Reviews

Don't believe hate reviews. This is a delightful rom-com

I see haters are already at work trying to smear this drama. Not just here, I'm seeing hate videos on Youtube too. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more rampant in the world of Chinese dramas where producers are blackmailed into paying up, otherwise their dramas would be defamed on social media. Apparently, the producer of this drama did not give in to blackmail, thus flaws were invented or flaws that are common in cdramas and are largely ignored were exaggerated with this drama. The attacks got propagated to other sites by so-called water armies and picked up and further spread by anti-fans of the stars or their pairing, Innocent viewers got swept up in the frenzy and got swayed by the smear campaign.

But please don't let haters keep you from enjoying this delightful rom-com.

Only For Love stars Bai Lu as Zheng Shuyi, a beautiful, cute, smart, bubbly but rather quirky reporter of a finance magazine. Dylan Wang co-stars as Shi Yan, a hotshot mysterious young CEO who requests to be interviewed by Shuyi to publicize the vision of his venture capital company to help startups get off the ground. Shuyi has just caught her boyfriend cheating on her with a girl she mistook for Shi Yan's niece. Her boyfriend breaks up with her for the girl who promised to help him with his career. With her pride shaken, Shuyi decides to flirt with Shi Yan, seemingly to get back at her ex-boyfriend and to allow her to conduct a series of interviews with the much sought after bachelor CEO. Their constant meetings lead to romance. But what would Shi Yan feel when he knows the truth about Shuyi's reasons for pursuing him?

Shuyi is not the usual type of female lead in Chinese dramas. She is brilliant when it comes to work. But outside of it, she is somewhat clueless. Self-centered and shameless too. Her clumsy pursuit of Shi Yan is hilarious, showing how out of character she is at playing a seductress. But is it all play-acting? Might this seductress have fallen in love with her prey?

Shi Yan is being hailed on social media as the Chinese Mr. Darcy with his reserved and stoic demeanor as well as the dashing figure he cuts especially in a riding outfit. But he's also got a charm all his own. When he smirks at Shu Yi's clumsy attempts at seduction or when he looks at her with all the affection and sexual tension he oftentimes has a hard time keeping under wraps, your heart wouldn't be able to help dancing with excitement.

There might be some cultural challenges that could impact a non-Chinese viewer's understanding of the drama. For example, the joke about the cake in Shi Yan's uncle's dinner feast started with Shuyi mischievously texting "making love' to her ex-boyfriend's query about what she was doing. But when she noticed Shi Yan watching her composing the text, she changed her text to "making cake". The misunderstanding arose due to some texts not being subtitled. In addition, it seems "eat cake" has some sexual connotation in Chinese culture. So if you don't understand something in the story, try to join social media discussions and ask away.

All in all, this drama is pleasing to the eye and is quite entertaining. It starts off lighthearted but the characters turn out to be more than typical rom-com characters. These are multi-dimensional characters who are not all good but also not all bad. In short, they are human. Dissecting the characters and what makes them tick is fundamental to enjoying this delightful drama.

Leggi di Più

Tragic but make it romantic!

If you ask me, how will I describe this drama? I have only 2 words: Beautiful and brutal. Contradicting but apt! The premise looks simple, but it is as deceptive as its characters. Kataoka Kinji, a yakuza boss, is being sent into hiding and his only companion is Odajima Ren, a stoic subordinate. What he isn't aware of is Odajima's true mission, which is to end his life.
In this journey of 6 episodes, it managed to take that thin thread of deception and tackle loyalty, guilt, and the terrifying intimacy of being seen by the very person who is meant to destroy you. The story is written on the fragile spine of betrayal, breathing in those long sighs and silences, and standing ashore waiting for the sound of the gun that may or may not fire.

Kataoka is written like a man who is trying to remain gentle in a world that keeps punishing softness. He is aware of the danger, maybe even of the betrayal brewing beside him, but refuses to meet cruelty with suspicion. His insistence on kindness may look foolish but it becomes an act of power. Odajima, in contrast, is the kind of man you mistake for cold until you realise he is just tired. Tired of killing, of surviving, of existing. His loyalty is both his prison and his weapon. Watching him falter, hesitate before pulling the trigger, linger too long in a gaze he shouldn’t return was devasting and made him and that world look so much human.

What follows between them isn't fluffy romance or love turning yakuza into a saint redemption arc...but something murkier. There is no rush, no grand declarations, just very long stretches of silence that are enough to drown the miseries of both of them. Somehow, the story stops being about whether Odajima will kill Kataoka, but more about whether he can still live with himself if he doesn't.
Their relationship is equal parts longing and equal parts regret, and the writing doesn't try to sanitise the messiness of it and I think that is where the drama won me over! Both of them are morally grey characters with twisted and tragic pasts. There is a glimmer of hope and laughter here and there in their interactions but it is fleeting. I won't say it balances the grittiness but it definitely softens it to not choke and trip on the darkness. Also, their kisses and NC scenes were done very well!

