Reviews

I'd like to offer a bit of a disclaimer before I start. I'm not quite sure I will be able to do this drama proper justice with this review. I have not written a review for MDL for quite some time now because my reviews tend to be writen under emotional influence of a drama and they are not always very coherent. However, since this drama has no reviews yet, I thought I'd take this on until a better review comes out.

TL:DR: This is a fast-paced business-investigation drama driven largely by Arata and Eguchi, in which Arata shines offering a powerful performance. The context is tax evasion so you can expect some unfamilar jargon. Don't let it put you off; the context doesn't really prevent the viewer from getting into the flow of the narrative.

I was really unsure whether I would like this story. The first episode opened with this very specific context and language used threw me back a little. But as the story progressed I forgot about it and found a different focus: the fates of Eguchi and Arata. The context is still important, though. You also get to see just how far could people go to avoid paying taxes.

Eguchi plays the tax inspector here. The drama opens as he investigates the case that sparks the entire chain of events. Gradually, he is led to discover some rather precarious truths. He also has a personal interest in this investigation, which adds to his determination. Eguchi's presence on screen is very strong without being artifical; I had a sense that he was where he belonged, simply, as if being in that role was what he was meant to do. His character is relatively straightforward, a little too rigid at first and not terribly complex. He does eventually see that perspectives are relative and boundaries between them a little more fuzzy than he may have hoped. We follow him as he makes new discoveries and it's kind of fun to see what he makes of things and how he fumbles along the way.

But this show is actually a little less about him than about his antagonist, portrayed by Arata. Arata really shines in this drama, offering exceptionally powerful and emotional performace. His character is scarred in many ways. He's very human as we get to see. He's a very well-fleshed out antagonist who is as important to the story as Eguchi.

It's actually hard to call Arata an antagonist. The drama tries to avoid simplistic distinctions between good and bad and everything in the drama is questioned either by the characters themselves or by the characters who surround them as a result of events that unfold. Although we follow Eguchi in his investigation, Arata's perspective is strongly focalised as well to the point that we are driven to strongly empathise with him. For the most part it is Arata who holds all the cards and Eguchi is the one playing blind chase. However he gains control towards the end of the story. It makes the story balanced between the two of them. There is an element of revenge in this drama as well but it doesn't completely take over the story.

There is a quote in the drama which returns at least once or twice, like a haunting refrain: "One man's fire of despair is another man's fire of hope". The quote, to me, conveys several things: the sense of double narrative, the sense of simultaneity and chain links between actions and their effects. One man's actions are bound to affect the life of another; and what leads to despair for one, provides hope for another; the drama plays on how those two are closely intertwined and the fact thtat there is a thin line separating them. What is hopeful can become despair and despair can turn into hope.

While Arata and Eguchi carry the whole show, side characters are not unimportant since they meaningfully contextualise the frames of mind of both protagonists and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. It's particularly interesting to see how Arata's character treats and responds to the people around him.

The drama is also very good at creating ambience. They didn't use many camera tricks but when they did, I felt it was to meanigfully reflect the mood at a given point in time, to show a character'a tension or sadness. The music used is meant to be haunting. Pacing is even throughout the entire story. It starts fast and keeps going right towards the end. There are a lot of things happening all the time; the drama offers a good example of keeping good proportions between pacing and overall length of the story; no time is wasted.

The plus of this drama is that, like most Japanese dramas, it offers character motivations and backstories to bite into, but never becomes maudlin in doing so. Perhaps the ending may be seen as a little more teary in contrast to the rest of the drama but overall the ambience the drama has built throughout is never lost. I personally find the ending a bit abrupt but because of what happens there is not much left to tell either so to continue beyond the point in which the story ends may water down the impact of the whole narrative.

Much as I do rewatch dramas, it's always difficult to evaluate how rewatchable a drama is without actually rewatching it. I'd say once is enough for this one because the story is satisfying but I would rewatch it to see if I react to Arata in the same way and perhaps to see if I haven't missed any meaning-altering nuances. I am the type who likes to philosophize a little, so when I rewatch I look for the things I missed that could lead me to more meaningful speculations and debates.

I found this to be a very "meaty" story overall and Arata...Arata will likely haunt me from now on.

