Reviews

''If we go back then, would we be a little different now?''

It was a bit hard to rate this drama to be honest. I believe it has some flaws and it could have been better, but still, it managed to entertain me a lot which, if I have to be honest, I didn't expect.

The thing I loved the most about ''365: Repeat the Year'' is definitely the pace. This type of story is not easy to handle, yet this drama did it quite well. It just gets better with each episode, it makes you extremely curious about what will happen next. I don't think I've ever seen a drama with soooo many plot twists, I'm talking seriously right now. We have new twists in almost every episode. If you think you guessed right, you probably didn't. The writer always managed to surprise the viewers more or less. Even if you can predict something, you still can't get the full picture and the question you ask after each episode is always ''What the heck is going on?!''

I think as a mystery and time travel drama, it did quite well. However, the last episodes were quite... meh. You know, you keep searching for answers throughout the whole drama but when you finally get them, you kind of... don't care? The biggest plot twist was supposed to be the climax and the most shocking one but it really wasn't. Because if the other twists were very undpredictable, the biggest one was quite excpected. And after it, I kind of lost interest and just waited for the drama to end.

Some were left unexplained though. But I guess the drama was complicated enough so if the writer wanted to go even deeper, then it would have been waaaay too messy...who knows.

The acting was quite good. I loved Lee Joon Hyuk as Ji Hyung Joo, he is such an underrated actor and I he was excellent here. Nam Ji Hyun was decent as Shin Ga Hyun and honestly, one of the things I really, really loved in this drama is the fact that the female lead wasn't stupid or something.

The only song I actually remember from the drama is ''Into My Life'' by Say'Z. Such a beautiful song and it was perfect for the drama.

I wouldn't watch this again simply because there's no point. I mean, there won't be any excitement since I already know everything.

Overall, I would recommend this drama if you're looking for a good mystery that keeps you guessing. I wouldn't consider it a ''must watch'', but it's definitely a nice show. And if you decide to watch it, please, avoid spoilers at all cost!

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Sunao Ni Narenakute is an extremely well done drama about friendship, love and growing pains of adulthood.

The situations are mature, the friendships are genuine and the love story is refreshingly real and sweet. The writing of this was very smart and truer to life than most dramas. The 11 episodes went by fairly quickly.

I really enjoyed the premise of five friends coming together by meeting through Twitter. It was such an original take on how people meet, grow to care for each other and become an extended family.

This is a slice of life piece about a particular time and stage in a person's life. It is off the beaten path from the usual standard drama fare. I loved it for that. The serious situations were handled in a realistic way that had me walking away feeling bittersweet but much more on the sweet side.

All of the characters were believable; the actors true and natural. My one small nitpick is that while I like JaeJoong and he improved in Protect the Boss, his acting in this felt a little green and new. But I did like "Doctor" and it wasn't so bad as to be distracting.

This drama really is a very nice piece of work. Sunao Ni Narenakute is an enjoyable watch, even with the angst and troubles that naturally come with the previously mentioned growing pains. This drama is about being true to yourself, learning to be brave in life and love. It is done with humor, some very stark realism and a lot of warmth.

The soundtrack was great! There wasn’t a song out of place. They were a mix of pop and alternative that fit perfectly with the age group portrayed in the drama. The songs were also memorable and this is one of those rare times I wish I owned the OST. (I liken the quality to Soulmate and Coffee Prince)

I am giving the re-watch a 10 because I know I will go back to this drama again.

I recommend this drama very highly. It is smart, fun, touching, and romantic. A WIN in my book.

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(accidentally submitted my review via the account I don't use-this is my official one) Phenomenal drama. As a whole, I was completely sucked into this drama. The plot is very melodramatic but strangely addictive. Yes, many people believe it is draggy like usual T-dramas but I think it's a personal preference. Melodramas like Someone like you are either fantastic or terrible. It was very well executed, whether the scenes, plots, actors, or the setting. Like any memorable melodramas, they make you want to visit the filming places. After watching this drama, I now want to go back to Taiwan and visit where they filmed it (Big City department store in Hsinchu, Taiwan).

The first 10 episodes were amazingly well developed and I loved watching the character development and the initial friendship between Yu Xi (Lorene's character) and Zhan Cheng (Kingone's character) when he was blind. As their friendship developed into love, they became a super compatible couple. Their kissing scenes were also very cute. I think they're a great OTP for sure. Another reason why I liked this drama so much was because of the department store rivalry scenes/element. Unlike other romance dramas where the male lead is a CEO and they don't talk much about it other than the fact that he looks great wearing suits and has a lot of money, this drama plays out the rivalry scenes. They continue with the department scene rivalry side story throughout the drama and I really enjoyed these scenes because they were intense and nerve wracking to watch and they added to character development of Zhan Cheng. It wove seamlessly into the main plot and didn't distract from the romance.