Coming to the antagonists, it feels comical calling them antagonists because in the yakuza world, it’s never about good versus evil. It’s more like figuring out who is less bad, or maybe bad in a way that still follows some twisted kind of principle. Kirii Keito, all arrogance and envy, wants to eliminate Kataoka not just for power, but for being everything he can’t be -loved, respected, human. On paper, he is a terrible person but once I stand in the worn-out shoes of a child who never felt loved and was neglected, he just seemed less monstrous.

If I am being objective, we could have used 2 more episodes to flesh out the journey better because the last episode did feel a bit rushed, and the editing was a bit messy. It just felt a little short. But in any way that didn't hinder my enjoyment at all.

Acting-wise, everyone overall delivered. It was my first time seeing both the leads, and I think they both did pretty well. The opposite attract trope was played well. I can sit and nitpick but I don't want to.

Cinematography was another aspect that floored me. I have a soft spot for anything filmed near water. And I liked how significantly it was used. The past and present colour grading was fabulous too. They managed to ace the atmosphere.

Overall, this isn’t a BL that hands you easy comfort. It’s deliberate, restrained, occasionally cruel in its honesty. It was such a delight to see two "dangerous" men realise that love in this world is not a promise of salvation but a mirror showing who you really are when all the worldly masks fall away.
I would definitely recommend it but please read the TWs (dubcon, violence) and don't go in expecting fluff. It is anything but that!

Leggi di Più

Should You Become An “ Anti-Fan” Of This Drama?

Have you ever watched a drama which starts off with cataclysmic screenwriting and then surprisingly grows on you in the second-half ? Well, most watchers can probably agree that this ideology epitomises ‘So, I Married An Anti-Fan’ with its surprising turn from certain cliches to an endearing relationship between our leads.

However those expecting ‘So I Married An Anti-Fan’ to be a “masterpiece” should probably be told outright that this drama isn’t without its flaws either.

Taking nearly three years to air ( after finishing production in 2018) and sparking an eruption of mixed criticism by viewers afterwards , “ So, I Married An Anti-Fan” is a drama which has greatly divided the audience demographic . Some viewers take the stance that it is " too reminiscent of the tacky 2000s abusive relationships" and " poorly-written", whilst others on this platform defend this as " sweet" and a " comfort drama". However, this raises the bigger question for those wanting to watch the show for the first time; is it actually worth watching?

Well, there are some undeniable strengths which may have an alluring charm for certain watchers. The main cast (consisting of Choi Soo Young, Choi Tae Joon, Hwang Chan Sung and Han Ji An) were an absolute delight, the plot was " romantic and fluffy with a twist of melodrama", and it was straightforward enough to follow ( in an " unplug your brain" sort of way ). Refreshingly, the second-half took a slightly more serious stance to our main leads’ relationship by delving into the main leads’ interactions, whilst also addressing more profound insights into the idol industry’s sociocultural issues in South-Korea. However, this is also where we must address the opposite side of the coin; the problems.

One of the biggest dilemmas of ‘ So, I Married An Anti-Fan’ came through character development. Let’s start off this example with our female lead Lee Geun Young. Geun Young was a female lead who you desperately tried to like as a viewer as Choi Soo Young is a good actress. Undeniably as a character, she isn’t "naive" or the " sweet girl next door" and will happily stand her ground at times when the male lead kicks off. However, ultimately this is where our biggest problem occurs with Geun Young; she exists( for a major proportion of the series) as a component of an enforced pairing for the “ sake of plot” .

There is nothing wrong per say with a female lead being in a relationship in a drama. ( In fact it can allow god-tier character development . ) However whilst we did get to see Geun Young come round to accepting her feelings in the second-half, this first part felt more like a carte blanche for Geun Young’s character development by screenwriters Kim Eun Jung and Nam Ji Yeon in order to forcefully pair-off Geun Young with our male lead Hoo Joon. Consequently Geun Young was rarely given time to understand exactly why she was attracted to the " jerk who ruined her life" ( the motiveless goal aside from her obsessive desire to " ruin his life"). Sadly further interactions with her mother and friends provided little insight into her actual personality (beside the romantic pairing).

Then there’s the male lead Hoo Joon. Similar to Soo Young, Tae Joon is a dynamic actor and there were certainly intriguing issues tackled with his character; a popular star who is getting fed up of being used by his company and his tiresome lifestyle. However typical of cliches, he was often glorified by his role throughout the drama as the " stoic, jerk male lead” ; getting away with assault, bribery and blackmail (including towards the female lead). The show attempted to play an uno reverse card by introducing the " tragic backstory" which may evidently cause mixed-feelings for viewers.

Of course the issue of our main leads also remains a source of mixed-criticism for the drama. On one side, there is the undeniable problem that the male lead Hoo Joon constantly found ways to emotionally gaslight the female lead ; grabbing Geun Young’s wrist , then giving her the cold shoulder over the most trivial of matters and refusing at times to hear her side of the story (or just talk to her like a decent human being). However, there is an alternate stance that ‘ So I Married An Anti-Fan’ isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s a romantic-comedy which attempts to reflect the real-life reality that actual relationships are messy and problematic. The focalised writing decision to focus more on our main leads’ relationship in the second-half did seem to prove that this was the intention of the drama.

