Rich Man, Poor Woman Japanese Drama

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Nov 10, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

BetOnMe
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 9
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 9
- Music 10
- Rewatch Value 7
This isn't a boring remake of a cinderella type story. The plot was very refreshing but some area of the characters became predictable. I thought the music was wonderful in the drama. I would buy the soundtrack if it were for sale. The male lead was great and so was the female. The actors had great chemistry and really made this drama one of my favorites. If you are thinking about watching this, don't just watch it. You won't be disappointed. The drama is a short refreshing watch.
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Nov 12, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Pantheria
22 of 25 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 8
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 10
- Rewatch Value 7
Went in not expecting a whole lot but came out feeling refreshed & happy!

Totally enjoyed this one despite having reservations about the female lead. Both Oguri Shun & Ishihara Satomi did an amazing job in this Drama.

Rich Man Poor Woman was cute, funny, sweet & extremely endearing with a great score & OST. It's one of those Dramas that re-uses the same songs throughout & I know some may not like that but personally I feel it binds everything together thus helping maintain the mood. I think for me; that's what really made this Drama stick in my mind.

Plenty of problems. Typical Japanese style non-romantic kisses; random jumps in the story, not really anything earth-shatteringly new either as far as story goes & plot holes the size of mountains but somehow I just don't care one iota!

Definitely recommended if you're feeling a bit down, tired or sick. read more
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Nov 4, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Rourou
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 8
- Story 7
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 9
- Rewatch Value 7
1) The reason I watched this :

It has been a long time since I’ve seen Oguri Shun so it felt right to watch his comeback drama.

2) Storyline/Plot:

*Generally speaking, the storyline wasn’t that unique except the creative side.

Positive points

*Everything related to invention, the company or smart minds was captivating because it created a special aspect around the normal romantic comedy storyline.

*It wasn’t dragging which made it exempt of slow moments.

*Main genres:

--->Romance: It belongs to the “Rich Man Poor Woman” cliche so I can’t possibly say that the romantic side was unique or special. However, that doesn’t mean it lost taste since it was interesting at some points plus it had good plot changes.
Romance was average (+) that’s why I decided to mention it in the “Positive Points” column.

Negative Points:

--->Humor: Honestly speaking, the comedy didn’t deliver much to talk about; it was lacking for a rom-com J-drama. Funny scenes were almost absent but there were some ridiculous scenes that can make it feel childish sometimes.

The story: 7/10.

3) Acting/Cast:

*So like I said earlier Oguri Shun was the main reason that made me watch this drama. I got to see a different side of him in here; his role was portrayed in a good way.
Ishihara Satomi was good too, there were good vibes coming out of her acting.
The remaining cast had respectable acting skills so no complains.

*As for characters, Hyuga Toru was an attractive character whether it was strong or weak you would feel invested in everything he does. The character strength made it appealing in many ways.
Natsui was your average romantic comedy heroine, there were nothing special about the character overall since it was plainly predictable.
*The remaining characters had interesting scenes every once in a while but they weren’t very captivating.

*Appreciated character: Asahina made this drama interesting; if he was the usual second lead male this would’ve been very boring. Asahina created amazing plot changes that would make you adjust your feelings about him several times that’s why he’s appreciated in my point of view.

*Relationships:

--->Romance: There was good chemistry between the main characters but there was an interesting chemistry between the lead male and the second lead female too.

--->Friendship: It was set up in an amazing way. It’s not the usual J-dramas friendship since it had many twists and changes.

--->The triangle: It was a usual triangle but it was less serious than others.

Cast: 8/10.
Acting: 8.5/10.

4) The ending:

It’s true that it was a common cliché but no one would’ve appreciate it if it ended otherwise.

The ending: 6.5/10.

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I had shallow feelings while watching this drama; after all I started it because of Oguri Shun but it doesn’t mean that I only appreciated Oguri here.
*I can’t possibly say that I loved this drama; it was plainly average in my point of view. It’s true that I had a little fun but I wasn’t touched that deeply because I always thought of it as a normal romantic comedy; it can’t possibly be a mature one like some other masterpieces produced in Japan.

