leahakiko
California
Pretty much the story is about three women end up living together and all of them, with different reasons, have issues with love. Which isn't anything new, but the way it was portrayed made if feel more down to earth. The different situations they were in are what real women deal with all over the world. Also, what the men went through is very real too. So as much as I didn't like certain situations or how it played out (because I'd prefer the lovely dovey stuff) I can't really be upset at it because real life isn't always a fairytale and I feel like that's a point this drama is trying to point out. Yes, you can find happiness but it doesn't always come easy like in the dramas. Oh & I loved the quotes that was shown at the end of every episode.
Acting/Cast I liked the group. Nothing really outstanding but I wouldn't want them replaced.
Music I really loved. I have a soft spot for instrumentals with nice, sweet melodies. When You Fall In Love and The Reason I Can't Find Love (Ballad ver.) have been on repeat for the whole day. Also loved Namie Arumo's theme/insert song.
As for rewatching, probably unlikely. It was a good drama don't get me wrong but I don't think i'd ever have the urge to come back to this. But I do suggest at least giving this drama a shot! Nice short drama you can get out of the way in a day or two.
Was this review helpful to you?
Saigo no Kizuna: Okinawa Hikisakareta Kyodai
2 people found this review helpful
The plot is very realistic not just because it is based on a true story but because it does relate to more than just one family. Like many immigrants in the early 1900s, the eldest son usually ventured off to the United States hoping to make enough money to send home. But sadly in the way of their hard work, WWII hits the United States and two brothers are forced to fight against each other to show loyalty to their countries. What's more sad is that Takeru's character, along with his friends, were only kids. Kids who were taught to hate Americans, had to fight in a war and risk their young lives to serve the Emperor.
But what is really so great about this whole drama special is the fact that they had the people who actually went through this to talk about the situation that was happening in the drama. Hearing the real story from the people who lived it is something you can't learn in a history class.
I adored the cast. Mainly Takeru. His acting is superb. He has the skill to make sure us, as watchers, forget all his other roles so we can solely focus on his current role. He got so into his character. He put so much emotion into Yasuharu that it almost felt like it was real, as if he was experiencing everything as his own. I loved the rest of the cast too. I already love Kaname Jun films/dramas, and the supporting cast did an outstanding job.
I scored music low because I was disappointed in the fact that they used the music from "Letters from Iwo Jima" also watch that if you haven't) Though I do love the instrumental and it fits in any war movie, I couldn't help but think about Letters From Iwo Jima while listening and watching this.
I've already watched this drama more than once. It really is great. I think this a story that isn't really taught. So even if war movies aren't your genre, give this one a shot. It's more than just a war story.
Was this review helpful to you?
Plot | A pretty cocky playboy and a poor girl meet in a kind of messed up way, but end up getting close. But later one Guang Xi needs to get a brain surgery and ends up losing his memory. Not sure if that will pull other in to watch, but this was played out SO well. May be a little typical but believe me, the story was written too perfectly.
Acting/Cast | PERFECT. that's it. I love VanNess's acting. He and An Ady seemed to go well together. Though at times I wished her character was portrayed in a different way. Less..weak? Not sure how to explain that well. But Wen Benny! That kid seriously has a talent for acting. Whether he is acting cute or crying or saying some long lines without it sounding scripted, I loved him. Supporting cast was fine. The villagers could get quite annoying at times. But that's honestly something you always expect when you watch Taiwanese dramas, loud, obnoxious parents/friends/randoms.
Music | "I Love Him" is such a great song. Besides that song I can't really remember anything else that was played. That song alone is enough to score music so high.
Overall | Of course there are going to be people who say this drama dragged a little towards the end, and I get it, I was frustrated at a certain point to (just wanted the story to move along) but in some weird way, it made me love the ending/characters even more. As weird as it may sound, I wouldn't have minded this being longer. That's how much I liked watching the main leads together. I just loved this drama!
Just watch this drama. That's it. I think I've rewatched it 4 times already ~
Oh, it's on netflix instant watch by the way! So you can watch it on there without any annoying (viki) ads!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This was such a cute drama. I feel like that's the only word to describe this. There were many aspects of the drama I loved and some I couldn't stand but still, I already feel like rewatching it.The plot is kind of typical, strict male lead, bubbly female lead, certain circumstances happen and they end up living together. Not going to lie, the first few episodes, though interestingly funny, nothing much happens. You kind of just wait for the story to move along, but after a certain episode everything just started to move along nicely.
Acting/Cast I seriously loved! I loved all the officer workers, the families, the randoms etc everyone! Everyones role was perfectly scripted and they were a big part of this whole drama. By the end of the drama I felt so attached to all the character that their happiness low-key made me a little teary eyed :'D but I especially liked Kate & Princess. It was refreshing to see friends being a strong support system (not sure how to describe this without spoilers).
