Quick Fluff.

This is adapted from a shouju manga and it shows. But, I still watched it anyway.

--- It's a really silly story, but I found this one much more bearable than Coffee and Vanilla. The leads actually had reasons to fall for each other, however ridiculous it was.

--- The FL Momo-chan, though appearing over excited, was definitely not dumb. There are moments I saw that she did have a serious side that she used her 'help everyone' attitude to hide.

--- There were a few amusing supporting characters whom I found interesting. Plus, all the cast had acting skills.

--- It only had 10 episodes that are around 22 minutes long. No need of brains to watch this.

I began this to get out of a drama slump. It served it's purpose well. So, it's a 6.5 from me.

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"Humans are the most fearful creatures."

This drama clearly has no strong plot. But, with only ten episodes, each spanning the length of an hour, it did not pull any punches.
Disturbing and dark, it begins with Jong Woo moving into a dingey apartment with the least rent out of all that he had seen. With a hopeless job and seemingly disconnected friends, he is thrust directly into the company of the many strange men in his neighbouring rooms. Yet, he has no way out. No one listens to his words or has time for him.

The drama brilliantly portrayed the sweet country boy Jong Woo's many incidents that ultimately lead him spiralling into a state of mental distress so much that we at one point are unable to watch it out of sheer stress. Im Shi Wan was excellent in his role and he conveyed the intense expressions and Jong Woo's state of mind with so much reality.

Help comes in the form of a charismatic dentist, Mung Joo, with whom he shares his similar love for crime fiction. But, wh he originally thought to be the most normal out of everyone, becomes his biggest nightmare. I saw Lee Dong Wook in Goblin, but it is this drama that truly showed his talent. The very mad gleam in his eyes, the flicker of compassion (only for Jong Woo, by the way) and his own strange perceival of nature and human mind was almost paradoxical. It was weird that Jong Woo and more chemistry with him than his own girlfriend Ji Eun, who was saddled with work load and never really semed to have her 'country boy' image of his removed from her mind.
People keep pushing their frustrations out on everyone , and Jong Woo, a good guy, realizes that he was being pushed around and maybe it was time to snap back.

The turn of events, the gory scenes and most importantly, the sheer incompetence of the police was mind numbing. There was a moment I assumed that one of the policemen/detective was working in favor of Eden studio.
*Mild spoiler*: this would also make the ending more possible.
I was suprised that I liked it so much. Every single supporting character delivered their roles well. All in all, this is definitely a highly thrilling, re-watch worthy drama, especially for starters of this genre.

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From the Wineyard.

This is the first time I watched a drama just for the characters alone. They were all unique!

I have to say, both the leads were amazing. The drama is seemingly normal, but their acting was really good and convincing, especially certain emotional scenes. And their chemistry? Awesome!
Heck, even the dark guy and Mi Ya stood out. I fast forwarded a lot of scenes, but stuck for them.

I didn't care much for the plot, since I have zero knowledge about wine. But, the term "sommelier" was something new that I learnt. Also, I wonder how much research everyone went through before writing the script cause they have a lot of descriptions about the types of wine and their histories.

Overall, another watch and forget drama. But, certainly worth it just for the characters!

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Fluffy and Invigorating.

I used to watch this underneath my blanket as I did not want anyone to think that I'd gone insane by seeing my demonic grin.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for some quick and fluffy drama with angelic and innocent characters.

With a meagre 22 minutes, Kieta Hatsukoi delivers a fulfilling tale of friendship, romance and comedy that was perfect to ease my tensions and bring a smile to my face. I can't remember a single episode where I didn't stop grinning. It was a form of relief after a week's worth of classes and provided me comfort while I was away from home.

***A small caveat: this drama is really good if you are interested in Character Analysis. The story goes around in circles without major developments, which is, frankly, frustrating. The final two episodes were the weakest, in my opinion.

☆ In the traditional way of Japanese Manga, the story begins with a very diminutive incident of an eraser being borrowed by Aoki Sota, who had a crush on his deskmate Hashimoto-san. Unfortunately, this silly eraser had the name of another student, "Ida". When the eraser takes a tumble to the floor, Ida sees his name on it and Aoki lies about it to protect Hashimoto-san's feelings. And thus begins a tale of misunderstandings and lies. Worse, Aoki is terrified after he finds himself falling for Ida.

☆ Pretty sure that such kids and circumstances might exist only in fictional high schools. When I was in highschool, half of my classmates were raccoons. This drama has the purest, angel-like characters whom I couldn't help but love.
Aoki was a really chaotic character, but I related to his reactions a lot. Hashimoto-san, who has her own parallel storyline, is never once a nuisance, but was truly kind and empathetic about everything.
A very silly premise to begin with, but the very essence of the story goes far more deeper than we see.

There was nothing over the top or expensive about the drama's production, which is plain and simple. But, the convincing performances of the actors, directing and the very humble story pulled me in. There might be a million stories out there that follow the exact same plot, but what makes them stand out is their execution, which was neat and precise.

☆ Now… the very backbone of Kieta Hatsukoi lies in the slow, yet steady character and relationship development. It's personally my first time seeing a character such as Ida Kosuke. He was truly kind and thoughtful, but was unflinchingly veracious. I related to his feeling of being unable to understand the concept of dating or "liking" somebody. There were often times I wondered how things would work out, and Ida literally spelled out what I couldn't express in words. His concern for his friends and classmates, his willingness to give the unknown a try and his care for Aoki were truly heartwarming to watch.

