Reviews

When I finish watching the film, my reaction was like; "huh, what happen?!", "who did this and who did that?!". I was just shocked by the ending but I really did not felt horrified nor scared.

I just really got curious of what really happened to the plot of the story so I basically watch the movie one more time and I just found out what this movie is all about though. lol :p

IDK if most of the people who watch this film for the first time felt the same way I had which is confusion.

OVERALL: T'was a great and unique movie I could say since it made me feel curious and had my urge to re-watch this film.

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There is something rotten in Kaifeng.

Riverside Code at Qingming Festival/清明上河图密码 is adapted from Ye Wenbiao's popular suspense novel of the same name. One of the highest rated popular novels on Douban, it draws inspiration from Zhang Zeduan's epic 11th century scroll painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival/清明上河图. This panoramic masterpiece meticulously depicts 814 figures, 60 animals, 122 houses, 28 ships, 15 vehicles, over 30 buildings and 8 sedan chairs going about their daily lives along the grand canal. It is an eerily vibrant, intricate and authentic snapshot of Kaifeng (then known as Bianjing) at the peak of its cultural and economic significance; not long before the city was invaded, captured and largely destroyed by the Jurchens in 1127. It is a miracle that this iconic and magnificent record of the city's urban infrastructure, military instalments, industry and commerce and citizens from all walks of life survived. This visually immersive drama virtually restores the sweeping grandeur and prosperity of Kaifeng when it was believed to be the largest city in the ancient world and brings it to life. The drama opens with the mysterious disappearance of the Mei ship sailing under the Rainbow Bridge, which is the centrepiece of the painting.

This narrative examines what lies beneath the glittering facade of prosperity and the elated bustle along the Bian River as the citizens of Kaifeng celebrate the Qingming Festival via the eyes of a common family of five. This ties in with the Confucian concept of the family as a microcosm of the state 家国一体; thus the wellbeing of the family is intricately linked with the success of the state. For fifteen years, Zhao Buyou languished as a lowly assistant scribe at Dàlǐsì, the Court of Judicial Review. Even though he doesn't have everything, he is content; happily married to Wen Yue, a filial son to his eccentric father Zhao Li and a good elder brother to his much younger siblings Mo'er and Ban'er. Wen Yue however thinks they need a bigger house so she makes umbrellas to supplement their income. Their world fractures when Buyou is unfairly dismissed from Dàlǐsì while Wen Yue is extorted and harassed by a corrupt official. Pushed into a corner, they discover each other’s hidden secrets and race to protect each other and their family. Soon the entire family uses their special talents to assist Gu Zhen and Wan Fu of the Kaifeng Court solve a series of mysterious cases beginning with the Mei ship case. As the cases unfold, it becomes obvious that something is rotten in Kaifeng, and his name is Zou Mian.

The design of the overarching plot is fresh and interesting; the main villain Zou Mian is so powerful he appears to be above the law and his identity is known from the get go. But the true antagonist hides in plain sight and uses ruthless means to expose Zou Mian's corruption and misdeeds, including threatening the Zhao family. All of the cases are linked to the overarching plot, which is well designed and ties everything together in a satisfying way. The cases are very dark and disturbing and some of the antagonists are unnecessarily depraved and cruel. A unifying theme is that good people can become radicalised and driven to do terrible, desperate and extreme things when they lose faith in a system that fails them repeatedly. While the cases start out well, possibly because of how daringly they push the boundaries in terms of justifying vigilante justice, the conclusions seem to suffer from heavy cuts that leave logic gaps and loose ends. There is some level of just too much going on with the Zhao family drama unfolding alongside the cases. While I enjoyed their family dynamics and learning their backstories, these scenes could have been tightened. In particular Wen Yue going solo was based on shaky logic and her mid-life crisis was not well articulated and detracted from the cases at hand. I always get excited to see c-dramas attempt dark comedy but in this case, while there were some really funny moments, half the time it just didn't land. Overall, for something adapted from such a highly regarded novel, the screenplay does not do justice to the high production values, the exquisite set and the stellar cast.

