Reviews

A beautifully-depicted drama

First of all, i should say that i haven't watched the Taiwanese version and don't have the intention to do so. Even though i love Cdramas very much, i don't think juggling between the two versions and comparing them is ok. I loved how this version depicted a time travel story.

Story:

Time travel at the core with a very heart-warming romance. It can get a bit complicated, especially for binge-watchers, but if you pay attention to the years mentioned in each episode, you will get how the relationships are. I personally didn't find it confusing and we got to figure out who the main protagonists were and who were their counterparts.

Acting:

AHS, He is such a fine actor. have seen him in the past few dramas and i dare say he is getting better and better.
JYB, First time seeing her. She is very talented and presents a very true and believable character. The rest of the cast was also proper too. There are no voids here overall.

Writing:

The story is indeed complicated, but the writers didn't make it extra complicated. You have to pay attention to names and dates shown and there wouldn't be issues.

OST:

beautiful choice of songs. Each song matches the mood and scenery shown in each episode.

Overall, a very beautiful and romantic fantasy drama. Def a muct-watch!

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Gimme a Morio in my life!

The first episode got me ROFL, so funny that I just want to watch this cute couple more.

Despite the all the fluff, this show is more educational and inspiring than one might expect

I learnt a lot about what it means to be visually impaired and it also raises social awareness, so people are more mindful about braille blocks, for example. Sometimes, people don't mean it, but can simply be ignorant, which is why a show like this is helpful to raise social awareness, making the world a better place for all.

Yet, it's done in a cute, fluffy, funny, loving and inspiring way. Who says inspiring show has to be heavy all the time right?!

I love how Morio and Yukiko helps each other to see the best in themselves, showing a different perspective of the world to one another. I also love how they encourage and uplift one another. It's honestly really heartwarming until....

The unnecessary twists and turns, which makes this show 9 instead of 10! This is why:

Minus another 0.5 point for making the show more complicated than needed. It started out as really plain and sweet show, and then suddenly lots of rollercoaster. It feels almost like "Did we change genre halfway?" Lol

Minus 0.5 point for the ending between Shishio and Izumi! If he doesn't like woman, why propose to stay with her? and worse..why did she accept?! This is really frustrating. The show could have ended so perfectly, if it's not for this bit

But, I'm glad that the ending is good for the main leads at least! Overall, it's a great show.

I feel very positively uplifted, especially by Morio's spirit of "Following your dreams and make it fun and work for it!"

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Worth it

Loved the drama. Acting of the leads is really good. The only one whose acting never convinced me is Long zhi ( Meng zi yi). Story is good despite little flaws. It is rewatchable for me.
In romance department I can tell why leads fell for each other...they both are great in their own way. Main leads - Chang Dong is really intelligent and with a quick mind and wit. He is calmn, have logical thinking, bit reserved, compassionate , kind and merciful. Ye Liu xi is such a badass character, fearless, smart, bit shameless lol, funny, powerful. When they met I can tell they are compatible. The romance went naturally. They both are brave, decisive, love their bickering and have very comedic wit. Both are the definition of powerful together and felt equal in relationship. For me the relationship is healthy enough and mature. What I liked about them is the communication between them and the way they respect each other, mutual understanding, have good rapport and felt equal.

