rad_lisette
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The plot often turns violent, twisted and sexy as all of the 4 main characters become entangled in this game that is supposedly centered around "love".
The drama challenges you and there are some interesting discussions about this drama on Soompi's forums that are quite interesting to read through. Either you'll love this drama or you will hate it.
There is no stereotypical character. Each and every one of the main characters are imperfect beings, acted to perfection by the actors all across the board.
This drama is also Eric's (Shinhwa) best role to date. His character was hard to really like and his portrayal brought some humanity to his character.
To me, the highlight of this drama was the witty and strong dialogue, compared to other Korean dramas.
All in all, a lovely and intense drama that stands above the other Korean melodramas out there.
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Bleak Night can be uncomfortable at times because it addresses issues like bullying, friendship (in a high school setting), the power (both good and bad) of words, and all the angst and insecurities that come along with being a teenager.
The story is told through a series of flashbacks, which takes some getting used to. The camera work is interesting, as a lot of the shots seem to be hand-held and the color palette of the film is quite gray and drab.
I was completely mesmerized by Lee Je Hoon in this film. Every time he came on screen, my eyes were glued to him. He was definitely the highlight of this film in terms of acting, even if his character isn't necessarily the most likable. Overall, the acting of the cast in this drama is on the better end of the spectrum. All the characters are well portrayed.
My only two gripes with the film: One, there is no explanation of the main character's relationship with his parents and there is a lack of a clear cut ending that satisfied me.
Still, a highly recommended film that shows the darker side of teenage friendships and one of the best South Korean films of the year 2010.
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This review may contain spoilers
I finally watched this film after hearing all this hype and hullabaloo about it from my friends. I had the impression that this would be romantic or sensual ... but by the end of the film, I realized that to me, this film was about a deep friendship. STORY-
The plot was interesting. It showed how minstrels exposed tyranny through the shows that they performed. And the shows were hilarious and bawdy and fun and campy.
My favorite moment in the film was when Gong Gil and Captain act out as two blind beggars and end up hugging on a hill top. What a beautiful moment. What chemistry. The cinematography in the film was amazing, by the way. The movie could have used more cheerful and fun interactions between these two main characters.
By the end, however, I got impatient. Maybe I could tell what was going to happen next and I was bored. I don't know. The end of the movie lost its steam.
ACTING/CAST -
Fantastic acting from the 3 main male leads.
Lee Jun Ki is so pretty... it's that great skin and his sensitive eyes. But he really was quite convincing as the fragile Gong -gil who amazingly has a lot of inner strength. It was interesting to watch the lovely Jun Ki sashay around.
Gam Woo Sung is a great actor, this I knew after watching him in the drama Alone In Love. He was really believable as the Captain. And his loyalty to Gong Gil is so touching.
And the King was in a class of his own with his psychotic behavior. Jung Jin Yeong never disappoints me.
MUSIC-
Honestly, I don't remember the soundtrack to this movie.
MY COMMENTS-
Overall, an interesting and lovely film. Great acting, an interesting and unique story line, and vivid cinematography. I don't regret watching this.
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One, I loved the message that the drama brings to the table, which I elaborate on further below.
And Two, it was fun to see some leading jdrama actors (Oguri Shun, Narimiya Hiroki, Yamapi, and Ninomiya) before they hit their peaks of popularity.
STORY-
The drama is about a group of 4 high school friends and all the crazy things that they get into in the process of losing their virginity.
They also reunite with their childhood friend Chie (Suzuki Anne), who seems to have her own reasons for coming back into their neighborhood.
The story is written well, with a perfect balance of comedy and touching moments between friends and family. The plot twists are interesting and I was quite invested in the characters. I usually hate love triangles with a passion, but this drama managed to do a believable and sweet love triangle that I actually connected with emotionally.
At its heart, STAND UP! is a coming of age drama with a focus on sex and friendship.
ACTING/CAST-
Great acting all across the board. Tons of character development and fun minor characters.
Ninomiya really impressed me with his portrayal of Sho: he played insecure, naive, and adorkable very well
Also, Suzuki Anne took the Chie's character and made her into a sweet and endearing female lead.
MUSIC-
Pretty decent soundtrack featuring Arashi.
LAST THOUGHTS-
Though this is a teen sex comedy, there is a good amount of character development, so it's worthwhile to watch. There are also positive messages throughout the drama which reinforce that love is more better than sex. And not to fall into peer pressures. And that sex has consequences. And friends are awesome!
One of my favorite j dramas for its laughs and for its heart.
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Great acting from the cast, in particular, from the leads, in which this film was their acting debut. Shawn Dou was great as the hunky lead male (great smile!) and Zhou Dongyu was lovely as the naive lead female. My only gripe: the male lead character seemed to be a bit too perfect and angelic and it would have been nice to have some more dimension to his character.
Even though the film is set during the end of the Cultural Revolution, there isn't too much emphasis on politics. This is a pure love story at its best with the interactions between the main characters at the forefront.
The film also has amazing cinematography. The color palette isn't striking but there is a nice contrast between the village and the city landscapes.
Recommended for those who enjoy those simple and pure love stories.
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The plot follows a special team of detectives that work together to solve cases that only have a "10%" chance of being cracked. The cases are dark and twisted and wonderfully portrayed.
