4
10
2
Neaa
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
This review may contain spoilers
Too many irons in the fire
The show had great potential concept wise. A female funeral director itself was a great start. But there were just too many things going on at once. I think whatever they picked was done nicely except the ex-girlfriend arc that was unnecessary and time consuming especially with how it was closed.The good part about the show was that it is a warm watch with nothing over dramatic or nonsensical. It shows you how every good deed is eventually rewarded in some way. It also shows how important it is to live every moment preciously.
The acting was good. My favourite characters were the Priest and Vincent.
What I didn’t like about the show was they had too many things going on and they weren’t closed off properly.
- The ex girlfriend arc was pointless. Especially how she was sidelined with no closure. Her character had no impact on the story and had way too much screen time.
- The ML’s trauma was not construed properly - he was going through self blame and gave a lot of shit to his ex for the same but he recovered pretty quickly without confronting his guilt or pain or whatever. His character needed more depth.
- Needed a bit more on the 21 people - expected the show to be more slice of life.
All in all, too many things seemed rushed but I guess the last episode saved it. The last episode was heart warming and a very good wrap up to the whole supernatural thing. Be good and do good.
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Romance - Yes, Slice of Life - Yes, Law - No
Story:Initially it was an interesting story about a pro-bono lawyer trying to make legal services accessible to all, but the theme was lost in the middle and changed to a personal vendetta which was expected, but it eventually led to anti climatic ending which was totally disappointing.
My point being - focus on one thing and do it correctly. I just felt like they tried to make it fluffy as well as serious and did not deliver anything properly. To not give away any spoilers, the main antagonist character had no depth. Intially he was accused for something and by the end it was about something else. I loved his acting and there was so much they could have done. But his ending was just comic.
The romance was good. The actors had good chemistry and it was consensual and respectful (way too respectful at times). But I felt like they had so many side characters but they didn't have enough screen time. They were totally supporting the main characters and did not have any story line of their own, which I found disappointing as I was looking forward to their back story.
Acting :
LSG's acting needs no validation. The FL was good but I didn't like her "crying". It didn't invoke any emotions.
Conclusion:
Despite my rant, it was a decent one time watch. There was one crime in the start of the series that I will never forgive the writers for but overall it was a good watch. Episodes 1-12 were entertaining but the rest were fillers. I wished they used the last few episodes to focus on side characters. The romance was fluffy with no cliche drama. It has it own drama but not the cliche tropes.
Reason to watch it : LSG (who never ages) and non-angsty fluffy romance.
Reason to not watch it : if you're looking for a law drama, this ain't it.
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Delicious cake but half baked
If you were to ask if you should watch it - Yes.From a light hearted BL standpoint with a good plot, this drama does justice. It was cute as well as a little emotional. But they put so much on the plate that you wanted to taste it all but couldn't.
For a 8x15 episodes, it was enjoyable and a great one time watch. It showed how you want something and are scared that it might become an obsession. But the heart wants what it wants. I wished they worked more on how they differentiated between love (and need) and obsession.
The story had potential to be a good 16 episode drama. There was a supernatural element and a mystery element with gay romance, side bromance and a traditional family.
But it was like we got a little bit of everything but were left craving for more (but not in a good way).
Without spoiling, I'd say that if you're adding a mystery, provide some closure to it. The romance and co-dependency element of the leads was done okay, but there was so much more that could have been developed in terms of how they come in terms with their feelings (I conclude that they both settled that their exclusive need for the other person is love) and also, I wished for a some more details about the side characters.
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This review may contain spoilers
Stop looking for steak and try cabbage instead
The plot is simple. A 29 year old woman who forms an image of a Mr Right or Steak as she calls it, after a breakup, and doesn't want to settle for anything less. During Covid, she meets someone in an online game and hits it off. But will it be the same when she meets the guy in person? Is he her Mr Right or will she impose the idea of her perfect man on him?And it's not just about her perspective. The drama has several characters who are all trying their best in life.
The story is realistic and talks about the insecurities and struggle that comes with online dating. It also talks about the impact of Covid in working space as well as personal relationships.
I personally wanted one more episode. Or 15 more minutes to see how they would work it out in the future ( and Misaki finding out all the office secrets).
In terms of acting, I found it very realistic. And that's the thing about japanese dramas. Both the acting and stories are relatable. It's not a fairytale romance or a domineering CEO kind. It's something we might see in every day life.
What you should expect: Slice of life. Realistic scenarios. Expectation vs reality when it comes to online dating. All kinds of love - young, middle aged and mature.
What you should not expect: Skinship. Lot of bubbly cdrama/kdrama like moments or romantic gestures.
