Reviews

after such a long long time i've watched such a perfect movie..this movie has it all..from the perfect cinematography to the perfect cast..the direction is awesome as well

the story is refereshing where for the first time i see the heroine who's blind and lives her life simply but happily..and our hero is a brooding young man of 30..no playboy or owner of a big conglomerate.breaking away from stereotypes this movie shows the dark side of human nature and how some people rise from the shadows like phoenix rises out of its own ashes.a perfect score for the story.it has such moving scenes and so many sweet moments one could almost die with all this love in the air..:D

So Ji Sub literally breathes life into the character of Cheol min..He knows how to act and delivers a stunning performance throughout
Han hyo jo as jeong hwa is simply superb.earlier in Heaven's postman she was good but here she proved that she's a brilliant actress.this movie is the kind where after watching it,it leaves you with a happy feeling where in happiness you could almost fly.

the music is heartbreaking and simply fits in all the right places

this movie should be watched by anybody who likes beautiful cinematography,brillaint acting and strong plot..it's just such a gem of a movie not to be looked over..its one of those rare movies which will appeal even to a person who's not a romantic at heart at all.

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It’s times like these where I fervently wish that I was a better writer, so that I could adequately transcribe the utter intensity of emotion and feeling that I have for the things that touch me so deeply.

I’ll try to keep this review objective with all the biases temporarily put aside because you don’t have to be a Bigbang fan to enjoy this. You don’t even have to me a K-Pop fan. All you have to be is someone who appreciates music and all the hard work that’s invested in it.
The thing that is so attractive about this film is the sheer honesty it comes with. It doesn’t take you on a sappy journey of how these boys grew into men together or stories about their early hardships, no, instead it shows the real world where these grown men continue to strive forward holding on to each other and struggling even when they’ve reached the top.

There are a lot of things that most artists don’t want you to know. You see a supposedly candid moment on stage between members and you write a billion fanfictions inspired by it. You read into it, you make your own conclusions but what you don’t know is that “candid” moment is probably practiced a billion times off-stage. You think your idols are perfect and faultless but when nobody's looking, they swear, they throw tantrums, they get angry, they hurt and they are wholly human. That’s what this documentary shows you. This is what this group says: This is who we are and we’re unapologetic about it.

It starts with the group in a retro film setting, wearing suave suits and looking oh so polished but slowly proceeds to peel back layers and lets you see a raw glimpse in the life of superstars who are at core ordinary human beings. While there are goofy, no-makeup, almost cringeworthy moments where these artists let go of the facade and bask in a childlike glee, the highlight of the film is the portrayal of Bigbang’s biggest strength: Their work ethic. You get to see the nitty gritty of music production and all the factors that go into bringing a fabulous concert stage to life. Every single member participates in every single detail of the process tweaking it into something closest to perfection.

Five billionaires in the room and nobody wants to spend out of their own pockets. Stingy, you say. But isn’t it also somewhat relatable? These men didn’t grow into wealth, there was no small loan of a million dollars to help them through, they build their empire from the bottom ladder and climbed to top with many a missteps.

You know the true essence of a person when you hear the views of people working under them and here, Bigbang takes the backseat and lets the team who played a huge part in making them who they are do the talking. It’s emotional, heartfelt and sincere.

Then there are the lows that you don’t see on camera. The sweat, the bruises, the pain that we never take into account. Bigbang doesn’t boast those things or throws a pity party, they just straightforwardly put everything in front of you like they’ve done with everything else as of yet:
This is how it is. Make of  it what you will.

If you’re a hard boiled, bitter cynic like me with “Don’t believe everything you see on T.V” stamped on your forehead, you’ll probably doubt the authenticity of emotion here too but the thing is, somethings just can’t be faked and even if 1% of this film rings true to you, that’s already hugely impactful.

It makes you laugh out loud, tear up and most importantly it makes you “feel”, the ability of which we’re slowly losing as the time goes by.
The brotherhood between these men is almost tangible. They’re tied together, completely in sync with each other's mannerisms and weaknesses and it shows without trying.

The film has great cinematography and direction, seamlessly transitioning between real life videos and on-stage song performances all the while bringing out the best in everything. There’s style, love friendship and nostalgia all mingled together in this 2 hour worth masterpiece.

Finally as a fan, I’d like to say that this is the perfect gift for the fandom. It’s an everlasting piece of them that stays relatable and true no matter what changes time brings. Re-watching this after such a long time, with an entirely different perspective, I felt so many different emotions but one thing that stayed the same was my rating because even if you don’t like it, you can’t help but appreciate the high quality of it. After so many things that have happened- both fortunate and unfortunate- and finally as they all go and have gone into military, coming back to this movie; a harbinger of hope and resilience, really does feel like coming full-circle.

 As far as I am concerned when Youngbae looked straight ahead and asked the fans “We don’t know what the future holds for us but will you wait for us to see it together?” all I could do was scream “Yes” along with the million of others on the screen.

As far as your idols are concerned, don’t drown them under your expectations. As Jiyong said,
 “For you, it’ll be sad that you won’t see us five people anymore but for us we might never see 1.5 million of you. We are losing much more, it’s much harder.”

And as far as Bigbang themselves are concerned, love them or hate them, you can’t ignore them. Their mark on Korean music and our lives is made and it’s there to stay.

Enjoy!

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"Once upon a time, in a Faraway land.. There was once a Sleeping Beauty whose 'herself' remain asleep for a very very long time in the hauntingly beautiful forest.."

