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It's really so interesting all by itself ... Gotta sayy
This is one of the cutest series I have ever seen , the characters are so cute their action are driving me crazy , I don't just understand why it have to be this much cute , well I thought I don't like university romance so much but after watching it I realised I really love this kind of story lines .And the second couple took some time to sort out their true feelings , actually the main problem behind their disagreement was Van's toxic behaviour .
He couldn't stop myself from doing things that are harmful for a healthy relationship .
J and Jin I love them , turned out Jin secretly liked J from school days till university , he's such a good actor , idk how could he even hide that and pretend to hate him
J was such a tease when he got to know about his feelings before , but who knew that he'd fall even harder .
J at times didn't even care about his life and focused on saving jin's life , It wasn't pity that he had for jin but the love
I love the Intro waohhh the title song is firee Turns out it's you
~ The OST totally hooked me , I can't believe all the songs were differently sound beautiful . Crush on you by Sea is my favourite one for sure
At the ending they concluded the story pretty well .... Both the couples were so sweet and loving I am going to miss it , I used to wait for it every sunday now I don't have something like this to watch .
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The sum of ordinary is great.
Wow. I did not expect to enjoy this drama so much. In fact I didn't expect to get past the first episode. But I just had to check it out for the spectacular cast. And I am well chuffed that I did. It is the most eloquent and engaging low concept drama made in years.Wang Shouyi is chief of the chronically short staffed Bailihe People's Police station. With a 93.4pct community satisfaction rate, they rank 144 out of 163 in the district. These are not elite cops trying to solve major crimes. They are just ordinary cops that grapple with mundane, daily cases from petty crimes to heated community spats. The denizens of their community are a loud, colorful, chaotic, demanding, often ignorant, unreasonable and utterly exasperating lot. This is written authentically with a strong dose of humor and irony that garners big laughs from small things such as an absurdly moving case of diaper theft. It is an intricate, intimate account of the broad array of everyday social pressures experienced by Chinese society. This brilliant, unglamorous drama that feels like a shared coming-of-age experience traverses the bleakest, most flawed to the greatest, most compassionate aspects of humanity.
Wang Jingchun's canny Chief Wang is the star of the show. He badgers his director into assigning four new recruits with diverse abilities and backgrounds to his station. With wisdom and perspicacity, he assigns an experienced mentor to each of the bright eyed and bushy tailed young recruits. This excess of greenness and enthusiasm is met with a mixture of annoyance and trepidation by the battle hardened veterans. Prodded along wisely past hiccups by Chief Wang, adjustments are needed on both sides to make these seemingly random pairings work out. Over time, their shared trials and triumphs end up being a catalyst for character growth all around.
Xia Jie's father, the former well loved chief of Bailihe station perished in the line of duty ten years ago. Her mentor Cheng Hao was mentored by her father and like Xia Jie, seeks closure from what happened so long ago. She is treated like a protected species by her father's comrades and her mom hounds the station to keep her out of harm's way. My blood boils every time her mom goes on a rampage. But as much as I am frustrated and angry at her, I can't help but be moved by her sheer terror and deep sorrow, at how time did not ameliorate the shock and intensity of her loss. I really applaud Bai Lu for her true to life portrayal of Xia Jie's struggle to make peace with the past, find meaning in her role at the station and build life bonds with her peers. I also love that the drama only hints of awareness that could blossom into romance down the road but keeps the primary focus on the camaraderie and burgeoning mutual understanding that turns the four young friends into found family.
Liu Dawei is the other super solid characterisation of a young cop with rough edges that offers the barest glimpses of another Chief Wang in the making several decades down the road. On paper, he is the least promising recruit, a trouble maker at the bottom of his enrolment class. But he has high EQ and it is as much his kind nature as his inherent nosiness that gets him embroiled in everyone's business. His mentor Chen Xinsheng is initially very irritated to be saddled with this brash and over talkative young man with an instinct to rush headlong into danger. Their relationship and how it evolves on multiple fronts and interlocks with the other characters is the best written and portrayed dynamic in the drama. This is not at all surprising that magic happens when you put together immersive and versatile actors of Zhang Ruoyun and Ning Li's caliber.
