Reviews

This Love Have A Lot Of Basil

Sskksks, I’m sorry, but if pettiness was an olympic sport, Kluer would win gold, mfer did not come to play! Also, tell me why the moment JJ showed up, I went ‘Wait, isn’t that the boot licker from Pitbabe? yo Kenta, what your arse doing here?’ LMAO.

No really, the moment Kluer said, ’Stir fried with long beans’ I went ‘Damnnnn Susan, yous is petty!’ Not gonna lie, I clapped a bit, be petty Susan, be petty. Up until the finale, I thought he was gonna be the only petty character, but seeing Chef open a restaurant right around the corner was a whole new level of pettiness, damn what's in the water in that restaurant?

Chef Oab: You are Eliminated! As a chef, always be aware of the cleanliness of the kitchen.
*A few moments later*
Chef Oab’s naked butt on the kitchen counter, doing the devils tango with Plawan.
ME: *boombastic side-eye*

Peoples, we are eating stuff…if this is what happens behind the scenes of these restaurants, imma learn to make my own tiramisu. Also, what's with Chef and doing it in the kitchen? Every chance he get he's breaking plates and spilling product placement noddles.

Anywho, RIP to those of us who watched this without food, and almost ended up licking our screens. The food looked sooo appetising! And, am I the only one who even blew on invisible food every time the characters did? Damn I’m hungry.

CHARACTERS
I think everyone did what they were supposed to, which was refreshing. SailubPon were good in their roles, had great chemistry and managed to keep my interest. Most of the times, I intend to get pulled in by the second leads, but here, although I was enjoying the dynamic of the second couples, my focus was on the main leads.

Or course, Plawan chopping the chef while working for Methas was a big-no-no, but hey, I’m here for the drama, so I kept cheering on him to not tell Oab until it was too late. I like that they weren't overbearing, even when that female showed up and there was misunderstanding, they didn't break up. It was a good change, seeing adults act like adults. I really liked it.

The will they won’t they relationship of the second couple was good. You could cut the tension between them with a bread knife. Which was why, I was a bit disappointed with the finale. I didn't want KinnPorsche level of swimming pool end, but like, this was them throughout the series:

Intense stares. Helping you pee. Falling on your naked body. His face really close to his face. Cinema dates. Buying the hospital you work at. Near kisses with so much tension. Slow burn. If you want me, earn me speeches. More intense stares. THEN, in the finally, JJ shows up in a towel, and it's like:

JJ: I'm half naked, boobs on display, please, go home, I want to sleep. Hehe, don't look at me, hehe stop it.
METHAS: *In love noises* Come here. You're in trouble today.
ME: Girl, it's about to go down. They about to break Methas other leg and the bed.
WRITERS *Missionary kisses. Next scene. They engage.*
ME: Engaged? Dafug y'all rushing for??

Like, that's not what was advertised? Sirs, we did not order this? Where the food at? What happened to the promised good eating? I mean, I'm satisfied with what they gave me, but I'm not full. That's that make sense? It wasn't bad, but it just felt flat after all that tension. That being said, they were cute in that scene.

Anyway, my only problem in the beginning was that JJ was asking too much of Methas. Sure, all he wanted him to do is to be more human, instead of an evil business man, and good on him, Methas needed to know that JJ will only date someone he felt was a good person. But at the same time, JJ forcing Methas to be ‘a good human’ defeated the purpose of growth. But I think this was redeem in the finale, cuz even though he had the ultimatum, he was still popping champagne, and it took him losing JJ and taking his advice for him to come to the good side. So, a bit of grown on his own, which was good. And frankly, I think he's the only who had any major sort of growth, everyone else was pretty much the same with little changes.

But like Methas' whole personality was like: money, money, annoying, money, annoying, money. Then when he fell in love he was like a child at a candy store. It was funny to see him out there giving out free rent instead of increasing the prices. Also, that wedding ring. Damn, that rock shined brighter than the sun. But tell me why homeboy told JJ he'd teach him how to love? Child, you just learned it like two seconds ago, and your definition of it still so-so, so what you gonna teach him?

Listen, KLUER is a loser. And not the graceful kind, but the kind you wanna leave at disneyland on his birthday. He sucks. Characters like him are the reason why I sometimes thinks second leads deserves no right.

This dude was doing too much, all because he had a crush. First, calling Khao Suay to come back home and disturb our peace, then trying to state some claim when he saw Chef and Plawan might have something on the side, then literally trying to kiss him while he was 'asleep', then immediately hating him cuz he was a spy.

I laughed. The deep kind that makes you choke, when Chef and Plawan were eating each other and Kluer was alone on his bed sobbing. The editing was chefs kiss, best scene sequence ever. Good job editors. Yes, Kluer looked so sad and pathetic, and I was supposed to feel bad for him, but at that time, I was so done with him, his lonely arse weeping with in a pain with heartbreak made me laugh happy tears. Then when he got rejected, he was remembering when he almost kissed Plawan in his sleep. Son of Adam, how is that what you choose to remember, was that a happy memory for you? cuz…

I'm glad his pathetic arse finally grew up and came back to work with the team. I did understand him in the end, first Chef could have left the restaurant to him since they worked together for so long, but he decided to hold a competition. Then, Chef again stole/fell in love with his crush. That must have hurt, in the finale when he was chanting 'get marry' I was like, damn, 'you gonna cry into your pillow tonight, ain't you Susan?' but he seemed generally happy... sooo...

