Voltooid
Love Mechanics
87 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
aug 13, 2022
10 van 10
Voltooid 6
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 9.0
Rewatch Waarde 9.0

THATS MORE LIKE IT!

A definite upgrade over the short series - I loved every minute of it!

Finally, a full length series for Yin and War. The chemistry is undeniable and there is significant improvement in acting .

Although the plot and story has a very controversial beginning, (if you read the book and watched the En of Love: Love Mechanics) it felt like the new showrunners listened to what the fans hated on the first show, and improved/removed them - 1) I liked that they removed the role of the social media from the first show; 2) i loved that they improved the moping brokenhearted Vee; and 3) they showed the soft side of Mark during his time apart with Vee (he was just too angry in the short series).

Although i felt bad that they have to change some of the support cast, the new cast did a good job, and i specially loved the addition of the parents. Make no mistake, this is a YinWar show and the maximum exposure they got is just what the show needed.

Is it just me or is War giving a very similar Singto vibe? I loved it!

Overall, i give it a 9, its probably one of the best BL shows of 2022.

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Lopend 78/78
The Story of Ming Lan
87 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
met jwinlyn
jan 9, 2019
78 van 78
Lopend 3
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 9.0

A rich tapestry of Song dynasty life

From the writers that brought Battle of Changsha, you can expect a tightly-woven, authentic slice of life story. Each character and plot line, even the minor ones, have been written with so much raw detail that you feel every undercurrent of emotion simmering within. It is for viewers to sip and savour like fine wine - the longer it takes to ferment, the more intoxicating the fragrance. The subtle nuances, layered plot lines and complex characters...they all come together to paint a picture of quiet beauty, like our MC Ming Lan. Some viewers complain the pace is slow, but you'll be surprised how quickly you get drunk.

The acting is top-notch, delivered by a superb cast of veterans and not just pretty faces, lending justice to the well-written characters. These are not characters to fawn over, but you can imagine every flawed individual in the flesh, because that's how good and how real the acting is. There are no caricatures of stereotypical villains or dumb self-sacrificial heroes. The covert glances, slight hand gestures, undulating voices and variable facial expressions are all on point to hit right in the feels. Even the maids and servants can have their own unique charisma.

Not to mention, other aspects like the music is simple but sophisticated without the usual lyrical overtures of historical dramas. The instrumental scores are effective in supporting rather than outshining the storyline. The costumes and sets are a feast for the eyes. The cinematography is exquisite. I personally love the soft sepia tones created by lots of warm natural light. There is a lot of effort spent on shooting every scene to maximize the visual impact.

Ming Lan is the definite, must-watch family drama! Watch it if you love period dramas of depth and complexity.

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The Throne
87 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
met Jeana
feb 9, 2018
Voltooid 3
Geheel 10
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 10
I almost didn’t want to write anything about this movie because I felt that I couldn’t possibly explain in words all that it made me feel but, to be honest, I feel like the current reviews on here are a major disservice to its beauty. So with my lacking self, I’ll try as much as I can to properly explain to you why this film is an absolute masterpiece and more.

If you’ve read the real history of Prince Sado, you would know that he was a horrible monster of a man. The tales are filled with his brutality. He’s one of the most controversial figures in history. A man so scarred by his father that he lost his mind along with his humanity. But this film is not about the atrocities he commited. It’s about what made him that way. What turned a bright, warm-hearted and full of life man into a madman starved of affection, who wreaked havoc wherever he went. It’s an entirely different interpretation and considerably more heart breaking. For this movie, do away with all your past knowledge of history and shatter all the preconceived notions. Because if you let it, it will move you to an extent you didn’t know was possible.

Kings cannot be fathers. Sado is essentially a story about how a King driven by his own fears and inferiority complex, destroys his son’s life. It’s about a filial son who could never win his father’s favor no matter the extent of loyalty and affection he showed. It’s about little sacrifices and huge betrayals. But most of all, it’s about how love holds no meaning when there is no understanding.

This film isn’t an easy watch. The emotional and physical abuse of such a pure--hearted man breaks your soul. There are a lot of gray areas. No concrete villains or heroes. No absolute goodness or evil. Even when you want to detest some characters, you can’t. Because the tragedy of it all is just too great.

The moment I started this film, I knew I won’t be coming out unscathed. I had a tight ball of dread firmly lodged in the back of my throat and as I continued watching, that ball quickly transformed into liquid misery and came running down my cheeks. As soon as I wiped my tears, they were replaced by more. So much so, that I just stopped wiping them at all. Halfway through, I could literally feel my cheeks burning. And my heart? I felt as if there were a thousand hammers crushing it to dust.