Although this review would not be complete without talking about one of the biggest elephants in the room; our supporting characters JJ ( Hwang Chan Sung) and Oh In Hyung ( Han Ji An)’s overly problematic relationship.

Hwang Chan Sung is a really good actor, however, you could imagine if there was an “ Encyclopaedia Of The Most Obsessive Second Male Leads Of All Time”, his character JJ would have been on the first page. It was evident that the drama desperately tried for us (as viewers) to root for JJ as the “ pining lover”. However , this appeared difficult when his behaviour reflected an otherwise dysfunctional and oppressive figure in In Hyung’s life by rifling around In Hyung’s room ( without her permission), screaming at her manager down the phone in public ( and thus purposefully embarrassing In Hyung in front of people) and then even attempting to manipulate Geun Young ( without considering In Hyung or Geun Young’s feelings) early on in the series in order to get back at Hoo Joon.

Yet whilst it would be easy to pin all the blame on JJ, Oh In Hyung had her own fair share of problems also . Similar to her costars Han Ji An is a good actress. In terms of her character In Hyung, the drama works incredibly hard to make us feel pity for her being a a victim of the malicious industry of idols and JJ’s obsessive infatuations. ( For the most part as viewers we certainly do.) However as we delve more into the show ( without spoilers), it soon becomes apparent that In Hyung is manipulated by the screenwriting into becoming a tiresome plot mechanism in order to trigger catalytic events in the later storyline.

Oh boy, then there’s the additional problem of the producers. Admittedly they do not have such a prominent role in the second-half, however, most viewers will probably agree that they were incredibly irksome characters. Yes they were supposed to add a touch of comedy during more angst-ridden moments of the show, however, secretly filming the leads without their permission, screaming at the camera crew, forcing, guilt-tripping and then humiliating Geun Young on multiple occasions just grew fairly irksome for viewers .

Nevertheless the ending was a left on a sweet note for viewers. Although admittedly there could have been some plot points wrapped up, it was entertaining to have some closure with our finale.

So, is“ So I Married An Anti-Fan" actually worth watching? Whilst the show has a fairly good cast and is easygoing for viewers looking for an escape from darker romance storylines, this depends entirely on personal taste. For fans of "cutesy" romance with a " slice of 2000s K-drama relationship abuse angst" or just looking for a show to unplug your brain with,then this drama is right up your street. However, drama watchers looking for a more profound storyline then look elsewhere as " So, I Married An Anti-Fan" isn’t it.

Leggi di Più

I loved this drama. It had everything; love, hate, fear, death. I was extrememly interested in the psychology aspect of the drama as I am a psych major. I gave it all 10's b/c the story was amazing, the acting was perfect, the music was awesome (had a lot of songs that I listen to), and it overall messed so well that I will watch this over and over. I have recomended this drama to my friends at work and will to any1 else that I know. I loved the concept that was born and how it all played out. A wounderful question that I have myself been trying to answer since I work in behavioral mental health. Whomever thought this up has a very analytical mind and knows how to go beyond the boundries set for experiments in the psych field. It is a very fine line that can be crossed at anytime. I probably like this more because it is based on a topic that I am interested in anyway. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Leggi di Più

Whenever there's a drama I'm really, really fond of, it often ends in a disaster when I try to put my love for it into words. But even though I might fail at emphasizing all the sweets this drama has to offer, I still want to give it a try, in hopes of capturing at least half of its awesomeness.

I'm very picky with my ratings and I rarely give a drama ten points. But because I'm unconditionally in love with this story (even though there might be one or two flaws. I know that many people didn't like the ending which I myself was satisfied with, even though it might just have had a too vaguely drawn explanation), it would be a shame to not give Black the highest score. It's entertaining and addictive as that and it will take some time until I can let go.

It often happens that when you start a drama, it begins with a strong introduction, makes you curious enough to continue watching and then loses all its strengths halfway through while leaving you with the most frustrating feeling ever. Well, Black is no exception when it comes to thrilling starts (and by all means pay attention and don't forget about this one), but it parts from the heaps of unsatisfying story proceedings as it constantly holds its high level of suspense.

To give a summary other than the one above would be risky as it might contain possible unintended spoilers or hints to the plot. And no one wants that, I don't want that - and I don't want you guys to throw me into the fiery pit. Seriously, I'm not that kind of party pooper.

So, what exactly is the magic potion of Black that drives everyone crazy?

The story progress
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me praise the bigger picture that is definitely existent, even though you can't see it right away. It's hidden quite well, and pieces of the puzzle only appear one at a time which is helping the plot to constantly grow stronger. Receiving clues, getting confused over them, creating the wildest theories until your head is spinning, was so much fun that I can hardly contain my excitement whenever I talk about it. The neat and flawless weaving of secrets and the repeated drop of shocking bombs after almost every episode were some of the main forces why the drama worked so well. Whenever you think you've figured it out, BAM!, twists and turns shatter your carefully formed construct of thoughts. Those new revelations are not just added at the writer's whim but well thought-out right since the beginning. There are hints that are quite obvious from the start while other ones stay hidden until the story wants them to be revealed. Be sure to keep your eyes open while watching this show, or you might miss one or two important things and won't be able to follow the story anymore.

