Tokki Jangnim
Imawa no Kuni no Arisu Season 1
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A Whole New Live Action Realm
Mystery, Murder, Adventure, Isekai, time travel, Hunger Games, ESCAPE ROOM, Suspense, Thriller Lovers? Assemble on this series!!Before I start with the review, I gotta say : WATCH THIS SERIES GUYS!! YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED!! Here's why :
«Warning : Spoiler Alert & Long Read»
As a romance drama lovers I didn't expect to enjoy a live action with a genre of Fantasy/Thriller/Suspense/Mystery/Murder . But this series really changed my mind. I came with high expectation from the trailer and I was not disappointed.
Story : I believe you've read the plot summary so I will continue the rest. So the story itself I personally divided it into two main story line : Episode 1-4 (Explaining the current reality to us with game rules, the deadly borders, everyone missing & mainly focused on surviving some games) and Episode 5-8 (Explaining "The Beach" conflict with its power struggle + Arisu & Usagi relationship development)
I think I really enjoyed the most on the first 4 episodes, with its plot twists and emotional roller coaster. But when it comes to the last 4 episodes, the excitement felt kinda slowed down a bit. The hype & vibe is still there but personally specifically on the last episode I think that there are some scenes that should not be included bcs it felt useless for the development of the story (referring to the 'bald, tatooed guy with long sword' background story. It really was useless, I prefer Chisiya's background story to be told honestly, his character really intrigued me)
One more thing, this series actually needed more episodes. I would really prefer longer episodes but with just one season has ended rather than short episodes but we- as this series fans have to wait for another season :( So to be exact, WE NEED MORE EPISODES..
But other than that, I think this series is perfect. The pacing, plot line choices from the manga, etc. I felt there's almost no plot hole (if there's any you can tell your theory, guys, haha)
Characters :
(10/10 Casting. There will be no other casts that will perfectly portray their characters other than the current casts. So bravo, casting team! )
1.)Arisu - Our ML, Hero by process, underdog at previous life, loyal, kind hearted, brave, smart, but sometimes he's too idealistic. I love his character bcs I think he's a flawed ML, he's not perfect but he tried to survive just for the sake of their friends & his primal instinct. I have no problem with his character EXCEPT when he's being too talkative & wasted so much game time on the last episode when he tried to talk to Aguni like "bro, he's not worth your time, don't even try to convince someone that tried to rape your crush & kill you".
2.)Usagi - Our FML, brave, kind hearted girl (she's becoming more kind towards other bcs of Arisu), loyal, smart, tactical, has sensitive instinct/feeling, independent, strong but not losing her feminity. She has clear character development as before she met Arisu she was mainly individualistic & don't even pay attention towards other people but now, she has higher empathy.
3.)Chisiya - Our secondary male lead (I think?), mysterious, charismatic, cunning, selfish, smart, always one step ahead every one else, unpredictable. I love and hate his character. Damn, he caught many viewers attention with his visual & mind. But really, I think he's a depiction of perfect personality & mind for surviving in the world like that. I don't blame him & his actions at all even tho when he framed Arisu, I was so madddd. But again, he did that to survive. Mad respect for solving any game/problem with cool headed.
4.)Kuina - Our Secondary Female Lead, kind, smart for following Chisiya, brave. I'm surprised with her identity plot twist. But I'm glad the writer shaped her character perfectly. I love her already & damn the cast is so pretty. I love her fight scene.
5.)Aguni - Antagonist (?) male character, strict, cunning, mysterious, selfish, evil on the last episodes, but he's actually loyal with his bestfriend- The Boss/The Hatter (Takeru). On most part, I hate this character, he killed almost every one on the beach just as a redemption for accidentally killing his friend, almost raped Usagi, almost killed Arisu countless times. I also despise one of his follower character-Naragi/Narugi? (He was former victim of bullying turns out he's a killer machine & bully himself)
6.)Chota & Karube - Arisu's friend. Very loyal to Arisu, tho at one time Karube almost wanted to kill Arisu but he and Chota later sacrificed for Arisu. Very supportive, trusting, in the end they're very selfless. I cried so hard on episode 3 :")
Cinematography & Music : Very on point. The directing, music choices on suspenseful scenes & the intros almost scared me to hell.
Other elements : This series included gore, murder, deception, sacrifice, suicide, explicit killing, suspenseful scenes, jumpscares, other things that will drain your emotion, makes your heart jumps, and most definitely will keep you on the edge of your seat. But don't worry you will not regret it.
Values : You'll learn true friendship, love & the value of loving yourself, thankful for every chances everyday that you still survive in this world, and to always be cautious don't easily get fooled by someone. There's always more behind every problems in your life. You'll learn good things from bad things.
So, what are you waiting for? Close your browser & watch the series!!
P.S. If any of the production team read my review, PLEASE APPROVE & CONTINUE THE SECOND SEASON, WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE NEW PLOTLINE!! ❤❤
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Super underrated masterpiece!!| Maybe I'm one of the few people who actually enjoyed this..
***
This movie has always been in my list since it got into Netflix. I'm a huge fan of one shot sci fi & action movies that used perfect CGI effects like Yin Yang Master : Dream of Eternity so when I saw the trailer I was thrilled and the movie really exceeded my expectation. It's a shame I just discovered it on 2021. But, I never regret every second I watched this MASTERPIECE! Yep, I said that. I don't know why it got very low ratings despite all the allegories, symbols, theories & lessons to be learned.
Well, here's a cup of my thoughts about this movie :
❤Story : 8,5/10. I rated this high, bcs how impressed I was with the idea, creativity & rich literacy that the writer aka Mr.Chong used in this movie (Feud's theory of Id, Ego & Super Ego, Carl Jung's & theory of hirearchy of dreams). The pacing is quite good for a one shot movie, it also blends well with how diverse the genres they included. One thing for sure, you'll be surprised with multiple plot twists that will literally blow & twist your mind. A great movie will leave its viewers with theories, debates & reasonable questions that depends on how we interpreted it. This movie is literally the epitome of that.
Basically it will tell you a story about self discovery of a young genious, idealist soon to be writer-Sang Yu- that had severe insomnia for months. He fell into deep despair & depression, he failed being a survivor in the society bcs of his own insecurities & fear to take an action towards his dreams. The only thing that kept him sane was the love of his life-Hua'er. But the reality hit him hard when he couldn't differentiate the reality & imagination/delusion. He then unfortunately traded his life to satisfy his desire. Things get messy & adventurous when Sang Yu discovered that he could bring back something valuable in the dream world in exchange for money, wealth & what he thought was 'love'. But for everything has its price, he soon discovered that anything in this world is not free and easy to take.
At first, I felt kinda confused with how the world in this movie is working, but slowly I understand between each of parallel universes (the dream & reality/life & death/the past & future). It actually has the same vibe as "Inception" & I love it!! The way the story line tells a man who gets wealth in a short time is actually cliche & you can actually predict multiple usual endings of it, but I'm satisfied with the way they brought the movie overall.