The funny thing is, I didn’t even watch this in one go. During one of the most intense scenes of the film, something urgent came up and unfortunately I had to put a stop to it. The only time I had, to pick it back up was an hour before I had to go somewhere. I was dressed up and had my makeup on. Only 30 minutes of the film was left and because so much time had passed since I first started watching it, I thought “oh well, now the tempo is broken, I won’t be as affected anymore. Let’s get done with it and lay my curiosity to bed”. I was wrong of course, because the moment I pressed play I was back in that horrible world- as if no time had passed at all.
I remember just staring at the screen for at least 5 minutes even after the ending credits had rolled and needless to say, my makeup was a mess. I had to do it all over again.

I know that this is an acquired taste. Nobody likes too much sad shit- excessive sobbing and you lose the emotional appeal entirely. But the thing with Sado is, even when it is over the top, it somehow feels justified and doesn’t fail to pack jarring punches one after the other. It’s disturbing and yet, simple in its execution.

After this movie was released, people invented the term “ Yoo Ah In Shi Dae” which means “Time of Yoo Ah In” or “Yoo Ah In’s Golden Age” and I honestly cannot refute it. There are no words, no expressions in which I can describe the brilliance that was his acting. This, in my opinion, is his best work ever. You can see him go the extra mile and portray an extremely controversial character in such a heart-wrenchingly sincere way that it makes you weep.
The rest of the cast hold their own. They are all spectacular. The women, The King and especially the child actors.

It’s been 11 months since I last gave out a ten rating. Usually, when I rate something I deliberate a lot about it but surprisingly whenever I give out my 10’s, I don’t think or fuss at all. It’s always spontaneous and absolute. I know there could be flaws but my heart completely overcomes any critical thinking I could have done and I have no regrets.

The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, both manic and melancholic; perfectly embodying the Prince’s life. The fusion of past and present is impeccably done. The movie caters to small details, for example: the resemblance between the the actors playing the past and present of a character is remarkable, thus increasing authenticity.

I will re-watch this. There’s no doubt about that, but only when I’m feeling particularly masochistic.
Watch this if you want to experience the cream of Korean Cinema.

Enjoy!

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Queen Cheorin
113 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
feb 15, 2021
20 van 20
Voltooid 0
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 9.0

Comparison with Chinese original "Go Princess Go"

Since I watched both the Chinese original "Go Princess Go" and this Korean remake, let me comment on some similarities and differences, and why you should watch both :)

1. Completely different storylines
Other than the "modern playboy's soul enters ancient queen's body" setting, everything else is redone. The Chinese drama was in the early webdrama days and featured an imaginary ancient time, while the Korean actually corresponds to one of the real kings in history. The Koreans took this short-lived king and remade him into a different (more interesting) character in the drama, and based a lot of clan feuds / political conflicts around this time period. This is very different from the Chinese drama, which had much less politics and much more just pure slapstick comedy.
So if you're into period dramas, this one will give you everything you need -- history, politics, as well as a very gripping fight for what is right.

2. AMAZING costuming and set
The Chinese drama was made in the early webdrama days with obscenely low budget, so they took the low budget and made it into one of their jokes. They had one electric fan to do all special effects with, they didn't have money for realistic costumes so they remade a lot of modern dresses, and the set was just ???
(That is not to say the Chinese drama is poorly made -- as I said, they took the low budget and they ran with it; and they made SUCH A FUNNY DRAMA from it that the historical inaccuracies can be ignored)

This Korean one, on the other hand, is made with a standard drama budget, so they really made the whole scenery so much more exquisite. Standard period drama costuming and accessories, and standard period drama sets... etc. Pretty clothes, pretty backgrounds -- what's not to like?

3. The comedy is just as existent!
You'd think that with the politics and the real costumes, that the Korean drama would be much more serious and boring. Not true. Thanks to the scriptwriters' cleverness and the actors' amazing acting/adlibbing, we got just as funny of a story (if not more so). From the wild (history-friendly) re-explanations of common modern words in the "Queen's Dictionary" to the facial expressions and physical comedy, Mr. Queen will have you laughing on the floor and screenshotting all those ramyun references :0)

Basically you can treat Mr. Queen and Go Princess Go as two completely separate works. Both have their perks and charming points. Both are entertaining to watch. One requires a little bit more brain power than the other because of its extra enriched storyline (Mr. Queen), but the complexity is also what made this drama do as well as it did.