The genres
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mixing genres is quite popular these days and Black doesn't stay out of it either. The difference between Black and other dramas though: This one does a stunning job at smoothly merging them. Black is a pretty dark drama, although it might not seem that way at first. It might even look chaotic and/or messy. I don't know about others, but I enjoyed every single scene bar none. The shift from dark to funny was always sleek, making me forget the length of the episode and leaving me startled when it was suddenly over again. The further the story proceeds, the darker the plot grows while thickening the mystery. At this point I do have to warn you though. If you have a sensitive stomach and can't cope well with harsh violence, be careful. Even though certain scenes were not always shown in full scope, sounds and imagination were enough to make me feel the cruelty of the scene. Other ones were clearly visible and thus added to the brutal reality. I do think that the given age limit might be a little light on this one.

The leading stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First and foremost, Black himself. Grim reaper number 444, the most cold-hearted one among them all. It doesn't matter whether you already know Song Seung Heon from previous dramas or movies, because you can be sure that when you watch him here, it will feel like you're meeting him for the first time all over again. The whole concept of his role is simply dashing. Although I don't want to exaggerate, it's hard to keep it to myself, and I do want to brag about it, about all his captivating treats. The color "black" never suited someone better, his looks are literally breathtaking, his whole demeanor is seductive in every possible way.
May it be the stone-cold grim reaper who doesn't like humans or the inexperienced "newbie" without common sense and blunt responses, finding himself slowly getting attached to the world he doesn't want to be part of, and unwillingly trying to solve the big mystery he gets thrown into.

There is this thing he's doing with his eyes... I don't even know if he is doing something with them, but they are as dark as the deep blue sea and… one fillip and you’ve lost. His whole acting is spellbinding. If there's a list with actors who own their roles, he would be somewhere at the top. Song Seung Heon breathed life into Black, simply put he WAS Black. He and no one else. Pure perfection, as one might say. Compared to the rest of the cast, his role might not be the only one with a big character development ahead, but he was definitely the one that delivered spot on, week by week by week.

I’m rattling on about him, I know… mian!

Go Ah Ra, who is playing the girl that is afraid of people because she can foresee near death, is a rather difficult part to approach (maybe even the only thing I can't brag about). I don’t fancy her but I don't hate her either. And I have to admit that it must be quite challenging and difficult to go on stage alongside Song Seung Heon, especially if he's doing such a phenomenal job. Her impersonation of Kang Ha Ram was... how shall I put it... average and sometimes monotone. Go Ah Ra's facial expressions are quite limited which makes it hard to forget all the prejudice she is receiving. She is just not as good as others, no matter how you look at it. Her acting didn't reach me the same way the rest of the cast did, and it is poles apart from Song Seung Heon’s. However, she was not a complete failure either. She was okay, her scenes were okay. Her acting was good enough to not get frustrated or disappointed over it. She did have chemistry with her co-star. Even though it was not overwhelming, it conveyed the necessary atmosphere to keep the tension on.

The supporting cast
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are so many people that have to be mentioned that it's hard to keep it short. First of all the second male lead and love interest of our heroine. Although Oh Man Soo was never my favorite person in the drama because he was naive and just too good-natured, Kim Dong Jun did a pretty fine job portraying the rich kid that wants to get a chance and be recognized for his work. I did not always like his actions, nor did I like his innocent look at the world. The inevitable twist though that is forcing him to mature and almost impossible for him to comprehend, is something I wouldn't wish for anybody, no matter how much I dislike them. So, he did get my sympathies when the time came.

Song Seung Heon's love interest Yoon Soo Wan (portrayed by Lee El - who we all know from Goblin) is a pretty foggy character and the drama is only slowly revealing her secrets. I found her character extremely interesting and reasonable. Her love for the male lead was real, and whilst her secrets were unknown, her intentions were always transparent for me.

Black's fellow grim reapers, 007 and 416 look like they only exist for pure entertainment or informative purposes. But the more they got introduced to me, the clearer it became that there was more to them than the unaided eye could see. But oh well, what am I talking about... One of them is played by Jo Jae Yun, so of course I can't do anything else but fancy over him. No matter what he's doing, he is one of the most versatile actors I've seen and it's no surprise that he is owning the role of an ancient grim reaper as well - even though he's relatively reserved in this.

So many crime dramas, so many police squads, so many failures. And again, Black is shining with a unique team that seems to be the loser squad at first but learns to use opportunities and circumstances to rise from the shadows. The team dynamics are just right and a pleasure to watch. After Black himself, they are the comedy perpetrators per se and they are great at it. Each member has a unique and sweet nature what makes them grow on you in no time. Special credits to Kim Won Hae as well. I've already seen him in other dramas but his role in Black is by far my most favorite one.