As for the cast, it is a veteran dream team. I couldn't ask for a better lineup of favorite actors who deliver commanding performances in supporting roles notably Li Naiwen's disingenuous Dilun, Zhang Xinyu's wicked Qiniang and Hai Yitian's slightly unhinged Xiao Yishui. As expected, Zhang Songwen delivers an empathetic and nuanced performance as a flawed, miserable and oppressed character who just sucks it up while his talent is ignored until his harmonious family is threatened. He is more of a coward than a hero and his motives are selfish but relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed his humorous banter with Gu Zhen and Wan Fu and but was shocked by how cynically and ruthlessly they navigate a system that is so broken from within to find their own brand of justice. While Bai Baihe delivers a few exceptional moments as Wen Yue, she doesn't consistently convey the complexity of the role and the inner conflicts that Wen Yue struggled with. The weakest link by far however is Zhang Yao's Mo'er. This is an important role that is meant to illustrate the poisoning of the well. Unfortunately this young actor who struck me as promising years ago in Love in Between, was not ready for this role. He failed to convincingly portray how Mo'er's sorrow, disillusionment and budding resentment made him susceptible to manipulation. This made his darkening from an idealistic young scholar who wanted to reform the system from within seem abrupt and out of character. After all the build-up, I was also surprised by what a lame, wimp Zou Mian turned out to be. There were many fantastic wild, wicked and intimidating villains in this drama but sadly, the "Big Boss" did not live up to his reputation.

Even though this drama ends satisfyingly shortly after the plot climaxes with the reveal of a well-acted and well-hidden mastermind, Zou Mian's take down was anti-climactic. After all the vigilante justice, it makes sense for rule of law and procedural justice to win the day. However, I would have better enjoyed a more exciting denouement and preferably one that does not bypass the question of whether the ends justify the means. As much as I appreciate the meticulous attention to historical detail and the high production values, this drama falters enough in the writing and execution that I can't rate it better than 8.5/10.0. It is still a riveting suspense drama that is entertaining and engaging enough that it deserves another season, hopefully with a better writing team.

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Stole into my heart before I even realized I wasn't bothered by the hair anymore. I really don't even think I can write a review that isn't bordering on rambling because there's just so much to say about this drama.
The story-line is absolutely hands down the best writing I've seen in a drama. The plot is well defined, the characters are so real and true to their personalities throughout, and the little nuances of individual people are always there that it took me watching it twice to fully take everything in. It has the best character growth I've seen yet also. You really get to see Ruo Xi grow up and become a much more mature, if not more defensive person (in terms of being careful of deception) and learn from her mistakes, but some of the mistakes she makes are impossible to stop because even if you're sent to the past, how do you know what you should say or shouldn't? (This always bothered me about going to the past type dramas, because there's usually that person that says "Don't do anything, or you'll change history!" but how do they know that that person isn't meant to say something to make the history they know happen?) Anyways, it was unavoidable to end up getting tangled in the prince's lives.

The bond the princes all have with Ruo Xi was such a pleasure to watch. They each have their own connection with her, from childhood friend, to soul-mate friend, to not meant to be lover, to true lover, and everything else in between. Even if they're out to get the throne, when it comes down to it, they'll do whatever they can to help her when she needs it. But don't worry, she's not a weak female lead by any means. She's strong, smart, and often comes to the princes aid even if it goes against her lover's desire. Her sense of relationship with each of the princes is so strong that she never abandons them and isn't above sacrificing herself to save their lives. (Not in the typical stupid female lead way either, but with an intelligent and thorough plan.)

It does have some palace intrigue, and vying for the throne of course, but when it comes down to it, it's about realizing what you have and sometimes learning to let go to what's gone, instead of trying to have everything, because eventually something will be sacrificed. I cannot get over just how much I adore this drama, and the characters are still firmly in my heart. 8th prince and 13th Prince, you'll always be my favorites!!
(Part of my review got cut off, so I'll add the rest here. I probably did something silly.)

There is of course an awesome and beautiful love story throughout the entire series. From first love to deep and soul capturing love, you can feel their profound love for each other, and how they grow to know and accept each other as time passes. There's none of the "I love you right away just because" feel a lot of dramas have, they grow up together and experience life side by side. You never doubt that they absolutely love one another. Even with the romance being a main point, this drama was so much more to me. It was about the wide variety of love and relationships a person has in their lives, and how each one weighs in your heart, and how they each mold who you are.