Leggi di Più

First of all.. this movie is hard to find online with subs.. I was fortunate to watch on the plane for my long hour trip to SF.
This movie didn't even play in the theatre in my country.
I love this movie a lot... for someone who didn't really like melodrama this movie sure is very moving to me. The cast was brilliant... Jasper and Ivy's chemistry felt so real.
Of course its a remake from the korean movie with the same title.
Didn't guess the ending was that way.. but it really shows what true love really was. Tho her decision in the end was foolish.. but I guess its better than living without her other half.... (this kind of feeling is really hard to understand)
Storyline was very good.
Acting and casts were perfect.
Tears level... surely high.
Music... well if you understand Chinese,,, the wording of the main song is really moving and poetic.. it clearly describe the sadness of one's feeling.
Overall... I would give this movie a 9 star rating.. Will I be watching it again? well sure.. if I am able to find it subs online.
I really like Jasper Liu's acting as well as Ivy Chen's acting.. they never disappoint in their acting and movies/dramas...
Looking forward for their chance of working together again.
Hope those who will be watching this movie.. will enjoy it as much as I do.

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I can't be objective in reviewing this drama. The reason is, despite the many flaws and cliché, I was (almost) obsessed with this drama.

This drama is an adaptation from a shoujo manga published before the 2000. Inevitably, the story is brimming with cliché. I suppose, Itazura na Kiss is the source of some of the cliché seen in manga and dramas in this decade. That makes Itazura na Kiss unfit for my taste. Well, it was supposed to be...

There are reasons that made the cliché bearable.

One, the perfect lines of the important scenes. For example, the rain scene in the finale (I can't get the finale out of my head these days). I love Naoki's lines XD

The second reason is the casting. While some of the actors are probably still green, they all brought the best out of their characters. Miki Honoka, who played the heroine, needs many improvements in her acting, but she managed to bring Kotoko who is not overly stupid or annoying; just adorable. As for Furukawa Yuuki (Irie Naoki), there are times when I thought that he lacked of facial expression. But, at the end of every episode, I always scrapped that thought out of my head. Furukawa's lack of expression at some scenes was actually the prove that he played Irie well, because Irie is a character who doesn't show his emotion easily. When he does show it, he didn't hold back, and Furukawa managed to portray that perfectly.

The characterization is also what made me tune in until the end. Kin-chan's character actually had more depth than he appeared at first. I don't usually like Kin-chan's type of character, because they pour all of their heart to the heroine, be all nice and supporting, yet NEVER gets the girl; it's just too painful to watch. Although Kin-chan fell into the same pattern, the dynamic of his character made me thought that watching him is worth the pain.

The music was quite nice, though not exceptional. Some people might hate the opening theme song, but I LOVE IT.

I gave the rewatch value a ten, because I couldn't help rewatching EVERY EPISODE for at least once after I watched them. As for the finale, I've probably watched it for five times. This drama is soooo cliche but it made me all fluffy inside~ Sometimes I need fluff in my life XD

I think this drama is for those who likes popular and cliche romance. It's not for those who feel uncomfortable with the casting or is looking for something serious.

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Antique is a nice, solid drama about friendship, with humour, warmth and a tiny bit of romance. I liked it, so I think it deserves a review!

The plot is simple, like the synopsis says, and at first, it mostly revolves about introducing each character (the men at the bakery as well as some of their customers) and it feels a bit “episodic”, but gradually, as you learn more about the characters and their backgrounds, you realize that there are plotlines that connect them, secrets that are gradually revealed. This is pretty interesting, and I also enjoyed the little details in each episode.

Antique is a fun drama; not so that it makes you roll on the floor laughing, but it makes you giggle and smile very often. The characters are almost over the top silly sometimes, but not so much that they become annoying. I have not read the original manga, but I suspect that it falls into the comedy/slice of life genres. (Speaking of the manga, I’ve been told that the live-action version differs quite a lot in some important ways that I won’t reveal since that would be spoilery…)

The cast/acting is very good. Shiina Kippei and Abe Hiroshi is a fun duo; their interaction is what gives me most of the “manga feels” I get from this drama. Takizawa Hideaki does a very convincing job as the charming young boxer who loves cake with all his heart. Fujiki Naohito, the baker who teaches him all his skills, is here seen in one of his earliest roles, portraying a withdrawn man who has found a way to deal with his insecurities in a way that has everybody (including me) convinced, until his past is revealed in one of the later episodes. And just like in “Kimi wa petto”, Kato Koyuki plays a journalist, but of a different character. Together with the rest of the supporting characters, she adds color to the drama.