Aoki was much more self aware than Ida, focussing on minute troubles and attempting to be empathetic towards everyone. He was dramatic, going as far as getting inside a plastic trash bag and hiding himself under his hood. Scenes adapted right from the manga came to life, thanks to the immaculate portrayal of the chaotic character by Michida Shunsuke.
I reflected a lot when it came to Aoki, too. He was deeply connected to his emotions and learnt from his friends. His over the top antics and reactions added more humour and liveliness.
While Aoki was more honest and careful , he wasn't reticent when it came to confronting his own doubts about his relationship.

Hashimoto-san and Akkun, despite being secondary characters, are quite pivotal for the flow of the story. Their relationship with the leads and their own storylines, combined with their individual personalities inserted more flavour to it. And a shoutout for Ida's childhood friends and volleyball team, who, albeit not having much screen time, managed to show the depth of their friendship.

☆ The BGM, staying true to the comical genre of the drama, was often funny. There were only two songs featured and I have had them on repeat since the first time I heard them. Both Aoki and Ida belong to Idol Groups, Naniwa Danshi and Snowmen. Coincidentally, despite not being released exclusively for the drama, the lyrics were apt for the plot.

Overall, a really soft drama to enjoy and obsess over.

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"Not all those who wander are lost."

I have to warn, despite my rating, I've also covered the parts that I didn't find appealing and gave the reason for my score in detail.

It is no surprise that everybody expected Word of Honor to flop, particularly when it was a Youku production. 2018's Guardian was Priest's first censored adaptation under them that drew in a huge crowd of fans and rocketed the actors to fame, but made major changes and failed to capture the beauty of the novel. However, it gave other cleverer Video Platforms like Tencent the strength to go for more popular adaptations, starting the domino effect, particularly after The Untamed's (2019) success. After Legend of Fei, fans gave up all hope, coming to the conclusion that Priest would never get a decent adaptation. Word of Honor is the first drama I've completed, based on a Priest Novel, Tian Ya Ke (Faraway Wanderers). This jumble of thoughts is coming from a person who began reading the novel while waiting for new episodes.

A short introduction common for both the book and drama:

"The founder of a deadly assasin organization takes extreme measures to leave his past life behind, choosing death as a form of his redemption. He spends his days disguised as a beggar, wandering and drinking his last days away to glory. However, fate has more in store for him and he soon finds himself tasked with protecting the last remaining survivor of a prominent sect who was involved in a conspiracy regarding a famed armory that lead to the death of many. Much to his displeasure, he is closely followed by a suspicious man and his maid, who may not be whom he claims to be."

+++ No good actor can save a drama if it has a bad script. And the Script is one of the strongest fields in Word of Honor. The scriptwriter Xiao Chu, who is a fan of Priest did an excellent job, bringing the characters and story to life. Her love and respect for the source material can be seen during several instances in the story. Many events have been jumbled up for TV, but any reader will be quickly able to recognize several scenes scattered all over. The changes for the drama almost make the novel lacklustre in comparison. Expanding on various sects, their backstories and Zhou Zi Shu's past, we are led on a thrilling edge of your seat storyline that left me craving the next episodes. (Episode one in particular will always remain one of my favorites. Unlike the book, it showed the human side of Zhou Zi Shu in detail.)
The basic plot is the same as in most of the wuxia dramas. What makes the story excellent for me is the perfect balance between the episodes, the interesting storyline with multiple characters, each with their own motives. No episode focused 100% on the leads and it was a pleasant surprise. It increased the anticipation each week and the thrill I experienced can't be put into words. I rewatched all the episodes while waiting for the others. Its clearly visible that even with the limit of 36 episodes, and a meagre budget, the production team toiled to portray what they loved in the best way possible, something that can put big budget IP dramas to shame. I could ask for no more from them for that.
Every character has a task or a promise to keep. This is the very thing that moves the plot forward. May it be Wen Ke Xing's facade hiding his true plan or Zhou Zi Shu's word of honor. Even Gu Xiang, who starts out as a servant who experiences life outside the Ghost Valley for the first time, begins to voice her own thoughts, opinions and feels for others. Cheng Ling, poor boy, ends up hanging onto Zi Shu and Lao Wen, the only people he could trust. Their tragic pasts, brotherhood and regrets are slowly revealed as the episodes move by, keeping us glued to the screen with baited breaths.

+++ The Cast, both young and old, played their roles really well. Both Zhang Zhe Han and Gong Jun were popular for their works, but definitely not huge traffic makers that can bring in enough hype. I was familiar with Gong Jun's works previously. It was nice seeing him do a different, more animated role for a change, one that could actually showcase his range. From switching from funny mode to murder within seconds, going all out psycho, he did not disappoint. The flirty Wen Ke Xing may be asking a simple question to Ah-Xu, but we can clearly see that he is being very subtle about it. He shamelessly follows him around, but never forgets his hatred and anger.

"Three days later, I will come to get my goods... or burn your shop."
(Wen Ke Xing, EP6)

His moments of vulnerability, acceptance of his doomed path and some of the plans he concocted made him a very anti-hero character. Especially in the first half of the drama, where we get to see past his innocent mask.

"I wanted to wander the world till I die. But, it seems like God has other plans for my destiny."
(Zhou Zi Shu - EP11)

The title of my review is from a poem about Aragorn written by Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. In a twisted way, Zhou Zi Shu is a wanderer, but he has never forgotten who he was. While still in disguise, he was described as someone who travels a long way to keep his promises - a Ranger. (By both Cheng Ling and Lao Wen.)
(Many beautiful quotes from LOTR can be used to describe several feelings in WOH.)

