The acting and chemistry between So Ji Sub and Han Hye Joo are what make this movie great. It's no secret I am a huge fan of So Ji Sub and I am very glad to see him do such a great job as Cheol Min ~ a man with a violent past who is struggling to rise above, better himself and repent the mistakes of his past. But I couldn't give this movie a higher score than 8.
Only You actually has a really great story set up: The rough, bad boy boxer unexpectedly meets a spunky, upbeat, innocent and mostly blind girl and they fall madly in love. Angst ensues when he tries to raise the money for an operation for her sight. I was thrilled watching the development of their romance. The way this movie played out would have gotten a higher score from me if they wouldn't have added the recycled element of connecting fates. The totally over used plot device of fate tying two lovers together is what drops the overall score for me. Time and again I see this scenario used in Korean movies and dramas and it gets old.
But the scenes between the lovers are filled with sweetness, sizzling chemistry, humor and heart. So Ji Sub is an extremely emotive actor who portrays every emotion in his eyes, expression and body language. He's just plain good. Call me a fan girl if you will but the man is talented. Han Hye Joo is also a favorite. I really liked her in Postman to Heaven and even more in Only You. She's one to watch for I think. I'd really like to see her in a drama again.
All the technical elements are there. Gritty, harsh lighting and gloomy settings and set design are used for his world and warmer light and more lovely settings are used for her world. When they are together everything is brighter. A nice touch by the cinematographer.
The music was very nice. Memorable in the opening sequence, in the love theme and the closing credits. I gave it a 9.
The re-watch value I give a 7 because in my case, the strength of my liking for the lead actor will have me watching this again. Others may feel differently.
Only you is a typical love story: touching, filled with angst but also includes a lot of light moments as well. I recommend it highly for all of us romantics out there.
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even appeared and I stopped watching. The first 15 minutes were slow, If I had known that I was a little bit more patient or gave this drama an actual chance then I would find myself falling in love just a few minutes after dropping. Why? Chen Berlin who is known as Li Da Ren in this gem of a drama appeared and he just lit the whole drama up.
I finished the first episode and I was already falling for this drama truly, madly and deeply. I found Ariel lovable! and Chen Berlin dashing!I would slap myself silly for not continuing after those 15 minutes. If only I gave the drama a real go then it would have been in my life longer. We all make silly mistakes and I should really watch 3-5 episodes before thinking about dropping.
So this drama is about two best friends who have known each other for about 10-15 years and one thing is certain from the very start.
Li Da Ren loves and has always loved Cheng You Qing. It is also obvisous that You Qing feels the same but she's a woman and she's naive and I guess you could say she's scared about losing Da Ren. Li Da Ren starts to date a girl called Maggie who is very annoying and If I ever come across a girl like Maggie I will run for the hills. The thing about Maggie is she plans and she plots. Maggie wants the perfect boyfriend/husband and this girl has a list of qualities her perfect man has to have and it just so happens Li Da Ren ticks all of her boxes (He would tick mine too) so this begins the love triangle. Even though I said "I would run for the hills" I would say she did help You Qing wake up a bit but You Qing is very complicated especially in her love life. This is when her ex-boyfriend comes back and they had/have a very intense relationship. You know the type one minute they are arguing and the next they are sucking each others faces off.
Throughout the whole drama we are rooting for Li Da Ren to win his girl! We want Cheng You Qing to wake up and realise that Li Da Ren has always and will always be there for her. He is her soulmate. This is the type of drama where you watch one episode and you don't go "I might watch episode 2 tomorrow" no...you say "Next episode NOW!" and you keep on saying that until you realise 13 hours of your life have passed and the drama is over. The couple is no more and you
won't see anymore Li Da Ren and Cheng You Qing scenes. You will find yourself depressed and it will probably take you about 1-3 weeks to find another drama. However those 1-3 weeks of depression are worth those beautiful 13 hours.
P.S:. If you think Ariel and Joe Cheng are IT then think again. It's all about Chen Berlin and Ariel!
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This was a popular series, and deservedly so! As you can see, my ratings are all over the place, so I will explain why.I loved the music. For me, Mew (Tharn) carried this show, with brilliant acting = A+. Mild (Techno) was great = A+. Gulf (Type) was really good, too = A. Kaownah (Lhong) was a great singer and a decent actor (although, with all the crying, some real tears would have been welcome) = A-.
The chemistry between Mew and Gulf was off the charts! (That ice cube kissing scene in the last episode was epic.)
Now, for my issues with the series (hence, some of my lower ratings):
Despite some great performances, THE STORY WAS SO BAD I nearly dropped it after about four episodes. Here's why:
1) THARN'S MOLESTATION OF TYPE, WHILE TYPE WAS SLEEPING (And yes, that's what it was.)