PLOT:
Listen, I think This Love Doesn’t Have Long Beans was wrongfully named. Sure, that female character who doesn't like long beans showed up to annoy us for like two episodes, then got dump while trying to eat her sandwich. (Side note: Chef, really, did you have to bring her the sandwich? It made me laugh. And gawd, he was so brutal when he dumped her. Yikes. ‘I don’t think I ever loved you’ damn, #sad) But still, it should have been called This Love Has A Boatload of Basil. Cuz really, that’s all they talked and smelled about. Plawan spent more than half the series sniffing Chef cuz he smelled of basil.

I have dried basil at home, but I’m tempted to go to the grocery store and sniff a fresh one to see what all the fuss is about. That would be weird, right. Yeah, that’s weird… don’t wanna be labelled the ‘basil sniffer,’ people know me in this town.

And, sure, I’d like for female characters to stop popping up like rent is due to cause unnecessary drama, but they add to the good drama when done right, and this one made me dislike Kluer more, and brought out Plawan’s sassy side, so we good. Plus, her arse got dumped while eating a sandwish and made me laugh, so thanks for your service female ex-girlfriend.

Anywho, there wasn't anything big, or special about the plotline. The story has been done before. It's always a nasty job when you date someone you work with, and that too the boss, but I like that it wasn't just a workplace romance, and it started out as a con. Sure we all knew he was gonna fall in love in the end, and they gonna have a happy ending, but the execution of it, was done well with a good cast, which made it interesting to watch.

The plot gave me exactly when it promised, and for that I enjoyed it. It was a simply story about food that managed to entertain me every week. A lot of dramas have been trying to fit so many themes and genres into them, that I’m all too happy when I stumble upon a simply slice of life like this one.

FINALE
I went into the finale ready for drama in the first few minutes cuz now Chef knew Plawan has been deceiving him, instead, he just chopped him well-well. And the whole time I was like… hmm, sirs, where is my drama?

ME: Enough eating each other to robotic background music, give me drama!! I want drama. I want yelling, throwing stuff. Drama. Drama. Drama.

*Writers give me drama. Tears, yelling, shoving, rain, outside, fatal position.*

ME: Nooo *in the corner crying* that’s too much drama. Take it back. Take it back.

Which of course immediately turned into laughter, cuz damn Chef did Plawan dirty opening that restaurant. So petty, and for what? Then he went and ordered food from him, so he'd come and see his new place. That was Foul!! Though, I like how when Plawan finally came to say sorry, he accepted, warned him to never break his heart again, and immediately violated all the health codes. Loved that Plawan was the one to propose, I was like awww, that too surrounded by basils.

Overall, the finale felt a bit rush towards the end, but it didn't leave any major loose ends, and I was satisfied with it, so we all good. All in all, a good show, that I’ll highly recommend to anyone looking for something unheavy to watch. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to more work from the cast.

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Beautiful Heartwarming Xianxia! BFTB saved me from its Youku Predecessor!

TTEOTM and BFTB is completely unrelated in story, just to be clear... It's just that the comparison for me is... One is heaven (Back from the Brink ; Huxin), the other is Hell (Till the end of the Moon). How can two dramas by Youku gave me two polar opposite feelings? But this is exactly how I feel.

Honestly, I want to take this time, to express my gratitude to this drama: Back from the Brink (Hu Xin): Thank you for giving me this Drama, where I can heal my heart/pain from its predecessor Youku Drama: Till the end of the Moon (TTEOTM). One of the many things I'm grateful for is that BFTB was aired after TTEOTM because after the traumatized experience, came the healing process for me in BFTB, and this is all I ever could have asked for, in a story and pairing that I came to really love.

This isn't my first time I have seen Xianxia Genres, as a matter of fact, I really love Xianxia genres and have seen a lot on them. I have to express that while I have seen a lot of xianxia dramas, not many can make it into my top favourite, but this drama definitely take a top spot in my favourite Chinese drama. It is also the first time where it makes me want to add this drama CP: Tian Yao and Yan Hui as my no.1 Favourite Xianxia Drama CP, because before all this, while I do love the other Xianxia Drama CP, I love them all equally as much, in different dramas, never I actually thought of putting them as no.1, but for TianHui (Tian Yao x Yan Hui), it's the first time I want to put them as my no.1, and I am officially putting them as my no.1 Favourite Chinese Xianxia Drama CP!