There are few people in comments said "romance isn't necessary because it doesn't do anything to the story " like seriously !? I respect their opinion but I strongly disagree with this. Romance is significant in main leads. It really helped their development... for chang dong- ye liuxi helped him break his shell and made him better person, as for ye liuxi - Chang dong is the first one to made her soft heartened and because of her love for him made her understand the caring and loving, its only afterwards she began to care about other people in the team because she already understanding love because of chang dong. You can try to say staying with team she would have same result but it is never same, she would have cared but she would never be this soft heartened. The first crack of soft heartened happened only because of her love for chang dong and then she came to realise love and started to become soft heartened and started to care for others in team. All the interactions between the leads is necessary because it shows that how she soft heartened and how she broke his shell. The comfortness and confiding with each other is necessary and it felt natural. There isn't much romance to begin with except for few kisses and in most of the interactions they discuss serious things but through romance and comfortness. It also helped their conflict about the big reveal because they already fell for each other. You can argue it can be platonic ..why it have to be romantic. Every platonic love cannot be romantic love. Maybe because they were already like this even before official relationship except for intimate things, maybe that's why people felt why it need to be romantic, but because of this you can clearly see the difference between how Yu liuxi treats others and how she treats chang dong, this is the difference between platonic and romantic love even before official dating...you can clearly see which one is going to be romantic and how different they treat each other compare to others even before relationship, it really went naturally. For the main lead it really helped and felt natural because it is romantic love, some things cannot be platonic love you know like the love between main leads, there is so much between them and because of the romantic love they became better person. They can be together simply because they love each other. It terms of leads they loved each other, learned so much because of love and they both grew with love and also significant to each other too.

The gang of the leads is good, they all have good rapport and comedy....don't forget the roaster lol. The way they solve the mystery is good. The plot have some flaws but the drama is so enjoyable.

Most pitiful characters are Jiang zhan and Gao shen. I know Jiang zhan character is not gonna end well but I really wished he atleast have reunion with female lead. Despite his painful past and suffering, the character lacked depth. From what I got from the past Jiang zhan is innocent, hardworking, loves female lead, later had brutal strength but that's it. I know even in their past that they were only friends. From what I felt even in friendship female lead overpowered Jiang zhan, they never felt equal. Of course they cared for each other but I can understand why she (female lead ) never fell for Jiang zhan despite years of friendship. Because they are not compatible and not well matched. For me they never had any love potential but have friendship potential.

Second female lead ( Long zhi) loves Jiang zhan and it seems jiang zhan have feelings for her and are in the relationship in the past. But their relationship is really hard, toxic and I never felt connected with them mainly because of Meng yi zhi's (long zhi)acting. Long zhi is interesting and very smart. I really wished they showed Long zhi time in jail and jiang zhan reunion with his friend. I know he is feeling guilty and I always felt he has weak mentality from the beginning, so it felt less surprising for me when he ended his life.

Gao shen life is really pitiful, I wished they showed his life after he became puppet, atleast they have sort of have happy ending.

Fantasy- The mystery and fantasy is good and they balanced very well with pace of the story. The mystery and romance is very balanced to the plot. I'm satisfied. But CGI is not that great.

Story- For me it felt like both leads is starting a new life slowly letting go of their past as the story goes while solving mystery and becoming better person. It is a journey for them. They both made new resolutions as the story goes.

Another thing is - For me it has satisfying ending but if the negotiation happens after the built up fight then it would be great. The Ye liuxi present is changed person , she wanted freedom of her people but not in the cost of so many lives. In the past Ye liu xi is ruthless but in present she really is calm and soft heartened after she met chong dong and their friends. If there is way out of this for a peaceful negotiation then its understandable and I agree with. The fight happened but the fight is not so great. But it have very satisfying ending for me. Another thing is female lead really looked badass and very convincing acting
Totally for me it's a worth of watch. I'm gonna re-watch again

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A Compelling Crime Drama

VICTIMS'S GAME is a super compelling Taiwanese crime drama that spans only 8 episodes. I can only hope there will be future seasons coming, as hinted in the series, as this was certainly an exceptionally great drama series and one to remember. The characters were highly memorable and well acted. The plot engrossing and suspenseful. Great story and slow boiling plot that packs hard punches and deals with very painful subject matter, in a very tasteful way, all things considered. Dark and gritty, to be sure.

The main male lead, brilliant Fan Yi-Jen, (remarkably played by Hsiao-chaun Chang) is a forensic detective with ASD (Autism/Aspergers) and is compelled to investigate a specific case of serial killings with a strange connection to someone linked to him. Meanwhile, ambitious journalist Hsu Hai-Yin (playered by the charming Wei-Ning Hsu) is also drawn into to investigated the strange string of murders, at first for her ambitions but then for more compelling motives. The two form an unlikely alliance and this unique relationship a very good boost to the series. They are very likeable characters and gradually grew on me.

