amrita828
Italy
View in this light, Last Cinderella is the perfect romantic comedy. It's funny, at times utterly hilarious, it's fast-paced, it's highly entertaining, well characterized and most of all it's sexy.
Therefore, lowering my score because it didn't make my heart pound or didn't make me weep or think and re-think would be unfair towards the script, the cast and the general value of the drama.
If you're looking for a good romantic comedy, this is it. The cast is brilliant, the romance is spicy, the humour is wicked, the kisses are great, the guys are hot and the friendship between the three women deliciously naughty and heartwarming.
This kind of drama doesn't need long academic dissertations. Watch it for the fun and, yes, for Miura Haruma. He must be the hottest thing after chili paste. A shallow statement? Yes, of course, but then again, a good rom-com should stir your hormones, if it pretends to stir the neurons it invariably fails.
The music fits its purpose, it's just as light and summer-like as the drama itself.
Last Cinderella lends itself to multiple watching, hence the high re-watch value. Since I believe it's perfect for the Summer, I suggest you start watching it now. I doubt you'll regret it.
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Being the movie adaptation of a legendary manga, the plot of this live action would need a 1 page discussion at least. But here's the rub! The movie does absolutely no justice to the cultural reality it was born in. Tomorrow's Joe is originally a story of social redemption that features a very self destructive antihero; it's not your average story of poor guy becomes rich and popular thanks to his fists and strength of will. It is, or I'd better say it SHOULD BE, the mirror of a period, a true social condemnation embodied by a derelict guy who can express himself only on the ring. This is where the film fails big time. The character of Joe is so scantily written one needs to be a seer to understand his motives – unless you've read all 20 volumes of the manga, in which case you'll probably be disappointed anyway by its brevity.
The direction seems to have been so preoccupied with the tiniest visual detail that it completely forgot to tell a story. The same applies to all the characters, whose arc is touched so superficially I had to appeal to my imagination to fill all the glaring voids.
Not to mention the boxing aspect itself. While the actors have done an amazing job at preparing for a difficult athletic task, the combats themselves are visually beautiful but tremendously repetitive. Since so much time is dedicated to the fight, I was hoping for more moves and tricks that never came. Once again, in their anxiety to be loyal to the manga they concentrated on the outer picture, instead of creating a movie which could stand on its own feet, for viewers who weren't yet born in the 60ies or have never heard of Yabuki Joe.
So why am I giving this film such a high overall rate?
Let's say this is my way to pay homage to the cast, mostly Tomohisa and Yusuke Iseya, and the director of photography. As you may have inferred from the premise of this review, I do not belong to the group of those who think Yamapi's just another pretty idol who can't act. On the contrary, I maintain he has what in theatre jargon is called the "physique du role", regardless of the part he plays. He does not express much with his face, he actually uses his whole body to enter the character. From Akira who flaps his arms like a weird butterfly to the über cool flying doctor, from the basketball court to the boxing ring he's always extremely believable. I could mention more roles, but it won't be necessary, I stand my ground: here, he IS Joe. If he had been given the chance, he would have created an unforgettable character.
Iseya did an amazing job too, despite the sad lack of depth the character he portrays is condemned to by the terrible script.
As for photography, it's absolutely stunning. Colours, angles, close-up shots and flashbacks are spot on. It does have a flaw, though, directly related to the abovementioned necessity to stay visually true to the manga: at times it looks as though the story took place in the 20ies, when in fact it's the 60ies and 70ies, as proved by the fact that people watch television, among other things.
The music falls into the same trap, but I'm willing to forgive this detail, since it's very beautiful and suits the atmosphere perfectly.
I may rewatch this movie in the future, just for the visual. I'm not sure I'm willing to recommend it, unless you're familiar with the characters and don't care for the plot.
Let's say that this movie has done nothing to ignite my interest for the sport, but it has confirmed my undying love for Yamashita Tomohisa – as if that ever needed validation.
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Which means I’ve watched the drama raw, and since my knowledge of Japanese is not fluent enough to be remarkable, my judgment is based upon cinematography, acting and what I comprehended of the dialogues. It also means that if you understand some basic Japanese (and Korean, here and there) you may do the same and enjoy the drama – as I did – despite the lack of subtitles.
