not comedy as expected

I was surprised by this movie。 I expected a light-hearted comedy but it was really a serious look at the problems gay people have in being ’’out’’ and living together and being accepted by parents in a very conservative Chinese society。I was very surprised the Chinese censors would allow movies that deal with this topic although sexual contact between the partners was not at all explicitー then I saw this was actually a Taiwanese movie so it gave a false impression attitudes in China could be changed。obviously that remains untrue、 so it was rather misleading in that way。 as to the movie itself、 I did not think the acting or direction was very good unfortunately。 for me the actors were rather unconvincing in their roles and the acting was wooden。 the production values were low。 however it must be praised for being very brave in tackling a serious topic。it is just a pity that this is gives a very false impression that attitudes are being or can be changed in China〜 it is more like the Taiwanese or western world hope China will change its attitude to homosexuality but there is very little evidence of this in real life、 although it is not illegal as such and there was a long history of same sex relationships in China before attitudes changed in Twentieth Century. unfortunately the same thing happened in Japan after introduction of western attitudes in Nineteenth Century、although now it is improving。 the attitudes here and in China have just try to ignore reality。

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Blood

this drama I had doubts I would stay with for 20 episodes but in the end I completed in binge session of last 3 episodes. I think it started out better、 then too much unconvincing romance from around episode 8 [do people really turn 180 degrees round in love-hate relationship?] spoilt it for me but more tension and plot turns and surprises toward end kept me hooked. I do think the romance element was really very weak spot in this drama and truly interfered with the drama but luckily the drama improved and in last episodes I was hooked to see what happened next. as it turned out the drama in the final ending was not for me as good as expected, although the final twist was very original and surprising. I have my own individualistic interpretation about the last two episodes and romance ending which others may not agree with but for me is as convincing as what we are maybe expected to feel 〜that is Park Ji Sang's true love was Joo Hyun Wooー there are hints all over the earlier episodes.ーso when Hyun Woo died in episode 19 Ji Sang was emotionally dead and more accepting of his own sacrifice because his true love was gone. I never found the relationship between Ji Sang and Ri Ta convincing and still less the one created from thin air between Hyun Woo and Soo Eun. I am not saying there was no feeling between him and Ri Ta, just that it was not as deep as for Hyun Woo. the only reason this was not spelled out in my opinion was because they wanted the show to conform to the conventional boy-girl romance、 the last romantic scene between Ji Sang and Ri Ta was emotional bit for me seems very artificial and conventional〜but maybe this is just my fantasy。 also what was the last part all about? total fantasy ?Ri Ta meet an unknown brother or clone of Ji Sang in Kochenia? or had she died and met him in the afterlife? just a continuation of the unconvincing romance to give sort of happy ending I feel。 but in all a very enjoyable drama with excellent start and sufficient interest to stick with to the end 。

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Very extracurricular! Not your usual school story

This is great drama brilliantly crafted all parts of the plot came together and worked out with surprise outcomes to the end〜 I binge watched last 3 episodes　〜but do not expect the usual school story of romance, bullying social and domestic problems、 this is tough unforgiving bloody and violent and shows the sordid underside of society with these not- yet -adult school students plunged into the adult storm of reality。 Some characaters〜 not the main leads〜 I found difficult to have any empathy with - these were just childish and caused all the trouble because they were the most confident they knew it all but actually least able to handle the dangerous world they trod into but I accept the actors played the part well to create those feelings in me. I do not think there was a single person not playing their part well. Knowing the plot I will not rewatch 〜only need one watch for message to hit through but highly recommend if you have strong stomach and strong mind to deal with this drama.

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Intro credits nearly put me off watching this but I like it for its happiness and how the characters develop. I put off watching the final episode partly because I was enjoying it so much I did not want it to end but partly because I was fearing a good drama series would end slushy and unbelievable. For me a good drama is where characters develop and hard choices need to be faced for you to grow as human being. I will not go into detail but by this test this drama was not finally truly successful. I feel the drama was great until towards the end. I give it 10/10 for the excellent episodes. Would re-watch except ending.