Let's not forget, there is so much eye-candy in this drama! I’m talking about the amazing cakes. Seriously, sometimes I felt that the close-ups of the cakes alone made the drama worth watching, I’m not kidding! Then, of course, there’s the male eye-candy as well… and Kato Kayuki is so adorable! I must admit I have a soft spot for Fujiki Naohito, though. Somehow, the softness of his cute face, together with all those delicious-looking cakes, makes me all starry-eyed. That’s the effect this drama had on me…

I don’t have a lot to say about the music, except that I liked it.

I was never bored whiled watching this, but often amused. I think it’s because I do enjoy this kind of light, heartfelt slice-of-life kind of stories… If that’s not your cup of tea, you might not like it as much as I did. In my opinion, it was well worth my time, but I don’t think I’ll re-watch Antique anytime soon. If I do someday, well, then it’s probably because I want to enjoy those beautiful cakes once again…

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Speed Skating through Episodes, Big Plot Twist Finale & a Possibility for S2

I had just come from watching XZG in Dashing Youth so wanted to see him in a different genre. CW I had seen twice previously and was familiar with some of the supporting cast, though not the female lead. This being a short with something like 15 minutes per episode, not counting credits, web series albeit with 52 episodes, was curious to see how it went.

Pros: I really liked the cases themselves and how our 3 leads were creative in solving them. Going from strangers to lifelong friends as they worked each case was nice. They never left each other in the lurch especially at the end. All three were equal favorites in their own way and how they made unlikely allies along the way from great martial artists to thieves to the wealthiest man in the city. The main antagonist was the biggest surprise as you really didn't see him coming because of how much he loved his son even though he was a total sociopath. Also it was cool to see how many cases were related to him when it was all said and done and how many of the villains and others were his followers. It being Republican Era as usual the costumes and sets were very nice. The fights were nicely executed. Though telling that one dude to not bring a knife to a gun fight would have helped lol.

Cons: As the title says, we were basically speed skating through episodes. It was one case after another with no break in getting to know our leads backgrounds or having them just shoot the breeze. One ended and in the very next scene you jumped into something else; there was no smooth transition and it definitely hindered the series. We saw why the leads became close but their actual characters weren't really given any deep dives. Like we didn't know SH's dad was a criminal until the last episode; in fact we didn't know anything about his past, who his parents were, where he lived, etc. There were many moments where you're like, how did so and so end up here and why? Like how did at the end the thief know to bring the wounded SH to Mr. He and why would SH know that was a safe zone? Also how did XF follow them so closely and also know this was a safe haven? How did that random bouncer guy know where HL lived and just happened upon the place with a knife and tried killing him while he was tied up on his bed and than was miraculously rescued by that Youlan lady? A lot of the pieces didn't fit at all and you're just watching with a lot of suspended disbelief. If they had less cases and less episodes, perhaps they would have had enough time to properly flesh out the cases and all of these kinks. The fact that they ended it in a way that could possibly suggest a S2, I hope that they understand that less really is more and that characters need fleshing out with proper backgrounds. Did they really stick every one of the bad guys including the mastermind in the same prison?

Another thing, hypnosis isn't an exact science. You can't hypnotize everyone as not everyone is susceptible to it and not that quickly. They made that part of it look way easier than it really was. The OSTs were very forgettable.

Would I recommend it? Despite the many cons, I actually found it entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Give it a whirl.

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A Really Lovely Drama

Her Private Life is a great drama that has a good plotline and great actors. There are multiple storylines that all have a connection to the main plot and there are a lot of deep scenes and shocking moments. The storyline regarding fangirling was done very well and didn't diminish or tarnish fangirls/fangirling, it was very mature and charming. Ryan Gold was definitely suave and intimidating at first but once he got closer to Deok Mi he was super cute, sweet, and extremely handsome. Eun Gi is a sweetheart and I loved Shi An. Deok Mi's best friend and her family had a nice storyline but I wish her cute cafe employee had more of a storyline regarding his band! I thought Ryan and Deok Mi had really good chemistry that was mature and fun. The drama wasn't too slow but the pace was just perfect and I was eager to watch each episode. The last few episodes were really great and shocking. The soundtrack was enjoyable throughout the show as well! I really enjoyed this great drama and definitely recommend it.