The main idea is that of a group of people who have to run and reach a destination in a given time. Not completing the task means death. While the running game makes for the general plot of the 9 episodes, the characters and arcs involved are three. So we can say this is a drama made of 3 separate chapters of 3 episodes each. There is no real need to review them separately, since the thrill to know how the dangerous game goes on is well balances in all three chapters.
I am, however, very partial to Renn Kiriyama, no need for me to deny it. He’s so ridiculously handsome in this, he could have delivered the white pages and I’d have been besotted anyway.
This isn't the only reason why the 1st chapter is my favourite, though. The first three episodes move at a faster pace than the others and being the introductory ones they also set the mood. While I loved the drama for the first half, I thought some performances by the end weren't exceptional and even the solution of the quiz was a little too predictable to be completely satisfactory.
This is why I have lowered the score for both story and acting by a point.
The idea of random people recruited by some grey eminence to play a deadly game is obviously reminiscent of Liar Game, but I’d say all similarities end here.
While Liar Game was made great by the general theatrical touch, including acting, music and costumes, RUN60 is pervaded with a sense of reality which is brilliant and yet quite disquieting. There is no super clever hero who wins all battles, just a group of people who do their best to survive. The run is also the occasion for their personality to unfold and for their unsolved business to be somehow concluded. In a sense, the act of running is a metaphor of those people making a brief journey into themselves.
The villains are known from the very beginning, at least that's what the viewer is lead to believe. The "Pied Piper" behind it all remains unknown until the very last chapter (but hints to the culprit are scattered throughout the whole show, if you're attentive enough).
The music is terrific, with just the right intensity at the right moment.
The very high re-watch value is due to my hope I will be able to watch this drama with subs one day – possibly in this century. I know I should wait for them before facing the movie, but I’m afraid patience is not my strongest trait and if you’ll excuse me I’m now going to watch RUN60 – Game Over.
Ja ne!
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And yet, here I am writing a review for the 2nd season, after having marathoned through the first in one night and this one in the next.
The plot is full of cliches - from a narrative point of view, the 1st season was much better - with a little too much lingering on evil sex slave dealers laughing crazily and raising their malignant eyes to the skies. There have been moments I wished they would just go on with the plot (whatever that was), since the drama only has 4 hours time to tell it.
The force of this show is therefore not in the plot, but the characters. Nika, our heroine, is possibly the most adorable being in the northern emisphere. I simply love her. Not because I can rely, or because she's realistic, or because she's flawed but for a combination of those and an amazing ability to surprise me. I couldn't stop laughing at her antics, her sitting in the middle of a square crying about her pubic hair showing from under her underwear. The second after, I would empathize with her. Yes, she's a crazy character whom you can either love or hate, but not ignore.
Arata is the silent hero every girl dreams of, and the chemistry between these two is quite striking if you think this drama is romantic despite having no such ambition.
All the side characters are insane and some deliciosuly hilarious. The villains, on the other hand, are so stereotyped they are forgotten the moment they are out of the screen.
Music is nothing special in this one, while I thought it was quite well chosen in the 1st season.
All in all, I am ready to recommend this drama to:
1. clever people who have put their brains in the fridge for some time to recharge it and don't want to use it for a while
2. fans of Renn Kiriyama (someone has called my name?) and/or Nishiuchi Mariya
3. girls who want to learn what to avoid before a romantic evening with their boyfriend, such as wild hair removal or litres of aphrodisiac perfume
4. lovers of manga-like, over the top comedy
If you're one of the above, enjoy your watch!
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It had the best potential of all: the ability to create some unforgettable characters. And it truly managed to do so in the beginning, combining a good plot with some seriously beautiful moments, a good dose of weirdness which I'm partial to and great chemistry between the characters.
However, as it sometimes happens with drama crushes, at some point my love deflated. I can't even pinpoint the main reason for this change of heart. It may be the fact that the more I neared the end of it, the more I predicted almost every turn, or because some details became repetitive - and in a drama whose episodes are so short, there's not so much time to lose on the nth flashback. Most likely, I had been waiting for a characters' arc which never truly came, leaving me with that unpleasant feeling you get when, after waiting for hours for an icecream, you finally start eating it and it falls on the floor.
