Jerry Yan is one of the most handsome Taiwanese actors and I have watched him in a few dramas. His character here is quite different from the immature-but-funny-and-sweet brats he generally plays. Here, he's a cold, ruthless businessman who does not believe in love or marriage. I liked him here and he definitely stole the show! Wu Tong is really clumsy and at times, really stupid. She's the perfect damsel-in-distress, something that ticked me off a bit. I'm kind of used to strong drama female leads now and characters like her make me want to roll my eyes at them every minute. If I got a penny for every time she fell down, I would be a millionaire. But the woman is plain stubborn. She never got rid of those heels (and how did she afford them anyway since she barely managed to earn her living). But anyways her character wasn't entirely hate-worthy. I mean, she was the sweet, innocent, perfect lead after all. Tong Tong was alright. Nothing compared to Xaio Le obviously (Xaio Le was too classic). Supporting characters were fine. My personal favorite was the special assistant.
The OST was good enough. This was my third Chinese drama (I think) and although these dramas are longer in terms of episodes, they're enjoyable. I could rewatch Jerry Yan's scenes with his child and Wu Tong but the rest I would definitely skip in the second round (if there is one). It's a good drama overall and when it comes down to it, definitely worth the watch.
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Justice is the right that one fights for, if one seeks fairness.
Reminds me of a quote by Voltaire that goes like, "It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one." Indeed, one innocent must not be convicted of guilt even so it acquits a thousand criminals; in simple words, Innocent until proven guilty". The entire story of "One Ordinary Day" revolves around this single moral and is a perfect example of how truth and justice always prevails over injustice.Trigger Warning: The drama involves violence, sex, nudity and blood.
Directed by the star PD Lee Myung Woo and written by seemingly rookie writer Kwon Soon Gyu, One Ordinary Day (어느 날: oneul nal) is a crime thriller or murder mystery story that revolves around Kim Hyun Soo (Kim Soo Hyun), a regular university guy who on an usual day of his life, becomes a murder suspect and find himself trapped in complicated situation. He, an ordinary guy who had led a simple and ordinary life had no idea what was gonna happen to him on another ordinary day.
We also have Shin Joong Han (Cha Seung Won) as a lawyer, who becomes Hyun Soo's attorney to get him justice. He got a bad reputation among the area of profession but is quick-witted and a brilliant investigator.
The acting department is full of all amazing actors; starting from Kim Soo Hyun and Cha Seung Won, the drama also has, Kim Shin Rok, Lee Sul, Kim Hong Pa, Kim Sung Gyu, Yoo Seung Mok, So Hee Jung, etc. in major characters.
I checked the writer has worked on only 4 scripts including this, that too with long gaps and previous 3 were all sageuk (historical). I know the drama is a remake from the BBC original show "Criminal Justice" but recreating it with Korean elements and making changes with relation to Korean laws would have not been as easy as it seems. The elements used to connect plots, underlaying Hyun Soo's subconscious is something that intrigued ne to be honest. Morever, the steady progression was gripping and several revelations made were at appropriate timing.
The plot development is a quick one, in fact the first episode itself indicates how the grip of the story didn't want to calm down. It felt like the writer didn't want to lay a foundation by thorough introduction of characters or the storyline; I'm just saying and not complaining at all, because nobody had the time given it's only 8 episodes. There are also few related side plots used. The screenwriting deserves good points.
The post-crime procedures portrayed in the drama are different as the writer has introduced realistic methods of police-level investigations with proper sequences. The realistic approach is also made for courtroom scenes and legal proceedings; obviously there are melo and thrilling elements as well. The dramatic investigative ways by Joong Han was also nice, loved how tenacious and witty he was when it came to figuring things out and drawing a picture of any scenario. There was also a soft side to him that only Hyun Soo could brought forward, it was visible.
The direction is amazing, no wonder Lee PD-nim is a pro. The screenplay is amazingly handled, along with the organization of scenes and overal screen-editing. The sound-editing also uo to par.
Both alcohol & drug abuse and it's consequences is a major element used in the drama. The common habit of attachment to strangers as well as the unusual urge of sexual activities among youth are also something emphasized in the drama by indirect means. Criminal psychology is an aspect that the writer has also tried to showcase through the main character. The life in prison (both during detainment and imprisonment), corruption, inmate behaviour and illegal activities taking place inside are also a part of the script.