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Life Senjou no Bokura: Director's Cut
152 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
jan 18, 2021
Voltooid 9
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 9.5
Rewatch Waarde 8.5

What a difference an extra 10 minutes can make

Whether you've watched the original mini-series or if you're considering checking out this version, look no further because this is the version you should watch if you can. Why?

1) Because this version has the entire content of the original mini-series. Not a single scene or dialogue or soundtrack has been changed or omitted. So, if you watch this version you'll miss nothing from the original mini-series. The only difference for those who watched the mini-series is that you will become extremely well-versed with the opening and ending theme songs because you'd have heard them 4 times within the 4 short episodes, while in this movie they only turn up once.

2) There is a 2-minute extra scene in this Director's Cut [it's at the 1:02:06 to 1:03:58 mark] not in the mini-series which provides additional context and explanation to the decision and action of one of the main leads.

3) There is an extra 8-minute ending in this Director's Cut which isn't featured in the mini-series. The extra 8 minutes were really what the whole show needed to round it off properly. The original mini-series felt a bit too rushed and cut-short at the end and while I still loved it, the ending never really properly satisfied me. But here... what a difference an extra 8 minutes made.

Personally for me, this show is the most balanced and complete BL show I've ever seen so far. I really liked it for its adorable beginning and subsequent realistic depth of struggle. It provided an introduction to our main characters from an early part of their life, and it tracked the growth of their relationship throughout the years that followed.
The show also efficiently depicted their ups and downs, whether it be internal insecurities, societal & familial pressure to conform, and the hurt and pain of bad decisions and mistakes. It's actually a surprisingly realistic and reflective representation of the everyday normal pressures of the average LGBT person living in society.
There are also not many BL shows where one can truly visualise or see the couple really outlasting the distance but here, it's all that and more. The ending here is one of the most satisfying endings ever and it will leave you with tears in your eyes but with a smile on your face.


ACTING/ CAST
Both actors did well in their roles but I was particularly impressed with Shirasu Jin in his portrayal of Itou Akira in this show. Itou Akira had the heavier weight and the bigger character development & personal growth in the show and I'm so glad Shirasu Jin was able to wonderfully portray Akira's nervousness, fears, anxieties, worries, sadness, pain, joy and happiness (it had not escaped my notice that all of Akira's biggest smiles were for Yuki) all in the right place and time.


MUSIC
Can I just say that I LOVED the soundtrack in this show. Some scenes were made extra memorable simply because they came paired with an amazing and catchy song whose lyrics were also very meaningful and fitting for the occasion. To me, the music score was one of the best things in this film, along with the story itself.


RE-WATCH VALUE
Considering that this Director's Cut is just under 2 hours long this movie is so very easily rewatchable.
But it's ultimately the realistic, moving and heart-warming love story, and the lovely couple, that really keeps me coming back to it again and again and again.

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Can You Hear My Heart
99 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
sep 16, 2011
30 van 30
Voltooid 0
Geheel 10
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 10
'Can You Hear My Heart' has a lot of the same drama tropes that most, 30 + episode melodramas have: Revenge plot, evil parents, childhood trauma, childhood love. It had some of the same archetypes: The evil antagonist, the chaebol hero, the innocent, unassuming heroine. It could have been a standard melodrama lost in a sea of other melodramas. But it is not. I loved every one of the 30 episodes of Can You Hear My Heart. Two things that made me fall in love and stay there for this drama:

1) The Characters and primarily their core relationships made this story extraordinary. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Woo Ri and their love story; once it began there was no wavering. It was a solid loving relationship that had the perfect mix of sweetnes, spark and friendship. Bong Woo Ri and her father and grandmother; when you watch, you will realize why this family is so special. Cha Dong Ju and Bong Ma Ru; their brotherhood, their bromance and the way they loved and looked out for each other. There were countless ways in which these core relationships and the love that sustained them, helped them overcome the trials they went through. Now that this show is over I feel like the message at the core of this drama is sometimes, in spite of blood ties or the lack of, your family is made up of the people you choose and those who have chosen you. It is sacrifice, loyalty and never giving up on or hoping for, the person you love with all your heart.

2) The writing was very solid. It felt like there was a real story line trajectory rather than on the fly, off the cuff script writing that sometimes takes place to appease the masses/ratings. I got the feeling this story was planned from the start and stayed on course. There were beautiful words brought to life on screen by the actors. My above raving about the characters and friendships wouldn't exist without this writer's insight and story telling ability. The themes of family, loyalty and love rose above the necessary story/drama propulsion of revenge, hate and hardships.

