Reviews

Masterpiece

Story: very good ;
well written , comedy was smart while using very well the grotesque.

Soundtrack: very good ;
Not once i got bored by it, it helped the story perfectly.

Visuals: very good ;

Empathy to characters: very good;
It's not every drama these days that manage to get me attached to the characters.
In this one, i felt some attachment even for side characters.

Casting: very good ;
Everyone did well, but Shin Hye Sun stole the show, she is perfect.
P.S: Bae Jong Ok as queen dowager deserves an award.

Realisation + direction; very good ;

Pacing: Good

I'm not giving it 10, because i never give 10, but it came as close as possible.
I don't know why i waited so much to watch this.....

Leia Mais

I can't let ChiWei go....

When I started this, I thought I was just going to watch a new show but I didn’t know I was signing a contract to have my soul stolen and my emotions permanently hijacked. I’m sitting here, replaying the same scenes over and over like an addict because my brain refuses to move on.

Episodes 1–3 are the comedic bait. You’ll think, “aww, this is cute,” and you’ll be wrong. Episode 4 creeps in with the first sparks, Episode 5 straight-up injects serotonin into your bloodstream, and then Episode 10… god help you. That’s when it stops being a drama and starts being the most gorgeous, sensual, heart-aching romance you’ll ever see.

Please. I am begging you. Do not drop it after Episode 1. Give it five episodes. Let it get under your skin. Let it ruin you. You will lose sleep. You will think about them at random moments during the day. You’ll be laughing like an idiot one second and clutching your chest the next.

♡

detailed review, may contain spoilers

So. ARE WE OKAY? Because I’m not. I’m so far from okay. I miss them. I want to cry and throw up just thinking about their journey and how far they have come.

I remember the first episodes, Chi Cheng walked into every scene like he could crush Suowei without even trying, and at first, he would have. He was intrigued but also in control. And Suowei, my clever little fox, my scheming troublemaker...he thought he could keep it all a game. He had no idea that every sly smile, every bratty comeback was driving Chi Cheng out of his mind.

So watching the shift of Chi Cheng go from a man who could pin Suowei against a wall just to make a point… to a man who would drop everything if Suowei so much as frowned?? WRECKED. ME. He went from “you’re my toy” to “you’re my everything.” The same hands that could wrap around Suowei’s throat without hesitation now tremble if Suowei’s in pain. Yeah, he still grabs him by the throat sometimes BUT ONLY WHEN HE’S FUCKING HIM AND THAT’S DIFFERENT OKAY? IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BIBLE OF HAND PLACEMENT.

Agh anyway, its just so beautiful to see how Chi Cheng looks at him in the later episodes...like this is a man who started at the top and ended up metaphorically (and probably literally) at Suowei’s feet. The dominance never fully left, but it warped into this worship that’s somehow more intense than any power play. He still has the strength to break him, but now he’d rather use that strength to shield him from the world.

And Suowei…I don’t think I’ve ever been so obsessed with a character’s development in my life. Chi Cheng’s arc destroyed me, yes, but Suowei’s reprogrammed my brain chemistry. I'M NOT EVEN JOKING.

Because like, we start with this man who is the definition of “straight man panic.” He’s dodging Chi Cheng’s touches. He’s rolling his eyes, making faces, acting like ewww NO HOMO every two seconds. He is CONVINCED he’s untouchable. He treats Chi Cheng like just another rich, arrogant bastard who thinks he can get whatever he wants. And I believed him! I thought, okay, this is gonna be one of those slow, reluctant-to-the-end situations.

But no. No, no, no.

Because little by little, without even realizing it, he starts needing the attention he pretends to hate. The touches stop feeling dangerous and start feeling like home. The man who used to swat Chi Cheng’s hands away is suddenly leaning into them. And then one day, he’s seeking them out.

I just love the way he went from “get away from me,” to climbing onto Chi Cheng’s back for a piggyback or nuzzling their cheeks together with this soft, stupid smile. The way he starts embracing the entire truth about himself. His sexuality. His feelings and he’s PROUD of it. He’s not hiding anymore. He’s not embarrassed. He’s not dodging.