Both characters are excellently acted, bringing the two characters to life and cementing them in my mind. I could easily empathize with them, quirky and unique as they were. The character development was very strong and well done in this series. I'd happily watch more of Victim's Game, and Taiwanese Drama in the future. Although this was a really dark series and highly graphic depictions of murder victims, it was also really great, mysterious and compelling. Although a bit slower paced it was definitely worth the watch.

[NOTE: Trigger Warning. Suicide. Abuse. Violence. Gore. Bullying. Cancer. Language. Dark Adult themes. etc.]

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A Slow Burn Mystery

INFLUENCE was a very interesting Japanese mystery drama. Japanese drama's often have a very tasteful, classy and tender sense about them and this one is no exception. An author is contacted by a mysterious woman, in order to share her past story, in hopes of becoming a subject of the author's next novel. The mystery woman tells the story of three girls, one being herself, in their younger years, who were involved with each other at some point in time and ended up committing a string of exchange murders.

This drama was very well done and although slower paced for a mystery thriller title, it was very compelling and really brought you into the characters experiences in a realistic way. It was a very beautiful and moving story that keeps you on edge and ever guessing. Kudos for also being a femme-centric series, as well. Definitely memorable and worth the watch.

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An Entertaining Ride

RISKY was a short Japanese drama that slowly became more of an more intriguing series as it progressed. While not a super fast paced series, it certainly had it's moments of dark suspense and offered a good few twists along the way. The drama was well acted and framed and the story line itself was rather compelling, keeping the viewer on the edge until the ending. The cinematography itself was good as well, adding to the darker atmosphere.

I felt a bit let down with the ending myself, however it wasn't the worst. I just felt it could have been much better. While the acting was all very good and believable, the main female lead grew to be a bit dislikeable, and it was a bit hard to root for her in the end. Otherwise, this was an intriguing series. Great to try if looking for a short Japanese suspense drama. It's only 7 episodes long. Worth a try.

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Anthology of Arthouse Bizarre

PERSONA was a well-made Korean anthology of stories, but due to the one episode length span of each story there is only so much that can be conveyed in terms of character development and depth, and only so much that can take place, per story, so they don't really hit too deep not as other Korean dramas might, but they were still well made and acted, visually stunning and intriguing. In my opinion the writing struggled in these episodes, but do give the viewer pause to think.

Worth the watch mainly for the quality of the production and the acting by Eun-Ji Lee (IU) and Bae Doona, as well as the capable directing and visual effects.

LOVE SET [5/10]
COLLECTOR [7/10]
KISS BURN [8/10]
WALKING AT NIGHT [8/10]

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A Thrilling Crime Drama

COPYCAT KILLER is an excellent Taiwanese crime drama with only 10 episodes so far. Perhaps a second season is coming? This series was exceptionally made, well-written, and well acted as well, with the exception of having a fairly unmemorable main lead. Usually this is a fatal crime for a good drama, but considering all else was top notch and excellent quality, and considering how much enjoyment (engagement) this caused from me, I can't honestly dock it any points. This was a really great show, albeit quite dark and gruesome. The story itself was thrilling and intriguing, with twists and turns to keep viewers ever guessing.

I mainly enjoyed the entire cast except, as many others have said as well, the main lead. For me he just felt underwhelmingly portrayed and very bland, as well as underdeveloped. There were only a few times which one might see glimpses of deeper working of the character. I understand he was intended to be portrayed as detatched and cold for a reason, since work is his life and he grieves a dark past, as well as the loss of a dear relationship. But ultimately the character felt deeply lacking and hard to connect with, and I wasn't very impressive with his portrayal. The remaining cast were all really great, all giving vivid and memorable performances.

I highly recommend to fans of international mystery and crime drama series, especially if you don't mind brutality, murders, violence, sexual assault, gore, and other dark, triggering subject matters. This drama is about serial killers, and graphically depicts deceased women in various twisted forms of death. Very intense, and yet dark series.

[NOTE: Trigger Warning. Murder. Violence. Rape / Sexual Assault. Abuse. Torture. Language. Dark Adult themes. etc.]