Though Puff's character was a bit annoying and naive at times, I liked her character and her acting wasn't half bad, this was the only drama I've watched her in so based on Just You, i liked her. Now Aaron. Woo. That is a handsome man. I haven't really watched a drama with him in a long time. I love his acting. The process of his character changing was perfect to me. It wasn't anything too obvious or too slow. I think that's a big part as to why I liked this drama too.
Music overall was nice to listen to. The them song was cute but I think my favorite was the insert song (I'm Your Cat) I liked how the beginning was played in certain scenes. Sounds weird but I like weird things like that.
Definitely will be watching this drama again ~!
Was this review helpful to you?
The plot didn't really attract me when I first read it but considering everyone mostly had good reviews I gave this a try and I can't really describe why I liked it so much but I did. The story moved along nicely for 16 episode. There are always going to be thing that I think were dragged on for longer than needed, it's the same for this drama, but I still enjoyed it a lot. With it being 16 episode, I felt the ending was weirdly rushed but it was still a really good ending! It was rushed but still somehow worked out without making you feel like there is still something missing.
Now the cast..Had to admit, I almost dropped this drama after the first episode. I couldn't stand Hsia Kimi's character at all. It was so over the top and immature I felt my hands cringing when her voice would get too high. That being said, I stuck it out and I can say her character gets so much better as the episodes go on. So if you get think about dropping, just stick through it! Her character starts maturing while still have that "natural innocence" and I liked her character by the time the drama ended.
Chris Wu. woooo. I can't lie, at first I just thought of his character as Hua Tuo Ye and was ehh about him but I seriously loved his character and his acting! His character didn't really change that much (change in a bad way I mean) So it's easy to say he gained another fan.
Supporting cast was great too. I loved the band members, the assistant, Wei Zhen's friends/supporters everyone fit their role perfectly whether it be a good or bad character.
Music was kind of weird. They dubbed the music over and it was really just awkward. But overall the music that was used was too good. I love Mayday! this was the only drama where I would sit through the opening just to listen to the song. The insert songs and ending theme are just as amazing.
Overall, such a nice drama. Not too many cliches or I guess delays in the plot. Will probably rewatch this again in the near future.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story line isn't exactly unique but I loved it. This was such a good love story. Didn't move me to tears but the actors chemistry was so great that I believed I was watching someones real life story instead of a movie.
What I also love is that there wasn't much talking between the two leads but you could just see and sense the love. Which is why I scored acting so high. Their eye gazes. certain movements and gestures where more than enough, more than words could say I guess.
Only think that I can complain about is that I feel like some things were left unanswered, not sure if that's just me though. Things moved fast and some things I was confused about why a certain situation happened but it's a movie and i don't expect it explain every single thing.
I'm glad I stumbled upon this, It's a mature love story and it's a lot different than other dramas/movies I usually watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Plot was okay to me, don't know much about trot music. I feel like it had a good start but somehow after it was all finished, I felt as if a few pieces from the story were still missing. As a whole, it was good. But if you stop and think about certain aspects of this drama, you'll realize a lot was left out.
Cast wise, loved them. Eunji is perfect. Has that innocent look but can be strong at the same time. She wasn't an overpowering strong female lead but she didn't need to be and I'm glad she wasn't. This is the first drama I've watched with Hyun Woo and he isn't hard on the eyes that's for sure. His acting was perfect to me. Emotional scenes, comical scenes and all that in between were great. And them together made for a perfect couple with great chemistry! As for Sung Rok, I loved his carefree attitude in the beginning, was a great second male lead. Everyone else was great too, the coach, loan sharks, evil mothers, Byul, managers etc they were all perfect ~
Music, like i said, I don't know much about trot but boy did I fall in love with it with this drama. Sad that their OSTs don't have actual trot but listening to Eunji sing all those songs she did was so soothing.
I'd say the only down point was how the last episode was handled. I felt they spent too much time with (insert kdrama cliche) that by the time the last episode came, they were spending too much time with other drama instead of focusing on the "happy ending" and I'm not going to lie, I wanted more for the ending. It was cute and could make on smile, but I was hoping for more.
Overall, it's a good drama. Glad I watched it and I'll probably come back just to listen to Eunji sing the trot songs ~
Was this review helpful to you?
I feel the story as a whole is not very realistic, but for how everything was set up I thought it flowed pretty well, almost had me thinking something like this can actually happen.
The cast is what single handedly made this drama so great. The two leads had such great chemistry, their scenes together, whether it be funny, lovable or sad, always felt so sincere and real. The supporting cast was just as great. Xin Yi's family added that perfect comedic relief, same for the grandmother and assistant. Everyone was casted perfectly in my opinion.