It was my first time seeing Zhang Zhe Han in a full on main character role as I had only seen clips before and in Nirvana in Fire. He completely blew my mind in WoH.
Starting from his painful past in the first episode, getting disguised as a pathetic beggar (a hilarious transformation that you shouldn't miss) to putting up with Wen Ke Xing's flirting and finally accepting his fate, he portrayed the emotions with such depth that we audience can't help but sympathize and fall for the lost man who had been shattered by life's harsh experiences. I've seen several comments poking at his acting skills right from the start. But, I'll defend him at all costs for this role. Zhou Zi Shu in the book is 80% of the time just moving along with the flow, easily irritated with Cheng Ling, and doesn't respond much to emotions. Had they got any other inexperienced actor for this role, it would have been a total disaster. It's sad to see that no one notices the slight emotions skittering across his face. His improvisations on set and the love he gave to Zhou Zi Shu can be easily seen in the way he brought him to life.

I'd seen Zhou Ye in Better Days, and though it appears as if she is annoying, the character Gu Xiang is very impulsive, and I personally think she did a good job. Another surprise was Xie Wang played by Li Daikun.
Ye Bai Yi was one unsuspecting character whom I absolutely adore. His constant bickering and general disdain for the ongoings on the jianghu and his love for food all hide his true nature and regret. I wished that he had more screen time. And his scenes and voice over in the last few episodes were really emotional.

+++ Bear with me if you are reading this cause I suck at descriptions of feelings.
Right from the end of the first episode, sparks begin to fly and the drama was subtle in its portrayal, using poetry and idioms from various forms of Chinese literature to convey the emotions. This in turn, had me and fellow viewers scrambling for hours through tumblr for translations and meanings that give the story a new depth. I badly wished that I'd learnt Mandarin cause there were several lines that no translation could do justice. A particular phrase in EP17 had such depth that no English subtitle can capture its hidden beauty. We see their relationships grow from skirting around each other to final acceptance. And with this comes the hint of fear that they are not good enough for the ones they cherish. The inner struggles that the characters undergo, the mature way they deal with their troubles and the lengths they go to protect them would make anyone root for their happiness. While Lao Wen and Cao Wei Ning are almost blatantly open about their feelings, both Gu Xiang and Ah' Xu struggle with their internal dilemmas. One pair, a stark contrast from the other, pure and innocent whereas the other sought redemption through each other.

The brotherhood between Shen Shen, Gao Chong and his disciples; the relationship between Cheng Ling and Ah' Xu + Gu Xiang and Lao Wen were heartwarming. Even the little known Qian Qiao story arc was something I found really interesting. It showed several sides of the characters and gave the story a realistic vibe.

++The fight scenes had a mixed effect for me - they were either way too fast or too slow. (They were thrilling and beautiful to watch though.) But, I was glad that they used slow motion for certain scenes otherwise the beauty of the movements would've been lost, particularly for Zhou Zi Shu.

++ The OST: I admit, the opening song didn't catch my attention at first. But, now I have it on repeat in my head. Even some of the BGMs were just so "fitting", particularly the one that played during Zhou Zi Shu's first fight in Mirror Lake Sect in EP2. They have a strangely haunting feeling.

+++ The villain... was a weakling from start to finish. And he strangely had a strong sleazeball effect that I had not felt with many others before. I just hated him. That was a down point for me. Even the other evil fellow had redeeming points. I couldn't hate him till the very end. I pitied him.

This review is already long enough, so I'll head straight for the points that make me wish that I'd never started this drama in the first place. *MILD SPOILERS*

+++ The script, which was going really, really well takes a sharp turn down a rocky road, particularly after EP30. It is known that the budget constraints had reduced the number of EPs to 36, but the way it was handled was unbelievable. Changes were made from the novel, but the transition from one scene to another made very little to no sense at all, unless we come up with theories ourselves. The obvious plothole sort of ruined the watching experience for me. I can now see that several things that happened in EP32-33 were a set up for the ultimate finale, but I really wished they'd taken a more simpler, meaningful path. It made several characters who claimed to be intelligent look stupid. Seeing Zhou Zi Shu during those episodes was like twisting a knife through your heart and that's something I will never forgive this drama for. It's been more than a week since I completed it and I still can't forget those moments. But, EP35 and EP36 saved the drama, even though it felt a bit too rushed.

+++++ I can see why it has an 8.6 rating in Douban. The "wuxia" aspect is pretty serious and strong in this one. Several of the recent releases have all come closer to the "candy wuxia" category, from my observation.
There are several backstories and characters to keep up with, which some people might find annoying. I needed three rewatches to remember everyone. But, all three were absolutely worth it.

+++ The finale, I admit, was heart crushing. Anyone who thought they should film it or write it were pure evil. The concert was like a balm to my soul and so was the epilogue, but I find that several foreshadowings in EP36 give the ending epilogue a real meaning. I couldn't be happier.
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I debated several times how to rate Word of Honor, considering all ranges from 7.5 to 10. Cruel, but in a website such as this, where personal enjoyment and hype elevates the scores of several dramas, it is fair.
With that being said, why did I give this drama such a rating, when it obviously had faults? Because in the end I couldn't. Judging by the amount of absolutely bland stuff I've watched/forced myself through to the end/dropped/ended up forgetting, this is by far one of the best dramas I've ever seen. It was my best friend for three months straight. I put every single drama I was watching on hold for it, keeping all my bets on the scriptwriter's promise to keep going till the end despite the absolutely slow subtitles. I felt like I was going through a winner's curse while watching the last few episodes. I rooted for the characters' happiness. When they were hurt, I felt the same. I was enraged with the plot in the finale. But, that shows how deeply it had impressed me and that's solely because the people behind this adaptation knew how to capture viewers and knew what exactly to do with what they had in their hands. This drama has an unexpectedly huge number of characters and scenes with them that would require more time and budget, so its understandable that its not perfect. (It got released really quickly: five months after shooting had completed.)
Even with the last bit of staggering plot in the end, it spun arpund my feelings like a washing machine. And it was 100% worth it. Zhou Zi Shu is right up there with Aragorn as a favorite character of mine. (Wen Ke Xing would come along anyway - they are a pair of wings.)

