao.

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‘Time stopped for us a long time ago. Now we’re just waiting to get old.’
An epic, utterly sad and compassionate melodrama covering the lives of two ordinary couples from the 80s to the present day, their friendship, estrangement and reconciliation, after a family tragedy, as well as their grief and guilt involved.
A piercing social commentary of China's one-child policy, cultural revolution, economic reform and modernisation.
Though its long duration and the confusing flashbacks can test one's patience, the delicate direction and the moving acting make it worth it.

A soothing, feel-good, healing and heartwarming slice of life story with an engaging slow-burn romance, great friendship bonding, character development and self-growth through many interesting side-stories.
With wonderful rural scenery and emphasis to tradition and originality, even though sometimes it was too slow-paced, beautified and 'politically correct', this was a pleasant surprise and a breath of fresh air among the typical angsty dramas.
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An underrated family drama about loss, reconciling, forgiving, comforting, as well as bonding with and taking care of our loved ones.
With a delicate approach of some heavy issues, full of emotions, affection and warmth, and a wonderful performance from Yamapi, this was an engaging, rewarding watch.
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An intimate, affectionate and bittersweet love story, based on an autobiographical novel.
Beautifully filmed and acted, with a unique and thoughtful approach of grief, loss and family bonding, and a wonderfully layered performance from Suzuki Ryohei, this is a powerful, emotional and hauntingly absorbing journey of a heartbreaking love.
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Just like René Magritte's painting 'La reproduction interdite' showing different angles of a man's figure without identity, this based on a novel film tells the story of people changing their identities in order to escape their demons, social discrimination and family traumas.
With a solid and compact narration, multilayered storytelling, exemplary acting and impressive setting, this is an intriguing mystery, a piercing social commentary and a profound psychological study on love, trust, deception and acceptance.  
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A heartwarming and inspiring story showing the unbreakable bond between a mother and her mentally challenged child.
Go Doo Shim and Kim Sung Kyun were excellent in their demanding roles, giving justice to their characters without being overly dramatic or exaggerated.
And even if the ending is predictable, I couldn't help but get teary eyes more than once during some heartbreaking and powerful moments.
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A touching story about grieving, loss, making amends and the most difficult and complex relationship: the one between a mother and a daughter, with all the complexities, misunderstandings, complaints, love/hate phases of their relationship and their unbreakable bonding.
With Kim Hae Sook and Shin Min Ah playing the leading roles and a mellow, soothing cinematography, even though the plot was simple, it was full of heart and motherly love - and some great cooking scenes.
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A bittersweet slice-of-life story about parenthood, as well as loss, grieving, healing and moving on in life.
With some emotionally heavy moments, some frustrating ones, and a pacing that became too slow during the second half, this was a demanding but also a comforting watch, mainly because Meguro Ren and Izutani Rana's chemistry, bonding and superb acting - can you imagine this ray of sunshine is only 7 years old?
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Delicate and beautifully filmed story about grief, remorse, letting go and moving on.

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A minimal, reserved, but very emotional and engaging study on memory, longing and loss, where every frame is a perfect picture, enhanced by superb natural lighting and subtle directing.
What a great, captivating debut for auteur Koreeda Hirokazu!

A found-family and cohabitation drama, with some interesting romance stories, intriguing character growth and only a few annoying subplots.

A slow paced but very intense story, based on a real-life tragedy, delivered by subtle cinematography and great performances.
Devastatingly beautiful.

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An underrated, densely plotted drama, with intriguing characters and unique stories.

Though it's 17y older, I liked this version more than its korean remake.
Is it because I'm biased with Tsumabuki Satoshi?
I found it more realistic, raw and quirky.

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For those who are familiar with the melancholic, surrealistic world of Haruki Murakami and love Iggy Pop’s “I am a Passenger”, this indie movie is a rewarding watch.
An honest, sensitive look on a mother experiencing the loss of her child and her efforts to cope with it and let go, through the subtle and eloquent performance of Yoshida Yoh and an excellent cinematography that highlights the beauty of Hanalei Bay.