I saw a few reviews complaining about how long this drama was and how things dragged but I didn't get that. Though this drama is 24 episodes long, I felt i got through the first 15 or so fairly quickly. 16 through 22 could be seen as dragged out episodes but to me the episodes flowed so well and complications lasted only a few episodes instead of 5 or more.
Music wasn't exactly in my taste, Mainly cutesy songs but the insert song by Walkie Talkie and their instrumentals really got you into whatever mood the drama had at that moment.
Overall, this is probably one of my favorite Taiwanese dramas to date. There was enough seriousness, a good punch of foolishness and of course cuteness from pretty much the whole cast. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who is considering (and would watch before the Korean Ver.) Such a great watch, extremely satisfied!
Was this review helpful to you?
I can completely understand why. It was different that other dramas I've been watching and though it lacked certain aspects that I usually love, it was such a refreshing drama.
I'll just warn people who aren't good with scary movies, the first maybe 7 episodes have ghost that may scare you. So i'd suggest watching during the day. Not going to lie, I had to pause a few times in certain episodes because the music just gets to me ;~~; But please don't let that stop you from watching this!
The story didn't really grab my attention but the first episode got me hooked on watching to be honest. Usually the first episode is usually the hardest to watch but the characters grabbed my attention and pulled me in to watching more.
I adored this cast. Everyone was picked perfectly! After watching I can't imagine anyone else playing the roles. This is my first So Ji Sub/Gong Hyo Jin drama and both were perfect. So Ji Sub's acting was hilariously great. His gestures and the way he talked made me become a fan. And I know some people complained about Gong Hyo Jin's acting but her acting for Tae Gong Shi makes sense when you get deeper into the drama. The supporting cast was great too. From the aunt, uncle, other loves, secretary, Kingdom workers etc I loved everyone that was casted.
One thing I really, really loved about this drama was the soundtrack. Touch Love is such an amazing song. It was on repeat even before I watched this drama. All About was a more upbeat song that was great as an insert. The instrumentals of the OSTs and the piano pieces were flawlessly perfect.
I am so content with this drama. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and I already want to rewatch this drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
I just want to say how refreshing it was to see a female lead who stood her ground. She was strong, had a good job, and thankfully there wasn't any unnecessary drama because both sides didn't dwindle on anything for more than a few minutes in the episodes.
Story was a little..too unrealistic but it is a drama. typical rich guy, average girl just with a different twist on how they meet. But I liked both of the main characters and the supporting cast. Yoon Eun Hye and Kang Ji Hwan had good chemistry together. The funny scenes with them were probably the best thing about this whole drama.
I do feel that this drama was dragged on and shouldn't have been 16 episodes long. somewhere in the middle is was getting a little boring and you'd (possibly) start skipping through scenes. I could see this being 14 episodes and still being good. Also, I don't know how to say this without spoiling so I'll try and describe this without much detail. There was something I didn't like about how the two leads started to get closer. It didn't seem right, like there wasn't a flow for Kang Ji Hwan's character. It seemed his personality did a complete 180 and though adorable, threw me off a little. Maybe that'll make more sense when you watch it.
One thing I really did like was the music, especially one song by M to M. It was a perfect insert song and has been on repeat for a while.
Not sure if I'd ever rewatch this entire drama again, maybe i'll watch an episode or two that I know I liked but once was enough for me. I would recommend this drama to those who are bored and have nothing to watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
I feel the plot is kind of a cliche but written well, it can be great. And I honestly loved this drama. The actors were great, the progress was good, and overall probably one of my favorite Korean dramas.
I'll admit I only started watching this because of Song Ji Hyo. I haven't seen too much of her work and I'll also admit at times I did see "Running Man's Ace Mong Ji" from time to time during the drama. I feel it just can't be helped though.
I adored the chemistry between Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hyuk. They fit together so perfectly in my opinion. Their cute scenes, fighting scenes, funny scenes etc were great to watch.
The supporting cast was great too. I can't remember all the names but I felt all the family members, interns, doctors and nurses were great. They had enough screen time to move the plot along and were just as important as the main leads. And can I just say the emotional scenes got me wiping the tears away. And that baby. He was so adorable!
One thing I do have to say is that I feel this drama could've been maybe a couple episodes shorter. Some things dragged just a little and I'm glad they didn't make it more than 21 episodes. Compared to others though, the plot being dragged on isn't as bad. Episodes moved by quickly so it honestly didn't feel like I watched 21 episodes.
Music was okay. Same background music and whatnot. Oh, I loved the sound effects that were always used. It just made things even funnier.