In terms of pairing chemistry, and this pairing as the overall, you just got to love them! They are naturally so compatible with each other. They visually look great when they are together (even the people on set has said that too), and in terms of the pairing story, it is a gradual process where their feelings for each other grown through their travels and Journeys together. But honestly, what I love about the pairing Tian Yao and Yan Hui is that, their love for each other is EQUAL. Normally in other Xianxia Drama's there will always be a side that has a deeper love for the other in comparison, but for these two, I love how the writers have written them like this, because it really made me enjoyed their relationship. Equal Love, Equal Sacrifice, Tacit Understanding, their love for each other is really strong, and it is definitely a HEALTHY relationship.

For me personally, there are definitely scenes I really love, e.g. the scene when Tian Yao sacrificed himself to save Yan Hui, it was so heart wrenching and sad, but yet it was really touching for me, I remember that night I cried so much that my eyes hurts.... But I don't regret watching that scene because it gave me the feels that I really love.

Tian Yao is really a loveable character in my eyes, his past and what happened to him and how he came to have relationship PTSD was understandable how he can't open his heart to Yan Hui at the beginning, Tong Luo Village is also the starting point to their relationship, but I really love how Yan Hui warm herself into his heart, because she showed him that how she feels about him is nothing in comparison to how Su Ying feels about him, and that Yan Hui is someone who sincerely loves him with her whole heart. Tian Yao is someone who really uses words in a very poetic way/in a more deeper meaning to convey his love across, and he's definitely better at writing it out than actually saying it, and I was honestly really touched with what he wrote in his nuptial agreement to Yan Hui. The fact that he was the one who requested that to be written on an ink that last forever just makes me love him even more for that! I also love it when he came to really accept his feelings, and chase after Yan Hui to earn back her forgiveness, I really love him during those moments, to see how much he's come and grown in terms of character developments. Tian Yao is also someone who will silently sacrifice and give things to Yan Hui without her needing to know it, that's actually one of the points I actually love about him, since he's not looking at getting anything in return, or for Yan Hui to repay him, he just wants Yan Hui to be safe and happy. He's truly a selfless person when he came to love Yan Hui on his end. He's definitely among my favourite character in this drama, not to mention the time when he's Long BaoBao is really adorable!! Before seeing those scenes, I didn't think I will come to love him as Long Baobao, but Neo(HMH) has convinced me and I love the way how he's more upfront and open with his feelings for her, which is nice to see some acting capabilities from Hou Ming Hao in playing the different characters there.

Yan Hui IMO, is one of the best Female Lead we don't get in Xianxia Drama often, she is actually not those typical Female Lead that we see often. So it is really refreshing to see. I am glad her character is written like this. At least she is Infinite times better than Li Su Su (Till the End of the Moon). For Yan Hui, I love her character growth from the beginning to the end, and when she's come to love Tian Yao, she really shows it in a very sincere way. Although she misunderstood Tian Yao for not valuing her life when he took back the HPS, so during that time, I honestly, like how her character was handled. She can't forgive Tian Yao easily despite she understood why Tian Yao have to do it, but she is actually quite reasonable with how she handled the situation. It is also thanks to this, I get to see Tian Yao putting in the effort to chase after her. I felt like this drama is really magical in a way that, we are going through the process like Yan Hui where it's a gradual process, where the writer made it believable when she opens her heart to Tian Yao to love him again. Although for me, I have forgiven Tian Yao way back then, because I understood why he did it, and I know he wouldn't have done it if there's another choice. The main thing was for Tian Yao, he really ensured that Yan Hui will not die if he take back the HPS, that's what I love about him, and why I can forgive him on my end. But ofcourse Yan Hui doesn't know what Tian Yao sacrificed, so we can't blame her.

People didn't like the Stab scene when Tian Yao took back the HPS, but for me, in terms of writing perspectives, I understood why it needed to go down that route, and why Tian Yao couldn't reveal the truth to her, not because he didn't want to, but because the writers have no intention to let him tell her the truth. If he did told her the truth, than we wouldn't have those developments we came to love in the later part of the story, so for me, I honestly did love how it was handled by the writers there.

The only thing I didn't like was how the writers not have Yan Hui said "Wo Ai Ni"(I love you) instead the writers have her saying "Wo Xihuan Ni" (I like you). If it's the beginning I can understand why she would use Xihuan, but the her in the later stages(after everything), I felt it is more meaningful if the writers should have her use 愛(ai) instead.

For me honestly when Yan Hui said 喜歡(xi huan), I take it as love already I just wish the writers would use 愛(ai) instead since when 喜歡(xi huan) is used and said it does felt like it's downgrading her feelings and that's probably why I don't like it. But to me , her feelings for Tian Yao is 愛(ai) strong enough to be put into the level of love. So in context of when Yan Hui said 喜歡(xi huan), for me I will just interpret it as 愛(ai) instead. Since we know how much she loves him.

Now with all that being said, Tian Yao and Yan Hui are the epitome of true love. Their love for each other is really admirable, how they are both devoted, loyal and will protect each other in those times, how they really portray their love and their relationship to be very equal to me. There is no Tian Yao loving Yan Hui more, or Yan Hui loving Tian Yao more in my eyes, since I see their love is EQUAL. This is what I love about them on my end. They also have a very strong bond that I come to love, and another one of my favourite moments was when they did the CP Test together, since it shows how compatible they are with each other.

