Fantastic Sequel ...
It's always difficult to make a great sequel or season 2 when the first season was nothing but perfection. Somehow, though, they made it happen. This new season was everything you could have hoped for, and more!It's a strong start that pulls you into the story immediately. Besides the fighting, and fighting, and fighting again, there was a great story behind the punches, along with a great cast to match. So many different layers of the story that all come together in the final episode.
Do Hwan & Sang Yi are once again the brilliant bromance fighting duo. The two had great chemistry of friendship, making that one of the strongest points of this continuing series, once again. The one unexpected surprise was Rain. He turns out to be such a great antagonist. I hadn't seen him play a role like this before, but he really was fantastically evil and cold hearted, giving you everything you wanted in the main villain. You really can't wait until that final showdown fight with Geon U & Baek Jeong. It's definitely worth the wait, making for great entertainment.
The rest of the supporting cast matches brilliantly with all the sub story plots happening at the same time. Don't be fooled by who you think is all good or all bad. Some characters have a mix of both, which you find out as you get deeper into the series.
After some of the final credits roll, you get an add on scene that kind of gives a teaser for a possible season three??? I sure hope so, cause both 1 & 2 have been great.
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Brilliant & Fantastic
I never watched a series where I has such a turn around toward the main protagonist. In the beginning I found Dong Man to be so annoying and obnoxious to watch ... from his attitude, right down to the way of his eating, but believe me, you will come to love him as the series continues on. Kyo Hwan & Youn Jung are just magic together. She's always great at anything she does, but this is a character she makes shine. And speaking of shining, Jung Se is brilliant. He's been in so many good shows in the past, but this role of Gyeong Se is his best by far. It's also a cast, whether leading or supporting, is so good. The deeper you get into this series, is goes from good to great. ... just so entertaining!!!Besides the main story about this elite eight of friends, all writing/directing in the entertainment industry, there are several great sub plots, that eventually all connect in the end. It's a slow motion train wreck that we watching happening, episode 10 being the pinnacle hour of the drama.
It's a series that not only shows us how important other people are in our lives, but how our past is so relevant to our present and future.
There were several players you come to despise early on, but by the end of the series, you're pretty much cheering for everyone. Somehow the writers make all of them likable in the end.
There's a line used mid way through that really applies to the entire series .... "no one comes into your life by mistake"
That is definitely proven in several way by episode 12.
Truly a great story to enjoy, giving you every emotion your brain can come up with.
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Definitely Better Than It's Overall Reviews
After the first few minutes, this series goes into a direction I wasn't expecting, but soon you realize the main idea of the story. It actually doesn't seem possible the two protagonists have any chemistry in becoming "Soul Mates", but somehow that becomes very believable as you get deeper into the drama.I think the main problem for negative reviews, this is not a BL, at least not in the physical sense. This is a bromance of two people that become unlikely best friends, and they both happen to be closeted gay. If you're tuning in to see a standard BL storyline, with your usual antagonists getting in the way of the two people in love, you definitely will be disappointed. It does take all the way to episode 5 to show the strong bond these two main characters have toward each other. The most powerful scene of the series takes place in this episode. It's several minutes you won't forget, each covered in mud and rain!!
I must say, though, the series loses points starting toward the end of episode 7 and throughout the final 40 minutes.
Without giving it away, it didn't seem to work for me. It's not that it's a sad and depressing outcome, I mean that's life sometimes. What failed for me was the way episode 8 led up to the final few minutes. The acting was great. Hayato Isomura & Taec Yeon were perfectly cast and both gave powerful performances. I just wish there was a better intro of the final few minutes.
Overall, a very good series.
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This review may contain spoilers
Lee Dong Wook at his finest
It's really difficult to put into words how brilliant this drama was. The acting, writing, directing & the all out chemistry on screen was just the best in every way. This is definitely my favorite work of Dong Wook. He showed such magic on screen with Bo Ah & Kim Bum. It's the only series I watched twice in its entirety, it's just that good.Every cast member has a great moment in a certain episode where they shine.
As you get deeper and deeper into this series, you can feel the pain or happiness of each character in the episodes. Episode 15 & 16 are without a doubt the most powerful acted scenes by any actor. The farewells of Yeon to Rang and then the reverse, Rang back to Yeon are just incredible. If you don't become a complete mess watching these two scenes, there is definitely something wrong with you. At the time of completion, you really didn't know if there would be a season two, so you kind of feel like you lost part of your family at the ending of this drama.
As Yeon states at the very end, "Living as a human means life is full of things that are first & last ...... first snow, first step, first picnic, first root canal & first love"
... and also first season of Tale of the Nine Tailed. Amazingly, season two (1938) turned out to be even better, if that's possible. Way to go Wookie!!!
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Trust No One In his BL Drama
There are so many plot twists with characters changing from bad to good & back again, you just need to watch it completely out before you know who you're rooting for in this excellent BL Drama.Jun Seo is amazing in his role, along side of Sun Hyung. Both are a great fix together.
