iindu
India
The premise is fine and it is not boring. But I could find a number of reasons why it didn't work for me:
First of all, the story had promise, but never took off. And, in episodes 4-7, without any warning, it went off in a weird angle and came back with a new character in tow. That part of the plot felt very much out of place.
Another strange thing was the villainous character. He was very devious and "villainous" in character, but at the end, it came down to nothing. Everything was resolved so easily. Then why did we sit through these many episodes- just for some proper communication?
Then there's lead pair. Forget chemistry, this must be the first drama I've watched where the girl is on more close status with the villain character than the hero. Of course, the mind is a mixed thing..it can mix up all your signals. You do feel sorry for the lead guy.
The Cast: While the supporting cast is good, there isn't much to say about the lead actors. The guy was over acting for the first two episodes, especially his body language, but he got okay after that. The girl is a bit expressionless at times, but again, you get used to it.
So, there it is. You know by now, I don't think it's a great drama. But it's okay for when you have nothing else you want to watch.
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The plot is very well written. There were hardly any places where anything felt absurd or artificial. The story along with the characters falls into place right from the start.
Matsumoto Jun as Momo is completely lovable and walks right into your heart as the boy who is a pet. Kato Koyuki is just perfect in the role of the girl who becomes the 'master' of the pet.
I think what made this drama work is the well rounded-ness of the characters. We come to understand the workings of every person- why and how they are the way they are. There aren't any purely negative characters, rather we are all people with imperfections of our own.
It's beautiful and endearing to see the relationship between Iwaya and Momo grow as they find comfort in each other. Their journey from 'master and pet' to where they openly accept their love for each other unmindful of anything else between them is great to watch.
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The cast is very good. The families are all interesting.
I liked the way the story is told and how people grow as they experience life- especially the lead couple, Hye Yoon and Jung Hoon.
The drama and power struggles are a bit tiresome to watch in the first half but it becomes more meaningful as the story progresses.
The couple I most looked forward to was Dong Bi and Ki Joon. They didn't have much screen time, but I was rooting for them more than for the main couple.
The cutest couple was of course, Deul Rae and Min Ho.
The hardest couple to watch was Hye Jin and Do Hyun. It was far from pleasant and most times, painful.
It was an engrossing watch without doubt. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys family/ relationship dramas.
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Though I didn't start to watch this drama for Lee Min Ho, he was very impressive. The last drama I'd seen of him was so long ago, I'd almost forgotten how good he is. Of course, it didn't take long to be reminded of that.
Kim Hee Sun was equally good. Her character Eun Soo was as strong and maybe even more important to the drama than Choi Young (Lee Min Ho).
A great plus for this drama is that there are so many characters of note in this drama besides the main leads and played by very good actors.
The King, the Queen, the Woodalchi boys and of course the main negative characters.
This is probably the first drama where there was a sort of comic relief in the villain. Ki Cheol is at the same time evil as well as somewhat comic and pitiful towards the end when he becomes obsessed with the thing he cannot reach, without even knowing what it is.
The music could grow on you perhaps, because it seemed out of place when I heard it the first time, and later not so much.
I cannot finish the review without mentioning the romance. It was slow to build up and to be acknowledged, but it was beautiful all the way. I loved how their interactions were built into the story even with so much else happening.
The 24 episodes went by very fast and I was quite satisfied with the drama. Though if I had to change something, it would be to explain more how and why Eun Soo traveled over time so many times. It seems to suggest that it is fate and not by chance that she was the one, but how and why isn't so clear.
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The female leads are two extreme cliches- one half dumb, one scary stalker. There are many side characters intended to be funny, but not really funny. The main characters are more effective in humor,occasionally. There is the actor Shin Won Ho, whose role is very unlike what anyone would suppose- a shame really.
Gong Yoo tries his best to make the drama worthwhile, but he is a one man army most of the times. Lee Min Jung's character is too silly for her to make a difference.
But still, if you watch through all the dull episodes, the ending is decent enough actually. Compared to the slow process of making it to the end, the ending had more flair and fun. Don't look for logic, just enjoy the fun when it's there.
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I've watched a couple other long(28-30 episode) dramas before without much trouble, but this one was more a test of patience. The plot crawled along at snail's pace, with situations, cliched as they were, happening over and over again; even the characters seemed to be bored of repeating themselves.
I couldn't sustain beyond halfway. It didn't seem to be worth the effort beyond that.
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The story is not your average melodrama.It takes you through dark and traumatic situations, and a lot of tears. In between all that, there's also some fun characters and retribution of sorts. There is a thriller element to the plot, and the background score complements that very well. I also liked how every character stays true to their nature throughout.
Yoon Eun Hye is beautiful and amazing as always. Park Yoo Chun and Yoo Seung Ho do a great job.
The only problem I felt, was to do with the way Seung Ho's character, Hyung Joon, progresses from half way into the drama. It felt a bit forced, and really, I wanted to see a different ending for Hyung Joon.
It was a good drama, though I don't think I can re watch. It's not a light watch.
