SeRose
The Cool Part:
The games themselves are a logician’s masterwork. No twist is foreseeable, and no puzzle unsolvable to the brilliantly minded Akiyama-san. If you like sitting for half an hour – or two - in complete suspense wondering how on earth they will ever manage to win each round through sheer guile, biting your fingernails in anticipation of victory – well that might explain why it’s so highly marathonable. Matsuda Shota plays his part to perfection as the ultimate silent type: an analyst of humans, ever noting the depths of lies and secrets, and calculating every possible move ages before it happens. You’ll find yourself sitting in absolutely stillness waiting for his manipulations to become clear and work their magic.
The Boring Part:
You get the feeling after a while that Akiyama-san will always be there to save the day. And then, the suspense becomes merely repetitive. Having watched half the drama, the pattern for each match firmly memorized, and my brain starting to unravel to keep up with each game’s rules and intricacies, I found myself spacing out. Fortunately, the drama anticipates just such an outcome. Get lost trying to understand the all the players’ plots and maneuverings? No sweat! Before the game ends, there’ll be at least a 20 minute step by step account of how everything happened, and why.
The Real Crux of the Matter:
Games and plotting aside, there’s something very unique about Liar Game’s premise. The story isn’t merely about forcing poor innocent, indebted people to play a game, practically to the death, financial death. Liar Game instead strives to uncover the heart of human nature itself. As the game’s masterful creator intones: “Humans are willing to betray each other in order to survive. Therefore, what’s wrong with deceiving others from the start or living faithfully for your own desires? That’s being human.”
The world he paints in one of black and white, where the black-hearted will always win, and the weak and pitiful will always lose. It’s the cunning versus the trusting, and the pack against the loner, not necessarily evil versus good. To reach the top, humans should or will be capable of stepping on anyone and anything; survival of the smartest, when the risk is losing everything. You lie or you lose.
In Kanzaki Nao, we not only have the most gullible and trusting character ever written; she is an allegory of trust and honesty, absolutely incapable of lying. To the exasperation of the Liar Game Tournament office (or perhaps to their increasing interest), Nao refuses to adhere to their rules. She tries again and again to prove that with teamwork, everyone can win and advance to the next round, maybe not with a profit, but at least debt free. The catch is, if Nao wins, it will disprove everything our Liar Game creator believes in. But for how long Nao can keep the players working together is the only true unknown. It’s a question not even solved by the end of season 1.
Conclusion
It’s hard to fault Liar Game for any real plot holes, especially when it’s obvious that the entire story has purpose beyond plain entertainment, fun, games or romance. Are all the concepts expertly done? Not always. Is it a little cheesy and overly moralistic at times? Absolutely. Will this be my favorite drama of all times, or will I ever rewatch it? No, and most likely not.
But the characters are generally good, and well acted for their roles. Matsuda Shota is fantastic to watch, especially when he gets his game face on. I’d like to say that Erika Toda didn’t overly impress me with her acting, but when her character is an allegory, and mostly unrealistic – that’s something I just can’t make a case out of disliking. Did it detract a little bit from my enjoyment overall? Sure, but then it was a fun ride and eventually I will continue the story, and finish the game another day.
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First I was lost in the history of the era. I’m a history graduate though, so that’s never really stopped me before. Quick Wikipedia peak of the drama’s main overarching political period? Check. Okay, then they lost me with the economics of era. Mercantile affairs, and the political ramifications of possibly re-locating the capital? I guess I can sort of see how that could affect things.
The problem with the drama’s plot-line however, is that all these threads (politics, and history and economics are interwoven with great, gaping thread lines around the show’s main “conspiracy” plot, and haphazardly intermingled with the love triangle/square. I mean, I know Seoul in historical times was small, and everyone who’s anyone probably knows everyone worth knowing, but me, the viewer, had no idea who anybody was, or which side they were on. For an 8 episode drama, there was so much going on that I basically couldn’t keep up with my list of who’s who.