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Quiet, emotional, with a bit mundane 'introductory' first part and a more fast-paced and engaging second part and a satisfying ending, this indie film tells the story of a girl's self-imposed exile, caused by her boyfriend's loss, and her journey of acceptance and recovery after making amends with his family.

"You're still young. So maybe you think life is all about what you have.
That was what I thought until I got older.
Now I think maybe life is about what we lose.
Every time you lose something, you learn a bit more about yourself..."

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Sayounara is a quiet, subdued, pastel colored coming-of-age indie movie that tells the story of a high school girl who dives into depression, internalization and distancing -after her close friend dies- and her journey of coming to terms with grief, as life carries on around her.

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Nuanced, affectionate, heartwarming female-centered slice-of-life story, from master Koreeda Hirokazu and a wonderful cast.

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Subtle, quiet slice of life story of an unconventional, organic romance between two aching souls.

A classic makjang, with all the typical frustrating & unrealistic cliches, some really infuriating characters and a lot of illogical plot tropes and actions, but somehow so nostalgic and welcoming...
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Though slow-paced and bleak, its dialogue-centered format and the subtle acting from the talented cast somehow managed to make this coming of age story feel real, touching and memorable.

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A slow-paced, reserved story of mourning and letting go, but most of all a story of two young women's friendship and love told in a flashbacks setup from both FLs points of view.
Even with minimal dialogues, their looks and gestures are more than enough to express the depth of their feelings, their longing and unbreakable bond.
With exceptional performances, especially from Kishii Yukino, beautiful cinematography and music and some stunning, extremely touching animation scenes, this film may not be for everyone, but it's worth a try if you are familiar with Nakagawa Ryutaro's works.

Raw pain, palpable misery, horrifying madness and a deep dive into the abyss of desperation in this highly insightful study of a mother's devastation, grief, anger, loneliness and solace when struck by an unbearable tragedy.
Slow-paced and long but very captivating, with a superb performance from Jeon Do Yeon depicting in the most painfully realistic way the immeasurable depths of her character's pain, this is one more great movie by auteur Lee Chang Dong.
Watch at your own risk.
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An intense, violent and emotional story about revenge, rage and utter desperation of a father that lost everything.
Though the story was predictable and the pacing not very smooth, the cast, the cinematography and some great filming locations made this mentally exhausting story a memorable watching experience.
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A whimsical, entertaining historical drama, with lots of romance and comedy, some scheming and manipulation (as expected from every sageuk), spiced with some action.
Fast paced, light and fun, it was an easy -though not to be taken too seriously and rather predictable- watch.
Lee Ha Nee was a real beauty and delivered her cheeky, witty character in a believable, charismatic way.
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Bittersweet, melancholic and nostalgic - with a touch of magic - study on afterlife, regrets and making amends.
With a Koreeda-like vibe, wonderful cinematography and a great cast, especially Lily Franky who gave a heartfelt performance as Michael, and a well-balanced emotional impact, this was an interesting watch, even though some characters backstories weren't developed properly.
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With vivid colors and a mellow tone, this is a predictable tearjerking story of a bittersweet romance told in a unique, very engaging and healing way.
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It took me a few episodes to warm up to it, I had a hard time to decide if I like this mixture of dark comedy and borderline sappy melodrama, I was really skeptical about most of the flawed characters involved and their actions, but the cast, the cinematography, the music and -most of all- the road trip without destination, as well as Woo Do Hwan’s charms, made this unbalanced drama quite enjoyable.
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Poetic, as the title implies, with a masterful performance from Yoon Jung Hee in a gentle, subtle and sad story.

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The story isn't that great, but the excellent performances from Sasaki Kuranosuke and, especially, Nagasaku Hiromi, with her bickering, sarcasm, piercing sincerity and endless support, made this movie worth watching.