If Zhang Zhe Han worries that people might forget Zhou Zi Shu or Wen Ke Xing, it is unnecessary.
There are plenty of us who still needs to be forcefully pushed off the mountain or those who still keep peeking or visiting. Pretty sure that Lao Wen would eventually kick us off one day.

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"I would rather live freely for ten days than live against my own will for 10 years."

These words were spoken by Zhou Zi Shu in Word of Honor (2021), which happens to be one of my all time favorite Chinese dramas. I wonder what he would have had to say to He Ran had they ever met.

Though coming from two completely different spheres of dramaland, I think this sentence captures the essence of The Forbidden Flower/Summer Flower/Xia Hua, which follows the rich and talented daughter of a late renowned painter, He Ran, who despite having everything, has gone through several dark days.

Still reeling from the after effects of a deadly illness, 20 year old He Ran is sheltered and cut off from the outside world by her overbearing and overprotective mother, Mrs. Qiu, who has assigned a nanny to watch over her for 24/7.
While managing to sneak out and enjoy bits of a free life, she is enticed by the voice of a stranger at a Hair Salon, whom she only knows by his assigned No. 33. It's unbelievable, but He Ran finds an excuse to escape her gloomy existence - find No.33 again.
Xiao Han, the owner of the said voice, is a man years past his youthful days, but that does not stop He Ran from pursuing him.

She cautiously probes for information about him from what she could gather within the first two episodes, before beginning a full blown onslaught to realize her vision. This part in particular was hilarious and slightly disconcerting to watch. Xiao Han, the object of her attentions yeets himself away from his own home to escape her shenanigans.

–-------
I want to rate this drama a 7, but I invested too much time into this to end it in such an unholy manner.

Now… I will begin by writing down a few observations/random details/caveats first from what I gathered:

1.This is an age-gap drama based on an already existing novel 'He Stands in the Gorgeous Summer Flowers (他站在夏花绚烂里) by Tai Hou Gui Lai.
I 'google translate' read 90% of the novel and I 100% prefer the drama. There are some quite distinct changes in characterization and the live adaptation adds real depth to the two dimensional versions I read about. Or maybe things got lost in translation.
I've noticed that contemporary Chinese dramas often surpass their novel counterparts and this drama is no exception.

2. And judging by the number of watchers it has, I think the age-gap tag scared away most of the viewers. And I'm 100% sure that this drama is a success partly because Jerry Yan looks like he did 20 years ago - not to mention that he has almost the exact same hairstyle from his Dao Ming Si days. Both Xu Ruo Han and Jerry Yan just fit together so well into their characters and I barely noticed that there was an age gap between them. Age-gap doesn't matter to me as long as the characters are brought to life.

3. I highly suspect that multiple script changes or scenes were shot. There are times that scenes black out and cut off jarringly. Some of the dialogues were never mentioned, yet we later hear the characters speak about it. There are certain scenes from the trailer which are never shown. And the additional behind the scenes footage (aside from the intimate ones) sort of solidifies the point.
The opening scene itself seems to have selected a different shot instead of the one which we see in EP8. (There is a minor flashback.)
Moreover, this is definitely "NOT" an S-Class drama from my assumptions. It had only 30 minutes per episode.
–--------
The warm fuzzies:

● The Scenery: the whole drama is a visual feast. Every scene is shot beautifully. It's worth watching it just for that alone. Plenty of money seems to have been spent on camera and lighting and location and flowers and painting.

● The Cast: Every single actor played their part to a tee. I loved how Xu Ruo Han in particular portrayed two different sides of He Ran - the one when she is not genuinely interested in something and the other side of her which she reveals to Xiao Han alone.
Xiao Han, a man content with being isolated and loves the peace and quiet of the plants, was a joy to watch. I loved how he looked like he was regretting every decision he made after meeting He Ran during the first 8 episodes. We slowly see him give up and just give in to her demands and by the 10th episode, we are aware of why he shelters himself from everyone. Jerry Yan absolutely served justice to his character.

Their chemistry together was just too sweet and easy on the eyes. I did not find the age gap annoying.

The mother was another well acted character - - atleast I think so. If she was meant to depict a broken yet muddled woman, she definitely did the part well. Supporting characters such as Pan Zi and even Han Yu showed the contrast between He Ran and her 'hidden friends'.

● The Soundtrack: My favorite is "The One'' by Vivian Loh. Had the opening scene begun with Lucid Dream, I don't think I would've been pulled in as intensely as I had.
Plus, there were several songs played throughout that just makes certain scenes indelible. Summer by Nicki Lee is one of my newfound favorite songs, thanks to this drama.
Some other favorites:
● Heartbeat by Vivian Loh.
● Mine by Vivian Loh.


● The Characters: they are the reason I stuck till the very end, regardless of how depressing or happy it was going to be.

Han Yu was one character who made me laugh everytime he came on screen. Not because he was purposefully being oblivious to He Ran's dismissal of his friendship and companionship, but he was also the only one who even bothered to worry whenever He Ran showed signs off sickness.
Xiao Han has several fans, so I'll skip right down to He Ran, whom I absolutely adore. And I feel a bit guilty speaking for her instead of against her.