Kingone really carries this drama. His portrayal of a blind man was seriously amazing. His acting was flawless and I couldn't see any flaws in his portrayal. I wasn't initially a fan of him because I usually like idol drama actors (read my other reviews) , but his character is really the ultimate perfect boyfriend. I actually liked Lorene's acting. Although her acting seemed a little fake in the beginning, her acting got a lot better. Like I said, Kingone carried the drama and he guided her through the romantic scenes well. Many think her crying scenes were fake, but I thought it was realistic because realistic crying isn't pretty. In terms of the supporting actors, I loved William's camaraderie with Zhan Cheng, and Yu Xi's relationship with her family. The supporting couples between Zhan Cheng's sister and Yu Xi's brother was adorable, as well as William's relationship with Yu Xi's best friend. Lorene was good at her dual roles as well.

The music is so heartwarming and emotionally provoking. I think this is one of the best soundtracks as a whole for a drama. Bii did most of the soundtrack, and I liked his songs a lot. They perfectly match the tone of the drama and the scenes.

For those of you who are unsure if you want to watch it because you're not sure if you can handle the various tragedies of this drama from the summary you just read, trust me, it is worth watching. It took me 2 weeks to finally decide to watch this because I selectively pick dramas to watch since I don't like dropping dramas; I feel the need to finish a drama once I start it. I'm glad I watched this drama; after all, it has now become one of my favorite dramas. Re-watch value is definitely high. In fact, I'm re-watching it right now! If your taste is anything like mine (read my other reviews for T-dramas), you will definitely love this drama. Give it a try. You won't regret it.

***edit*** As I said earlier, I'm watching it for the second time and after watching it for the second time I came to appreciate the beautiful cinematography of this drama even more. The BTS videos were also very entertaining and showed the chemistry between the leads. I recommend watching the BTS if you fall in love with the characters like me! I'm starting to like all the characters after watching it for the second time because I can start to understand some of their actions even though some of them were unforgivable. This might sound crazy, but I think I might watch it for the third time in the future. I really hope Kingone and Lorene collaborate on a drama again! (10/9)

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Woo Do-Hwan never fails!

Woo Do-Hwan never fails to please!

My two top Korean actors right now are Woo Do Hwan and Lee Do-Hyun.

I first saw WDH in Save Me and my favourite ones out of his dramas would have to be:

My Country and Bloodhounds.

With Mr Plankton I really enjoyed it for the first 7 episodes and then I'm not sure where it quite started turning for me, but it did.

I hesitated to watch this drama because I knew the fate of his character and didn't want to go through that all again like with My Country.

With Mr Plankton the ending was sad, but not as devastatingly sad for me like what happened in My Country for some reason.

Have seen others of his dramas in full like: Save Me, Tempted and Mad Dog which I really enjoyed as well.

As for Joseon Attorney (4-6 episodes) and King Eternal Monarch (half) and didn't mind these either except maybe Joseon Attorney would probably be the least liked one out of them all. Not because of him, but rather the story itself.

King Monarch I would probably finish only he isn't the male lead.

In regards to Mr Plankton, it is about the main character being diagnosed with a terminal disease (less than 3 months to live) so he goes on this personal journey to find his real father, only decides to kidnap his ex girlfriend at the start, just as she is about to get married with a gang on his tail out for revenge.

It has a great mix of humour, a solid story line, drama, action, a sad or bittersweet feel, romance and adventure.

The music is so so - nothing really stood out like Stay With Me (Goblin) or Butterflies (Wedding Impossible).

A major dislike for me would be the female in this as she got on my nerves with her crying - it is the worst, also, her hissy fits. I really wish I could have reached through the screen to slap her out of it. Really annoying!!! Far too many scenes for my liking and she grated me the wrong way as she sounded terrible. Couldn't stand it! Her other scenes were mostly fine - just the sobbing and hysterics were irritating. Terrible! She really did come across as being idiotic quite a bit of the time which was unfortunate - I'm not sure what he saw in her. Another minor peeve was the way she ran. Weird!

Wouldn't it be something to have a female that is mature even when annoyed yet sassy, full of spunk, charismatic and adorable even if not dropdead gorgeous. Just not a cry baby, nagger, whiner or screamer.

