1
KimWanHee
Europe
The story itself sounded interesting in regards to the characters but it did not sound like something new. Well, in general it isn't. But, MM makes this simple story into so much more. The characters get enough back story so you can feel with them or they get enough screen time so you'll warm up to them easily. It starts off simple and gets more complicated later on without making the show too strange. It stays as down to earth as you can get with a merman show. Also note, MM is one of those dramas that have the perfect length. If it had been longer, the story would have been dragged out, if shorter, it would feel rushed. It was just perfect!
The cast was quite good and a little bit of a surprise. Here I have to say, I have never like the female characters in a show so much as in MM. The females aren't just weak or strong but the know what they want while also showing their weaknesses and standing proudly. They don't just fold because someone is pushing them. And they also have a good sense, which means there are almost no "give someone else the fault" misunderstandings between the six leads in the drama. That was refreshing!
The laugh of the doctor was strange though...especially around the later episodes.
About the music - it was too loud. There were almost no no-sound scenes. So put your speakers or headphones on low volume. You'll still hear everything but you won't get a headache from all the music.
I'm also definitely gonna rewatch that one ^.^ I recommend watching this if you are annoyed with the typical female leads, want to have a fresh supernatural drama, wanna see merman in a drama for once or want to try something new.
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Story
+ The story is really good and I loved the realtionships between the characters and the development of the story
+ Although I don't really like the ending, I admit it's one of the best endings I've ever seen (also there will be no problems with understanding what happened in the end^^)
- I sat in front of my computer for hours crying T__T (so if you cry easily prepare some tissues)
Acting/Cast
+ Amazing acting skills. I liked watching every single person in this drama, since everyone's acting was really good (didn't matter who it was)
- The chemistry between the main leads was good...not amazing, since sometimes it was actually quite off, but that's not the fault of the acting but of the script (sorry writers)
Music
The music is really touching and also really likable...why it is only 9 points? Because I actually only remember one song...(and I watched the drama a week ago)
Rewatch:
Definitely not until the end of this year! The Bridal Mask is like a rollercoaster for my feelings and I doubt it will change even if I know what will happen...
OVERALL
I always wondered if Bridal Mask was really that good to get #3 at MDL. Well, it is definitely good and I think it's definitely worth a try (to watch it)^^
Note: If you have problems between differentiating some actors/ actresses you should leave Bridal Mask for later :) (In the beginning I had problems because of this T__T)
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This review may contain spoilers
At first I didn't like to watch 'Faith' because I didn't thought it was a very good drama BUT in the end, I think, it was one of the best decisions I ever made concerning dramas.What I liked:
- The acting is amazing. The actors and actresses convince the audience with believeable and touching characters and I often forgot that they were acting.
- The costumes, the rooms, the surroundings, the whole appearance of the drama is unbelievable. Even though some of the uniforms seemed to be made of plastic than of leather, I liked the probs and I think it was made with much effort
- The music of the drama supports the storyline perfectly.
- The story is going very smoothly. If you don't like what happens in the first half of an episode than you only have to wait for the second and it changes. Still the story and the actions aren't too quickly.
- The main lead (Yoo Eun Soo/ Kim Hee Sun wasn't just a weak person. She proves that she is strong too.
What I didn't like:
- Some situations reappear in the drama. So something which happened already, happens a second time (If I say more it would be a spoiler)
- Sometimes they characters seemed to make the same mistakes again and again, so they didn't learn anything.
- THE OVERALL PROBLEM of the drama was repetition!!!
Normally I have problems with such dramas since they get boring halfway but this was one of the first dramas I watched without a break (even though I have to wait for the last four episodes^^)...so concerning historical dramas, I think, this is a MUST-WATCH!
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Story 8/10
The story starts very slow but paces up really really quickly...I was hooked in episode 3 (which is less than with some better ranked dramas on MDL) and then I couldn't stop watching...
I loved the characters and the development of the story...it's definitely the best drama I ever saw about achieving your dream...
Cast 10/10
Although I thought I would only like Kim Bum, I loved the whole cast!! They all worked so well together and I could really feel with them...sometimes, I admit, I wished for more reactions, but it's not that often...
Music 10/10
I LOVED the music! It was in the right scenes and I couldn't get enough of it!!! Especially SHINee - Countdown was great (and somehow a little bit different from the usual main songs of OSTs^^)
Review 9/10
Oh, I'm definitely going to rewatch this. First drama ever to really earn the 9 points for it (I actually don't know if I ever gave 9 points...).