*Is this drama memorable: I don’t think so, I may remember some moments of it but I don’t believe it deserve a spot in my “unforgettable dramas” list.

Note: I really liked the opening theme song mainly because its lyrics are so encouraging and adapts the drama perfectly.

My impression: 5/10.

6) Overall:

*If you like Oguri Shun then watch this because you’ll get to see a different side of him in here.
*If you like Japanese romantic comedies then give this a try.

*Rich Man Poor Woman was a respectable drama with a decent storyline along with good actors which made it watchable and somehow enjoyable.

Overall’s rating 7.5/10. read more
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Dec 10, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

PrettyCarEye
12 of 14 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 8
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 7
- Music 6
- Rewatch Value 4
For me Rich Man, Poor Woman, before the 6th or 7th episode, threaded a very thin line between ‘drop or keep’. The drama was so slow to build it almost lost me, the hero was not human (as the Koreans like to say) and the heroine, though cute and well-meaning, got on my nerves with her over-the-top deferential behaviour toward a guy who was an obnoxious brute for most of the show. Yeah, I get that he's the big man on campus, and everyone's expected to kiss his (very fine) behind, but still ... I wanted to punch him every time he went off the rails at his innocent employees.

With corporate espionage, insider trading and other back stabbings, the story picked up tremendously in the second act. By episode 8 I was finally invested. Valuable life lessons were learnt (by both us and our leads). Our prodigious but arrogant hero grew as a person and as a businessman, and it was hard not to like him then. You come to realize that under that gruff exterior he wasn't such a bastard after all.

The acting was convincing, perhaps a tad overdone by our heroine, but she had some mad on-screen chemistry with the hero. They reminded you of an old married couple who loves to bicker and swear at each other, but feels lost when their beloved isn't around. Very cute. And although a bit juvenile and silly at times the actress did a good job of portraying the adorable klutz next to the hero's gruff, cantankerous persona. She may also come across as somewhat of a pushover, but it was, for the most part, a very effective front she used to manage Hyuga. After all, you catch more bees with honey than vinegar, don't you? I wished more time was dedicated to developing their love story, but unfortunately this was sidelined to accommodate other characters and purposes of the plot.

I felt the role of the second female lead, Yoko, was redundant. A perfectly decent character she was, but she served no true purpose whatsoever. I’m pretty convinced the drama could have gone on just as easily, and more effectively, without her. Why are Asians so obsessed with these blasted love triangles I don't know. It gets really old really fast and has no real dramatic effect if all second leads do is confirm the attractiveness of our lead male/female. Give them a more substantial purpose or leave them out entirely.

I did not care for Asahina. I wanted the resolution of his story arc to be completely different. Without giving anything away, here's why: I understood his feelings very well & even sympathized with him to a point, but his actions toward someone who was essentially like a brother to him were despicable, vicious and totally unforgivable. Therefore, to my way of thinking you don't give people like that a second chance to wedge the knife deeper into your back.

Anyway, if you’re into technology and the machinations of the business world (with a smattering of romance), you’ll likely enjoy this series. This was like The Social Network adapted for the small screen. I wanted more from it, but in the end what we got was okay, I guess. read more
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Sep 20, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Flyxtoxheaven
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 10
- Story 10
- Acting/Cast 9
- Music 10
- Rewatch Value 10
I'm not being nice about my ranking, I literally think this is the best drama I've ever watched, Kdrama OR Jdrama.

The story plot isn't predictable but nor is it unbelievable. It's REAL. I think that's what I like the most. The development of the characters and story captivates you and the actors and actresses portrayed those characters amazingly.

I wasn't tempted to watch this drama by the description or the title, I was just bored but I'm so glad I did! I joined when it was on the 9th episode and literally had to stop myself screaming in frustration while waiting for the next episode. It has an addictive and completely lovable quality. I wanted to rewatch it before it was even finished and it would be one of the dramas I would pay money to buy on DVD and watch again and again.