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Neither good or bad

I really don’t get the hype with this one. It’s neither good or bad. Or maybe I just really cannot get into historical dramas (but was this even that historical aside from the costumes and set?)

Because it was so short I did not feel invested and the characters weren’t interesting.

The good parts:
-acting
-had ‘some’ funny moments
-cute child
-decent costumes

The not so good parts:
-I did not sense any chemistry between the leads. They felt more like good long lost friends than destined lovers.
-There wasn't much to the plot.
-Girl was shot in the heart with an arrow and survived?
-Man was stabbed, but was he stabbed? The acting showed no fake blood so that was very poor.

-E

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Very pleasantly surprised

I watched this is two days, if that tells you anything. If you are looking for something fluffy and easy to watch, give this a try. There's nothing new and groundbreaking here, other than the fact that this show bypasses so many of the tropes that I hate. I do have to say that the tendency to make the FL a bad student is overused. The dubbing was terrible in places (their mouths weren't even moving with the words), but other than that, this show had me smiling, laughing, and I even cried a little.

Actors - Jun as Ling Chao. He was pretty one-note, as I've come to expect from most of the MLs in these types of dramas. There wasn't much acting required, really, since his character was pretty much the same throughout. His characterization was a terrific foil for the ebullient Xiao Tu (played by Zhang Miao Yi). She was outgoing and friendly, with a ready smile that absolutely lights up the screen. She is made for these school dramas, she's so tiny and youthful.

Enjoyed:
1) Main actors and their chemistry. I love that they'd known each other for years, more like brother and sister. It was fun to watch their relationship and watch them try to navigate the uncharted territory of their newly discovered feelings for one another. There was a lot of handholding and there were quite a few kisses, which started out as the eyes-wide-open fish kisses, but they definitely got better. I loved how well he knew her - giving her a bouquet of snacks rather than flowers, because she was constantly eating.
2) I thought the constant snacking of the FL was cute, I don't know why.
3) Second couple. Here's where things usually fall apart for me. They tend to have a second couple that is extremely irritating. I loved this couple. Granted, their breakup was pretty ridiculous, but their scenes were touching and made me cry. Again, their relationship grew from friendship. The relationships of both couples felt very organic to me and made sense.
4) No triangle to speak of. There was a girl that liked him throughout, but I think even she knew she was deluding herself. I appreciated that they had her be caught up in the fantasy of liking him, yet she wasn't trying to break them up all the time.
5) Parents that didn't disapprove of their relationship. Her dad had a hard time of letting her go, but other than that, they were supportive.
6) Friendships. The friendships of these characters, from birth all the way through school and into their careers, was special. I was just caught up in the fact that there were no overly irritating characters!
7) A surprising antagonist (that didn't go on too long).
8) We got to see a bit of marriage and kids.
9) I thought the scenes at the end on the carousel, from children through to their wedding, was lovely.
10) The music, that stayed in the background for the most part, went with the show well. Every so often you'd hear Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or some other music reminiscent of childhood.
11) The time skip. It was used just to move the storyline at all, and there was no drama associated with it.
12) No stupid breakups for the main couple.

I liked this show for all the things it DIDN'T have, I guess. It's one of those shows where there's not a lot of drama, and really not a lot going on at all, we are just privileged to be able to watch them in their daily lives. An easy watch.

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Beautiful drama albeit not perfect

What I really enjoyed are the fighting scene, the war and the epic visuals. Great pacing, and good casting all around! Lee Joon Gi's screen presence and his role as Eun Som especially live up beyond my expectation. They couldn't have picked a more perfect recast than Lee Joon Gi! He does all his own stunts, is a master in actions so I knew he would be spectacular in this. The only recast that devastated me is Tanya, I found no passion in her line deliveries.

