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Story: Chen Xin Yi is a "sticky note girl". She's the type of girl everyone walks over and uses. At the beginning, she irritated me because she just stood there and *took* everyone's treatment of her. She didn't have the courage to stand up for herself. Meanwhile, Ji Cun Xi started out as the type of male lead who doesn't really care about other peoples' feelings, but not in such a way that it makes him seem like the biggest-jerk-you-have-ever-met. He's likable, but not exactly to the point where you would consider him amazing. I liked how the main leads didn't change (mainly) because of each other, but because *they* wanted to. In Xin Yi's case, the second-lead helped her through it and gave her that courage. I thought it was a refreshing change where Xin Yi actually gave the second lead a chance to get her affections, but in the end the show stuck with the whole "the heart likes who it likes" thing. That irritated me a little, because I thought he was a better choice for Xin Yi, but by that point Cun Xi had changed enough for me to begin to root for him, too.
And the second lead girl? I wanted to like her. I really did. And it wasn't like she was overly hateful either- I honestly thought I could root for her a little too- but the things she did and the way she treated the main characters was just too much.
Acting: Everyone was sort of okay. It wasn't like they were stellar or anything, but they worked as well as they could in their roles.
Music: The usage of the music wasn't that great- it popped up at random moments and sort of messed with the mood, but it was okay.
Rewatch Value: This drama is the first one I've seen that made me *cry*- and i have the emotional capacity of a brick. I'll rewatch parts of it whenever I need to convince myself that I have a heart after all.
In all seriousness though, I don't envision myself rewatching this in the near future. This is the sort of drama you like, but you don't love.
Overall: The mood and tone was pretty standard as far as Taiwanese Dramas go. But this one just tugs at your heartstrings in a completely different way.
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Story: When I first started watching this drama about a year ago, I really didn't want to watch it. At all. In the first episode, it was really difficult to like Hye Mi or any other characters. Hye Mi was overly proud and felt unrealistic, Baek Hi had no personality other than being Hye Mi's follower and I didn't have much sympathy with her and Jin Gook came out of nowhere and randomly decided to be the knight in Shining Armor and confused me. If you asked me what I thought about this drama back when I had only watched episode one, I would say that it's a waste of time and that there's much better out there. I understand that the writers were trying to set us up for the inevitable "change" in which everyone becomes better, but there's different ways of doing it so that the audience doesn't start out hating every single character. *Sigh* That was my biggest problem with this drama. The writers wanted to show how *much* the characters changed, going from one extreme to another. But the thing it, real people don't change so dramatically. We do it in subtle ways, so slowly and so quietly that we can't even tell unless we're forced to realize it. Months later I finally got around to watching episode two. It wasn't much better, but I have a policy that no matter what, I have to finish anything I start. I was pretty much prepared to give this drama a five and move on with my life, so my expectations were pretty low. Episode three was a little better, and so was episode four. It went on like that for a while, until I finally found myself liking "Dream High" instead of merely tolerating it. The main romance story really surprised me, because I had no idea who Hye Mi was going to wind up with until episode 15. I liked how the writers showed her interactions with both Sam Dong and Jin Gook and how all three of them slowly developed feelings. I also liked how the writers made it so that you could wind up liking characters you hated in the beginning- or at the very least wind up respecting them.
Acting: Taecyeon and Suzy were okay actors. They forced themselves sometimes, but they managed to decently convey the story when called upon. Kim Soo Hyun was amazing and pretty much carried the entire show with his portrayal of Sam Dong, Wooyoung and IU were cute, and everyone else ranged from good to amazing.
Music: As a music drama, music is the primary focus of "Dream High". The music here was targeted to a very specific age group, people from the ages of about 13-24-ish. It was young and upbeat, with all the actors' voices to carry the music.
Rewatch Value: I'd say there's a fair chance of me rewatching parts of this, but I probably won't for a while.
Overall: "Dream High" is an acquired taste. It sort of grows on you as you move along through the story. It's not the most amazing drama out there, but it brings something new to the table.
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Story: At first, I found Dok Mi to be overly sensitive. She locked herself up just because Do Hwi abandoned her. I expected my views of her to change over time, but that never really happened. The story only briefly mentions how Dok Mi's family abandoned her, but it never goes into specifics. I felt that after episode 12, the show could have dealt with her family instead of the overused go abroad arc. That way, I could have sympathized with her some more.