Kim Jae Young plays the Hallyu star Leo who is after Black the second eye candy of the show (at least for me - I know there will be some people who disagree with me :P). His character doesn't seem to get more depth as the story progresses and you might think he's only there for the looks. Well, as far as I can tell without revealing too much, he does have another purpose as well. I always liked his character, despite the image he had to portray in this. The fact that they didn't disclose so much about him, made me even more curious about his story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you look closely, you can see that every single character has a reason to be in this drama. Everyone is connected in some mysterious way. To follow the leads and to try and find out about those threads is one thing that makes the concept of the plot so promising. Another one is the character development that everyone in this drama will go through. Closely followed by visually stunning cinematography and well used supportive background music.

The story is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. Black comes along with so many convincing treats that it will be hard to keep away from it. It's entertaining and funny and mysterious and dark and dramatic and definitely catching you off-guard. You won't be able to leave your couch once you hit the play button. And please, be careful of your nails and your hair.

On that note: Happy watching!

(I wrote too much, mian~)

Leggi di Più

The Wish of First Love that She wrote on Paper Stars came True!! ♥

Cute and Wholesome ♡♡

Hidden Love is a binge worthy, adorable drama about a young girl in love with her brother's friend. Sang Zhi met Duan Jiaxu when she was just 14 years old and again when she was 17, with time she develops feelings for him. Jiaxu who was 5 years older than him only saw her as his little sister but she always had a special place in his life (as a family). They part ways for a period of time and meet again! And whoa now that she's an adult there starts a story of sweetness, hotness and the chemistry that literally do not leaves a chance of giving you butterflies!!

To talk about chemistry, nah they've physics, maths and every subject you can think off. It wasn't even much about the story tbh, most of us just adored this pair together! The good parts about this drama is probably the CHEMISTRY (*chef's kiss*), the ACTING (they look way too natural) and the LIGHTNESS (name a drama with almost no toxicity).

Not like the story left much impression, there was a lot going on and they could've gone in depth with it but instead they focused on our main couple and how to develop their relationship better. Sang Zhi kept saying "I'm not a kiddo anymore" and him finding his home in her and yet teasing her about it. This... This sweet banter, understanding and comfort they had around each other won my heart.

Sang Zhi (played by Zhao Lusi) is such a thoughtful character. Not only she never gave up on her love, the way she was giving her 100% for him and never being insecure or so damn sure that "yeah he is the one for me" is lovely to watch... and did I mention I fell for Zhao Lusi once again!! She ate her character. even her playing a 17 year old was kinda convincing, tho she was 23 when this was filmed. And she sang two songs that always lit up the atmosphere of each scene. She's genuinely impressive.

Complimenting her is Duan Jiaxu (Chen Zheyuan) . This man is a walking green flag. The reason I don't blame her for the puppy love is because who would not fall for him if the guy is this sweet and caring... and visuals obviously!!... Duan Jiaxu got his own struggles but he still walks like a sunshine being nice to everyone around... so take note future drama writers "past trauma do not makes every male lead poker faced and cold"

We also have some beautiful relationships around our leads like Sang Zhi and her brother Sang Yan (Victor Ma) who bicker so much like any other sibling would do... and her amazing parents that give off ideal family goals...

Just a reminder that this drama is FICTIONAL, Hidden love is a completely romance focused cheesy drama that kicks away all the toxicity very smoothly (unlike reality). there's no way a kind Sang Zhi like this or perfect Duan Jiaxu like this or a fully healthy relationship like this would exist. So don't get your expectations too high haha.

I did encounter some typical cdrama tropes but how come they made this drama extra sweet. I hope I'm not going to get tested positive for diabetes by next week as I plan on rewatching this a little more XD... its honestly been long since I've rated a drama a 10 but this one deserved it for staying in its genre and truthfully being what it is, a romcom.

Also trying to address an issue...
•• Is the age gap really an issue? No it's just 5 years.
•• Did he liked her too when she was still a kid? No. It was always her having a crush on him until they met again after she became an adult. so he is not a pervert


OSTs
If the chemistry wasn't enough to give you diabetes, the songs will - sweet and perfect for the moment

1. Only Want to Secretly Hide You (只想把你偷偷藏好) ~ by Zhao Lu Si & Silence Wang (you'll hear this song for half of the time in the drama and you won't mind it cause it's actually soothing to ears)

2. I Have Someone I Like (我有喜欢的人了) ~ Zhao Lu Si (Ioved her vocals for this song. Zhao lusi is just impressive ❤)

3. Be Your Light ~ Ma Bo Qian (my favorite one, love the feel good casual vibes of the song)

4.The One Who Stole the Stars (偷星星的人) ~ Yi Hui
5. Have You (有你) ~ Zhao Lei

6. Forever Star ~ Zhang Yi Hao
7. You are My Only Wish in this Lifetime (你是我此生唯一所愿) ~ Zhang Bi Chen


So Hidden Love is a 10/10 for me for being that perfect light romance drama that makes you blush in and out with the butterflies. it's worth checking out for the fluffy, sugar factor!! Would definitely recommend it!!