This drama is a modern 'Sleeping Beauty' dark fairy-tale mystery and romance. Again, it's a deep-rooted Mystery. 'Sleeping' is not literal here rather it gives a psychological explanation and I will leave it to find out yourself. It can be an enchanted or haunted place where a dream/memories remain long-forgotten.

The storyline is more than a labyrinthine with so many nail-biting twist and full of surprises though it's a bit slow. Seeing a cliffhanger makes me want to re-trace everything from the beginning as I start collecting clues that was dropped along the way while watching this. Ooppss.. I can't discuss anything here that may gives spoiler.

Anyway, just to tell you all the while watching this, the more I'm going further with the story, the more my head messed up with all those endless clues. It will throws you some red herrings to make you doubt about your assumptions earlier. Brilliant, isn't? *wiping my bleeding nose* :D

This is a downgraded version of 'Ice World (1999)' and they were from the same writer so you could feel that they are in the same atmosphere though this one is not that enjoyable but it's more tragic because everyone is involved with the 'Sleeping Beauty'. I couldn't hold back my emotions as I wept at the cruelty of life. Well, that's the 'Twist of Fate', they say.

The ending will.. Ooopps!! I will leave it to find out yourself. And.. one more thing is, you may have to be attentive with the "Camouflage" opening song. I like it, by the way. Haha. :)

I like this drama even you'll have to cast out Takuya Kimura, the story will be the same. So it's highly recommended, don't be discourage just because this is an old drama. Just ride in an enchanted rollercoaster as you begin your journey to watch this. There's a mystery awaits you in the secret place. Enjoy! :)

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Ahhhh, I enjoyed this movie so much. It was gorgeous. When it wasn't grossing me out (mummies can be nasty!). There was a plot, but it didn't get in the way of the action.

Fabulous choice of leading men. Really. The contrast between them was perfect. I personally wish for them to both have long successful careers.

The supporting actors were wonderful. The humor in this movie is great, and mostly carried by the supporting actors.

You MUST like gears to enjoy this movie. They are everywhere. Along with chains.

You must also not really care about which time period the movie is set in, as laptops & abacuses, Gattling guns & drones, digital cameras & puttees co-exist.

My favorite thing in this movie was a coffin that unfolded into a desk/office suite, along with a book case that I will lust after for the rest of my life.

Will I re-watch this? Absolutely. I am sure there are things I missed.

I strongly feel there will be a video game.

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Yes, I'll Be Your Blood Wife

This drama caught my attention not only by the poster but because it was dealing with a demon which turns out to be a vampire. Who doesn't like to see a sexy man who is a vampire. And there was no failing on that part by Guan Ye aka Xuan Ming and his female lead Tu Zhi Ying aka He Yi Huan who was his perfect match.

With an interactive VR game as the backdrop, He Yi Huan enters the game as an interactive game player to do a movie evaluation. The purpose of the game is that you have to survive numerous levels to leave the game.

The system prompts that players must eliminate devils, destroy the five devil hearts, to save the Celestial Master Grandfather, calm the disaster and then pass the game. (Aging, sickness and death, love parting attachment, hatred meeting, unfulfilled desires). But all players before He Yi Huan have died due to system errors. Xuan Ming, who should have protected the players, turned evil and killed them with his own hands. Players died in the game became vegetables in reality. So, He Yi Huan could only correct this error by going into the game herself.

Upon entering the game, it is a world where humans and devils coexist, devils wreak havoc in the human realm. To solve this problem only a female disciples of the Immortal Sect can save humanity from impending disaster.

He Yi Huan, Immortal Sect, Shrine Maiden was to form a blood marriage with the devil due to her grandfather (Celestial Master). Her grandfather warned her that if he did not return on the night of the full moon, she was to immediately change into the bridal attire and enter the forbidden chamber to awaken the one sleeping in the coffin. She didn't know who was in the coffin. She only knew the ancient saying, "Night Clan's marriage uses blood as sacrifice. The mutual protection lasts for this whole life."

Enter Xuan Ming, Young Master of the Bloodsucking Night Clan. Yeah, he is fine. He immediately snatches her up and says, "So you are my blood wife?" Then he bites her. Whew. That is the opening of the VR game in which He Yi Huan is watching.

After sucking her blood, she thought she was doomed but Xuan Ming told her since the Celestial Master showed him kindness by awakening him, from now on she was his. Members of the Night Clan were born to protect their blood wives. whatever it takes and he was going to handle all of her matters. He Yi Huan was excited because the system gave her a loyal husband.

We do learn that he doesn't have to bite her all the time because the Night Clan has a sleeping acupoint in the lips. Biting it can suppress the desire for blood. So, if he would lose control, she can do that. Which you will find out she does do several times. The kisses for that are intense.

She was aided by her only helper, which was her older brother, He Ziyan. He was a Daoist marital fanatic. He learned about Xuan Ming's origin; he sees him as the benefactor who can save his whole family.

He Yi Huan, Xuan Ming and He Ziyan all go on the various task according to the game all the while as He Yi Huan gradually fell in love with Xuan Ming.

The biggest misunderstanding was when Xuan Ming finds out that He Yi Huan is not from his world but reality. He is upset that she lied to him. He felt she never wanted to be with him, and he will be alone. Using this opportunity, the Celestial Master (who was taken over) turns him to the dark side. He Yi Huan after readdressing her feelings finds Xuan Ming and explains to him that she didn't know how she felt but wants to only be with him now and forever because she truly loves him.

