Reviews

Ultimate level of 勾心鬥角

Love of Nirvana captivates with its realistic portrayal of modern geopolitics. A small nation, ethnically distinct, is caught between two superpowers, both exploiting its vulnerable people for their gain. This narrative resonates deeply with today’s global conflicts, fitting seamlessly into the dynamics of many contemporary war-torn regions. The way each party's narratives echo current geopolitical rhetoric is striking. As history often teaches us, it repeats itself.

Storyline
The plot is compelling. Though viewers receive numerous hints about the villain’s identity, the uncertainty lingers—no one, including the main characters, can be sure. The villain masks his malice with an appearance of benevolence. Amid the political intrigues, a love triangle unfolds, but the female lead quickly discerns her true love. True to the nature of palace historical dramas, the story brims with scheming, deception, danger, and a love that transcends adversity.

Characters
The three main characters deliver standout performances: Wei Zhao (Ren Jia Lun), Jiang Ci (Landy Li), and Pei Yan (Jeremy Tsui). Wei Zhao, who initially tries to kill Jiang Ci multiple times, gradually falls in love with her. Despite the harm he inflicts, Jiang Ci finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. Pei Yan, hopelessly in love with Jiang Ci, is willing to sacrifice everything for her—except his family honor, which continually holds him back. Their respective sidekicks add depth, highlighting the honor and loyalty the male leads inspire among their followers.

Performances
The main cast consists of seasoned actors. Wei Zhao is a deeply conflicted character, torn between consuming hatred and a hidden sense of compassion and duty. Ren Jia Lun portrays Wei Zhao’s cold and brutal exterior with a perpetually stern, frowning expression, making the character wholly believable. As in many of Ren Jia Lun’s dramas, there are no overtly intimate scenes. Still, the subtle storytelling conveys the deep intimacy between Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci.

Landy Li excels as Jiang Ci, effortlessly transitioning from innocence and playfulness to moments of courage and vulnerability. She nails every emotional scene. Jeremy Tsui’s sly smile and sharp features make it difficult to discern Pei Yan’s true motives, yet the actions of his sidekicks provide insight into his character’s internal struggles. Wen Zheng Rong delivers a powerful performance as Rong Yu Die (Pei Yan’s mother), transforming from a ruthless, ambitious figure to a resigned, defeated one. Ryan Zhu (An Cheng) and Zhao Hua Wei (Yi Fei) also shine as the loyal sidekicks of Pei Yan and Wei Zhao, respectively, evoking deep emotional investment from the audience.

Dialogue
The script is well-crafted, with cohesive and engaging dialogue. Given the heavy tone of the drama, comedic moments are sparse. However, the narrative effectively reiterates Wei Zhao’s quest to clear his father’s name, Pei Yan’s ambition for the prime ministership, Rong Yu Die’s obsession with placing her son on the throne, and Jiang Ci’s lighthearted pursuit of tasting the world’s best food and meeting up with her "shifu".

Music
The official soundtrack is phenomenal. Each piece evokes vivid memories of the drama’s key scenes—whether battles, romantic moments, or thinking of homeland. Even without watching the series, the music alone conveys the essence of the story.

Ending and Final Thoughts
The ending is predictable, with subtle clues dropped throughout, yet it still delivers an emotional punch. It’s heart-wrenching that the lovers are kept apart by circumstances, though they remain united in spirit. Personally, I would have preferred seeing them perform the marriage ritual together rather than separately. Perhaps the ending suggests that love transcends physical presence, uniting them spiritually instead.

If you can handle a fast-paced, emotionally intense drama with a bittersweet ending, Love of Nirvana is a must-watch.

TWO THUMBS UP!

Leggi di Più

I have got nothing but "splendid" to say about "Ore no Ie no Hanashi".

Well, not really nothing (just quoting Juichi), I have got lots to say about this dorama and will try my best to not include spoilers.

Kudo sensei said in an interview that he wanted to make a story about inheritance issues in Japanese traditional art families. The story synopsis may not sound that spectacular. In fact, you might even expect it to be kind of light-hearted, comedic dorama, considering that it's Kudo x Nagase dorama but "Ore Ie" is a lot more than that. Personally, I think the whole COVID-19 thing also somehow influenced Kudo-san's writing too (I'll just stop here to avoid spoilers but those who completed may probably sense the same).

