Reviews

Slowest Burn BL ever!

Gist, I am not a fan of slow burn BL, but I ended up enjoying this one somehow. lol. I don't really enjoy the 2nd part as much though, but I like this first part

Initially, I find it really slow and a bit boring. But once I'm used to the pacing, especially the silence,, it actually feels soothing

It's a nice change of pace for someone like me, who constantly are catching up having to read lines after lines of subtitle in order to not miss a moment, and even having to rewatch to ensure i read it correctly sometimes

Somehow the slowness is nice. I get to read the subtitle, observe their experience, and take a moment to actually let the moment sink in, digest the experience, and actually feel it together with the couple

I feel almost like I am inside the drama. It is really good at taking you in a journey in that way

For this reason, I really enjoy this one and the ending is good too, but it keeps you hanging too much, that you'll wanna watch the 2nd part, which burns even more. LOL

Overall, I won't rewatch this again, my heart can only take that much slowburn, but I don't regret watching either

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Watch this if you like to torture yourself, lol

I usually don't like slowburn BL, but surprisingly end up watching this one. Well, primarily because I enjoyed the 1st part of Monday-Thursday, and can't wait to see the ending.

But, this one....Friday-Sunday, I think my heart stopped for a few times. At some point, I even felt my heat ached.

Because, its such a slowburn, that I died.

Oh gist, if it hasn't been a happy ending, I'd totally go crazy!

At least, I'm happy with the ending in the end. Otherwise, its pretty cute, how Seiryo waited for Yuzuru in station everyday. You know..little thing that matters and make a simple love, beautiful

Overall, its a beautiful romance, but the process can be overbearing.

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So,about MIU 404...

...this drama might be the FIRST one to finally capture the true essence of what BUDDY COP trope means. So let`s talk about it.

First of all,I like to start every review of mine by thanking everyone involved in the making of this drama. As an aspiring writer,I`m well aware of exertions one must undergo in every production. Therefore,thank you,actors,producers,writers and the rest of the staff people do not usually mention,for giving us such a great project.

With that out of the way,shall we dive into what sets `MIU 404` apart from many dramas whose backbone lies in unity between the characters? I`ll be the first one to say,I didn`t have high expectations for this drama. Although I generally prefer Japanese dramas over dramas from other countries(though hypocritically two of my absolute favorite dramas are from South Korea,alas),that cover really didn`t inspire much. To be completely honest,I was so put off by this drama`s cover,I had to set it aside for MONTHS. Despite the fact Gen Hoshino(of `Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu` fame,amongst MANY other projects and ventures) was in this,I still had to think about whether to give this a try or not just because of that damn poster. But,only 48 hours after I started this journey,I`m here to say it was WELL worth it. Because,what a great drama this was. Seriously.

In my circle of friends,I`m known as an S class,thorough SCEPTIC. And that title is not for naught. Because I`ve written,seen and read so much,there aren`t a lot of projects,especially referring to dramas,that can really move me nowadays. I`ll find good,even great dramas. And whilst I can recognize their objective value to the medium as it is,many of them fail to move me in any significant manner. I am happy to report `MIU 404` is not one of those dramas. This one has a quality that is rarely seen today. And that `something` cannot be explained rationally for it`s something based on an completely irrational concept: soul. The type of chemistry this drama sports is often tried,yet rarely executed well. Even though the premise is quite so simple.

Two members of unit `MIU 404`,department of Metropolitan Tokyo police force,Ibuki Ai(a rough around the edges outlier whose seemingly only redeeming quality is his running ability) and Shima Kazumi(your good to Ibaki`s bad cop trope if you will) are grouped together,hoping to make a difference in the world...by running after high school pranksters,finding a little girl`s toy,uncovering a body covered in cat`s litter and the like. You know,the usually stuff. Yeah,this drama couldn`t`ve been made by any other country than Japan.