Xuan Ming also has his nemesis which is his brother, Feng Que. He wants Xuan Ming's power for his own so he can be more powerful than him. He has put a heart binding seal on his heart.

In order to go back to her world, Xuan Ming tells her that she has to kill him. But He Yi Huan tells him that there has to be another way because she won't do it. She is so upset that Xuan Ming changes the subject and tells her in her world, the proposal ceremony involves kneeling on one knee.

He gets on one knee and says, "He Yi Huan, my blood wife, and I, Xuan Ming, have wandered for a hundred years. Today, I'm willing to bind our lives with the blood from my heart. With the moon as our witness, this heart is our pledge (a wooden craved ring). If this blood covenant is made, from now on, we'll support and rely on each other until our hair turns gray. Will you marry me? "

He Yi Huan responds, " Yes, I will. Now it's my turn. Mr. Xuan Ming do you genuinely wish to take Miss He Yi Huan as your wife, to be together through life and death, through joy and sorrow, to love, tolerate, and protect her, and never deceive her?

Of course, he says yes. They share one of the many passionate kisses and he not only puts up a barrier but has flowers begin to rain down and they spend a loving night together.

But Xuan Ming did lie to her because he went to handle matters with the Celestial Master. She does get out of the barrier with the help of her brother. Xuan Ming is fighting the corrupt Celestial Master. Knowing that his brother, Feng Que has been sealed inside of the master, he finally gets his brother released from him.

After his brother is out, he asks for his brothers help to take down the Celestial Master, but he will only agree if he gives him his heart. He tells him by the blood oath he will because the heart binding seal he has destroyed his meridians in order to not be controlled by the master and he now only has less than 16 hours to live.

They do handle the corrupt Celestial Master and Feng Que does take Xuan Ming's heart only to find out that he now has his personality and kindness towards others.

Xuan Ming was dying and the only way to save him was to take him back to the coffin and see if he could be saved. But after kissing her he does die. He Yi Huan completes the interactive movie evaluation and, in the story, what she heard and experienced are all warnings and lessons. They hoped that she cherished the emotions and relationships and treasured them when she encountered fate.

But just when you thought it was over...it's not...

As she goes into a cafe the news comes on about a new concept interactive movie called "Vampire Falls in Love with Little Priestess" which now has become explosively popular after its release.

Taking out of her purse is a copy of the game, "Xuan Ming Interactive Movie" and looking at it, she thinks about the promise she made to him to live a good life with his love. She says she has now fulfilled that promise and begins to wonder how he is doing on the other side. Caught up in her thoughts, her cell phone rings. It is about the movie. They are evaluating for a second season. But there is a bit of a problem. She tells them that she is not interested. But just as she is getting ready to hang up, they tell her the computer caught a virus, and the male lead, Xuan Ming, went out of control and started calling her name...He Yi Huan!

Yes, he is alive and is looking for his blood wife. Will he now come into reality to get her? Let's wait and see.

All and all an enjoyable drama to watch. The ML and FL are just such a cute couple. Definitely would have loved to see more time with those two because of the great chemistry. They both look like they were enjoying those kisses. The parts with the Celestial Master didn't add anything. I felt those could have been watered down. I wish Feng Que; the brother of Xuan Ming would have had more screen time and been the initial bad guy. Again, this is one that is quick only 12-minutes and with 25 episodes, it is a good watch with a decent storyline.

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I have no idea why I even started this one because a drama about 40 year olds really doesnt call out to a girl in her early 20s...

Story: Starts off with the two leads randomly bumping into each other on a set of a commercial. The first 2 episodes are hilarious as the male lead starts to fall in love with the female lead ( who was his past love) but he hasnt seen what she looks like in the present (shes changed for the worst). Although this drama is a predictable romcom, the writers did a solid job with making it entertaining but also writing a story with substance. It has one of the best endings Ive ever seen.

Acting/Cast: Jung Joon Ho (Iris, Queen of Reversals) brings IT in this one. His jealousy makes the show. His character is too hilarious. All his expressions are priceless! The lead actress did a great job portraying her ahjumma character. It was nice to see her transform from an ugly duckling to a pretty woman. Loved the makeover scene!
I did find the way the writers wrote her character a little off-putting at times because at first she comes off as naive/too obsessed with her first husband and it takes most of the drama before she convinces herself its okay to love Jae Bin. The rest of the supporting cast is great too!


Music: Kind of chessy but didnt take away from the enjoyment of the drama itself.

Rewatch: Quick pacing makes this something i can watch over and over again if i had the time.

Overall: This is geared to an older audience but if a 22 year old girl (me) is raving about it then it has to be really good right? Watch it!

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I love this adaption so much! I've watched it twice and I've never watched a drama twice before. Albeit, it's a shorter one so it doesn't take much time to re-watch.

Most of the complaints it gets is about Sato's Kotoko being too loud, over the top, and "annoying", but that's what Kotoko is all about. Whether it be this adaption or another, you're probably not gonna like this story if you don't like the Kotoko character because Kotoko's the complete point of Itazura Na Kiss! She's famous for being a unique protagonist and no way would this manga/drama be so well known and beloved if she was as terrible as people like to believe. I just don't understand why anyone wouldn't love her.

Since this drama was filmed in the mid-90s, it's very charming and kinda simple, straight to the point. It's not ridiculously flashy and drawn out, with a big budget, which makes it one of my favorite comfort dramas. Compared to the other adaptions, the family/business issues are extremely cut down which I like because I always find family drama plots tiresome.

Kassy's Naoki is sooo subtle, you have to watch his facial expressions closely or you'll miss some of the best parts of the drama and the moments where he's obviously falling for Kotoko.