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Warm and Fuzzy
No arranged marriage cliches of push and pull or making the partner miserable before falling for them. It was a simple drama about two people who marry out of a government experiment but fall for each other gradually while living together and finding out nice things about each other. The ML and FL are both people who do not have experience with romantic relationships, so they take their time to trust the other person.I won't say it was a slow romance but it was more about becoming a family for each other.
The acting was nice. The actress is quite young and it is her first drama but she has an infectious smile. The side characters do not have a storyline of their own, but contribute nicely to the main story.
Jdramas for me are always about the warm fuzziness and this was the same. I'd say the first half was stronger than the second half but it wasn't boring.
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Your friends turn lovers romance with good acting
Plot: A girl who is allergic to tears and a guy who tries to protect her in his own way. Childhood friends who part because of a misunderstanding meet again as colleagues. The ML is a top shot in Investment banking and the girl is a newbie with potential. When they meet again, the guy again tries to protect her in his own way while the girl has plans of her own. Along side, the FL has a really sweet friend who dotes on the FL so much (She takes care of her like a mum). She falls in love at first sight with a geek who knows nothing except algorithms.The plot isn't heavy. It's based of tidbits of their everyday lives and how they fall in love while surviving the challenges of corporate lives. The story isn't slow or rushed and I find the plot well paced. There are no major misunderstandings or overuse of cliches. Also, there's a super lazy dog. All the side characters fit well in the plot and you don't feel like they didn't get enough screen time.
Acting: I was scarred by Leo in Ashes of love (amazing acting but the character wasn't my fave). So it took me a while to get used to his nice guy character. But he was adorable. Both him and Bai Lu have an amazing chemistry. I loved their acting. Bai Lu's character or acting wasn't the overly shy or soft type which was a breath of fresh air.
It has a business plot but isn't overused. It's basically a sweet gradual romance with great acting. One drawback was what they did to one of the side characters who was having a good character development. It would have been better if they wrapped it up at 30 eps and didn't have the fast forward by 2 years in the last 6 eps just to flaw the otherwise really good drama. But they did compensate by an adorable last episode.
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Just a filler drama
The plot revolves around the romance between a hotel trainee and the boss. I was expecting stories about customers and everyday encounters of trainees but that was minimal. It was mainly around the couple. The first half was good - cute and fluffy. The second half was tiring - annoying unreasonable characters and the FL being over dramatic. The drama lacks plot but compensates by fluff (but I've seen better fluff).The acting is very average. I like Eden Zhao and he's the reason I got through. But apart from that the other characters were not well developed. The FL was very unreasonable at times, which was hard to watch.
It's an okay watch. I would recommend this only if you're in between dramas, and need a light hearted -no plot- kind of watch. The direction had some issues. The scenes felt like clips put together at times. Made you doubt if you've missed a scene in between.
Plus Point : Fluffy. Cute and non-toxic ML. Never gets very angsty.
Negative points: Only focused on main characters and other characters (though plenty) were under-developed. Too many cliches.
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Story (7) - The story is about a boy who is living with his overprotective mother who becomes naggy and close to paranoid after her husband left her for a man. He then finds out that his father left his insurance money to his partner on his death. While the mother chases the lover for the money, we understand both his and her circumstances.
Acting (9) - Roy at his best. From being aloof to bringing you down to tears, I fell in love with him.
Overall (7)
The movie was short and simple but touching. We can define a boundary for right and wrong but most of the time, it is just grey. A man who has a hard time accepting his sexuality, and he rejects the guy he loves to marry a woman, only to abandon her for his lover later. Not justifiable but understandable. But what was the woman’s fault or the lover’s? Both were left at love’s disposal. This is not a spoiler but basically the pretext. The movie is just an emotional ride to understanding how every one is just trying to be happy.
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Story - 6.5
The FL is a rich spoilt brat and the ML is the most caring and forgiving person to ever exist in dramaland. Though the FL gets involved with the ML as a game but the ML is always sincere towards her. I cant really comment much without being spoilerish - but the story would have been better if they had improved the FL’s character a little. Overall, the message I got from the story is that no two relationships should be judged on the same parameters - just because two people started right doesn’t mean they can’t be wrong and just because two people started wrong, does not mean they can’t be right. Also, stop being arrogant and over-dramatic in life, Nai don’t exist for real.
Acting/Cast - Great acting by everyone. Jirayu has now become my favourite Thai actor (Sorry, Push). My favourite character was the Mom. She was clearheaded and no-bullshit and no - drama person. She did not ever let anyone get to her or destroy her awesomeness. I loved Nai’s character as well except that being so nice and forgiving is unrealistic. I cannot even imagine.
Music/Rewatch - Average.
If you’re a lakorn person, do try.