There were other things to love as well. The cinematography was great. It was a pretty sweeping story as 30 episode dramas tend to be, so the sweeping views and pretty color palette fit the story and scope.

I loved the way they handled Cha Dong Ju's deafness. He was such a strong character all throughout the story. He had moments of fear and uncertainty but mostly he was brave and wonderful. The "writing" always treated the physically or mentally challenged characters with dignity...even if some of the characters within the story didn't always do the same. Does that make sense?

It is a testament to good story telling the 30 episodes went by pretty quick. The angst wasn't so constant and prolonged that you felt wrung dry emotionally. Lots of light moments in between! There was never I time I felt I wanted to drop this show or give up. Actually, I'm kind of sad it is over. It is a wonderful Drama! Give it a try if you are hesitating.

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The Eighth Sense
150 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
met Kate Flower Award1
apr 26, 2023
10 van 10
Voltooid 12
Geheel 8.5
Verhaal 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 7.5
Rewatch Waarde 9.0

It’s more than just a romance drama…

And that can be either a selling point or a red flag, depending on what you are looking for. Personally, I loved it.

The Eight Sense starts as a story mostly focused on Ji Hyun, a student that moved from the countryside to Seoul to attend a university. Trying to fit into a larger and fast paced environment, working part time and taking classes - having just one friend from the same town. And then he comes across Jae Won. And that’s when the romance starts, Ji Hyun slowly starts to get out of his comfort zone and the plot starts to shift more towards Jae Won.

For me, Jae Won is the star of the drama. His character just resonates with me more. Initially presented as this popular guy who just got back from the military. Guy that has it all: friends, girls liking him, rich and influential parents and an extroverted personality that makes his daily life so much easier. But there is so much more to this character and we slowly see the unhealed wounds as the plot starts to focus on his side more and more.

Both characters went through enormous change throughout this short drama. Both matured and learned more about themselves. While the romance was amazing, organic, well paced and perfectly delivered, the individual stories were the aspect that made me love the drama more. Creating your characters as more than just a pair, making sure they are presented as individuals with their own stories, social circles. Not locking them inside the romance bubble where they are never seen interacting with other people in a context that is detached from their relationship - that’s when you know there was some proper effort put into writing.

I cannot compliment The Eighth Sense enough on how they presented and dealt with mental health issues. This might be one of the best representations in k-bls we have seen so far. It showcases how complex of an issue it might be. How at times we don’t even know how much people around us are struggling, because they learned how to mask it. How the healing takes more than just occasional visits to a specialist. How the system of social support and having people you trust around you is also a vital aspect of recovery. How there is no one solution, magic pill that can fix it all - it’s a long process that needs many elements working together to have a positive and long lasting effect. But also, how it’s obtainable, how it’s not impossible to get out of that dark place, no matter how hopeless it might feel at the moment.

As for the acting - no complaints. Both Im Ji Sub and Oh Jun Taek did justice to their characters and delivered a realistic and believable performance. The Eighth Sense also has an amazing cast of vibrant supporting characters. I adored the female-male friendships thanks to Yoon Won’s and Ae Ri’s fun personalities and great delivery by Lee Mi Ra and Seo Ji An. I hated Eun Ji and Tae Hyung with all my passion and it was also possible only because of how well acted the roles were - props to Park Hae In and Jang Young Joon. It also made me think how we all have flaws, some just have a bit more than others… But we still need to learn how to coexist with them, otherwise it will just make our lives harder.

All that said, here comes issues I had. The editing was at times truly painful. I understand that in some cases it was probably a stylistic choice that visually represented the state the characters were in, but it did not really feel like it. It just felt like a messy and jumpy editing. In most cases the directing and editing was okay. first two episodes had an amazing indie feel to it and I fell in love with it right away, but the middle part of the story just felt a bit sloppy. Some scenes felt on the nose, but I don’t think it was the issue of the scenes alone, but rather the fact they were played one after another.

Overall, highly recommended, but not to people who just want a romance driven story with little to no distraction from that aspect. This show does not even have that many scenes of leads together, compared to other dramas in that genre. It’s more of the characters walking next to each other rather than characters walking together. Sometimes one person stops for a moment. Sometimes one person picks up the pace leaving the other behind. There are individual detours before they can both reach the destination.