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Fun fable

Yes this movie is weird and fun but is a fable also about the all powerful controlling manipulating social machine starting from education machine onward for life holding children and then adult in its and how only those brave enough to stand against it will become true human being。To do this you also need to learn and grow as shown in the movie。 Who is the real monster? When you dig beneath the surface is it really a simple story of an alien threatening to blow up the world or are the state powers and defence team really more concerned that Korosensei will bring down "the system" running all of us? You have to look at how this story develops from the simple "alien threatening the world" sci-fi trope。 The state authorities and defense team want to stop him, but even under threat they want to use the no-hope class to do it because they are expendable。Reminds me of how the people getting killed in wars are considered expendable。 Note how the children come eventually to feel attached to Korosensei as they realise he 〜the outsider〜 is the one who is really on their side and teaching them how to evolve as human beings instead of being dumped and forgotten in the school shed by the powers who run the system。 Just like lots of human beings considered expendable because they cannot fit in with the system in the real world。 But of course the movie can be enjoyed for itself without seeing any deeper meaning。 The action and special effects are quite good and I did not feel bored anywhere in the movie. It was about the right length。

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This was an amazing drama. As I began watching I knew I was starting on another Korean historical marathon and wondered if I could make it to the end. It had all the usual good and bad characters, alternating between romantic episodes and action episodes. It had the - for me - usual high emotion and melodrama that seem characteristic of Korean drama. However for me it was a very original idea but certainly requires a big suspension of belief. It had so many different strands and developments I kept wondering how they would keep them going. In fact you could say rather like circus juggling. I sometimes find the tension too much to take. This drama I think divides into two main parts 〜〜the first half more the story about the real king and his double and the second more usual palace politics but with the crowned clown twist as to how he behaved in the role of king and with the palace intrigue. I must admit I needed a break half way [though partly because I am butterfly and watch so many other dramas] and I thought the romance was taking over too much from action and it was rather hard to believe a king would behave in that way. However I found the tension towards the end very hard to bear. I watched the last 3 episodes in one go and I must admit how the plot was worked out surprised me. It is giving nothing away to say that good triumphed and all the villains came to a "sticky end", but how it was done here was unusual and original to me compared with similar Korean dramas. The finale totally surprised me and then of course the romantic element then also became very moving. I think Koreans must be very emotional as all their dramas are so emotional and "weepy". It was however certainly very moving with a very handsome romantic hero and beautiful heroine. In the end very enjoyable and rewarding drama. I do not think I will watch again, knowing the story, but I think it still deserves a perfect score.

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Weird mix of light and dark

This drama is weird mix with bomb attack with real casualties mixed with comedy. I really liked it in parts but in all for me the combination of "goofy humor" ・bokutachi airheads with serious message does not work。I mean there is really serious stuff here and the next minute they are acting like airhead bokutachi。 Just when they get me to laugh five minutes later I feel like crying。 It is one extreme to the other。Giving me identity crisis　ଽ (৺ੋ ௦ ৺ੋ )৴ but at the end I know who the real * of this show was: the guy with the conscience, you will see what I mean if you watch.

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So is that it？ unfortunately another drama promising more than it delivers、the subversion of school rules is really very mild、at times I think the drama tries to be all serious and show how the school can be seen as a small version of the world outside and how rules can be broken there also as a protest against authority to help people keep sanity and self respect〜　well this is my interpretation〜otherwise I can not see how some parts fit in： see for exameple episode 5、 but the rap and the singing work men in that episode really I found just boring〜 seems this drama can not decide if this is school drama or about wider world so ends up neither。 For me other devices in the drama like the discussions between the lead characaters that comment at start of and during the episodes also become rather boring as too the computer games. sorry this is downbeat review but the whole drama I feel is average。

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I admit I found this compulsive viewing and finished it quickly. It was very good but not to me a real school drama〜more like Mission Impossible using a school setting. Manga, not realism but see below for the unfortunate attempt at the end to combine the two. There is the usual sensei going to any lengths for her students but thankfully she is just a side issue here. The characters and role of the dark sensei [Eikura Nana as Takakura was just the right combination of cold computer and mysterious attraction] are good. The individual stories and problems resolved by the dark women teachers were not that original but made interesting by the characters and the manga-like way they zoomed into battle in their ’extraーcurricular activities” made me smile. What spoilt it for me was the end：very dramatic but then trying to bring together or convert fantasy into realism for me just does not work ーand I feel this is what they tried to do here. I am torn between giving top mark or taking off one for this reason but it is maybe unfair to let the unsatisfying end wipe out the very good stories. I think this is a one view only series but if it kept this guy watching every day it must be good. I am usually watching four or five at once.