All the actors in this are great throughout.
I found that once I started watching it, it was really difficult not to binge episode after episode. Each one ended, where you just wanted more. Your heart aches Jung Da On with so much torment in his life. This is really way beyond a normal BL series, but rather a mix of a strong drama along with a few thriller moments as well.
Very enjoyable with lots of excitement.
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Could have been so much better
It wasn't the best, but it did keep me coming back to see the next episode ... I guess that says something.I found the series trying to mimic "Boys Over Flowers", but a much darker less satisfying story. I think the main difference between Hierarchy & BOF was the likeability of the characters. With the "Flowers" cast, you could root for and see a good transformation from bad to good with each passing episode. All, with the exception of Ha Kang, no one had any likeable qualities, whether you were watching episode one or seven, it just wasn't there.
Chae Min, who I'm definitely a fan of, did a great job with his performance ... but at times it was a bit difficult watching the rest of the cast blend together. It was a rough road.
Toward the end, there were so many antagonists not getting what they deserved, that was a real turn off ... but like I said, it did keep me coming back to see the next episode. I just wish it could have been a bit better of a conclusion in the final episode.
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Absolutely Fantastic
From the very beginning of this series right through the conclusion, there was never a mis-step in any episode. The trio of protagonists in this drama/comedy were so fantastic together. Each one fitting perfectly with the other two, creating such great chemistry. Kyung Ho was brilliant for this role, showing us his dramatic side blended with comedic tones. In Ah was also great being the strong support for him in a lot of the situations that Mu Jin would get himself involved in. She could be tough, but also shows a soft side of Hui Ju when it was needed.Without a doubt, though, Hak Yeon playing the part of Gyeon U was genius. He delivers so many funny moments throughout the episodes, his timing and actions are just perfect with his character. Several scenes makes you laugh out loud from his performance. When you blend these three actors together, they cover every aspect of great entertainment in this series.
The many stories Mu Jin would get himself involved with, as well as the people seeking his help, were so well written, some being quite emotional to watch. There were a few episode endings that definitely brings you to tears, episode 2 was definitely one of them.
The final episode gives a great conclusion to a great story. We take with us so many good lessons we learned along the way. As Mu Jin is told in the end "Only when you face your wounds .... instead of avoiding them ..... can you understand how to heal them"
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Very Suspenseful
This story shifted in so many directions as the movie played out. It was a great concept, but a bit confusing at times. What you think is going on after the first 30 or so minutes changes to a completely different direction. Once you realize what is happening ... it changes direction again. Over all it was a well written and extremely well acted thriller.Ha Neul not only gives a fantastic performance, but his appearance dramatically changes with the current situation and time frame. It adds so much to the story.
Don't be too quick to stop watching the movie at the end, there's once scene left with the end credits that really makes you think about what you just witnessed with this group of people. It's a chilling and powerful end to a horrible situation for everyone involved!!
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Fantastically Delicious Drama
I try not to ever give out 10's to a series, because nothing is ever perfect ... However, this drama was about as close to perfection as you can get. By the end of episode one, you get so hooked, you just can't wait for the follow up.Chae Min gives one of the finest performances I've ever seen. He & Yoon A are absolutely brilliant together, each one complementing the other. Watching these two evolve from start to finish was so enjoyable. Seeing Chae Min in previous roles, it was totally unexpected, watching him transform from such a tyrant King early on, to such a lovable character in later episodes. Applause to him for really giving it his all.
The supporting cast fits perfectly throughout. Gwi Hwa is a great antagonist as the horrible Prince Je San. He, along with Han Na blend a a nice touch of wickedness to the story, adding just the right ingredients of evil to make a perfect dish!!
As we get closer to the end, you kind of begin to wonder how this will play out to a satisfied conclusion. You know Ji Yeong needs to return to her present time, but how to do it without destroying the story?? Someone the writers did it, in excellent fashion no less.
The Finale gave you everything you wanted. A smorgasbord of all good stuff. I found no fault in anything. I kept waiting for something disappointing to happen, but it never did. The last 10 or so minutes I could watch again and again. It really was the best ending you could ask for!!
This drama had such serious moments with just a dash of humor, which made a great dish of entertainment. Standing ovation to a great great series!!!
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Starts off good and ends great!
When you start a BL, you never can tell the quality of writing or acting you'll get. This one, however, never missed its mark. It definitely had some originality to it. Two long time best friends, both attracted to each other and yet afraid to let the other one know about it. True, that's not original at all, but stretched out over the series, these two protagonists definitely give off great chemistry as a very believable duo, not to mention some very seductive scenes.The pinnacle episode would without a doubt be episode 5, with the truth about all getting thrown front and center. The fact this happens so early on, you just know a rocky road awaits before the finale.