As you ride alongside the Miyama family, you begin to notice that "Ore Ie" is quite different, unique among Kudo's works. I really learned to love and embrace all the good and bad things of the characters. From what I have observed, it is not exaggerated in profiling Ju Ju's character since several renowned traditional arts performer do have more or less similar lifestyle as Ju Ju. After all, even the "Living National Treasure" is still a human being who is as flawed as me or you (well, maybe more than most of us). The whole story subtly portrayed what and why family matters to each and everyone of us, by highlighting many things that we may not think of, forgot or taken for granted and failed to prepare ourselves for our own families when the thing(s) that matter comes (i.e., parents' health and well-being; finding and giving what is best for your children; inheritance, etc.).

On acting, I could not ask for more from the whole cast for the effort they put in. Of all the cast, only Nishida Toshiyuki had a formal training of Noh in the early years of his career (that's why the way he sings is so composed) by an acclaimed Noh actor, Kanze Hisao, who was an influential figure in renaissance of Noh in post-war Japan. He was dubbed as "Zeami of Showa", so in a way, many elements of this dorama also serve as a tribute to him.

Of course, Nagase Tomoya is the one who deserves the most of the credit, applauds for his preparation and performance for mastering all these things about pro-wrestling and Noh. Personally, I recognized Nagase san as a good actor (esp. in comedic roles) though not really was a big fan of him, but his portrayal of Juichi did elevate my opinion of him. Nishida Toshiyuki, Kiritani Kenta, Eguchi Noriko, Nagayama Kento, and the queen, Toda Erika, all delivered what is expected of, with a great chemistry between them. The child actor who played as Hideo also deserves a special mention like all other big names in this dorama.

Here is a brief take on music and re-watch value. Since, the story is about the family and the way it is made, you can always enjoy the story while learning a thing or two from re-watch. OST is not quite standout though I really love the tunes used for some heavy moments (Track no. 3 and 18 from OST). Oh, and Takessy's songs from episode 6 are also entertaining.

"Guilt; Gratitude; Grandeur" is the three words that best describe the theme of this dorama. Being Kudo san's latest work with his usual staff and cast alone is a huge attraction to their longtime fans. Another plus thing is that this dorama, in a way is a tribute to Nagase Tomoya on his journey with TOKIO and Johnny's (a must watch for his fans, as my friend "Coriander" commented). I would not say "Ore Ie" as a go-to dorama for someone new to Japanese culture, but it is definitely a must watch if you are a massive fan of Kudo x Nagase or love a good story about a family.

Leggi di Più

this was such a great example of a well balanced mixed genre, the comedy was funny without it getting overboard and the action fit in really well, add a little touch of sweet romance, family bonds and interesting side characters and this was a job well done~

they really did the best with the added side characters tbh, usually they focus so much on the main that it feels flat, but here they gave them each enough background to feel real and I was as invested with them as the mains.

even that random guy everyone sat on was beneficial (I laughed until I cried at that) xD

the movie had enough suspense that it never got boring, and even though it's only 1 hour 40min it still delivered a solid story that puts 2hour movies to shame.

my favorite part was of course the female lead, I love "strong" fls and that means a well written fl, she was smart, funny and amazing.
the ml was the cute kind, he was sloppy but still competent and the little girl was a chip of the old block xD


I never rewatch stuff but I'd love to rewatch this with family or friends, so overall this will join my favorite movies list ❤

Leggi di Più

Akiko Ohku special gift

I feel like I'm constantly telling people how Akiko Ohku has a special gift and eye for capturing anxiety, loneliness, and more. But the women she creates are so damn complex, wonderful, vulnerable, anxious but LOUD! They talk, they are active; they have flaws. Their insecurities, fears, and vulnerability never make them passive characters that just exist on the screen. Women in films and on TV are still to a degree depicted as likable and polite. Even the supposedly powerful women characters are powerful but not too powerful to make others uncomfortable. But Akiko Ohku always pushes those boundaries with the women she creates. She also casts another wonderful actress, Non. Just like Mayu, she is so damn good at her job.