❤Actings : 10/10. Props to the legendary Darren Wang for once again carried the whole movie on his shoulders. I'm pretty sure if it's another actor, I may not rate this movie this high. Darren Wang always amazed me with his skills, damn he always took me into his roller coaster of emotions. Another shout out to the rest of the casts, they did amazing too!
❤Cinematography : 10/10. Almost perfect shoots, angles, cuts/transitions & most importantly I love the CGI works!
❤Music : 7,5/10. Nothing worth to remember but the sound effects are placed perfectly. It complemented the action sequences.
Things I'd like to criticize :
(-)Once again, I really wanted the production team to extend this premise & story line into a big series. 20 episodes maybe? Just like "Monster Hunt", we didn't get the chance to delve into the world of "Super Me" that well. The production team fortunately made a justice to the story line for a one shot movie, but to make this into a much better project, it'd be better to explain & add the background stories of each of the characters (like how the kind vendor went through the same way as Sang Yu did, or how San literally had the loyalty towards Sang Yu in wealth & poor, the indepth explanation of the dream world, new characters, etc) into a series.
(-)How difficult it was for the viewers to interpret the ENDING! I had multiple theories & I sorted them into two main possibilities (SPOILER ALERT!! : a.)Either Sang Yu had already died bcs he was killed by the mafia/trapped in the 'in between dream & reality' world so the happy ending actually his dream all along, or b.) Sang Yu did survive and the ending showed that the demon (his super ego) has incorporated with his actual life and will always be there to remind Sang Yu to not go back to the way he was ) It's up to you guys how you wanted to interpret it.
(-) SPOILER ALERT!! One plot hole I seem to notice : When Sang Yu trapped in the 'in between dream & reality' world, he envisioned his past and one of the highlights was how he died/actually jumped from the building. So was that true? He actually died and all along it was his dream/his spirit trying to get the things that he couldn't get in the real life?
Other than that, I loooveee this movie! Yes it will make your head go crazy or even feeling slight depressed for thinking the suitable interpretation of the ending, but trust me, it's worth your time. One clear message that I get while I watched this movie : DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE LONG-LONG BABY STEPS TOWARDS YOUR DREAMS, FOR A SUDDEN ACHIEVEMENT THAT YOU GOT FROM CHEATING WILL ONLY COSTS YOU MORE.
So, what are you waiting for? Watch this masterpiece & tell me your theories!
(P.S. For one of the explanations/ theories for the ending : https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cinemablend.com/news/2567591/super-me-ending-explained-was-it-all-just-a-dream )
Overall, I'll score this movie 8,5/10 ❤
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Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Doko Made mo
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Kotoko & Irie Relationship V.2 (with better character developments)
If you're fan of Itazura na Kiss franchise, you should watch this drama!Story : Usual setting of bubbly, clumsy, hard working & 'set my eyes only on one guy' type of FL meets cold, domineering, perfectionist & 'never imagining that he would end up with her' type of ML. You'll get a lot of second hand embarrassment & excitement from FL's endless confessions & clumsy actions, but in the end of the day, the mainleads found their way to each other. What I absolutely love abt this drama is that the ML actually really loved FL in his own way, he showed affection more than Irie Naoki, LoL, his ice cold character was shattered when he finally had breakdown..
Short drama with perfect pacing, full of sweet and warm vibes. Love how I also anticipate every side stories of each patient. All of the side characters have their own stories to tell & they fortunately didn't overshadow the main couple. Basically a simple inspirational story of finding & fighting your dreams either romance or work.
Casts : 10/10, chef kiss approved! Takeru Sato & Mone Kamishiraishi really brought their characters perfectly..Their chemistry is top notched! Would like to see Takeru Sato in more romcom dramas, maybe with actress like Mei Nagano? hahaha
Values : Be confident with yourself, fight your dreams even if you fall, stand again. In the end of the day, every result will not betray the process.
WATCH IT GUYS, if you fond of short, simple, sweet & 'angst free' romance drama. It is certified happy & satisfying ending (tho I'd be very happy to see both Nanase & Kairi's parents to be there on their wedding day..)!!
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Most Underrated Hidden Gems of BL Dramas Ever!! | When Hana Kimi Ikemen & Hunger Games Reincarnated
Seriously guys, the chance to know this drama was only once in my YT's feed through its trailer. This was one of the best decision I've ever had on watching something! Even tho it's not a perfect drama but it's definitely worth your time. If you're also a fan of "Hana Kimi Ikemen Paradise" or "To The Beautiful You" and "Hunger Games", this drama will suit your taste!Here's a piece of my thoughts..
What I love from this drama :
❤The story : Unique, with great LGBTQs message, not that fresh or new but still executed almost properly and decent story pacing except for me it needs more episodes! Rarely we saw BL dramas that incorporated with Fantasy, High School theme & Bisexual characters, this drama was different! It basically the BL version of "Hana Kimi Ikemen" whereas there's this one girl-Love, who fell in love with our (supposed to be) Male Lead-Vier, so she tried to get in to his all boys high school, but the twist is that she actually literally turned into a boy with the help of a magical unicorn. Fast forward, it turned out Vier was not that perfect as she imagined before. So, she actually ended up with Tangmo (supposed to be 2ndMale Lead) the way it somehow sailed my ghost ship on "Hana Kimi Ikemen", just on another universe. I ALWAYS LOVE to see 1stlead ended up with 2ndLead!
It also revolved around daily conflicts of coming of age teenagers esp in high school phase where we would see their struggle with their insecurities, identities, love, responsibility of being a soon to be adult, maturity & honesty.
Set aside the 'weird and doesn't make any sense' settings & plotlines that I often saw in any anime or Japanese live actions, I love the way they brought up important messages of self acceptance (either it's their sexual orientation, gender, their goods and their flaws) & the importance of family.
It's intriguing to imagine the struggle of Love in the way to accept her identity & the way Tangmo embraced her, either as a boy or as a girl because in the end, they're both her, or even how her friends handled this serious matter maturely. Can you imagine falling in love with a girl that turned out to be the same person who is your guy best friend? It's simple but if you think about it, it's deep. Not everyone could handle that kind of plot twist in rl.
❤The Casts : I love every single of them! Must give the standing ovation to our Main casts that played Love, Vier & Tangmo. Without their great performances, this drama wouldn't be this good. They brought out the characters beautifully and lively. I also just knew that 7 members from a Thai Boy Group (Nine By Nine) played in this drama, so I think as rookie actors that came from a non acting background they did excellent! It reminded me of how Korea made a drama that involved K-Pop group members to promote them.
❤Music : Not the best but it stucked on my mind for a while. Iconic to put it simple.
Move on to what I didn't like..
(-)Numerous plot holes! Like for example how the hell Love boy was able to get Great Men Academy's uniform & even joined in that school that fast?? Every school needs parent approval right?? How every single of their subjects & tasks were not academically related but it just focused on how to become a real mature & gentleman?? Honestly guys, to enjoy this drama to the fullest, you should just have an open mind. Again, don't mind the "doesn't make any sense" plotlines, as this drama has different charms.