I need a female actor that can pull it off like WDH, who in my humble opinion, is one the BEST actors in the industry for crying, laughing and emoting expressions and feelings. His crying or sobbing scenes in My Country were believable, but especially that one scene inside the room with that silk item and his name embroidered on it probably due to the significance of what it meant.

Simply the BEST!!!

The gut wrenching moments in this drama definitely have momentum, but not as impactful as two specific scenes in My Country.

What else?

I really enjoyed the bond that was made on the road trip back to Seoul between the Heir and character played by WDH - the bromance was fantastic and seemed better than what was between WDH and the main female lead at times!

WDH has a beautiful laugh, way of chuckling and tantalising manner with particular words or expressions.

Him and only him!

Anyways, Mr Plankton is recommended for those that like a good mix of everything, but after episode 7 it doesn't seem as exciting and seems rushed or done so as not to leave any loose ends. But...done so without depth.

Maybe one loose end actually - I don't remember seeing anything about the test results of the 3rd candidate. 🧐

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I usually watch everything STRONGBERRY does and I do not know why nobody has made a review for this work yet. As always, they did an amazing job at portraying an interesting and warm relationship between two young men. Everything about it is good and I specially enjoyed the chemistry and acting, as you could see clear commitment from the actors. It always amazes me how their actors are so good. Moreover, I also particularly enjoyed the storyline.
Finally, I strongly recommend everyone to spare 20 minutes to watch this as its only fault is being so short; It will make you crave for more.

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Hoping for a season 2 :(

Just finished watching this drama and I can say, the storyline is really sad.. although in the beginning when she acted as a man, she did pulled it off, but was too dramatic. In my opinion though, she did the best job in acting as this 2 roles. Displayed her character well and really able to understand why was her character behaving in a certain manner.
I think the production crew did a great job in making an effort to make the female lead pull off as a man/woman. Also, many people are saying that this drama has a bad ending but I don’t think so. It explains the title of this drama so much and how the female lead and the male lead can never be together.
I just feel a bit upset that they ended this drama in a rush. towards the last episode. The story starts to conclude everything with little explanation, and then with many people start dying... I really hope they continue a Season 2 soon and maybe tell us more into the story of the female lead and what might happen if the both leads ever meet again.
As seen in last episode, they both passed by each other and was so close to seeing each other again, but it ended just like that. Which is such a cliffhanger and leaving viewers wanting to know more...
But overall, this is a good drama! Almost dropped it in the middle, but the story starts to get interesting again! Hoping for a season 2!!

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Lovely chemistry and excellent production but extremely weak story.

I feel kind of bad rating this so low considering the elements I do love about it, but it's just so disappointing in the end that I can't rate it any higher...

Positives:
-Chemistry and acting. Sam and Yu really carry this entire series tbh- without them and their chemistry, I would have rated this maybe a 3-4. They are both incredible actors and their chemistry is insane. Sam in particular is just incredible- especially in the drunk scene. Their angsty, intimate scenes are the best thing to come out of this season (don't lie you replayed the sh*t out of them too). You can just feel the passion and emotion in those scenes. If you were on the fence about watching this and loved the first season- I'd recommend just watching the first 3 eps to see all tension and eventual makeup between the two. I was waiting with baited breath for every scene they had alone in those eps. But I was surprised that their arc is pretty much tied up in ep 3. The first 3 eps are pretty decent, but get progressively weaker after that.

-Production Quality - it's filmed beautifully and is very aesthetically pleasing (although I find some of the environments a bit cold and sterile this season- but I loved the waterfront restaurant!). The outfit design, styling and overall production quality is great!

Negatives:
-Story. What story? The plot was weak and disjointed. I think a lot of us were worried after the previews for the season that the reason that Shu Yi and Shi De split up for 5 years would be an extremely stupid, unconvincing and contrived gimmick... and it was... I'm so sick of the same weak and plain old lazy miscommunication tropes in BL. It's just lazy writing with zero creativity. Like at least add some flair to why they "had to" act like babies and not talk for 5 years smh. (I'll admit that although I hated the whole setup- it did allow for those incredible angsty scenes filled with fire sexual tension though lol- which I can see was the whole point).
-The scenes showing the blonde woman with the baby that were never discussed again? I thought this would be an angsty plot point as why would you show it otherwise- but nothing is ever done with it?

-The pacing, nothing happens. I saw a lot of comments excusing the bad story by saying they only had 6 episodes, what could they do with such limited air time? There's only so much they can include blah blah. But that's untrue as there are so many movies and short series that convey an interesting and fleshed out storyline in similar or shorter timespans. And we have the direct comparison of the first season being the same length but having a good story so? Honestly in this season I found myself bored in a lot of scenes waiting for an ep to finish.
-The whole software/code being stolen plotline- legitimately NO ONE CARES. This was downright filler bullshit where air time was limited and could have been used on actual/plot character development??? Worse it was boring af to watch and if you've ever worked in a corporate or IT environment (like me)- it is done laughably bad.