Several people mentioned how she loves selfishly. Was she selfish? Yes, definitely. But, she loved selflessly too. She put in 100% effort into her relationship, sacrificing everything once she understood that it was worth it.
Her comparing herself to other women and making dangerous promises ticked off several viewers, but I understood where she was coming from. She just wasn't able to wrap her mind around how Xiao Han must've had other women in his life and wondered whether she was meant to be forgotten just like them.

(I once asked my friends who were in a relationship how they could be with their person, knowing he must've liked someone else before them. Someone gave me the exact same answer as Xiao Han's.)

He Ran seems to have the same fear - that she too will be like one of his experiences. If anyone noticed, she is the assertive one in their relationship. She is well aware that she isn't a 'nice' guy.

She just doesn't want to be forgotten like the many people who had crossed Xiao Han's life. Ultimately, we all wish to be remembered by someone in some way.

And as much as I appreciate her character, several times she comes off as unreasonably and dangerously possessive. She barely lets anyone breathe on Xiao Han - there are episodes where we see her push limits and just go bonkers.

Her pursuit of Xiao Han is itself comedic. Xiao Han considers his temporary attraction to her as something he wouldn't obsess over, and He Ran's stalking tendencies is what he deems to be the antics of a young girl who is blinded by her crush. It isn't after a long time, that he finally concludes that she isn't kidding.
Well, He Ran was lucky that it was Xiao Han. And vice versa. Or else this drama would've turned into a crime thriller.

–---------------

Now….. somethings make me want to rate this a 6.5 - 7. I settled on 9 [rerated it an 8 when I realized that there were too many filler episodes past EP13] because the drama seems to have been made with serious dedication and effort worthy of a longer drama. Both from the cast and crew. Plus, this is the only time a contemporary setting which is not centered around youth managed to keep me hooked.

● I was unfortunately not invested in He Ran's mom's and Yuan Qi's relationship.
I liked their individual scenes, but I simply did not care to watch their scenes as a couple. More than half of the drama after EP13 focused on them.

● The handling of He Ran's illness. For someone who is cocooned by her mom, it irked me how casually everyone except Han Yu and his aunt were regarding her health. (It was understandable why He Ran had resolved to 'living in the moment'.)
Both of them were more concerned than anyone whenever she appeared weak.
It's mentioned in the first two episodes about her 'follow up' check ups, but then we barely hear about it. Shouldn't it have been stressed on more?

And after Episode 18 or 19, I could not make sense of what was happening. Her diagnosis and prognosis were more positive than negative, then what about her treatment? Shouldn't it be more serious?
It's evident that some things were portrayed more for cinematic value rather than reality.
It might be able to get brushed off in a book, but in an onscreen adaptation with significant changes, it's hard to pass by.

● Last, but never the least. The ENDING. The last time an ending pissed me off so much was Word of Honor.
I could literally see the director teetering over whether to wrap up the drama by staying true to the source novel or to choose happiness over everything. (I've pinned an additional comment on my thoughts about the ending to my review.)

Well, he is a winner, cause I can see four different versions.

With all these complaints, this happens to be the first contemporary Chinese drama after Legally Romance (2022) that I've been patient enough to keep up with in spite of my complaints.

Nevertheless, this drama is one of the most beautiful and romantic ones I've seen to date.
The Queen of the Night blooms very rarely, but it is for this very reason that it's remembered. And maybe that's the same charm 'The Forbidden Flower' exudes.

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"The Glass is Either Half-Full or Half-Empty."

My title describes exactly how I felt while watching this short mini-drama. What stood out to me the most are definitely the characters who have very distinct and unique personalities. Despite the very fantasy like synopsis and the strange title, the drama doesn't spend much time exploring them. Heck, the kiss in the title is almost hyperbolic as it doesn't have any significant effect on the plot.
Kouta, an unlucky college junior, gets a chance to escape his bad luck after running into Naoya, a naturally born lucky King, who is also the campus's sweetheart. A slight misunderstanding of semantics ends up with both of them dating. Kouta, who is initially uninterested in the dating aspect, slowly begins to get to know Naoya (and himself) better along the way.

Kouta, whose eyes we see the story through, is a gem. I loved how he had feelings and emotional outbursts and an actual personality which somehow made him real. I could relate to how and why he reacted in certain ways, including his dilemma of maintaining friendships, yet keeping himself aloof from emotional attachments. The actor who played him definitely did an excellent job portraying this multi-faceted character.
Naoya was almost manga like, right down to his looks. He was a genuinely honest and nice male lead who attemped his best to be nice to everyone.
Also, Anna, Mika, the Senpai and Naoya's friends were a few constant characters that despite not being important, made the drama lively.

The little bits of Psychology lessons and advices from the characters that were inserted in the episodes were enlightening. The drama was definitely not the surface fluff I usually enjoy -- it did focus on the perspectives of two vastly different characters and their views.

The pacing of the show seemed off during a few episodes. Although every bit of it gave me warm fuzzies, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was just missing.
But, it gave me a breath of fresh air after two months of extreme stress. So, I'll rate this a solid 7.5/10.

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How To Seek For Happiness.

I might be the 0.1% of the audience who do not feel as attached to the drama as I should've been. It's not because the drama is bad, no, no. It's one of the most heartwarming productions I've seen. I would suggest Hometown Cha-Cha to anyone looking for an escape from real life, yet deciding to learn something about reality while doing it.