For someone who was supposed to be the "good guy," this was not cool, not funny, not appropriate. Can something like this be portrayed in a drama? Yes, of course it can. But it should be presented as what it is, a molestation. Not as something cute, that can just be dismissed as "oh well."
2) THE WAY TYPE'S CHILDHOOD RAPE STORY WAS HANDLED.
At first I was intrigued, because Type was obviously scarred, and his intense hatred of gays made sense. All good. Then, without any buildup, Type has no issue with getting a blow job from his hated gay roommate. Then, in the next episode, he comes out and asks Tharn for anal sex (with Type as receiver), just one time, to "get it over with, once and for all." Are you kidding me? This was a childhood rape victim? And, Tharn's going along with it was almost as incredulous.
I seriously think (and wish) that the author would have had a better story, had she simply made Type a bigoted homophobe who eventually came around. That in itself would have been dramatic enough. As written, the "rape victim suddenly turned gay" storyline was not only unbelievable, but incredibly insensitive and offensive to actual victims of childhood rape.
3) THE TIMELINE.
I was confused (and still am) about what the timeline was for this story. There was no "six months later" that I could see. So, even if we allow for some time lapses here and there, we saw absolutely zero development of Type's character. He went from understandably hating gays, to suddenly having sex with Tharn. So, how exactly did this happen? We got no explanation.
4) THE ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THARN/TYPE.
Not talking about the sexy hotness. That was there in spades, no question! But, it was never explained why Tharn was so taken with Type. Let's face it, Type was a hot mess on many levels. Did Tharn just think Type was hot? What in Type's personality attracted Tharn?
5) LHONG'S ENDING.
Why on Earth didn't Lhong end up in prison, or committed to a psych ward?????
The following were not dealbreakers, but I found them a little hard to swallow:
a) MEW PLAYING A 19 YEAR OLD. Sorry, not buying it. Mew is 28, and he looks 28. Don't get me wrong, 28 isn't exactly old, but it's nowhere near 19. Mew looks like a hot, sexy 28 year old. He looks like he should be a teacher in the college. (That said, I had no problem with Mew/Gulf. Gulf is 21 but could easily pass for 24-25. They look fine together.)
b) TAR LOOKED 14. (Apparently he's 25 or something, a few years older than Gulf. But that's not the point.) Tar looked completely juvenile and the idea of Tharn falling for him -- to the point of being destroyed when Tar left him -- was almost laughable to me. To go along with that...
c) THE BED SCENE WITH TAR/THARN WAS SILLY. Tharn was there begging for Tar to let him up when, in real life, I'm sure Mew could have thrown him off with almost no effort!
d) TYPE HITS THARN IN THE BALLS IN THE BAR BATHROOM. Why? Totally uncalled for.
e) LHONG/TYPE IN THE LAST EPISODE. Type looks like he could easily kick Lhong's ass, but he sat there being strangled, without fighting back even a little.
f) LHONG DROPPING THE GLASS. Really? It was dumb when Pete did it in LBC (especially since he and Ae had already slept together, but I digress... ) and it was dumb here. And then, Lhong uncomfortably makes an excuse and practically runs out of the room. Tharn and Type just shrug it off. Seriously? Was there anyone who didn't know right then and there that Lhong was hopelessly in love with Tharn?? Without the glass drop, Lhong's devious behavior would have been even more of a surprise.
g) THORN, THARN'S OLDER BROTHER. Not only does the actor who plays Thorn NOT look older than Mew, but he is actually younger in real life.
With all that said, I can't say I didn't enjoy the series. I did. There were really great moments. But, despite all the good, it had some real flaws.
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MHIYD chose to present itself as a romantic comedy. In other words, it promises its viewers funny moments while its protagonists develop a sweet or maybe light-hearted romance. Of course, any regular k-drama watcher knows that even a romantic comedy gives its couple harsh obstacles which can become tiresome at some points, but they eventually overcome them and everyone would be happy in the end. MHIYD's biggest flaw was that it actively made 'the obstacle' the center of the story and managed to ultimately rob the show out of its comedy and romance altogether. So, instead of watching two couples fighting obstacles to find love, we had to suffer as they fought love to NEVER be together. Consequently, there was only distress through most of the last third of the drama. Forget opposing parents and meddling second leads, crazy future ahjummas are the worst!
And after all the trouble, we were told that all of this meddling was much ado about nothing. I won't spoil it for you but here's a close metaphor. Imagine that someone crashes a wedding just before the "I declare you husband and wife" part arguing that the couple can not be wed because they're in fact blood-related siblings and if they get married, a horrible disease would plague the nation and everyone would die. Fifteen episodes later, said-wedding crasher discovered that it was the wrong couple, to begin with, and all the created mess was a big mistake. Oops!