I think Seoul’s Sad Song was hinting at some loftier aspirations: namely, that not every sageuk drama out there is just about the king and his ministers. The welfare of the Joseon people, the advancement of well-deserving baseborn officials, and the dreams of these types of people also matter and can make a difference. Unfortunately, all this was lost on me. For a conspiracy driven thriller, this whodunit story was chock full of inspirational back stories (that failed to warm me to the characters), chilling twists (that moved me to boredom), and enough metaphorical court language that literally drove me to tears. The following example comes right as a BIG revelation surrounding the king’s secret will has just been unveiled:
A : “When the wintry gales swelter us, he said that brushes would be swayed by the wind.”
B: “So… did you find any unyielding brushes?”
A: “In the palace, there was not a single one left.”
C: “You insolent slattern! How dare you mutter such insidious drivel!?”
You insolent writers, how dare you not write more clearly!?!
Maybe I’m lazy, or just plain incompetent, but everything in this drama seemed wasted on me. Though, if there’s anything I’ve learned from watching this sageuk (and others for that matter), it’s that women in the palace are more to be feared than the men. Also, by the state of the practically non-existent but completely soundproof-less walls on traditional Korean homes (of rich and poor alike), it’s amazing that any secrets are ever kept.
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Yes, you heard it right. This drama brings out all the stops – or at least most of them – with romance, hugging, kissing, cuddling, and a million other “awww”-worthy moments. Also, there’s some basketball. I actually like basketball, so this drama is pretty well set in my books. Minus a few irritations, side characters, and cliché plot holes, Buzzer Beat seems well worth the time.
Buzzer Beat stars Yamapi and Shirakawa Riko give this drama its main charm. Both are struggling to stay confident about their sport/art when circumstances throw them together. What follows is a halfway original story of personal growth as the two develop a sincere friendship with one another, and perhaps the chance of something more.
Up even past the halfway mark, both the story and the romance (aka ‘Total Cuteness-ity’) are riveting. Unfortunately, the show’s failings lay in the last few episodes, where the writers throw on heavy doses of angst and lost almost all of my attention. I mean, I figured there would be a nice sweet ending, but must it really be necessary to suffer so much to get there? It’s a little sad that a perfectly wonderful show was ruined by Kdrama-esque plot holes and noble idiots pandering about in circles, but overall the strength of the earlier episodes (at least 82% of the drama) were fine and dandy. Buzzer Beat even does a good job at not turning every side character into an exact stereotype, a feat for which I am I always grateful.
My vote is that you watch it for the leads, and turn your brain off by episode 9. That should make things all better.
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Maybe I’m hung up on the idea that there is, or should be, something wrong fundamentally with casually switching partners every week. Or maybe this is too much fiction for me to be able to accept that a psychiatrist would really put his suicide-prone patient into the mix. Not that these are even serious flaws for a TV drama, but something from the get-go was telling me, “I don’t like it.” I nearly dropped the show at only two episodes. A week later, and after some serious consideration, I picked it up again.
I’m happy I did so, because there are good themes to this drama. For one, it doesn’t hurt to analyze what’s at the heart of a basic human relationship. These are not your typical marriage-obsessed characters. Indeed, some of them are quite the reverse, and some don’t seem to care one way or the other. In Kdramaland, everything seems to scream of that one fated lover. Miss your OTP, and you might as well resign yourself to a lonely, sad existence.
Here is where Love Shuffle breaks a few boundaries. These are human beings yearning for one other, yes, but not necessarily or exclusively via typical romantic outlets. If I loved anything about this drama, it’s in the friendships that were forged and honed throughout. The foursome that live on the same floor, drinking wine each evening in the hall in their PJs. The women who come together, alternately snarky and supportive. The men who bond both in jealousy and in commonality. The couples who are not destined, but can still inspire.
Love Shuffle is commendable in its uniqueness, and multiple-plot driven storylines. It's even at times hilarious, though be sure to watch with decent subtitle translations, as oftentimes the jokes are Japanese-specific. I’m not sure why, but every now and then I find myself walking around thinking, “Yay, panda...” Sadly, that’s about as much enthusiasm I had overall, though that is not meant to be a discouragement. I thoroughly recommend Love Shuffle, as I don't doubt that I am one of the few people out here too picky for my own good. So what do you think?