He goes from looking at Chi Cheng like, “ugh, you’re annoying,” to looking at him like, “you are my most precious person in the whole damn world.” And you see it. In the way his face softens, in the way he looks at Chi Cheng like he’s something holy, in the way he reaches for him without thinking.

And here’s the part that absolutely obliterated me...in most BLs, the “submissive” role rarely shows this much affection back. The dominant one does all the simping, all the chasing, all the worshipping, while the other just accepts it. But Suowei breaks that in half. He loves LOUD. He adores Chi Cheng so openly.

By the end, Suowei is pulling him in, holding him there, not letting him go. He’s soft and sweet and filthy and bold and shameless, and the pride he takes in their love is so fucking pure.

I want to rewatch the whole thing just to see every micro-shift in his eyes as he falls deeper and deeper until there’s no escape.

Their journey was amazing, and I will never, ever stop praising the actors for it. Like, story aside, the chemistry aside, these two performed their asses off.

I’ve seen plenty of BLs, plenty of good couples, but this was something else entirely.

Ziyu… ZIYU HAS FUCKING WRECKED ME. The emotional range he brought to Suowei especially in those moments of vulnerability is unmatched. Take the scenes when Wang Shou came back. Suowei had to play that insecure boyfriend role, and I was scared. I was scared it might tip into that annoying, desperate, borderline pathetic portrayal that I’ve seen too many times. But no. Ziyu nailed it. He made Suowei’s insecurity feel real.

And don’t even get me started on Episode 19. I swear, that was his episode. The one that cements him as a powerhouse. The scenes with his mom...Oh my god. I was emotionally gutted.

And then there’s Tian Xuning. No less legendary. I have NEVER seen a BL “dominant” character especially one with a BDSM element NOT make me cringe at least once. There’s always that one line delivery or one scene where you’re like, “okay, tone it down, buddy.” But Tian...my god, Tian pulled every single scene off flawlessly. He brought this heat, this precision, to Chi Cheng’s dominance that felt authentic and magnetic instead of forced. And it was hot. Like, dangerously hot.

But it wasn’t just the dominance. Tian’s emotional work was just as strong as Ziyu’s. If Ziyu’s masterpiece was Episode 19, then Tian’s was Episode 18. The way he broke in that episode...the tears, my god. This is a character who walks through the world in total control, and Tian made you feel the weight of losing that control, just for the person he loves. That’s not easy to pull off AT ALL.

And TBH these performances weren’t just good separately. The magic was in how they fed off each other. Ziyu’s vulnerability made Tian’s protectiveness hit harder. Tian’s dominance made Ziyu’s surrender feel more powerful.

I honestly think that’s why this drama will stick with me forever. Not just because of the story or the characters, but because Ziyu and Tian Xuning made me believe in them. They made me care about them like they were real. They made every high higher, every low lower.

I am ruined for other BLs. I am ruined for other actors. And I will die on this hill: what they did here was lightning in a bottle, and I don’t think we’ll see anything quite like it again.

I will say this though...the quality is not high. There are definitely moments where the execution wobbles, where the plot could’ve been tighter, where certain scenes feel a little rushed or undercooked. I know for some people, that might be enough to knock it down a few points. But I rate shows based on my enjoyment, and those flaws were barely registered while I was watching.

Because MY ENJOYMENT WAS THROUGH THE ROOF. Like, I was floating. I didn’t care about shaky pacing or low-budget moments, I cared about them. The chemistry, the growth, the obsession, the way they made me feel like I was living inside their story… that’s what I’ll remember forever.

So yeah. I’m giving it a 10. Not because it’s “perfect” by objective standards, but because for me, it was. I will forever love them. I miss them already. I adore them in a way that makes me want to rewatch every single second just to feel that high again.

ꨄ

I am devastated to let them go.

Leia Mais

Pinocchio on the surface is about a bunch of reporters who learn what reporting is truly all about. Or at least, that's what I was expecting until I heard Lee Jong Suk joined the cast. I swear nobody has a knack for good roles the way he does. He just knows how to pick an amazing role and make it even more amazing with his acting skills. And that's what this drama was. Absolutely AMAZING. Every episode took me deeper and deeper into their story and by the time I was done, I was crying like a wild horse (if wild horses cry). Every character, every situation and every decision (made by Dal Po) either turned me into a huge of puddle of emotional mess or brought a huge, shiny grin on my face. Some stuff got me slapping my computer screen so hard (I'll make it up to you babe). There were no in-betweens. Also there were no dull moments.