Each member of the team has an interesting backstory and is played to perfection. Joo Sang Wook was amazing as the "less than noble" team leader with the soulful eyes. My favorite character overall, was Kim Sang Ho's lazy bum-detective character who is actually quite clever.
TEN has amazing cinematography and visual effects ... it seems a lot more artistic than the usual cop drama. The music is also lovely. BREATHE by Mad Soul Child is a hauntingly amazing song.
Overall, a slick and exciting mystery series that features great acting. Can't wait for the movie that will conclude the cliffhanger at the end of episode 10.
;)
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Heartbreaking and exciting all at once. The plot was quite well written and there was good acting all across, but to me, Lee Seo Jin and Kim Min Joon, the 2 male leads, stole the show with their heartfelt acting.
The only drawback was the shoddy action sequences. The aerial flying was a bit amateurish but the plot and the dialogue and the characters itself are all so riveting, that the action choreography doesn't matter.
Highly recommended.
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No glamorous idol stars all coiffed and styled. No sophisticated houses and office buildings.
Just funky hair and quirky outfits and ordinary neighborhoods and parks. That was quite refreshing to me.
This drama is laugh out loud funny and random and quirky and fun.
Is there a real, structured plot? Not really. But is it enjoyable and wacky? HECK YES.
Lee Hana and Ji Hyun Woo did a great job as the lead roles and they had fabulous chemistry together.
Also, Ji Hyun Woo's hair was lovely in this drama. Wang Bit Na deserves a special mention because she was amazing as So Ran, the spoiled rich girl. Loved every scene with her in it.
If you are in the mood for a crazy, light hearted drama that doesn't require too much emotional investment, this is a good drama to check out.
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Basically, the drama follows a loving and warm family as they deal with the mother's illness and then her death and their life afterwards. Everything is handled quite delicately and the various storylines with all the many characters just mesh quite well together.
Kamiki Ryounosuke as Horo was a standout character in my opinion, as the narrator of the drama. His interactions with his family members and his friends were all so poignant.
Overall, a meaningful and deep family drama that addresses the depth of familial love.
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The highlight of the drama was the array of interesting and well written characters.
Also, the acting in the drama was top notch. But then again we are talking about Jang Hyuk and Han Suk Kyu and Song Joong Ki here. All very charismatic and intense actors in their own ways.
The cinematography was an absolute delight for the eyes. The settings and the costumes used in the drama series were exquisite.
The plot was engaging and full of the appropriate twists and turns. Who knew that a sageuk about Hangul (sounds like a snooze fest at face value) could be so amazing?
My only gripe is that the story started to lose my a bit of my interest towards the last quarter. Other than that, a wonderful and engaging drama series.
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STORY AND ACTING/CAST -
Want to see a heroine in a Korean drama who can kick butt and take names? Watch this drama.
Han Groo is impressive and charismatic as the female lead who was trained as an assassin once her mother is killed in front of her very eyes. She never acts cute or pretty or stupid (It's freaking refreshing).
The drama stands out to me because it is 3 episodes of slick fight sequences and good cinematography and devilish villains played to perfection.
LAST THOUGHTS
A great watch for those craving a short and gritty drama with tons of action.
And a word of caution: the drama does have a lot of violent and sexual sequences as well.
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Each brother has their own issues and struggles and the drama takes the viewer on a journey of growth with them.
The drama has the right balance between the serious and the comedic moments.
The cast is wonderful all across. Each character is portrayed to perfection. My favorite was Tanaka Misako as the disgruntled and lazy mother.
A lovely family drama with a good amount of laughs and heart.
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ACTING - Matsushita Nao was charming as usual.In fact, if her character, Yuriko, was portrayed by another actress, I wonder how much I would have enjoyed her role. Matsushita always manages to give off this wholesome and sweet vibe when she acts. And she was absolutely adorable with Inocchi (V6) as the main couple. The rest of the cast were quite good as well and portrayed their characters well. I would have loved it if the drama had gone deeper into the lives of the 4 brothers.
MUSIC - I really loved the ending credits song, Kono Sekai ni Umareta Wake by FUNKY MONKEY BABY.
Overall, Hayami-san to Yobareru Hi is a heartwarming family drama that really draws you into the lives of the Hayami family.
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The plot was fantastic and left me intrigued after every episode.
The overall vibe of the drama is strange with tons of dry humor (totally Odagiri's style).
Odagiri and Kuriyama portray an attractive detective duo, who have solid chemistry and plenty of bickering between themselves.
The ending left me wanting a second season.
Also, upon visiting several forum discussions, it seems that there is a lot of cultural symbols and subtle messages in this drama that hint at certain things. A re-watch of this drama after some research/pondering is definitely suggested.
Overall, this is a twist to the typical police/mystery drama with tons of crazy characters and dry humor.
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Kang Ji Hwan was quite lovely as the main character and his acting stood above the rest of the cast.
The plot moves quite well, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. By the last third of the series, however, I started to feel that the plot was getting a bit repetitive and not as engaging. The ending was a bit predictable to me, but, it was still touching and hopeful.
But all in all, a quite satisfying and suprisingly meaningful drama.
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