LilMeggs
San Jose, CA
This review may contain spoilers
Romeo & Juliet
I think it is hard for me, out of all the different kinds of dramas out there, to find a good jdrama that I really like.
Not saying I didn't like this drama, but I wasn't in love with it.
The things I loved about this drama:
How they plugged in Romeo and Juliet vibes throughout the drama including when they added Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet - Fantasy Overture. I am a sucker for classical music when it is done well. I also really enjoyed the light silly comedy, especially with Hana's over the top family. Her grandma made me jump every time she snuck into a scene, and her mother and father as a pair were super cute. But I would say, my favorite character, and the second lead was Enjoji Akira. I loved how his special skill was breaking out in song and dance and kicking ass. His random impromptu lyrics to the same melody. I believe he was a good fit for Hana, if Hana were to date someone that was a more positive version of herself who understood the meaning of why her family does what they do.
Which leads to the things I didn't like about this drama. Even though everyone was trying to be their most authentic self, and always evolving, Hana seemed to always be at this crossroad of who she wanted to be, and not being able to be that person because she didn't know how to balance who she was born as and who she wanted to be. Instead of finding that balance and trying to understand her family, she always seemed to be stuck on the negatives. I understand that it is such a drama troupe, but at the same time, I feel like she really didn't learn anything at the end of the drama. And Kazuma didn't really do a fantastic job of helping her. Given I know her family didn't interfere, wanting her to learn and understand on her own why the family does what they do. Maybe they will address this in season 2? I just think it is weird for a character who HATES what her family does and thinks it's the worst possible thing you can do and be, she always seems to give in and become the thing she despises when it is convenient. She never seemed to look for alternatives. And then once she finished her mission, she is like, "oh,I'll never do that again. Kazuma, I promise, I will never be that person again," and then what does she do. She does it again. But I do give props to Kazuma, who kind of seems like he doesn't care. He always wants to be on her side because he knows she isn't a bad person, but agrees with her every time she says she doesn't want to be that kind of person.
Even though I did say I really liked the whole Romeo and Juliet concept, I did feel like they were being way too obvious at some points. The whole drama was an obvious Romeo and Juliet retelling, so when they started layering references on top of references, I thought it was a little overkill.
Other than that, I thought it was smart and funny and had a simple and easy plot to follow. Also, I really liked the grandma and grandpa's love story they randomly threw in at the end. It was a little twist of another Romeo and Juliet story; how she found love with someone who loved her regardless and wanted to understand her and the life she was born into and loved.
Excited for season 2, not sure what to expect. Maybe Hana will get over her identity crisis that I believe wasn't solved.
Not saying I didn't like this drama, but I wasn't in love with it.
The things I loved about this drama:
How they plugged in Romeo and Juliet vibes throughout the drama including when they added Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet - Fantasy Overture. I am a sucker for classical music when it is done well. I also really enjoyed the light silly comedy, especially with Hana's over the top family. Her grandma made me jump every time she snuck into a scene, and her mother and father as a pair were super cute. But I would say, my favorite character, and the second lead was Enjoji Akira. I loved how his special skill was breaking out in song and dance and kicking ass. His random impromptu lyrics to the same melody. I believe he was a good fit for Hana, if Hana were to date someone that was a more positive version of herself who understood the meaning of why her family does what they do.
Which leads to the things I didn't like about this drama. Even though everyone was trying to be their most authentic self, and always evolving, Hana seemed to always be at this crossroad of who she wanted to be, and not being able to be that person because she didn't know how to balance who she was born as and who she wanted to be. Instead of finding that balance and trying to understand her family, she always seemed to be stuck on the negatives. I understand that it is such a drama troupe, but at the same time, I feel like she really didn't learn anything at the end of the drama. And Kazuma didn't really do a fantastic job of helping her. Given I know her family didn't interfere, wanting her to learn and understand on her own why the family does what they do. Maybe they will address this in season 2? I just think it is weird for a character who HATES what her family does and thinks it's the worst possible thing you can do and be, she always seems to give in and become the thing she despises when it is convenient. She never seemed to look for alternatives. And then once she finished her mission, she is like, "oh,I'll never do that again. Kazuma, I promise, I will never be that person again," and then what does she do. She does it again. But I do give props to Kazuma, who kind of seems like he doesn't care. He always wants to be on her side because he knows she isn't a bad person, but agrees with her every time she says she doesn't want to be that kind of person.
Even though I did say I really liked the whole Romeo and Juliet concept, I did feel like they were being way too obvious at some points. The whole drama was an obvious Romeo and Juliet retelling, so when they started layering references on top of references, I thought it was a little overkill.
Other than that, I thought it was smart and funny and had a simple and easy plot to follow. Also, I really liked the grandma and grandpa's love story they randomly threw in at the end. It was a little twist of another Romeo and Juliet story; how she found love with someone who loved her regardless and wanted to understand her and the life she was born into and loved.
Excited for season 2, not sure what to expect. Maybe Hana will get over her identity crisis that I believe wasn't solved.
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