Leggi di Più

First thing I want to mention is its awesomeness in music department. This film’s music is composed by Terdsak Janpan & Jay Chou. Every track in the album is amazing and gripping. I love every track of album but I frequently listen to ‘Sunny Doll’, ‘Angel’, both themes of Xiaoyu and ‘The Flashback’. The music will grab you and blend you into the atmosphere. Use of Piano in this movie is effective, brilliant, breathtaking and touching. Piano performs crucial role in this movie, in characters’ feelings and emotions like when both leads are playing together and The Piano Battle.
Words of other reviewer, “It’s no exaggeration to say that its background music is another main character. Even if you hate soft music, once you try to listen to its music, it would begin to wear down your defenses. It won't let your ears close even for a minute.”

A reviewer said, “If you miss this movie, it would be one of the goofiest things you've done throughout your life as a movie-goer.” And I'm agree with him/her.
Before starting this movie I thought this movie is going to be average but surprisingly it was far beyond my expectations and now I placed this movie in my permanent favorites list including all Hollywood, Bollywood & all other non-Asian movies.
Don’t think that it’s a typical school romance with tearjerker moments, it’s more than that. I’d say it is beautiful, intelligent and a chiller thriller in a way. It is full of romance and mystery, blending of many genres like School, Youth, Melodrama, Comedy, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery and Horror (Not horror but listen ‘The Flashback’ and you’ll know what I want to say).
And about ending; it’ll leave you thinking. Story needs some thinking to be able to understand it fully. You’ll probably think that there are many flaws in the story but there aren’t any because you’ve to think and most of things are logical in movie point of view. I know what happened in the end but whenever I watch it again it makes me confuse. I’m still confused about ending.

Visually it is more than satisfying. Its coloring is awesome and special effects are also good (Don’t expect effects like big budget Hollywood movies).

Lun Mei Kwai is beautiful and did brilliant job. She is lovely and charming.
And bow to “Singer/Songwriter/Composer/Actor/Producer/Director” Jay Chou. Before I thought he’s just another guy who looks cool and sings and because of obsessed fans he’s popular but now I take my words back. Now he is ahead of all those ‘SHOWCASE’ actors but still behind those ‘ACTOR’ actors. Now, I’m a fan of Jay (It’s surprising that he’s actually popular in India!).

Overall this movie is a must watch and after watching you’ll know that this movie will stay in your heart forever.

BTW Secret 2 is announced and currently in production. I hope Secret 2 will be as great as Secret and I also hope that it’ll be a sequel to Secret.

Leggi di Più

Diplomatic impunity.

Go East starts out as a fresh and interesting workplace comedy about Sifang Pavilion 四方馆, which was an institution that hosted guests and envoys from all four directions 四方/sìfāng during the Tang dynasty. Sifang Pavillion is essentially a Ministry of Foreign Affairs; they handle diplomatic issues from issuing visas, facilitating trade, solving diplomatic cases to negotiating treaties. Yuan Mo is loosely attached to Sifang Pavilion and helps oversea foreign visitors at the city gates, under the indulgent eye of Director Ye Deshui. He is a clever fellow with a predisposition for wine, snakes and bird brains but he lacks ambition and shirks responsibility. Alas, he spots a real strange bird, Ashu, at the gates and makes the mistake of his life by stopping her. She invades his personal space, poisons him, bullies him, frames him, helps herself to his hard earned money and turns his life upside down. This poor man is so alone and lonely that he sucks it all up as if he was deprived of attention his whole life. As it turns out, the Man in White, the deadly leader of the Faceless assassins are after her. To help her, Yuan Mo gets co-opted taking on a proper role at the Sifang Pavilion, where he proves himself by solving a few tricky diplomatic cases.

Ashu as a character did not work for me from the get go. She debuts as an entitled bully who blames the hapless Yuan Mo for all her issues, makes unreasonable demands and causes no end of trouble for him. She doesn't bat an eye when her servants openly disrespect him and never apologizes or feels a smidgeon of remorse. She puts herself in harm's way repeatedly with her noble idiocy and half baked schemes, endangering everyone that has to rescue her. This is an ungrateful creature that tramples all over the male lead and is so lacking in intelligence and survival instincts that it is a miracle she didn't perish long ago. I never connected with any Zhou Yiran's roles and her portrayal of Ashu is callous and supercilious to the point that I didn't root for her. Her piteous and repetitive crying scenes made me yawn and roll my eyes. For sure, these scenes are exaggerated for comedic effect but her constant smug expression made her seem mean instead of endearing or comical. None of the female characters are written in a flattering way. Yuchi Hua is also a termagant and is a cliché gender bender character whose only contribution is as token muscle. But at least she softens up and she shows she genuinely respects and cares for Wang Kunwu. This is the latest in a disturbing trend of dramas where the female characters get a free pass for toxic behavior towards male characters who pretty much just roll over and play dead. When did it become so unfashionable to have balanced relationships where men and women just treat each other well?