The story has a theme that I really love as well:

"Will you choose to save one person" OR
"Sacrifice one person to save the world"?

The Correct Answer has been highlighted: "To save the person you love over saving the world". The key theme behind this is... If you can't save the one person you love, how can you think about saving the world? It's only when you can save that one person, then you two can work together to save the world (kinda theme). So the first and foremost is to save the one you love. It's really refreshing, and I love this revelation being the correct answer, because I am tired of characters choosing to save the world, and sacrifice the one they love...

Both Tian Yao and Yan Hui, respectively in the CP Test, they chose to save each other. This CP Test not only showed how compatible they are with each other, but how they feel about each other is the same, so I really love how that was brought forward for the viewers to see.

In terms of the story pacing, for me, it's not draggy at all, I felt like each episode really went by so fast, and I actually subscribed to Youku and watch it on Youku App on my phone (joined VIP) so I can support this drama view-counts, and also because I always look forward to a new episode. I always look forward to 8PM every weekday nights to watch this drama, and I am going to miss those times. Weekend seems so long for me, because Youku don't air it on the weekend. It's also the first time a drama will make me not like Friday because the next two days will be a weekend for me, and not new episodes, so this drama is really an eye opener to show how much I came to really love it!

For Ending side of things, I am Happy with the Ending, I got something more than what I could have asked for, since it is better than some drama's that ends with a "Last Minute Happy Ending", but for Hu Xin (Back from the Brink), they have more interactions, they actually talk, and we get a final kiss between them! So I am eternally grateful that they gave me this happy ending! Finally a happy ending between the relationship of a Dragon and a Human lover.

I personally also really love how the Final Battle is handled with the whole Yin and Yang concept, and how it shows Tian Yao and Yan Hui working together as one to defeat the final villain once and for all, there's a lot of parallel and highlight that I love, which I have talked about in this thread here: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/hu-xin/106609-ending-explanation?pid=2611095&page=1#p2611095

Zhou Ye and Hou Ming Hao, you two truly have chemistry! I really hope you can film another (and many more) modern day romance drama where you are the Main CP, and have many sweet and romantic moments, and I definitely will look forward to some (umm > w < ) Passionate Kiss scenes between you two! That's one thing Hu Xin lack for me, but if I am going to blame anyone, I will blame the directors for not knowing how to give advice for kissing scenes >.< LOL. But anyways, not saying I don't love the kiss scenes in Hu Xin, I will take what I can get, and when they did kiss, I can still fangirl on it, and when they hug each other, how can just a simple hug make me fangirl on them? This is when I know I have come to love this CP so much, and I am glad they can get their happy ending in the end.

I love the many OST's in this Drama! Definitely on my Album to listen to over and over again!

Rewatch Value: Definitely going to rewatch again!!!! <3 I can go through the journey again from the beginning to the end, and while I am not a fan of amnesia plots to be honest, because I tend to not like seeing the development starting over again and them getting to know each other again.... And the whole losing one identity that I don't like, but I got to say that Hu Xin (Back from the Brink) handled it really well. I am sure a lot of people agree to this, since I have seen it in the comments <3

I am going to miss Tian Yao and Yan Hui!! T__T I think I might just go and check out the novel on my end, because I want to see what the novel is like, I have started a few chapters in, but didn't finish it, I guess it's a good time to resume on my end.

I also want to add my note by saying, Bai Xiao Sheng, I was skeptical to like him at first, then I came to did like him since he's the matchmaker for my OTP (Tian Yao x Yan Hui) then I came to really dislike him to the point I feel like punching him because..... *well won't spoil that for you, you will see for yourself when you watch it * but by the end, he got his character development, so he's back to the character I like LOL.

With that all said, this comes the end of my review now.... So what are you waiting for?! Go watch this drama if you have not already!!! I definitely recommend this drama to everyone especially xianxia lovers!!! It is a drama you should NOT miss out!! At the end of the day, I will do my best to recommend this to you, however, whether you watch it or not, it's up to you. In my eyes if you don't watch it, you'll just miss out!!

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Bad Guys: City of Evil sets itself apart from its parent drama, Bad Guys. The way the writer ties in the parent drama into this one is simple and sets the tone of it being in the same universe, but ensuring that this drama is not its parent, and has a story of its own that is carried out in a completely different manner and for different reasons than the original. No watcher should go into City of Evil expecting the same story or something too similar to the original Bad Guys—you'll be disappointed and won't be able to enjoy the story as much if you expect it to be so.