It is, however, a drama fully worth of the time spent on it. As I said, I watched the first 9 episodes with no interruption and a passion I had almost forgotten I possess. While the acting ability of all is not stellar, they certainly compensate with beautiful close-up shots and an amazing collective alchemy among the whole cast.
The music is terrific and perfectly chosen for each scene. I suspect it is partly responsible for my blind love for this drama.
I may rewatch this drama in the future. Not for the plot but for the pleasure of watching these young actors again.
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I hope for the last, but given what it’s to come, I can’t be too optimistic. This show has one quality in my book: it prompted me to finally watch an Asian drama to completion, after months of going over all my repertoire of already known by heart dramas. And what better way to come out of a slump, than jump happily into Melo at its highest... or lowest?
Relax, I'm not going to bore you with long explanations as to why I find this drama ranges from interesting to mediocre - suffice to say that it has all your average paraphernalia attached to a melodrama: cancer, stabbing, abandoned children, scheming side characters, the mob, the corporation with its shareholders and a complete absence of logic.
This said, if one enters Meloland with a clear head, one is also prepared for all the above and more.
However, I'd lie if I said I enjoyed the descending curve of both plot and acting, which started well and ended horrible. Beautiful Song Hye Kyo suffered a pitiful case of DAS (Degenerative Act Stiffening), to the point in the end I couldn't help but wonder if there was a real person under that perfect skin of hers. Her behavior was at times so random I had to check whether I was watching the same drama or had been catapulted into another while I blinked.
Jo In Sung is like a shot of hormones through the veins, hence making every other consideration a little hard, at least until my female mind has fully cleared from the fantasy of his km long legs and other amenities. But while I think he’s great in portraying his desperation, I do believe there was just a tad too much desperation as a whole. Why not simply make him play poker, fight and interact with yummy Kim Bum? The ending of the drama would have made just as little sense anyway.
Therefore, the acting as a whole was good, at times incredibly intense, but at others over the top or repetitive. Not the best I’ve ever seen. And as superficial as the issue may be, I found the kisses, all of them, highly disappointing, almost a relapse into K-drama wall-kisses after a series of dramas that made us all hope for a change.
I loved the piano pieces, not so the songs.
On the positive side, there’s a plot that keeps you curious as to what will happen, a wonderful cinematography – I do believe this feature should be given a mark of its own, That Winter would get a full 10 – a pair of lovely side characters, well portrayed by Kim Bum and Jung Eun Ji, and Moo Cheol, one of the most complex and appealing villain I remember . It’s definitely worth a try, granted you like makjang and don’t really care for plausibility in a work of fiction.
Oh, and please someone give me the name of Oh Soo’s coats’ designer, because they are all absolutely gorgeous and I want them (yes, before you ask, I know the coats will not come with Jo In Sung inside them…)
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I so wish I had dropped it even before starting it, as it was my intention: my mum always tells me to trust my instinct, but I'm stupid enough not to listen to her. And after this review here I'm going to be stoned - by the fans of this drama, by Joong Ki's groupies, by the lovers of the genre, by those who don't like it but think I'm exaggerating as usual, and even by the random passerby who's simply entertained by public executions.
Never mind: I'll try to die with elegance.
Seldom have I seen such a huge mountain of misfortunes, illnesses, morbidity and gloom piled in the same spot. To this drama I own the sad realization that too much suffering works like an infallible anaesthetic to whatever emotion I was supposed to feel. If the writer's intention was to make me cry, I'm afraid she got the opposite effect: when the same person falls from a cliff, is struck by lightning, is submerged by a tsunami, attacked by giant ants, kidnapped by aliens, laughed at by a leprechaun and burnt alive in a furnace in case he hadn't yet died, I can't help but laugh. Which in itself is at the same time a failure of the plot and a further cause of annoyance for me, since it makes me feel as though I were heartless. The viewer is left with the 'pleasant' task of shouting to the screen in search of rhyme, reason, sense or sensibility which is nowhere to be found.
I'm sure a tiny example won't spoil anyone's trepidation: at some point a trip on the beach is planned. Great, it was such a cheerful prospect after all the gloom, I even made popcorn. But it was not meant to be, the nth twisted machination came in between and the writer sent me to bed with no dinner, burnt popcorn and a severe scolding: "clear off, offending creature! How dare you hoping for a cute interlude!"