On paper,this is a true and tried formula Hollywood in particular,does good with. Get a character who wants to do good,by the book deeds,and one who`s so volatile and funny,together. Boom,magic. However,the way they went about showing this unlikely friendship form is so understated,yet easy,that I can`t,for the life of me,understand why some dramas INSIST on making everything so complicated. On Captain Kikyo`s orders,this odd pair is shoved in a melon bread van(figuratively of course...) and sent on their way to catch the baddies of Tokyo`s society. What we get,in reality,are two completely different people with the same goal clashing,discussing,philosophising and talking over each other,with everything being filmed in an almost documentary type of style. It is GREAT. It is quite exhilarating seeing one of my favorite types of characterization explored in a buddy cop drama. This is,quite probably,one of the quickest ways you,as a writer,can employ,to get me to care about your characters. People like to rave about D.P. and the like(which,there is a lot to like there,no doubt),but the first buddy cop drama duo that really got me to care was this one. I can genuinely see these actors as their characters,which should attest to the level of pretty much everyone here. Which brings me to my next point. Most of the performances here are so great in their heartwarming oddity. I`ve already mentioned Ibuki,Shima,Kikyo,but Jinba and Kokonoe also have my heart. In fact,the whole MIU 404 gang has it. Even Kuzumi(though his is a character that holds my biggest critique incidentally). Heck,even Shima`s previous partner Kosaka(played incredibly by Murakami Nijiro) in his brief cameo had me caring. One thing you`ll learn quite quickly with this drama is that you`ll come to care.

Another point to its advantage is just how bingeable it is. Seeing as this drama(for the most part) relies on the `new case per episode` approach,whilst many discoveries and dramatic turns(which many dramas would MILK and make it as overly dramatic as they could) happen in the background,it is quite understandable why I mention this. You`d be able to watch one episode of this drama per week,and due to it having such memorable characters,I`d wager you`d still remember what is crucial. I won`t reveal much about our antagonist,but just know,he`s charismatic,dramatic,takes over your screen entirely and played with such ease by none other than our veteran at this point,Masakik Suda. Yes,I was pleasantly surprised too,don`t worry.

Subsequently,the comedy used for many of the scenes is, drumroll please...ACTUALLY FUNNY. And NOT readily based on slapstick. The laughs aren`t derived from someone simply farting,or hitting a wall,or a misunderstanding. A large portion of that fun comes from Ibuki,Shima and the rest of the crew just eating udon,spewing cute burns and enjoying the banter that ensues. And it all feels so NATURAL. For example,one`d start talking seriously about something and the other(usually Ibuki with his intrusive thoughts) would join in and take it to another direction,while the first one didn`t even finish talking. Can you tell how desperate I am for another season of this yet?Huh?HUH?

This type of drama lends itself to possible great subsequent seasons,that`s all I`ll say.

The OST,as well,is understandably awesome. Penned by Kenshi Yonezu,it is expectedly JPOP-y and exhilarating at points. Even the cases themselves,being as insignificant as they are,paint a more realistic picture of police duty and,like Shima says,when topic of guns and arms came up:`Most number of cops don`t even reach for their gun in their whole entire career. I`m talking about firing one,forget about that. They don`t even REACH for one.`

After all of these accolades,I wouldn`t be myself if I didn`t mention SOME drawbacks. They mainly concern the latter batch of this show,especially the actual antagonist. Or rather,how they spliced the great tension about him with some questionable editing choices. There is a specific confrontation between him and Ibuki that is just magnificent. It`s not played up to be dramatic,but you can feel something brewing. Dialogue is pretty surface level,yet body language discerns irritability. And when it comes to a boiling point,it`s quite...underwhelmingly cut down. I won`t reveal more than this,but it does make for some immersion breaking moments I wasn`t a fan of. Some anime level immersion breaking moments.