(-)How come they 80% focused on Vier (even tho technically he's the 2ndlead)?? Yes he's one of the pillars of the story. But I just couldn't hide my disappointment to see limited screen time for Tangmo and even more the relationship development between him & Love. If it wasn't for his insane charms, great acting performance & the satisfying ending, I wouldn't like this drama like the way I do rn. How come we were able to get to know almost everyone's background story even Nuclear & Menn's (they had more screen time too than Tangmo) but Tangmo didn't get proper story time? I guess they wanted to highlight the "youth & slice of life" genre?
(-)Cinematography : I love the story's pacing, but if you want to dig deep, the way they transitioned from one scene to another scene was rough & it affected my understanding with their settings. I was like "whoah, how do we get here?". I don't have any problem other than that rough cutting & editing. For the camera shots I think they did it beautifully.
Conclusion : I'll give this drama an overall points of 8,5 because I think it's wortg the points & it deserved more exposure. I didn't think I'd found a rare gem with this kind of genre that I never found in any other Thai dramas. It even has this 2006-10's vibe of fantasy & high school drama. I'd definitely rewatch this drama again, as they had one of the best character development I've ever seen, the best plot twists that you never expected & the messages that were actually quite deep if you think about it.
So what are you waiting for, guys? Watch this drama, I really, really recommend this!!❤❤
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It's Okay to Not Be Okay
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It'd Be A Full Lifeless Drama Without Sang Tae's Character
«Warning : Viewers discretion is very advised in this drama. Bad traits from FL, it should only be an entertainment & any of her character's behaviour should not be glorified or followed.»I came watching this drama without any expectations at all. Despite all the hype from last year, I knew it from the trailer & synopsis that it's gonna be a 'hit or miss' kinda drama. I would rate it a "Miss". Why?
1)I'll be honest, the overall plotline & premise is not that appealing for me, I don't know but I felt that this drama is lifeless. The ONLY thing that carried out this drama is Moon Sang Tae's character. He's literally a ball full of sweet & happiness. This drama would be much better if all of the side characters got more spotlight and each mental healths problems that every characters had in this drama were brought up & addressed properly.
2.)The background story between the mainleads (Gang Tae, Sang Tae & Moon Young) in the lake is lifeless too. I didn't felt any connections just like another drama ex : "Kill Me Heal Me" or even "What's Up Secretary Kim" 's background stories. It was pointless. The writers only wanted to show the connections between the characters and the impact was not successful for me.
3.)Instant chemistry between Moon Young & Gang Tae, BUT despite all the skinships scenes, it's also lifeless. I was like "Damn, that was fast. It's hot but meh". I felt like their relationship is actually not healthy and overly complicated. I resembled their relationship like Joker & Harley Queen/Beauty & the Beast's. I know that we can't blame love as it's not something that we can control. But mainleads desire & obsession towards each other is not healthy at all. Even tho it's 'crazy', I agree that they can't live without each other. They had their own demons that no one would be able to handle it other than themselves. Nevertheless, I REALLY HOPE that all the viewers will be wise enough to tell that it's not something you can follow.
4.)Satisfying last two episodes but I had this complicated feelings on the aftermath. Despite the 'rainbow' ending, I still feel that this drama still had this dark shadows lurking over the characters. Well, if you think abt it, the catchphrase lived up to its name "In the end, It's okay to not be okay"
5.)Endless plot holes here and there. The biggest one would be Moon Young's mother character. Her background story & PoV should be more addressed. I already anticipated the twist, but unfortunately the writers misplaced the last conflict in the last three episodes, so it felt rushed out in the end. We didn't get to know her character's full story. It was actually the most interesting & promising plot line for me. It'd be much better if this drama cuts out unnecessary scenes in the middle of this drama & decided to pull off this plot line sooner.
6.)(Spoiler alert) The scene between Gang Tae, Moon Young & the patient couple outside the hospital really triggered me. How can Gang Tae fell for Moon Young's manipulative behaviour and forgot that one of his patient is an alcoholic who tried his best to stop his addiction more importantly, how can he woke up not telling his brother where he was, and not paying attention to his patients that already went out? It's a good thing that the guy is a responsible person. I can't imagine if he actually ran with his girlfriend. Sigh, Gang Tae is actually not professional at all. I'm disappointed in that scene.
Things I wanted to applaud :
1.)Cinematography (No doubt, hands down to the production team making beautiful shots with great lightning set & angle)
2.)Costumes : I ADORE all of Moon Young's wardrobe. But I often think "Damn, how big is her wardrobe?" She literally always changed clothes for every occasions. It's a eye candy for the viewers (like Hotel De Luna).
3.)The act: 10/10. Special shout out for Oh Jung Se for bringing out Moon Sang Tae's character alive. I even forgot that it's an act, you'll see every single details that he brought on his body language. Top notched acts!
4.)Heartfelt moments between the mainleads & side characters. The trio mainleads are indeed flawed characters with tragic past & fate. But I'm glad the production team brought the whole family idea. They are not perfect but together they can 'defy' the world.
●Sang Tae (the oldest/hyung, often misunderstood but he's the 'wisest' of all, kind hearted & full of forgiveness & hope),
●Gang Tae (The backbone/pillar of the family, trying his best to be selfless-pressed his own desires & emotions),
●Moon Young (Their nightmare & their salvation. Very flawed but tried to change for herself & her family).
5.)Values & Quotes. Damn this drama is like straight out of novels. It's full of quotes and lessons to be learned. They are warm and heartfelt. I love quotes from Moon Young "You have to face your nightmares & fears to know happiness & strength, as you're a child that will not grow up if you decided to erase those painful memories". I also love how they connected the storyline in each episode with different fairy tale. It worked and it made me wanted to make my own fairy tale..
Values : Love yourself, believe in other people esp your own family-lean on them if it's unbearable, face your demons and strive for happiness from it & yeah I agree with It's okay to not be okay, don't linger on the past but don't forget it. Eventually in the end, all things will resolve on their own.
Conclusion : Watch it! Despite my criticisms towards this drama, but I recommended for you to watch. I can't deny of the show stealer of this drama : the trio mainleads chemistry and Moon Sang Tae's sweet character. You'll cry, you'll laugh, it's a roller coaster full of feels. It's not a perfect drama but it's worth your time. Enjoy the ride and tell me what's the moral story from this story?
Would rate it : 7,5/10. ❤
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Mr. Perfect and Miss Almost
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An Almost Perfect Scenario of Contract Marriage Turn Into Real Love
As almost everyone has reviewed here, this drama contains a lot of cliche rom-com tropes, but there are few things that made them special:❤Perfect, cold but actually warm ML & Bubbly, Casual and warm FL (both characters developed well here, esp ML who learned to love and accept love that he deserved & FL who finally turned from a girl who often had misfortunes into a dependent girl. Most importantly, ML never bullied her, always helped & supported FL for whatever her choice is)
❤Contract marriage (but with warm interactions & no love tug and war between the Mainleads, ML really respected FL at first & I love how he seriously took contract in account)
❤First love between the Mainleads (they fell in love after the contract marriage)
❤Cute Love Scenes between Mainleads (I squealed every time the Mainleads do the skinship scenes. I love how gentle ML took FL in every kisses, hugs & how sweet FL responded to it. What blown my mind in some of the scenes, I think that ML actually deep down inside had this preference of showing his love in front of other people either in person or when FL had a phone call with other people esp the Secondary Male Lead. Like it made me scream how we saw that the cold, perfect teacher in the first few episodes was actually a jealous & possessive husband towards her wife??)