☆ If I could summarise it, it would be:
A young dentist Hye-Jin, has a wake up call on the harsh reality of life after moving to the seaside village of Gongjin.
I had a love hate relationship with her character during the first eight episodes that I saw. It's ironic because I'm as closed off as her in real life with very few friends. I related to her woes of moving from a huge city to a little known town where you suddenly discover that many of the items you used to buy are nowhere to be found, people are more nosy and everyone are an overly friendly bunch who inadvertently put you in an uncomfortable position. I loved how she tried to mask her difficulties and attemped to change herself. Her character growth was gradual and a delight to watch.

☆ But, Hye-Jin needed a lot of growth during the first half of the drama. And thankfully, Chief Hong existed to throw a pail of ice cold water on her biased views about people and life. I absolutely hated how she referred to herself as someone on the 'upper elite' despite being clearly in a difficult situation and there were several instances that her own best friend (who grew up in similar conditions as hers) seemed much more perceptive about the people around her. This stark contrast between those two stood out to me and I still do not know if that was purposefully meant to be that way.

☆ I have to mention the one character whom I deeply respect: Chief Hong, the male lead and the love interest to Hye-Jin. While clearly portrayed as empathetic and a jack-of-all trades, two qualities that earn him the nickname "Chief", we see him call out Hye-Jin several times for her prejudices towards the 'common folk' and her stubbornness and refusal to understand the minds and workings of a local close knit community. While I 100% agree with her actions, I admire Chief Hong for his confidence in himself and flr striving to change her views. I wasn't deeply invested in their romance, which is definitely leaning towards the slow burn arc, but I loved how strong their connection was. I loved his openness and the efforts he made to make the people of the small town happy.

☆ The little town has a handful of characters whom we closely follow throughout all the episodes. They are the basement of the drama. We get to know their grievances and secrets, and see them slowly warming up to Hye-Jin in turn. I loved her interactions with them. I admit, I'm eight episodes in, but I'm still unable to recall anyone of their names perfectly. (In my mind some of them: Mr. Americano + Singer and his daughter Ju-Ri; Restaurant Chief who is divorced with a son, the Restaurant Chief's divorced husband who is the head of the small town, The Shop Gang, The Three Grandmas, Pyo Mi-Seong, Police Dude…
Another aspect that I loved about the show was how they stuck true to the genre. It's not just the leads whom we learn in depth about, but the supporting characters as well. I have to say, I enjoyed the bittersweet parts of the drama a lot more than the lighter scenes. I've heard that it gets quite tearful during the last half.

☆ Although I'm sometimes annoyed with Hye-Jin, none of the characters got on my nerves. There were no pressure inducing misunderstandings and most of the arguments would be smoothened out in a calm manner. There was something magical about how the most simple things in life can bring us immense joy and pain. At one point, it made think of quitting everything and living a life like Chief Hong's. Yeah… haha.

☆ The OST was fitting and had a cottage core ambience that perfectly fit Gongjin's theme. The locations were really scenic and watching the blue ocean itself left me really satisfied.

☆ As to why I dropped this. Slice-of-life dramas are not ones that I usually binge. (It took me three months to complete Reply 1988.) But, I also realized that I'm more attached to slice-of-life dramas that I could somehow personally relate to. While this drama has all the right emotions that are meant to tug at our heartstrings, I don't feel the urge or curiosity to know what happens next and did not have a strong attachment to anyone. (This might be because of how disconnected I felt to the daily life of the people. I found their struggles relatable though.) And the hour long episodes of focus on the daily life of the villagers and Hye-Jin pushed my patience. (I was exhausted watching two episodes a day and tend to fast forward a lot.)
Somethings that are meant to happen, would eventually happen. Just like how the drama portrays life as: Unpredictable and sometimes bitter. I can see why so many people love the slice-of-life genre a lot and this one definitely deserves to be among one of the best in that genre.

I bid a hearty farewell to you, Hometown Cha-Cha. Maybe, somewhere in the future, I might pick you up once again to bring me back the calmness and contentment that I felt while I initially watched you.

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Neither Good or Bad.

Boy.... I missed watching according to the schedule and completely feel unmotivated to continue after EP11. The more I think
about the spoilers and the way the story wove into a labyrinth for the sake of filling the episodes, the less inclined I feel to know what happens in the future. Maybe I'll pick it up sometime, bit it's definitely a Dropped from me for now. I'd recommed this show if you don't care much about plot or if you are a strong fan of the leads. I'd suggest turning off the "logic+understanding" and switching on the "only for enjoyment" button on before starting. Otherwise, I feel like so many talented actors (who did their job well) were wasted in this one. The script/story lacks direction and runs around in circles with the Deity system itself remaining ambiguos and difficult to portray. It could've been solved in 10 or 12 episodes, but dragged on for no good reason.
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I'm going to rate it a 5/10 for the first 11 episodes of the drama. 5 is me focussing on the plot alone and the overall way it impacts the pace and anticipation for the story as a whole.
What bothers me is that the writer seems to know where the story has to go, but did not do a smooth portrayal of it. We are at the 10th episode, and the only plotline that is actually in motion is the mundane love triangle of Tak Dong Kyung's friend Ji Na... which I am not interested in. The main couple's "throw-the-ball-to-the-other" keeps going on. In an episode spanning an hour long we get 10 minutes of important points about the leads, particularly from Doom and the deity. It is clear that he has a plan, but the story has yet to reveal what he is actually upto. The only character who makes logical statements is the female deity, but she seems to be someone cleverly inserted to give the main couple a happy/neutral/bitter ending. Unless you are a fan of slow plots and is patient enough to watch sweet scenes with the leads, I highly doubt that this drama is "binge watch worthy". From what I see, Tak Dong Kyung can choose to just take the surgery and live with what time she has, making the 100 day contract invalid. But, judging from EP11's teaser, we are going to get pulled into another maze of intricate ball throwing and decisions, so let's see where it goes.