Coming to characters. Dal Po is amazing. And not just your everyday amazing but amazing amazing. While I was watching I can't even count the number of times I would've made a choice completely different from him. He was so brave and just so right. The kind of path he took, there was no assurance that he would be able to avenge his family at all and as we moved further into the story, we realize that if he hadn't made the choices that he did, he wouldn't even have been able to catch the right culprit. As for Park Shin Hye, I've really only liked her in You're Beautiful. Her characters in Heirs and Flower Boy Next Door were extremely disappointing. But this is her best portrayal. I loved Choi In Ha and her blunt attitude (not that she had a choice considering the Pinocchio Syndrome). I think I'll have a hard time remembering it's not a real syndrome.

The supporting cast was amazing, especially Yoon Yoo Rae. Her little love-story towards the end was really cute (I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here, but I'm so excited I can barely contain it, lol). In Ha's mom, her dad, her grandpa, everyone was great. Both the Caps and OMG the whole staff at YGN. I absolutely loved them. Especially the dude with the creepy grin and the hairband. He was awesome! Ahn Chan Soo was awesome. Kim Hae Sook is one of my favorite actors when it comes to moms and other older roles and the parts she plays always have something great to offer. Same happened here. Her character started out as a sweet and overly-protective mom which reminded me of her roles in Marriage Not Dating and I Hear Your Voice but it grew into so much more. Last (but most definitely not the least) Ki Jae Myung was mesmerizing. You know what he does is wrong, yet all you feel for him is sympathy and make excuses for him, because the emotional turmoil he goes through is simply palpable. He suffered through years of pain and guilt and he suffered all by himself. It was beautiful, the way his character was shaped.

The music is good, though not extremely good. It's melodious, relaxing and not too dramatic. Every Single Day has composed some nice ones for the OST.

Comparisons to I Hear Your voice are inevitable since the lead actor along with supporting cast and the writer-director were same for both dramas. And there is an essence of IHYV here in this drama, which makes it just as great. But nothing is repetitive and Pinocchio easily holds it's own. I would recommend it to everyone now that all the episodes are out and you don't have to live in agony waiting for new episodes.

Leia Mais

Parents, you can't choose them. When I watched this show, I remembered how lucky I was with the parents I have.

So what exactly is the show about? I mean you have read the synopsis, and maybe would like to have another push towards why you should watch this incredible show. And believe me, when I say incredible I mean that in every way.

The show is most definitely about the relationship between a mother and a child, and how the two main characters tackle the trials they are given during the course of the show. So what makes it so good?

Maybe you could have guessed it, the character interactions. Ashide Mana and Matsuyuki Yasuko deliver a great performance regarding the interactions between a mother and a daughter. Their trials will make you laugh, cry or just smile weirdly because it's so cute *ahum*.

I mainly stated the two main characters here, but the supporting cast is great as well.

The story progresses in a well-written manner while never forgetting the realism they need to maintain during the course of the show. The story doesn't let you play ball, they throw the ball at you from the get-go, and you will keep following the ball until it finally reaches your glove. The pacing in the show may be slow to some, however incredibly fitting due to the shows Slice-of-life nature.

Because of the well-written storyline and the great acting, you will start rooting for the main two characters hoping they will get that final happy ending, because as you could’ve guessed, the story isn’t a light one. It’s about acceptance, Overcoming trials without giving up, family and so much more.

So why do you need to watch this? The well written story combined with great actors deliver a touching emotional story. This show will stay with you for a long time. It is one of those shows that makes you ponder for a bit while remembering the show, coming to the conclusion that it was a great watch.

So I heartily recommend it to anyone who doesn’t dislike slice-of-life shows. Because if you do watch it, you are in for a treat.