There is also a stark reality each character has to face, and you as a viewer have to accept. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows, and someone you knew can become someone you can't recognize through time. The drama does an amazing job of showing how you change through various trials, and how greed can poison everything.

The actors and actresses really did such an amazing portraying their roles, that I was lost in the story and almost forgot it wasn't reality. There are more than a few scenes I had to stop and re-watch right away just because of how powerful they were acted. Liu Shi Shi as Ruo Xi was astounding! I've only seen her in another drama, and while I liked her in it, her acting here godsmacked me. Down to the minute details, she executed her character perfectly. I honestly love Ruo Xi. Nicky Wu as 4th prince and Kevin Cheng as 8th prince also always left me in awe of their talent. I really felt like they were their characters, and I will definitely be watching more of their dramas just to see them act.

The OST is also just wonderful! It displays the emotions of the scenes perfectly, and really sets the tone of them. Some will make you tear up just hearing them, and other make your heart race because you know something is about to happen. It's one of the first OSTs I'll be downloading just to listen to when I want those feelings back.

Sorry for this being such a long review, but this drama left such an impact on me and really made me think about my life, or life in general, as corny as that sounds. XD Just one of those stories that stays in your heart and becomes a part of you. Please give it a chance, and maybe you'll love it as much as I do, or at least enjoy the ride. I don't think I'll ever get tired of this story.

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Epic Historical Drama | High Quality Production

What an incredible historical story told with a touch (a lot) of humor, initially.

When I first started with the drama, I didn't know what to make of it: is it a real historical story, or is it a comedy? Real historical drama because it’s depicting one of the most interesting era of Chinese history from the Yongle reign in 1402 during the Ming Dynasty. Comedy because of the initial dialogues and relationships portrayed in the story – they are funny and entertaining. Nonetheless, a few episodes in, I found myself really enjoying this drama.

The drama is based on some real events and real figures in the early part of the Ming dynasty. It started with Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor, seizing the throne from his nephew in a revolt. In the beginning of the story, it focuses mainly on the relationships between Zhu Di, his sons and his grandson. How these relationships are depicted is humorous and enjoyable. Fictional or not, I’m really hooked watching how the father-son-grandson, brothers-brothers, uncles-nephew dynamics played out here; the relationships are just funny, informal, silly and sweet at times. However, after the demise of Zhu Di, the same relationships become hideous and the mood of the drama turns serious and deadly.

This drama also has some brief references to the expeditions of Cheng He, the Tumu Crisis, and various important figures such as Yu Qian, Wang Zhen and the three Yangs. However, Empress Sun is given a greater influence in this drama than in reality. Her son is such a spoiled brat and incompetent.

25 episodes in, the mood changes from light-hearted into dead serious. Many episodes focus on warfare with the northern Mongol tribes. The informal relationships we see earlier within the royal family disappear. The seemingly silly and funny characters of the 2nd and 3rd princes become devious and dangerous. Even the Zhu Zhanji character becomes unpredictable and sinister.

Zhu Yawen is a seasoned actor and is very good in his craft. His portrayal of Zhu Zhanji is amazing, switching from being timid in front of his grandfather the Emperor, to silly with his father the crown prince and with his uncles, to serious and nasty with his enemies. Zhu Yawen has a magician hat filled with unlimited facial expressions, body language, smiles, sneers and demeanor. He switches from one mood to another with ease and makes his character super interesting and convincing. However, he’s gone from the screen after about 2/3 of the drama. (Likewise with Wang Xue Qi who plays the Yongle Emperor character - he exits the screen even earlier.) Both of these actors are supposedly playing the main roles. One character, apart from Sun Ruowei, that consistently appears from early in the drama till the end is Yu Qian played by Su Ke. He is a wonderful convincing actor and I really enjoy watching his character.