However,whether this drama put me in a forgiving mood or there`s something else at play,is no concern of mine. What is,though,is me urging people to give this one a watch when they`re in an explorative,fun yet not one for dramatics state of mind. It`ll be worth it,I can vouch for this one. I just know it will.

Also,Hokada udon IS too soft. Only the real ones know.

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A Masterpiece to be enjoyed slowly

This drama definitely deserves a 10/10. The best drama I ever watched !
My review is a simple consideration to ensure that the rating is not lowered by the expectations of someone looking for something else.

If you're looking for a romantic drama with a couple of doves... don't watch it!
If you're looking for a basic drama to watch at double speed... don't watch it!
If you are looking for a drama with only 2 protagonists and unimportant side stories with mediocre actors who glorify the protagonists.... don't watch it!

If you are looking for a drama with a complex story that keeps you in suspense where all the actors play an important role in the unfolding of the plot without useless dialogues.... watch it!
If you're looking for a drama with incredible production, great actors, breathtaking visuals and an amazing soundtrack.... WATCH IT !!

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“ Youth starts with ─ a taxi, telescope, and supermoon.

I wasn't familiar with any of the actors, so watching this movie was a fresh experience for me as a viewer. I haven't even seen the trailer of it before and only got curious after watching a beautiful edit on YouTube.

I must say, there is this calm and almost nostalgic vibe in this movie that made it somehow peaceful. The genre or the story is not something unique or not seen before, but delivery of the cast was beautiful. The characters were genuine with their perfections and flaws, nothing so complicated ─ it was as if someone was mentioning their youth memories, and you just listened and noticed how every generation could find something relatable in it.

The ending, especially, was quite adorable. Throughout the whole movie, you think he fell first, and he fell harder as it took her some time to notice her feelings. Then, they show a unique twist and summarise the scenes that have been forgotten in shadows from her point of view.

I also liked how it took one invitation from her for them to see each other again ─ as if they haven't been away for a while. This, I guess, shows they are each others' best friends [and sometimes rivals] first before lovers.

Overall, I enjoyed watching this movie and am planning to check other works of the cast as soon as there is an opportunity.

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People are Scary

I feel like this drama is so realistic and relatable on certain aspect to most people. It tells a story of the bitter sweetness of life, it tells a story of how a women life goes from being perfect to being a living hell. At first, the 1st male lead and the 1st female lead together with their child, on the outside looked like the perfect traditional family. I mean on one side you have the female lead who graduated from a top university and is now a stay at home mom, who takes real good care of their child, and the her in laws, on the other side you have the male lead who has a good job and appears to be a good father and husband. Well that until the female lead finds of that her husband is cheating on her. Then her whole world starts falling apart.

This drama also tells a story of friendship. The female lead finds out who her husband is dating and through a series of events befriends her. They develop a strong and beautiful friendship. Together they fight the injustice of this world and the injustices brought upon them by this man. Wait, this is not the only friendship that the female lead makes. She also befriends her husband colleague Wei, who is also being cheated on by her husband. This friendship too turns out to be beneficial later on in her career.

One of the biggest themes of this dram is betrayal. The 1st female lead is betrayed by the man she trusted the most, her husband. He cheats on her multiple times, then leaves her for a younger and richer girl. He leaves her and their daughter with no money and home. He even uses their daughter as a weapon, to get his wife to agree to his divorce terms. When they are finally divorced he gets remarried. You would think he would then leave her alone, that no he comes after her carrier, and she eventually has to leave her job. Not, only that he tries multiple times to to get the 2nd female lead fired too, but he is unsuccessful. The 1st female lead is also female lead is also betrayed by her in laws. The same in laws she catered for all this years, betrayed her within a blink of an eye. Because the new bide is wealthy, they kidnap the leads daughter so she can sign the divorce papers. The 2nd female is is betrayed by the male lead, who at first keeps the fact that he is married a secret, then tries to get her fired. She is also betrayed by her later on boyfriend, who happens to be her colleague. She is also betrayed by her mother, who fails to love her over and over again. This drama shows the very scary side of humans, who they can change over night. How people say this and do the complete opposite.