I really love the soundtrack. The romantic instrumentals in 90s fashion, contrast perfectly with the amazingly upbeat "Steady" by SPEED.

Overall, the humor LARGELY depends on exaggerating characters and circumstances. If you're looking for something realistic, simply don't watch it! If you can't handle shouting, quick scene cuts, camera zooms, or basic classic comedy, don't watch it. It's not suppose to be taken too seriously.

The only downside is it never got a season 2. The character development was so great, but we don't get to see that development pursued because of the quick ending.

Regardless if people like this version or not, it will always be special for being the first live adaption of Itazura Na Kiss and the only live adaption that INK's creator Kaoru Tada got to see before she died. I don't know if she advised during the production, but I'm sure if she hadn't liked how Kotoko was portrayed, she would've said something.

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How I view this drama (This Review Contains Spoilers)

This is such a wholesome drama.

Although the overall premise is about 'magic', I found that the initial character development and the details with Kurosawa and Adachi are extremely realistic, especially with the way they approached the romance. Rather than using the excuse of magic to force a relationship, the writer(s) instead chose to slowly develop the relationship of both characters from co-workers to friends, and finally to lovers.

Kurosawa is a humble, humane man who deserves a lot of high praise. The way his character was written was absolutely beautiful. He is a kindhearted man, who deeply cherishes Adachi for his entire being. He observes the little things when it comes to Adachi; how he shows up to work with bed hair, how he is shy but is skillfully accurate when it comes to his work, how he doesn't smile that much but when he does, he is soft, and how he always puts others first and is always willing to lend a helping hand.
Kurosawa never put his own needs and feelings above Adachi's. He never forced a friendship or a relationship on him. He always treated him with respect, supported him, he ensured that he did not overstep boundaries and made Adachi uncomfortable and he gave Adachi space when it was needed. Kurosawa not only fell in love with Adachi but he also highly respected him as a human being.

Adachi is an introverted, yet kind man, who isn't necessarily confident in the things he does, and the choices he makes. Before he received his magical abilities, he had never been in a relationship before with a man or a woman and thus never really understood the emotions of love. It wasn't until he received his magic and accidentally touched Kurosawa, that he heard the man's thoughts about him. Kurosawa was in love with him. Adachi reacted like any person who has never experienced love, let alone been in a relationship before would; he didn't believe what he heard was true and attempted to distance himself from the latter a bit.
As the show progressed, we the audience, and Adachi got to hear more of Kurosawa's thoughts and they were absolutely beautiful. His thoughts were never disrespectful, they were never sexual, instead, they were filled with love and respect. Kurosawa wholeheartedly loved Adachi and valued his entirety as a human being.

The most important factor of this, in my opinion, is that Adachi was in no way homophobic in the slightest. He did not look down on Kurosawa for falling for a man, nor did he throw out the 'We can't date because we're both men' or 'It's wrong because we're both men'. I also respect that the writers did not flat out make Adachi think or state that he does not like Kurosawa from the beginning. Adachi's introverted nature does result in him struggling to speak his mind on many occasions, and because he is new to everything about love, he is extremely unsure of how he feels towards the latter, however, it does not stop him from wanting to learn more about Kurosawa and his thoughts. It also does not stop him from wanting to find out where he stands romantically.

Meanwhile, we have Tsugae and Minato. We never got quite an in-depth development of the two, like we did Kurosawa and Adachi, since they're side characters.

Tsugae is Adachi's best friend and is a book writer. He is a homebody, who mainly prefers to be at home with his cat, writing books. He also likes to online shop (a lot). Like Adachi, he is introverted and cannot always make up his mind on things, let alone speak his mind.
He begins to develop feelings for an attractive delivery man, Minato.

Minato, at first, seemed a little creepy to me (he slowly grew on me). Here you have this delivery man, who is observing everything in the room, along with stating things about Tsugae under his breath. For example; 'How weird he is' etc. I also found it weird that he was the main delivery person to Tsugae's house majority of the time. Probably because, where I live, it's always a different person.

Tsugae and Minato did face an initial 'plot barrier' ie. When Tsugae saw Minato's ex kiss him.
He saw the man he liked getting kissed by another man so he ran away and began to hide away in his flat, not socialising as he began to emotionally and mentally collect his thoughts. In response, Minato felt hurt and ignored, he proceeded to vent to his friend which resulted in his friend accusing of Tsugae of being homophobic.
Overall, that was realistic, but at the same time, I found the friend's accusations of homophobia quite rude.
He could have sat Tsugae down, and calmly talked to him from the beginning and find out the source of the problem, but instead, he jumped headfirst into the situation and assumed the reasoning behind Tsugae running away and not socialising was homophobia. Running away does not mean homophobia. Most people would feel uncomfortable if they walked in on two people kissing, especially if one of the people being kissed was their crush.

The quality of acting in this drama had me impressed. The way the actors spoke their dialogue, interacted and behaved was not awkward at all. In fact, they all seemed comfortable with each other, and yes, this includes the side and background characters. Nothing felt forced, and even the topic of romance seemed natural.

Music-wise, there really isn't much to comment on. I don't necessarily focus on a soundtrack when it comes to these types of dramas. However, I must say, the ending song was quite enjoyable.

Overall, the story, the characters, and the acting all compliment each other really well. The actors really brought this story to life and without them, the live-action would not have been that great. I would certainly be willing to re-watch this.