-The second couple of Shou Yi and Zhen Xuan. Wtf. Honestly for the first half of the show, I was one of the rare people in the comments who was actually intrigued and keen to see more of this couple. But by the end I was completely turned off by them. They are given so few scenes and then that random "explanation" at the end about Shou Yi having a dissociative disorder- and that's why he's a cold prick the entire season? Um. Ok. Don't get me wrong here- I actually liked that they were including a couple with chars with different conditions. But they handled the whole thing sooo badly and messily. They implied the whole season that Zhen Xuan had some kind of attachment disorder and that Shou Yi was distancing himself thinking it was the right thing to do. Then they randomly do a one eighty and suddenly Shou Yi is the one with a disorder and that's why he distances himself????? What. Then in the last ep after Zhen Xuan's monologue basically saying goodbye- the next scene with them they are acting fine and all chill with each other? WTF?
-Also this is a minor thing but why is Shou yi now running a bar/restaurant instead of being a doctor anymore? This is the kind of thing it would make sense to include as a plot point or at least comment on since this is a character driven drama.

-3rd couple who? I found it really strange that the third couple that has barely a couple of scenes in the entire season gets to take the spotlight of the final scene with the random marriage proposal? I found myself thinking wtf I don't care- can we actually finish with a scene of the main couple? Or you know, touching on how the second couple pretty much just had their emotional, goodbye monologue scene and now are randomly all good again? WTF is this? I know it says "their story is not over" at the end- but this whole setup was just messy af.

I would still eagerly watch a 3rd season if they make one- but this season largely felt like a waste of time that was mostly filler. Overall it was pretty with some excellent tension filled scenes between Sam and Yu- but aside from that the season was a general disappointment.

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One of my favorite sageuk dramas, Painter of The Wind is a rare gem that can only be appreciated by watching it carefully.

I give it a 9, because overall the story, casting, directing, and rewatch value are very good.

A story about genius crossdressing painter in Joseon era, it highlights the arts, especially paintings and makes it one of the most artistic Korean drama. Not only that, the cross-dressing story also create problems to hero's journey to find love and soulmate. This drama will taught us that love is not as simple as people think. Love is complicated question.

As a sageuk, this drama delivers compelling story with enough politics but not make it as boring as in any sageuk. The characters feel and think like human being. The villains are interesting and the leads really adorable.

There's also some comic relief injected throughout the drama. But the drama itself won't be this great without outstanding performance from Moon Geun Young as Shin Yun Bok and Park Shin Yang as Kim Hong Do. As a duo, they're really amazing and adorable.

Overall, it's a very good historical drama that not focused on politics but more on the arts, especially paintings.

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Today i finished watching "Her Private Life"
So here's my review on this drama...many people said that it was nice at first but at last episodes it's become something which they can't understand and trust me because of this type of reviews I thought I'll not watch this drama but I am glad I watched this cause I really like it somehow I understand the writer's feelings and if you watch this drama carefully you'll automatically relate the ending from the starting episodes..I know that childhood trauma is now becoming common in kdramas but I still recommend this drama to watch cause it's worth watching..I really loved the cast acting and the script also..I loved this drama..:))

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A drama that exceeds your expectation

I started to watch this drama with no expectation, but in the end I got so invested in it. I've never been so invested in a drama like this for a long time.

This is the only drama I looked forward each week. I love the pace, all characters, and the story. Each character shows their growth in this drama as the story goes. And though the premise might seem simple, there's always a beautiful message that is delivered in this drama.

This drama has a very positive and heartwarming atmosphere. The main character Asuka, is my favorite. She is a very supportive character. She is the one that continuously driving 8LOOM to be better and better, to be aware of their positive sides. I dare to say: no Asuka, no 8LOOM. But it's also 8LOOM that helps Asuka to grow into a better self. I think this kind of connection is the charm of this drama.

I love how each 8LOOM's song is really connected to the storyline. I will gladly give 11 out of 10 for the music if I can. Not to mention they have amazing dance choreography too!
Please pay attention to the opening of each episode too, since it somehow gives a hint about what story will be told in that episode. The last episode has no opening, but you will understand why if you watch it until the end.
There's always a room to improve for the acting for some actors. But for me, each actor delivers the story so well. And that's the most important thing.