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Interesting fact-ion sageuk

"The Night Owl" is one of the best fact-ion (facts+fiction) sageuk I have seen so far. Using In Jo's infamous reign and Crown Prince So Hyeon's death as part of the plot, it develops an original story around an atypical character.
I like historical movies that stick to the facts as much as possible very much, but I also like a well made fiction based on historical events when it is cleverly made, just like this movie. I don't think it's a thriller though, only a good sageuk with some thrills. I'm not usually keen for humour in sageuk, but the few little scenes in this movie were actually good and well made.
The cast is very good and all the actors are really good in their respective roles. Actors like Yoo Hae Jin, Jo Sung Ha and Choi Moo Sung, as usual, never disappoint, and Ryu Joon Yeol is excellent as Kyung Soo, and special mention for Kim Sung Cheol too that is really good in this role too.
The music isn't very special or grandiose, but it's good, and the aesthetic of the movie quite beautiful with an overall production very well made so I give it a pretty high ratings.

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I wanted to check out this movie due to its very interesting premise. I am not sure if I've ever seen a movie like this but I thought the concept was really cool. The film's narrative is smooth and it has a refreshing vibe overall.

The strength of the film lies in its story. They have tried to tell a tale which can be viewed as both funny and sad. I was thinking it would be funny throughout and was surprised to see they made it a subtle and quiet film. It is a really slow paced movie. But with each different face came a new actor which I thought was the best part!

The cast of the film is diverse (obviously) and after a while the concept really seemed scary to me. What the movie managed was to get the point across to me about how difficult and impossible it would be for such a person to survive in today's world. Plus, true to its title it does show that it doesn't matter what you look like and what is inside that truly does.

I loved Han Hyo Joo's acting in the film. Her reactions to the main character felt very real and relatable. My favorite cameos were from Seo Kang Joon, Park Seo Jun, Lee Hyun Woo and Lee Dong Wook. There were a couple more handsome actors too but I don't know their names. :P

Why this movie won't get a 10/10 was because it was way too slow, seemed like a part-melodrama and the ending was unsatisfactory. I mean I was hoping for a fairytale-like ending which didn't happen. The ending wasn't bad per se but it's alright to not like it as well, right?

Watch the movie if you're in for a slow movie with a meaningful message.

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Short and thrilling competition for creative logical and number puzzles lovers

I enjoyed the logic and number puzzles here as it was interesting to see how they made simple concepts/ games into a complicated one (e.g. a rock scissors paper game into a game about memorization and object permance). The most interesting part for me was when the participants talk about their approaches, shortcut methods and tricks which makes me gasped at how their brain words like GENIUSES!! And also so that I can use these methods next time if I ever come across puzzles like this LOL (which is probably never). I also appreciated that theres NO games where they had the participants scheming against one another, like a mafia game, or alliances (where the weak participants team up to eliminate the smart ones that we want to see early in the game). As much as how the participants were geniuses, I must commend on how the writer is a genius for creating such creative games (but no surprise because the writer was The Genius's writer).

I am also glad to see how well different teams work together, considering the fact that most of them met each other only through the show. I absolutely loved the dynamic of Team KU and SNU and felt that they have great teamwork.

Overall, I highly recommend this short and binge-able 8 episodes intelligence competition with geniuses competing with one another if you love puzzles and this type of reality shows!

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Definitely the TOP 1 on my list.

At first, I was quite reluctant to watch The Untamed because its genre (traditional + bromance/BL) is not the one I typically prefer to watch and I was even so confused on the first half of episode 1! I find traditional dramas to be cringey especially with all those flying around but not this one, it comes naturally and it's justified with the setting of the drama.

Now, I'm having withdrawal syndrome & sepanx. I can hardly move on from it that I even read the novel & manhua. After reading them, I probably would have expected more from the drama if I came across of those first. So I recommend to watch the drama first so you have no expectations what so ever then read the novel because THE NOVEL IS SO EXTRA. It's also quite a revelation to myself that I might like BL stories because of The Untamed. This may not be a popular choice and I may want more but I like the creativity & subtleness of how they work around the censorship in China. Anyway, we have the novel & manhua to supplement that need for more.

The Untamed are also full of eye candies! Wen Ning is so adorable especially when he was trying to sell the turnips, I love him there! Zewu Jun was like a different person from his role in Mr. Honesty, as well as Shi Jie (in Well Dominated Love) that I almost did not recognize her! Even the main villains are good looking too that you can't hate them! Hello Xue Yang! Hope to see you in another drama soon. Jin Guang Yao/Meng Yao is also cute & funny out of character. The only people I hate there would be those hypocripte leaders of small sects/clans and The Jin clans' Guang Shan & that unreasonably arrogant Jin cousin.