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1. Amazing Cast - I know Nam Joo Hyuk and Suzy were being considered for this show. But sorry, I don’t think they could have brought the intensity that this cast did - especially the FL. JKY and JKJ might be newbies, but the kind of emotions that they conveyed through their expressions, with no words needed, was commendable- the evil smile that Na Moo would break into or the confidence that Nak Won would wear, these two people were made for this role. And the child actors - oh my god - they are a new generation of Ji Sung and Jung Eum coming up- so much potential. I think the child actors were the best part about the drama. All the supporting cast and villains were also incredible.
2. Story - The truth has been spoken - Romance Thrillers are my favourite genre. The drama was not fast paced but was not boring. It was full of emotions - no cliches. I loved how noone blamed anyone and tried to fight for each other’s happiness. This is melodrama done right.
3. Cinematography - I loved the settings - Cherry blossoms and house on the hills. Even when there was eerieness, it was worth watching.
If you are looking for something to watch, please try this. Highly Recommended.
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Life hack- Everything can be solved, if you just talk it out.
Acting/Cast (10) - Nishikido Ryo is my favourite Japanese actor. He is also the only actor that can make me cry - just by his expressions. And he did not disappoint me. Mayu was a treat as well, and despite the age gap, their chemistry was heartwarming. Also, all the side characters were lovable - despite their quirks. From an acting standpoint, you could feel the emotions properly conveyed.
Music (9) - This show has small musical dream segments in between. Most of them starting with the line - “He had the eyes of a deadfish”. At first, I did not know how to take it in, since it felt a little over the top but later I was looking forward to them. The music was catchy and they were hilarious. I have been replaying them now.
Rewatch Value (8) - Maybe some fine day, when I am not feeling good, I’ll rewatch this to warm me up.
Overall (9) - It is a perfect, feel good, slice of life drama. If you’re looking for a story with plot twists and melodrama or villains, this has none of it. It is just an everyday journal of two ordinary people trying to make each other happy.
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What I liked about this show is the take on marriage. Some people want to get married but cannot because of various circumstances. Some people do not want to get married because they are scared of being tied down. And then there are people who have nobody but need and want somebody.
The story is about whether these people can deal with their expectations and still be together.
It was normal and relatable. Like pages of a journal out of somebody’s life. I liked it for it’s simplicity. The male leads were cute, which was an icing to the cake. The acting and music were not bad.
Playlist global has been coming up with good webseries.
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Story: 8 - The story is about two families who fall prey to a tragedy, and have their lives intertwined while they seek justice. The story is laid out well, and you cannot help but feel the warmth of a family as well as the plight of a victim. It invokes several emotions- respect for a parent, loath for the criminal, pity for the victim. It shows how the rich can use their power both for good and bad. It shows how strangers can be more trustworthy than friends. Most importantly, it shows personal growth in times of adversity.
I just hoped there were few more episodes for character development. Though the story was wrapped up well, I still hope there were atleast 20 episodes.
Acting/Cast:9 - Moon Chae Won and Choi Jin Hyuk - They did not surprise me, as I was expecting them to deliver strong performances. Donghae and Min Hyuk were adorable as ever. Who surprised me was - Im Kang Sung- He was really cute and I liked his acting (will have to stalk him)
Music/Rewatch: 6.5 - The background music was not bad, but was not memorable. As for rewatch value, though I thorougly enjoyed it, I am not sure if I can rewatch it anytime soon.
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It was a simple story of how to make a marriage work. Its not always rainbows and butterflies, but as long as one is true to their loved ones, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. And that's love.
The acting, music and story were realistic. No twists and turns. No villains. It was calm and smooth sailing.
It could have been better but overall, It was a happy movie.
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I really connected to the drama since I was in an all-girls school and the concept of uniting two schools into co-ed sounded fun to me. And the best part is that they made it fun. All the students were shown struggling with their own battles, and I really loved how they together with the teachers could sought them out. I loved how the teacher was more of a friend to the students. It was really touching to watch him struggle to atone for his mistakes by making sure that he could bring happiness to the school.
I am in love with Nishikido Ryo. He was adorable! I don't really fall for sissy characters but he totally won me over. The way he adapted into the role of an innocent teacher trying his best while carrying the weight of the past was commendable.
Amazing acting and perfectly executed script. Though in the beginning I thought it was slightly perverted, there wasn't a second that I got bored.
It had a lot of good things to learn but what I found best was: Stop carrying the baggage from your past. If you have to say sorry, say it soon. If you want to say i love you, say it soon. Because with time, others might forget your mistakes, but you won't. You will have to live with them every single day. So the sooner you let go, the better, and then you can happily spend the rest of the time making things right. I loved how Hara Sensei turned into this incredibly amazing person with a warm heart in order to make up for his mistakes but through out the series I wished he didn't have to suffer so much.
A must watch! Beautiful story. Beautiful Cast. Beautiful Acting. Beautiful emotions.
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