The chemistry between the casts is undeniably so good. Asuka and Dan always look so good together on screen. 8LOOM members are getting along so well, seems like they found another family in this drama. And you can also feel how Asuka really cares about them. I think the production team casted the perfect actor for each role.

My only concern is there's not much romantic interaction between the main couple, Asuka and Dan, despite it has romcom genre. That's why I reduce 0.5 point from the full score 10 for the story. I love the ending though, it's so typical Asuka and Dan ^_^

And since I rewatch each episode at least twice, of course I give full score for rewatch value.

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The Wolrd of Kanako is a violently disturbing picture with lots of hysterically abnormal characters that never fail to amaze.

Nakashima Tatsuya is a genius Japanese director. His “Confessions” and “Memories of Matsuko” are living evidences of his brilliance. The downside is that he doesn’t come out much but when he does, it will be through a thought-provoking wild picture like The World of Kanako.

Being a serious fan of Nakashima filmmaking, I was eagerly anticipating this. But I wasn’t ready for this darker tone and pitch black atmosphere. Needless to say, I was pleased in a very good way. The picture was a clear depiction of an ill society with lots of vacancy within.

The storyline was based on several flashbacks to draw Kanako’s life. The multitude of switching between the past and the present was an intelligent procedure to keep the suspense until the end. Of course, the overuse might turn out confusing especially by the end but it was a definite win for the film’s two hours’ longitude.

The plot’s successively coherent events helped expressing the characters’ nightmarish adventures. But it was the excessive violence that pinpointed the severity of what actually happened. Of course brutal beatings and cuttings can come out extremely discomforting but it’s their gruesome nature that grabs the memory and highlights the nasty reality Nakashima was trying to illustrate: Nothing is what it seems. There’s always a hidden reality underneath.

Beside Nakashima’s explosive style in picturing a chaos in stunning colours, there were his brilliant main leads. They’re what strengthened my wish to see this picture in the first place; the veteran Yakusho Koji (he was on a whole different level), the brilliant Tsumabuki Satoshi, the charismatic Odagiri Joe, the much imposing Nakatani and even the impressive younger talents Hashimoto, Komatsu and especially Shimizu. The film’s loaded cast helped bringing few of the craziest characters ever.

There’s zero hero in this film. All of its characters are some sort of anti-heroes, psychos, sadists, violent pricks and even demons. It was the intense characterisation that made me glued to the screen the whole time. They make one hell of an entertaining bunch. They were perfectly entwined in a messy havoc. They even get crazier as the film goes on and on unravelling their traits one by one. Some characters didn’t get proper explanations as they popped on the screen but it all went well for the final blow.

Maybe Nakashima went abroad with the repeated violence, brutality, rape, drug use and all the ugly side of REALITY but it was especially genius how he has wrapped his characters in a surrealist cover of apparent fantasy. It does take a big director to convince his audience about the line between reality and fiction without getting caught in his own scenario. Hats off to you oji-san!

The World of Kanako is a fascinating take about the ugliness in society (more particularly Japanese). It’s an intriguing view about people’s masks and their crazy reactions when someone pushes the wrong button. It’s basically a gripping watch centring on wild characters being pushed to the edge.

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The best historical Cdramas so far for me