The story itself is an okay one, but one that most of us who have watched dramas surrounding corruption and prosecution should expect with a few twists and turns that give City of Evil it's heart. As it gets towards the end it loses some of the plot and some plots holes (to me) never really get resolved or in the midst of so many plot devices, get lost in the overall story. However, the gem in this drama isn't the story line, but the heart of the cast who did a beyond amazing job with their characters. There isn't one character you won't be rooting for, you won't cry for, from main cast to supporting—and if you watch close enough, you may recognize a familiar face or two from Bad Guys. Above all, Bad Guys and City of Evil are the exact same in one area—the teamwork and camaraderie between the characters is really admirable and what I really watch for.

It's packed with great action scenes, and the music score and OSTs from the drama help set a really great mood for such a dark drama. I don't think I'll really ever rewatch this drama much as I did Bad Guys, but I overall really enjoyed watching it and suggest it for somebody who wants an action packed drama with really great acting. It dives right into the chaos and you just get to go along for the ride.

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I LOVED Pasta. It was beautiful and funny and just aDORKable. The main female lead is very determined and very stubborn but she doesn't do it with an intention to be difficult or impairing and is actually very sweet. The main male lead (eee!!! I love this guy!!) is just awesome by nature. He's hot-tempered and controlling and likes to see things his way but has a soft spot for those around him. The acting was straight on and VERY cute and VERY natural.

I found myself singing along with the OSTs so much my mom got so annoyed and threatened to unplug the computer if I didn't stop said singing. The music flowed to the scenes, but i will say you;ll get distracted by the story more so than the OST, however it's still really awesome.

This story has awesome side characters and very attention grabbing side stories. The nonchalant AND aggressive jealousy was a sight to see. You grow an attachment to all the characters and you really take a feel for them whether you love, hate, whether want to throttle them, stuff them neatly into a bag of cotton balls, or pinch their cheeks just hug them! :)

In Conclusion: This drama has become one of my ForeverFavorites

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I'm surprised at how unknown this drama is, and I'm glad I decided to watch it on the spur of the moment.

As a drama veteran, I've abstained from writing a review because 1) I'm too lazy and 2) there were enough reviews from everyone else, so I had no motivation to add to the pile.

However, this drama is different. The Tempest is an amazing drama, and yet not many people have watched it. Technically, it doesn't really matter to me whether people watch it or not, but really...this drama deserves to be found and appreciated.

Overall, The Tempest is reminiscent of the first arc of the anime Otogi Zoshi, if any of you have watched it. The heroine goes undercover as a man and practically lives and breathes for the country and its people. What drives the plot is not romance. Instead, the drama focuses its fast pace on the conflicts that face the country as well as the political intrigue inside the Shuri Castle.

Son Neion never let me down as a character. She was strong, determined, and yet also flawed in a way that made her so human. Nakama Yukie has delivered once again.

So basically, if you want to get away from the romance-y dramas for a while and instead go for a heroine who is smart and capable coupled with a solid plot, watch The Tempest.

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Hello, I’m Han, on old member popping up for a visit. Since I live in Japan I had the privilege to be able to watch this movie on opening day. Sadly, work got in the way so I went the next day. Since I know many of you are anxious to see this movie I thought I would share my feelings on the movie to whet your appetites for this amazing movie... or torture you, depending on how you wish to take it. Any spoilers would only be in referencing to the manga and will be in their own section. I also can’t get too specific anyways as I only understood the movie in my heart, not my head. Well, I could understand it in my head a lot more than the first one but the point remains that there were no English subtitles. The movie covers from the start of the Kyoto arc until the journey to Edo.

The movie opens in a glorious, if a bit cliche, horror movie like set with Hajime leading his troop of soldiers into what is revealed to be Shishio's self designed version of hell. This very clearly set the movie up. You are left with NO doubts about exactly who the big bad is. This scene also sets up one of the reasons I really like the series: The action, and the entire movie really, are very reminiscent of old Japanese samurai movies.

When we come upon the Kenshin gumi they are watching Kabuki in Asakasa (the historical center of kabuki) and boy is it funny! This I like for the comedy of the scene. I won't summarize the movie any farther but the first two scenes do a wonderful job setting up the movie.

I would like to point out that the director paid attention to details many modern movie makers are forgetting! From what I could tell, everyone's sword etiquette was taken seriously. When Kenshin is sitting down, you better believe his sword is on his right side and he sheathes his sword correctly.

The action scenes were great with only three or four moves that were truly impossible and obviously wire work. The action was BEAUTIFUL, exactly what I expect from this director and series.

Another great point is that the costuming is AMAZING! Do not expect Kenshin to stay in his classic red and white, he changes OFTEN. Not only that but there are so many beautiful outfits! The attention to detail is stunning. All of the yukata people are wearing are period appropriate and this entire movie is costume porn. The only thing I noticed that may peeve someone is that Yahiko uses a bokuto instead of a shinai for his 'sword'.

Further on this, EVERYONE looks like their manga counterpart, 100%. They did an amazing job with that. Shishio, oh boy is he great. Sejiro? Batshit insane, just like he should be ^_^

While the movie does try to give you an extended sense of time, it does not really manage to do it. The movie starts in winter and ends in summer (I am guessing, there were no hard dates posted besides the years).

