prinny157
Overall: This is one of the most intense, heartbreaking, addicting dramas I've watched. All in all, a truly amazing drama.
Story/Acting: I usually dislike too much melodrama, but this drama is on a whole different level.
Be warned: this is a tearjearker! I honestly don't cry much at most dramas, so if I tear up more than once, it usually guarantees waterfalls for others. Heck, my own mother only watched half an episode and she was bawling within 10 minutes. The realistic, yet surprising script, along with Kakazu Issei's fantastic acting are really what pull this along. He outshined the adult actors in this movie. I don't often find endings that satisfy me, but this one was great.
Watch it, everyone! I recommend this drama because it is very sobering. Among the many lessons this drama teaches, it helps you to re-examine the relationships in your family, and helps you realize that there is a story behind everything.
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Park Shin Hye was great as both the fake and real Go Mi Nam. Her expressions were on point and she's great at emotional scenes as well.
I, like many, fell in love with adorkable Jeremy.
As much as I love Jung Yonghwa, his role felt a bit too lifeless. I think the fact that he was new to acting showed a bit. However, I liked Shin Woo over Hwang Tae Kyung. Although Jang Keun Suk's acting was perfect, the character was far from it. I felt that he was too harsh and I didn't like him a lot as a person.
However, all of the characters did have their moments.
I was also a little unsatisfied with the ending. I feel that if they had cut it off a few scenes earlier, it would have been perfect.
The music was another highlight, and the only thing that got a perfect score from me. It's been years, but I still sing some of the music from this drama - something very rare for me.
As much as I have criticized... The funny parts were hilarious. The melodrama wasn't too lengthy. The romance was cute. If only we could have seen more of the "real" Go Mi Nam.
I definitely recommend it if you want a lighthearted and sweet drama.
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The only thing I disliked is that half of the time, I found myself wanting to slap the characters. Nao especially, for not learning or thinking for herself. For example, in the revival round: "Akiyama's not here to save me so guess I'll just give up..." Really Nao?!
I found that the main antagonists had the typical pathetic bad guy syndrome, being too cocky and revealing their plans. Combine that with the annoying evil laughter, and...
The few exceptions were: Akiyama, Eto Koichi, Ishida Rie, and coordinator Eri. Although I had seen Matsuda Shota in Hana Yori Dango, his role as Akiyama made me a fan. It was acted perfectly. Akiyama is a genius and the most entertaining part of the drama is trying to figure out what he will do next.
I loved the main theme music and still enjoy listening to it.
I highly recommend this to everyone, especially those who like psychological dramas. It was suspenseful throughout and was a great brain teaser. I'll also warn that the special episode is partly recap, with some new scenes in between and at the end, so you can skip the recap parts.
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At first, I was skeptical of casting Yoochun as Lee Gak, but now that I've seen it, I wouldn't have picked anyone else. And although there's great chemistry between the leads, I think the ones who take it away are Lee Gak's special 3-man team. They add bits of pep and adorableness that keep the drama from becoming too overwhelming. I personally loved Chi San's cheerfulness and Yong Sool's loyalty and compassion (and soft spot for Park Ha). The ending stunned me and is probably my favorite ending in a drama.
I also love that the story actually connects to a historical legend. It was well-thought-out and well-balanced. Not too much melodrama, yay!
Go watch it now.
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I actually didn't find this movie annoying. The acting was superb. And let me say... I LOVE ETO KOICHI!
Above all, I loved the ending - the ending of the game, the last scene with Akiyama and Nao, and the ending of the movie (make sure to watch AFTER the credits for a special clip ;]). It was the perfect way to enforce the belief that trust and compassion can benefit more than greed. This movie actually made me squeal in delight a few times, something I didn't do for either season of the drama. This movie, for me, made the almost 20 hours of drama series worth watching.
I very highly recommend this, but only after watching the drama. The movie doesn't really stand on its own. You have to watch everything in order to fully appreciate the movie.
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Speaking of Akiyama, with each episode he seems to get more and more arrogant. I roll my eyes at the fact that Akiyama always has to one-up everyone, like his grudge against Katsuragi Ryou. I actually kind of felt bad for her. Also, right when I thought Nao finally beat Akiyama to an insight, Akiyama had, of course, "already thought of that." Fine, don't praise her for finally thinking for herself. Which brings me to my next point: if Akiyama is getting more and more cocky with every episode, Nao is getting less and less annoying/stupid/naive. She finally becomes a stronger player, which makes her goodwill even more endearing.
The games were as risky as usual, and the psychological battles even more intense. No longer is the game obviously Akiyama's. Oh, no... he has a competent rival - the only person ever to defeat him, Katsuragi Ryou. One thing I loved were the touching stories! Although I had quite a few complaints, it was overall a great sequel.
I do recommend this after watching the first season, but please don't stop here as the movie is a must-see! I also highly recommend the manga, which differs a bit from the drama in an intriguing way.
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Story/Acting: A pretty typical and sweet story about pursuing one's dreams.
Honestly, I watched this drama for Han Geng. The best part - what really saved it for me - was the relationship between the characters. Although most of them were a little bland for me, three really stood out: adorable Bo Ah, Xia Lei's stubborn daddy, and cocky but semi-decent guy Ding Xiao. Not to mention the scenes between Xia Lei and Momo. But if you're looking for romance, this is not the drama for you. The story occasionally bored me, and the ending was a bit flat. But it was a cute story about how dreams can be acheived through perseverance.
Music: Didn't stand out too much to me personally, but wasn't distracting either!
Rewatch Value: I don't usually rewatch dramas - especially average ones - so my score reflects that.
Would I recommend this? For Han Geng fans and people who have a strong dreams they are working toward, this might be an inspirational drama to watch. Otherwise, I wouldn't prioritize it.
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It was really cool to see Jang Keun Suk play such a twisted character; his acting was spectacular and he speaks English! The movie was really intriguing and had you thinking you knew who did it, only to switch your opinion again and again.
I recommend this to anyone! If you're not satisfied with not knowing the answer, check out the Wikipedia article AFTER you watch the movie. The case was reopened after the movie and culprit was found from DNA testing, 14 years after the murder occurred.
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I was a little wary about watching it at first, because I had read that the characters were overacted, something I can't stand. However, I disagree. I think the acting was quite appropriate for the drama; the characters are supposed to be a bit exaggerated.
I easily connected the characters from the manga/anime to the drama. Which brings me to casting. I had a problem with Tamaki. The acting was spot-on, and I loved Yamamoto Yusuke in Hana Kimi - his character was one of my favorites. However, I couldn't get past his face, which didn't match up with my vision of how Tamaki should look. I also originally had a problem with Honey-senpai, but I grew to like his character a lot. Daito Shunsuke was perfect as Kyouya, who was my favorite character in the drama. Mori and the twins were great too. The drama is very short, and each episode is always something fresh and somewhat independent. It's hilarious and adorable.
I would highly recommend this, especially to anyone who has read the manga or watched the anime.
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