I don't particularly like the female lead Rebecca Tang playing Sun Ruowei initially because I find her stiff and unnatural, over acts in certain parts and under acts in others. I also dislike her voice dubbing because her voice and tone don't match the moods and situations of the events. Everything just seems off with her. The Sun Ruowei character also changes greatly before and after she married Zhu Zhanji, and it (the character) doesn't feel like a lead character anymore. However, I’m pleasantly surprised by her transformation when she becomes the Empress Dowager. Her no-nonsense demeanor which doesn’t bode well initially becomes very convincing at the later part of the drama. As mentioned earlier, Sun Ruowei is depicted as a very influential character in this drama as a regent which may not be totally accurate historically. According to the record, the Grand Empress Dowager (Empress Zhang) should have held greater power than depicted and hence been the greater influencer. The relationship between Sun Ruowei and Hu Shan Xiang has also been fictionalized.

All the other actors and supporting casts are very good in their respective roles. After the demise of the Yongle Emperor and his sons and grandson, ie. the initial cast, the drama turns dry for some viewers with politics and warfare with a lot of bloodshed and deaths. All the comedies and humors are gone. The drama progresses with each episode getting more intense then the last. Despite the fictions, this drama is still very well made with not many holes; it's interesting and wonderful to watch.

My verdict: yes, I'd recommend this drama to all, especially those who love historical stories. This is a wonderful drama worth watching despite its length of 62 episodes! I have enjoyed almost every episode, although half-way through, it gets a bit dry without all the initial humors and comedies, but the tension and plots keep me on. The acting is impeccable and the music is one of the best. This drama goes into my MUST-WATCH list.

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Its a wonderful lakorn
Fahsai is incredibly cute. I fell in-love with her character.
Daniel is handsome and dangerous. Together they look beautiful.
I wish this lakorn was longer
I never skipped any parts.
LOVED the show.
But...


The only reason this lakorn is completely unbelievable
firstly fahsai is dating P'itt for 10 years and she after meet Daniel two days is completely in love with him
Am i the only one that found it weird that for a shot person Daniel did not show much emotion but I kind of understood him he was supposed to be this cold hearted Mafia leader but still pain is pain
another thing the episodes were rushed necessary character development for anyone but Fahsai was not included.
Daniel needed a good ass whooping.
We are never told wether daniel is in love with botan or Fahsai her shadow. Daniel never gave botan up the way he was ready to give Fahsai up to chen ming
He never fought for his love.
Daniel was a cold character but i guess it came with his character.
ChenMing was adorable his dimple made me all warm inside.

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Il Mare is a truly unique love story, that shows romance in a refreshingly different light. Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae are good playing two lonely people who find comfort in words shared with a stranger, but there was honestly nothing extraordinary about either performance. The true star of this movie is the story itself.

The plot takes the idea of long distance romance to the extreme. It's written so well that the fantastic concept seems perfectly plausible. I loved how their shared moments were shown. The director did a great job of making sure the time difference never felt like a cheap gimmick. The movie is also visually stunning, especially the house itself ("il mare") which I absolutely loved. This movie is not fast paced, nor does it have cute moments full of chemistry/sexual tension. Instead, it's about watching two people become close although they can't be together. Showing that connection is hard, but I think the movie pulls it off well.

The American remake of this film is "The Lake House" staring Keanu Reeves, & Sandra Bullock. I actually liked the remake as well, but one doesn't cancel the other out in my opinion. At the very least, the korean house is MUCH cooler!

I think the key to this story's appeal is the question of whether or not they will ever meet in the future, and have a true romantic relationship. Once that mystery was resolved, rewatching was a little less exciting, but It is still very interesting to watch the story unfold while knowing the outcome. If possible, avoid reading the synopsis, which gives way too much of the story away. I also wouldn't be concerned with how old this movie is. Like the relationship between Eun Ju & Sung Hyun, this movie is timeless.

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Take your usual rom-com, shake it up and reverse all the roles. There, you have it— Across the Ocean to See You. A show where the female lead is the aloof, haughty protagonist that calls the shots! And the male lead is Mr. Nice Guy trying to win the affection of his boss.

The writing is smart and super funny. I love the banter between Su Mang and Zheng Chu, alternately playful and frustrated. The mad chemistry between these two leads leave you wanting more.

This is an easy watch (mostly). No maddening hateful characters that take over the entire show and leave you drained. The last third of the drama starts to get heavy and melo-like but overall it is a very well done romantic comedy with sprinkles of melo. Supporting characters and secondary OTPs complement the show well without overtaking the importance of the primary leads.