It is a simple drama. But its filled with warm & love vibes everywhere. You will also feel the warmth of the family & kinda made you wanted to have a healthy relationship that the Mainleads had.
Lastly, what made me scored this drama to be 9,5/10 is because I love how FL portray a message in the last episode, that sometimes you gotta choose something that is irreplaceable for you / someone who really loved you because maybe in the future you might regret not to hold on it. So, STREAM IT, guys!! Recommend it so much!❤❤
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If you're looking for a fluffy, cheesy romance this is for you. But if you're looking for a 'fun but has a deep plot' movie, then I'm not recommending this to you. I love all of the casts and their professional act. But what I'm not quite satisfied within this movie, is the shallow character for Shizuku & Subaru. I honestly don't know the reason why Yori wanted to abandon everything to pursue her dreams? I know his character was kinda the same like Kotoko (Itazura Na Kiss Franchise)-someone devoted their life for their loved ones. But at least give us the reason tho. Kotoko loves Irie bcs he's smart, handsome, etc. But what about Shizuku? I'm sure that the manga will tell me a lot better explanation abt Shizuku's background. In this movie all she did was to smile (Thank God her smile was angelic), complaining to Yori, didn't do her job professionally, even tho her character has such a huge potential on the beginning of the movie. I thought from the trailer she's one of that fierce & tough female lead character, but I was wrong..Her character was not strong enough for me..But the cast did the acting beautifully.
I also hated Subaru's character because the script writer didn't even gave the character to explain his reason why he actually felt inferior to Yori & did all of that nasty things to Yori. His character was only to give pressure & sense of rivalry to Yori. I was not even feeling a fair competitiveness between them. How come Subaru was portrayed only as a jealous boy with Shizuku? The cast deserves more spotlight & character development. Honestly put it simple, it was just kinda feels rushed out.
What I love abt this movie is the part when Kondo PD character could support Yori as a rising actor & how Yori could get out from his 'cage' & flew away to pursue his (Shizuku's) dreams.
This movie has huge potential, but I don't see them being executed wisely. Props to the cast, but I think I would not watch it again. This is a perfect movie for you who just wanted to quickly spend your time. Would rate it 7/10.
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SUSPENSEFUL GAME OF "WHO'S THE CULPRIT?"
«Warning : It's gonna be a long review, has some spoilers & tho little chance this got people read on this review, I'm still gonna say it "I don't know why when this drama came out it didn't blew up like any other dramas, because THE DRAMA IS LIT!!". Please watch it if you can stand with murder, suicide, horror, mystery, psychological suspense, gore & thriller!»Story : Full 10/10. A 'chef kiss' approved. Very intense & suspenseful. This drama won't let you rest for a bit, even there are few comedy elements in every episode, I think it was just to break the ice/suspense vibe. For someone who do believe that God, Demon, Angel are real & had paranormal experiences before, I can relate to this drama very much. Maybe that's why I felt very terrified on almost every episode (esp for Father Choi scenes, it scared me like hell). I personally viewed this drama is the leading drama for any exorcism dramas & movies out there, including Hollywood. Judge/bash me if you want, this drama was scary & sometimes too disturbing for me.
Anyway, like my headline said, the main plot of this drama is like a suspenseful version of game finding who's the real culprit, aka in this case the mainleads were finding the identity of the demon-Park Il Do. The intensity came from the drama of finding & suspecting the demon. While some episodes may convinced you on which person the demon stayed, it turned out to be wrong & there's more to the story. You'll feel like investigating with the mainleads & that's also what made this drama a masterpiece. Altho no romance this drama has executed paranormal/exorcism/demonic/horror/mystery/thriller genre successfully.
But for the record I must say that this drama actually could be shortened into 12/14 episode? There are few episodes (towards the end) that doesn't actually matters & felt repetitive. The anger dialogues between the mainleads also sometimes made me annoyed. The stubborn nature of the mainleads and some stupid decisions actually could be prevented by much more decent dialogue choice.
Cast : Absolutely perfect. The chemistry are over the top. Every cast for supporting characters are perfect, I can't imagine other casts other than this one. Their visuals & skills to be immersed with their characters are 10/10. I love seeing how in time, mainleads are bonding their friendship. Broken people with same dreadful & sad past, people who were mocked, exiled & hurt by the society. Yes their road to realize that what matters the most is each other was rocky, but I love how the ending still supports their friendship as everyone is alive & it depicts that "hope & light are always there in every darkness".
Cinematography : 10/10. It has high quality shots, pacing & it really helps to build up the tense & dreadful vibes. If you're used to watch Hollywood movies, this drama will also surely raised your standards.
Music : Absolutely perfectly chose & placed. I don't quite remember the osts, but I love how they used Korean traditional ritual music & bells effect in every Hwa Pyeong's vision scenes appeared.
Leasons To Be Learned : There'll always darkness in every person. It's depend to us whether or not we let them control us, or we defeat them by forgiving ourselves & the people that we may hate. Even if in every job & society we will always encounter with beauracracy, seniority, lies & corruption, those people will eventually got their own punishments, we just have to be patient & let the nature takes over. Lastly, appreciate every moment that you had with your family/friends/loved ones. ?
Overall conclusion : Please do watch it if you love horror movies, capable of watching thru 16 episodes of wondering, mystery & dreadful feelings. Some scenes may disturb you to the point where you felt that in real life these kind of crimes actually happened & hope seems to hard to reach. But don't worry the ride will of course worth your time & experience. This drama will also hit you differently if you also has the same believe with the presence of God, Demon, Angel, etc, even if you don't, this drama will take you to a world where possibilities of scientifically unexplained phenomenons happened. I RECOMMEND IT FOR EVERYONE!!
9,5/10???
(P.S. Would love to see reunion of the mainleads someday. Good job, production team & the casts! Will I watch it again in the future? Maybe, but for now most likely no. I have to rest my eyes, minds & soul after watching this exhausting, disturbing but exciting drama. Maybe in the next few years? I will miss their friendship (and Choi Yoon too? damn, he really is a gorgeous & hot here even if he played a priest role-forgive my thoughts, guys???)
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Relatable, Realistic & Bittersweet 'Toxic' Relationship Portrayal
«Warning : If you're looking for dreamy, cheesy, lovey dovey & sweet drama, this is clearly not for you. This drama really portrayed the realistic version of toxic relationship of enduring unrequited love for someone who was clearly not interested & not worth your time, but sadly it's indeed very relatable to our life like me..»I always knew from the reviews and comments that ToL was far from usual cheesy BL dramas. But I never ever imagined the pain, agony and depression feelings that I felt while watching this. .