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This drama really developed well after episode 3, especially character development and you really identified with their feelings, though still taking up too much fighting to fill up the story to rate 10/10. I suppose with this genre it goes with the territory. I liked all the characters especially in Hoodlum gang but their enemy gangs had their own different character which was good. Almost no romance - a couple of female interest - but that suits me for this kind of macho drama. I thought the last episodes also not so good, out of sync with the main story, with new gang coming in out of nowhere and a huge gang fight suddenly stopping while personal stuff took the stage and all these tough guys just stopped and watched [really???} - so the personal stuff was "touching" but not believable in my opinion. I feel the end was not so convincing, left hanging in the air and not sure where this is going, but liked it enough to try the next season. 9/10 story, 10/10 characters.

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This was really great, genuinely scary at times、 maybe because I watch this at night. murder in closed setting [from Agatha Christie] not original but how it was done was original and kept me wondering who was the murderer until near the end。 This was also a story where the psychological aspect and motivation were also a very important part of the story and ”woven” into it very well. The characters as high school students were believable, not like adults playing at
students. The idea of a high school student solving murders looks very improbable but here it was carried off really well with Kindaichi having some nice adolescent touches while very convincing in the side of him using his powerful brain for detection. I liked the comedy touches which relieved the dark side without getting silly or ”slapstick”。Finally the story included a battle of minds between an ”evil genius” and the ”hero genius” Kindaichi which promises to continue as an interesting angle to keep us hooked in future stories [reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty in the English stories]. I will be watching other Kindaichi stories。

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Very touching drama, nice male and female leads and interesting other characters, especially Mr Oh the teacher - why do we never get teachers like this in real life? Covers many teen problems, not just romance, various sub-plots keep interest going. I thought it dragged in the middle, with lot of unoriginal school tropes. Can get too heavy, especially with male lead's struggles, one after another, but glad I stayed with it. Start of last episode I thought it had a credible conclusion but of course it then drowned in "corn" and tears, helped by the soulful music . This romantic type of drama, it seems this is inevitable. Need to be in sentimental mood for tears.

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At first I was rather bored by this show and irritated by Kim Go Eun's character, however as it progressed I really came to enjoy it and watch it every day. The story at the start and especially how Park Hae Jin's feelings for Kim Go Eun changed for me was quite bizarre and how the change happened not fully understood. Perhaps he had feelinggs all along? but initially twisted, unable to relate to or trust people normally? The conclusion as is often the case in these dramas annoyingly used the fairy wand time-shift device and was nice and neat but not very credible in some respects. However for me a very watchable drama. I liked Seo Kang Joon the best. Lee Sung Kyung provided some comic moments but with some not-so-comic flaws in her character [well-acted I think]. Park Hae Jin's. character was interesting and I liked the development from the aloof, calculating persona [whichPark Hae Jin plays very well] to his character at the end. Kim Go Eun was sweet, but one of those characters I feel like shaking into life, to react instead of letting things happen to her. It seems everything happened around her with her passively at the centre. She played that character well if that is what it was supposed to be. I also liked the supports. Really good drama once it took off from the slow start. May rewatch again but not soon.

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Now finished this and enjoyed it very much watching an episode every day. I wondered if 50 episodes would make me give up but it had me hooked. I feel the production values were quite poor -〜you had to imagine 20 people ＝ a riot of 20,000 or an army of 50 people ＝ an army of 50,000 and the sets were all the same. However I found the twists and turns of the tale consistently gripping, they managed the development of the story over a long period from childhood friends to adults involved in the dangers and reversals of politics very well. Also the clashes of romance between a love triangle. The good characters were not boring or lacking in character. The villains were suave and convincing and it was always intriguing to see just how they would manage politics and conflict and come out on top. The show broke down into two main political periods and the characters of the kings and their political ministers, wives, mistresses did get me emotionally involved - loving or admiring some, loathing others - to see how they would develop and what would happen to them. It was interesting how my views of them changed as they changed. The idea of showing where Joseon stood in relation to the great power China and how their kings tried to challenge China was interesting and convincing. The story around developing gunpowder as part of the power game and the involvement of the main characters in this was also a compelling storyline. I especially liked the part of the story with the heroine cross-dressing and the brief parts in Japan. In conclusion , well recommended, do not be put off by the large number of episodes like I initially was. I liked the theme tune, though the other music became repetitive, this was not a major annoyance and no worse than most drama. I am not likely to re-watch it [or not soon anyway] but I am not letting this bring my score down. I cannot understand the low rating or some of the comments about this but as we say 十人十色 10 men 10 colors. If you like this kind of historical Korean drama, it is well worth staying the course…….I found almost no parts that were really boring enough to make me miss my daily viewing of this saga and that is highly unusual for this mentally hyperactive guy. 11/10

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