Apart from the topnotch acting or performance from this superb actors, the impulsively gripping plot development and investigative methods used are the reasons, that make OOD is a superbly produced piece of work, despite the number of episodes it has. The credit should be given to the entire cast and crew for bringing forward such an amazing drama in just 8 hours (approx.); i wish it were a full-length 16 episode cable drama.
The ending.... I think the ending sequences could have a little better. I am not disappointed or something but I had high expectations from it given the way the story was progressing. Also, it felt a bit rushed but again that's a side effect of 10 eps or less Korean shows. I wish they would take one more episode, at least by taking out the extra 10 minutes from ep 3-6.
To sum up everything, the drama is not about what's wrong or what's right, nor does the show emphasizes on punishment or rewards, it particularly is a reflection of the judiciary, the way it works and it's impact on the society as well as the individuals.
Final Thoughts: One Ordinary Day with amazing actors and high production value, is definitely a fabulous drama to look forward, so go ahead with a second thought. I can't put it in the "must watch" category but for me, it was surely an enjoyable watch. It's a treat for everyone, despite their choice of genre or tatste in Kdramas.
P. S. I have tried my best to not write a lot about the story and characters as the drama has only 8 episodes and I was afraid I would end up spoiling. In case you come across anything that can serve as a spoiler, please let me know.
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DEFINETELY SHOULD GIVE IT A SHOT!
I'm not gonna say much and throw the fun, but just don't drop the series or judge it by the very first ep. Give it a shot! It's so fluffy and hilarious!It's an 8.5 or 9 BUT I'm giving it a ten as honestly, this deserves much more attention than it is getting now. I too, dropped the series by some of the reviews, but then the reviews gradually started coming off good, thus I gave it another go, and guess what? WHY DID I ABANDON IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!? That decision of mine was truly harsh and idiotic! This is such a fun series in all honesty!
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Painful but beautiful season two that outshines season one.
This second season is a bit like revisiting a restaurant you once liked just to find out the chef got even better... The food got more depth, stronger flavours and even prettier plating....As this second season may not be a feel good season but it didd make me feel a whole lot of emotions, mostly pain, but in a good way, as well timed flashbacks, music and lighting make up this well balanced story of love, regret, growth and loss done right. As they do a really good job showing the happily but not the ever after that followed the first season.
This season has kept most of the old cast but introduces a whole bunch of new very lovable characters, that truly add some sugar to soften the pain of the story.
The leads have gown a lot, they are still lovable, slightly broken (very) and perfect opposites that may attract but also need a lot of work. So if you are looking for some feel good fluff, back away and watch something else this is more of a Our Beloved Summer meets Touch your heart lind of deal, but much shorter.
Easy to binge, easy to feel and easy to fall in love... A joy for the eye, some scenes may make you hungry, some will have your heart fluttering, others will make you laugh but I am willing to say that most of the drama is spent with an ever growing lump in the chest.
I think that most people who liked season one just a little bit may feel a tad ( a lot) of heart break in season two but will undoubtedly see its greatness... for those who have seen neither, go see season one so you can watch season two.
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Story: It starts off with the child stories and here is where you see everything (father's death, siblings seperated, meeting of the romantic OTP #1) go down. When the characters grow up, there are multiple time jumps and twist and turns throughout to keep you engaged till the very end. Be prepared to cry a lot and be shocked at how the romantic pairings go (they are twisted). I loved the ending although it was bittersweet. I will say that this definitely could have been done with a shorter ep count because there were many filler scenes.
Acting: Excellent ensemble cast. Everyone from the 2 main couples to the supporting cast was amazing. I got attached to all the characters and it was crazy how everyone who is considered protagonists also showed a bad side to them. The writers did a phenomenal job in writing these characters. Just wanted to mention I wasnt too keen on Lee Bum Soo in the beginning but by the end I had become a fan! The chemistry btwn him and Park Jin Hee was perfect.
Music: The score was so fitting. Powerful when it needed to be and emotional in all the right places.
Rewatch: Although its a large ep count, I loved the acting so much that i would like to try and watch this every year if i have the time cause its so epic.