Kenshin is very classical Kenshin the entire movie and has a beautifully choreographed play fight scenes with Masao and had everyone in the theater laughing.

On Masao, Karou, and Yahiko... Masao ended up being more of a token comic relief, just like in the manga, but when the fighting came down to it she was badass. On the other hand, I feel like Karou and Yahiko were a bit depowered from the manga which disappointed me. That is not to say Karou did not kick a LOT of ass, just not as well as I had always thought of her as doing.

The music was a disappointment to me because there were so many modern instruments and melodies. I really think the movie would have benefited from having significantly more classic Japanese music to really take you back. While there were some classic instruments and scores, there was also a lot of jarring modern music that brought me out of the movie.

Overall, I really loved the movie and felt so bad for the couple sitting next to be because I was quizzing the guy next to me on what it said on screen when kanji came up. For ALMOST the entire movie there is no point where you could point and say “CGI!!!” which I think is really important for this genre. There are lots of laughs in this movie and all the actors did a superb job holding true to the source material. This series has become the best anime turned movie. I wish Hollywood would take note and see what truly makes a movie good. I really hope they keep it up. Luckily, the next movie comes out in a month!

If you have any questions, spoilery or otherwise, please feel free to ask, I will answer them to teh best of my ability!

~~~~~Now for the potential spoilers! If you are super sensitive, stop here.~~~~~

The movie does a great job of following the manga while cutting some less relevant stuff right until the Battle for the Baby. After that, some stuff is a bit swapped around and changed. Not too incredibly jarring, but not great either.

Back to costuming: Crazy sword collector does not have his belt whip sword which I was VERY happy about. There was no way to do that without CGI and just... no. The costuming department and director do make an homage to it though. You will see about two or three glimpses of his belt being slightly shiny and metallic. There is also one point where, for a brief moment you see a hilt and it looks like it is for his whippy sword. That scene was great.

After this scene, some stuff does get condensed and jumbled, it almost feels like the first half of the movie they said: We have a third coming, we have plenty of time so we can do the manga justice. Then, by the time for the Kyoto fight came around they said: Oh crap! Look how long this is already! Let's cut some stuff but still end at the same point! The oniwabanshu do not get their amazing manga end, sad to say.

My one, true, horrible disappointment with this movie is during the horse scene (I am trying to be as unspoilery and obscure as possible here). At the end of it, there is some OBVIOUS CGI which made me really sad.

Other than that, the movie ends in a cliffhanger: Kenshin, washed up on a beach, is taken to an encampment by someone. They show his face, and I bet you are suppose to know who it is, but I had no clue. I bought the movie's book (which as a complete timeline on all the scenes in it) but it does not mention the mysterious person’s name. I felt really bad for his sword though, salt water is so bad for steel!

~~~~~~~~Spoilers about what is not there and I hope will be~~~~~~~~~~~

I really hope in the next movie we will see Kenshin as a child burying the three sisters and being taken in by his master. Maybe an early life training montage? I don't think so, but I hope for it badly because it is one of the most powerful scenes in the series, in my opinion.

I also really want to see the Enishi arc played out with Kenshin flipping out and becoming a street bum but I think they have their hands full finishing the Kyoto arc. Considering the title of the next movie, I don't think we will ever see Enishi's story line but one can hope.

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Very deep and touching

After reading the mixed reviews saying it was either terrible or the best drama ever, I really didn’t know what to expect. But I figured with only 10 episodes I didn’t have much to lose. I was pleasantly surprised at how really good this drama is. But looking at a lot of the comments I suspect many people rated it low and even dropped it because the female lead didn’t choose the guy they wanted her to. Too many dramas nowadays choose a super handsome actor to play the second male lead and then make his character unbelievably perfect. Then the dramas ratings suffer because of it. But don’t fall into that trap. This drama is really good. And even though the romance is great, there’s much more to it than the love triangle (which really isn’t a true love triangle since the FL never shows any romantic interest in the SML).

This show has great comedy, sweet romance, tremendous character growth, and delves into some pretty deep subjects. It deals with forgiving a parents past betrayal, the hardships of dealing with a mentally ill parent, the pain of divorce, and the devastating effect infertility can have on a relationship. It teaches us that even though you can be surrounded by people you can still be very lonely. And that happiness isn’t something that you chase after because it’s already in you. You just have to find and nurture it.

The premise of this drama is that there are several men and women living together in a co-living house where they have their own separate apartments but share all meals together in the shared kitchen/dining area. They also share a laundry room, living room and library. So there’s lots of shared living spaces to interact with one another. The story follows their lives. They are all emotionally damaged. Some were hurt by failed marriages. Some were hurt by their parents or family members. But their friendships with one another are what heals them.

They realize that eating with each other isn’t just about filling hunger. It’s about sharing warmth with another person and filling the lonely void within themselves. And when the male lead said he put the smiley face sticker on his door and looked at it every morning in order to practice smiling at everyone, it really touched me. He had moved into the shared home to learn how to interact with others and to try to be happy. So when he tells the female lead that he doesn’t have to practice smiling anymore since he met her because now it comes naturally, I just melted.