Yusuke Sato was a familiar actor to me and he does not disappoint with his performance. Kaito Hori gives and equally good performance, making for one of the better BL's in sometime.
It's a really "good feel" drama blended with a very satisfying ending.
All in all, definitely a must watch!
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Don't trust anyone in this!!!
This was a great series in making pretty much the entire cast look guilty. You really have no idea who the protagonists and who the antagonists are as you are watching. As you get deeper into the drama, it really doesn't become any easier to figure out who to root for. You just have to stick with it and watch everything play out.Taec Yeon is fantastic in his role as Sung Joon, along with Seok Jin. They're the good guys, then the bad guys, oh wait, now one is the good guy ... now both bad again. You really aren't sure, but you have to be on their side. These characters shows us how revenge can consume your life, making for a miserable existence.
Episode 11 is definitely the pinnacle episode of the series. Many questions are solved to that point, with some very surprising answers. This is also the episode that the most evil antagonist emerges. One we didn't even know existed. He's brilliantly evil and takes us into his hell over the final three episodes, with the final episode being written perfectly without a hitch. Normally that last episode never seems to hold up to the rest of the series, but this one did. Everything you want to happen ... happens!!!!
Just an all around great series to enjoy!!!
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The Law works the same no matter what part of the world you're in
Normally you would think this is a series of good against evil, but there's so many bad people in this, you find yourself rooting for a few of them. Yuya Yagira was perfect playing this role. A lawyer who fights for injustice and the less fortunate, but also shows how to manipulate the system of law. He shows the guilty how to become innocent if you do it right.You are always rooting for him, even though some of his actions are not exactly ethical. It's the classic line, the end justifies the means.
The rest of the cast plays well. I'm always a fan of Keita Machida. He gives us a character that you really hadn't seen him play before, and he does a great job at it. He's got some bad in him, but definitely gets put on the side of the "good guys".
I think the only really negative I had with the series was the way it ended up. You're hoping for a great conclusion in the final episode, but it just doesn't come to be. I'm guessing we were set up for a season 2?? It can't come soon enough, because we were really left hanging in the wind!!
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Good Crime Drama, But Had So Much More Potential
This series starts out as a really good premiss, a former child star who took a wrong path for survival. It shows the dark side of drugs and crime in Japan (just like any other place in the world). The main protagonist, Kyonosuke is portrayed really well by Daigo Nishihata. I'm not really familiar with his past work as an actor, but you definitely are on his side as you get deeper into the drama. You can't help but feel for him and his position he got himself into.I think the one problem I had with giving this a much higher review , was the simple fact that the other main characters in this were so unlikable. The cop and narcotics agent are considered the "good guys", but they were really just as cold hearted as the drug dealers. They treated Diago horribly throughout each episode. It's difficult to really like a series, when most of the main protagonists are very dislikable people.
Overall, it had a continuing good story to follow and the ending was somewhat satisfying. Toru eventually realizes how important Daigo has been. As for Akito, he never redeems himself, making him a very disappointing "good guy" right to the end.
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Such An Underrated Series
Looking at the rating numbers before watching this drama, I was not expecting this to be one of the best series I've see in quite a while. This is so underrated. Once you start watching, you will not be able to stop!!There are so many layers to this story, with some characters turning good to bad, and some the reverse, bad to good. It keeps you guess who to trust, with everything just about thrown into it ... murder, revenge, love, friendship, betrayal, greed, school bullying, retribution & so much more.
If you like Ryoma Takeuchi from other roles, you'll love him in this. He's definitely at his best with a very powerful performance. He, along with one of the best antagonist father and son duos to hate, make for a great series to watch. The supporting cast matches up fantastically as well. Everyone adds something to keep each episode interesting and suspenseful.
The one this the writers did that I normally dislike, was do the "jump ahead" later in the series ... when you see "Four Years Later" I immediately cringed ... this never seems to make a good feel to the series or it seems rushed with the rest of the story, BUT, not this time. The skipping ahead a few years actually fit perfectly with the series, as well as the actors looking four years older, too. It was a great storyline which made a very satisfying conclusion.
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Series with a blend of everything ...
This was an extremely enjoyable series, giving us a mix of just about everything, drama, comedy, romance, along with old fashion thinking blended with modern day logic.Being a fan of Ryoma Takeuchi, he again shows a side of himself different from past roles. The story starts out simple enough, showing how "old" customs still exist in Japan, but some are not for the better ...
I think what makes this series so enjoyable, is watching each character evolve so much as each episode goes deeper into the series. At times you feel for both protagonists, seeing how they are dealing with the changing personality of their significant other.
I must admit, you really don't sense any chemistry between these two main characters in the beginning, but as time goes on, you can't help but feel how they've become a great match for each other. It's brilliant by the writing, showing us different sides of each actor, not to mention the actors themselves, they really are great in their performances. They, along with a great supporting cast, truly make this a great series to just sit back and enjoy.
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