Overall Giant is a must watch for any die hard drama fan and the perfect introduction to Lee Bum Soo. Dont be turned off by the huge ep count or you will be missing out!
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Duelist is a painting in motion, where a lot is hinted and nothing is explained.
Some may lament the lack of a true plot, but on my part I believe a movie has different means of portraying a story than a book or a drama. It's based upon images, not necessarily on twists and events. Just like poetry is based upon the evocative power of words, not on facts.
And the direction used the cinematographic tools to its full potential in this movie.
I watched it with my mouth open. Beautiful screenplay, beautiful dance-like fights, beautiful just-hinted erotism.
Yes, the plot can be reduced to a 10 minutes narration. But so are a lot of theatre pieces, played upon style, movement, colour and photography.
Acting is wonderful, and so is the music. This is a ballet, after all.
Rewatch value is obviously high: I'll go back to it whenever I want to just sit and admire a beautiful, colour filled painting.
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ACTING/CAST: 10/10 The cast they got are talented. They played their rolls well, and were believable. There seemed to be an honest connection between both younger and older actors. Whether it is romantic off screen or not doesn't particularly matter to me; nothing kills a show faster than two actors who just cannot stand each other.
MUSIC: 10/10; another reviewer had it dead on: if I could give it an 11, or higher, I totally would. The opening song is gorgeous, the theme song is sweet, and it just helps everything flow together. I would almost go so far as to say that the quality is almost movie-like, for all that it is a short web series.
REWATCH VALUE: 9.5/10; This is the only one where it's a little shorted. I feel like the story is definitely open and waiting to be expanded, but I'm not sure how many times I'm going to be able to sit through that open ending without going nuts. I will definitely, TOTALLY, rewatch it again at some point, though. This seems like a good go-to series if I want something intense but short.
OVERALL: 10/10; loved this series. I hope more people enjoy it, too!
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"I hope that in this world, there is someone who will come just for me."
"Legend of the Female General" (锦月如歌) is one of my highly anticipated dramas for 2025. It is based on the novel "Rebirth of a Star General" by Qian Shan Cha Ke, but I haven't read the book, so my review is based solely on the drama.(NOTE: This review has been sitting in my drafts folder for 2 months, and I'm glad to finally publish it!)
PRODUCTION 📺:
For me, one of the things I like most in this drama are the action scenes, which are so well executed. Most of the time, as they wield their swords, whips and spears, I was glued to the screen, and I felt like I had an adrenaline rush just by watching them 😂. I think the production team really put effort into the choreography. Some memorable scenes include:
• He Yan's sword dance in Yezhou👏 ~ It's a combination of gracefulness and strength.
• He Yan's Duel with Ding Yi ~ Badass He Yan at one of her finest scenes!
• He Yan's face-off with the Lie He commander ~ this scene and the events leading up to it are just brilliantly done.
• Their battle with Wu Tuo at Jiyang and He Yan's fight with Hu Ya Te, the commander of Wu Tuo.
There are still other action scenes of He Yan and Xiao Jue that I like, but I won't mention all of them anymore.
As for the location shoots and costumes, they are appropriate and meet my expectations for a costume drama set in a fictional period in Chinese history.
STORY/PLOT 📚:
Right from the start, the drama team shows us that one of the story's main themes is the romance between He Yan and Xiao Jue. For me, they have shown enough of the romantic aspect in the drama. I also like the snippets of flashbacks in some episodes that show the dynamics between He Yan and Xiao Jue when they were still students in Xianchang Academy.
The military aspect is also dealt with, and their military exploits/espionage activities are complemented by the excellent fight scenes. Another thing I appreciate in the drama is that He Yan's military genius, leadership and commanding presence really shine through in the scenes where they're needed.
Overall, the drama's pacing is good. Each arc is given time and space to develop, except maybe for the last arc. As for the ending, it gives a good wrap-up for most of the characters.
There are some parts that could be better though:
• I wish they had shown more background on He Yan and her master Liu Bu Wang, like where and how they met, and how he helped mould her to become the person she is.
• Some parts could have been fleshed out further, but given the number of episodes, I think we got a good compromise.
• I was disppointed with how the scriptwriters treated General Yan He's character (played by Peter Sheng) towards the end.