The music was perfect. Literally perfect. It fit the story completely. The main song Hikaru e by Miwa [Theme song] is full of hope and encouragement and I literally have had it stuck in my head for weeks while reminiscing on the last episode.

For someone who doesn't ever speak while watching a drama [crying is a different matter] I found myself ragging when bad things happened, squealing in joy at the cute little moments that the main characters shared and sprouting swear words when things didn't go the way I wanted [For example; some of the interactions with the romance].

My official number 1 must watch drama of all time. Don't questions 'should I watch it?' Just. Watch. It. Trust me read more
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Sep 17, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Rule
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 7
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 8
- Music 6
- Rewatch Value 6
This is the second J drama Ive seen as Im basically a K drama fan and I was sort of inbetween dramas.
This is certainly a watchable and cute drama. The story is nice and the acting is good, especially the main guy.
Its a romantic comedy about an eccentric man and a simple hardworking girl, although its not something to go all ga ga for, its quite watchable enjoyable and addicting. The ending is cute and the fact that it has 11 episodes is welcome as some korean dramas tend to drag on and get boring in the end.
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Sep 21, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

heimei
9 of 11 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 10
- Story 10
- Acting/Cast 10
- Music 10
- Rewatch Value 10
As the title says, it'll give you an impression that it'll gonna be your typical love story about a rich man and poor woman (or vice versa) that fall in love each other fighting for each others love from other people who opposes their relationship, blah blah..
Well.. IT"S NOT!! It's very different! It's not only a love story but a story of friendship and betrayal, inspiration and confusion, success and failure. The story hooks you up and keep you looking forward on what will happen next.

I love the cast!! Their acting is really great! They really portrayed their roles very well makes you think that they are not acting at all.. haha!! :D

And the theme song, it's very fitting for the drama and has nice lyrics.

It's been a long time since I felt this kind of satisfaction after watching a series. It's a must watch indeed!!^-^ read more
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Sep 24, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Bladey-Steeleye
9 of 12 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 8
- Story 7
- Acting/Cast 9
- Music 5
- Rewatch Value 7
The hottest romcommy story from Japan this season...I had and still have a few gripes with it and at first dropped it but then returned to it and want to give it some justice. I kept criticising it earlier a lot..but this is what emerged from my analysis in the end.

I like Beowulf (see Amrita's article if you're confused as to what Beowulf has to do with anything) and long reviews, so it is going to be another long one from me.

tl:dr?
Rich Man poor woman ends up being a trendy romcom, with some gimmicks that create a sense of freshness. It nonetheless feels very real. It is a modern romcom for a modern viewer, served in an attractive package. So after some reflection, I am actually giving it an overall 8, despite the gripes I had with it.

What follows is why broken into details as I decuide whether it is about a rich man and poor woman...or..perhaps rather the other way round, which is a plus for the drama.

The overall theme is interesting, but it’s pushed to the background and remains rather underdeveloped because there are other things to fit into the story. It’s like they picked up these key moments the viewer wants to see and they just did everything else according to those very vital points. It departs from lovely Japanese productions and becomes more Korean like in its rhythm and pacing- whether this is good or bad is a matter of perspective, for me personally it is not what I look for in Japanese dramas. But it still ends leaving the viewer with good feelings. The same feel to it as buzzer beat (another j drama from the same director, also a romance) it has this buzzer beat feel to it that bugged me. It also relies on some very typical, very conventional twists and turns

It is a modern story about a modern business venture and being entrepreneurial, which I thought is a nice idea, as it sort of follows the success of stories like “The Social Network”, which are trendy and very current and fitting for modern times. It is not the only entrepreneurial story out there. However, Rich Man, Poor Woman decidedly updates the formula to modern times and as such caters for the generation of IT-related product users much more than any other drama so far-in it lies its originality. As far as Japanese dramas go that is.

+friendship part Asahina and Huyga. The reason I liked the special more than the actual drama as it explained how they both pulled through. Most of it is to be seen in flashbacks throighout the drama, but it would have been nice to have this part developed much more.