I miss the very pretty Tanya and Saya… they are not the same here. In defense of the time jump: their portrayals did change as how their characters come across here. they grow up and their political positions and motivation also evolve, so I eventually accept that. I feel bad a bit towards Saya as he seems to be the most inferior among Tanya, Eunsom, or Tagon. Tanya pity him too for his role in prophecy, Eun Som is now a war leader beloved by people, Tagon sees Eun Som as a threat but not towards Saya, I wish he is given a bigger role... I mean, he's children of prophecy too.

I admit that it is hard to appreciate significance of the mythology aspect, if you haven’t watched season 1. I went back to rewatch season 1 before got on board with season 2. Personally, I think the previous season's costumes and music are superior. I don’t think her romance trope necessary, it feels more like a reward than earned. The ending is well-wrapped up and I am satisfied if the drama ends here. I watched it with a patriotic passion I felt watching Mr. Sunshine!

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Even when I know this drama is going to upset me, the journey and visuals are outstanding!

A young man moved to a cheap but in poor condition run-down building, planning to stay just until he can save up for a better place. Right away, he experienced strange occurrences in his corridor, around the neighbourhood and he starts suspecting there's some weird stuffs going on. He has a growing suspicion that someone has been entering his room...

Everything on screen is super unsettling and mysterious. All characters, including our male lead Jong Wo (Yim Si Wan) are creepy, sweaty, and they’re interacting in a weird way in this dirty old building. At first, I kept wondering whether they are truly strange people or if there’s something evil within the walls. This whole set up is so masterfully directed and it kept me guessing between reality and imagination even after the end.

Trigger warning: this drama might potentially distress you, as there are very explicit torture and gruesome killing scenes. I was ready to peace out by ep 4, but one character kept me super damn curious; He’s our creepy cool-headed Moon Jo (Lee Dong Wook), who is a friendly professional dentist and seems to be obsessive towards Jong Wo. Moon Jo is goose-bumping but also hilarious when he’s being a stalker. Anytime right now, he appears nowhere, catching people red-handed, like “Boo! I see you!” and I got jump-scared and giggly. Jong Wo has no idea that Moon Jo loves watching him all the time through a pin-sized hole in his claustrophobic room. As the story reveals more and more facts, I enjoyed how Jong Wo's point of view gets me psychologically engaged. Both leads’ performances were incredibly impactful, especially when the stakes are heightened, they played each other in a really powerful way but yet so refined.

On a personal note: I met Lee, another fan of SFH and since we relate with their bromance a lot, we immediately got so giddy talking about them. Any edit or meme of SFH are now a laughing drug for us. The free eggs, sashimi and the teeth that we can't yet get over with. Oh, we’re so messed up! XD

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Clever casting transcends a great show into a masterpiece.

Doona is something special. Not just among K-Dramas but among all love stories.

The plot line of a celebrity falling for someone remarkably normal is nothing new. Cue: Notting Hill and the Hannah Montana Movie. Doona, however, is something entirely different. Washed-up, abandoned, and functioning on a half-hearted nicotine addiction, we find this particular "Star" dimmed and burnt out. Inexplicably enigmatic - even without recognising who she is, Wonjun is pulled toward Doona. Her attitude and her body language imply she is both rude and defeatist, but there is something in her eyes that say otherwise. Behind the scorn and the evasion, something in Doona's eyes calls out to anyone who looks at them long enough; an ardent plea; "save me from myself". Wonjun can't help but do just that.

There is a lot to be said for the directorial style and the overall character development in this drama, but undeniably it's greatest testament is the performances. Whoever cast Suzy in this role was a visionary. Who better than an idol in a disbanded group to portray the ugliest sides of their industry. At times, based on Suzy's own experiences with Miss A, it was hard not to wonder how much of the acting was drawn from past experiences - particularly after a revealing cosmopolitan interview on that very subject - but I'll leave the speculation to rest. The key here is to say that Suzy's acting in this drama always feels raw and authentic, so much so that whenever she's on the screen, you can't tear your eyes away from hers. Like Wonjun, we are entirely consumed trying to work out exactly what pain it is that Donna isn't able to overcome. In the end, the answer isn't so simple.