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The lead characters are people who carry many scars and pain in them, with no thought of finding love, yet they find a love that heals their heart.
I really liked the character of the female lead. Her background, profession, the way she behaved and the people in her life were very interestingly drawn. Lee Ji Ah who played the role was very good. Her body language and expressions were perfect for the role.
I have watched the lead actor Yoon Shi Yoon earlier in King of Baking Kim Tak Goo. He does a very good job in this drama too, though I felt he looked much cuter in the earlier one.
Among the others, there were many endearing characters. Even Hwa Young who makes us want to hate her most of the time with her larger than life ego, has such a side to her.
The only annoying element in the drama was probably a song that played in somewhat angsty times and was grating to the ears.
The ending theme is beautiful too- that love can heal us all.
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This movie has one of the best female leads I've seen so far. Takahashi is not just beautiful; she's probably the strongest, most cheerful, and honest female characters ever. She knows her feelings and she is forthright about them, without playing any games. Her strength is to be admired.
Yano on the other hand, is a contradiction. He puts on a cool exterior, but is a senstive person who struggles to handle the vagaries of life. I love both their characters.
The feel of the movie is also very good. The only thing that could have been improved is probably the ending. It was rushed and kind of a cliched filmy style. I feel like it could have been so much more. Would have made the movie perfect then.
But definitely, the movie - both parts- is a beautiful experience and is highly recommended.
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The story was interesting and it didn't drag anywhere. I also really liked the main actors. They did a great job. The music was cute and added to the feel of the scenes.
Another thing was the number of episodes was just right to tell the story well, without dragging it much. Every episode I finished watching, I wanted to watch the next one more. In fact, I felt they could have taken some more time to show more of the couple in the last episodes.
The one disappointing thing was the ending. After all the drama about Yi Lie, the way they chose to end it felt incomplete.
If there is one thing worse than one of the lead characters having some illness towards the end, it is ending the drama without being conclusive about it.
Other than that, the drama was good to watch.
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A little bit cheesy sometimes, at times funny, other times just fun- it was entertaining throughout. There were hardly any negative parts that stuck out.
Hyun Wook seemed very much like a sexist at the beginning of the drama, but as the story moved his reasons become clear and by the second half, his charisma and fairness in the kitchen are what stands out..
I loved Yoo Kyung's character for her amazing reserves of spirit and hard work. She is probably the one female lead in all the dramas I can think of, with a genuinely simple yet strong and positive character.
In the end, I loved the drama, and though all that food made me feel hungry, the one thing I did wonder about is the quantity of food that went out in one serving. It seemed so little.Really?
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There’s a lot to be said about this drama.
The captivating story line, the well written characters, the action, lingering music- whatever you name to make a great drama- it’s all here.
I will say though, what makes this drama so pulling has to be the cast. They live their roles. This is one drama where the negative and supporting roles leave an impact equal to and at times, more so than the lead roles.
William Feng does an awesome job as Prince of Lan Ling or Lan Ling Wang or Fourth Prince. He exudes the grace and majestic composure of his character, and at the same time, his interactions with Xue Wu are charming and very cute.
Ariel Lin, we know, is great. She carries the role of The Divine Sorceress Xue Wu with playfulness, grace and a daring strength.
Daniel Chan as Yu Wen Yong, the King of Zhou state is absolutely endearing. His is the most interesting track, I dare say, with the way he is introduced, to his journey throughout the series. His love for Xue Wu which begins as something he doesn't understand and grows into an unconditional bond, is beautiful.
There would be no review without talking about the negative characters in this drama:
Zheng Er takes the cake for her acting! Her portrayal of the crazed evil queen is phenomenal. She made my blood pressure go up so many times, I can vouch she’s good.
As is the King, Gao Wei. He plays the role of the immature and struggling King really well.
There are many other memorable characters- Xiao Dong and Zu Ting, to name two.
The music is very soulful. There is one song that plays for Xue We and Lan Ling Wang, ‘Heart of Palms’ which I really liked.
To sum up:
This drama is like one of those books that you can’t put down. Hard to stop watching!
One quirky thing I loved in this drama, which must be mentioned- William Feng’s hair! It’s gorgeous…to swoon over!
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The characters are beautifully crafted. Through the episodes you can see the characters opening up and growing as people and situations affect them. It is heartening to see such a solid set of characters and actors to play them.
I have to say, you surely will like Mike He if you watch this drama. His character was the soul of the drama and he carries it brilliantly. Rainie is adorable and plays her part perfectly.
What I really appreciated about this drama is the non dramatic, almost natural way the characters deal with their relationships and situations.
Ah Meng and Qi Yue share a love that is beautiful and heartwarming to watch. Their individual parents are so the opposite of 'drama' parents, it was such a relief!!
I have to mention the music and background score..I found it brilliant and it really made a big difference to the drama.
The sub plots of their friends is also shown to some detail, which I felt it helped in the completeness of the drama. More focus on the lead actors alone might've caused it to be a drag.
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