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Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
jul 21, 2024
Voltooid 7
Geheel 8.5
Verhaal 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 6.0
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten

3 Gerberas, 2 Funerals and A Match Made In Heaven

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone. This review contains spoilers so I suggest watching the film first before reading.***

「 ❝An untimely frost upon the sweetest flower of all❞ 」

I just finished watching this, and I must stress that it is not for the faint of heart. If you are super sensitive still want to watch, I recommend bringing a box of tissues because you will probably cry. If you liked 20th Century Girl, you will definitely appreciate this.

General Overview:

Drawing Closer is an astoundingly beautiful film that had a great influence on me, with both its narrative and visual brilliance. From the first scene to the end credits, the film immerses the audience in a universe where every frame is precisely produced, with each shot a monument to the director's vision and the cinematographer's talent. The emotionally charged tale delves into the complex complexities of human relationships, capturing moments of joy, sadness, love, and loss with a raw honesty rarely seen in film. The characters are well developed, their journeys realistic and moving so much so that the story elicits a wide spectrum of emotions that remain with you long after the film has concluded. The performances are outstanding, with each actor adding a distinct and compelling presence to their role, heightening the film's emotional impact. The eerie and evocative musical composition perfectly compliments the storyline, increasing the emotional experience while adding levels of meaning to the plot. "Drawing Closer" is more than a film; it's an experience, a work of art that speaks to the heart and soul, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who sees it.

In More Detail:

The plot revolves around two terminally ill teenagers who come into each other’s life.

What to expect:

- Characters dealing with grief/death and how to overcome the inevitable.
- Two artists and how their passion of drawing / painting and seeing the world in different colors binds them together.
- Friendship and familial ties.
- Longing / yearning and first love.
- Secrets and misunderstandings (with good reason)
- A heartfelt, coming-of-age plot

The performance was convincing and well-done. Haruna has a fate she cannot escape, yet I really admire her positive view on life. Akito was a really endearing character. He was so charmingly sweet and soft boy coded. His hopeless romantic side really shined through. I adored how he wanted to make the most of his limited time by assisting Haruna in having a happy and fulfilling life while she still had hers. It's also great that they seemed to have saved each other. She was Snow White and he was her Prince Florian (iykyk)

I would rate this an 8/10 rounded up to an 8.5/10. It was so good it made me cry multiple times (after the 5th time, I stopped counting lol) The emotional side is undeniable, but I wish our leads had more moments together, including the kiss Haruna requested. I think I am being greedy but that would have definitely ended me. I have to say, this is a very pure and sweet story. It's simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I loved it and I now have a much deeper appreciation for Gerberas and their symbolism.

I believe anyone of any age can watch this; I highly recommend it, especially if you want a good cry.

I don't think I'd rewatch it "right now," but maybe after some time has passed. I believe Drawing Closer is one of those films you save for when you want to feel something. It's a movie you can watch on a rainy day to let you reflect on the beauty of life.

With that being said, this is a tragic story, and it may not be for everyone, so proceed with caution.


As always,
Thanks for reading & happy watching!

(P.S. If you are in withdrawal please go watch edits of the Drawing Closer couple, you won't regret it)

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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Autumn's Concerto
98 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
met seka
feb 19, 2014
34 van 21
Voltooid 1
Geheel 10
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 9.0
Rewatch Waarde 10
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten
As you can probably see, this drama is one of my favorites, if not number one. I've seen this drama three times, and I enjoy it every time. I could probably watch it again, today, if I had nothing better to do. Sometimes, I watch the first few episodes just for the fun of it. When I feeling down, or when I'm feeling alone.

This drama is the perfect representation of what true love is, and how it should be portrayed. Yes, romcoms and comedies are good, and fun and exciting during that moment, but this type of love... it may be acted, but it still is a goal of mine to have love like that, because even I know love like that does exist, even if that one is not real.

This drama really hit everything for me. I'll try to keep the fangirl inside of me down, and be logical and realistic without giving away spoilers or anything, but it really got everything. There were so many plot twists in this story, and a lot of them weren't very original, and yet... they worked. I mean, come on, popular boy rich boy and poor girl, cancer, memory loss, pregnancy... that's just the beginning. It's like, everything you've ever seen in a drama was thrown into this one, and it WORKED. I know, I can't believe it.
I cry so many times when I watch this drama, it's definitely a tear-jerker. It's a beautiful story, one that will pull at your heart and you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