Leggi di Più

Major Spoiler Alert!!

This is not the typical high school drama. The story line is definitely tricky because it has to do with an "overweight" girl and what you consider to be attractive ("fat" vs. "skinny"). It's no doubt a sensitive topic for many viewers. But I'm not sure what the skinnier version of the FL really had to do with the drama. She appears here and there as an inner voice for the FL and we see her at the end, but to be honest, I didn't really know why she was there. The "overweight" FL was cute, put together, had friends, and she came across as being a "normal" student that faced being bullied for her weight in a brave manner. She liked the ML and wasn't afraid to talk to him or hang out with him (although I really couldn't find the chemistry between them). BUT 10 years later, the skinnier version of her wasn't any braver, seemed nothing like what she was like in high school, and looked SO sad. What happened to the adult FL in the 10 years since high school to make her lose that much weight. I never got the sense that she was obsessed with her weight to begin with. There was such a disconnect between the younger FL and older FL.

The drama spent so much time in high school (barely any time as an adult) that I didn't understand their adult versions. I just knew the FL went on a ton of blind dates (no idea why since she was so pretty). There seemed to be no personal growth for either the FL and ML beyond high school and no happy ending for ANY of them (the leads or any of the side characters). It's like the writer's decided that once high school ended, all connections would end too.

The last scene in the car, literally looked like something that would happen in the middle of a 24 episode drama, instead of the end of a 12 episode series. I was left wondering if there was a season 2 and if not, how depressing. I don't know... I'm at a loss.

Leggi di Più

started strong, but way too many characters

Overall: I was pleasantly surprised with the first few episodes and the tension/yearning; however, the relationship progression stalled and the 24 support characters including several love triangles had me confused/not interested in the side relationships. I have watched the original series adaption; I have not read the book. I tried to write this review based on the current series' merits. Aired uncut (~1 hour) on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/love-sick-2024-episode-1-1mki2ks9q5g?lang=en_us and cut (~45 min) on Tia51's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR99-9wCOObG0rFQTm5mqfiLeR0eyARyx&si=dU0m-CXh1LffpvC8 Later aired uncut on Tia51's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Rt0y1j7QI

Content Warnings: bullying, joking about attempting suicide, homophobia, fight, non con picture/video taking/sharing, cyber bullying, child abuse?, slaps

Watch Suggestions (to center on the 2 leads/get rid of love rivals/music competition, these are the uncut timings)
- watch all of episode 1
- episode 2 watch the beginning to 53:35
- episode 3 watch the beginning to 11:15, 28-50 and 54-end
- episode 4 watch 8-9 cameo, 25:30-27:30 and 38-45:45
- episode 5 watch 11:45-13:50, 26:15-28:35, 53-54 and 58:15-end
- episode 6 watch 17-19 and 37:50-42:30
- episode 7 watch 14:40-15:40, 39-40:30 and 56:30-58:10
- episode 8 watch 18:30-21:30, 28:30-30, 35:45 to 49:30
- episode 9 watch 41-43, 1hr5 to end
- episode 10 watch 5-20 and 45-end
- episode 11 skip 35:30-51
- episode 12 watch 6-8, 16-17, 29:30-35:45 and 44:30-46
- episode 13 watch 4-6, 24:45-36, 40:15-42, 46:25-47:25
- episode 14 24-17:15 and 56:15-end
- episode 15 watch 30-31:45, 36:30-37:45, 40:30-43:20 and 1hr6:40-end

What I Liked
- how the first episodes are focused on the 2 leads
- sweet/caring moments
- staring/tension/chemistry
- that Noh didn't do something in episode 3
- cameo in episode 4
- a trans character wasn't a comedic character
- character growth
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the intro was beautiful but it made me confused about the context for it (they do explain it in later episodes, not a favorite way to start a series), then the 2 year time jump
- a ton of characters (says 24 support roles in addition to the 2 main characters) were introduced and I was fairly lost with everyone except the leads, just when I'd get into a side couple romance it would jump to other characters
- new characters and love rivals introduced in the last two episodes instead of resolving other plotlines
- tension was great at the beginning but seemed to stall, there wasn't a good enough reason for me as to why the characters couldn't get together for so long
- a few fast cuts/scene jumps even in the uncut version
- the scene with diarrhea
- in episode 14 a character lectured about not trusting him and then soon after didn't trust the person he had lectured
- so pg that it felt unnatural, the refusal to shower together even when an established couple, doing a nose kiss instead of an actual lip kiss, multiple near kisses with a lame non-kiss at the end
- (neutral) comedy sound effects