Acting: Yoon Shi Yoon and Kim Ji Hoon were pretty awesome in their roles. Enrique appeared to be a really hard character to play, but Yoon pulled it off without making Enrique seem too unrealistic and annoying. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of characters like Enrique because actors can't really pull them off that well. The actors make the character too annoying or too hyper, so it was nice to see what a character like that was supposed to be like. Jin Rak was that type of guy we all want but can never find, but his love wasn't as perfect as we'd like to believe. He was in love with the *idea* of Dok Mi- the perfect, innocent girl he thought her to be, not who she really was. Kim Ji Hoon was really good at portraying all the different emotions Jin Rak faced through his journey of learning about love. Kim Seul Gi and Go Kyung Pyo were adorable and well matched, Kouki Mizuta wasn't particularly amazing in delivering his lines (they felt forced at times), but he was good. Park Shin Hye is a difficult actress to rate because she fulfills expectations, but she doesn't really go beyond them. She's not particularly good when it comes to the more romantic aspects of dramas, and at times you could tell that she was forcing herself. She's one of those actresses who you don't really see as having a life outside of acting, and you don't really get a feel for what sort of person she is. In a way, that made it easier for her to play Dok Mi.
Music: The music was nice, but it wasn't amazing- to me, at least. It was kind of like something you would expect from a drama like this. Cute, a bit unoriginal, but kind of forgettable.
Rewatch Value: I don't exactly see myself rewatching this in the enar future. I might, but at the same time I don't think I will.
Overall: The story drags on in the last quarter, but the rest of this drama is pitch perfect. It's filled with interesting characters and is beautifully directed.
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So I sat down and watched the first two episodes, found it insanely stupid, and didn't go back to it for months. It sat on my "Currently watching" list for ages, collecting dust until I finally decided I might as well finish it.
Story: Once you get past the childish feel of the first few episodes, "Ramyun Shop" draws you in. I had to ignore some of the jokes, but it was actually enjoyable once you got into it. "Ramyun Shop" depicts first love, finding yourself and every other motif about growing up there is. The story is predictable- you know all the characters are going to change for the better, you know who the main character is going to wind up with- but the story manages to infuse enough unpredictability to make this drama unique. I wasn't onboard the whole 'older woman, younger guy' romance, but I got over that.
Acting: Jung Il-Woo. Need I say more? He pretty much carried the story with his acting. Cha Chi-Soo was a hilarious character, and I highly doubt anyone else could have pulled it off as well as Jung did. Leee Chung-Ah was okay, she fit the role well enough but I didn't particular like her. Lee Ki Woo was great in his role and all the other flower boys were adorable.
Music: Nothing I would listen to if I had the choice, but it was nice.
Rewatch Value: As much as I liked this drama, I am definitely not going to sit through it again. I can only take so many juvenile jokes and craziness.
Overall: The messages this show attempts to teach are nothing new, but they were conveyed in a heartfelt and sincere way. Overall, this drama was nice and full of heart, but it felt like it was for kids under the age of 12.
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Story: Again, the first few episodes were alright. It was easy to tell where things would go and what purpose characters would serve in the story. Some characters, like the grandma, were simply caricatures and had no personality beyond hating one character. After episode 8, the plot goes in circles and becomes repetitive. The show itself felt too long. Each episode could have easily been shortened to 45 minutes to save the viewers time.
Acting: Kingone Wang was stellar in his role, Park Jung Min was very good at the cute and energetic scenes but left much to be desired as far as emotional depth went. I found the two female actresses to be annoying, and they weren't very good actresses.
Music: The music was nice and sweet. Nothing I would put on my iPod, but decent.
Rewatch Value: "Fondant Garden" isn't the type of drama you would rewatch. It brings nothing new to the world of dramas and most of its scenes can be found in other dramas.
Overall: Its okay, but there's so much better out there. I would recommend skipping this one.
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And yet, I had my reservations about this. I just didn't find the synopsis or plot interesting enough to make me want to watch it. It wasn't until after I watched "Boys Before Flowers" (and found every second of Koo Hye Sun's screen time annoying) that I figured nothing could live up to THAT particular disappointment.
Story: What girl doesn't fantasize about becoming a princess? The money, the attentions, the pretty dresses? And of course, the insanely hot prince charming who seals the deal? At the beginning, Chae-Kyung wasn't interested in that life. She loves her family too much to leave them and can't imagine herself as a princess. You're shown from the start that she will do anything for the people she lives- even if it means marrying some jerk-face and moving into the palace. Of course, once she enters this life she is swept up in the material parts of it, but later on she realizes that money or wealth isn't enough for her to trade what she wants the most- freedom.
Yeah, I got lost there too. The whole "I feel like a trapped bird" arc came out of flipping NOWHERE, but it wasn't unfounded. I just wished that there was more background to that conflict so it made more sense.