The acting was phenomenal, I think it is very underrated. Vaness Wu gets a lot of harsh criticism for his 'over acting' but I don't think there was a lot of it. I really liked his 'over acting'. When he cried... oh. my. god. I really believed it. He actually looked like he was crying, and it actually looked painful. I don't know how to put it... he looked like how a guy WOULD cry. And Addy An, she get's a lot of harsh criticism for her under-acting. I agree that sometimes she looks expressionless, but I think it had more to do with the script. Not only that, but I wouldn't say she under acted. I could see it in her eyes, in her reactions, in everything she said. Her mannerisms and subtle expressions, that's what made her character. You need to pay attention to those, it isn't in her character to look so blatantly affected all the time. Mu Cheng gets all of my respect, even if shes fictional. To me, the acting was superb, and lets not forget little Xiao Le. God is that kid going to grow up to be a super star. His acting was absolutely perfect, especially for a child. He really pulled the story together throughout the last half. Some go as far as to say the story was only held together by him toward the end, but I wouldn't go that far. With or without him, I would have kept watching, but he is such a cute little guy. Someday he'd get so tired during shooting that his dad would have to be on site. Such a strong little boy.

The romance and chemistry between the Mu Cheng and Guan Xi is tangible. I can literally almost taste it, I can feel it. It's so beautiful, it touches my heart. I know this sounds cheesy and cliche, but really, you won't find more pure love in a drama than in this. If I didn't know any better, I would assume Vaness Wu and Addy An are in love. The chemistry was just out of this world. Love really does win out in the end, that's what this drama taught me. I have to say I learned a lot from it.

Also, the people you hate in this show you'll grow to love. Along with character development in the main characters, the side characters really developed too. The side-plots in this show were interesting, too, and I found myself just as engaged in them as I was the main couple/family.

The ending of this drama is my favorite. Not just the ending with MC and GX but with everyone. The ending of this drama is also one of the reasons this drama is #1 for me. There is closure, on everything. No loose plot ends, all side plots are tied up, no questions are left, not for me at least. Everything is happy, I'm actually content at the end. No worries, no complaints, just sadness that it's over. Very bitter-sweet.

I won't lie and say that this is an easy drama to watch. There's going to be a lot of painful moments and heart-wrenching scenes, but the good in the drama sky rockets it to the top. Even when you hate someone you didn't think you were going to hate, you understand what's happening, and why their doing what their doing. The love never dies, and even in the toughest moments in the drama, they give you little moments to nibble on while you're waiting. It's a brilliant story, and I will forever enjoy it and remember it. The music alone is beautiful, I have a few songs saved and listen to them frequently, even now. In fact, this is random but I have my itunes on shuffle and ironically 'Next Stop, Happiness' just came on. How funny, must be a sign. (;

If you're looking for a refreshing, pure love story with superb acting, tangible chemistry, and every plot twist you can imagine, this is for you! I will recommend this to any person interested in dramas for the rest of my life, hah! Hope this helped people, sorry if I wasn't as rational and logical as I planned. As you can tell, I'm a fan. I have never watched a drama more than I have this. Three times through the whole thing, not counting the many times I've just watched an episode here and there that I liked. Please watch!

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Joseon Exorcist
72 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
mrt 26, 2021
2 van 2
Voltooid 8
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 1.0

the biggest WHAT IF

I'm editing this to add: if something is wrong it's better to fix it and show the right thing instead of burying it and everyone involved in criticism. make them be a lesson for the rest. past bullying? let them do community work or a movement against school bullying. "inaccurate" history? force them to show a documentary at the end explaining how things really were. you don't fight a problem by cancelling everyone.... the only thing people will learn from this? don't waste your money and time at making historicals..

I'll just use this space to vent a little more. as a fan of JDY I've been waiting for this since last year. and as a historical fan who's bored of the repetitive palace politics, this was going to be one of the most unique stories. Kingdom explored zombies but this was bigger and had more characters. this combined vampires, zombies and demons. it sounds overboard but the combination was so fitting. they bit people in the neck and they were as brainless and lost as zombies, but they were evil spirits controlled by the biggest demon
this was going to be so much fun!

JDY was Sejong the Great ! I did not know that TT_TT no wonder why he was such a sweetie, honestly if they wanted great representation of the past they had the bestest boy to play their bestest beloved king TT_TT


the biggest mistake on this was the timing and the fact that historicals don't seem to check facts beforehand.. every historical right now is under some sort of fire but this got the biggest blow...

and even if they let the dramas air, they turn their pitchforks onto the actors.. the issue seems so easily avoidable, there needs to be a big historic association so people can check their facts


like we all knew this would be about king Taejong from the start, so like they (whoever they are) could've showed their stance before. if they didn't want a historical figure to be showed as a person who kills possessed people then they shouldn't have let them film it!

it'd have been easily avoided by naming them differently. and they didn't even let them change that. they just attacked this until the canceled 14eps worth of hard work. the actors got injured... we'll never know how they'd have dealt with the process, but the promise of the plot was unique and it will forever be the biggest WHAT IF TT__TT

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Pornographer
72 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
met vee
apr 9, 2020
6 van 6
Voltooid 0
Geheel 10
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 8.5
Rewatch Waarde 7.0
(Slight spoiler, but nothing major! I'm not explaining or summarising what happens in the series.)