CAST/ACTING 🎭:
Zhou Ye as He Yan is the one that stands out for me. She was able to show the different sides of He Yan - one who's feminine yet not dainty, sharp and strategic, an ace fighter and a leader. When she fights, she slays it! There were just some scenes with Xiao Jue in Yezhou city where I think she acted a bit too feminine, when she was supposed to be a man at that time.
Cheng Lei is one good actor who has portrayed memorable characters in other dramas, e.g., Gong Shang Jue in "My Journey to You". Here, he brings the same kind of intensity and focus as Xiao Jue. There are moments though when I feel he could bring more depth/emotions to his scenes.
He Ru Fei got my blood boiling many times; his character is so infuriating! Based on this alone, I'd say Bai Shu did a good job portraying him. He Ru Fei is a despicable character, with little redeeming qualities.
Zhang Kang Le was able to show the morally grey aspect of Chu Zhao. He could have been a great statesman, had he learned to let go of his obssession.
Li Qing as Cheng Li Su and Zhang Miao Yi as Song Tao Tao contributed to the light-hearted scenes. I like that they put these two characters in the drama.
QUOTABLE QUOTE 🔮:
"有时候做一个人的替身久了，难免会忘记自己是谁。我希望，这世上有那么一个人是为我而来。" ~ 禾晏
"Sometimes, when you've been another person's substitute for so long, you might forget who you are. I hope that in this world, there is someone who will come just for me." ~ He Yan
FINAL VERDICT ⭐️: If you like military dramas with great fight scenes and romance, and a kick-ass female lead who succeeded in a male-dominated world (despite having to dress up as a man first), then I would recommend this. Despite some parts that could have been better, this is still a good watch for me.
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Story:
The other day, I had finished reading the manga source during the series airing. In terms of story structure, I believe screenwriter, Kitagawa did a brilliant job refining the manga source to develop a more dimensional layer to the series character's including Kagura and Rin. While it changes the characters' arc, it does not deviate too much from its original story.
What makes the series stand out from previous body swaps is that it puts us in the perspective of these characters. Most of the time characters are portrayed to be sure about their attraction toward another. However, in this series, everyone is questioning themselves. The common saying “In any shape or form, I will always love you.” Is an ideal thought which is challenged by the complexity of attraction and self-identity. The series explores questions such as “Can we still love the same person regardless of appearance?" or “Can we only love the person because it is their body and soul alone?." The series scenario becomes intriguing as the impulsive requests of Yashiro and Kagura impact not only themselves but everyone around them.
Usually, Japanese dramas tend to have a maximum of twenty to thirty-minute duration; however, this series has over forty minutes. Therefore, it helped the story pacing and created more room for additional scenes, especially with supporting characters (e.g. parents). The series does little to spend on fillers and unnecessary drama, which increased my interest. However, a minor rushed pacing in the last one-hour episode. While it tried to stay true to the manga chapters' order, it could have been a little more refined in the editing process.
Acting/Cast:
The majority of the main cast are aged close to their respective characters bringing an authentic touch to the series. In terms of character casting, Fujiwara fits the cheerful and lively energy of Yashiro. Kubozuka added the outspoken personality and charisma of Kenta. Arai gave the confident and assuring nature of Rin. While Sakurada’s character, Kagura is one dimensional in the manga, she conveyed the troubled mind of Kagura very well.
Both Fujiwara and Sakurada had a convincing performance playing their body swap personalities. I noticed in casual conversation scenes their mannerism from the way they sit and carry themselves plays an interestingly fun touch to their portrayal. There are moments when the actors do perform in an over-the-top manner, especially the voice changes. However, the actors nailed the emotional scenes.
The chemistry of all the characters was fantastic. I believe the portrayal and direction of Yashiro and Kenta’s bond were more impactful in the series. The backstory scenes build a stronger image of friendship which made me root for the two characters compared to the manga. Without adding spoilers, Kubozuka’s performance strongly shined in one specific episode. Arai as Rin did a brilliant job expressing conflicting emotions of yearning masked by her supportive nature of Kagura. Sakurada and Arai's brilliant chemistry helped build the unrequited/friendship bond between Rin and Kagura fairly quickly in the series.