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Ending ruined it for me

This could have been one of my favourite dramas but unfortunately it became one of the ones I’m most bitter and upset about. I actually didn’t watch a Korean drama for months after this. I think whether or not the ending is unsatisfying for you depends on your interpretation throughout the drama but I don’t think that I interpreted it wrong. I watched this while it was ongoing and I was nervous about the ending because I had heard what happened in the Chinese version, however I think I would have preferred that.

I was quite surprised at the plot as it entailed a man in a woman’s body falling in love with another man. South Korea is quite conservative so I was skeptical about whether they would go through with it in the drama, but after the two characters slept together I didn’t think there was any backtracking that. The queen seemed to have completely disappeared, and it wasn’t even hinted at that she was still alive. Well they did manage to backtrack it and I think it completely lowered the quality and completely undermined the entire drama. I think this because of the following reasons:

-The king fell in love with Bong-hwan’s personality and quirks, he hated the queen before Bong-hwan arrived and literally tried to kill her. I didn’t watch the special episodes but I know they showed scenes of the king meeting the queen and hinted at prior romance which makes no sense due to the reason above.
-We never really got to know the queen because she was barely in it so I had no attachment to the character yet she was the one who ended up with the king.
-I felt the writers used the idea of two men falling in love to make the drama interesting/different but then didn’t have the guts to see it through, which honestly was a very crappy thing to do. They shouldn’t have bothered with this storyline if they weren’t brave enough to do it properly or they at least could have changed it a bit so that most of the drama wouldn’t be romance between Bong-hwan and the king only for the ending to happen.
-The king said he felt like he was missing something at the end which made me so sad and I was also so upset that the queen never told the king the truth. It felt as if she was just riding Bong-hwan’s coattails and deceiving the king.
-I’m guessing that what the writers meant to portray with the ending was that the king and Bong-hwan were friends and the queen was still in the body, which caused the romantic feelings but that wasn’t shown properly at all (this is literally me guessing the explanation), and I think it was purposefully misleading and ambiguous to make it “interesting” which again is a really crappy and cowardly thing to do.

In conclusion, the ending is why I gave it a low rating. I’m still shocked at how they managed to do a complete 180 in probably the last 15-30 minutes. I normally wouldn’t change a rating so drastically simply because of the ending, but unfortunately, even though the rest of the drama was really good, the ending unravelled all of it so it was a dealbreaker for me. The acting was very good and it was also very funny. If you’re aware of the ending and okay with it you will probably enjoy it.

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Though explicit and by no means for the faint of heart, ‘The Treacherous’ is beautifully filmed and well-acted.

The fact that it is all based on gritty, hard fact adds a hefty weight to the already unsettling story. There’s a lot here that reflects upon corruption, in all its forms, ‘gifting’ the viewer with an insight into a darker time in history and the effects of a corrupted government. Despite the general breadth of its theme - that this insanity and moral degradation affects a whole kingdom - it still feels personal and real. No character is without its flaws, nor its scars, and at times I even found myself pitying the mad prince. There’s a lot of emotional intensity to see here, like everyone's just trying to survive.

It’s a well-paced film, as I never found myself bored. Though the acting wasn’t lacking however - especially not with Kim Kang Woo and Joo Ji Hoon! - I do think I could’ve been more emotionally-invested? Where the fault lies with that, I’m not certain, but that’s the main reason why I mark this film down: I didn’t FEEL enough as I believe I could’ve. That, and at times… clarity, I believe, wasn’t always there. Not regarding the major things, but more in the details of the characters and their histories. (A few things felt a bit skimped over and probably could’ve done with a tad more coverage, though overall the impact on the rest of the film isn’t a big deal at all.)

That aside, the costumes are brilliant. As are the sets. The music is above being ‘just good’ and I genuinely enjoyed these past two hours, with all my gasping and marvelling. It’s a dark yet interesting film that kept me watching to the end.

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definitely a MUST watch! not your typical webdrama

i personally loved the 3rd couple more than the other two but all 3 couples in one school and their stories are all really good too!
- couple 1 showcases a teenage guy and his journey to become a better person for his crush. (ep 1-2)
- couple 2 is about childhood best friends who makes a "fake" relationship deal; (ep 3-5) while
- couple 3 is about an "overweight" girl who always gets bullied and her popular guy crush ! (ep 6-7)

though you might find it "cliche" it's really NOT! i cried towards the ending and each couple's approach towards every situation is realistic as all leads are teenagers. the ost too is so good as well! you'll find yourself smiling alone before going to bed like an idiot because all 3 couples has huge chemistry. go ahead and give it a try!

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A-mazing thriller sublimated from ordinary greatness

This drama is part of the Youku White Nights Theatre series which, just before airing this one, garnered unexpected big success with “Escape from the Trilateral Slopes” set in the South East Asian Golden Triangle under the thin veil of fictional Bomo country name. If you want to stay with drug dealer rings busting, head over to The First Shot. It is really good. Some actors from Escape from Trilateral Slopes also appear briefly in "Snow maze"  雪迷宫 (the name is a symbol both of the seminal event that shaped two of the main characters, and of the investigation around metamphetamine, the Chinese name of the drug being "Snow Angel" 雪天使, translated as "Lucifer" in The First Shot.)

The drama combines both a classic detection linear plot and group portraits of characters, which could make it appear as scattered, but add to the human value in an interesting and original blend.