+very likeable Asahina and Yoko. As brother and sister- their relationship feels quite real and is not forgotten in the end. Yoko is an independent woman, smart, clever, knows what she wants. She should have been the main character perhaps. Asahina was having difficulties because he felt left out, but is overall a very needed partner for the duo. What I couldn't stand was the bashing of the two characters. Why bash them so much? Yoko is such a strong, decisive, wise woman, Asahina too deserves some credit and he didn't get it, which consequently lead to what it has. How is it always living in someone's shadow? He knows well. But for someone who doesn't know how that feels to be underappreciated and not have enough confidence in oneself-Asahina doesn't have confidence and the guts that Huyga does- he may be just a nuisance, and that is a very unfair treatment of this pleasant character who wishes to be noticed and appreciated and well-loved.

+the female lead is clearly not as weak as she is able to manhandle the male lead if needed, but she is sooo silly sometimes. Her beaviour is that of a five year old at times and not an adult woman. She continuously chases after the male lead and is like star-struck. Where is the strong modern woman? Sitting aside watching and her name is Yoko. Makoto is in many respects a typical romantic protagonist. It gets on my nerves, as much as the Asahina bashing.

However, this is all understanble and once I thought about it, it was what made change my mind.

+Huyga is a kind of modern Zuckerberg-type character. Therefore, he is a trendy character type. A bit neurotic, introverted, self-centered, reserved, clumsy but entrepreneurial, a modern entrepreneur, a computer whizz kid, with an attitude that brings success in business, having a great love of money ,doing what he likes for money. He is also innocent of the “real” life”, and it is a valid and interesting idea to do a drama focusing on such a character. Because it is a very modern character. At the same time, he is impoverished in emotional sphere, while Makoto isn’t. The cute moments, her acting like a silly girl and not a mature woman are a part of her methods of dealing with Hyuga and I think it comes across in certain moments. In this respect, I don't think she is as typical as I may have wanted to criticse her for-in any case she deserves some credit at least. In any case her methods are effective...and I do not find any fault with that,

Moreover, Makoto does not belong to the same successful environment as Yoko and Asahina and this contrast is important. She is different and she can teach Hyuga the value of struggling, which he previously didn’t know. So the argument partly against my evaluation is that Makoto is the rich girl coming to save the poor man. Moreover, the two do have a good chemistry. It’s a story where the self-centred and insecure lead changes somewhat thanks to the help of a ditzy naive heroine. In this respect, it reminds me of Hotaru no Hikari, except Hotaru has much more determination than Huyga. In both cases we are dealing with people with some issues who need to work it out in order not to lose not only themselves, but the most important thing they have gained. They are both slow on the uptake in this process and have to deal with their own self-centeredness.

+the cast pulls it off well as they are all good actors and somehow make the story more fun to watch, if it’s them. Oguri Shun is a very good and attractive actor and he somehow always manages to capture the sense of introvertism of the characters he plays. Arata was just so fitting as the quiet supporting guy here, he has something in his physiognomy that matches the character. The lead actress was also simply fitting. The ensemble cast collected for the “IT crowd” ere also likeable, especially Yasuoka. Yasuoka is just a “this guy”: kind of character- he has a familiar face and it seems like he was seen somewhere before but I can’t pin down where.

-the music is mediocre-well the song is catchy but it quickly gets old because it’s repeated all the time. It’s very annoying when they repeat the same song over and over again, at least it is for me. And they do it in the same way that Buzzer Beat did. That’s partly why I had that annoyingly nagging sense of ‘buzzer beat”-ness.

It is a fresh romance in some ways-but i really think the drama missed its potential a little-the story about an IT company and facebook-like inventions is very intereting and up to date, especially when partnership like with Asahina is involved.but that aspect should have gone deeper than it did. It was too fan-servicy at times.

The rewatachability is high. Because let’s face it, objectively speaking, this a feel-good drama to rewatch from time to time. A lot of viewers as far as I can see from comments were left with a sense of wanting more. If someone is left with a sense of wanting more, they will rewatch this drama to get more of it. It always is with stories like this.