I can see why it has so many polarized ratings - for a fantasy KDrama with predecessors such as Goblin and Hotel del Luna, the anticipation and expectation is really high. Once we set all that aside, DAYS is indeed a different drama with a an interesting plotline. Doom himself is personified as a living being and the concept of the cycle of life is something I'm seeing for the first time.

Fantasy dramas are either a hit or miss and I can tell that this one has a lot of potential to take either road. EP8 was slightly satisfying as it managed to cover a few important foreshadowings that could have been done much earlier. There are characters and conversations that are actually interesting: like the young teenage girl and Myul Mung. We get a mysterious vibe.
The main couple is ship worthy, but the erratic "toss-the-ball-to-the-other" plot has been a bit repetative and makes it seem boring. Another thing that I noticed is that there might be time skips - the drama begins with her having only three months left to live and then in the recent episode she tells that she has about two months left.
The acting of the cast fills up all the missing parts, but once we try to summarize an episode... there's not much going on there. I don't feel the urge to binge the new ones every week. I also feel that the addition of the friend's complicated love life is a filler of some sort, but if they had not been there, the drama would be pretty boring.
It has enough mystery and potential to keep me curious and I want to see whether the ending is going to be a thrilling, yet logical one or if the writers decide to do a cope out.

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A Monster Calls.

The only Godzilla movie I have watched is that 1998 which, I would later learn, was universally panned by critics. So, this is my second Godzilla movie. (Or rather the first one from Japan.)
What I liked about this is not the monster or the CGI, which without saying, was stunning enough to land an Oscar.

In the backdrop of a war torn Japan, a kamikaze pilot, Shikishima Koichi, who, instead of going to fight a losing war, evades it by lying that his plane had mechanical troubles. The island in which he had landed for repair is soon attacked by a dinosaur like creature and when he is asked to shoot at it using his plane, he becomes frozen with fear, resulting in the death of the mechanics who worked there.
He returns home grief stricken, only to find out that his family was wiped out in the air raids. Now, slowly struggling to make ends meet, he accidentally picks up a lady, Noriko and a child whom she had rescued.
However, he is plagued with guilt and endless nightmares which hinders him from moving forward. Fate comes in the form of Godzilla, which had now become even more indestructible. Shikishima decides to set things right once and for all.

As usual, Japanese movies make simple events seem touching and this one was no exception. It dealt with grief, guilt, loss and the courage to move forward inspite of that all. Noriko, who has just lost everything as he had, had a much more positive disposition whereas Shikishima's inner monsters a him mad.
I liked the simple banter he shared with his co-workers. The movie stressed along on human feelings. All the cast members were excellent and managed to invoke the necessary emotions without overdoing it.

The Godzilla was plain scary. The way it crushed and destroyed everything on it's path was terrifying. I mean, some of the dog's barking as it approached and people screaming and fleeing is the stuff that triggers your worst nightmares. And the radioactivity thingy coming out whenever it was pissed was beautiful, yet, frightening.

All in all, I really enjoyed the experience. It's one of the few rewatch worthy movies I've seen in recent years and it's definitely worth a try.

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Second Chances.

I think it's time to admit that some types of mature romances aren't just for me. This was the case with this show.

Miyata Akihiro, a sincere and diligent editor of a business magazine by chance gets to meet his first love, Iwanaga Takashi while working on an article. However, he is still haunted by his previous experience as a teenager with the untouchable Iwanaga sensei, who had bet on their love. Now, as adults, Iwanaga once again expresses his interest in Miyata-san, who is determined not to fall for the easy-going Iwanaga-sensei again.

The characters, particularly Miyata-san is the reason I held on until the end. He was careful and cautious with his words and actions. I was never once annoyed or angered by his choices.
As for Iwanaga sensei... I have no idea about him even after the end. There was so much more to him than what was being shown, but I just couldn't feel anything for his character at all.
I enjoyed the flashbacks, but they seemed incomplete to the story, inspite of giving some glimpse into their past, particularly Miyata-san.
Both the actors nailed their roles, and the overall atmosphere of the drama was pleasant.
It seems to be one of those dramas, which I feel had a lot of potential, but somehow managed to miss me.

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Soothing and Memorable.

The trope of childhood friends falling in love is definitely out of vogue and dramas with recurring themes (often including the same scenarios) fail to impress, and rather irritate viewers instead.
Kimi Ni Wa Todokanai falls in the same league, but with that magical Japanese touch of making the simple seem the most beautiful, this has become one of my favorite dramas ever.

The seemingly quintessential, popular and well loved, yet introverted Ohara Yamato has a deep secret: he is head over heels for his less bright and extroverted childhood friend, Ashiya Kakeru.
He refrains from confessing, but when Kakeru expresses his wish for ‘having someone special’ and actively seeks company along with his friends, Yamato begins to lose control of his carefully guarded feelings.
The shift in tone of their friendship confuses Kakeru and the two best friends are forced to grapple with their emotions.

The trope might be a cliché, but I loved every single episode.
Its concise storytelling, excellent performances and chemistry from both the leading actors, coupled with adequate runtime made this a simple, yet memorable watch.

Also, the BGMs which were ridiculously spot on, aesthetics and a sprinkle of comedy, friendships and sibling relationships made this wholesome.