The official main cast revolved around Johnny Huang , Wáng Zǐqí 王子奇 and Zhāng Yǔ 章宇, who was very remarkable there. Johnny Huang demonstrated a very nuanced acting there, no need to condescend to "bear with him": the trust shown by one producer who reputedly waited 4 years to see him in that role, was not misplaced.
Qín Jùnjié 秦俊杰   was a surprise actor. His role as Liáng Jiājū 粱嘉驹 came late into the story, but was not just anecdotal or only meant to attract audience by another "celeb name" (that's why he was not included in the original published cast, before over a week after airing started).

The drama did not feature much sentimentality, apart from good but ordinary colleagues friendship, and family ties, but felt very wholesome and engaging in the growth and evolution of the relationships (but don't look for romance, bromance, or BL in this story). Ladies included Lín Bóyáng 林博洋 (funny and sweet sister of the captain), and Xiè Kěyín 谢可寅 ("mad dog Yáo" , nickname of Zhāng Xuěyáo, fond of fighting at every occasion") alongside a number of other distinctive types linked in the "extended families" including friends and acquaintances in residential complexes, restaurants, or on the alleys in the market place : one of the nodes of the city life in Hālán, where cabs were not just a convenience for getting people from one place to another, such as the dodgy dancing halls, roller skating rinks, pharmacy, hotels, etc.

The drama had a lot of twists before final reveal of kingpin, that should not be spoiled too much: there is a choice between 3-5 candidates along the episodes!

Watching the drama was like moving through a maze, with dead ends, pitfalls, and mirrors!


*** (more details below; you can also look up my "Companion piece", hidden in Discussions part of the drama page)

The maze motif was shared with the round Chinese-style designs posted on the main leads’ and drama Weibo social media. These looked like a game of 9 linked blind boxes opening briefly to reveal some ultra micro short glimpses of the actors and actress, with three chosen snippets of dialogues to read and listen to. They aptly reflected the convoluted nature of the investigation! Among the other nuggets on the drama Weibo was a short selection of Dōngběi accent and phrases from the drama: this one was set in “Hālán” 哈岚市 : which might be thought to be a veiled fictional name for Harbin, a city which lies on the historical roads and railroads linking the south of China to the north of the country and beyond. Harbin is also one of the capitals of the “north-east”/Dōngběi. That region suffered from pollution inherited from heavy industrialization which left many factories in ruins after a period of economic change and depression in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (Nevertheless, the actual main filming took place in 2023 in Chángchūn, a city with a long tradition of movie making, which let a Manchukuo building be used as the "Hālán Public Security Bureau" where the policemen worked; another part was filmed in Chángchūn city film studios.)

As a node, “Hālán” 岚市 was linked to “Huāzhōu” 花州 in “Yuèdōng” which was a thinly veiled reference to Guǎngzhōu/Canton, and the “Yuè” 粤 real life culture of the Cantonese part of China. The link was further emphasized by the professed love of the police captain’s sister for Cantopop (Chinese songs from Hongkong and the Cantonese speaking part of China). This love was shown in a few of the most hilarious comedic moments in the drama, which had not a few of those, in the portrayal of the cops life and family matters. One of the protagonists even recorded a version of a famous Jacky Cheung song, incorporated in the drama OST with the voice of Liú Rùnnán.

The timeline setting was around 1997, date of Hongkong returning to Chinese sovereignty after the 99 years “lease” to the British, who once introduced opium to China through that port of entry, among other ones. 1997 was a year for celebration, but some years earlier, when the story in the drama really starts (with Gù's father's disappearance), was when new drugs became an acute problem touching vulnerable people (workers, students, more well-heeled middle and upper class people looking for thrills in karaoke and dance saloons, in the opening society of the post-Deng Xiaoping era). Methamphetamine had been a new drug identified by authorities in the south of China in 1991 but difficult to get evidence for with the technical methods used by police at the time. Some years passed, before the authorities in Hālán decided to set up a Special investigation team to nip the emerging drug deal reaching the North. A budding task force to tackle the problem was set up before China created a formal Narcotics Control Commission in August 1998. That’s how captain Zhèng Běi, one year earlier in the drama was asked to recruit four specialists...

The drama is about the ordinary greatness of a team of cops who bond in a shared professional outlook: don’t look for romance, bromance, or BL in that context! It is plain colleagues friendship with no over-gushing sentimentality. The team is partly made up from old childhood friends who vowed to become a “steel guard” against evil. Although plain clothes for most of their missions, they were uniformed in mind. Which does not mean they were not human: they were living in a city where many people knew each other. They had parents, who wished to see them happily married and respected in their jobs : either wholesomely supportive, like Zhèng Běi and Zhèng Nán’s parents, or unreasonably harsh, like Dīng Guózhù‘s parents. One of the members in the force was in love with a girl, although he was too bashful to express it clearly, which caused goofy and endearing moments, including a "facing backs mirrored confession", welcomed by the team which played Cupid to the pair.

More than just a chasing gangs thriller and lesson about the dangers of drugs (it does incorporate it, in the early episodes, when Gù Yīrán, the specialist from the south, taught his colleagues about the making of those drugs and how to detect them) the drama is about human people and their choices, the heartbreak of abandonment and disappointments, of tragic partings, and of course the necessary choice of law and order over even close past brotherhood. Each of the actors portrayed a memorable and remarkable individuality :

Zhāng Yǔ 章宇 was remarkable, as the mysterious character with a murky past who had the closest friendship with the captain. His character name as “Jiāng Xiǎohǎi” 姜小海 seemed bland enough... The actor, a surprisingly fit 41 years old already seasoned actor, who can seamlessly portray a man half his age, jumping over a rail and in one fell swoop delivering a Jackie Chan like kick, wowed audiences who became warily attached to the deceptively meek "good brother" character, despite suspecting he also had to be a gangster.

