Liar (2022)

Truths omitted are as bad as the Lies told

I really liked this series ... I was in the mood for some angst but was surprised with something else.

The scripting for each character was strong ... I think it was purposefully like that so you could form a strong opinion about them ... only to have those opinions broken down when the PoV was changed in the next episode. This technique of revealing the inner mind of the characters by changing the PoV was really clever given the title of the series. I couldn't help but wonder over and over at how drastically our opinions change when presented with the truth ... it is not just the lies that alter perception, it is the truths that remain unspoken that alter perception as well.

The zigging and zagging with what the main characters told each other and what they didn't tell each other, was super frustrating but instead of ending up in an abyss of misery it was heading somewhere. There was a lot of personal evolution going on with the characters and I liked watching how that unfolded and seeing what the catalysts were that moved that personal progression.

I was over the moon at how the ML Ichikawa Kazuya found himself ... he leveled up from a troubled 15 year old in an adult's body to a man matured who knows his own mind, faces his truth and is willing to put it out there ... and all without burning his bridges ... I was impressed ◝(ᵔ‿ᵔ)◜

Communication is a powerful thing ... truths omitted are just as bad as the lies told ... life is tough enough already with plenty to suffer over, no need to add to that the pain of regret for untold truths and lies spoken ... this story portrayed that theme very well. I was glad for a happy ending.

As an aside ... it was nice to see SatoTaiki and Mikami Ai getting into their kiss scenes ٩(✿ ^ᴗ^ )۶

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An addictive but frustrating train wreck I can't look away.

This is usually not the type of drama I would watch, but I saw it on Viki and clicked “play” out of the blue. I would describe this as a frustrating train wreck of the lack of communication. A train wreck I can’t seem to stop watching. It’s addictive and definitely a guilty pleasure.

Infidelity seems to be a common topic that J-dramas love to explore. Another thing I find happens more in Japanese dramas than other Asian dramas, is the use of different perspectives when storytelling. “Liar” gives us the inner thoughts and monologues of both leads, and not just from the female lead’s perspective. I’ve seen this in “Rinko Wants to Try” (for an episode) and also in “My Beautiful Man/Utsukushii Kare”.

Despite knowing the male lead’s perspectives, it’s still frustrating to watch him not communicate his feelings to FL. FL has been pretty open but ML just stays in his own little bubble and is unaware of others around him. In a way, these frustrating moments, push-and-pull, angsty miscommunication is why this drama is addictive as well.

Acting is solid and the pacing is fast (maybe too fast). My main criticism of the plot is the lack of foundation of love between the leads. I think they got together too fast, and I don’t know why they fell in love with each other in the first place. Without this foundation, it makes it hard for me to believe their deep affection can last for so long. I also have mixed feelings about the last couple episodes with the family drama. Is it necessary? Should the drama have ended sooner?

I wouldn’t call this an excellent drama, but I thoroughly enjoy it and as I say, I got suck into it and can’t seem to look away. This is a short drama if you are in the mood for it.

Viki has the spin-off episodes mixed in with the regular drama. It might be better to just focus on Ichi and Narita’s story first, and then watch the spin-off with a focus on Deno’s story.


Completed: 3/18/2023

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Office & Smiles

I do not understand why is this drama called Liar. Does anyone really lie in it? No. But they do not talk to each other.

Narita and Ichikawa are desk neighbours at work. She has a crush on another coworker and he is dating a girl his father chose. They bicker a lot and before you can realize it, they are sleeping together and had fallen hard for each other. The problem is his character: he is abrupt, direct, brutal with a few words he utters. Misunderstandings keep piling up because of his lack of communication that they end up breaking up. They meet again four years later and continue where they left it off but this time around she demands he talks to her and tells her how he feels.

I loved the characters: she is sweet, strong and independent woman. He seems like a brute but he is actually incapable of expressing his feelings. The drama has an interesting structure: the story is told by the both of them, each taking turn in telling the same events. That was original. The opening credits were something special as well: the main actors blindfolded and having paint thrown on them while they silently scream. Metaphor for the pressure the society puts on people?

There were of course a couple of things that were off: the kissing scenes were awkward, they seemed not to know what to do with themselves. The actors were great in everything else but the love scenes were really strange. Another one was the unnecessary subplot with father: since this started as an office romcom there was really no need to go into the makjang territory with the rich father paying off the unworthy woman.

This was a fun, quick watch. I had actually dropped it a few months ago, 10min into the first episode because of a cringy love scene but someone posted about it so I gave it another go. I enjoyed it immensely actually!

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interesting story!

This was really interesting, I thought the story was so good and the characters were really interesting, I loved the perspectives of both characters had me going like “ohhh!”. I wish they communicated more and there was just SOO MUCH MISUNDERSTANDINGS. Super annoying but that’s the whole point so I powered through it. I’m not gonna lie, I feel like they didn’t have chemistry at all so I truly didn’t care what was going on with them at all since they gave nothing, no passion, no energy! But that’s just me! The story kept me going!
I really liked the side couple! I liked how they continued the perspectives of both, wish we got to know more about both characters but they were just a side story so I get it.

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