If you want a show with the perfect balance between romance, soft comedy and political plot : you should totally go for it.
I've seen some people talk about the romance of The Prisoner of Beauty, but I feel like the political plot is really underrated by most people. I'm really hard to please in historical dramas because I love politic plots but I also need very-well written characters and relationships (not necessarily romance, but romantic relationships are the most common). Most historical dramas I've watched always had the same problems to me : either they had an interesting romance but not enough politics, or there were enough politics, but the romance and/or characters were not well written.
Well, let me tell you : the prisoner of beauty is the exception! I found it was very, very well balanced. I saw some people saying it was more romance than politics but I found the politic plot almost always there. The power struggles between the families, and even the "enemy bond" the Qiao and Wei have is politic. Every plot around the canals in the cities is political. There were some parts more romance-focused and some more family-centered, but I wouldn't say the drama was mostly romance. I felt like it was the perfect 50-50 between politicals struggles, and romance/familial struggles.
I absolutely loved Wei Shao's and Xiao Qiao's bond. How they distrust each other at first, and Xiao Qiao manipulates him, how he separates her from the other Qiaos from the start, how he protects her in front of his family but does not trust her at all, into how they slowly discover what is hidden between each other's mask and struggle between their feelings and their filial duties. The chemistry was amazing, and some dialogues struck me as peak enemies-to-lovers dialogues. One, specifically : when Xiao Qiao is accused of cooking the grains to fool the people, and Wei Shao defend her by saying "I would trust you if you told me she tried to poison my whole family, but I would never trust you if you told me she tried to harm the people." This was such a powerful dialogue to me; he was willing to defend a woman he thought capable of killing his family.
However, what I loved more than anything else was the flawless characters' writing. I am a sucker for complex and coherent characters, and I definitely did not expect this drama to serve this. Romance dramas, and especially enemies-to-lovers one, tend to give big character developpments to their character, sometimes too big to be realistic. By that, I mean cold and cruel characters becoming too kind and soft; or characters changing too much or too suddenly just to serve a plot device. Which is okay, as long as it's enjoyable.
But this drama does not do that. Like, ever. Every character's writing is so deep and coherent I was surprised.
I am going to start with the most obvious one : Wei Shao. He doesn't have that switch male leads often have in romance dramas, from "cruel and cold" to "silly and lovestruck". He keeps the same qualities and defaults from the beggining to the end, but some are developed while some are tamed. His hatred is slowly tamed, and his kindness, noticeable since the beggining with how he did not want Xiao Qiao to struggle too much in his family even when he disliked her and didn't trust her, takes more and more place and makes him warmer. But those traits did not appear suddenly, they were there since the beggining. Wei Shao has always cared most about the people, and he stays this way until the end. Even when he has to chose between defending Panyin or Yunjun, he stays loyal to his values. He choses to defend the people instead of his family. That is a very coherent and well-written decision, especially when you notice the parallel between Xiao Qiao's grandfather who had to go through the same dilemma. Having to chose between his family and the people made him understood why the Qiao betrayed his family 15 years ago. That was a beautiful way to end this arc.
Liu Yan and Yu Lou are very good exemple of how coherent and deep the writing was. If you think about it, they repeat the same errors again and again until it kills them, and I find that to be a very realistic writing. As Wei Shao told her, Yu Lou fails to notice other people's love for her right until the end. Even when she is warned about it, she doesn't notice and change, because humans don't change that easily. Liu Yan, on the other hand, only knows how to be obsessive. His "love" for Xiao Qiao was an obsession, and that almost killed him in the beggining. Did he learn his lesson? No, he reproduced the same kind of obsession for Yu Lou and died because of that in the end. I found his character development very interesting because I did not expect him to become the biggest villain of the show. Him killing his parents and little brother shocked me to the core, but then, when you think about it : that, too, was there since the beggining. As Xiao Qiao told him in the beggining : I know you treat me as a jewel, but the problem is you don't care about other people. And that's how he acts for the whole drama. He's blinded by what he wants (first Xiao Qiao, then power, then Yu Lou), and never cares about anyone or anything else. His unability to change is what kills him in the end.
Wei Yan's writing also surprised me. I thought I would despise him; he turned out to be the most lovable character of the show (to me). While he is described as a shameless man, he actually respects boundaries. He has never tried anything toward Xiao Qiao, and is even willing to leave his grandmother just to not bring shame to his cousin and cousin-in-law. Watching him yearning for a home and family and recognition was so interesting. He could have made the "wrong" choices so many times but never did. I saw people say that his love for Xiao Qiao was some misplaced lust; I disagree on that. I think he said it himself to her when he's suspected to have an affair with the Yu girl. While his grandmother and Wei Shao suspected him to have done something wrong but were still willing to protect him, she was the first to not assume he did something wrong. Which was new for him. He said it later to Wei Shao : he doesn't want his family to forgive him for his wrongdoings, and he resented them for that. Instead of doing that, Xiao Qiao has always assumed the best of him and tried to prove he was not guilty. I understand why he would fall for her after that.
Xiao Qiao's writing was also very coherent, though I don't have much to say about it because I feel like the show has said enough. This quote sums it up : "Water only flaws gently when the path is smooth. Block it with wind or earth, and all you'll do is stir up towering waves". One thing I loved is how her pretending to be all-weak-and-gentle at the beggining while scheming for her family in secret actually blew up against her in the end. She had to apologize for that and I think that was fair. Wei Shao was not perfect but he, at least, never tried to deceive her. She had no choice but to do so, but she could've come clean later and still didn't. I liked that the writers didn't brush it off easily.
I could go on and on about each character, because every single one of them was written with care. Qiao Fan and Bi Zhi, for exemple, are also very coherent in their decisions and actions. Wei Shao's mother, too; she changes, but stays a quite selfish character till the end (the only reason she didn't flee Yunjun at the end is because she wanted to be appreciated by Lady Xu).
At the end of the day, I feel like a drama that stays true to their characters writing all along and ends its plot with a beautiful parallel (Wei Shao having to choose between people dear to him and the people, like the Qiaos 15 years before) deserves a 10/10. I know it's very different from the novel, but I feel like every change only made the drama better.