The only thing that salvaged this drama for me is Tan Jianci's incredibly funny and moving performance as Yuan Mo. This is a refreshing role for him and his comedic timing and expressions are spot on. The character itself is not super well written either; he fell for Ashu too quickly and I remain baffled as to why; he lets her walk all over him and he is super intelligent but ultimately only applies himself for her. The gaping difference between Tan Jianci and Zhou Yiran is that he made me love his goofy, slightly wimpy, deeply wounded Yuan Mo flaws and all; a character who seemed to not quite dare to live until he had to find himself for an ungrateful wretch with the brain the size of a watermelon seed. (Why didn't I live thousands of years ago so he could have found me instead?) Even though they looked cute together, the chemistry between them seemed more friendly than passionate so as a couple, they didn't move me. All those wasted Tan Jianci kiss scenes! But I enjoyed the camaraderie between both couples and the broader Sifang Pavilion team and the hilarious rivalry between the East Court and the West Court. Ye Deshui was MVP for me; he delivered as many comedy gold moments as Yuan Mo did and I loved the hilariously pragmatic way in which he ran Sifang Pavilion and appeased domestic and foreign conflicts.

Plot-wise this drama starts out well as I was genuinely intrigued by the foreign relations premise of the story. The first two cases are interesting and tight and the satire made me invested in the team. After that, the romances starts to take center stage and the to-ing and fro-ing between couples I didn't really care for was not funny enough to keep me engaged. That is also when progressively larger holes in the plot emerges and it snowballs into an avalanche at the end. Along the way, the tone of the drama shifts from silly and hilarious to one where the writer kills off good characters with diplomatic impunity. There was only one good twist in the entire plot, which was who saved the Yanle princess. The identity of the princess was too obvious you couldn't have missed it. Likewise, they cast an actor with an unmistakably prominent feature as the mysterious Man in White. He was flagged early on as a suspect in the Red Lotus case and his identity was just given away during Ashilan's kidnapping. Both these reveals were too early, erasing any sense of suspense. I thought Ashu was as dumb as bricks until they get back to Yanle which is when I realized that in the land of the blind, the one eyed woman is queen. The final reveal of the Man in White's motive contradicts the entire plot because given his identity, he never needed any Yanle princess; in fact a cooperative fake one is much better than the real thing. The smart thing for him to do would have been to eliminate her from the start. This is also what Long Tuqi should have done but Yanle is the land of the dumb after all. Even though it ends in a satisfying way, it was a hollow victory because they won because they were out-dumbed by the antagonists. It is this drama's most unique feature; a race to the bottom where the protagonists and antagonists vie to under smart each other.

Overall, the first half of this drama can be enjoyed as a spoof kind of along the lines of the Austin Powers movies but lacking any underlying intelligence. It is worth watching just to see Tan Jianci do comedy and romance watchers who can ship the couple may enjoy it more than I did. I found it a very mediocre watch, one that feels like a 7.0 more often than not. But I am going to throw in a 0.5 for the fresh premise and Tan Jianci's phenomenal, funny and moving acting to call it 7.5/10.0 overall.

Leggi di Più

I like the concept of this drama, it's like watching several dramas in the price of one. You get 2 major love stories, 2 smaller ones, some family drama, bromance, revenge, redemption and even a bit of action. The plot is so complex that you really can't get bored while watching. I really admire the writers for being able to intertwine so many stories together. Throughout the whole drama there are new characters appearing, some disappearing for many episodes to appear again and new connections are revealed. Even if you are able to predict the eventual outcome and some ideas are something you might have seen before, you really cannot predict when something new will be added. At some point I was a little bit worried if they will be able to wrap up all of story lines, but they did a great job with that too and the ending is very satisfactory.

I really liked most of the characters. Female leads were really awesome and that doesn't happen too often in dramas. I really love Ja Eun - she is one of my most favorite heroines now, Soo Young was also adorable - hard on the outside, but very soft and warm inside.

Only characters that I didn't like too much was Soo Young's parents, maybe most of their scenes were there for humor but I've found them a bit annoying.

And I really love, love, love Ja Eun and Tae Hee story! If you like romance, I suggest watching this just for them.

Leggi di Più

Divine Wrath strikes with unabashed humor, yet healing wounded souls of black, gray + shorn sheep

"The Fiery Priest" is all about Korean humor. You might have to get used to it. At least I did. The first time I approached the series I probably wasn't ready and possibly not in the right mood for such cheerful, tongue-in-cheek fun à la Korean style. I gave up quite early (probably after the first episode). On the second try tough, everything just fell into place. And by now I can say from experience: "The Fiery Priest" is ideal for repeat offenders. I had even more fun then... (And that probably wasn´t the last time I watched...)

Nonetheless. Korean humor is special, especially when it comes to the fascination of the intestines - often enough they are gladly celebrated in a wide variety. Here as well. Utter confusion and frenzy are also a must. Instead of tried and tested bar fights and brawls of the western type however, the focus here is rather on choreographed martial arts.

Humor reigns supreme in "The Fiery Priest". Humor determines the pace, the timing, the nuances and the ambience. Slapstick, situation comedy, dialogue jokes, parody, irony - hardly anything is left out. "The Fiery Priest" doesn't take itself too seriously. The central storyline says it all: in the robes of a priest a former NIS agent ensures order and justice. Even the Pope has his brief appearance here. But also the 'sects' with self-appointed saviors flourishing in the country.