Overall 10/10
Note: With this drama you're going to cry, laugh and then tremble of excitement^^ at least I did :D
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Story: Of course, the compliment above also brings some changes to the story. If you want a one on one retelling of the anime in live-action movie form, you're (maybe) wrong here. The producers do follow the anime as exact as possible but since it is a movie, some things change or are laid out in different settings. Still it keeps the charme of the original series and I've to say I think the story manages to pull you in whether you know the series or not.
Cast: The cast was amazing. No awkwardness, no strange behaviour because they actually had to act with CGI and a lot of the actors worked with small movements that told a lot about the characters inner thoughts. So compliments here.
Music: Not too special but the background soundtrack for the movie is good.
Rewatch: As with other enjoyable movies, probably :D
Overall: Overall I was very happy with the movie and I loved that they did follow the series as much as possible while still changing some things so it fit better in the movie. The only thing I thought was very different from what I was used to: Normally the main characters are the main characters for almost all scenes. With this one the other characters also get a chance to shine and show what they've got....oh and I loved the blonde Ed, looked as normal as it can get. Great styling artists for managing that.
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Story: The premise is quite interesting and tbh I wish they made a real series out of it and not just 5 short episodes/one movie. Like this the story was slightly rushed but kept its overall charm. Definitely interesting and not the usual Korean BL you get, definitely not.
Acting: The acting was amazing, from all sides. The good guys, the villains...you forget they are actors and you get really immersed into their characters. Definitely big compliments to the cast for that. No shallow acting here.
Music: There was music? Well, I guess the usual background music to highlight stuff. But here let me take this chance to say this: The production of this is amazing, great picture, great colours, great quality and camera work.
Rewatch: definitely!
Overall, I do not regret the least that I bought it to watch it. Like this I can rewatch it again and again and again and enjoy this wonderful Korean movie, so untypical of the usual BL stuff we get from Korea. Check it out, it's definitely worth watching!
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...you are an EXO fan (this goes from official EXO-L to I-just-like-them-fan)
...you like spring-like fluffy and happy dramas
...you like it when there is not too much drama and when it's fast-paced
...you like cheesy and giggly love stories combined with cringe-worthy (in a positive way) humor ;D
If you are positive of ONE OR MORE of these reasons, then I definitely recommend this drama.
What I like about EXO Next Door?
- it's kinda fluffy and has its own flavor (?) or own charme...
- It's EXO...so the "star-factor" is actually believeable XO
- The humor is really easy to understand and funny to watch
- Fast-paced!!!! (Well, the episodes are 15 minutes, what did we expect?)
- Some drama scenarios but it's kept in like a 10 minute time-frame
- It looks nice (and no, I don't mean "ooh look at the handsome...", I mean it has nice colors and a nice atmosphere
- (maybe surprisingly) there is (imo) good chemistry between the male lead and female lead
- funniest friendship ever!
- satisfying end
- good mix and alternation between drama-comedy-love story
- (almost) typical characters with cheesy lines and corny actions put together in an amazingly great way. Whoever wrote the script actually made it work out quite well.
What I dislike about EXO Next Door?
- sometimes too short (I would watch it even if it was 60 minutes per episode, seriously!)
- serious second lead syndrome!!! (says someone who loves first leads...but in the end I cheered for the 1st lead XP)
- Sometimes the humor may be too much or too over-the-top for some people
- for someone who seriously dislikes EXO, don't watch it. You can watch it even if you are no fan of them but not if you dislike them...
- some cringe-worthy acting (this time in a negative way)
- there was this one song the played again and again and again...and I can't hear it anymore...it's literally hurting to hear it after 16 episodes and all those weeks!!! (except for the repetition, the music was really good)
So, for the end note of my review: I soooo hope they make something like a season 2 one day, because I already miss watching it. EXO Next Door is definitely no must-watch drama and no rival to one of the 40 minute-episode dramas BUT I really think it has its own charme which makes it unique and I don't think there is any other drama like this out there...The main advice is the same as with (almost) every other drama: Watch the first 3 episodes, then decide...at least here that's only 45 minutes XD
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Story: The story starts quite slow and maybe a little bit uninteresting...but quickly it gets better and faster and also more interesting and exciting...^^definitely an amazing story!!
(Although I'm only like 90% happy with the ending :/)
The Cast: ...was simply amazing!!! I've rarely seen such good acting...with some of the cast I already knew they were good, but in this movie they were even better^^ also I loved the relationships between all the characters of the movie...
