Story: Not completely unique, but with enough unique points and humor to forgive the cliches. The pace was enjoyable and the writing was very good. Not to mention many (although not all) loose ends were tied up in the final episode involving the cast.
Acting: The cast was spot on for this show and I developed a few new favorites. The parts were well-written, the acting was as expected. Some scenes were exaggerated, but I found it added to the show's charms. The best part was the lack of stereotypical rude and rich romantic male.
Music: The music was very enjoyable and placed in the best of places. Everything emphasized moments, the acting and scenes. i actually never grew tired of hearing anything, even the opening and closing themes which can become annoying even to the most die hard drama fans. I found myself downloading parts of the soundtrack.
Rewatch: I do not think I would immediately rewatch this show, although it would be wonderful to do so. I would wait until I had nothing else or needed time to kill, it is very good for a light and romantic watch.
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OVERALL (because I know some people prefer things to be quick and to the point!): The movie was created in 2004 so certain things must be understood and not held to a super high standard. The quality of He Was Cool is not as wonderful as newer movies, nor are the effects outstanding. Sometimes they can come off as downright cheesy. That being said, It was good. The acting was as expected and the music was enjoyable. I found the movie to even be a little nostalgic, recalling some teen romantic comedy movies from the 90's and 2000's. If you love romantic comedies, want a light movie, or have time to kill this is a good option.
STORY: the story is not 100% original, but it is entertaining and lives up to the manga/comic and romantic comedy genres. If those are not your preferences then it may be hard to sit through it, even I had to skip ahead a little at times. However, the lightheartedness and very comedic elements compliment and balance out the harsher and more realistic problems that are addressed. Those issues of poverty, sex, gender, age, prejudice and even illness are what drew me in more than the romance. while there were theatrics, they were well-suited for the film because it is based on a web comic.
ACTING: the acting/ dialogue is not the best I have seen and no one stands out to me as an extraordinary star, but they fit their roles. Each member of the cast worked their role to the best I think they could. From the dialogue and the acting you can tell it is early 2000's.
MUSIC: I found the music to be the best part. The songs were not distracting and were well timed throughout the film, emphasizing moments and acting. The effects were not always the best, especially when some sounds were off just the littlest bit with actions. I enjoyed the soundtrack though, especially the instrumental tracks.
REWATCH: I personally would not seek this movie out again, but it is good to watch at least once. I say this especially because of the more realistic subplot lines and details. Some people will love this movie and rewatch it many times, I personally enjoy other movies more. He Was Cool is a movie I would watch if it came on TV (as in I would not change the channel) but I wouldn't buy it or look for it online again.
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The story is revolves around revenge, but it is not without comedic and romantic elements. There is also a heavy emphasis on friendships and family relationships; so there is never a dull moment. The writing is well done and utilizes all these pieces to create a scenario that immediately pulls you in and keeps you hooked. Even the parts that could have been cliche or exaggerated were executed perfectly and I was actually surprised with some of the happenings within the drama.
The acting was a lot better than I was expecting. I am not the biggest fan of Lee Min Ho, he can be stiff at times and never quite fulfills the role as I would hope, HOWEVER he did well with this show. The action scenes were wonderful and his interactions with the other cast members were more authentic than I expected. I think the development of the characters was spot on and very well timed throughout the show. Everyone suited their roles well and I had no complaints.
The music was wonderful. I have downloaded the soundtrack of course! The song choices were very nice and the placement of all the music was wonderful. I hate distracting music and I never found that with this drama, everything fell right where it was needed. There was only emphasis to the story and acting due to the music, the atmosphere was great.
I would say that this can be highly rewatched and I will more than likely watch it at least one more time in the future. I would recommend it to anyone who would like a fast paced and intense story. I also think this is a good show for those who are not the biggest Lee Min Ho fan, because I think it is one of his better shows. However, It is not light whatsoever and there are moments you may not expect. it is really a roller coaster.
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There is much more backstory and I feel watching this show gets you more involved, pulls you in more. I also like that Taliw (Kotoko/Ha Ni in the Japanese and Korean versions) is much more likable and is not portrayed as a idiotic and childish figure. She is smart in certain areas and then is lacking in some others, something that is much more realistic in my opinion. There is also no blind following on her part, she can make her own decisions and even get mad - a vital character trait i think was lacking in the other versions. King was especially better, he was not portrayed as a village idiot or obnoxious, but a charmer that is trying his best to win the girl. There were times I found myself getting worked up about the competition, much more than with the other versions.The relationships between all the characters were great in my opinion: friendships, family ties, and love interests all were spot on. The actors did well in each of their roles and I even picked up a few new favorites again. (My list just keeps getting longer!)
Of course, I also loved the music and the placement of the music. Nothing was distracting and every time I would start to get bored a song would change subtly or not so subtly. I actually went out of my way to download the full soundtrack.
I have already watched this show multiple times and I highly recommend it to others. I know some people are die hard fans of the other versions, but everyone should at least give this one a try as well. Personally, it is my favorite version!
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ACTING - I honestly had no idea just how many idols were in this show when I first began watching (dumb I know, but I wasn't really into kpop yet.). The acting was very nice, well suited for each person and the relationships portrayed were very realistic. Each character has moments that are good and bad and the audience gets pulled right along for the ride. The acting isn't the best, of course, but it is a lot better than some things I have seen. I was happy with it, and I fell in love with Kim Soo Hyun of course. But who wouldn't??? Jason and Pil Suk. favorite characters forever; no matter what happens.
MUSIC - The music. This was my first drama, so it was my first show to download songs from and it was the catalyst for my liking kpop and my drama addiction. Music drama have become one of my favorite types and I think this show is the reason. I didn't like all of the music, and the opening theme can get tiring after a bit, but a liked a majority of it. The sound effects and placement of music within the episodes were fairly well done as well, without too many distractions.
REWATCH - This is a show that has a lot of rewatch value, but for me it is not enough to watch it all the way through a second time. I like flipping through and watching key scenes - especially the music scenes. I know a lot of my friends have watched it multiple times all the way through though.
OVERALL - 8.5! The show was pretty good, the cinematography and effects weren't mind shattering but well placed considering the type of drama. The music was really great. the ending wasn't as great as expected but pretty okay. The acting was well suited as well. I think it was a great first drama experience and I really like it. Lol I have a soft spot for it.
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STORY - Pretty original. I didn't exactly know what to expect, I expected a lot of romance but this has everything. Romance, action, comedy, mystery. Perfect. There is not a lot of lag anywhere, but I am not 100% happy with the final episode. Maybe 90%? BUT DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM WATCHING!!!! The effects are really good in the show as well and the cinematography is very nice - the lighting and camera angles enhance everything rather than being distracting.
ACTING - Amazing and the chemistry between everyone is great - romantic, family and friend relationships alike. I honestly have picked up a few new favorite actors - and reaffirmed why I already liked a few ;)
MUSIC - great as well; this is one of the few soundtracks I have downloaded. Also it's perfectly placed within the show, no random spots that are distracting. The sound effects are also subtle and enhancing as well.
REWATCH - I actually have already rewatched this show all the way through once. However, it is a show I can turn on an episode for background noise or just to occupy my attention and it's still as enjoyable as the first time.
OVERALL - 9! Honestly, this show was amazing and easily has become one of my favorites. The ending is just okay for me, enjoyable definitely, but I would have enjoyed the ending more if it had ended in the manner a certain male lead had wished for. ;)
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