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[Warning: long review]

This isn't just a show. It's a story close to life; a story of great moral value and lessons to be learnt. This is an amazing journey through the eyes of a man who can be similar to many of us at some point in our lives. And I believe many people, including myself, have come out of this journey a better person. The below is more an in-depth review more for people who've already watched the show, but if you are curious to what exactly is so good about the show, feel free to read on, since there are no big spoilers in this review.

The story is simple enough; Ken is a shy guy who never managed to express his love to his childhood friend, Rei, and now he is attending her wedding to another man. A fairy pops up to grant Ken the ability to correct some regrets of his past so that hopefully he will face an improved situation in the present. The idea of time-travel seems to contradict the idea of the show being close to life; if you think about it, however, everyone faces some regrets of action or non-action in the past; time-travelling back to change these is an ability we always wanted, and we simply see Ken doing what we wished we could do. These timeslips create a blueprint in the show which becomes obvious very quickly; in fact it is so faithfully replicated that the show is always in danger of becoming repetitive. However, each episode is executed masterfully such that the repetition doesn't become tiring; it instead gives the viewer a standard framework from which to view the characters, their story and the outcome of Ken's actions, making them seem all the more clearer and connected to the present. More importantly, you get to see Ken's gradual emotional development through the series. It is argued by many watchers that this format isn't the best way to present the show due to the repetitiveness; but for me it possesses a mesmerizing charm and cuteness that endears me to the show.

The characters are excellent, and I totally mean it when I say that. Many shows out there create characters to suit the story, which results in disjointed personalities and actions that seem out-of-character in some scenarios; ProDai is one of the rare few that have wholesome, complex characters whom you get to understand and relate to as the story progresses. It is as though the story is written to suit the characters, which is how real life works; this makes the show so much closer to life. Sometimes, it even angers the audience when they see how stubborn a person's personality in the show can be, because at times the show simply stagnates when Ken cannot bring himself to change the past; to me however, this is also one of the charms of the show, the rigidity of personalities is just so like life. Nevertheless, the genius scriptwriters have churned out enough twists and turns in the story to keep it interesting throughout, and effortlessly blended in moral lessons which never seem to be forced into the story (something J-doramas are bad at). Most importantly, the show was brought to a complete end, albeit an open-ended one, which was satisfying for most, but completely amazing for me.

Acting is top class as well; vintage performances are seen from Nagasawa Masami, Hamada Gaku and Mikami Hiroshi, as well as of course the star of the show, Yamashita Tomohisa. His acting isn't particularly fantastic, but he gave his character a personality unique to himself; he became Ken, Ken became him. In all, his was an absolutely memorable performance. The OST is another highlight of the show, with BGM that is always at the right places, at the right time, and invoke heavy doses of emotion and goose-bumps that really bring the show up to another level. Who could forget the inspiring themes of Rising Road and Hallelujah Flash, and their rearranged emotional renditions that play in heart-tugging scenes? The ending theme, Ashita Hareru Kana, and the insert Chiisana Koi no Uta are, well, I don't think I have to say more. Personally I have Ame Agari (translated as 'after the rain')as my favourite as well, because of the scenes that it plays in, and the meaning of the song towards the show: after the rain, sadness will vanish and everything will start anew.

With all that being said, the show has its flaws as well. Particular aspects that stuck out include the lack of development in one of the main characters, Mikio, and the convenient shafting of Tada, portrayed as the guy everyone hates but really, is just a good man fighting for his own love. Even so, I give the show a 10. I have to admit that I'm biased in the score and in this review; but it is really because I love the show so much. My advice is really to follow the show in its entirety, indulge in the characters and feel the fun, the anguish, the anxiety, and the exhilaration in the show. And most importantly, learn from it, and I promise any watcher that it will be a enjoyable and memorable journey for you as well.

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RIABB is a drama perfectly fitted for the period when the winter has been going on for too long, you want to something to warm you up and you are tired of tea and soup. It has a lot going for it – nice characters, great chemistry, interesting themes – but ends up only slightly above average.

At first, the drama is defined by Kang Dan-i and you root for her since the beginning. Joining back the job market after a break is a worldwide theme and when you are confronted with the heartbreaking truth of what was really going on with her, you cannot help it but be on her side. One thing this drama does so well is showing the unspoken in relationships, the things that hurt so much yet belong behind closed doors and women are often told, that that’s just how things are. I found myself crying over one of the stories of the side characters that got also divorced - her situation was so ordinary yet touching in a profound way. And the writers not only showed these things but presented us with strengths for these characters in friendships rooted in understanding and patience. There is plenty of good female friendships and bromances as well.