The portrayal of Kami-sama by Furukawa is slightly toned down compared to his cartoonish personality in the manga. I believe it's a great writing decision as adapting a manga character to live-action can come with challenges to seeing the character in a serious light. The series added some dialogue in later episodes which can spark inspiration in the audience. Shida had a believable performance as Ukon, and I appreciated how the series gave her more involvement than her manga character.
Music:
Warner Bros Japan and Koyama conveyed a soothing track that compliments the natural green scenery and brings a hint of the traditional Japanese period. Innocent by Keina Suda gives an energetically modern vibe to the opening sequence.
Rewatch Value:
I believe it's a nice binge that carefully explores sensitive topics of coming of age in a fun yet somewhat realistic light. As mentioned before, it’s refreshing to see a rom-com supernatural drama where characters lift each other rather than having them be each other's obstacles. This could apply to most love triangle related dramas. From the popularity, it has received on Tik Tok and other social media platforms, I believe the series would have been reacted to and widely enjoyed by overseas audiences.
Overall, the series focus on the character's search for self-acceptance can be applied to any audience. We may sometimes desire to be someone else, to gain approval from others or ourselves. Kami-sama no ekohiiki shows that we can overcome our struggles and learn to accept ourselves moving forward.
If you are looking for a short body swap series with a twist, I would recommend this drama series. It's also not explicit as the manga, which can be watchable for an audience who may not usually be a fan of LGBT or BL related films/series.
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I had watched anime last year and when I found out about the movie I couldn't wait. I had fallen in love with the story and how they go about it. The movie is not fast paced since the story itself isn't. It is somewhat slow, but the almost two hours went by fairly fast all the same.
The two main actors, Matsuyama Kenichi and Ashida Mana, do such a great job acting that even without obvious caring words, they pull off showing how much their bond and relationship has grown as time passes. I also liked the acting of the rest of the cast.
The music leaves something to be desired, but for me, it doesn't hinder the story at all.
This is the first movie adaptation I've been happy with in a while, so I'll definitely re-watch it sometime.
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Sensitive and at the same time ruthless portrayal of child abuse and its traumatizing effect
"Miss Baek" is a KMovie about child abuse. Sensitively, cautiously and at the same time ruthlessly, it portrays the example of two 'victims' - a young girl and a grown up woman (actually also a man). It shows how the system prefers to helplessly look the other way, leaving the children alone in their family hell. It also illustrates how this traumatization affects their future lives, remaining trapped in their frightening dark history, still vividly present for the rest of their lifes.Han Si-mi has received multiple awards for her performance as Miss Baek. But also Kim Si-a in the role of little Ji-eun is just incredible. And the rest of the cast and production, too. Also thank you for the consistently tranquil, unexcited simplicity as well as a to the point, no-frills narration.
Highly valuable. By the way, the story is based on a true event.
------------------------- SIDE NOTE: --- Child abuse in South Korea ---
The cane in schools has been officially banned in South Korea since 2010. However, thrashing at home is another issue. Among the cases of child abuse confirmed by the police, more than 80 percent can be traced back to the biological parents as the perpetrators. To this, add the dark figure. Accurate statistics on the prevalence and frequency of violence against children are difficult to obtain, since the police, ministries, child protection centres, independent agencies, etc. each compile their own statistics, which are based on estimated numbers.
Many South Korean parents grew up like that themselves ... and still belief that children are the extended selves of the parents, kind of - not individual separate beings. Social focus is not on the rights of the children, but more so on those of the parents. Upbringing is primarily the private affair of parents and not a matter of legal jurisdiction. In this context there is often talk of the "stick of love". In fact, many parents believe that thrashing strengthens their children's character while showing them how much they are loved.
In many European countries this no less than abuse. And fortunately there is a growing awareness of this in South Korea as well. In media representation again and again one encounters scenes of child abuse, e.g. in KDrama and KMovie. It is common. However, fortunately, it starts to be more and more common, too, that this kind of violence is being socially confronted as part of the storytelling... Statstically, the number of cases with serious domestic abuse being investigated by the police is increasing. Including cases in which parents abuse their children to death. This does not imply that child abuse is increasing, rather that more cases are being reported. An encouraging sign. It gives hope that the dominance of traditional (and often abusing) parenting concepts is slowly crumbling.