The other thing that really stood out in this drama is the bromance. The two male leads were just too cute together. They bonded over their mutual crush on the female lead. This isn’t your typical love triangle where the two men hate each other and do sneaky underhanded things to each other. In fact, their bromance was so good I got boy love vibes from them. Their little chases around the room and late night chat sessions in bed were adorable. (They end up rooming together for a while.)

Overall I would highly recommend this drama. It’s both deep and touching yet refreshing at the same time. It should definitely be rated much higher. Ignore the mixed reviews and watch it. You won’t regrets it.

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Non linear storytelling at its best (with few "flops").

Undoubtedly thrilling and unique story that does not give you a minute of a break - fast paced, well packed with both the plot and the action. Cleverly showing you just bits and pieces of a larger context, uncovering the whole story with each and every episode. While A Shop for Killers had a few issues, it’s still a title worth checking out - perfect for weekend binge watch.

One could say it opens like a fish out of the water type of scenario. Not quite. From the start we can see that Jung Ji Ahn is far from being a defenseless young woman, even if she herself is not quite aware of it. Personally, I found the story of her growing up under the careful watch of Jeong Jin Man the best out of the whole show. The bizarre, but obviously strong bond they had, the silent understanding. It was amazing to watch her connect the weird training from the past with her current situation, and use said lessons to survive.

At the same time, Jeong Jin Man’s past seemed a bit messy and did not get the conclusion that fitted the initial tense atmosphere surrounding it. By the end of episode 8, I had to rewatch certain scenes just to make sure I did not miss anything. Where are the answers? Nowhere, just more piling up questions.

Another aspect that was a bit frustrating was how they at times utilized the non linear storytelling by repetitive usage of scenes. The show was short. There were some scenes that truly expanded on what was previously shown - giving us the whole context and full story. At the same time, there were some moments where the “already shown” part was simply too long. I’ve already watched these scenes one episode ago, you do not need to show it to me from start again. I could not stop myself from skipping minutes of the drama, just to get to the point where the story moves forward.

Performance wise? Amazing. Some actors were a bit typecast, which made it easier to guess the their intentions and possible actions, nonetheless - everyone delivered. Personally, I am a fan of Lee Dong Wook in dark roles, so this one hits the spot perfectly. Jung Jin Man is obviously not a good person, not a good character, but there is good in him and that’s what differentiates him from some of his, let’s say “co-workers”. Seeing these detailed differences was an interesting experience. They are both bad, but are they equally bad? How much of someone's actions is understandable, can be explained and excused, where is the line that should not be crossed?

Kim Hye Joon was amazing as Ji Ahn. Well executed character development. Loved the strong and raw emotions she was able to present when Ji Ahn was cornered and truly exhausted with the dangerous situation she got dragged into. Loved the more soft scenes of her as a carefree child and teenager. Loved how Kim Hye Joon was able to present the duality of the character in such a great manner.

Shout-out to the cute guy who helped Ji Ahn when she was a child, if you watched, you know.

Production was great - the soundtrack was full of bops, the fighting scenes had amazing choreographies, the practical effects of blood and other painful “things” were on point.

Overall, left a lot to explore, by the end felt like a borderline bait for possible second season with quite a few aspects not being fully explored. And yet, I’m not mad. It was highly entertaining, had many interesting characters on both the good and the bad side (and let me tell you, the bad side is BAD). Keeps you interested and engaged from episode one till the last scene of episode eight.

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Not from the novel, rushed ending

If you thought it is an continuation of "Addicted" and have read the novels you will get disappointed. This version has nothing to do with the novels at all. It's a story of what might have happened. The story is a bit confusing and till the end there is no resolution especially with the woman who "drove Yoki to the ground".

Instead of wasting 6 minutes with a long intro and credits they should have invested more time in the actual story telling. Because they did, especially the last two episodes felt rushed, even when the finale got 11 extra minutes or so. I still have no idea what the contract was with the village chief because the translation was not clear enough. Also the subtitles had timing issues, so sometimes they subs where only shown for a second or two which is annoying because you have to stop the playback and go back and stop at the right moment.

The most positive about the show are the actors which did a really good job and the music. The negative is, that the show in a show did not feel like it... Normally you have tons of crew. multiple cameras, boom microphones and lights and nothing was present. I guess they had budget constraints, but they could have build in their own crew/stuff into the scenes to make it believable. Overall, this is an ok show, but nothing special.