The show does have its share of scratch your head moments. For example, where's the baby bump Su Mang? And the ending to one of the characters is questionable but these are but minor quibbles.

Overall, very entertaining. And the OST is super catchy. Loved it.

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I don't get the hate.

I really don't get the hate for this drama. It wasn't the worst thing I watched, but it wasn't the best thing I watched. The plot is a little cheesy, but to the people bashing Seohyun for her acting abilities or Suelbi's characters, you have to realize that she was literally locked up for 20 years +. She's not supposed to be fucking mature. She is a kid who does kiddy things. She matures throughout the series and starts to realize the real world is tougher than it looks. I don't understand blaming Sookwang either. He never wanted a romantic relationship and didn't take advantage of her. Very "pedophilic" right? He just gave her home because he was a genuine person. If anybody should be blamed here, it is the chairman and everyone surrounding him. He later redeems himself, but this wouldn't have happened without his greed. It was also weird that Minju kept advancing onto her when he barely even knew her. At least with Sookwang, she spent time with each other. It's really not that deep.

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My expectations were not high when I started the drama. It was raised when I saw Hawick Lau's character as Bai Lang. Suave and smooth. I fell in love with the character. Tiffany Tan was described as brave, courageous, and kind--very naive. She was brave when she acted against Bai Lang and charged into enemy territory. Though it was stupid, it did suit her character. But that character disappeared half way through the show. She became another stereotypical damsel in dramas. Where did her courage and bravery go? Did she drop it? Well, she didn't bother to go find it cause the drama lost spark half way through the drama. The only thing that kept me going was Bai Lang. Suave.

The second leads were bearable. I didn't like the thief, Xiao Han's character at first. Her character was only an annoyance and didn't really spice the drama. After going through more than a third of the episodes, her character was better. Her acting was explosive as an antagonist. Though, not to reveal many spoilers, her character description based on previous actions didn't really suit her later actions. Like the damsel, she dropped her character and forgot to pick it up.

The second male lead annoyed me the most. I may be biased towards Bai Lang because he was so hot but the second male lead only served as an annoyance. I didn't feel anything for him.

Overall, the script went stale after 20 episodes. The beginning kept me interested because Bai Lang and Jiang Xin's chemistry was too cute for my heart. But after that, it went stale and boring.

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Good watch for those who enjoy tragic love stories....

This drama is really good if you enjoy dramas with a beautiful emotional love story. It’s a story of 2 people who did not have a childhood filled with happiness. They found each other and fell in love however unfortunate events kept happening to them.

I watched the entire show in a day so it’s definitely possible to binge watch the show. #Woodohwan and #Leeyoumi had insane chemistry and their acting was so good! Haejo’s character was very free spirited and he liked doing things without any plans. Jaemi is very extroverted and has an outgoing personality. Both of them suit each other well cause they relate to similar pain.

Now the story is really very simple, there is no plot twist and nothing really shocking. It’s a very simple deep love story. So for this genre it’s good but personally not my style of show so there were parts where I just skipped…

I enjoyed the relationships shown in the drama especially Haejo and Bongsuk who was basically his guardian since he was young. She cared for him as a mother / sister and was always there for him.

Jaemi had a fiancé who she was going to marry and he was deeply in love with her. Initially I didn’t think he was going to have such a big role in the drama. But he is actually the second male lead. So there are many scenes regarding his family issues as well. He was an understanding SML though always thinking about her happiness so nothing toxic! (just that maybe there was too much screen time regarding his issues)

I’m sure everyone who will watch this knows the ending so…. 🙃 Everything is revealed in episode 1 itself so there isn’t any shocking reveals after that.

For those who really like the emotional tragedy kind of romance then this is for you! There is fluff definitely but it’s all under the shadow of tragedy so… 🥺

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A warm ode to our youth – one day, we will become someone that our past selves can be proud of.