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FINALLY A CRAZY TENSE CRIME GL!!!!!!
I have to admit that despite being a lesbian I can't get into gls. I think gls are still developing, so seeing a series of this quality (among many recent others) is always great. This series is a nice change of pace from your standard, almost telenovela-like gls. I also *love* crime thrillers so I have a bias and a much higher tolerance for shows like these. From the trailer, I was skeptical of the prison setting but man does it create a super tense environment!The show does a good job hooking the viewer in. It immediately starts with tense scenes and once you finish one of the earlier episodes, you're left craving that adrenaline you felt. Kae's actor, Kemisara Paladesh, does a great job in the first episode emoting too positively, like someone on the verge of insanity. Fits the character. The production quality, lighting and surroundings are well done and I'd like to give a moment of appreciation to the team behind that. It's something that stays consistent in the show and keeps people watching. They do end credit transitions too well, my favourite being when the camera zoomed out while Claire was grieving and the credits started rolling. From the 3Ds gang, Dao draws me in the most, even if she takes the backseat in later episodes. Bell is painfully innocent throughout the show which might seem like a harsh contrast to the general tone, especially when Claire and Bell get together and have their honeymoon phases. She is the main lead but I like other characters way more than her, such as Kae and Claire. Episode 2 had quite the nuance in my opinion and revealed the lore and gave depth to many characters. Made me sympathise with Dao and Top while not agreeing with certain actions of theirs. Speaking of Top, my interest in his character started to die down in the middle episodes. I was starting to get bored of him but episode 6 revived that interest in him after an extremely entertaining drunk performance of the character done by Pond Ponlawit Ketprapakorn alongside great camera work. I like Claire's case as well because I love a good sibling relationship, even if at the end you're like "damn, so she didn't have to do all that". Episode 4 and 5 were mostly romance episodes so it's good for romance-focused viewers but I'd understand if story/action-focused viewers may find it boring. I loved the imagined wedding scene between Claire and Bell, seeing scenes like that makes me happy without fail because same sex marriage (let alone being queer) is not legal where I am, so it means a lot, especially during a time where hope for it being legalised is there in the light of Thailand legalising it. Some people might say that I'm making it too political but I think I'm extracting all the meaning I can out of it. Not to mention how beautifully it was filmed and done! Their relationship is well done and makes me smile without fail whenever they're being romantic. If they ever had a major argument, my heart wouldn't be able to handle it. 2 major deaths also happen in the same episode, episode 3, which is also surprisingly early. Honestly, 3 episodes later, I completely forgot about those people. I was just reminded when I was reading back my Episode-by-Episode review to compile it into this shorter summary. Maybe their deaths could've had a bigger impact but I'm not sure how the show would do that. It does hit in the moment, so be prepared to at the very least get depressed over their deaths. The small acknowledgement of both deceased characters in the last episode was nice too. Episode 6 is my favourite. If you had to demonstrate what this show is about, this episode would be a good choice. It has everything, from Claire threatening people (my fav being her cutting Kae after she acted carelessly), Kae being officially evil, Bell getting beaten up, Top going crazy over Bell's case to Claire's back story. You name the main developments of previous episodes and this episode has the results of it. Kae stands out the most and I love her despite her being a pretty bad person. She is just so interesting, I want to study her brain. Episode 7 was the most sentimental episode, I dare say it's even more than episode 3 where 2 deaths happened. Here, the characters I actually like and have watched develop have bad things happen to them, it brings out a far more emotional response than the deaths of characters we've barely seen. If I wasn't watching it in a room with other people, trust me, I'd be sobbing.