Cut Version Differences (it seemed that the cut version removes some of the scenes with the female characters which I liked but it unfortunately removed some of the scenes between the male leads which I didn't like, I watched the uncut only after episode 2)
- in episode 1 it doesn't have that first scene from 2 years ago which I liked because I found they looked older 2 years ago, in part 2 they cut out Noh trying to get thru the gate, in part 3 they cut out the sister entering the room and them jumping on the bed/fighting over the sheets, cut out a group scene with the girlfriends, end of part 3 they cut out a scene with Noh's family, towards end of part 4 they cut short phone call with friends and with some other guys moving chairs
- in episode 2 they cut a scene that interrupted their cuddle, but then they cut the head on the shoulder in the taxi, in part 2 they cut out a girlfriend scene and some of the evil mom stuff

Leggi di Più

Formulaic execution of one of my favorite dynamics, with a tacked on happy end

I appreciate the sexual chemistry, humor, fight scenes, and opening song as well as the general vibes, but the storyline and crime aspects are weak. No, I don't expect 16 hours of build-up to a cataclysmic revelation that shakes the very foundation of who Chaeha and Taeseon are. In a different story, I wouldn't mind Chaeha jumping in front of a knife for Taeseon at the halfway mark already, and I guess it makes sense on paper why he does it here. I would have enjoyed myself more, though, had the threats been mounting for longer.

As it is, it feels like the writers thought, "Okay, we're at this point in the episode count, so it's time for XYZ sex scene," and "Oh, now this much time has passed, so we need to insert dramatic scene number 5." Like, what? The leads do quite well to very well during these big moments, but... I live for the tension. And for the love of God, let me sit with my emotions and wallow in the pain! I need to be able to kid myself that bad things will actually happen and that the issues will be resolved in the next 5 episodes, not in the next 5 minutes!

This show is off to a strong start but doesn't deliver and honestly lacks creativity (of course, Chaeha gets knifed more than once). It is unfortunate, but having watched Beyond Evil, The Devil Judge, and Hannibal's much more thrilling portrayals of this kind of dynamic, I'm not sold on The Prosecutor's Proposal's version. I read a comment calling this story half-baked, and I regrettably must concur. There's a BL in my future that will do the morally gray-but-also-fighting-for-what's-right-and-definitely-BDSM-flavored "I will die and kill for you"-duo justice, no doubt.

Leggi di Più

This is probably the very first drama that I gave perfect marks. Without reservation or hesitation. One Litre of Tears is worth every 10 in my review.

I love this story despite its disconsolate premise and tragic ending. Why? Because first, it makes you grateful in life, of the fact that your family is still with you despite the countless bills you have to pay, of the fact that you're alive and healthy despite the heartbreak you may have suffered or the job you lost just a week ago. It never fails to remind you to be thankful of the people you have in your life and those little things you may take for granted every day (like being able to walk, use your hands, or just simply being able to see the world), to be compassionate, and to be selfless to certain family members who need your time and love. Second, Aya's life story teaches you how to be strong and keep your faith in God. I cannot even imagine what I would do if I had been in Aya's shoes. Imagine, suffering from a ruthless disease without any hope of recovery? Agonizing. Yet, she managed to deal with this very hard blow at such a young age with the maturity of a person maybe twice her age. At 15, she had the whole world at her feet. And yet, she needed to handle this heavy burden. You may ask yourself, "how could this happen to her? why would God allow her to experience such suffering?" For me, it was because she was especially chosen for this mission: to uplift people who had lost hope or are about to lose hope. Losing hope is the most dangerous thing that can happen to anybody. Hopelessness prevents people from thinking that there is still an opportunity to change things and that problems are transient. It's a path to suicide. And it hurts not only yourself but also the people who care about you and those unfortunate enough to come across your way because it makes you numb to another person's pain.