Mental turmoil latched onto me the moment that I attempted to evaluate this drama with a rubric. To claim that this show is close to objectively “perfect” would be awfully far from accurate. But the more that I told myself to be impartial, to judge this drama as fairly as I did every other show that I’ve ever consumed, the more squeamish I got. After all, it's one of the most magical dramas I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

The overarching plot of Dear Diary starts with a woman by the name of Chen Meiru. Like many young and hormonal creatives, she wrote a self-insert love story when she was 12, and paired herself with a handsome and devoted prince to boot. On her 24th birthday, he appears before her very eyes: a buff Babylonian man, wildly proclaiming his love for her. Hilarity ensues as the jaded careerwoman attempts to return to her normal life, haunted by the gorgeous prince, his loyal subordinate, and a beautiful love rival – each of whom she designed under her own pen as a starry-eyed child, but who are now composed of flesh and bone.

On the surface, Dear Diary is yet another kooky fantasy rom-com mess. In a genre teeming with titles, what instantly sets this one apart is that it’s legitimately funny…hmm, nope; “hysterical” is a more fitting term. Not once does it rely on cheap gags. All the jokes fit perfectly with the situation and are delivered impeccably. I had just gotten my wisdom teeth pulled when I started watching this drama, and the amount of pain I suffered due to failed attempts at suppressing my cackling was not trivial. Totally worth it, though. (Side note: some of the jokes may only be effective if you have prior understanding of Chinese culture. I took a look at the official English subtitles and they don’t provide any relevant context to understand these references. Booooo. If you're interested, you can visit my profile for a link to my fan-subbed version, in which I translate and explain these references.)

Is good humor this show’s sole asset? No, no, no. That’s the mere tip of the iceberg. Once you go for a deeper dive, you’ll discover that this show possesses a power that many others can only dream of: logic. Halle-freaking-lujah, it’s not mindless antics! Not only is there a methodical sequence of interesting events, there are actual reasons behind those events. I would like to thank these writers for displaying to their industry peers that “fantasy” is not a synonym for “has no rules.” In spite of a few plot holes (which are inevitable due to production reasons, as I’ll explain in a bit), the overall story is one of compelling, nonstop developments.

As you learn how and why certain events occur, more serious themes emerge. Whereas a great deal of creativity went into the layout of the story, an equal amount of thought went into tying it all back to reality. The fantasy elements become increasingly metaphorical in nature and the initial humor recedes to reveal the characters’ internal struggles. While I adore the comedy, the tone shift is truly brilliant and utilized fruitfully. Savor your joy – the higher your mood flies in the beginning, the more tears you’ll shed when later episodes wrestle you back down to earth.

How do the funny and somber components both work so well? Obviously, the writers and directors put in excellent work. But it would be a severe injustice to not applaud the actors. Across six lead characters (that’s right; six, with each of them bearing equal weight in the story), there’s not a single weak link to be found. They all interpret their roles very seriously, which allows you to immerse yourself into every scene – be it one of comedy or one of tragedy. I’m especially appreciative of the actors and actress playing the three characters risen from Chen Meiru’s diary. These characters would be extremely easy to exaggerate to the point of being awkward caricatures. However, because each actor gave due respect to the role that they played, every character feels real and their reactions suit the situation. Also, special shoutout for Bu Guanjin, who I swear has some of the best line delivery skills in the industry.

For the sake of clarity, I’ll go over the drama’s characters by splitting them into two groups: “human” and “paper,” the former being those in the story who are regarded from the get-go as “real” people, and the latter being those who rose from the pages of Chen Meiru’s journal. These paper characters, Murong Jielun, Ouyang Wenshan, and Jiutian Longnu, all start off as you would expect – horribly cringeworthy. Flat, one-dimensional; the pinnacle of an adolescent girl’s imagination. But, over the course of the story, their growth is the most impactful and satisfying of all. It’s through them that we witness the departure from supposed destiny, and the subsequent importance of taking your future into your own hands.

As for the humans themselves: you have Chen Meiru, Jiang Huizhen, and Duan Shuiliu. Each of them live drastically different lifestyles, but are ultimately as similar to one another as they are to you and me: full of youthful dreams, and also full of doubt. Perhaps we’d expect that them teaching the paper characters about life would be the primary focus. However, what is of more interest is watching them—the “real” humans—find hope within cruel reality by cherishing and loving those fictional, yet genuine paper characters. It’s poetic cinema, I tell you.