Of course, the romance arc was predictable. Shin was a jerk every step of the way and Yul was sweet, but we all know which one the girl always chooses. *Bangs head against wall*
Acting: The acting wasn't anything special in my opinion. Everyone seemed new to the business, so I couldn't exactly judge them on it. Still, everyone was believable in their roles and managed to more or less bring their characters to life.
Music: Music was nicely used in this drama, emphasizing the more dramatic parts of it. I wouldn't go back to listen to the OST all over again (not exactly my type of music), but it was nice.
Rewatch Value: "Princess Hours" has a few sweet moments and a scattering of funny moments that are worth rewatching. The romantic-square was tragic and very dramatic, and I go back to watch those scenes every now and then.
Overall: I think the only reason I'll remember "Princess Hours" is because of how popular it was back when it aired and how big of a following it had. If it weren't for that, I would probably just force "Princess Hours" into a box and shove that into some dark corner of my mind to gather dust. It's not wholly forgettable, but it's not amazing either.
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But it was pretty entertaining.
Story: At the end of the Ouran drama, we were left with the cliffhanger of Haruhi and Tamaki's romantic feelings for each other. Therefore, I expected this movie to focus on that. That's why I was surprised when I was wrong. The Ouran Movie had less to do with Tamaki and Haruhi's relationship and more to do with family and the friendships you form. I really enjoyed how all the characters became much more developed in this movie than in the drama. In the drama, it felt like the writers were rushing past all the characterization just to get into the story. Here, it felt like the writers took a step back and let the characters lead them. I loved how they were all so different but united by the fact that they created *this* family for themselves, and would do anything to protect it. The first half of this movie has a similar mood to the drama. It's over-the-top humorous and light. The second half deals more with the aforementioned Important Life Lessons, but still manages to retain its charm. Overall, the story is predictable, but it's a nice sort of predictable.
Acting: I mentioned this in my review of the drama, but I am *really* glad that Yamamoto Yusuke isn't afraid to look ridiculous. Because let's face it, his character is pretty much the epitome of all thing crazy. I felt that Kawaguchi Haruna was a nice fit for her role as Haruhi. She had the clueless look down pat and was really good at portraying the straightforward yet dense character we all know and love. Her stellar performance grounded the rest of the crazy characters, acting as an anchor for all their personalities. Haruhi is the most down-to-earth member of the host club, and I was glad that she pulled it off. Daito Shunsuke was pretty awesome as Kyoya, with his evil laugh and poker face. However, I really loved Ryusei Ryo as he played Nekozawa. It was hilarious every time Nekozawa popped up with his cat-puppet... thing. Not to mention the way Ryo spoke. That itself got a smile from me.
Music: Meh. I don't pay attention to music unless I want it on my iPod. I barely noticed the music in Ouran, so take that as you will.
Rewatch Value: This movie was hilarious. Who wouldn't rewatch it simply for all the times Tamaki is thrown against the wall by kanji letters?
Overall: I feel a little sad that this will be the last we'll see of this cast portraying all the host club members, but at the same time I'm glad that this movie successfully tied everything together. True, the end was a little open, but I think that was the point. It was to show us that the host club members still weren't done with their lives, and that they still had so much more to accomplish.
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And then i saw how long this drama was. 72 episodes? Does anyone want to sit through all that?
I still wanted to watch the drama, but at the same time I wasn't ready to sit through all 54 hours. So I came ti the solution that I would skim through this show. I watched it in linear order, but skipped through parts I deemed unnecessary or boring. That saved me a ton of time and I still found this show amusing and heartwarming.
Story: "Love, now" is unrealistic in it's views of love. But then again, most dramas are. This show kind of goes with the idea that people are destined to fall in love and love each other at first sight. But for the sake of this drama, i went with it. The writers weren't exactly skilled in the progression of showing how people fall in love, but the writers were skilled in showing how it changes people. I liked how as many characters found their better halves, they became better themselves. However, that isn't exactly enough plot to fill 72 episodes. Many episodes went by with little to no plot progression. Minor incidents were made to last longer than needed, and characters were sort of wishy-washy with their decisions simply for the sake of the plot. I remember in one episode, a male character said he knew his heart and wasn't in love with a girl, only to contradict the statement 15 minutes later.
Acting: The cast had really cute chemistry- they all felt like one big family. Annie Chen and George Hu had sizzling chemistry and it made me wish that they really were a couple off set. I also enjoyed the chemistry Bobby Dou had with the rest of the Yang family. The four of them made me smile at my computer screen. All the other couples of this show were really cute together, but it was the platonic relationships that really made you feel. I liked Qi Ming's and Yi Qing's brother-sister relationship and how they acted like little kids around each other. I also loved Grandma Lan's relationship with all the other characters. She was surprisingly bright and lively.