First I want to start by saying that if you are considering watching this series, then you need to know that this is not your usual fluffy drama with tons of comic relief. This is a very raw story and it's not so much about their relationship (them being together) as it is their emotions and how they handle the situation(s) they are put in.

This series is very heavy with the topics it brings up and is not a drama I would recommend for someone who's just looking for some cute relationships, because this is NOT that. This drama is more psychological and may be triggering if you have experienced violation of any kind. There's manipulation, lying, heavy drinking, dubious consent and very explicit scenes involved. I saw one of the reviews written for this show gave it a very low rating because I don't think they were expecting it to be as explicit as it was. Because it is very NSFW, and also again, NOT A FAIRYTALE LOVESTORY.

There is a lot of depth to this story, and I don't think everyone choosing to watch this will be able to see passed the cruel nature of a lot of the things that happens. This series requires the understanding that it isn't about the romance, because this isn't romantic. It's about the characters and how they deal with the situation they are put in, how they take into account the feeling of the other people involved, etc. Also, they do not romanticise the seriousness of the topics in this AT ALL, but then again some may think they do, but they don't. Just don't watch this with the mindset that this is going to be a fully functional and healthy relationship throughout with fluff and epic romance. Because, it isn't.

So, do I recommend this drama? Absolutely, I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is probably the best Japanese drama I've seen. The acting is on point, the emotion is raw and honest, the dialogue is natural, they have chemistry and are not shy to be doing the things they do for the performance to be truthful and believable. 10/10, honestly. However, I would be careful when deciding to watch it, because they do bring up topics and themes that could be very sensitive and triggering for certain people, so it honestly is not for everyone. So, I also DON'T recommend it for those looking for that cute fairytale BL, because again, this drama isn't really about that. And I would be careful if you have PTSD or similar mental health issues related to being subjected to manipulation, sexual and psychological trauma, or similar things.

I hope this helps some of you with deciding whether or not you should watch this. Also, watch this before Blue Indigo (this came out before anyway) because there's a few things you won't get with Blue Indigo in terms of character development if you watch that before this. Also, it makes Kijima's character a lot more mysterious and that is what makes the plot make sense. Kijima's character is supposed to be a wild card and unpredictable, so watching Blue Indigo first sort of ruins that.

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Miracle in Cell No. 7
110 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
apr 12, 2014
Voltooid 0
Geheel 10
Verhaal 10
Acting/Cast 10
Muziek 9.0
Rewatch Waarde 10
There is a reason why this movie has such high ratings. It's not just a movie but a piece of art that seriously touches you deep within.

The premises is simple - an intellectually disabled father is found guilty for a murder that he didn't commit and throughout it all his daughter, Ye Seung stuck by him. He is sentence to prison and placed in Cell no. 7 with inmates. He is treated badly at first because of the fact that he was charged with the murder and rape of a child. Though as the story progresses people begin to realise that a guy like this couldn't have possibly done something atrocious as that!

What I see and feel in this movies is just love in the purest kind. Their father and daughter bond was for me the driving force of the story.
There were times when I felt so much anger for the injustice.
Times when I laughed my ass off because it was so damn hilarious!
Times when I cried my heart out because of the beauty of the story, the characters and the unbelievably heart warming relationship.

My sister and I watched it together and we literally used up the entire box of tissue! I recommend everyone to watch it because it is just such an amazing story and the feels are OVER THE ROOF!

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Snow White Must Die
59 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
22 dagen geleden
14 van 14
Voltooid 3
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 8.0
Deze recentie kan spoilers bevatten

Edge of Your Seat Suspense.. Thriller That Keeps You Hooked..

Undeniably the best thriller drama of 2024..

The drama boasts top notch production quality and excellent cinematography.. Though the beginning can be frustrating.. As the ML is gaslighted into a confession and his family suffers manipulation and helplessness.. It effectively sets the stage for a gripping and intense thriller..