Leia Mais

The two leads form a splendidly unique mixture, providing unique heartbeat and appeal to the story

“The Kidnapping Day” is all about its two great protagonists. I'm tempted to say: it is about the female lead character. The actress is simply wonderful and perfect for this character. Nevertheless, in my opinion, in her eccentric role she comes into her own so brilliantly precisely because her adult counterpart: the Kidnapper, who is just the way he is – as a rather clumsy person, he is practically the antithesis of this cheeky eleven-year-old but highly intelligent know-it-all. Yet, he ist the one who is sort of seeing, liberating and nurturing her usually neglected self, that is hidden underneath her intellectual brilliance: First of all she is just a child with all needs that come along. So, he might be not as smart as the little girl, yet he is actually the true grown up, who is not letting him be mislead by her genius, but watching out for her and intuitively caring for the child she is, too. This splendid mixture provides the unique heartbeat and appeal. So together they form this edgy team, keeping the audience in a good mood.

The plot offers a lot of humor and quite some comicalness of the situation, but there are also serious themes lingering. After all, there is an unsolved murder case. Furthermore, it is nevertheless a case of kidnapping, even if the prefix may change over time. Added to this is the sad fact that health is often a question of money. And ultimately, behind all of this, there is also the issue of abuse. “The Kidnapping Day” is also able to tackle the ever late-breaking topic of “education hype in South Korea” in an original new way, entangling it in an exciting crime thriller.

What initially starts as kidnapping quickly takes a completely different direction. The victim becomes the mastermind. The police, or at least one of the investigators, dares to think twice and appropriately take unusual paths according this unusual case. Good and evil, black and white, its blurred. Yet, there are still unscrupulous villains. We are also stumbling over complex enmeshments, lying way back in the past.

“The Kidnapping Day” knows how to deliver on a variety of levels. Accordingly, the number of viewers has more than doubled over those 12 episodes. The special charm of the two leads also got me and I was happy to stick with them. Mind you, this was basically because of the charming relationship dynamics of the two leads, and how the two shape the kidnapping scenario along the way in a pleasantly witty way, including the solving of the murder case and at last providing a solution .




P.S.
The two protagonists, their particular relationship, THAT is the clever strength and the endearing piquancy. The rest might at times come across rather careless and pallid. Obviously, this is (once more) the product of the new era that has dawned in the KDrama orbit. Numerous new networks are now happily playing along on the market, including ENA, former SKY, which has repositioned itself in 2022 in order to get involved with its own KDrama productions in the top Pay-TV segment. (ENA belongs to Korean Telekom and produced 22 series in 2023 already.)
In general, with Disney, Netflix and others, I´d say KDrama productions feel like having doubled in 2023 (I didn't count, though). But what seems like a blessing at first sight turns out to be a bit of a sham, too. Where are all the original ideas supposed to continuously come from? And if there is a promising plot idea, it is yet far from being thoroughly worked through... Quantity rarely automatically goes hand in hand with quality. And it doesn't work the other way around either. Accordingly, “The Kidnapping Day” also suffers from the ravages of time: negligence can be observed here and there. However, the main strength and driving force of this story - the strangely lovingly developing relationship of the two unconventional leads - luckily is awesome enough to carry and equilibrate.

Leia Mais

SPOILER FREE: This is a must for suspense/psychological drama lovers. The plot is quite intriguing and the acting was really good. Masaki Suda was amazing (again) and the plot is full of twists that keeps the viewer on the edge. This series was highly entertaining and it was easy to watch. The death of Reina is a mystery to all and the viewers try to understand what will happen next. It wasn't perfect, but it was still powerful.


MAJOR SPOILERS!!!
From the beginning, this series shows the effect that social media have on our society. The drama gives us, each episode, a new clue about the main case and as viewers we try to uncover the crime/suicide of Kageyama Reina. The truth is slowly revealed and as a person who watched the show I expected a great conspiracy or something even if the actual reason is something that is shown -one way or another- in the first episodes.
This show was a message to everyone in a society that can't live without social media. Almost everyone has one account -or more- on sm and it takes away a part of our lives.

The ending was brilliantly filmed as Hiiragi talks on the camera, about who the real killers are pointing to everyone who is watching the series and therefore uses social media. A harmful word -intentional or not- can cause great damage to someone even if that person doesn't know us personally. The anonymity of social media gives everyone the opportunity to give their opinion no matter how harmful that can be. I loved the comments that Hiiragi received while he exposed the truth, as it was the most realistic reaction that could happen. It is not only that some can't accept the truth, but the most terrifying thing is the ones who don't understand that they did something wrong. It was great to show that the purpose wasn't to stop what we call cyber bullying, but being able to change even one person. As someone said if we want to change the world, first we must change ourselves.