What I love from this drama :
❤Great and magnificent acting works from all of the casts. I'd like to give OffGun both standing ovation, as they really deserved it. Their interpretation & execution really brought this drama all along. 1000/10. I never stop admiring Gun's ability to easily cry or how Off had successfully made us to ride on his roller coaster of feels. You'll find yourself despising and in the end supporting and pitying him. It really showed how great he executed the role. The supporting casts playing Two, Bone & P'Un are incredible too!!
❤Every story line that involved unrequited love & redemption are spot on!They are indeed hurtful, painful but very realistic. At least once in our life, we'll meet that one person who we couldn't say our feelings to, as everything would be different (for better or worse) if we did that. So the choices from all of the characters were very understandable if you saw it on their PoV.
❤The concept of using the names of legendary romcom movies into their episodes. Every episode was named with different movies that incorporated with the plot line. They really bring back my memories of watching these movies like Flipped, Love Actually, Notting Hill, 10 Things About You, etc. I also love how they respected and brought tribute of every single movie by reenacting legendary plotlines.
❤Hands down one of the 'best' & realistic character dev. I've ever seen in any thai dramas. Third being independent and more mature after breaking down, Khai being more responsible,honest & careful towards his actions & words, Two finally realising the love of his life, Bone being gentleman by moving on with his first real love and wishing her the best, etc. It's satisfying to see after all the tears, angst, disappointment & numbness, there will be rainbow for every characters as they fought for the best version of themselves.
❤Beautiful, lovely & bittersweet friendship. Despite Khai's toxic behaviour in the past, we can't close our eyes on how Two & Bone are undoubtedly loyal, caring & understanding towards their bestfriend (esp Third). They really got each other back when they saw one of them was hurt. I felt that it's both karma & sad to see sometimes Khai being left alone by the three of them, but he deserved the cold shoulders after all that he has done in the past. I'm glad they were able to reconcile.
❤The long bittersweet lessons to be learned :
-You must love yourself wholeheartedly to be able to love others
-If it's unbearable for you anymore to hold on to something, just let go, don't torture yourself with something that is not certain
-Not everyone deserved a second chance but someone will be, if he/she really showed that he/she wanted to repent their mistakes in the past
-It's hurtful to see a broken man, but it's more hurtful to see a changed man broken
-RESPECT, LOVE & BE GRATEFUL for everyone who stayed beside you.
-FIGHT FOR YOUR DREAM/OPPORTUNITY, BCS THE CHANCE MAY COME ONLY ONCE FOR ALL
-LISTEN & BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART
And let's continue to what I 'hate' the most from this drama :
(-)I can't emphasize enough on how toxic the mainleads relationship was. It should only be seen as a lesson or bad example of friendship gone bad. I don't like how Third really tortured himself by watching his love being with someone else in the house, unvoluntary being Khai's 'slave'/secretary, had to face the neverending saga of Khai's ditching his promise, etc. If it was in real life, I'd suggest Third to let him go. It's never okay to be with someone that really degraded you to the bones. Put aside all the romantic feels, if a friend didn't have any respect for each other, then, he/she can't be called a friend. Well, again, it's the norm, guys. I know for sure, if I was in Third's position, I'd also face the same difficulty to move on.
(-)Bad portrayal of 'violence'/forcing someone. There was this scene where Khai grabbed Third wrists until he was unable to move. It was kinda disturbing actually. I'm glad that they developed their relationship to be more mature & caring in the end. But still, you know what I mean if you often to see thai dramas. It's horrifying to imagine how normalized, violence/to do anything without any concent is in a relationship.
(-)Laughable, dramatic & 'doesn't make sense' scenes. Like the accident scene was unbelievable. Well, at least, it can become meme for BL fandom, LoL
Overall thoughts : If you're bored on watching the same repetitive BL dramas tropes (engineering student characters, 'unrealistic' bright & sweet relationship, etc), and able to hold on to all the HEAVY ANGSTS & SLOW BURN, this could be the answer. Prepare your tissue and your heart, as while and after watching this drama, you might remember again the sad past of your unrequited love/secret crush and thankfully, it still gave the hope to believe in love again.
Would rate it 8,5/10 ❤
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Very Promising Premises But They Decided to Cramped It Up?
I always knew that China & Japan are the leading countries when it came to fantastic production of fantasy movies & dramas. This movie is no exception. You'll get :●Unique plot ideas
●Badass CGIs
●Cute and funny monsters design
●Some suspenseful action scenes
●Promising characters & chemistry between the mainleads
●All entertainment you can get in a fantasy movie
But! Here are some reasons why I think the movie isn't 'complete' (Spoiler Alert!) :
1. The movie literally spent little time for the viewers to grow accustomed with the world that the characters live in & to get to know the characters. Honestly it really felt soo rushed out, I still have many questions regarding the character's background. Why is there even a character like Charlene that clearly had connections with Meng but her character was not explored, or who is exactly Uncle Ping is? Damn during the last minutes, there are more questions flew inside my head.
2. The movie's storyline pacing is clearly the biggest problem here. Why spent so much screen time with the mainleads doing nothing important in his house rather than focusing on the main conflict. The production team was clearly trying to cramped all of the ideas into the movie and it resulted in 'rough' cut scenes from one scene to another scene. The contrast between the scenes was too visible, the pacing was not smooth at all.
3. Uncountable plot holes here and there are unbearable for people who really counted detail things. Like how was it exactly Ji Mo's mother was admitted to a hospital in the first place, is she sick bcs of monster sent by Lotus? How's her mother doing after her accepting her fate? What about the paper character, will he always be the left hand for Meng (I'm gonna miss him so much..)? Are there no monster hunter in China besides those characters? If that so then it's just too pathetic..Why only two monsters were shown up? The production team literally tried their best to create HEA ending, but all I can catch up is cliffhangers at its finest, smh..
Like I said before, this movie is actually very promising, well yeah it kinda will be like 'hit or miss' type of movie with people who watch it. It's a miss for me for the lack of many elements, but if you're a fantasy movies/dramas lover that don't really matter with details and just strive for pure entertainment, this movie might be for you..
Well, I think that I will enjoy the story line more IF they decided to make this into a drama. Just like K-Dramas with short episodes (8-20 episodes), I believe that this story line will be executed more perfectly. I'd like to watch it again if they decided to make this movie into a drama tho! With cute monsters design and all drama surrounding the capture and the return, relationship development between the mainleads, more screen time & backgorund for the supporting characters.
Anyway, just watch it guys. If you're a fan of fantasy/adventure/action/comedy movies, this movie might be your cup of tea. A movie worth to spent your spare time. Keep your mind open and enjoy the ride!! Would rate it : 7,5/10❤
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The Uncanny Counter Season 1
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When ghostbuster meets exorcism and superpower
You probably had heard that this drama has received the highest rating in OCN. It really did live up to its hype!«Warning!! : This drama contains a lot of explicit scenes of bullying, suicide & murder. So if you are easily triggered by these type of scenes, don't watch it. But don't worry it's a drama with certified satisfying & beautiful ending!»