Sawajiri Erika was wonderful, just wonderful. I'm sure her performance in this drama would've made the real Aya in heaven proud and happy. It was earnest as I had felt her struggles, her fears and her gratitude as if she was a close friend. I thought Ryo Nishikido was wooden at first. He didn't seem to express any feeling apart from anger and standoffishness. But later on, when he fell in love with Aya I could see him gradually open up after his brother's tragic death. It was difficult to 'get through' him because he had shut himself out. Not even his parents could understand him. But Aya broke down those walls. I'm grateful that Aya's real mother made the suggestion to the producers that Aya be given a fictional love interest like Haruto. It softened somewhat the impact of her suffering and death because she was given another person to support her and love her. The real Aya must have been really lonely.

Aya's family were wonderful as well. I especially loved the mother and younger sister. Honestly, I initially didn't like her sister because she was petty and mean but she proved me wrong. I loved that she was very protective of Aya whenever people made fun of the latter because she had begun to walk in a funny way as the disease progressed. Oh and the OST? Listening to 'Konayuki' all over again makes my eyes tear up.

There are instances when a drama loses its luster and charm after a lapse of time but you know what, the fact that I watched it more than a couple of years back is immaterial because I realized that the emotional impact and the lessons which this drama gave me remain. So what if it's a "sad" drama? Don't be put off by the nature of the story, it being a tearjerker and such, and that the ending (or every episode, depending on how sensitive you are as a viewer) will most likely make you weep and sniffle. But watch it because it's a story about strength, about hope, about keeping it together no matter what happens in life. Life, after all, is a battlefield. We need to pick ourselves up after every fall, every heartbreak and every failure. Aya was able to do it. So should we.

Leggi di Più

i just completed all 65 episodes with the help of the fast forward button as there’re too many fillers or silly or unnecessary scenes in all episodes. The storyline has too many confusing and unnecessary sub plots.

The acting from both of the leads was decent but I didn’t t feel much chemistry between them. The saving grace for this series was the relatively unknown Deng Lun at the time as his acting and screen presence made this drama more enjoyable to watch. His portrayal of the cold blooded Fox Demon Zixu is captivatingly graceful and gorgeous and i was mesmerised by his acting. Deng Lun was able to expresses the coldness of the character but at the same time ones can feel the deep love that he has hidden deep in his heart towards Daji.

To be honest I was more interested in the story between Daji and the Fox Demon than that of the main leads. The chemistry between the Fox Demon and Daji is also more intense.

Leggi di Più

Funny, heartwarming, predictable, and just great!
I've wanted to watch this movie for months, and once I found it subbed I couldn't wait to see it. First of all the actors were great. Uhm Jung Hwa,Song Seung Hun, and Kim Sang Ho are veterans. You can always expect great acting from them! I was actually impressed by Seo Shin Ae, she's improved a lot since The Queen's Classroom. It was a great cast, and this type of role definetly fits Um Jung Hwa.
The story itself wasn't new at all. Like some people were discussing in the comments, this movie is a remake of a remake of a remake. However, it was my first time watching and I found it to be a very heartwarming family movie. The plot moves at a nice speed and you might even shed some tears here and there. It's not groundbreaking but it is entertaining. Watch it, you won't regret it! Personally I'm always looking for these types of movies. Seeing someone's world get turned upside-down
I honestly cannot remember a single song from this movie. There is a soundtrack CD, with a lot of songs, but they just didn't register with me.
Overall---: I'll definetly be rewatching this movie. It has comedy, drama, and even romance ( although not enough ). I was satisfied by the ending and I think it could even have a second part. The actors fit their characters extremely well and the plot had enough twists to make it a memorable movie.