At its core, this drama is a tale of growth and self-worth; about overcoming insecurities and reaching for greater heights with the support of those around us. This storytelling is especially valuable for us women in the audience, who need more media in which ladies are permitted to be vulnerable, to be flawed, to be irritable. Of course, this message applies to you; whoever you may be. We all have our moments of weakness. We all have negative memories that hold us back. But through others and through our own self-reflection, we can find happiness.

Alright, so I’ve talked your ears off about all the good points. Then what made me initially waver away from giving Dear Diary such a high score? For one thing, the dubbing leaves a lot to be desired. It is extremely obvious that they recorded over existing dialogue for numerous scenes. I’m sure it was unavoidable, but dubbing will always get me in a huffy mood.

Secondly, and possibly most importantly, the pacing is far too fast. Like, “someone needs to dish this production a speeding ticket”-level too fast. 24 episodes at 20-some minutes a pop? It’s whiplash waiting to happen. In regards to the overall story, the length is tolerable; but as they say, the devil is in the details – the compressed timing creates a good number of plot holes, which leads to clunky development, which in turn harms intricacies in the characters and their relationships. Frankly, I didn’t find it to be a major issue; but the progression definitely doesn’t feel as natural as it could be. Here, I’d like to mention that the producers edited the entire show twice before it could air (due to reasons like our beloved censorship). Twice. Can you imagine how much precious content got cut out in the process? I could cry just thinking about it. Anyways, if the crew is willing to release an extended director’s cut—even if it’s secretly in some kind of drama black market—I might have some pocket money at the ready…just saying.

These issues could prove fatal for any other show, but I’m more than willing to overlook them all for Dear Diary. This is a rare drama where you can truly tell how much care and effort went into making it something of emotional value. You never get a sense that those involved in this production were in it to make mad bank or to revolutionize the Asian drama scene or even to be super dramatic. It’s just here with the modest goal of telling us a fun, soothing story. Whether it be in the realism of the acting, the craftsmanship of the dialogue, filming in Morocco and having the cast learn the Akkadian language for scenes referencing ancient Babylonia – there is no shortage of genuine dedication. There’s something exceptional about witnessing a passion project, bursting at the seams with honesty and sincerity, coming to life upon your screen. It warms my cold, cold heart. It inspires me to be just as heartfelt toward my own life.

While Dear Diary may not be “perfect,” it’s a perfect example of the sentiment that a show need not be flawless in order to receive love from its audience. When a writer cares deeply for her script and an actor his role, a viewer can instinctively feel it. That emotional connection, that soul alone can be enough to make a show into something special. Dear Diary possesses that soul. And I couldn’t be more grateful that the team behind it shared it with us, because it really is something special.

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Why you may want to watch this drama?



+ plot line is very sweet

+ ROSE IS AMAZING (You'll know when you watch)

+ BL

+ hot hot hot main male lead with amazing seduction/teasing skills

+ he also has great hair! (and a killer jaw)

+ even the second leads don't do much damage to the main leads' relationships

+ potential misunderstandings are discussed rather than acted harshly on.



What should you be cautious of?

+ the hero and heroine literally do the mating dance (per say) for a long long time before they finally end up finalizing their feelings.

+ the main male lead gives too much of his attention to his idiotic ex GF (aka second female lead)

+ the second male lead is an idiot. I repeat, an idiot.



SPOILER:

+ A happy ending.

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HPL is very special for me and it did teach me a lot. The main theme of a fangirl is something so close to many of our hearts. I especially loved how they chose an older heroine - this generation created the fan culture we know today, so that was a big bonus in my book. Also, I head no idea about the sasaeng world, that was a new experience.

The drama starts out very strongly. First couple of episodes are phenomenal, the first half of the third episode made me fall in love with the drama like nothing else. The tempo was there, there was also a lot hinted at and besides one of the best romcom couples on screen, it was interesting to unwrap all the mysteries. Unfortunately, the writing became a bit weak in the second half of the drama, notably after episode 10 or so. Writers used a couple of shortcuts that did a bit of harm to the drama in my opinion.

Also, HPL has some of the best developed relationships between all of the side characters out there. It was a shame, that one of the shortcuts was not exploring these further. in the later episodes. Mostly because in this drama, the minor characters don't feel like props at the beginning, as they mostly do in this genre in other dramas, they come off strong from the start. It is just a shame that they did not keep pace with main couple.