It gets even more frustrating.. How they mistreat the ML's mother and how they try to protect the person who tried to Kill her.. How helpless the ML is.. Yeah it gets on your nerves..

The story progresses too slow at the beginning.. But that makes the eventual twists even more impactful and makes it even more interesting.. A proper thriller that slowly unravels and pulls you deeper into its web of suspense with each twist and turn... That's how it is.. I am glad I waited to binge watch it.. Because there’s no way I could have handled waiting a week between episodes.. Watching the ML spend more time in the ER than his house after getting out of prison was a bit much..

Besides the ML and SML and Ha Seol.. The rest of the characters were truly awful.. Most weren’t just bad they were outright evil.. Manipulating and feasting on others pain.. Even the detective who forced the ML’s confession was being gaslighted by the chief.. It’s a story packed with evil people.. I mean nobody felt a hint of remorse of regret for what they did..

Initially, I felt bad for Choi Na Gyeom. She stood by the ML for 10 years, visiting him in prison when even his mother didn’t. That devotion was admirable. That was quite something.. But how he kept pushing her away.. Ignoring her.. That felt bad.. But well.. She turned out to be a psychopath.. A total psychopath.. But Go Bo Gyeol nailed her role..


Around episode six the story starts coming together... Everything starts to make sense and just when you think you’ve figured it out.. Another twist drops and then another.. It keeps you hooked till the very end.

There were a few flaws though.. Like the unrealistically clear footage from a foldable keypad mobile phone.. Seriously.. how was it not grainy??

Anyhow.. Black Out delivered a satisfying conclusion.. Though I would have loved to see the ML’s friends suffer more for their actions.. They lost what they valued most and ended up in jail but they deserved even worse.. They deserved more pain.. More and more and more pain..

For the first time in a long time.. I was fully immersed in a Korean drama.. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride..

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Dark Blue and Moonlight
148 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
dec 27, 2017
12 van 12
Voltooid 0
Geheel 9.0
Verhaal 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Muziek 10
Rewatch Waarde 9.0
This story, will probably rile up some people and not in a good way. Where in HIStory many people loved the couples, here the leads are often not likable in the traditional drama sense. Hua Quin the main actor can come across as selfish, entitled and bratty, however, if you look beyond that, you will also see that HQ is vulnerable, easily convinced and often unsure of himself and his feelings. He battled depression and became the object of affection of two men, Yan Fei and Pin Jun. Their love triangle was more complicated with the fact that HQ fell in love at first sight with YF and vice versa and YF was already in a two year relationship with Jimmy his partner who suffered quietly in a loveless relationship; though he could have saved himself the heartache if he had loved himself more and ended the relationship when YF asked him to various times.

The story seemed rushed for the most part and there were a lot of plot holes that could have been easily answered if this series had been a bit longer, but overall it was a good story. I liked the way the director/writer played with the color blue to show that these characters were not your typical "innocent/naive/nice/arrogant/villain" typecast. HQ's depression, his indecisiveness, his vulnerability, his happy moments all came through thanks to the actor playing him (Aric).  I felt sorry for all characters and I liked that this drama didn't shy away from showing realities of love and relationships. The color blue also played a big role in the way the main characters interacted; whenever HQ and YF were in the same scene, it always seemed to have "lightness and blues" to show that they were truly in love with each other. While, YF and Jimmy's scenes were often "dark" as well as HQ and PJ.  

Music wise, I LOVED IT. I downloaded the main song by MaxLin. It is such a great song and it fit the story well. Overall, if you aren't into the messy love hurts and you don't want to see the "nice guy" be hurt, then don't watch this. But, I suggest you give it a shot and see things from a different perspective. Love hurts, love isn't always kind and sometimes people don't get their happy endings, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be exposed to that.  Also, if you want to see some hot men kissing and touching, it doesn't hurt to watch this (come on most people are watching this for that anyways, don't lie)I for one loved this story, but then again I love messy complicated stories more than sweet ones. So, I hope my review helped some of you in some way.

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Mr. Perfect and Miss Almost
148 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
okt 20, 2020
24 van 24
Voltooid 4
Geheel 8.0
Verhaal 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 8.0
This is your typical tropey clumsy female lead + smart/emotionless male lead rom com.
The chemistry between the leads is really there though and the story didn't get unnecessarily draggy at different parts
Like some side characters make me angry but they don't cause 5-episode-long misunderstandings if that makes sense?

so I would highly recommend anyone who is looking to consume some high-sugar drama XD

The two side couples' stories weren't as interested in my opinion but, you know, the main couple is enough to keep you watching.
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