All is fair in love. The female lead has a new love interest after the divorce, an old childhood friend who adores her. The second her too moves on from the male lead and her colleague, to a tech guy. So far he seems like a real deal. The male lead 2nd marriage is miserable, his in laws dont rate him and his new wife is a spoiled rat. The new wife does not get along with the rotten in laws. The 2nd female lead cuts off her mom. At the end of the day everyone gets what they deserve.

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Mini Romance

This has a bit of everything: romance, comedy, mystery, traumatising history, evil stepbrothers - everything was thrown in. It's a very light romance with a large slice of mystery.

What I liked: easy to watch, a few twists, the CEO's assistant was fun, male lead was sweet
What I didn't like: they made the female lead into the bossy stereotypical female CEO (sigh...), second female was clueless and silly, second male was a stereotypical, slightly gruff but secretly kind character (because he fell for someone!).

I don't think I would watch it again, but it was OK as a light drama where I didnt have to think much.

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Felt like my bright eyes were in the dark.

Honestly, this felt like such a waste of time. There was love, there was a “break up”, there was a build up and…nothing! This is more of a documentary than a drama. The drama is terribly flawed with hardly anything concluded. He’s a firefighter, she’s a dancer and that’s that. They connect until they don’t. Of all the firefighter dramas this year, this was is very low on my list. I really did enjoy it and was anticipating the ending but the last set of episodes that was released all in one go felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over all the “warmth” created in the former episodes. There’s very few dramas that I would say is bad but this is one of them.

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Well, something of an East-meets- Spaghetti-Western, with really good sound track and great action. Perhaps most of the similarities end there, but they are all pretty great. The specific setting and period means that the similarities are limited to what the time and place demand.
Set during the early 20thC Japanese rule of Joseon much of the action takes place in Gando, a border area claimed by both China and Joseon, with a frontier desert landscape peopled by bandits and "questionable" characters. The landscapes and towns / villages represent almost further characters in this drama, with some stunning cinematography showing its beauty and harshness.
Great costumes and styling, with attention to both Joseon and Chinese traditions all in a state of transition into the modern world. These somewhat show the complexity of these communities on the edge, all rigidly overseen by Japanese army aiming to secure full control of the people. This conflict is particularly significant because Gando is remote, logistics for the Japanes are difficult and the area is in fact a centre for the small liberation movement made up of different factions who are not aware of each other but aim for similar goals.
Japanese occupiers see native Joseon as mere animals, even where they adopt Japanese customs with loyalty to the Emperor. They routinely massacre entire villages or towns and abuse Joseon people in all the usual ways
Lee Yoon is a phenomenal gunman and fighter, and of course KNG has incredible charisma in this role. But while the man with no name was a loner, Lee Yoon is a brilliant military leader as well as moral giant, has his own struggles but is still a truly 'ideal' man, rising from slavery to genuine greatness.
Lee Yoon's former master/owner, Kwang Il, was supposedly kind, and did free his slaves. However, now a member of the Japanese army, he has fully adopted their ideas, mostly as a self serving strategy. When Lee Yoon severs his friendship/ connection to him, he resolves to have him killed, using a female assassin who as a child escaped her village's massacre and now lives only to survive.
In the meantime, Li Kwang's fiancee lives a double life.
The tensions in the area are complex, with bandits in Japanese pay, others just thieves, others fighting to undermine the Japanese, a kind of mainstream independence movement (playing a very minor role here), Japanese regular army plus Japanese colonial forces (who jostle for power), and of course 'middle class' settlers who are probably loyal to the Japanese, and peasant settlers who could be in Japanese pay, or rebel spies, or simply looking for a quiet life. But it's not very obvious who could be who.
The story is lively, with lots of locations and lots of action, including different levels of battles between factions. Of course there's a love interest, but while it's one of those soulmate passion plays, it's very low key and is left open ended.
I really enjoyed this series. It feels gritty and authentic (though the recovery times for multiple injuries is rather ... optimistic). Characters, even where support rather than main, and even where quite minor roles, are well written and well portrayed – with many familiar faces in play. I loved the visuals, and how it is presented with so many echoes of classic westerns, yet never losing its sense of place. The music is great too, and well suited to the action and mood of each moment.
I'm trying to think of flaws. But I can't, unless I nitpick really hard – for example I wasn't much into the romance moments – but the actors and performances were very believable and chemistry was good even if subdued which was dramatically appropriate.
The ending is slightly rushed and inconclusive, but since we have reason to look for S2 I thought it was OK.
Kim Nam Gil has already leaked the question of an S2 stating that if there is another series it won't be made by Netflix. I am intrigued by what happened behind the scenes to prompt that – or whether it is issues on profit shares – wouldn't be the first time.