Music: My biggest pet peeve with the music was that the same song played before all the commercial breaks. Not to mention the commercial breaks sometimes cut in at the most dramatic moments. For example, one character might say that he/she has a terminal illness, dramatic music comes on, then BOOM- commercial break. That pretty much ruins any mood the show sets. One time I was seconds away from bursting into tears, and then the song comes on. That's like the equivalent of your parents getting you this amazing gift, telling you for weeks what an *amazing* gift it is, then giving you five dollars and a pack of gum.
Rewatch Value: The show has a lot of amazingly creative scenes. I will definitely rewatch those.
Overall: This show felt a little too long for its plot. It could have easily been compressed into 25 or 30 episodes. A tighter story and better directing would have done it wonders. I wouldn't recommend that you watch it ALL, but rather do as I did and skim it. But if you want to, then it's your choice. Overall, it was a nice story about people's lives and how love changes them. There aren't any serious challenges the main characters face in the first 60 episodes of the show, and after the main couple got together I sort of lost interest, but it was a nice experience.
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This review may contain spoilers
Most of the die-hard fans of this drama will hate me for this, but "Nice Guy" honestly isn't anything new in the world of revenge dramas. You have your typical hodgepodge of birth secrets, revenge stories, murders and amnesia- not just once, but twice. There are gaping plot holes, crazy scenarios and messed up character motivations, but if you abandon all reasoning and logical thinking, this drama can be one of the best you've seen.Story: I liked the idea that Ma-Ru at the beginning was a much darker character than we've seen in other revenge dramas. He wasn't afraid to use people and was okay with being used himself. What made him interesting was watching his transition from a shell of a human to someone who had something to lose. I also loved Eun-Gi's character in the beginning, she was passionate yet cold, bitchy but kind, and was an amazing mix of all these opposite traits. I didn't particularly like her personality transformation in the second half of the drama because I felt like the writers only changed her to fit the plot and she became a puppet to the rest of the show's whims, but she swung back in my favor later.
Actors: Let's face it. "Nice Guy" would not have been as popular if Song Joong-Ki hadn't played the main lead. Because he is an A-list actor, it drew in a crowd, since he is a good actor, this drama kept its crowd. That being said, Joong-Ki is the actor that holds this drama together. I'm not saying that Moon Chae-won and Park Si-Yeon were bad- they were actually surprisingly good in their roles- it's just that Joong-Ki stole the show.
Music: Nice and dramatic, it was used well to tie together certain scenes in the show.
Rewatch Value: Since this show was one of the more unpredictable ones, the second time around will not be as good, but it will be alright.
Overall: I feel like "Nice Guy" should come with a big neon sign that says: "All ye who enter, abandon all logic here". Because honestly, the only way you will enjoy this drama is if you don't think about it too much and just go with it.
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Story: It was similar to the original in many ways, but there were more comedic moments.
Acting: I'm glad the actor who played Tamaki wasn't afraid to look ridiculous, because his character was downright crazy. There was a lot of overacting, but that served to make the show even more hilarious than it already was.
Music: Music was alright, nothing special in my opinion, but good enough.
Rewatch Value: Considering that this show is pretty much reverse harem, I'd watch it all over simply for the eyecandy.
Overall: An amazing adaptation of the original. I loved how crazy it was and would recommend it even to people who haven't read the manga.
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Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas
6 people found this review helpful
Story: Are monsters born or made? This is the driving question behind the story, and this question is the catalyst for everything that happens. Many dramas and movies have attempted to answer this question, but none of the ones I've seen have satisfied me like this one. In the first three episodes, the narrator keeps saying that they had to become monsters to fight the monster, but there wasn't much going on in that front. All the main parts of the show take place after episode 3.
I loved how all the characters were fleshed out- that they were all similar but all different at the same time. They became real people to me as I watched the show, and reacted to each situation in a way that both agreed with their personality, and still showed their transformation into monsters.
Acting: The cast was all new, but their performances were stellar.
Music: The music befit the show- dark and dramatic at times, loud and angry at others. I particularly enjoyed when they played the same song (sorry guys, I couldn't find the name) during all the dramatic scenes.
Rewatch Value: The whole reason I liked the show was because it was unpredictable and unafraid to venture into the deepest parts of itself to answer the question. If I already knew what was going to happen beforehand. the show would have been kind of boring.
Overall: Brilliant directing, superb cast and a thought-provoking story. The last episode has a plot hole, but I didn't feel like that affected the story overall.
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You know, the one that apparently had a deep and powerful story behind it?