Music: I...didn't really realize any music...well, the typical soundtrack every movie has...but it wasn't bad except for some scenes where it seems like they forgot to put some background sounds...
Rewatch: YES! Definitely...but not during the next two/three months (?)
Overall:
I think this movie has all the points which are important to be really good: Great story, amazing actors and a wonderful character design...
And with The Gifted Hands you definitely get that! :)
So 10 points out of 10!
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The story itself is interesting, albeit complicated, and around the end changes direction but stays true to its original feeling and colors nonetheless. Which translates to: If you liked the first two episodes, you'll like the rest. Just note and don't forget that this show is just the beginning of Wu Xie's whole (tomb-raiding) story. But TLB definitely leaves you wanting more of this adventurous drama.
The cast was quite good. While some may say, it was over the top, I though the cast did well portraying these characters. Some characters are inexperienced and I think the cast, especially Wu Xie's actor, showed great acting about how his characters started to learn about this new trait and try to use his new-found knowledge. In regards to the sequels, without spoiler, I love that you can see Wu Xie without being the all-knowing badass tomb-raider and also seeing him as a young guy trying to survive, while also not being just naive and gullible. He may have some naivety but he's not stupid which some dramas totally fail to portray, but this one succeeded.
About one bad side: Right from the beginning I did not like Chen ChengCheng or Chastity Chen. She was so over the top and annoying to the others, and I'm not talking about the actress, she did good, but the character itself was too much for me.
The music, well, the intro was interesting and fit well, the ending (how long are those credits?) was kind of different from the show's vibe which I did actually enjoy because it always left the episodes cliffhangers with a hopeful note.
I'm definitely gonna rewatch this ,maybe not all of the episodes but definitely a lot of them.
I recommend watching this if you like adventure and are ready to get hooked onto the The Lost Tomb drama series. A must-watch for every adventure fan.
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The story behind WTD seems to go somewhere and then, well then it doesn't. I really adored like 20% of the scenes and the script and got bored by the rest but it's a nice inbetweener or when you have nothing else to watch and like BL.
The acting is better than in some other Thai BL dramas, I guess but except for some really good crying and shocked scenes it wasn't extraordinary.
The characters are well, interesting, I guess. I'm just gonna say two things: I loved the character of the main lead, Pop. He was witty and very different from what we BL fans usually get from the main leads in such shows. He did not fall head over heels in love but also didn't paralyze when he was asked if he liked guys. He seemed pretty normal and realistic tbh...except for the always there umbrella *wink*And my second point, I ended up hating the "good" guys and liking the "bad" guys, so what does that tell you about the characters?
The intro song got pretty annoying after some episodes although I could've listened to the ending song a lot more often.
Rewatch, some scenes yes, but the whole show, probably not anytime soon.
Overall, I recommend watching WTD if you are a BL fan, have nothing to watch or wanna be up to date with all the couple gossip, otherwise,if none of those apply to you, better watch something else...I liked the colours of the series though ^.^
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched this drama some weeks ago (the second time). I don't remember why I watched it in the first place but I don't regret watching it even a little bit.Positive:
- The story had some new elements like the character of the Gumiho and the bead.
- I liked that the main characters were not mean or strong all the time (both of the main roles had their soft moments)
- I liked that the story was going smoothly and that there weren't any long term actions (something which troubles you for like three episodes)
- The music/ the props and the surroundings matched very well with the story and except for some effects everything was held simple. So the story seemed more realistic and funnier.
Negative:
- Sometimes the acting seemed quite exaggerated
- It follows the typical 'main roles in love but also some people who don't want them to get together' (if I say more it's a spoiler)
- I didn't get some points at the end (but that's more of my personal problem)
I think that the drama isn't a must-watch but you could at least try watching it because I think it is something you should know of.
I also recommend rewatching it, since, I think, the story remains quite interesting and funny even though you know how it ends.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why I watched this drama?I saw that the drama was new and I really like Jang Geun Seok. Due to the good comments and marks for the drama I thought it would be good to watch it (at least the beginning)
After I watched the first/ second episode?
I stopped to watch the drama because I thought it was boring since you already know what will happen between the parents when you read the plot.
Why I continued?
Like I said I like the actor Jang Geun Seok and I hoped that the drama would get better...
In the end?
It's amazing. After the first two/ three episodes I really fell in love with the drama and thee characters.