To everyone who watched this - including myself - this is a great opportunity to double check before posting anything and thinking before talking, because our words can really be the knife on someone's hand.

Leia Mais

This slice-of-life/office drama dares to be experimental in its portrayal of a career woman and the people that support and fight her on her journey. It constantly creates hits and misses, mostly hits, as it bucks the kdrama formula. The show centers around a core cast of female characters, and it wonderfully depicts these women as (or more) complex human beings as (than) men, varying aspirations/dreams, varying ethics/morals, and varying actions/dialogue. It exemplifies the positive impact of having a female screenwriter leading its fun and compelling female-centric story.

Two smaller points I want to point out here because it does not really fit elsewhere. First, the camerawork creates some beautiful shots using the environment and open spaces (Who remembers Angel Ta Mi?). But, sometimes it butchers the emotional delivery of some scenes as it zooms and rotates into the actors’ faces. Second, the rich, experimental story immerses the viewer, and the PPL (product placement) becomes especially jarring as it breaks that deep immersion. Still, I will remember this drama for its highs, not lows, and easily recommend this to all drama viewers as a great example of a modern Korean drama.

Story:
The story is surprisingly refreshing given that the average age of its main characters skews older than the usual mini (16 ep kdrama). No young chaebol inheriting his director position from his grandfather, the women in Search: WWW clearly worked hard and sacrificed much to reach their positions. Given the main female leads’ maturity and high social position, it is a challenge to add believable conflicts, especially given its genre. Search: WWW overcomes this struggle and shows that everyone can grow, no matter how mature, and that there will always be a bigger fish, no matter how high you rise. So, its fallback to some typical kdrama conflicts is understandable and not a blemish.

I wish the same could be same about the main romance in the drama. I want to make a distinction between the content of the romance and the pacing of the romance. The pacing, like the overall story, is refreshing, and relationships grow and stumble at unique points. It weaves itself with the office plot to deliver entertainment in every episode, especially the secondary romances/relationships. However, the content of the main romance is a bit shallow upon closer examination. It attempts to highlight the age and ideological differences between the two leads, but they act like they are designed by the same aged person(s). Specifically, the male lead acts like how someone in their 30s/40s imagines someone in their 20s.

Ultimately, the main drivers of a slice-of-life drama is its characters and not its plot points nor romance. And I can go on and on about the depths and strengths of the entire crew of characters, even the slightly obnoxious Morgan. To keep this review a reasonable length, I will just say that the characters are 10/10, and I somehow found myself rooting for each one of them, protagonists and antagonists alike.

Acting:
Starting with the actresses, the leads are a minimum 9/10. I hate (read “love”) to nitpick but Jeon Hye Jin could have shown slightly more range, given the nuance of her character, beyond the serious/contemplative facet. Also, Lee Da Hee is one of my favorite actresses, but she is almost getting typecast into the rash archetype. The main female lead, Im Soo Jung, is faultless, but don’t get me wrong, all three are amazing in their own ways and carry the show together.

Out of their male counterparts, Lee Jae Wook is the most memorable, and I look forward to his potential growth (he’s 21 when shooting this drama!). I am also impressed with Ji Seung Hyun, who I underrated because his profile shows that he’s mostly been on support/guest roles. As you can tell, expectations do color my judgement, and my expectation for Jang Ki Yong did not get met, but he does have some redeeming moments near the end.

Music:
Search: WWW has one of the best OSTs I’ve listened to in recent kdramas. “Well-rounded”, “In sync”, and “Complementary” all perfectly describe the musical core of Search: WWW. It is impossible to not like at least one of the songs in the OST and very likely that you’ll love them all. I usually write very short reviews of the music, but I need to take the time to rave about the musical cast.