The finale could have worked out if the drama wasn't fixated over the romance and chose to focus on the characters' personalities and lives challenges.
The saddest part is that MHIYD had a strong cast and refreshing characters. I would have loved to see more of Kim Shin and my favorite So Yoo Kyung. The pairings had chemistry and charm. Watching all of those interesting characters becoming dull and running through empty circles when they could have easily shined (if crazy ahjumma just let them be on their own) was such a pity, even a shame! Such a waste of potential.
The acting was good. The music was fine I guess.
Obviously, the rewatch value is low.
One more major flaw: I still can't believe that the production cast K-drama's Kissing Queen as their female lead and we still got no kisses! (I'm sorry I had to get it off my chest!).
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Uma História de Amor: Você é a Maior Alegria da Minha Vida
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A contemporary love story with bonus fashion
I always wonder why some dramas have extremely low ratings. I have found out that it is best to watch most of the drama yourself and then rate independently of low reviews. This drama is another example of a diamond in the rough. From the beginning to end it started with strong characters and a substantial storyline that took the viewer beyond China to France and back. In addition, the story is a treatise on Chinese clothing styles and heritage. So many times I went to Google to research different terms used and regional cultures based on the introduction of different sewing styles and fabric choices that were indigenous to China. The fashion designs were over the top beautiful and the runway presentations made you feel like you were personally at Fashion Week.The second unique quality of this drama was the romance. This drama bordered on "Restricted" viewer use for a Chinese format. This is the first drama I have watched that the man was truly a sexy back type of man - (both lustful and romantic) as compared to the endless "cold - unemotional men portrayed so often in romance dramas. This drama continues to mature and mature and evolve into an addiction daily since the episodes were translated 7 days per week until the conclusion. That was a major treat.
The third quality was the background music. It never overwhelmed me and was always appropriate and never distracting.
Costume design A++++++ The fashion designs were excellent but the person or group of people that designed the attire for the actors throughout were very talented and added a higher quality to the drama. Award winning choices.
Kudos to the actors - all of them. They all hit home runs in their roles and this drama is highly recommended.
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Era Uma Vez.... Numa Pequena Cidade
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A simple, wholesome tale beautifully told
This Show is tropey. There! I said it so let’s move on. :)There is not a great deal of innovation regarding the setting or the narrative but there is an undeniable charm to this tale. The ensemble cast is well populated by the standard clichés. Hard working farmers, nosy neighbours, cute kids roaming free around the village. Of course, there are dramas within the village and without, but they are mostly storm in a teacup just to add a bit of spice to the proceeding and give us a bit of the backstory.
The main focus of the show is the love line between the city vet who was tricked by his grandfather to take over the rural animal hospital for a few weeks and the young policewoman who is super helpful and the focal point of village life. Needless to say, their interactions and chemistry drives the show.
As I mentioned before, the story is quite simple and tropey, so it was fortuitous that show was only 12x30 mins episodes long. With such a short runtime, it motors along and doesn't drag. Nothing is left to fester for long and resolution is always around the corner. All the swoony moments are turbo charged.
Acting wise, it is more than acceptable. The ML is a bit stiff and reserved, it could be due to his storyline and a lack of acting experience. He does warm up a great deal later on. The FL was just so sweet and wholesome. You really want to give her a hug and make sure she has a happy ending because she deserves it. She also have an infectious smile.
All in all, a lovely watch and perfect for binging. It is very sweet and romantic without being overly artificial. It is swoon worthy and uplifting if you are feeling down. This show is not about manufactured angst, high dramas or convoluted plots so don't expect any. It will bring you moments of simple joy and contentment. That is good enough for me. :)
Highly recommended.
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Pure ! They are so pure… I just wanna hug all these pure souls and no leave them go never!!
Lets go to start:
- Plot : Something new without introducing new things to the romcom (Yeah it sounds so twisted)
- Cast: ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. The leads are so extra and pure that I can't say nothing more.
- Drama itself: It had the perfect amount of love, comedy and good acting.
- Music and effects: SO CUTE AND FUNNY!
If you wanna spend a good moment watching a drama, buy this! Yeah, spend all your time and hours watching them. Embrace the cuteness of Seo in Guk (what a gem, is this puppy even real?)
Con: mmmmmm maybe the drama topic tips? But Bah you almost don't realize it and I gave up trying to find dramas who delete these topics.
If you wanna find yourself smiling when some of these characters are smiling, this will be your drama.
Have a good time queens and kings of shopping.
See ya!
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I was planning to watch this drama after it finish airing because I thought it would be a nightmare to wait for the following episodes yet I found an MV about the first four episodes and couldn't wait any longer so I end up watching those four episodes back to back and that's how the journey began.