Honestly, as much as I love this show, I have to admit that a few things felt rushed. I've watched other Thai shows before and I'm used to them being max 13 episodes, so I was surprised to see this one with only 8! So I'm not surprised some things felt rushed because I definitely expected it. I feel like just one more episode would've helped flesh out Top, Kae and the 3Ds more. For starters, Top felt very nuanced to me and out of all "villains" I sympathised the most with him. Honestly Bell's case still has me internally debating my morals. Top should go to jail for supplying the drugs but he didn't plan on stuffing the drugs into Bell's bag. I also took pity on him because his father is horrible and he just felt so... lonely? I also feel bad for anyone with a drug/drinking addiction even if they don't try to get out of those situations. It felt like he was boiled down to a bad rich guy by the end. I think the show antagonised characters too quickly and in the case of the 3Ds, redeemed them too quickly. I understand Dao stepping down because she's got a whole kid but Didi? I get that maybe Dao convinced her and Duen to stop being violent after the 3 years but before that time skip it felt odd for her to suddenly be so nice. I was surprised to see her rushing alongside Bell and being concerned for her. As far as I remember, they never really made up. In my head, their rivalry was calm but if something bad happened to Bell she wouldn't have a reason to care really and might even make a mocking comment about it. Like I get that Bell is dying, but why was it framed like Didi and her were old friends? Maybe I misinterpreted something about their relationship. Part of me also felt bad for Kae (specifically when she got beat up by the people she was supposed to be collecting debts from which is ironic lol) but she's the shows main villain. I think they could've had Kae be more evil or give more screen time and expand on her business and how it affected so many other prisoners negatively. It was satisfying to see her get beat up by Claire one last time but even I was like damn she's gonna die calm down Claire. The scene where she rooms with a rude inmate that made her clip her nails and was just bossing her around felt like very stereotypical villain consequences, like something I was supposed to go "you deserve that haha" to but I just didn't feel anything. I enjoyed her switch in personality and all the bad stuff she did because it made her so interesting, too bad it was a short period. I also wanted her goals to be spelled out so bad; was she sick of being bullied at prison? Was she going to try and get Bell "back"? Was it both? But at the end of the day, it was something along the lines of greed and selfishness I guess.
Overall, a show I don't regret watching. I might not rewatch it much but that's because it's very story and at times emotionally heavy. It's a serious show and I think my mental health would be fried if I went through that again, which is a testament as to how it really gets through to the viewer! The actors are great and even if it's quite short it still supplies the main plots very well. I can tell that the team behind this show put so much effort in so send some love to them as well :)
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Really Enjoyable but Also Trope-y with a Side of Flaws
If I rated this purely on my emotional enjoyment, I would give it a 10 out of 10: this is a fun college drama chock full of romantic feelings and character-made drama. Its premise reminded me of a toned-down version of Gossip Girl: all the characters are initially connected by a mysterious blogger who falls in love at first sight and makes them all re-evaluate their own crushes, loves, and relationships as they speculate as to the identify of this person. I had known nothing about the parent story for which this show is based on, Love Playlist, but had been drawn to early descriptions of this drama and the trailer that eventually came out.That said, when I take emotion out of it, I find story and characters that are a bit limited by traditional romance story tropes that are unashamedly invoked: you have CLEAR "nice guys/good girls" and CLEAR "a-hole [male] players/manipulative [female] witches." Their backstories can get a little cliche too with clearly-sympathetic tragedies and traditional parental issues/ambitions to succeed. I would argue that seasoned romance series/Kdrama watchers will be able to completely predict almost all, if not all of the story progression, from beginning to end, just within the first few episodes. Is this necessarily a bad thing? No, I don't think so - enjoyable is enjoyable. However, I think if you are considering watching this, you should know exactly what it is and what it is not: it's a simple, cute story about college kids' falling in love and having challenges with their relationships while going through college. It's not a grandiose, unique story with fantastical mind-bending twists or deep meaning.
There are some clear continuity errors and contrived plot points in the story - they aren't horrendous, but they are very noticeable. For a non-spoiler example, at one point a character loses their phone. By the next episode, they mysteriously have recovered it/might have bought a new one - how exactly did they get this back/buy a new one and input all their old, same contacts in? As for the contrived plot points, I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I will vaguely say that sometimes, things that happen or motivations that the characters have are way too "on the nose" and I personally would have preferred that the show be a little more subtle about it.