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Hard to believe a drama that has 133 episodes could be rated a 10 - but this is almost a perfect drama lol
It never dragged or got boring, each episode had it's own excitement - the story progressed very nicely. There was one character I hated but he never got on my last nerve like some characters in dramas do (a.k.a My Daughter the Flower killer girl) - even though he was a hateful character - you just somehow knew he couldn't win...This drama is filled with optimism and looking at a persons best along with the worst - to see the human - it's truly beautiful <3 I loved every other character on this drama (well...maybe a few episodes in the beginning I wasn't that fond of Do Hui's step-mom but I warmed up to her later; & Ju Yeong's mom was a bit irritating until the last 10-15 episodes where I started to like her too -) I didn't much care for Jin Ju & Chul Su - she annoyed me a LOT in the earlier episodes & he to be honest wasn't much of a 'man' he was too wimpy. I loved Na Ri - she was adorable throughout the entire drama <3 I loved 4 characters the most: Jun Su, Do Hui, Hyeon Suk & Ju Yeong - I didn't know much about HS or JY early on so I was really fond of JS and DH but somewhere into the drama I started to like HS and JY a little more than the other 2 characters lol and oh boy does Hyeon Suk ever look really handsome when he smiles (it lights up his whole face) <3 oh and I Loved the 'teacher' In Joo (?) she always looked like a fashion statement lol - she was pretty funny too ;)
Music: Really good - I can remember about 4-5 songs :D
Re-watch Value: 8.5 - I would love to re-watch it again - but it is a bit long - I may skip around if I do ;)

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Entertaining

I feel this series deserves a perfect 10 although many have thought otherwise.

The reason is Jing Chao's outstanding performance as Mu Ze (MZ), the Machiavellian. He was willing to sacrifice his son, wife's family, father and brothers for the sake of the throne.

Xing Fei is relatively unknown to me as I hardly watch modern Chinese TV series. But, I feel XF delivered her line well in this series as Lu An Ran (LAR).

Zhai Zi Lu, as Mu Chuan (MC), is a young actor we should watch from now. His character matured over time in this series which made me feel ZZL deserve a credit for his acting. Although Jing Chao overshadowed him completely in this series.

The storyline is very interesting: LAR time travelled from the moment she died in the fire in her palace. back to her encounter with MZ. This time, she tried to kill MZ by pretending as if he was a river bandit. The attempt failed.
In this life, LAR went straight to the point by proposing to MZ that she was willing to marry him to help him achieve his ambitions. And, he fell for her trick. Her revenge began.

In short, I love watching the scenes between MZ and LAR from Episode 4 onwards. MZ is like a beast to LAR while MC is like a morning dew to her.

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The Snow Queen is a story about how some people are destined, fated to cross your path, and change your life. It is about intertwined fate.



For those of you who don't know it, this drama is supposedly based on the Hans Christian Andersen book "The Snow Queen", but I didn't feel it that way. Although the characters are alike, the story is very loosely based, but it did have the feeling of magic, and fairy tale, which I guess was the idea.



The story starts years back, and the whole first episode is like a prologue, or a prelude to the real story, it's used as a tool to make you understand the characters and their background. So, don't make up your mind about this drama in the first episode, although I do have to admit that I did it and made up my mind to love it.



When I started watching this I was expecting a tragic story, but it really isn't that much. I mean, yes, the main characters are screwed up, and yes they aren't happy, but it doesn't feel tragic because you actually think "if I were them I'd be the same". And it does mix very well drama with comedy, there are scenes that had me laughing real hard, specially in the first half. Besides, you are in suspense the whole time, waiting, dreading, to see when will all the secrets come out and how will the characters react.



I think the cast is really good. The leads have a lot of chemistry together. Not explosive, like Hyun Bin and Son Hye Kyo on Worlds Within, but it is the kind of chemistry required for this story. The second leads did exactly what every second lead is supposed to, although they didn't really stand out, just became a little annoying. I fell in love with the actor who plays Kim Bo Ra's father in City Hunter, so I think he really did his part well.



The music although it wasn't extraordinary, it really was according to the drama, and very well used, specially the main theme, which reminded me of a ballet, like The Nutcracker, it was just so magical.



Overall, if you like dramatic love stories, with deeper characters who aren't perfect and like to see them evolving, this is definitely your drama. I, personally, liked it a lot, although I wouldn't say that it is one of my favorites, and I'd like to see it again someday with a friend.

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Therapeutic dating show

I'm not a fan of dating shows, but I loved this one. I started watching it because it was compared to His Man. In my opinion, this one is much better. It may not have such a spectacular love story, but it has so much more.
The participants were surprising. They were completely different from the first impression they gave.
One who looked boring and rough, but was actually hiding so much emotion.
One who seemed confident and sociable, but actually felt inferior to the others.
One who seemed so perfect that others didn't dare enter into a relationship with him.
One who acted friendly and like a big kid, but looked after others all the time.
One who seemed to have nothing to hide from other people, but was in fact shy.
One who seemed too direct to others, but deep down was lost.
One who was still very young, but surpassed everyone else in maturity and put too much pressure on himself.
One who seemed carefree and sociable to everyone, but experienced loneliness in such a way that others did not notice.
Watching each episode, I felt like I was attending a therapy session where I was taught to love myself.
At one point in my viewing, I noticed that I stopped caring at all about who would form a couple with whom. I only cared about how the bond between the participants developed. Watching the friendship form between them was the most important part of the show.
It was therapeutic, relaxing and brought me peace of mind.

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