2)Storyline/Plot:
Generally speaking, the drama's storyline is unique; gathering numerous factors of perfection to create marvellous events with amazing changes each episode. Moreover, script writers knew how to keep viewers interested even if there were unwanted events during the episode, its ending will leave you impatiently wondering about what will happen next. This drama's story is an intelligent combination between breathtaking events, amazing characters changes and great action moments.
Positive Points:
*This drama had one of the most outstanding story's development since it went deeper and deeper every episode in order to show many angles and many events that became greater with each episode passing by.
*Script writers knew how to insert "epic moments" in order to drag the audience intention, when we're not waiting for something to happen, it surprises you and give you the "OMG" moment; that was intensively present in this drama. I just love it when a storyline surprises me, it makes it hard to predict anything from the beginning till the very last end.
*Main Genres:
--->Action: Even though this is mostly an action drama, fighting scenes weren't randomly present, it was calculated in order to make viewers eager for those scenes. The action in this drama has delivered a lot of emotions especially when the situation get intense.
The action scenes were always exciting to watch whether it's because of the storyline that lead to action development or because of characters who had amazing gestures and moves during action sequences.
This drama's action differs from other action dramas, the national hero element(Gaksital) gave the drama uncommon plot changes but that doesn't deny the fact that martial arts were perfectly present. I've seen martial arts in other Korean action dramas and I have to say that it didn't feel like Bridal Mask's martial arts; it was smartly added in a fascinating way to make it absorbing: It was flawless.
--->History: This drama was set in the 30's during the darkest period of the Korean history. At the beginning, it may seem disregarded because "Joeson"'s history is none of our concern yet as the drama goes on, events will make it impossible to imagine this drama in another era. Watching historical dramas may seem boring for some people but this drama's setting wasn't the ancient history which made it modern enough to enjoy watching it.
The historical element has made the plot more expressive because the writers focused on the historical side more than the fictional side.
--->Romance: Actually, it could be considered as a negative point since it hasn't deliver a lot of emotions. However, for an intense drama that's full of action, it was the right amount. It's true that it was light but it had deeper meanings since most of the romantic stories started in the past and continued in the present.
The romantic flashbacks were smartly added, it wasn't like most of other dramas that add flashbacks to gain space in the drama's time, it was present were it needed to be.
Negative points:
*As for me, I didn't sense any negative points in this drama's storyline yet there were some political talks that bothered some viewers since it took a lot of space yet that doesn't affect the general story not even the slightest bit.
*Another point: some people wouldn't enjoy this drama if they didn't watch it while it's airing because there were too many repetitive scenes at the end of some episodes.
Story: 9.5/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*Joo Won:
I haven't seen Joo Won in any other production so I was introduced to his acting skills through this drama and what an introduction! I was so trapped in his acting skills especially at the first episodes and as the drama went on, I became certain that he has an outstanding acting and let's not forget action scenes that were perfectly done.
The role was grasped in an amazing way, I've felt the actor through his screaming, his moves and everything that he's done *Claps*
Speaking about the character, Kang To amazed me ever since the drama began. I was moved by his personality and his charisma. As the character changed, it was like there was another person: Different perspective and different actions that built a whole different character.
Whether it is Lee Kang To, Sato Hiroshi or Gaksital, the character will give you an amazing ride to make you fall for it more and more with each episode passing by.
*Park Ki Woong:
I've only seen him in an horror film before so I am not very familiar with his acting skills. Here, his acting reached me in a perfect way plus the action scenes where he took part were done in a great way. We've got to give credit to Park Ki Woong for his amazing acting skills and his incredible way of portraying the role.
Shunji's character is an unpredictable character, it had many crucial changes that made it unbearable somehow. The changes in Shunji's character are beyond belief, the personality switch was incredible. It was sort of synchronized with Kang To's character transformations yet Shunji's deviation was much profound.
*Jin Se Yun:
I haven't seen her in anything before, I would rather not to judge her as an actress so let's say this was an introduction. However, it would have much better if this role was portrayed by a mature actress.
Mok Dan character didn't appeal to me like Kang To's and Shunji's, that's all what I will say.
*Other cast: Starting with Rara to every supporting role, this drama has an amazing cast that knew how to pull off their character in a great way. There were many characters that can stick in your mind because of their acting skills or their action performances. It was well chosen even though I don't recognize half of them.
*Relationships:
--->Bromance: The bromance in this drama was consuming from the beginning until the end; there was a lot of hard and sweet moments between Kang To and Shunji. The conflicts between the lead males made this drama more captivating. Everything that happened between Kang To and Shunji was interesting to watch; it was one of the most exciting relationships in this drama.