I've racked my brain in search of a way to tell you about the ending without spoiling it. Because, you see, the ending is so lame I can't walk out of here without at least a mention. The only think I could come up with is this: imagine.
Imagine you are watching a war movie. The whole plot is built upon this momentous battle which has to take place, you are presented with lots of preparatory plotting, spying, codes to be deciphered, treasons, secrets, lies… in the end, you get Sid the Sloth and Manny the Mammoth playing hockey on a pack ice. WHAT? Fine, Sid and Manny are cute, but what in the gods' name happened to the paramount battle? They gave me 20 hours of people brooding around and conveniently skipped Every. Single. Important fact.
The acting didn't help. While in the beginning I was intrigued enough by the events as to overlook the actors' performance, in the long run it became obvious they were displaying the same couple of emotions over and over. All right, I atone: in the beginning I was intrigued by Joong Ki's looks. They are quite blinding, believe me. Until I realized I was so preoccupied with not missing even the tiniest twitch of his beautiful face, I actually didn't see any. And I know for a fact his features do move: in the past I went as far as watching a whole saeguk for the sake of his bewitching smile.
His female counterpart is carved in an even harder stone.
Wait, was that a genuine smile I just saw on Eun Gi's face? No, silly, that was a pixel out of place! And I so wish all the pixels had disappeared, because let me here declare how incredibly and insufferably odious I found the female heroine. I am furious at the production expecting me to love her, when in truth we are confronted with a spoiled and selfish brat who suddenly becomes psychotic and an almost killer for no reason, then a tamed mouse with no memory, then back to her previous bitchy self with lots of all the wrong memories, then… let's leave it at that, for the sake of brevity if nothing else.
The evil lady is so similar to plastic I suppose she's recyclable, and the evil lawyer probably hides glass eyes behind those spectacle of his.
I understand this is melodrama, but the genre does not justify endless starry looks and robotic movements. Mind you, this is in no way the actors fault, as it is the writer's (and possibly the director's). With only three emotions to express, even Sir Anthony Hopkins would be at a loss.
This fiesta of happiness is crowded with an assembly of disagreeable characters I have seldom had the misfortune to see gathered. We have a hero who's devoted to martyrdom, a heroine who's as out as a balcony and several villains whose motives are more often then not unclear. If you're going to remind me in life people are never perfect, let me reply that statistically speaking it is absolutely impossible for such a large bunch of jerks to be all born in the same city, let alone all meet for the same events.
The music was ok. For a while. It soon became haunting, in the nightmarish meaning of the word.
Please do not expect me to give this drama a re-watch value. Right now I'm trying to regain my lost neuronal sensitivity. Before I'm stoned, that is.
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However, you could have the same reservations I had before someone recommended it to me, and may end up skipping a delicious drama thinking - wrongly - that it's not for you.
At first I simply left it off my list without a second thought because of the meagre synopsis. What, fangirlism? No, thank you! I'm not even a fan of K-pop, let alone pop from the 90ies, who could care less?, I thought.
If you have the same doubts, please know that this drama proved me wrong: not only "groupies" and K-pop are a simple vehicle to a completely different story, but that same fangirl I thought I would detest became my favourite character and the one I related to the most.
The story is made of small moments, some hilarious, some incredibly sweet, some profound, some all of those. There are episodes, mostly in the beginning, which take place in the space of a few hours and tell of little, at times mundane occurrences. They are the true force of the drama, along with the characters, because whether you're young or old, from one side of the planet or the other, you surely have lived at least one of those situations yourself. All is seasoned with those very Korean peculiarities we love, including huge meals, bodily needs, people losing their temper and shouting around, gossiping ahjummas and overly stubborn ahjussis.
Reply 1997 finally confirmed something I have been thinking about a lot lately: my liking of a drama is directly related to the number of likable characters. The more, the better.
These people are adorable. All of them. And on top of them, let me put Shi Won, an anti heroine full of shortcomings but wonderfully consistent, brave, straightforward and charming. Even when she's wrong, she's reasonable. I dare say, this drama is a celebration of feminism, not the trite and anachronistic one of wild females rotating their bras over their heads and claiming the ownership of their bodies, but the one combining sweetness and strength of will, friendship and solidarity among girls.