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Naito Shuichiro Makes It Watchable

Cute premise and starts out fairly strong then becomes less interesting for a couple of reasons. You might enjoy this if you're looking for something kind of cute, awkwardly funny, light & easy, and with one really good lead actor.

The most disappointing thing for me was that the sincerity of character attraction felt one-sided by the actors. Naito Shuichiro acted in-crush then in-love so convincingly. You could see the intensity and depth of emotions in his eyes and his face was full of nuanced reactions. Compared to him, Seto Toshiki felt miscast as the main character. He did okay at the beginning with the simplicity of being in awe of his idol and nervous, but his portrayal of deeper emotions fell flat. He became more and more of a disappointment to me as the series went on. (Also his bleached-orange hair didn't suit his timid/self-conscious character and was distracting; poor judgment on someone's part.)

The story itself became more boring as it started to rely on clichés to keep it going. If it wasn't for Naito I probably would have stopped watched sometime during episode 6 (out of 8).

There were more physical interactions to build tension than there were affectionate ones after the characters fell for each other. I might not have felt the lack of physical closeness as much had Seto been able to match the affection and desire Naito showed with his eyes.

I did think the end credits were very clever as they they showed a little bit more of the background scene with every episode.

There were multiple moments of second-hand embarrassment that made me cringe and want to fast-forward, but I am fairly susceptible to that. There were a few non-cringe comedic moments too.

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Brutally Bloody and a Whole Lot of Broken Bones (and spirits)

I am not crying but I think I want to... As I finish yet another drama about bullying in s. Krean schools I still feel that this was actually worth my time (as you may notice with the high rating).

I do not know if this brings a lot new to the table, as we get to see a bunch of grownups take advantage of kids use them as punchingbags and then blame them for paying it forward by punching others... There is a lot of splashing blood, sounds of bones cracking and legs flying in the air. Plus why take responsabilaty for stuff when you can blame others, done slighlty differently and really good.

Our leads are not always what they seem to be, but the friendships and fakefreindsabuserships are solid. The cinematography is brutally beautiful and the felling of f*** lingers in the air throughout the drama.

I love, love, love the bromance and appreciate the male trio in this as well as pretty much have a huge crush on Young Yis (LEon Yeon) character. Park Ji Hoon and Choi Hyun Wook did a phenomenal job portraying their characters.

A painful yet easy binge, but if you are the slightest sensetive to blood chances are you will have to look away now and then.

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This drama is just so good. It is really worth the wait. The chemistry of Nan Chu and Lin Lu Xiao is 1000/100. It is nice that they didn't just focus on the main lead. Every character has their own unique story. You will have mixed emotions all the time. There are a lot of life lessons, too. And I like how they create it as open-ended. It is like you are still waiting and wanting to have a S2. We congratulate the entire cast for giving us a great drama. The writers, directors, cast, and production. They are all amazing. Everyone did great. I recommend it to everyone to watch this drama.

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