--->Romance: Like I said earlier, the romance was light so we can't possibly talk about chemistry but the side romantic stories were good.
--->The triangle: This drama's triangle is nothing like other Korean dramas triangles, it was gripping due to Shunji who was nothing like other Korean second lead males and Rara who's also different from any other second lead females.
*Appreciated characters: While watching this drama, I liked many characters like Katsuyama and Abe; those characters aren't very important in the drama's storyline yet they left a great impression.
Cast: 9.5/10.
Acting: 10/10.
4) The ending:
Many people were surprised by the ending. As for me, I thought it would be a similar ending ever since I started watching the drama because an intense drama can't have a calm ending.
I appreciated the ending, it was a realistic closure for this type of drama plus it makes sense.
The closing scene is masterpiece of art, it was so great to watch.
The ending: 9.5/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*I was captured by this drama ever since I started watching it, I kept impatiently waiting for its episodes to come out every week; it literally made me obsessed over it.
*This was one of the few dramas that I didn't skip any parts while watching it. 28 episodes is considered long somehow but I haven't felt those 28 hours passing by.
*Is this drama memorable: Absolutely! This drama gained a spot in my favorite dramas list, it's one of the greatest Korean dramas that I've seen so far, it brought me the unexpected and the originality.
My impression: 10/10.
6) Overall:
It doesn't matter what genres of dramas you like to watch, this drama have the potential to make you go obsessed over it. I recommend it to anyone who's looking for a great storyline with breathtaking acting skills and amazing music and let's not to forget the marvellous action scenes.
Overall: 10/10.
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The pros are miles long but i'll sum it up without getting too wordy.. hopefully:
- a very easy watch with good flow that keeps you going from an episode to another. Even when the story are simple daily lifes of students
- nothing over dramatic or makjang
- no hateful or annoying characters
- wonderful friendships of diff types and forms
- great rapport of ML and FL. And very natural progression of frenemies to deskmates to being each other's drive and support
- realistic potrayal of school life. Including struggles of studying, of hopes and dreams and the fears that comes with it
- ML despite earlier depicted as rough ard d edges n curt in speech but never overtly so. His sensitive, cating n even protective side comes out. As the drama continues he makes you swoon with the simple actions
- FL nvr potrayed as most beautiful or most dumb. Shes the average girl with her own charm, cute and doesnt try to overthink too much. She has her own strengths and limitations and own dream too. I love she was nvr overly "desperate". She instinctively does things that touches n moves the ML.
The length of the drama was just great. Never draggy.
The acting may not be the most perfect. Zhao Yi Qin was good at potrayal of Lan Tian Ye. He had the level of charisma without coming off pompous. He was cool without being cold or stiff. Li Jia Qi, this is her second work i've seen. I thought she was adorable in Meteor Garden as Xiao Yuo. Theres some sameness in her portrayal but while she might not be as versatile, she never came off as cringy or overact. ML and FL had believable chemistry and i think their acting was greatly helped by the story and directing.
For whatever reason you are hesitating to watch, hope this review gives you the push to start this drama.
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One of the dramas I'm adding to my all time favorites
I feel like there are only a few Chinese dramas where I know for a fact I will rewatch again and this one is one of them. The direction this drama took, for the most part, was to my liking..First of all, some people may not like the video game scenes because it doesn't really focus on the main story. I, for one, loved the video game scenes. I love the action and of course seeing the action stunts of the ML. For the most part, the ML shine in these action scenes. The FL was just silly & hilarious in those game scenes. I mean it's through these video game scenes how our leads eventually develop feelings for each other (despite the fact the ML was already a fan of the FL). I'm kind of disappointed that there weren't more video game scenes towards the end so they would've kept this theme throughout the drama but that's just me. Some may actually be glad the game scenes are done.
Finding out that the FL is a singer in this drama instantly drew me in because I love hearing songs in a drama and I love all of the osts being played in this drama, whether it was the FL singing it as part of the drama scene or the song being played as background music to the scenes. These songs got me hooked.
Story wise, it's average. It's nothing memorable or special. Some may get frustrated on how long it takes for the leads to finally be together or how many near misses they have with each other. For me, I like the way it was handled. So many "gasps" I had only to be ended with "aw darn". The drama eases in to their relationship. The ML & FL relationship & the dorkiness of the ML's friends are what really hold this drama together for me, despite not having an actual story plot.
A few issues I (and maybe others) have with this drama:
- The love rival of the ML (Jia Yun) looks to old and it's just creepy. This guy suppose to be the love triangle who's interested in the FL and yet he looks more like he could've been her father. This was very awkward for me as I had to skip a lot of his scenes.