Leggi di Più

I've been waiting for this as a manga reader and it did not disappoint

This drama is a live action adaptation of the manga imawa no kuni no Alice . I read it some years ago and it's been one of my favorites ever since , so I was very excited when I saw it was going to have an adaptation and I'm so happy it's finally here . I knew Sato Shinsuke delivered some well claimed works before and this one did not disappoint either . The story is about 3 high school friends Chota, Karube, and Ryouhei hanging out late one night when they see fireworks. After one blindingly bright explosion, they find themselves waking up in a different world , called the "Borderlands" , there , people are forced to participate in potentially deadly games . Each game is different so you never know what might happen and never get bored , each type of game focuses on different strengths , there are some that test your physical strength , others that drain you psychologically , games that force you to use your mind or even ones where you have to rely and collaborates with others in order to win . There were a few differences from the manga but it stays a pretty faithful adaptation , and personally I liked the new games presented in it or the different approach to them , it was refreshing and felt like a totally new experience for someone like me who've reread the manga many times . I binge watched the series in a day and I already can't wait for the next season , which was hinted for in the last episode .

Leggi di Più

Made my Teume heart happy!

TREASURE is the best! You should totally this if you are a Treasure Makers (Teume) or even if you're not. If you want to stan them and also want to memorize the members names, watching this drama is a great way to do that.

Story: [I tried not to spoil it but don't worry it's just a minor spoiler]
The story was great and every episode, you would suspect different members. That's why it's great because it will make you think who really is the ghost? (Even though it was soo obvious and was revealed that the ghost is _____ in Ep. 3, it will still make you have doubts if he is really the ghost) Also, the ghost' story was really sad and everything he had been through was also sad. Even though not everything has been cleared, it was still a great story. It also taught us that friendship is really important, like how the ghost disappeared when everyone ignored him and how he has back because his friends stand up for him

Acting/Cast:
They are amazing and talented idols and now they are great actors. Ever since I watched It's Okay, That's Friendship (Treasure 1st drama since debut), I wanted to see more of their acting. They weren't perfect that time since it was their first time but now they've improved a lot. YG be making their artists into great actors/actresses.

Music:
Their OST BFF is really amazing. Even it wasn't promoted but it's topping the charts, it shows how great it is. Choi Hyunsuk wrote the lyrics and he deserves to be called one of the best lyricist.

Rewatch Value:
Since it's not that long, You can binge watch or rewatch it anytime since it's only 2.6 hours. Totally recommend you this short web drama. You can rewatch it if you still haven't memorize the members yet.

Leggi di Più

I just finished this drama, but I wanted to write a review right away, because I really enjoyed it and as a daily drama most people might overlook it. The episodes are only 30 minutes long, so don't let the episode count scare you!

Let's start with the story: This drama doesn't exactly have a ground-breaking plot, but it was well-written and I appreciated that it always moved towards one direction without having unnecessary plot devices thrown in. A negative point of the story might be the slower pace and lack of revelations to the viewer: One of the main conflicts consists of several cases of secret or switched identities, and while the viewer is aware of these as soon as they happen, most of the characters find out really late in the story.

What makes this drama worth it is following every step of the characters' journeys, because the time you spend laughing, crying and hurting with them makes the characters' reactions to the revelations all the more powerful in the end. The characters are definitely the strongest point of the drama for me. These are not the typical cliched people, that are painted in a black or white light in other dramas. They felt like real people, with real character motivations (even smaller supporting roles) who always stay true to themselves. I loved the whole cast, because I could always understand them even when they did evil things and I will miss seeing them on my screen.

As it's not a drama with lots of twists and turns, I can understand if someone thinks it's boring, but for me it was a heartwarming drama (despite the sometimes painful happenings), where I enjoyed following the characters' stories and watching them grow. If you're looking for a drama that isn't overdramatic, or like stories where the journey is the destination, I'd recommend to give Soo Baek Hyang a try!

Leggi di Più

a different romcom in the fantasy world

​I was genuinely surprised. My initial expectations for the series were quite low, but the show quickly proved to be significantly better than I could have anticipated, earning a strong 9 out of 10 in my book.
​To be honest, I had mostly given up on the romantic-fantasy genre in K-dramas. I found that most series in this category followed a highly predictable pattern, often relying on the same tired tropes, which ultimately made them feel boring and repetitive. This drama, however, is a refreshing exception to that rule.
​Genie, Make a Wish managed to genuinely evoke a wide range of emotions in me. It succeeded in making me laugh out loud with its humor while also moving me to tears with its poignant moments and strong emotional core. This balance of comedy and heartfelt drama is a testament to the show's exceptional writing and direction.

Leggi di Più