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Pride sets off with some pretty decent story-telling, and a couple of nicely charismatic actors. Initially I was watching this thing for Kimura Takuya, who plays hockey-player extraordinaire Satonaka Halu. He’s your standard rom-com lead, romantic yet insecure, and to cover up his insecurities, he hides behind the ‘Pride of the Iceman.’ I think that has something to do with being awesome on skates, padded up like an Eskimo, and generally being able (and allowed) to bowl over any man who gets in your way.
Equally impressive as an acting force, however, is Takeuchi Yuko playing Murase Aki as the girl left behind… by another guy/jerk introduced halfway through drama. Here’s the rub: Halu was warned never to sincerely love a woman, lest it interfere with his career; Aki is technically still waiting for her boyfriend to return (after a two year hiatus – and these people obviously don’t believe in phones). So in the meantime, to stave off loneliness and generally have fun, they’ve agreed to date until Aki’s boyfriend returns, and then they’ll part amicably as friends. Maybe…
As a sports drama it’s honestly not too bad. Keep in mind, I’m not a huge sports junkie and I’m not generally fond of the genre, but I’m also not completely averse to seeing hot guys working out. Did I have any genuine anxiety that maybe the team wouldn’t play well in the finals, or that every player would become injured and remain crippled? Not really. Were the slow-motion sequences of pucks magically sliding towards the goal net cheesy? Yes, sort of. Did I really care one way or the other? Nope.
As a romance story, it’s above average with a touch of good chemistry, some fairly hot kiss scenes, and then some… And really up through the halfway mark, I had nothing too bad to say about the development of the couple. Unfortunately then we’re hit with your typical dose of angst, stupidity, and a serious lack of communication.
I give a pass on this, ignoring the random bits of ridiculousness. (For a more indepth analysis, you can visit my blog). I watched this mostly for the romance and for Kimura and I was not terribly disappointed with either. I’d also like to see more of this guy in the future, so I think Pride was far from being a waste of time.
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Needless to say is that Bloody Monday is an intense action-thriller that successfully kept my interest in its 11 episode run. Before I get down to knit-picking it, let me just say that for the most part I was pretty sure on how much I liked it. It was a staunch 8/10 from at least episode 3 onwards. Whether that was because Miura Haruma proved to be so efficient at portraying a genius high school boy/hacker whose world is thrown off balance by the intrusion of downright evil and plot-twist-worthy terrorists is a moot point. I try to be objective, but the only proof I have right now is to say that when he cried, I cried. No Kdrama heroine-esqe tears from this boy. I believed him! I was also impressed with the nearly endless series of plot twists, some of which I predicted from day 1 and some of which I never in my wildest dreams saw coming (and I seriously dream plot twist detection - it’s my one consolation before bed that at least my brain is smarter than Dramaland-ish plot twists). In the last five minutes, I hastily changed my 8 to a 9. I like a good emotional twist. So sue me.
While Bloody Monday is an overall exciting watch with notable acting (even among the supporting cast), I’m just going to have to say that thrillers, even more than comedies, come under my scrutiny for gaping plot holes. For instance, I’m pretty sure I could hand in my current resume, and instantly get a job with the number one Japanese intelligence agency (in this drama, Third-i), because obviously my rationale for thinking out logical strategies is higher than half the plans created by the master spooks in Bloody Monday. I also know that when you’re gearing up for a gun-fight, you really shouldn't walk up to your intended target close enough to where your target can easily disarm you and aim that gun directly at your own head. But I digress.
And all plot holes aside, I really did have shivers most of the times I sat down to watch this drama unfold. Having genuine anxiety for fictional characters goes a long way in my book of Appreciating Entertainment 101.
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To rate something like this objectively may be hard. This movie comes ready to hit you with every emotional nerve you've got. I may have been a nervous, blubbering wreck by the end, but I still have to admit that the movie is brilliantly filmed, plotted, and acted.
The story may seem generic, but the pacing of the plotline is in itself a masterpiece. The development of our characters from first meeting, to their falling in love, and in the end to their ultimate fate is practically seemless. I usually have a hard time accepting or getting accustomed the the turn of events in a short (2hr) movie, but the plot and characters (even side-plots and bit-characters) were all well done and fleshed out.