- Secondary characters & couple: They were just there. Sure the SFL (Shan Shan) had a life issue due to a broken heart but it wasn't enough to take interest in her character. Her character was just bland at the start and the SML (Bin Yu/Taro) well... he was just a goofball overall. I kind of wanted more interaction of them with the leads (in a good way). I will say that I did start to take interest in these characters a little more after our leads got together but that's towards the 2nd half of the drama but man is this pair a dousy.
That's all the issues I had. Overall, I enjoyed it. The chemistry between the lead characters, the multiple comedic scenes throughout this drama, the number of times the FL embarrassed herself when with the ML, the dorkiness of the ML's friends, and of course the awesome & beautiful songs this drama features. None of the typical Chinese drama cliches in this drama which is definitely a plus for me.
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A Fada do Levantamento de Peso, Kim Bok Joo
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A drama filled with so much beautiful meaning into it. A very healthy, sensible, genuine kind of story as to friendship, family, love, goal, career and priority. It is really funny especially with that "WHAAAAAT!" lol. Plus this drama is such a TROLL not everything you'd expect will happen, It will take you by surprise and you'll find yourself laughing. The edge of this drama from the one's I've watch? It's not the feels but the message it brought me, It was truly amazing.
CHARACTERS
Kim Bok Joo and Joon Hyeong is the best love story I've watch, a kind of relationship that would bring out the best in you, filled with overload cuteness, realistic a normal one. Phasing of their story is slow but slow kind of stories turned out to be awesomely perfect! They are so friendship and relationship goaaaals!!
Kim Bok Joo
This girl is totally relatable, when she's in love, to music taste, to clothes, to fangirling activities. Everything about her is suweeeeeeeeeeg!
Let's talk about the male lead. Joon Hyeong, ok I'll keep it short his character is so boyfriend material, a kind of guy you want to keep in yourself, in your life.
Ex girlfriend: OK she's the "only one cliche" here like a kind of clingy ex you'll hate but her existence didn't much affect me.
Friends: yes a very fun friends to be with
Abujji and samcheon: You'll love the father and daughter relationship, samcheon is very sweet, likeable and so kind plus funny.
Actors and Actress:
Lee Sung Kyung and Nam Joo Hyuk both are great and I know it's not related here but I just want them to date for life. lol
Edit: They are officially dating not as characters but as real life couple!!!! Confirmed by Papa YG this month of April 2017. According to dispatch they've been dating since month of January 2017
Everyone else of the cast is so good ofc!
LESSON: Every girl deserves to be treated as a girl, a woman despite of any career she's into like Police, Carpenter, Judo, Boxing, Weightlifters.... Those fields are mostly for men so they're like boys into other people's eyes but ...Hell they shouldn't! They are girls too! Who would love to wear dress, wears clip, wears lipstick and wants to be beautiful especially when they're In front of the guy they like. I think they're the coolest girl ever with a suweeeeeeeeeeg!!
(There's more into lessons, life, meaning into this drama I just give you some points about it. Kekekke)
RECOMMENDATION:
Even though I so love this drama. I would not recommend it for everyone, this is a kind of a kind of drama that targets a certain group of viewers. I'd highly recommend it to the youth like from age bracket of teenagers to 25 years or if not by age depends with your personality like if your happy go lucky one, or if you love reading my review and it keeps your interest, the genre is your style then you'll definitely love it despite of your age. This drama is slow yes. Could be an advantage or disadvantage. You just gotta be patient with it and everything will be worth it and it will perfectly fits into place.
Music:
I always enjoy the sound effects in funny scenes that's the best thing like "WHAAAAAT"!
Rewatch Value: I thought one time viewing is enough or just rewatch a certain scene would be enough but as I watch more episode I become more attached with the story and I was like I need to watch this as a whole over and over again.
Overall: one word, SWAG!
Writing a review feels like I'm saying goodbye to this drama for the second time around that it hurts so much.... *Wiped tears*
Kim Bok Joo and Joon Hyeong is so lovable, I would not mind watching another season with them or another drama from LSK and NJH..~
Warning: if you deeply love the story, the characters, once you complete this drama you'll feel incomplete, a happy one but it will make you sad.
It will always have a special place in my heart.
Ok before I end my review I have a question for you. Ummmm... Do you like Messi? Hahahaha!! Nevermind. Anyways hope my review helps!!!
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Why can't people seem to appreciate flawed characters?
This review won't be a review per say but moreso another perspective of the show when compared to the majority of the negative reviews on this site. I feel the need to do this especially because a handful of these reviews almost made me decide not to watch this show. I won't go into a lot of details regarding the storyline since so many reviews have already done so. However, I'd like to leave my two cents here because most of the reviews shown here are negative and most of them are based on two things - Joe's naivety and Ming's toxicity.One thing about this series is that it depcts toxic relationships with very flawed characters. It's been advertised since the beginning, it's based in an infamously toxic chinese novel (by an author who's well known for her toxic main leads), there's sinopsis, tags, trailer, etc. And yet people still seem to be hiper fixated in complaining about it, as if it hasn't been advertised at all.