Now, Deok Mi and Ryan are strongest part of HPL. Their relationship is so well done and explored through patience, kindness and nurture. Also, the chemistry is just mad - I kept thinking that my screen is going to burst into flames. almost every episode.

The music, colours and overall playfulness are also a huge strong point of HPL. I was pleasantly surprised that both PMY and KJW went for it fully in this one - some of the humorous scenes got me by surprise. They both balanced the emotions so well, a joy to look at.

I think that I will come back to HPL to look at my favourite parts. However, I don't think that I will rewatch it as a whole. It is worth your time, though. I looked forward to it every week.

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"And then comes one Japanese slice of life and completely erases all the other movies she has seen in last couple of years..." Pretty much the first thought that came to my mind after watching this movie. It has blown me away. With every single thing in it. I had some idea about the plot and I knew it was gonna be some tragedy and illness thing but definitely haven't thought that it'd be such a gem, such a rare thing to watch, such phenomenal piece of art. Yes I think this movie is art. Poetic, artistic, so imaginative, full of parallels and metaphors, visually stunning, with excellent music and brilliant acting and writing. I seriously feel so weird now, I can not explain, I'm sad, I cried near the end like crazy, I'm devastated, I'm strong, I'm grateful and thankful and above all I am happy that I am alive. Description of the movie is already given on movie page so this won't be a spoiler for what I'm gonna say. Just imagine that you find that you're sick and that you're gonna die and suddenly you can extend your life in exchange for some things to disappear each day. I mean the sole idea is very original and interesting and from the first moment it caught my attention but with this pace and this excellent writing it really hit me hard. With each of those things that were disappearing, also memories with a certain person important in his life disappeared as well. With each day it was a new struggle, a new shock, a new fight in his mind and heart, terrifying knowledge that if you want to gain something, you must lose something, and when that biggest attack came, the most difficult thing he could ever lose, then it comes the final acceptance of his fate and his sickness. It was pretty hard to watch those scenes as they were very emotional and with pure rawness. I can't give enough credit to Sato's performance as he was simply incredible, his eyes, his smile, his way of talking, crying, yelling and dealing with everything, all of it was beautiful to watch. He really showed with this role that now there isn't anything he can't do and I'm glad cause of him. As most of the time he was the only one on the screen, I can't say that the others were in the same spot as he was but Miyazaki Aoi and Harada Mieko were amazing in their portrayals too, which was expected from such huge talents like they are. What amazed me the most is that by each encounter, by each of his choices we learn something new, new life lesson, new meaning of choices we make and consequences of that, we experience everything together with him and so easily imagine ourselves in his place, it was so easy to do that. And in the end what this movie really wants to say to us is what really counts -love, bonds and relationships we achieve in our lives. That even if you come to the most difficult and terrible point in your life, there will be always something, someone to make you feel good. To make you feel alive and realize why you're alive in the first place. That nothing can compare to the people you love and care about. That it is better to be loved, to love your family, friends, children and partners to the fullest even if it means that you'll live shorter, all that is better than being alone in the world without anyone to call to, to watch a movie with, to travel with but live a long life. I finally understand what 'If Cats Disappeared From the World" means. And it is something the most powerful. Go and watch this movie, either you're a slice of life fan or not, you won't be indifferent to this one. p.s. And watch movie till the very end so that you could hear the ending song and read the lyrics, it has such a deep meaning and perfectly goes with the whole movie progress.

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This drama is WORTH to watch!!!! Don't judge it by 1st ep

It's just a great one in the genre it includes anything!!! Full emotions , lessons , science, interesting stories and good casting with lovely chemistry also I couldn't have any imaginations about anything till the end!!
I don't know what do people want from a drama .... I just know if you don't watch it or drop in first episodes you don't have this right to share unrelated comments and give a shit ..... This drama is an on growing one
Abt the bromance it was something special among all bromance I mean it's really bromance like two brothers they came to each other like a healer and it was heart melting during all . I Loved all information about our brain all said had attracts and made you fall in love with learning also the fun side was something besssssst something like Waikiki the ideas were new and amazing
Whole the drama is very valuable and make everyone on a good mood you can enjoy it just don't judge it soon or by bad comments some of the (most of them) didn't watch at all . Start it I promise you like

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