First, shout out to the fierce women of Mamamoo, extra for Moonbyul with her writing credits. Could not have picked a better kpop act to mirror the strong female characters of the drama. Second, Jang Beom-Jun bringing that husky Busker Busker voice that was extremely popular in the early 2010s. Sam Kim was also popular around the same time, but I am not as big of a fan. Kudos to Sam Kim, Elaine , and O3ohn, even though I do not know much about them. Third, huge props to Lee Da Hee for fearlessly busting out her singing chops. Fourth, OST veteran, Kim Na-Young, who has been killing the music charts with her latest single, “To be Honest”. She delivers another great performance for Search:WWW.

Take it how you will, but the music is the strongest aspect of this drama. I didn’t even skip the parental advisory, so I could sing along with “show you a bad girl”. The OST flawlessly supports the drama and keeps true the show’s topics and themes, and all the songs are still worthy of a listen without knowing anything about the drama.

Rewatch Value:
As high as the relisten value is for the OST, the rewatch falls a bit short, which I usually judge on story or cast. The story’s female-centricity is refreshing but no longer unique in kdramas. I find the women of “Because This is My First Life” more relatable and the women of “Sky Castle” to be more entertaining. In terms of cast, I’m a bigger fan of the previous works by the main cast, such as “Chicago Typewriter” and “Beauty Inside” (“Misty” is high on my “to watch” list). Jang Ki Young is equally mediocre in his past works (“Kill It” is low on my “to watch” list). Ji Seung Hyun mostly does support/guest roles. However, I do look forward to Lee Jae Wook’s next drama, “July Found by Chance”. So, it’ll be difficult to find time to rewatch Search: WWW.

Leia Mais

I'm here to support Kitiwhut Sawutdimilin "Newyear". I'm here to support a gay man interpreting a gay character, because maybe y'all don't know, but for mostly thai BL dramas directors is a requisite to be straight to get gay characters roles.

Newyear (the one who interprets Pond, the main character of this series) auditioned for 2 Moons The Series (also a BL thai series) Wayo's role, and was rejected because he's wasn't "manly" enough. 2 Moons The Series director said that all the six gay men characters of 2Moons The Series MUST be interpreted by straight men.

I know maybe this isn't the best BL drama, not the best plot, characters lack in depht, we all know that. But i think it's pretty entertaining to watch, It's a cute boys love story, and although I know it isn't the best thing in the BL world, I can say I absolutely don't hate the 20 minutes per week I spend watching it. So well, that's all: I'm here to support Newyear, and all the others who also are amateur actors, I hope him to be able to get more thai dramas' roles in the future.

Leia Mais

Illogically addicting!

This can be considered one of the best, if not the best, Korean BL serries ever setting a very high bar for all other KBLs to follow.

Lets be objective for a minute. The show didnt give us anything new -University themed BL, check! Enemy to lovers, big check! A questionably straight(!) guy suddenly falling for another seemingly straight guy, double check! Is there anything new, big X!

The camera work is your typical Korean - clean with an almost always early morning filter/vibe (you know, its like the main actors are always sparkling) The pacing was a little off for me and after a few episodes, it felt a little repeatitive. I even suspect that the budget is limited and everything was shot within just a few days.

However, despite the unassuming, overused plot, lies an entertaining, panty-dropping, 3 drops of pee and butterfly-in-the-stomach inducing execution that no matter how predictable the show is, you just cant help but long for the next episode. Actually, this may even be the most excited i felt for a Korean BL.

Its greatest strength, and lets also not kid oursleves, is the 2 actors. We stayed because they are absolutely gorgeous, and as cliche as it sounds, their chemistry is electric. Park Seo Ham played Jae Young perfectly and Park Jae Chan's newbie acting worked with what the show needed - his acting was so robotic I half-expected them to reveal that this is infact a scifi BL show and that Sang Woo is an android at the cusp of learning new things. Alas, he wasnt.

I would have liked to see their actual game working, i guess the budget and the time didnt allow for it.

Rewatch value, 9.5stars! It is so addicting ive seen each episode 3 times. Overall, its a 9.5!

Leia Mais

First, I have a question: Do you ever have that mood, when you're trying a bunch of different and good dramas, and you can't watch even a 1/3 of episode, and none of them stands out. And then you find it, a GEM, you put the drama on and you know: THIS IS IT! And then you can't stop watching until you end it in a marathon? Well, because it happened to me yesterday with this drama... I'm still recovering...