Story : You must have read the plot, so I'll just explain my impression. As a drama that is based on webtoon, the production team & the casts really executed the story perfectly without any cringe scenes. Even if you don't actually believe God, demon or the other realm, you will find yourself enjoying its premise-where scientifically unexplained phenomenons happened. This drama is actually the 'mild' version of "The Guest", where the main conflict is not that suspenseful, but every episode is filled with actions, surprises, plot twists & chills.
Love the relationship between Eonni Gang (they are indeed family that came from forgotten people) and the three musketeers (their friendship is beautiful & sincere :") ). This drama contains incredible side stories & one big main conflict that involved with politics & power struggle.
But I must say, there are few plot holes that I must point out (Spoiler alert!!) :
1)Why So Mun could not heal himself in the last few episodes, as Dongpal's soul has entered his body?? Doesn't that made him a counter with two spirits?
2)So Mun's identity as a high schooler is often forgotten. Doesn't his school looking for him?
Casts : 10/10 Absolutely, marvelously, super duper magnificent!! They are very professional, full with emotions, very lively & successfully made the viewers delved into their characters. Props to actors that played So Mun, Cheong Sin, Myeong Hui & of course Sejong!! Every one did their best & I could not imagine any actors played their characters. Hopefully the casts will stay the same in S2.
Cinematography : Da bestt!! I love how the CGI really blends with the scenes. Every scene was shot beautifully.
Music : Not really paying attention to the osts as I was really focused on the plot, but I love the BGM on Jang Mul & Motak's scenes came out. They were chosen & placed perfectly!
Values : Same with "The Guest", in every person, live their own demons-their past, their hidden identity, their pain, their secrets, etc. If we wanna win, we must control that emotions, embrace the demons & learn to be a better person every single day. There's always hope in every darkness, believe in yourself & respect, don't underestimate simple things in life (like having dinner with your family or even their existence)
Conclusion : WATCH IT GUYS!!! You will not regret it! Be prepared as you will binge watching this drama. Prepare your snacks, tissues (the 2nd half of the drama is filled with heart breaking scenes) & blanket!
Would rate it 9,5/10. ❤❤
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Sweet, Fluffy Drama That Reminds Me Of My First Love..
2nd Edit After Watching It 2nd Time!!***
My score might surprise or even mocked by most of the people here who felt utterly disappointed with how the show had gone through in the second half. But believe me, I was a non-BL watcher (before watching The Untamed ofc, lol), as I just tipped my toe in BL world as of last month, this drama really really made me squeal out of the mainleads cuteness!!
Here's a cup of my thoughts :
❤(About SarawatTine's relationship)-After watching this the 2nd time, I just realized that they really represented high school romance in a campus setting. Their unmature mindsets & actions reminds me of my own love story back then. I gotta admit tho, despite all the ridiculous misunderstandings between them, I can relate the butterfly feels you had with your highschool sweetheart..it felt awesome tbh..
I know now why people often said that their relationship went flat line on the 2nd half of the drama. It's because they're each other fist real love guys!
Even tho Tine has went out with countless girls before, but being with Sarawat made him change for better or worse. He-for the first time felt the insecurities by loving & being with Sarawat. He had to come up with the reality that he's not straight, had to face the backlash from Sarawat's fans & first love & he even felt insecure with himself, plus he's trying to getting used to receiving love from his partner as I saw it he literally felt deeply overwhelmed with how fast his relationship has been going..It's normal & relatable af..It's heart wrenching to see how Tine ALWAYS WENT SICK every time he had fights with Sarawat. He's indeed truly madly deeply in love with Sarawat even if he didn't said or showed it out aloud. I think Sarawat might be The One for him as he was able to bring up Tine's side that even he didn't know exist before..
For Sarawat, I think he's just not used to being with someone else beside himself. Remember before meeting Tine, he liked to just cave in & enjoy his own company. He always saw Tine as his 'star'-far, brightening, warming but unreachable. He dare to flirted with him, but when the situation turned to serious tone, he still needs to learn how to cope with couple problems.. I think When Tine finally became his boyfriend, he also felt the awkwardness of finally being with his crush & he just didn't know how to show Tine the love that he deserved..Well damn, Tine is his first boyfriend, it's understandable that he still felt shy, couldn't comprehend Tine's feelings/not sensitive yet, decided to cover up something bcs he thought it's not a big deal or not finished yet. His actions were not simple mistakes, but still understandable..The only solution to their problems are communication & trust. Thank God, they made the sequel, bcs if not, I may not rate this drama this high!!
They may start with instant attraction/insta love at first sight, but their real relationship took time to actually happened. The overall flirting process was *chef kiss*. You might enjoy the drama the most, bcs of this. Even tho they really had limited time of showing skinships/intimate scenes, I still felt their chemistry. Honestly guys, we gotta admit that not every BLs have to have s*x/steamy scenes, right? Even tho the production team did cut most from those scenes that actually might help with easing their stiffness, but I agree with a principle : just bcs you date someone, it doesn't mean we have to made love with him/her all the time. Maybe the production team just wanted to focus on the main love plot..Idk..
BUT, I must add that I finally felt something different in the 2nd half of the drama. I think that the director should be in charged with how stiff they are in some of the episodes..Like the one where Sarawat just 'slapped' Tine's head while he said that he couldn't stay mad with him, felt more like bromance than romantic relationship. It should be Sarawat petting Tine's head/neck. And another one would be the infamous hand clap at the last episode. It should be Sarawat gave Tine a kiss from the stage. Imagine that! How epic & romantic it'd be.
Their body language still showed the awkward vibe of two straight actors trying hard to act up as couple. But hey, they honestly has tried their best to act up the script and those small moments/gestures (eye contacts, shy smiles & blushes from Tine esp, sexy glares from Sarawat, etc) and I appreciate that..
❤Those pickup lines tho!! Welp for all of you BG drama lovers like me in the past, it's time for you to get to know BL world. Really, The Untamed was the one who first introduced me, but this drama was the one who made me realize what I've been missing on all this time. At some point, you will not get the same high excitement when you watch BG dramas. Damn, Watt's pick up & flirty lines still made me fan my self. He is one of greatest king of pick up lines in any drama history. The way he delivered them with those sexy glares made my legs go weak.
My favourite line would be "If I have a boyfriend, I will shower/worship him with kisses from his head to his shadow"..Damn, where would you find sexy and hot pick up lines like this in BG dramas??
❤They wanted to show another side of BL dramas, as they wanted to focus more on fluffy, lovey dovey sweet romance. I don't really mind tho, for a new BL lover like me, their scenes are more than enough to please my eyes and heart..