The core of the drama slowly shifts toward the relationship between Dan-I and Eun-ho and it’s a delight. What I loved the most was that it was shown through the everyday life, built on strong foundation, acceptance, nurture and care. The other romantic relationships formed in the drama felt also really nice and natural.

The workplace is a major part of RIABB and it’s a dream to work in. I also felt like the actors themselves had such a good time filming the drama that it showed through. There was also one mystery which I felt was a bit extra but tied into the story comprehensively. It’s a character driven drama which makes the tempo quite slow and it makes you feel the length of some of the episodes.

Overall though, I liked it and looked forward to every weekend to watch it, thanks to Netflix and the quick upload with subtitles. But I don’t think that there were those memorable moments worth coming back to that soon.

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Bestest of the best drama of all time!

Woah!! I am so in love with this drama where I have endearing feelings for all the cast members.
Moreover, I also feel these soft-subtle-healing vibes this drama gives me where I don't need to skip any moments or watch it in 2x speed like few other dramas which are rather a little bit draggy or a bit hasty without any character development.
I love how it soothes my soul and makes me happy! Every character has their own sufferings, past and personality.
In addition to it, all of them are just so adorable.
Definitely this drama will be ranked on the topmost place in my Xuanhuan side of drama heart.
YangZi is just so good at portraying different layers of her past experiences. So commendable! Her acting is superior. ❤️
XL and TJ are just so cute with those hearty eyes for the FL. Something I definitely didn't expect so soon for our Nine-headed Demon Serpent the Great Xiang Liu! ?
Up until now CX just gives me sibling-like chemistry with FL.
I wanted 4thML Chi Shui Feng Long to gear up a little bit to get into XY's heart as the only thing do is to be completely whipped for XY and nothing else. ?
I definitely recommend you this title. <3

Yang Zi/ Xiao Yao:
She's definitely our common FL who was given a lot of love by her family and the consistency of her character is portrayed really well. Generally, FLs from different drama make few decisions which are questionable but our XY is very different from theirs. I love her character in this drama the most. Everyone knows about her tragic past and how she tried her best to live her life despite of various troubles. Her being totally calm and having pure hearted demeanor is just so rare.
She is so committed to her loved ones that she tries her best to assist them mostly XL by giving her own blood all the time to cure him and protecting CX everytime. She is so admirable.?
On weibo, it shows that XY is a scorpion and since I am her fellow water sign buddy, I kind of understand her insecurities rooted from her past loses and traumas.
She needs security in her relationships where she should be sure that the other person will not abandon her at any cost and she can believe that person with her fragile heart. She is in such situation where she can not suffer anymore heart breaks.
That's why she took her time accepting her own identity of being a princess before her all security issues gets taken care of and believing that her father didn't really wanted to abandon her because of some rumours.
I myself and XY wants to be this kind of healing relationship that its better to torture physically than being abandoned from time to time by those for whom she had at least an ounce amount of faith and those who were being nice with her.
That's why she has basically closed her heart from upcoming vulnerable emotions and feelings strangers bring to her.


Zhang Wan Yi/ Cang Xuan:
Even though I'm not a big fan of CX character's life decision but I kinda understand why he took those decisions in his life as he needed to live while constantly fearing of his 5th and 7th uncle plotting all the way down the hill!
He had bunch full of people trying to assassinate him including people from Chenrong army because of his identity.
He said to XY in yesterday's ep that he no longer can be willfull after his mother's death. I'm sobbing for him 'cause every character in this drama has depth and weight in their heart can be felt so easily namely in XY, XL and CX's characters especially.
CX literally poisoning and losing his control over himself just to move out of Xiyan city is just so cruel to himself! He claiming in front of XY that he needs to remember today's suffering in order to remember it in the long course of time to stay strong for his goal is so commendable.
Hats off to ZWY's acting even his pupils work so hard to portray the feel of mad man who was addicted to those poisonous drugs which he needed to take just to make people around him think that he is depressed and can't do anything so that he won't be a danger to his uncles for the throne!
He tried to puch Chenrong XinYue off his body but at end wasn't able to resist her since she was the sister of his biggest benefactor.... He can't even have someone he loves dearly! So tragic all the way.

I haven't read the novel so I don't know what tragic things he will do to XY that she eventually wanted to kill CX after watching yesterday's ep where she tried her best to control CX when he lost himself to the drug! Poor them... CX please at any cost don't betray and break heart of XY....

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