Johnny Huang / Huáng Jǐngyú 黃景瑜, as captain “Shī Zhèng Běi” 施 郑北 (Zhèng was the generation name shared with his sister), was expected as the leader of uniformed men, but should not be dismissed because of his past as “king of soldiers” and muscle man. In fact, despite the T shirts showing his well developed triceps, and a couple of scenes where he demonstrated his known expertise as martial arts specialist (brown belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu in real life) and the vise-strength of his thighs, he did not rely only on brute force to deliver his performance. His acting was very nuanced, showing human warmth and understanding, wavering between tough choices, heartbroken when he had to give up hope.

Wáng Zǐqí 王子奇 was playing “Gù Yīrán” 顾一燃, the “Southern” addition to the team, with a murky story of his own, causing his character to toe a sometimes unexpected line.

Xiè Kěyín / Chloe Xie 谢可寅 was “Mad dog Yao” (“Zhāng Xuěyáo” 张雪瑶) always game for a fight, whose interest in Zhèng Běi was funnily shown in her periodic challenges to fight the captain and outdo him in MMA. She was “one of the men” with zero sentimentality, but an effective fighter and at times funny addition.

Liú Rùnnán 刘润南 played as ordinary hero “Zhào Xiǎoguāng ” 赵晓光, fearless and sometimes reckless younger member, with a sideline love interest expressed in goofy attempts at speaking and singing in Cantonese. His mangling of a Jacky Cheung song titled "Lǐ Xiānglán" was redeemed by his recording of the song in a not too bad imitation, included in the drama OST.

Zhào Yùtóng 赵昱童 was playing the less flashy, almost timid “Dīng Guózhù ” 丁国柱 “forensic expert” in the team, who at times heralded a twist in plot with his findings, and who also had a dream of becoming a hero.

Lín Bóyáng 林博洋, was “Zhèng Nán”, the adorable, fashion conscious sister of Zhèng Běi, professing a love of Cantonese language and music, wearing colorful clothes and impeccable make up and hair styles, but staying nonetheless down-to-earth even in raging winds.

The rest of cast also featured several well-known and remarkable actors and actresses in support or guest roles, with memorable and distinct personality traits, from “Jiāng Yíng zǐ” 姜迎紫 (played by LiànLiàn 练练) to the monitor/director of the police corps, “Gāo Línshēng” 高林声/director Gāo (played by Lín Péng林鹏) urging the team to deliver results in an unreasonably short time frame, under orders from higher ups. Those were shown notably in one of the last episodes with the brief arrival of beady-eyed and irritated military type director Zhào (played by Kǒng Lín 孔琳). This was the occasion for a funny but mild jab at “authorities”, when Gāo happened to have alcohol spilled on his trousers and shoes at a birthday party although not touching otherwise the stuff, but was ruthlessly criticized as “drunkard” by his superior. The drama was otherwise mild in its portrayal of “elders” in the force : Liú Wēi 刘威 played the avuncular “Xīn Tiěgāng” 辛铁钢: semi-retired, self-appointed cook and nanny for the team, also with a “heroic streak”.

The story was written for TV by a team of two scriptwriters, and directed by Lǚ xíng Xíng 吕行 who formerly also directed a memorable slice-of-life drama about a suburban police station : 2020 Ordinary Greatness. Zhāng Yìmóu 张艺谋 as executive producer certainly had an influence in the style and cinematography, and in the realistic approach to story and lighting, from his long experience as celebrated director of many famous movies.

From the fighting start to the end, despite uncertainties, the drama pace was like that of the train which stopped at some stations to get new passengers on board or discharge goods and people of different nature, but never stayed too long in one place. A train which traveled through a tunnel that was fateful for one of the protagonists.

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The criminally underrated drama of 2019

REVIEW :
' You remember the thing with your head but cherish memories in your heart. '

This drama starts off so casually, Once that brink of sadness starts, it feels inescapable.
From the synopsis, as you may have read, It starts on the fun part of a divorce.

You'll love this drama when you're in search for something profound, with proper depth, realistic and most above that if you're a mature person.
This drama is strictly for mature people.

The initial plot is a bit messed up but the execution is brilliant.
The transition from a couple struggling to a divorce situation and the comeback years later.
Phenomenal!
There are moments in your life when you feel empty, tired of watching your regular dramas and movies, this is where this drama strikes. It's simply breathtaking!
It's sad but in the most positive way.
That maturity of never giving up, never losing hope!

I didn't have the courage to complete this drama as I found myself stuck, currently on episode 12.
Even the characters are breathtaking, true to themselves.
Especially the leads, Kim Ha Neul's choice of drama speaks for itself.
She never disappoints me.
Controversial and daring topics but she pays off every time.
One of my fav actresses.
A brave decision to play such a part on such a plot.
It isn't easy!
And Kam Woo Sung, this was my first drama of his. What a legendary actor he is!
His voice reflected the toughness required to play the character, the mentality, the transition of an Alzheimer's patient.
There's nothing better than a Slice of Life category.
The warmth and the cold striking you like nothing has ever.
Drama's like this make you feel tender, And since I haven't seen much of such, I find them profound.
I'll complete this when I find my strength back xD

I decided to
A perfect 9 for this one. ^^

HOW ALZHEIMERS AFFECT YOUR LIFE : SOURCE QUORA ( I found this answer on quora and sharing it for the sole purpose of awareness how it affects our lives .)