❤Loveable characters like Green (love his whole vibe, strong & confident character, loving & forgiving nature), Mil (love his way of showing love and despite the initials heat, he showed that his morals is admirable), Man (as the ultimate matchmaker for his bestfriends. You can't help wishing to have a supportive friend like him in rl).
❤I love how they decided to show that the mainleads relationship IS NOT PERFECT. Bcs in rl, all of these things happened. I knew it bcs I went through it. For example, when you passed on the honey moon phases, you will eventually had insecurities around your partner, or feeling oblivious with your partner's feelings or even wanted some space. It can't be helped and it's normal, as long as they are able to work things out in the end, and they did! Just take the good things from what you watch, don't mock the actors or even the script..I have watched far far worse relationships than mainleads, that clearly screamed toxic, dangerous & red flags.
❤Great osts!! I really love the musical pieces. The sweet and almost nostalgic melodies from Scrubb's / mainleads songs really brought your past memories. I love "Everything" & "Sarawat" (in the sequel) the best!
"Sarawat" 's lyrics really did bring myself to tears. We all know Wat's undying love for Tine, but for Tine as a former straight guy who only had eyes for girls, the whole relationship with Wat was utterly new and foreign yet soothing him. It frightened him at some point, as he knew that Sarawat was far from his ideal type, but he also knew that the only true joy & happiness will only come from Wat..His journey of finding, realizing and holding on to his true love was what really made me tear up.. :")
What I don't really like :
(-)How they wanted to romanticize the trope of turning someone that is clearly as day a straight guy into gay. Even tho I didn't felt any red flag in Wat's actions, but I admit that in the first few episodes I felt cringe on how Green always pestered on him even tho he clearly showed no interest (but bless Green for his sweet & forgiving heart tho), how Watt's being overly jealous & possessive even tho at that time Tine was not his partner or even how Man literally stalked and pushed Type to like him in return.
(-)HOW LITTLE TINE'S FRIENDS BACKGROUND STORIES! Like they actually really complemented this series with their comedic and legendary dialogues, but sadly they really were there as side character that ONLY support Tine's actions. The only reason they showed up was for giving Tine love advices or chasing up on girls. They need justice aka more stories that they deserved (they're one of the biggest reason why Wat & Tine can be together)
(-)THE CHOPPY TRANSITION. Damn, this drama actually had big potentials in the plot line & casts, but our production & editing team really had the nerve to make the relationship seems stiff and almost laughable in some scenes as the transitions were not smooth at all. From cinematography stand point, I'd rate it 6/10.
(-)LITTLE AMOUNT OF PARENTS SCENES. They really needed to address how their parents would actually reacts on their sons's relationships (both Wat & Tine's parents). Bcs even if Thai is more open to gay couples these days, it can't be helped that a lot of families really condemn this kind of relationship.
(-)Lastly, I really wanted to know why Type was crying on the Meditation trip. He was shown holding on to a photo and crying looking into it, but sadly we never knew the reason why..
Overall thoughts : Try it guys!! You will not disappointed if you see it as a whole (don't focus on the last two episodes, but try to pretend that the spinoff was the missing piece/continuation of this series).
It's another simple, sweet, fluffy and heart warming drama, it's cliche but it taught you that when you fell in love it was just love that really matters. Tine & Wat is the example of despite being gays, but they only had eyes for each other. It's same with BG relationships, it just happened that they are both boys.
Would rate it 9/10!! ❤❤
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My Small Indeed Fortunate
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Another Modern Fairytale
Sometimes after watching heavy themed drama, you need a drama/movie that will satisfy your sugary, fluffy romance needs. This drama would be the answer to that.It has so much potential within their casts and story premise, but first I gotta address some criticisms that I found in this drama :
- It'd be muuchh better and more perfect writing, IF Shaoqing realized that they're childhood friend in the latter episode, maybe on episode 10/11? So that he fell in love with her not bcs she was his saviour, but bcs of who she really is. Or IF the writer decided to make a plot twist making us, the viewers not realized that he already knew Corong was his childhood friend (just like in "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim"). Bcs it really affected the whole chemistry building & image between them.
It was honestly too rushed out so that in the end, many people said that their relationship was flat and it was more interesting to look at the 2nd main couple. Well, it was not the actors fault. They've already done incredible job building up chemistry despite the lack in script. The only missing thing between the 1st main couple is the long process of getting to each other. Their relationship was too insta-love and obvious. I was like "Damn, they already fell in love and got together?? That was fast.."
-It'd also be much better if they showed us more conflicts on Shaoqing's daily life as a neuro surgeon. Just like in "You're My Hero" that was able to focus on problems that rooted from their jobs. I was waiting for medical drama/tension from his patients case (besides the legal problem one) so that we can focus towards Shaoqing alone as a surgeon. His character actually had many potentials to be more strong. Sometimes, I laughed at myself watching his character, as if he's only there to be Congrong's partner and maybe it was just me, but I saw him being a surgeon almost like cosplay work.
BUT, despite all of my criticism up there, this drama has a lot of plus points :
❤Story : 8,5/10. Nothing special and new actually. It's literally compilation of sweet couple scenes you can find in any drama and boy the amount of kissing and skinship scenes are plenteous..But, I consider it to be quite successful (far better than drama like "Lucky's First Romance/The World Owes Me First Love"). Full of sweet, relaxing, and fluffy vibes. Not until to the extent of emotion roller coaster, but you'll find yourself cheering for the characters and enjoy the dynamic of the drama. If you love watching romcom drama that has almost no angst moments and conflicts that resolved quickly, you really should watch this!
❤Acting & Characters : 10/10.
I love all of the casts here. They really immersed with their characters. 10 thumbs up for our mainleads for successfully creating one of the hottest and sweetest chemistry & moments in the history of any drama, including K-Drama too (like "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim", "Coffee Prince", "Queen & I", "Clean With Passion"or the famous C-drama "Love is Sweet"). They looked really comfortable with each other and I was countlessly shocked with their kissing scenes, they were tooo intimate (esp the 'candy kiss')!!
Almost every characters has their own development too. What I love abt this drama is that, how main couples really promoted healthy relationships that has basic in trust, honesty, loyalty, understanding and respect. For example, how Congrong & Shaoqing have respect for their job, dream and principle, you'll find no conflict regarding true nature or duty that came from their jobs that affected their quality time. It's refreshing to see a couple that really support each other esp when their job 'disturb' their daily life.
❤Cinematography : 8/10. Beautiful shots and good angles too. But really, what's with C-Drama and too bright lightings when it comes to romantic scenes? That kinda disturbed and turned me off.
❤Values to be learned : Be strong and never give up on your dreams and imaginations, justice must be served, to be with someone you loved might liberate you from your nightmares and made you feel whole.
❤Overall : Watch it guys! It'd be a hit or miss drama with some people, but for me it was a successful romance drama that you should watch for its sweetness and warmness not bcs of its deptness. Not a roller coaster of emotions but a whole journey of finding healing in love.
Would rate it 9/10!