All in all, I will be definitely revisiting this little journey with the characters once again.

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Missing Links.

I guess this drama is supposed to be a dark one filled with tension, considering that it's taking place during a time of war and their country is right in the middle of it. But..
The cast, story and even the outfits are decent, however, the story failed to grab my attention. I blame the editing.
Plus, completely skipping the past of the main leads and directly heading for the conflict was a wrong move by whoever planned it because I did not feel emotional at all.
Su Yan was particularly irritating. I don't know why, but she almost seemed slow when time was dire, did not provide proper explanations to Wen Yuan and many of the troubles could've been avoided had she reacted on time.
Don't get me started on the King. He left absolutely no impression on me, even when he was at his most powerful. Pretty sure that Su Yan could've properly handled him, but alas, the story calls.
I would suggest this if you need some "break" and watch some good acting, despite of the story.

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The Midnight Library.

I was fooled into thinking that this was some isekai style comedy drama, but oh no. It sits right up there with 'Oh no! Here Comes Trouble!' -- dramas which are disguised as comedy when in reality, they hold a much deeper meaning.

The drama opens with a despondent 29-year-old Myung Ha (Lee Tae Vin) in a bar, reading his senior's soon-to-be-turned-to-a-game novel about a couple who finally get their happy ending. He is dismissive about the HE, and points out that Cha Yeo Woon, a supporting character with no 'happily-ever-after' is the one whom he pays attention to. His senior asks Myung Ha whether he would be the one to give him a happy ending -- Myung Ha soon falls asleep drunk and wakes up as his vibrant 19-year-old self... right in the middle of the said game.
His task? Save Yeo Woon within 300 (?) days or face death.
As Myung Ha tries his best to bring a suicidal and lonely Yeo Woon back to life, we slowly begin to learn about who Myung Ha is.

The gaming aspect is strongly welded to Love for Love's Sake -- there is not a moment where I forgot that Myung Ha was not even from the gaming world. What is intriguing is how we discover small snippets of his life through various incidents. Yes, Myung Ha's ultimate task is to unpeel Yeo Woon's various layers and make him choose the things he genuinely cares about. But, what does it ultimately bring for Myung Ha, who doesn't even exist in the first place? And what will happen, when Yeo Woon starts to develop feelings for him?

The answers to several questions were slammed down on my head in the penultimate and final episode, and I still do not know whether to be happy or sad. It was a bitter experience, watching them.

Myung Ha must've been one tough character to play because out of everyone portrayed, he had the most secrets. Kudos to Lee Tae Vin, particularly for the last three episodes because no one call pull of that feeling without understanding the character.
Cha Joo Wan convincingly played the role of a cold tough guy to an honest and strong individual quite well. I liked his sincerity and straightforwardness.

Myung Ha's two other friends and the little sister brought a sense of normalness and 'familial' feeling to what would otherwise have been a rather lonely drama. His relatiobship with his grandmother was what I liked the most -- she was the link which existed in Myung Ha's life, both the virtual and the real one.
[The Midnight Library is a book by Matt Haig by the way. Love for Love's sake, despite it's flowery title reminded me of this book.]

I think for one has to watch this drama by self to experience it -- pretty sure that this is the type of story that is either a hit or miss. Either you understand it or you just don't. It strikes a deep cord and might not resonate with many, but ultimately it definitely is a different story for such a short drama.

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"Follow Your Heart."

Despite the ratings, I think this is one of my favorite short dramas from Japan. I can see why it appeals to only a limited audience -- the leading characters are definitely not the conventional ones. While I'm pretty much accustomed to seeing the 'popular smarty pants' and an introverted silent/chaotic mess, its the first time I'm coming across characters who are both calm and composed. And the overall aura of this series is surprisingly dark/unhappy.

Takizawa Kazuma has just returned from overseas and landed a job in the HR department of an advertising firm. To his surprise, he runs into his former best friend and first love Ishihara Ren, whom he had lost connection with when Kazuma had fallen ill in high school. However, the Ren he knows now refuses to indulge about his past and has changed his surname. They fall back into their old habits and Kazuma keeps his feelings for Ren a secret, even resorting to a friend-with-benefit arrangement, to keep it hidden. But, Ren seems to be hiding something much more bigger than he imagined.

The story has a plot, particularly dealing with workplace harassment. But, the entire journey is worth only for the characters alone -- if they grow on you, per se.
Saotome Ren/Ishihara Ren is one character whom I respect. Not because of how loyal he was to everyone he came across, but how pure he was in his intentions. I can practically hear my parents telling me why I should never fall in love at a young age because that's exactly what happens to Ren.
I enjoyed Kazuma's sunshine like personality; but, I do think that he a bit too naïve when he was young.
[It's lucky that Ren's instincts were correct, otherwise this would be a certain tragedy. ]
I have to say, I was satisfied with both the actors' portrayal of their roles, even if Ren's crying scenes did not have actual tears. But, then again, was it intentional?

The supporting characters such as Ryunosoke and Hide weren't just there to exist, but provided insights about the remaining characters. I liked how we were shown how both Ren and Kazuma saw each other through their own lens'.
The pacing was surprisingly good. The flashbacks from childhood that were interspersed with the current timeline managed to capture my attention and pique my curiosity. Both the child actors were excellent and well casted. I hope to see both of them in bigger roles in the future. [Loved the ending song, One Day, which seems to be more suitable for the darker theme rather than the sunny opening.]

I'm writing this review after quite a long break, so it's already a win that I'm able to recall both the characters' names and their stories. It might not be for everyone, but this was just an almost perfect watch for me.

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