+
-The cast acts really good. Sometimes you could see that its really only acting but that's not very often
-I really like how they managed two change the looks of the two main leads. And also the difference between the years
-The former main characters appear again (that's not a spoiler since its written in the cast)
-The story may seem familiar etc. but in the end this drama gives a whole new feeling than some others which seem similar
-
-The beginning of the second romance seemed quite rapid
-The episodes of the first romance could have been a little bit shorter (since you know what will happen after reading the plot)
RESULT: I don't think this drama is a must-watch but I think its a great drama and I recommend watching it
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Hwayi tells the story of a boy who stands between his past and his present and finds himself struggling to find who he can trust.
Story- The story is thrilling and keeps you on your toes the whole movie. Hwayi learns the dark secrets of his childhood and has to find out how to deal with them. His life is full of bad things but hidden inside are also some good memories. In general the story is a lot about people and stories having two sides to them. Some people act rough but still care for the others. Don't kid yourself though, this movie is not about the fight between good and evil or about doing the right thing. This story is about being bad for selfish reasons or because you want to protect something precious to you, but there are no good guys in this story, not really. It tells a story of how far revenge can go and whether a person that did something horrible to you can still be loved and called family.
Acting- The cast was amazing. Every single one of them. All of them delivered their characters perfectly and showed us true feelings and gave life to this story full of despair. Big compliments to Yeo Jin Goo. He did an amazing job!
Music- perfect pace, perfect musical background. Quiet when it was necessary, soundtrack when the scene asked for it.
Rewatch- maybe after some time. This story is amazing but also so full of sadness. I don't think I can stomach it so soon again.
Overall- Hwayi offers you a mesmerizing story about a young boy caught between his family who raised him and the real world, where they are the bad guys. The acting is on point and overall this movie deserves being called a masterpiece. It may be hard to stomach but it is a great movie.
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This review may contain spoilers
Story: The story of TU is enchanting. While you may not know what to expect in the beginning, after some episodes you just won't be able to stop watching because you are gonna want to know how it ends. The characters are well written and the story keeps you on the edge and takes you through comedic events, music-based fighting, sword fighting, teasing between siblings, cute interactions, dramatic show downs, tragic events...you get pretty much everything except for a break (except for the comedy). So do not expect this to be a light watch, it's not, but is it worth it? Definitely. As for the story lines, the only minus point I found was the long flashback as well as some ridiculous revelation scenes during the last third of the series. But in the end you all see it as a whole and just go along with it. Cast/Acting: The cast did an amazing job. That is all I have to say about it. All of them were awesome and totally brought their characters to life. Even the little kid actor was great.
Music: Like I said, a lot of musical fighting. But it's nice music and the scenes are astonishingly well done and visually, they are a sight to be seen. I do admit that some musical pieces could have been used a little less over the course of the series and I would not have been sad.
Rewatch: to be honest, the comedy scenes sure. The drama...probably not.
Overall: The Untamed is a roller coaster trip through so many emotions your heart will have a hard time keeping up. When you watch it you just won't be able to stop since you get so into the characters, you start swearing at the villains and cheering for the heroes. The dramas does have a few rough edges but it fits so well together, the rough sides are not noticeable as much. I definitely recommend watching if you want to watch a fantasy, kinda (fictional) historical series. Also do not be intimidated by the 50 episodes. You will soon forget how many you watched because the story is so addicting.
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Story: The story behind Kill It seems pretty simple in the beginning and turns more complicated later on and I can guarantee you that in the middle you start thinking "how are they gonna end this, there are only like 3 episodes left" or something like that. I thought they would rush the ending but they actually kept their pace steady and neat. The beginning is interesting, the middle part almost too much for my poor nerves and the end is just amazing. If I had to name any drama with the best ending scene - this one does it.
Acting/Cast: I was really surprised by the cast. I did not think they could do it so well, especially because the characters in general had this tendency to be void of emotion but just in the right moments you could see exactly what they were thinking and feeling and like mentioned above, they pulled out everything for episode 12. All actors, whether main actors or supporting, proved to be amazingly talented at their job.
Music: While I did enjoy the soundtrack in specific scenes, I actually did not like the main OST of the show. It does fit the show, but not my tastes, so I won't say more on it.
Rewatch: Sure, just not this year. This is probably one of those dramas I re-(binge) watch every other year. Those are the best.
Overall: Overall the drama fits together just perfectly. One thing that you'll notice: the number of episodes is just right for telling this story. If they had added more or reduced it, they would have had to change so many things...I think the length fits perfectly, also because normally dramas with this kind of story line have like 20 episodes. It was refreshing to see a shorter one.
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