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Underrated 'Whirlwind of Emotions' Coming of Age Drama
First of all, I came watching this drama without any expectation, so I never expected it to be this deep. I also considered this drama to be a whole new one, rather than complete adaptation. Yes, the characters & main events are similar, but it's a loose adaptation so,I will not tell my comment abt the comparisons with its predecessors.Here's my thoughts :
❤Story Wise : 9/10. I love how they made this drama's pace to be relaxing, full of warm vibes with still some 'intense' conflicts that can be solved in a few episodes. The only problem is that, I felt a really long drags on the middle. It'd be perfect if they just cut out unnecessary scenes and made it into a 30 episodes drama. The interval scenes (that showed city's / their campus's scenery as their indications of the settings) were boring & repetitive too.
The overall plotline of seeing our characters grew up and fought for their dreams in professional classical music world as a milenial generation , made this drama into a coming of age drama with a bit sprinkle of slice of life and romcom.
BUT, I also want to address one of the biggest turn off in the story line. It's how they brought up the leads relationship. People, it was not healthy at all! Pls don't follow their relationship as an example.Xiaowo & Zhen Yan's problems mostly lies on their lack of mutual trust, understanding & communication. How can one continue their relationship if they still hide their feelings and events that are important to be told?!
Like how Zhen Yan always hided the fact that he performed with Song Ran, resulting in Xiaowo's never ending saga of crying over him. Boy, you got numerous chances to tell her, why it has to be someone else to tell you that she's hurt? It was painful to see someone's happiness robbed out just bcs they love their loved ones unconditionally. Yes, Xiaowo's love and obsession over him was not healthy too, but his actions were also not right.
❤Actings : 9/10. I love how they made a whole new traits from our characters. I felt their chemistry and sweetness between every couples, but I must say the minus 1 point goes to every cameo actors that acted very cringe. The mainleads and supporting actors were awesome too.
However, small things that I must add too is how Lin Yun acted as Xiaowo really reminded me of her play as Xiangqin in "Fall in Love At First Kiss". She still brought up her 'Kotoko vibe' and for me it was a little bothering me. Even if they have similar traits as a girl who only set eyes with one guy, they should have different upbeings. I also felt that Lin Yun has 'no soul' when she was playing piano, a complete different than how Zhang Xincheng played piano or conducted the orchestra.
❤Cinematography : 4/10. WORST shots and angles I've ever seen in C-Dramas. I'm sorry but it was one of the biggest reason why some people said that this drama lack of emotions. It's not the music pieces choice. It's not the actors fault. For me the biggest hole in this drama is how they shot, edited & packed it.
I understand there are few movies & series esp in Comedy genre that used 'shaky & sudden zooming in' shots (I'm sorry I don't know what's the name of it), like in "Brooklyn 99" or "Bad Trip". They matched the tones and it's okay to use the techniques in that situation. But, for a romance drama like this, it was the worst decision to use that technique. I even felt dizzy on many scenes esp on dialogues when the characters are sitting still, but the cameras went shaky and the actors even missed the frame a few times. Feel free to correct me tho..
❤Music : For the classical music pieces choice 9/10. They picked the musical pieces really well. It's refreshing how they introduced each of its pieces with their own history & background, and it matched the story line and conflicts. I don't have any problems with the pieces. I even cheered, shouted and cried every time the characters had a gig/concert/recital/competition. My favourite would be the first concert of S Orchestra. The only problem I scored the overall music is 7,5/10 was bcs the actual OST. I don't remember any of them at all. Nothing worth to remember actually.
❤Another things that I love :
- Loveable & memorable characters like Master Fisher (the mysterious, very wise, tactical, high pride but warm grand master) and Father Qin (the warmest, selfless & kindest character, father of RS Orchestra), Teacher Zhang (one of the most important person behind Xiaowo's progress, teacher that was willing to change for his student).
- Characters development : Hands down, one of the best characters development I've ever seen in C-Drama. You can see the difference and how they grew up overtime. The most noticeable would be the leads, Cia Wei & Qin Fen. Even the teachers were willing to change and 'grow up' to be more wise too.
❤Valuable Lessons : Love yourself before you can love someone else, stop wandering and start working on your dreams, don't push yourself too hard. There will always be rainbow after the storm, there's no use of cheating as it'd only bring you nightmares & guilts. Most importantly, believe and be confident in yourself!
❤Overall thoughts : Watch it! It's gonna be a hit or miss drama too. But I can guarantee if you love classical music, music & youth dramas like "Dream High" or "Swing Girls" you will enjoy this as much as I do. You will also relate on some scenes and felt the rollercoaster of emotions esp on the last 5 episodes. So, yeah, just be open minded, don't compare it, and enjoy the ride!
Would rate it 8/10!
P.S. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not going to rewatch the entire drama, as it's too stressful, dragging on some episodes and attracted complex emotions. But yeah, maybe I'll watch some cute scenes of the leads.
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"Bland Compilations of Sweet Scenes" Type of Drama
This drama is the definition of anthology of sweet scenes but sadly they have no souls..Here are the reasons why..Story : Very basic, nothing new from "domineering CEO & his staff" romance tropes. I really wanted to drop this drama midway if it's not for the mainleads. I'm sorry but the story was relatively boring & I realized they made the Mainleads characters to be more focused on work aspects, so I felt when the drama really tried its best to create romance vibe/situation by adding dramatic scenes, I cringed. Don't get me wrong, I love some office romance dramas like the leading "What's up with secretary Kim" or "Her Private Life", but in this drama, the pacing is not the best like many Chinese dramas could pull off.
The format is the same, for C-Drama with 24 episodes the couple would date on 17/18th episode, but sadly even after 2nd half of the drama, I didn't feel the connection between the mainleads. It felt like they merely recited the dialogue straight from the script. More than that, I didn't like that eventually, Mainleads relationship considered not healthy for me, as both parties esp ML still likes to hide things from his partner, and the last few episodes where they summoned Xia Ke's Ex. It was just too cliche, her character's motivation is just too unrealistic & dumb-purely to create misunderstanding between the Mainleads, like "girl, where's your pride? won't you just back off? your ex literally has moved on & already has a girlfriend.."
Cast : 9/10. The Mainleads are undoubtedly great in creating romantic atmosphere esp kissing scenes, but unfortunately I didn't see any sparks or chemistry between them. Maybe it was because of the script that literally left them with only few scenes to build their chemistry.
I actually do like the casts playing the second leads (He Yu & Yao Qing couple). They had the biggest character development here. Love their maturity & chemistry. Other casts are just fine.
Cinematography : On point, but just like in "Love is SweetX", the lighting are too much when they did romantic scenes..
Values : Believe yourself as you're more than what you think, family is everything, TRUST & HONESTY ARE THE PILLARS OF EVERY RELATIONSHIPS.
Conclusion : Interesting premise but executed poorly, everything seems to be rushed out in the end. Still, if you're interested in watching this drama after reading the plot, some good reviews & the casts list, just go ahead. Nothing new & deep to the plot, but yes it's filled with sweet scenes and hot kisses *ahem the Mainleads casts are popular with their kissing skills*.
Would rate it 7/10
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