But...the question is..how well it will stand the test of time? some dramas upon subsequent rewatches lose their charm..or maybe the viewer changes and realises that the story was actually poor. So the question is- how well this drama will stand this test? I for one return to some dramas like Good luck, Nodame cantabile to find that I enjoy them as much as I did years ago. I wonder, how well will this one fare? read more
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Oct 2, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

amrita828
14 of 23 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 6
- Story 6
- Acting/Cast 9
- Music 8
- Rewatch Value 4
It's clear I'm treading on dangerous ground here, with a review which won't be generally agreed upon. Not that it has to be, but the fact that so many among the people I value the opinion of, found this drama very good, makes me ponder over my taste and choices. I've read and re-read every review, I've thought the whole drama over and I have tried to find it charming but I failed.
No matter how hard I tried, I didn't like it and I don't know why it encountered such a success.

I have problems with the plot, the characters and the ultimate meaning of this drama.

I found the plot highly un-original. Change a couple of names and the setting, and you're left with a déjà-vu: arrogant successful man is changed by simple, goodhearted woman, there's a second female who enters the picture, the hero's got some unresolved issues with his personal life, a lot of running around the city - for lack of any transport, I suppose - and there's the ever-present shilly-shally which goes on till the very end (accompanied by my yawning).

Fine, a plot doesn't need to be original to be well told. More often than not, the lack of suspense is successfully replaced by a strong characterization. And here comes the true sore spot for me: the characters.

Toru Hyuga is quite the obnoxious "genius", a pity he doesn't compensate his bad temper with any particularly charming trait. He changes, inasmuch as he becomes a little humbler towards the end, but I fail to be attracted to him even by a little.

Which makes it even harder for me to empathize with Makoto, who seems to be bewitched by his creativity and his success-driven nature more than anything related to him as a man. The result, in my eyes, is a badly matched couple of disagreeable people with no love chemistry at all.
What bugged me the most is the way Makoto's character is depicted. By what absurd criteria can a young woman who is good at her studies, has a formidable memory, can compile the income tax return of a little business in one night be called "stupid"? Yes, she isn't a computer genius, so what? Are our IQ defined by how good we are at computer programming? Instead of creating a character who could truly complement Toru's glaring shortcomings with her own talent, they gave us a woman who either laughs hysterically when embarrassed and blurts out the first thing that comes to her mind, or apologizes for... being stupid, of all things! As for character development: none whatsoever.

Asahina? One episode he's black, the next he's blue. Disquieting.
The only consistent, pleasing character is Yoko, but we all know from minute one what her role in this story will be.

On the good side of the charts are acting and music. They all acted their part very well and did their best with what they were given. I'm also ready to grant the drama a couple of intense, heartfelt moments, which manage to raise the overall score by a little.

Needless to say, I'm not going to re-watch this. I'm sure there's more to say about it, but I'm honestly tired of thinking this thing over when in fact I should simply borrow a good MDL friend's definition, call this drama "harmless" and forget about it.

°°°°
Edit: someone rightly pointed out my wrong use of the word shizoid. I apologize and edited to correct the mistake. :) read more
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Oct 26, 2012 11 of 11 episodes seen

Aspyre
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Other reviews by this user
- Overall 8
- Story 8
- Acting/Cast 9
- Music 7
- Rewatch Value 6
Don't let the title kill your urge to watch this. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, honest.

From what I gathered, this piece teaches folks of different values: friendship, attachment and above all, will to be a hard worker not only for yourself, but for the benefit of the world you live in. This is my first drama with Oguri Shun in it, and I thought he acted well. Other characters haven't made much of an impression, be it a few times when they felt too plastic, or just the lack of what had to be said. This, this damn show will make you frustrated, giddy and partially obsessed. Probably because you'll be skidding through the episodes like a madman, wanting to know will it be or will it not. Now then, I think that sentence alone says more than a lengthy review should do...so, enjoy. read more
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