And yet, the "The Fiery Priest" has some serious tones to offer, too - besides and in the middle of all the slapstick. The plot background is once again fueled by South Korean backroom liaisons between executive, judiciary, politics and crime. With regard to the personality development of the individual characters, touching emotional moments also come along here and there - comparatively modestly, but nevertheless with impact.

Finally, "The Fiery Priest" also plays out another strength of KDrama: Here you can experience a lot of cheerfully and yet subtly touchingly executed bromance and womance. (However, there's no romance. But nobody has to miss it.) Bromance and womance as well as the variety of embedded side plots inspirit dramaturgical facets, that may touch the heart, having quite something to offer between soft touch and punch. It is simply a pleasure to watch the various dynamic personality developments. (Outstanding actors all along, by the way!)

"The Fiery Priest" spectacularly succeeds in balancing a tightrope act - good-humoredly and mischievously dancing above an unspeakable swamp of injustice, bribery, abuse of power and human greed.

Divine Wrath strikes with unabashed humor, thus along the way healing the wounded souls of the black, gray, and shorn sheep.

Leggi di Più

Everlasting Love

I started this drama with no expectation because it was a recommendation from YouTube and I decided to give it a try. Here I am being grateful that I found this gem, a drama with pure and innocent love everyone needs^^

STORY: The drama started with Xia Lin Xi a very bright and intelligent high school girl who was given the task to make sure all her classmates were on class,and that was when she met Jiang Zheng Han. Xia Lin Xi managed to make him come back to school and somehow Zheng Han became her tutor just to earn money but he ended falling for her. Later,something happened and Jiang Zheng Han had to leave with telling her about it and Xia Lin Xi thought he broke their promise and was heart broken.
A year passed by and both Jiang Zheng Han and Xia Lin Xi reunited in university and they both became a couple after so many pleas and confession from Jiang Zheng Han and that led to their Forever Love.

ACTING/CAST: Most important reason why I loved and enjoyed this drama was because of the characters acting,it was amazing they displayed and pulled off an amazing acting. Zhang Huai Wu( principal's son) acting was just great,whenever he was on screen I would laugh so much simply because he is so funny just like his father lol.
Jiang Zheng Han and Xia Lin Xi chemistry was great,their scenes were just so sweet and all the time Xia Lin Xi stood beside Zheng Han when he was a nobody despite her mother telling her to break up with him made my heart flutter. They're just the cutest^^
Chen Yu Chuan bragging about being the second best always was just so cute too lol.

The OST used is so beautiful,calming,relaxing and goes well with the scenes.

Overall I would say,this drama is definitely a must watch for those who love college dramas and those who don't too hehe
It's a light drama,just give it a try

Leggi di Più

Romantic comedies aren’t usually my cup of java, but Coffee Prince is everything a rom-com should be: sweet, funny, and sexy. If you can get past the silliness of the mistaken identity premise, you’ll be rewarded with a show full of carefully observed human moments, played out by an eclectic, engaging ensemble cast. The poor girl/rich guy love story may not be especially original, but it’s told with a great deal of heart and refreshingly little artifice. The characters come across as fleshed-out human beings instead of walking plot devices and the show understands how to create scenes of real emotional impact without heaping on the melodrama or resorting to cheap dramatic tricks. It’s also genuinely hilarious, with a central couple whose on-screen chemistry is off the charts.

Coffee Prince is hardly an undiscovered gem, but like the best coffee shops, it’s a warm, inviting place to pass the time. It gently reminds that life’s small pleasures should be noticed and savored, and that choosing love, for a person, a profession, or a place, is worth whatever heartache or stigma may tag along.

Leggi di Più

If he says "cute" one more time...

Maybe there are two ways to watch fluffy romance series. One is dressed in your onesie, wearing pink slippers, clipping your toenails with one eye on the screen to admire the soft pout of the FL, or the ML's big brown eyes, and there's nothing wrong with that.
The other is actually paying attention to the story, because you like romance, but this story, I assure you, will reach the opposite effect, in more than one way.
First, there's this FL who rarely leaves her house because she works her head off.
Second, she only goes out because her boss orders her to do so with the command to find the necessary inspiration for her job.
Third, the only guy she meets is a hairdresser who falls instantly in love with her, just because WHAT exactly...because he can't resist a makeover? Or because he is a closet-masochist who likes her disinterest in him? She falls asleep when he does her hair, he's stood up by her...and all he can say is she's CUTE? I know this is the typical male compliment to a female in Japanese series, and he says it at least seven times each episode.
Added bonus seems to be she's a workaholic just like him, and still a virgin, and the very first time they actually did it, she reaches for her note book at her bed side to take notes on her new experience. Not to cherish a beautiful memory, but to store information for her new manga.
I'm so happy this is pure fiction, because in reality, the Japanese birth rate would dip to an all time low with unromantic people like that.

Leggi di Più