This is also one of the few times where I was happy with the ending. When the flashbacks of the drama and bloopers started playing, I sat in front of my laptop feeling satisfied. Wish there could be a special or something later on.
I would definitely watch this drama again and recommend it to anyone. It's a good drama to watch during down time.
Was this review helpful to you?
Story was interesting. Not anything too exciting. But it really kept me hooked. The whole time I was trying to guess the outcome, while already having a few suspicions, but I couldn't figure it out completely which made me want to keep watching.
Besides Arashi, I liked the supporting cast. I especially liked Kuroki Meisa. I don't know what it is about her, but I really like her. The supporting cast kept giving hints about certain things that was happening and kept making me wanting to guess what was coming next.
This was good to watch when you are bored or in a slump from your other dramas. Would definitely recommend this, especially if you like Arashi (;
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
After reading reviews on this drama and finally watching it, I'd have to say I agree with what a lot of people have said.This had a typical kind of story, rich guys, poor girls etc. But there was just something different about this drama. There was just something unique about this drama. I can't even put my finger on why or what made it unique. Maybe it was the all of the cast with a mix of the fun instrumental music that's played in every episode. I honestly can't say without giving spoilers away.
I absolutely loved this cast! The chemistry with all the actors was simply amazing. This is the first time where I loved every character, and that is simply hard to do. I couldn't even help liking the "bad guys". The main girl had such a strong personality and wasn't easily bullied. She would fight back. Which is something I wish more dramas would have. Lord knows how many times I almost punched my screen because the main girl can't stand up for herself.
Can I just say that Ji Sung & Jaejoong are some serious eye candy! First time watching a drama with both of them and I was impressed. I didn't expect Jaejoong's character to be like how he was with Ji Sung's character. And this was literally the first time where I didn't hate "The Other Girl" (Ji Hye's character) Yeah, when you first see her you think, oh lord, now the drama starts. But seriously right after that feeling I liked her! She was always fun to have in the scenes, she made me laugh a lot actually.
Wasn't much music besides a few songs and a few instrumental songs, but it all fit perfectly.
I would've given this drama a higher score but I honestly felt the last few episodes were unneeded. By 15 I wanted it to be the last episode but they kept dragging the last 3 episodes with a storyline that I felt could've been done within one.
But other than that, great great drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
Most of the film is focused through a flashback. It was extremely easy to follow, you knew exactly what was going on and why. The beginning seemed a little bit boring to me but that lasted for 10 or so minutes.
The cast, oh my god the cast. This is the first work I've seen from Joong ki (well completed anyways) and I am completely blown away by his acting in this. He barely had any dialogue but seemed to be acting just as well as everyone else. He really embraced his role. His eyes and facial expressions can say A LOT, literally killing me heart.
This is also my first time watching something with Bo Young in it & wow. I've watched countless movies and dramas were actresses cry and it's just like, oh wow that's so fake it hurts. But Bo Young's crying scenes were great. Everything felt so real. I give her so much credit for her A+ acting. The supporting cast was amazing too. The bad guy, the parents, the children etc. I loved everyones role.
Music was perfect in the sense that they played the right kind of music at the right time.
Overall, such an amazing movie. bawled my eyes at towards the end. The ending left a sort of lump in my throat. (watch and you'll understand). Also would like to add that this movie had some extremely cute parts to where I had to keep rewinding because I couldn't handle Joong Ki's cuteness.
I don't know if i can handle watching this again, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone that's debating on this. Stop, just watch & enjoy.
Was this review helpful to you?
I'm usually not into crime/detective dramas but there was just something about this drama that kept me hooked.
The story seemed quite unique to me (I know this is the Japanese ver of the Korean one) Everything that happened in the drama was brilliant. I want to describe in detail on what I mean but I don't want to spoil it. I'll just say the way everything turned out made sense. There are always those movies or shows that have confusing parts where you sit there and go"..but how/why?" Everything was pretty much clear.
The cast, Oh how I loved the cast. This was the first drama I've watched with Toma being so serious. Besides the fact that most of the time he was running and screaming lines that probably didn't need to be shouted, I thought he did a great job.
But Ohno. Oh my god Ohno. I knew he could act but I never knew how well he could act. He played off that Angelic/somewhat bad character so well.
Both of their crying scenes always felt so real. A+
The supporting cast was perfect too. Maybe 1 or 2 characters I felt could've had different actors but overall I thought the cast was great.
Music wise, all I can remember is Arashi's song for the theme. Which I felt fit perfectly with the whole story. (I've already liked that song since it came out so that's why I gave music a 10)
As for rewatching, I probably won't be rewatching this drama anytime soon or possibly at all. I feel like dramas with suspense can really only be watched once. But I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone who's considering watching it!
Was this review helpful to you?