Yeah. I don't know either.
That doesn't exactly mean that this drama was bad. Just... crazy.
The premise was cute and fun, with an adorable storyline that was just too cute for words.
And then you get revenge stories, birth secrets and amnesia.
Did I just step into "Nice Guy"? Or any other revenge drama?
And then the story switches back to cute with confessions and cupcakes.
Then back to makjang.
Cute.
Makjang.
I felt like this drama gave me whiplash. If it had stuck to the cute parts, then "Panda and Hedgehog" would have been a nice, but ultimately forgettable drama. If it had stuck to the makjang parts, then "Panda and Hedgehog" would have been a nice, but ultimately forgettable drama. Since it tried getting both, this became a mess of the most random things that confused me more than it entertained me.
Acting: The acting was okay, but there was a lot of eye candy *coughcough Donghae coughcough* so that didn't particularly hurt the story.
Music: Music was nice, fitting more with the "cute" part of the drama than the makjang part.
Rewatch value: I'd watch it for the cute. Not even going near the rest.
Overall: Let's hope this never happens again, shall we?
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The last episode. It was easily the stupidest thing I have ever had the misfortune to sit through.
Unlike what most people say, this first fifteen episodes do have character motivation. Is it weak? Yes. Is it realistic?
Yes. Haven't you ever made up a story simply to show off to your friends? It's pretty much the same concept here, just blown up to KDrama standards. The lie Ah-Jung told just got bigger and bigger, while her pride refused to let her admit the truth. When you think about it, the craziness here isn't any different from the craziness in any other drama.
Other than the mess that was the 16th episode, I really didn't understand the second lead girl, Yoon Ju. For once, I would like to watch a drama where the second lead girl is actually not a bitch. I mean, there HAS to be a reason the main guy fell in love/used to be in love/currently loves/ hinks he loves/respects to the point of love/loves to an unrealistic degree/loves even though he has been friendzoned/loves even though she left for America/loves even though-
Well. You get my point.
The second leads in dramaland make me wonder if pretty much all it takes for a guy to fall in love with you is a pretty face.
Acting: The cast here was star studded, with Yoon Eun Hye and Kang Ji Hwan acting as the main leads. They carried the otherwise nonsensical story with their amazing abilities. However, it was Hong Soo Hyun (So Ran) who really stole the show. She conveyed So Ran's craziness perfectly and had me cracking up every time she had a scene.
Music: The music here fit the overall tone of the show. Cute and light. Don't believe me? The main song from the OST is pretty much about ice cream. *Wonders whether or not to be impressed.*
Rewatch Value: I will definitely watch PARTS of this again. And I say "parts" because I downright REFUSE to even consider watching the last episode again. That's how much of a mess it was. The show honestly would have done much better if it ended at the 15th episode. However, the show had tons of cute couple scenes in it that had me smiling like an idiot.
Overall: I'd compare "Lie to Me" to whipped cream. Sweet and frothy- but no subsistence. Just empty calories. But that doesn't mean we're not going to eat it, does it?
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Most people think that Baek Sung-Jo was a overly cold character. I think that coldness came more from Hyun-Joong's acting than from the writers themselves, so I can ignore it. Besides, the character has the same personality in all versions of this drama. That's kind of his personality...
I appreciated that part about all the characters. They were all fleshed out differently, and had their unique combinations of flaws and virtues. None of the characters in "Playful Kiss" were like the typical KDrama characters.
Music: The music here was fitting for the overall tone. Upbeat and full of energy, it helped set the tone of this show. It fit very nicely overall with the series, and made me smile every time one of the songs came on.
Overall, this drama was an easy watch. Even if you skimmed through it, the story wouldn't be impacted. It was fun to watch, and a nice attempt at remaking a classic manga, but it was difficult to take seriously.
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Drama Special Series Season 3: Sirius
23 people found this review helpful
Story: The premise was a little cliche for my taste. Two twin brothers who feel at odds and are polar opposites? Not exactly a twist. But somehow the writers managed to infuse a scattering of random cliches and use them to create an original and action packed story. It wasn't perfect, but at 4 episodes long, this drama special was a nice watch when you want a break from the cutesy rom-coms of dramaland.
Acting: None of the actors were very well known, and you could tell they were new to their jobs, but that didn't affect this drama the slightest. They all had a very nice stage presence.
Music: Was there music? I honestly can't remember. *shrug*
Rewatch value: The second time is never as good as the first, so I don't think I'll be rewatching. I might skim through it again if I'm bored, but I wouldn't watch it all over again.
Overall: Nice story with nice actors. Not exactly a forgettable drama, but not exactly something I will remember forever.
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