Why is it worth a perfect score?

Story: I love this kind of stories. It's a story about people who have a very responsible and demanding job, who love that job and practically live for it. It's a really motivating drama, makes you wanna find your dream profession, pursue it and then do something meaningful in your life. The drama does not drag at any moment(well the beauty of jdramas- they have only 9-11 episodes and you're left wanting more). There is also a love story, though not a heart-wrecking romance as somebody observed, but as it normally happens - you meet someone you like, so you want to be with them and you wish all the best for them. There is also a great bromance,heart-warming family(Shinkai dad-GREAT!)and random hilarity (the girl next door-LOL) in it as well. Generally, all of the characters were very well crafted and you want to know more about them.

Cast: It's Kimutaku in his prime - with his boyish charm and in uniform ^_^. But all the cast members were great and their characters were complex and interesting.

Music: As it didn't attract my attention at all, I have nothing to say about it.

Rewatch: I already want to rewatch! Actually I even did a bit- the best scenes.. ;)

This drama is really outstanding in my opinion, so I highly recommend it.

Leia Mais

With You is SUCH a feel-good drama, especially if you like these kinds of slice-of-life, youth high school dramas. The friendships and relationships are so CUTE and feel so real and relatable. It realistically portrays a high school/teenage experience, complete with school struggles, family issues, and the making and breaking of friendships and relationships.

This series follows Geng Geng, a slightly awkward but adorable first year high schooler who feels like she's not smart enough to be at the prestigious Zhen Hua High School. The first day she happens to meet her future deskmate, the brilliant Yu Huai, and although they bicker at first, they soon form a strong friendship. They all become good friends with their classmates and have a strong bond with their teacher, Zhang Ping. Geng Geng also attracts the attention of the school's resident rebel, Lu Xing He, who quickly falls in love with her and isn't shy about announcing his crush to the world. The show follows Geng Geng, her friends, and even their teacher, through their struggles in both school and life. The show mostly focuses on their first year in high school, but toward the end also looks at the rest of their high school life and a little bit of the future 10 years later.

Like other similar shows, I love how With You develops really deep and complex characters who feel real. No one is flawless and everyone behaves in a very realistic way. I like that the main conflict comes not from villainous characters, but from challenges in life, such as struggling in school, controlling parents, unrequited crushes, and the like.

I LOVED Geng Geng's rapport with both her primary love interest, Yu Huai, and secondary love interest, Lu Xing He. Yu Huai and Geng Geng clearly like each other from day 1, but neither of them admit it. But what makes the show so beautiful is their friendship and the ways in which they support each other and look out for each other. Their relationship doesn't have grand gestures of romance, but has a solid foundation of friendship. On the other hand, Lu Xing He makes it clear from day 1 that he is in love with Geng Geng and his relationship with Geng Geng is full of shameless declarations of love. He is similarly supportive of her, and so selfless in trying to make sure she's happy.

The only reason I wouldn't rate With You a full 10/10 is because I felt like the ending escalated a bit too much in drama and got a bit too convoluted with misunderstandings, tears, and people hurting each other. It felt too much like a traditional romance drama rather than the slice-of-life type drama it had been all along. But overall, With You is definitely a good watch for warm and fuzzy feelings and adorable friendships.

Leia Mais

JBR is the best Makjang drama I have seen. It uses all of the Korean drama cliches/troupes from amnesia to birth secrets. The family mix is great. There are so many moms and grandmas that it is just funny. There are a few useless and somewhat lame bi-stories, but they don't take too much time. What makes this great is that the liars and schemers are never truly happy and constantly afraid they will be found out. Most everyone has a secret. It is over the top acting with a ridiculous story line at its best.

The actors are great. All of the acting is a little over the top...so don't expect it to be realistic. There are some great veteran actors in this drama. However, Lee Yoo Ri totally stole the show. She takes crazy to a new level as Min Jung. She wears this thick bright red lipstick that is just way too much which goes perfectly with her character. Her ending is better than the endings for most "bad guys". Everyone else is good in this too. Kim Ji Hoon plays a totally adorable Lee Jae Hwa that acts kind stupid, but isn't. I like that the romance between him and Jang Bo Ri (Oh Yeon Seo) is consistent once it starts. Strangely enough, Bo Ri isn't the center of the story to me although the drama is named after the character. My favorite relationship dynamic was between Moon Ji Sang (Sung Hyuk) and Bi Dan. Kim Ji Young is just the cutest little thing. I worried about Bi Dan from beginning to end.