The acting is sufficient for a Kdrama, but notably decreased a notch from other big budget performances: for example, I found some of the crying scenes so forced and unbelievable that those momentarily took me out of the drama. However, if you put those weaknesses aside, I think you find a cast that is very believable and does a good job: this is apparently Jeong Jae Hyun's acting debut, and I honestly never would have known that if I didn't read it in an article. I wasn't a Park Hye Soo fan to begin with, but her performance will make me check out some of other works, as I loved the sincerity with which she played Ma Joo Ah. For other characters, many will recognize Roh Jeong Eui from her prior performance as NJ in Our Beloved Summer and I think you will find her performance refreshing as she definitely sells her performance as a different type of person. I also found Lee Jin Hyuk particularly hilarious as the clearly-comic-relief character who gets crapped on just for our benefit, and particularly enjoyed the straight-forward, independent person played by Woo Da Vi. Hwang Bo Reum Byeol and Lee Jung Sic round out the rest of the notables by playing appropriately hateable characters. Overall, I really enjoyed the ensemble cast.
As of writing, the OST seems to be unreleased/still coming out, but I think they did a good job. Park Hye Soo originally wanted to be a singer (she is from Kpop star) and Jeong Jae Hyun is part of NCT, so they naturally do an excellent job with the song covers featured in this Kdrama. I don't think there are any bangers that will be sung for the ages, but don't let you stop enjoying the songs that do exist.
Overall, I think this is a light, easy watch to pick up. You won't find anything groundbreaking, but don't let that stop you from giving this a try - I can't say it's an absolute work of art, but I think if lighthearted romances are your cup of tea, you'll enjoy this.
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Kento is in this but no, this is not your typical shoujo manga movie, sorry.
This movie does not shy away from showing you the toxicities and struggles of being in an unhealthy relationship. This kind of film is one of the many reasons why I've always liked jdramas. It's the lack of fear of tackling serious and heavy subjects.The couple has its up and down moments and has you questioning whether these two are suited to stay together or not. They could be having a joyful time walking together or playing games together but also get into uncomfortable quarrells at any second. Nagata's character is written to look pathetic as he is extremely insecure, egoistic and short-tempered and seemingly is merely using Saki. Him being with the vigorous and kind Saki starts to change her life for the worst as she seemingly changes as a person, her aspirations and pretty much everything. The movie then does makes you care and sympathize for these two. The chemistry between the two and the story is great and realistic.
Yamazaki Kento's character here is very much different from the usual roles he takes. He should leave the shoujo manga roles to the idols because him taking these more mature roles have really showcased his talents as an actor. I'm not even the biggest fan of him and I'm impressed by his great acting here. He also looks different and mature with the long messy hair and facial hair that he has in this movie. Mayu is no exception, she played the kind and strong Saki really well.
I can't recall if I ever heard any music here but I don't think it's the kind of movie that needs music anyway, the tone of the movie and the story was that appealing and intriguing that it didn't need any music tbh. Rewatch value is low for me, not to say that it wasn't good, I just think I've seen everything already and don't think I need to watch it again.
The ending was nothing short of spectacular.
Highly recommended.
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Revenge, corruption and longing
Compelled to write my first review because I wanted something to counterbalance some of the low reviews this drama has been getting… Melancholia is seemingly a forbidden romance between a teacher and a high school math prodigy, but the romance is actually more of a one sided longing, the teacher has no reciprocal feelings until many years pass and they reunite. The romance is there but in the background to their fight to reveal the corruption behind the elite school where they become the targets of a scandal to shield the higher ups who are behind all sorts of shady dealings. The scandal is eerily similar to the college admissions scandal from the US - wealthy (but not ultra rich) professionals obsessed with finding a back door to an Ivy for their entitled spoiled teens. Whereas the ultra rich can legally buy their kids spot anywhere (ie donate a building), these just “regular” rich strivers need to spend their money on ways to cheat the system.If you liked Secret Love Affair, consider watching this one - SLA had more steamy scenes whereas Melancholia is mostly emotional longing. Though there is a very sweet (satisfying though small) payoff at the very end. The chaebol villains in SLA bored me but the villain in Melancholia is EXCELLENT. She is awful but so charismatic - Jin Kyung is perfect. Lee Do Hyun is totally believable as a lonely teen who gravitates towards his teacher, the only person who actually makes an effort to help him find his passion for math/life again after a tragedy. The physicality of him as a teen vs. him as a man is on point - there is no mistaking him as a boy after the time skip. I am sad that it seems underrated - it’s definitely worth watching
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