The very natural acting of all adds to the general feeling of realism. It's easy to forget these people are staging a drama. Great. At times I laughed hard, smiled or sympathized because I could see that very scene happening live in front of my eyes.
The music isn't unforgettable, but it's used very well and it's so varied it never bored me, nor did I ever think it wasn't properly chosen for the scene.
As I said, another review may not be very useful, but if it convinces even one hesitant viewer to give the drama a try, it'll have fulfilled its purpose. A very sweet and enjoyable ride I am willing to go along for again. Any time.
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No matter how hard I tried, I didn't like it and I don't know why it encountered such a success.
I have problems with the plot, the characters and the ultimate meaning of this drama.
I found the plot highly un-original. Change a couple of names and the setting, and you're left with a déjà-vu: arrogant successful man is changed by simple, goodhearted woman, there's a second female who enters the picture, the hero's got some unresolved issues with his personal life, a lot of running around the city - for lack of any transport, I suppose - and there's the ever-present shilly-shally which goes on till the very end (accompanied by my yawning).
Fine, a plot doesn't need to be original to be well told. More often than not, the lack of suspense is successfully replaced by a strong characterization. And here comes the true sore spot for me: the characters.
Toru Hyuga is quite the obnoxious "genius", a pity he doesn't compensate his bad temper with any particularly charming trait. He changes, inasmuch as he becomes a little humbler towards the end, but I fail to be attracted to him even by a little.
Which makes it even harder for me to empathize with Makoto, who seems to be bewitched by his creativity and his success-driven nature more than anything related to him as a man. The result, in my eyes, is a badly matched couple of disagreeable people with no love chemistry at all.
What bugged me the most is the way Makoto's character is depicted. By what absurd criteria can a young woman who is good at her studies, has a formidable memory, can compile the income tax return of a little business in one night be called "stupid"? Yes, she isn't a computer genius, so what? Are our IQ defined by how good we are at computer programming? Instead of creating a character who could truly complement Toru's glaring shortcomings with her own talent, they gave us a woman who either laughs hysterically when embarrassed and blurts out the first thing that comes to her mind, or apologizes for... being stupid, of all things! As for character development: none whatsoever.
Asahina? One episode he's black, the next he's blue. Disquieting.
The only consistent, pleasing character is Yoko, but we all know from minute one what her role in this story will be.
On the good side of the charts are acting and music. They all acted their part very well and did their best with what they were given. I'm also ready to grant the drama a couple of intense, heartfelt moments, which manage to raise the overall score by a little.
Needless to say, I'm not going to re-watch this. I'm sure there's more to say about it, but I'm honestly tired of thinking this thing over when in fact I should simply borrow a good MDL friend's definition, call this drama "harmless" and forget about it.
°°°°
Edit: someone rightly pointed out my wrong use of the word shizoid. I apologize and edited to correct the mistake. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched this movie more than 2 years ago. The reason why I suddenly feel the need to write a review is because I believe it has been wronged in more than one respect. First, the badly written synopsis which focuses on irrelevant details and gives the impression this were a depraved movie of some sort - which is not.
Second, because I have a very hard time understanding why anyone should watch a movie well knowing it deals with incest and then complain about the fact that it portrays such a delicate and offending issue. It's like eating at a sushi bar and then refusing to pay because one doesn't like raw fish.
The main theme of this movie is two biological siblings loving each other. This is not a spoiler, as it is clearly stated in the synopsis. If you think you can't face the issue and are disgusted by the idea, I suggest you simply don't watch it.
On the other hand, if you can confront the matter of an adolescent being obsessed with his sister, this movie deals with it in a delicate, far from vulgar way. It is very well acted and stresses upon the internal - we may call it infernal too - struggle of the male lead to overcome his obsession.
It's a slow film which doesn't play on events as much as it tries to depict the battle between reason and passion. It is not a romantic movie by any means either, and yet there's a sweetness surrounding some of the scenes which goes beyond the mere issue of this being a wrong sort of love.
I can't remember the music, hence the non-committal mark.
Among all the movies I like to rewatch, this is certainly not on the top of my list. However, it is a brave movie which I believe deserves at least some fair mentioning.