Don't like these themes? Don't watch.
This is the same issue with Kinnporsche (which has two directors in common). So many people review bombing with negative ratings regarding the toxic storyline. There was even a review that complained so much and at the end considered this one of the best series of this year - giving this a 6. At least be coherent with your words and your scoring.
I understand the issue people have with Ming, he's an obvious red flag who is toxic from the beginning, a very flawed character who is depicted since the beginning as such. Flawed characters have existed in stories, series and movies for a long time and oftentimes they give way to intrigue storylines and help capture the viewers attention to try to understand how this person behaves the way they do. Flawed characters are real and human and I don't understand how so many people fail to appreciate that this type of representation is needed in art too. Yes, Ming is a huge asshole and a toxic narcissist. That makes him an even more compelling main character.
As for Joe, he's an absolute cinammon roll. He's someone who falls in love with someone he shouldn't. I see so many people stating how he's naive for liking Ming and that it's not realistic. Excuse me? How many people end up in toxic relationships despite the clear signs? How many people fail to see the red flags because of the rose-colored glasses? It's as realistic as it can get. Fortunately, My Stand-in still manages not to be as toxic as some relationships in real life get - and not as toxic as the original novel, thankfully. I feel like this show actually managed to tell the story really well, they allowed for Ming's character to grow and for Joe to realize that no matter how much he tried, he couldn't escape his feelings for Ming.
Sure, y'all can say Joe's dumb - he is. But it feels weird to reduce his feelings and struggles to just that - naivety and stupidity. Joe and Ming are such complex characters and to reduce this complexity to just being dumb or toxic is like missing the whole point of the show. The story isn't told just by dialogue or just by nc scenes. There's so many small details the directors focused on to conect the storyline. The actors were amazing too, the change in Up's eyes depending on Ming's emotional stability in different parts of the show was mesmerizing to watch - he's such a great actor. Poom was also absolutely amazing as Joe, reflecting his emotional maturity before and after his death.
Flawed and difficult characters are extremely complex. They're harder to understand, harder to act and harder to love. It's a challenge for the actors involved in these storylines and it's a challenge for the whole team. Yet, they're the most intriguing, the ones that make our brains work to understand, to fill in the blanks. There's a reason why we love villains. It's the same train of thought. Flawed characters are relatable, even if only a tiny little bit. Sure, in Ming's case, I really hope he's not as relatable to everyone out there, but there's realism to his character, like it or not.
This is why I don't understand the hate. I understand the constructive criticism and I have my own too, but to review bomb a show like this based on something it has advertised since the beginning? I don't get it.
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Of course, I will start with So Ji Sub, who this role seems custom made for. I always admire his acting but to see his more comedic side, even as the serious-faced straight man, was really impressive. He definitely gets to show off his action skills too, and kick @ss in a way that made me swoon, but there are also so many funny scenes that made Kim Bon irresistibly charming. He was matched well with Jung In Sun as Go Ae Rin, who I think played her role well even if I was often annoyed by her character's actions. They may not have had a passionate chemistry, but I loved their innocently flirtatious and sweetly considerate moments together. Normally I would wish for more blatant romance, but considering their pasts in the story I think it was handled just right. However, I do kinda wish that I could see their story keep going beyond the last episode.
This is also the kind of drama where the supporting cast really shines, and I loved the entire cast. There's the KIS crew who turned nosey neighbor behavior into a true art form and had some of my favorite moments in the show. They are mostly there for comic relief, but I love how they were actually woven into the more dangerous and suspenseful parts of the story as well. Then there are the NIS agents, specifically Im Se Mi as Yoo Ji Yeon and Kim Sung Joo as Hacker-Bae Ra Do Woo, who had great chemistry of their own from the start. Joon-Joon were super cute, even though I initially wanted to put them on permanent time out. I guess they needed to do a good job of showing why Ae Rin was so desperate for a babysitter. Even Son Ho Jun grew on me in a way I didn't expect. Although some of the supporting characters and guest roles were cliché and over the top, it worked with the style of the story, which at times was campy, and I think the whole cast embraced that.
As for the writing, even though I was entertained the entire time, there were definitely some weak moments. What this drama does best is balance comedy and action, and both are done well without taking away from the other. You just have to embrace the totally unbelievable moments, but they did do a good job of not leaving many holes. The ending did feel a little abrupt and rushed, but they did a great job of ending the story without leaving any of the characters I grew so attached to ignored or forgotten.