A slow-paced, art-house movie exploring loss, grief and letting go.
With an impressive cinematography as its central ingredient and powerful performances from Ono Machiko and amateur Uda Shigeki, this was a sad, difficult film to watch, but the beautiful scenes of the waving grass and the mystical sounds of the wind travelling through the forest trees were definitely worth watching.

Poor Kim Min Jae! They screwed him over again...
When will they give him the roles he deserves?

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Quiet, slow-paced and emotional, with beautiful cinematography and nuanced performances.

Surreal, bizarre, aesthetically unique. Definitely not for everyone.

A delicate coming-of-age/family story about loss, grief and letting go.

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Utterly sad and deeply melancholic story of two wounded, broken and socially & emotionally detached people trying to connect with each other, heal from their traumas and move on.

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The love story was sweet and heartwarming, Michan's journey of denial, grief and acceptance through this allegoric, supernatural approach was so heartbreaking, but some things felt too unrealistic and difficult to digest. Really mixed feeling about this.

Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film was a dark, sad, thought-provoking (and a bit confusing) story about suicide, grief, letting go and moving on after the tragic loss of a child.
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A short and easy to watch drama, with Kim Bo Ra as its cute protagonist surrounded by a wonderful found family and delicious food.
A heartwarming, soothing and healing story about grieving, abandonment, estrangement and making amends.
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A bittersweet, slow-paced healing drama that tackles some serious social issues in a positive way.
In spite the awkward beginning, the unbalanced tone, some over-the-top characters and a few questionable situations, it had many heartwarming and touching moments about birth and death, friendship, found family and making amends, that makes this an interesting watch.
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An emotional and healing journey of two wounded, mourning people to find truth and justice, through revenge, anger, repentance, forgiveness, and many obstacles on their way.
Kim Nam Joo gave a splendid performance as a mother who tragically lost her precious child, while Cha Eun Woo showed a real effort to improve his acting skills - and that he is maturing to a very handsome and attractive man.
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A slow-paced melodrama, with coming of age and found family elements, about a mourning girl and her swindler estranged uncle.
The s tory wasn't anything extraordinary, but Lee Jae In and Uhm Tae Goo made a nice pairing.
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Though the tone changed drastically after the first part, the pacing and the storytelling felt flat, while the love story wasn't properly exploited so as to justify the overly melodramatic second part.

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A bittersweet road-trip musical with some powerful and heart-warming moments, some infuriating ones and a lot of cringy and extravagant music parts that most of the times felt out of place.
I would have enjoyed it much more without those.

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Bitter-sweet, inspiring but too predictable and 'noisy'.
Definitely not the best work of Kamio Fuju (he did put a lot of effort but he was a mismatch).
But, knowing this is based on a true story and a real person, it hits different and most of its mishaps can be overlooked.

A based on a true story and very predictable tearjerker, more beautified than necessary and not very strong on the emotional scenes. A decent watch but nothing memorable or new.
But, watching young Nagayama Eita and Eikura Nana, and realizing how graceful they matured and how their acting improved was quite rewarding.
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An awkward and heavy watch about loss and grief caused by an unbearable tragedy, and the alienation, lack of communication, selfishness, prejudices, lying and dysfunctional relationships revealed during its aftermath.
Intentionally quiet, reserved, mundane and slow-paced, this is not an easy watch and definitely not for everyone.
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With a wonderful cinematography and a mellow music score, this slow-paced story with minimal dialogues and a subtle, melancholic tone, is about two lonely grieving people that find solace and a lending ear in each other's company.
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A high expectations movie which resulted in a lot of wasted potential: a talented cast performing one-dimensional characters, a thought-provoking premise in a convoluted storytelling, a flawed plot with more questions than answers given.
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A peculiar, messy story with no clear message - or too many messages to handle...
Little talented cutie pie Seo Yeon Woo (and some nicely filmed scenes) was its only saving grace.
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Bleak, heavy and unnecessarily confusing stories of loss and grieving.
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