I particularly love Xiao Zhan's portrayal of Wei Wu Xian, his smiles in different emotions and how his character progressed and matured from being smart & charming yet annoying when he was younger to (as Jiang Cheng puts it) being "self-less" causing his fall from grace and ultimately coming into terms with everything that happened upon his return whilst he is still the smart & charming yet annoying one that everyone once knew and that probably what attracts the junior disciples of the different sects, without them realizing his real identity (believing that he is Mo Xuan Yu all along), to him. I find his interactions to them adorable as well as hilarious. He really charmed them especially Jin Ling, which I kinda feel that this is not the WWX Jin Ling had expected or imagined.

Wang Yibo, another huge eye candy! The more you look at him the more attractive he gets. His portrayal of cold & boring Lan Wang Ji is on point though I want LWJ to have more personal interactions with WWX. Plus I find it very amusing that only WWX is the only person who can call LWJ "Lan Zhan", never heard it from his uncle or his brother and everyone else is just intimidated.

The Untamed is worth watching and rewatching. I'll be hard to find another drama on par with this one.

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Incredible acting, intelligent screenwriting, and an intriguing storyline.

Traditionally a romantic comedy junkie, I have switched course recently after finishing the incredible drama, Misty, last month that simply blew me away. I have been yearning for another mature romance drama with intrigue that could even come close to the Misty (that I have not already seen). After finding this drama under the Misty recommendations, I decided to give it a shot despite not being a fan of legal or political shows and I am really glad that I did. (THANK YOU whoever added this to the recommendations... not all heroes wear capes)

First of all, this cast is amazing! I honestly wish that I saw many of them in more dramas because their acting was on another level. (The only one that I feel that I get to see a lot Yoo Ji Tae… although he is phenomenal) In addition, I loved the premise of the show and how it has such an incredibly strong, determined female lead. Also, the storyline was unique and honestly, when I started the show, the ending and what ended up of these characters was definitely something I would never have guessed. And with so many shows having an almost formulaic take on their stories and endings, this was a true breath of fresh air.

I enjoyed this show so much I even ended up writing a “5 Reasons to Watch” article on it. But as of the time of this review it has not been published yet. Although this show is great, it was not without fault. I enjoyed its way storytelling, similar to that of Misty and Signal, that has a blend of individual cases/stories mixed into a much larger ongoing story. However, I found some of the cases in the middle episodes a bit lacking. And I found that in the end there was still some loose ends and parts that were added to the show that in retrospect did not seem to fit. This may be because it was an adaption from a show that had many more seasons, and a lot more episodes per season and they may have been trying to squeeze too much in. Having no experience with original American Show, I am not certain, but it seems that way.

In the end, this drama is well worth the watch, even if it’s not the genres you usually are drawn toward. This drama has something for everyone and the cast and writing make this a drama that is not only memorable, but one that will make you think about it even when the episode is over. It was exceptional. Highly Recommend.

Happy Drama Watching! :)

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Must watch BL

After watching 100+ bl . I was tried of same clg engineering story but this story is so different so funny that Can't wait for next episode and their chemistry is cute and funny its didn't feel that its 1st episode. Both the actors have acted so good and the story line is so refreshing with comedy elements its make all worth to watch it
Once again Japan prove no one can make better storyline then them
Japan started the trend bl and always give us best story each year
Its really funny i loved it
Both the actors are so beautiful they really did justice to characters

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I wasn’t planning on watching this cause I wasn’t that impressed by the casting but it was added to Dramafever and I happen to check out the reviews, which were surprisingly positive…

Story- Your average predictable romcom. However there is enough that goes on to keep you watching without getting bored/wanting to skip eps. I did find the setting of a divorce matchmaking office/divorce law office refreshing and the different cases the female took on were interesting as well.

Acting/Cast- I was really impressed by the lead actress. I had never seen anything with her before but her acting was very natural and she made her character extremely likable. The lead actor was the same in other roles I had seen him in (stiff). I wasn’t into his character because he was just too bland/boring. I did appreciate that there was chemistry between the leads though. I really liked the supporting cast and I enjoyed watching the side character’s stories.

Music- It was good but not memorable.

Rewatch- This is something I could definitely watch again but not for a while.

Overall Love Marriage is simple but the main female character and all the side characters make it an enjoyable.

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