Would I watch this again? Yes. This is a drama I wasn't ready to see end, so I can see myself rewatching more to enjoy the characters than for the plot. I would much rather see a sequel instead, which isn't likely, but the ending does open the door to a possible one which I would absolutely watch!
I don't really have any major complaints except for the obnoxious product placements. I think they made some of the moments extra cheesy on purpose, but especially in the last episodes. I couldn't believe how many commercials they squeezed into the story so blatantly (Did Quiznos really need to become part of the plot??!!! lol)
Overall I am glad this drama lived up to the excitement I had over first seeing the ads for it. If you're expecting a serious spy thriller or an epic romance, you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment, but I still think there's enough in this drama to keep a wide range of fans entertained. This is also an obvious must watch drama for any So Ji Sub fan. I wish he could give me "nose to nose" through the screen, but alas... I guess I have to settle for another drama to add to my favorites list.
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Esta resenha pode conter spoilers
Yes but no...but why not.
Ok it's low budget, we got it. I saw better end of studies projects. It seems to be shot with a smartphone and two ringlights. The sound is the worst ever heard (you can almost make it into a game: subbed? Not subbed? Do you hear the film crew behind?).The script was written on a corner of the table.
Do you want clichés ? You have it. The rich, somewhat rebellious hunk, the poor guy who succeeded through hard work. The mother who puts pressure. The nasty ex girlfriend really nasty. The best friend in love but ultimately too much ...
The editing is random.
Sometimes I was "WTF?" or "oh wait, really?". Sometimes I laughed (when it was not funny).
The acting is cringey (especially for supporting roles).
At least, the end is not tragic if not really happy (and we applaud this detail!).
BUT, curiously, despite all these faults, I enjoyed the series. I think it owes a lot to the two main players. They are cute, they have good chemistry and seemed to get along really well. They are doing well and we get attached to their character. There are some skinship too which is emphazised.
AND it's BL Chinese.
So you liked Addicted? Don't expect to see a replica. But we can salute the sincere effort of the whole team to have tried to produce something despite all the restrictions. I know they had a lot of problems producing this series so I want to support them.
Fighting, China! You can do it ! Produce a good BL.
Soon.
Perhaps.
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Then, somewhere in between Just Between Lovers took a turn down the typical K-Drama alley. It became overly melodramatic and sappy. In order to create a tragic hero, they piled every problem possible in the world on his beautiful shoulders and there was only so much I could buy before I started giving it the side-eye. Physical health problems gave precedence to mental. I won’t say that it romanticized mental illness but it did gloss over it all. PTSD does not randomly vanish like this.
However, despite all this, one thing that was very clear to me at the end of it all was how much I enjoyed this show throughout. I was even more relieved than disappointed because of all the tropes it chose to follow because they provided the much needed escapism we look for in dramas. Even though, it dealt with heavy issues it didn’t drown in it. There was always a comedic gesture, a heartwarming moment and a swoon-worthy interaction between the leads to balance things out.
I think this drama had one of the best K-Drama romances ever. This was exactly the kind of relationship I fall for. It was a beautiful slow burn, where two people grow individually and together. They go through obstacles, they have their highs and lows and they become stronger through them- both in harmony and independently. And, it was all absolutely beautiful to watch. I’ve never been this starved for skinship between the leads and when it finally happened, it was so sweet and intimate that it was worth the wait.
Both the main leads were very dear to me. Gang Doo was simply an angel. I don’t think people like him exist in this world anymore but it would be a huge relief if they did. Moon Soo, even though some of her actions at the end were questionable was undeniably a sweetheart. There were some side characters I was lowkey annoyed with (Think: Second Male Lead, Second Female lead (though she had her moments) and the female lead’s parents) because of how much they victimized themselves even when other people had it far worse. But at the same time, I also adored a lot of other characters. Like basically everyone related to Gang Doo; his grandmother, his Doona, his brother figure and his team leader. You know what they say, good people are surrounded by good people.
As far as the acting goes, I won’t say it was exceptionally outstanding or that I was floored by it. Their inexperience and freshness shined through however, this worked out in their favor. Because the way the two portrayed their characters was so sincere and natural that it didn’t fail to capture the audience and touch hearts.
One of the best things about the show is the OST. I really recommend watching this show in a print that has the songs subbed while they play in the background. The lyrics are so meaningful to the plot and the play timing is perfect. So when you know what the songs are saying at a particular moment, it gives all the more depth and insight to the story. And it’s simply gorgeous.
So ultimately, Just Between Lovers is a show about healing, friendship, love, serenity and brilliant dialogues. Even though it develops slowly and maximizes emotion, it’s never boring. There are some tears here and there but with that comes so much more hope and so much more warmth.
Definitely recommend.
Enjoy!
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