As for Wonjun, although I feel that the Drama rather conveniently skipped over a few important plot points toward the end of the show, I am at least glad that they made sure to provide clarity and finality to the two leads in one particular aspect. We know that for Wonjun, he isn't a person who can cope well with things that are uncertain and precarious. He takes a gamble on Doona, but in the end he sees that she is still broken and dangerous; he doesn't have the courage to stay with her. Meanwhile, Doona is overly reliant on others. When she was confronted with the prospect of what her life would be like without her career, and, by extension, her fans - she spiralled. The anxiety became so bad that she ended up losing another pillar in her manager, and by this point, she was a shell of her former-self. Although it never becomes clear how she ends up becoming a woman who no longer needs to rely on men, by the end of the show she is independent and able to cope with life on her own.

Without Doona overcoming that flaw, the 'open ending' can't be a happy one. Although its mention is only brief, we know that Wonjun is altruistic. He moves into the room at Doona's house in order to escape the dire reality of his situation at home, having spent his first years of university commuting in order to take care of his ill sister. He mentions the relief he felt when the responsibility of looking after her was taken away from him, yet jumps right into another person dependent on him in Doona. Wonjun doesn't necessarily see it as his job to fix Doona. By contrast, her presence alone has been enough to calm him and comfort him through difficult moments. Yet, the fact remains that Doona is overly reliant on Wonjun, regardless of whether or not she's helping him.

This is the crucial point in the show's climax - while Wonjun is at military service, Doona must become a person who no longer practices over-dependency on others, just as Wonjun must learn to to so easily let others be overly dependent on him at the expense of his own happiness. This is, in my opinion, a factor which hugely contributes to his decision to break up with Doona when she returns to fame. It's too hard, it's too precarious, and there's a large chance he'll get hurt if they stay together. However this is also an example of Wonjun's hypocrisy. Jin-ju explains to Doona from the moment she first suspects that she likes Wonjun that he's not a person who can cope which a personality like hers in the long-run. Whether or not it came from a place of jealousy was irrelevant, because it was true. Although at first Wonjun believes that he doesn't mind what Doona does or how she feels about him he eventually realises that he doesn't like her to an extent that he can ignore his own jealousy and hurt. Even after admitting this to her, he does the same thing when he swears he won't mind if she returns to the spotlight. Doona, too, at first thinks that her newfound happiness with Wonjun is enough to fill the void left by her early retirement, however she harbours a deep need to be loved, and Wonjun's love alone was never going to be enough to satiate her. Neither one seems to truly understand their emotions, except for the fact that they truly love each other.

As for my sprinkle of negativity, even though this show managed to escape practically every K-Drama cliché of a celebrity falling for a normal person, it failed with it's side characters a little more than miserably. A seemingly random arsenal of side characters (save for an albeit-underdeveloped Jin-ju) served only as lacklustre comic relief or as devices to further the plot through causing jealousy or misunderstandings. Although the side stories and supporting characters aren't the worst I've encountered, compared with the addictive story of the two lead characters they are inevitably mundane. Doona's mother, too, although perhaps the most interesting of the parental “figures” seems to be entirely written off as someone who uses her daughter for money. Sometimes in life it really is that simple, yet with this character it feels more like two-dimensional writing than a purposeful choice. The same goes for Ira. She is no more than a device to make Doona jealous.

Despite its flaws, Doona succeeds in something that most shows cannot. Deceptively simple, its story engages you without ever throwing its quirks and messages in your face. Often in Dramas a character’s true feelings and thoughts are spelled out to the audience, but in Doona, when Wonjun looks behind Doona’s eyes and can’t figure out what really lies behind them, the audience find themselves doing the same. Even when he asks her to tell him she’s sorry, we are just as surprised as Wonjun when she tells him she loves him instead. These twists aren’t shocking, but they aren’t predictable either, which demonstrates perfectly the complexity and depth of the two lead characters, even if those same dimensions are lacking elsewhere in the show.

In the end, you can’t help but root for Doona and Wonjun. The same goes for the show. It’s perhaps one of the only shows I genuinely think has benefit in a second watch. Knowing from the beginning what we know from the end, it must be an entirely different experience, and an experience well worth it.

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