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Q10 is surreal, poetic, highly amusing, thought-provoking and surprising . It's brilliantly acted too, which adds to its delicious oddity. It doesn't have even one unpleasant character: they are all very weird and very human, at times histerically hilarious and at others wonderfully deep.
I'm not sure whom I would recommend this drama to; however, I'm certain it won't do for those looking for a rom-com, for an uncomplicated plot, for simple entertainment, for shine or for glamour. The one and only requisite to approach it, is to do so with an open mind. If you believe that people have each their own sound, that calling for help loud enough will make somebody come to the rescue, that death is just a way of thinking and that you achieve a goal because you want and not because you can, then "kiuto" is for you.
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No doubt it's the best music related drama I've seen. It is so in terms of execution, direction, acting and, last but not least, music. I'm writing this review while listening to "Wake up" full volume.
What makes Shut up flower boy band stand out in the forest of decent to mediocre music dramas, is the incredibly heart-warming portrayal of friendship.
The story is not built upon a particularly eventful plot and I'd go as far as to say that the plot is irrelevant. It is so because what truly captured me as a viewer isn't the storyline, but the collection of unforgettable moments among friends, so perfectly caught by the cameras. There is an alchemy among these young people that is palpable and powerful, sweet and touching, unique and memorable. This is a love story through and through: love for music and romantic love too, but most of all love for friends.
It's also a glimpse on how the music business works, and the picture isn't pretty. Emblematic of its inconsistencies, is the fact that the moment the members of eye candy are given a new, more polished look, is the same moment the seeds of their division are planted. Make rock conform to the business rules and you destroy its intrinsic nature.
Much credit goes to direction and acting. The first is… daring. I appreciated the lack of gloss very much: this is a story about 6 eye candies - in name and fact - however the direction does little to make them look so, focusing on the picture of them as one "body", moving swiftly from one to the other and standing still on tiny details. The result is surprising, as it makes the viewer truly feel for them, instead of being simply captivated by their looks.
The acting is admirable: artless and believable. The last time I've watched such a display of genuine friendship and chemistry among a group of people was in Coffee Prince.
Let me add how adorable the female heroine is. Soo Ah is brave, sweet and honest, without becoming the saint victim I've learned to dislike in so many dramas. She adds a touch of feminine delicacy the drama would otherwise lack.
The music? Brilliant. After so much pop, of which I am no fan, hearing a rock ost was a breath of fresh air. Incredibly well chosen, perfectly executed and just as well used throughout the show.
Highly recommended.
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I consider Eriko Kitagawa one of the best drama scriptwriters. She has the ability to pick up an ordinary event and make it into an unpredictable twist, all with a subtle calm pace which makes you restless. This plot is made of little hints: a word, a glance, a brief scene. There's no abundance of words, each line carries its meaning into the silence that follows.
And the actors get inside their roles brilliantly, creating around them an aura of mystery which makes you grope in the dark as to who did what and why.
The cinematography is scanty and sober, totally devoid of gloss. With the exception of the very effective close-up shots of the characters and the use of the light, it doesn't rely on beauty. Oh, the actors are beautiful all right. Kimura Takuya and Fukatsu Eri in particular are wonderfully intense, together as well as individually and play their part so well I was left speechless more than once.
The same scantiness applies to the music. Used with economy and without much variety, it manages to create the right expectations at exactly the right moment.
When all this is said and done, I am left with only one question: did I personally like this drama? The answer is: no. Did I fall in love with any of the characters? No. They intrigued me, fascinated me even, but I didn't like any of them, and felt somehow totally detached, despite the high-voltage chemistry between the leads.
I marathoned through the drama in 2 days, which is proof of its being a very well built thriller. Once started, you want to know. However, because I felt neither identification, nor true compassion or love for these people, it's as if I had read a very interesting and brilliantly written essay on human nature but was happy to see it end. The ending came to me as the only possible solution: a destination this journey was destined to land to.
Therefore, I recommend this drama to only a few people. Forget brightness, sunny love, suspend judgment and value this for its intrinsic quality and you will appreciate it. If you're not ready for a trip down dark lane, I suggest you stay well away from it.
I am certainly not going to repeat the experience.
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It's perfect for a break from emotion-filled dramas, or for a weekly/daily 45 minutes of pure distraction.