First, it depends upon the stage of dementia: mild, moderate or severe.

In mild dementia, it seems to be like being a functional alcoholic's day, as far as cognition goes. You're able to do what you need to do, but some little things get missed, such as your T-shirt is on backwards, but you don't notice, or you can't find the sugar bowl so you start taking apart cupboards and end up going without coffee and the kitchen is a mess. Later, you swear you did not do that. You have no memory of doing it, and the more another person argues you did, indeed, make that mess, the angrier you get. You did not. They are lying.

The whole day goes like this- close to normal, but not quite. Routines are easy, anything new is... more difficult. And, if asked about someone or thing from earlier in the day, you may or may not remember the event. By the end of the day, you're tired of thinking, but your brain keeps throwing up odd thoughts and ideas- things like, "I can't find the car keys. Someone must have stolen them! I need the car keys" and you may wander, rummage, pull things out of drawers for a couple hours, at the end of which you may be unable to tell anyone for what it was you were searching. Even more telling, you may not have driven a car for the past five years.

During moderate dementia, each day is more moment to moment, and routine is your friend. Anything which is routine is easier for you to experience. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, that's how your day is scheduled. But something out of the ordinary- like a doctor's appointment- can throw you. You may balk at going, at getting dressed and getting in the car and going; there's so much mental stimulation involved in such a non-routine event, you prefer to stick to what you know: Breakfast, lunch, dinner- and maybe sitting in the sun, watching the world go by.

Activities like taking a shower can become difficult for you; if you think about it, a shower is an event which is very high in stimulation of all sorts: The bathroom is very separate from your normal living space- usually hard-edged and cold-seeming. Then you must take all your clothing off- naked- that's just a lot of stimulation itself, and the memories loosely associated with naked are also fraught with stimulation. The shower makes noise, the temperature difference is apparent, there's soap and shampoo and the scrunchie thing, water in your eyes, your ears, the space is confined, and, by this time, someone is usually in there with you, "helping", which is just weird, no matter how much you understand and accept you need help. It's one sign diagnostic of moderate dementia: You may start to not like to be washed and clean- shower or bath.

I remember a gentleman in the Facility I worked in in Washington State; he was new, and hadn't been showered at the hospital, so on his first full day, the aides gave him a shower. He spent the rest of the afternoon in tears because, "They threw me in the corner and pelted me with rocks like a piece of trash!" That's what he felt like. Another woman would walk, up and down the corridors, but stay far away from windows, saying "There's Indians out there! They're going to attack!" It took a long time to figure this one out; she would pace and pace, and could not sit still, always talking about Indians shooting arrows at us. Finally a nurse asked her if she had been hit by an arrow? Yes. Where'd they get you? Right here, and she clutched her low back, arrggghhhh! It hurt so much! Going through her medical history a bit closer, we discovered she had been in a car accident years before and suffered a low back injury. She'd been telling us for weeks what was happening to her, but not in a way which made sense to us; to her, it made perfect sense: It felt like an arrow in her back. And who used arrows? Indians!

You are losing words, but it doesn't matter much since those around you ignore that loss and fill in the blanks. Sometimes, you cannot understand what someone else said, like they are speaking a foreign language, and this can make you automatically refuse whatever is being spoken about- that, too, makes a certain amount of sense. Someone babbling to you in a foreign language and making "Come with me" motions is someone to view with suspicion, don't you think? Moderate dementia is the longest part of the disease, usually, which is why I'm spending so much time on it.

The slow slide into severe dementia is sometimes difficult to spot as far as an actual line of demarcation, but one sign is sleeping more and more often. Even during formerly pleasurable activities, such as familiar and enjoyed music, the damage to your brain is so profound, the stimulation is not enough to keep you awake. You sleep, perchance to dream, but we don't know; what we know is damage to the areas which are usually lit up like a Christmas tree during dreaming is profound, but, since we don't really understand sleep or dreaming, and it seems rather cruel to take someone who doesn't do well in new situations into a sleep lab and wire their brains for sound and colour, stick them in a tube and say, "Don't move", we don't know. But that is one of the things I've always wondered about; it seems to me by the time you are in severe dementia, the difference between awake and dreaming is invisible.

Speech is limited, you may have a full thought in your head, but only one or two words come out, if any. Caregivers learn to listen for the first two or so words and try to discern what the thought is from there, because that's usually all we get. Eyesight is odd; you don't know what it is you are seeing. My current "farthest along in Alzheimer's" Resident today did not recognize a puppy. She saw it, she gazed at it, I placed her hand on it, but she looked then at her hand, not the puppy, and there was absolutely no engagement between her and the stimulation provided. She no longer hears music, which is a shame, because she loved music her whole life long, We still play it for her, we still put on her favorite musicals, but there's no engagement anymore. She does not hear or see any of it other than perhaps a fleeting spark of memory, now gone.

In severe dementia, everything is moment to moment, routine means nothing anymore, because there is no past or future, only now.

And then you start your last slide into end-stage dementia; you sleep 20.5 hours out of 24, and when you are awake, you may as well be dreaming. You do not meet anyone's eyes, you do not react in any manner to much beyond very painful stimulation, you are almost gone. We try to feed you, but you don't seem to know what to do with the food in your mouth, and you may choke, which could result in aspiration pneumonia- never a good thing. Your urine output drops, peristalsis decreases, your body temperature may rise. And as your organs start to shut down, you sleep, and sleep, and sleep, and slip away, very peacefully. You're gone.

That's what Alzheimer's type dementia is like.

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