I particularly love the script's attention to the themes of love and memory. The very first scene, our male lead sets the pace when he tells a stranger: "When a memory is gone, so is the soul, they say." Who are "they" and is that really what he believes? Another character later will say: "To forget easily is a gift." In the midst of this movie's tragic undertones, A Moment to Remember asks and deals with some hard questions, and we don't need to live the story's exact plotline ourselves to appreciate them.
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Unfortunately, what I liked most about the first half is almost what made me bored by the second half. Just about every second lead or side character is actually well-written, and serves a purpose. After a while though, I just wished they'd already serve their purpose, and back off for the sake of my romantic wish-fulfillment. One of the draggiest ends of a drama ever! Though the main storyline is a good one.
Loved the soundtrack! Maybe because this doesn't seem like a prime-time drama, and perhaps becauseit's relatively old, but the music was expertly done, with lots of great little clips of famous pieces (both pop and classical) that helped tell the story almost as much as script.
Sorry though, you'll never catch me wanting to rewatch this one.
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What to do.. watch it? or not? If you're taking the "Endless Love Watch All Challenge," then yes. The good news: This is THE most famous of the series, and arguably the best of the four. The bad news is: it's arguably the best of the four.
As a stand alone drama, however, I would actually hazard an opinion that Winter Sonata is a must watch for anyone. Yes it's melodramatic, yes it's a bit plodding. But it does have its own unique charm that is so endearing, and draws its viewer into caring for the characters whether you wanted to or not, so much that I stuck with it to the end, with a bit of help...from the fast-forward button... Just, fast forward every 30-45 seconds for quicker drama flow. You won't miss anything, and it still feels like you watched every moment.
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2 stars for Eps 1-8; 7 stars for Eps 9-16
(How does that average out to a 6? Shhh, I don't know either)
I almost gave up on this drama. The first 8 eps are horrendous, toe-nail curling, cringe-inducing and I'm sure I lost a few brain cells in the process. Ma Hye Ri's character starts off as one of the ditziest, bird-brained Kdrama females I have EVER come across... I only continued because everyone promised me it would get better, which it did - even if that transformation was almost too late in coming.
Honestly, for a drama called "Prosecutor Princess" I thought the plot couldn't possibly be that great, but it's actually halfway unique, and allows for an interesting twist in the romance. We've all seen the typical scenarios where "silly girl learns to grow up and become mature and confident, and thereby wins the love of already confidant man." Here we see the first part of this, but the male lead Seo In Woo (Park Shi Woo) does not fit into the normal Kdrama character stereotype.
Let me repeat! The MALE lead does NOT play the standard, "You're an idiot; You're ugly; go cause drama somewhere Not around me; I hate you, but why do I like you against my will?" -spouting character! Despite HyeRi's ditziness, In Woo never calls her stupid, nor patronizes her. On the contrary, from episode 1 he appears as her superman, saving the day and whatnot, but while doing so he is encouraging and supportive, and given a little time, believably enamored by our silly and naive Hye Ri.
Okay, so there's more to that than meets the eye (but of course! It's Kdramaland!) but that doesn't change the fact that for me - curling my toes and dying in agony at our exasperating heroine - seeing a male lead that unbelievably adorable from day 1 was a very welcome change. I'd like that say that his sobering and non-dominating influence helps Hye Ri become more human, as well as a better prosecutor; or maybe the writers just decided they'd had enough with her being unreasonably ridiculous after a while, but believe it or not: Kim So Yeon manages to flesh out the character of Ma Hye Ri into someone I actually care about, and therefore someone our lead would care about.
My favorite quote out of her:
"My common sense is a bit lacking in consistency."
Yes, well so is mine sometimes, otherwise I may have saved myself the trouble of watching this... but I think this show gives us enough in its second half to make Prosecutor Princess a good watch. You might just have to fast-forward a bit to get to the good parts. ;)
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Where do I even begin? Hana Kimi is equal parts about building friendships, falling in love, hot boys, and over the top goofiness (the kind that's so overboard it's insane, and I don't realize how stupid it can be until I'm so stunned I can't help but giggle ridiculously hard, so that my husband comes running to see what's the matter!). This is one of the few dramas that could move me in ALL of those categories: The fuzziness, the adorableness, the pretty, and the hilarious. I was miserably sad to finish this... guess I'll have to watch it again someday... soon.
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