The music is fine.

I probably won't rewatch this, but it is rewatchable.

I know some people don't like this kind of drama, but I enjoy them. If you like them, then JBR is definitely a must watch.

Leia Mais

24 eps seem too short for the first time!

"Our Secret" is a drama with a good plot, lovable characters and excellent acting. the actors in this drama aren't that famous (edit: this was before hidden love) but their acting is really good; definitely how a high schooler would behave, in my opinion. it's fast paced with little or no filler scenes so overall it was a good watch. it felt so nostalgic (even tho I haven't finished my high school yet).

the ML was portrayed splendid, props to the actor. he wasn't oblivious but seemed to get along with people around him quite well unlike other leads who act like they are allergic to humans or whatever. no super rich high school 'chaebol' heir so it makes the viewers easy to empathize. the way he looks at the FL melts me uwu. he really set the bar high for a "boy in love".

the FL did an excellent job in expressing a desk-mate who gradually falls in love with someone who she never thought she would and thinks he doens't reciprocate her feelings. she portrayed a girl chasing her love in a charming way and we can't help but root for this cute couple pairing.

the side characters weren't annoying. they had their own story to tell, making us cheer for them even with the little screen time they had. I loved the friendship among all of them.

I really had fun watching this!! trust me, it's a really good watch/re-watch!! ♡. if only someone would look at me the way ML looks at FL... I should prolly stop dreaming *cries in Chinese*. jokes aside, this is definitely a drama that'll stay with me for a long time. I could literally feel the emotions conveyed in the story. wow, what a ride! best of luck to all the actors' future works! signing off.

I'm in love with Chen Zhe Yuan if it wasn't obvious already ♡

Leia Mais

My Kind of Drama, No Typical C-Drama Cliché's

Let's see, no break ups or last minute break ups, no misunderstandings, no evil parents, a minor antagonist that tries to cause trouble for our lead couple but her screen time is limited so I'm actually okay with this. There is a love triangle but a tamed and not out of control one. We get rid of the love triangle around the halfway point of the drama.

So now that we got all of the usual C-drama worries out of the way, it's your choice if you want to watch this drama or not. Me personally, I adore this drama. The chemistry between our leads is so cute and romantic that I didn't even remember it was a younger male chasing older female. The ML knows what he wants from start while the FL has rough past encounters with love that even the thought of falling for her younger childhood friend had made her hesitant. But eventually she has courage and take a chance on love with her childhood friend. My favorite thing has got to be the amount of support the lead characters have for each other, as each wants to protect the other in their own way. Not only that, they also have tons of support from their boss, their friends, their families, and yes even second leads, which by the way, good amount of growth for the SFL, from being annoying to being very likable.

The osts for this drama is amazing. For me, it was enjoyable to listen to every time the song came on. Fits perfectly with the scenes that occurred.

The story went at a good pace that there were so many episodes left filled with loveable, romantic, and cute scenes. I give major points to the writer for showing that you don't need a break up scene or misunderstandings to make a great drama. Dramas can have conflicts but when you have such understanding, firm, and supportive main couple, you can handle the conflicts that's thrown at them and it's not even as bad as say other C-drama conflicts.

Definitely one of my favorites and a rarity that I give a 10 all the way, especially in a C-drama.

Leia Mais

Okay, let's see. What can i say of this movie?
It is cute all over, it doesn't bore you, it doesn't make you skip any parts, it enters your heart, grows inside and leaves happily.
I am neutral about the music, there was a german song in the beginning, it was quite fun to watch Daikichi's fantasy and the music fitted it but other than that one song i don't really remember others, means they don't really stand out.
the story is nice, i love Daikichi and Rin's relationship. they do no cuddling, no "i love you so much daddy" but you just feel the love. It is the success of both the story and the actors.
so if you want to have a change of your cliché someone-dying, someone-fighting-so-hard-for-love movies, take the shot, you won't regret it.

Leia Mais