As already pointed out by other reviewers, each episode is built upon a fix pattern, with a brief presentation of each locked-room case in which the improbable investigative trio gives us hints to solve the riddle. If you aren't a fan of serial doramas, you may find the repetition boring. Personally, now and then I like the familiarity created by schemes and patterns: it's... reassuring, and relaxing.
The actors do a great job. Sato Koichi's antics are hilarious, Ohno Satoshi's robotic ways surreal but very effective in creating a familiar character and yet leaving that trace of mystery which keeps the interest of the viewer alive. I'm partial to Toda Erika because every time I see her on screen she is different. This time it took me almost half an episode to truly recognize her; I once read that she's one of the few drama actresses, if not the only one, who is ready to act with no make-up at all. Her clothes are so discouraging it's evident she does not want to impress for her looks, but for her acting skills.
The editing of this show is original: it cuts scenes and music abruptly. In the beginning I thought it was a mistake by the segmenters, but I later realized it's a direction choice. While I wouldn't recommend this kind of style for every drama I watch, I think it works well here, where no room is left open for unnecessary detail and economy prevails over flowery narration.
The music is brilliant and works perfectly for the show. It combines some elements of the traditional detective/mystery serie a' la Ellery Queen with the contemporary pace and rhythm.
It can be rewatched, given some time has passed and you've forgotten
the intricacies of how the culprit did what (s)he did. I didn't mind the ending at all, I thought it was very much in line with the rest of the show. Suitable and therefore recommended to any type of viewer of every age.
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It tells an ordinary story in a refreshingly modern way, without giving up on those elements we inevitably associate to k-dramas and make them into the shows we are all addicted to: a love triangle or square of some sort, love obstacles of various nature, parents who meddle but without being completely unreasonable or out of this universe evil and a corporate sub-plot.
I wouldn't call this a romantic comedy. I think it's more of a life drama. There's romance, of course, and there's a mature, clever humour, but both these aspects are rationed throughout the narration in a sedate and yet very effective way. This is why I believe I do, I do isn't for you, if what you're looking for is a typical rom-com. The pace may deter some, and others could find the raised issues uninteresting or controversial.
I loved it because it offers the viewer a range of different points of view on subjects which are very common in real life, and not so common in the Korean drama world; there's no judgment involved, no stance is presented as better than the other. It's up to you to decide what you would do and how you would react in a similar situation.
A life drama is only successful when the characters are well outlined. And this is the true strength of I do, I do. I myself was amazed at how gradually and yet fiercely I got attached to some of the characters, mainly the two leads. They are both so well portrayed I ended up identifying without having a trait in common with either one.
Acting is spot on. I consider Kim Sun A a guarantee. I may not like all the dramas she acted in, but it's never been due to her. She enters the character in such a plausible way, she does not create fictional characters but real persona. Always believable, never predictable. And let me add how wonderfully satisfying it is when you finally land on a drama with an intelligent, self-assured, successful female lead who does not passively accepts events but make them happen!
The character of Tae Kang has been an amazing revelation for me. A cute thing who looks like a puppy and acts like one is all I believed he was in the beginning. I was very wrong. He's tremendously endearing and such a blend of childlike enthusiasm and caring maturity I couldn't help but being completely captured by him. My admiration goes to the actor for capturing the essence of his character and portraying it in such an adorable way.
The chemistry between those two is also a work-in-progress. Their feelings grow as the characters grow. We fall in love with Tae Kang the moment Ji An does, not before. I loved this aspect the most, as I am usually very frustrated by knowing a truth which the characters will be oblivious about for three quarters of a drama.
The secondary characters are normal people. They make mistakes, they gossip, they laugh, they get angry. With the exception of "madame CEO" - and her horrid taste in figurative art, allow me to add - I liked them all. Everyone has an arc and a role in this story. They are not thrown in just in order to fill empty spaces.
The music isn't unforgettable, but I must confess the main theme is addicting and the instrumental pieces very well chosen.
This isn't a drama I will run to re-watch as soon as it's finished airing. However, it has many delicious, thought-provoking and poignant moments I'll be more than happy to immerse in again in the future. I recommend this drama to everyone who likes a solid, modern script, unusually believable characters and a no-nonsense plot.
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