Xu Kaicheng also delivers a very respectable performance as the book smart Yang Shu, the perfect foil for the street smart Liu Dawei. His struggles with Cao Jianjun his ethically flexible mentor with hero complex, is forced at some emotionally complex moments but overall comes off well. He is surprisingly good at comedy - I laughed the hardest when he is pimped out by the station as an undercover gigolo. I also much enjoyed the stingy Zhao Jiwei's great relish and talent for self criticism and his eye for detail in the cracking of the diaper theft case. This memorable ensemble cast would not be as well rounded out or grounded in reality without Zhao Jiwei and his mentor Zhang Zhijie's focus on how it is the small things that make the biggest difference.
This slice of life drama is far from a fairytale - It doesn't try to suggest that life is fair or bad things don't happen to good people. It resonates because it is simply about coping with life's daily challenges. The outcomes are not always just and success and failure do not necessarily correlated with good or right decisions. All four of these young recruits come with baggage and are mentored by battle scarred veterans with their own issues. Their flaws and personal traumas enable them to process and respond to situations with compassion and compromise and thus not always to the full letter of the law. They may just be ordinary cops trying to be their best selves but together they prove that the sum of ordinary is great.
It is normal for these types of slice of life character dramas to be light on plot but the final arcs do dial up the complexity and intensity of the cases as the young recruits gain experience. While the drama does end at a climax, I would have preferred that they ended this on the penultimate gaslighting/cyber crime case. This drama was never about heroes so I am not sure we need to see history repeat itself with another Xia Jie in the making ten years down the road. It isn't a bad final arc at all it just strikes a bit of an odd note with the rest of the drama. That does not change that this is an immensely enjoyable story that made me reflect a bit, laugh a lot and tear up occasionally. I am rating it my first 9.0 for 2022.
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The acting is absolutely top-notch, the music is currently on infinite repeat in my apt, and I would watch this drama again.
I wished that there were more heart-pumping, squee/cringing moments--that kind that make you feel embarrassed and avert your eyes to give them privacy. But that's just me.
If you enjoy having a characters of the following variety:
love-to-hate, endearing, kick-ass, hilarious, hopelessly tragic, and one-you-watch-bc-you-fell-in-love-with-them-in-a-diff-drama/movie/etc
THEN THIS IS THE DRAMA FOR YOU!! ;D
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The prevailing mood is hilarious as the siblings spend their time swindling people of their money. And even though these siblings have such a heavy past hanging over them their banter with each other is fast, upbeat, and hilarious. Nevertheless the story doesn't seem silly but has depth because of the serious and sad moments when the three remember their parents and the pain over their loss.
So it's not a lie, this drama is surprisingly funny. And cleaver camera work too, you can be watching one scene and suddenly realize in the background there's a continuation of another scene going on at the same time. Brilliant!
"I would recommend it to everyone who likes stories which leave you with a laughing and a weeping eye.." - and I second that.
(Lingering thought: Nino as Ryo's older brother was a bit hard to swallow at first but that's just getting nit-picky on my part)
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At first I doubted if I should watch this drama since I really love the anime/manga and I don't want to be disappointed seeing the actors/actresses ruin the story. But since I really love the story I watched it... and I made the RIGHT CHOICE!
This drama was definitely a SUCCESSFUL one! For the story, I must compliment that they gave justice to the original story... They haven't made a lot of changes... almost the same, so much like the anime, but still, definitely worth watching.
For the actors, I really love the character of Tsuruga Ren in the anime (Dung He Lian in this drama), and I should say Choi Si Won has portrayed Ren's character well (just don't mind the voice dubbing). And I also did love how Ivy Chen portrayed Kyoko. Dong Hae was not bad as well... I really loved how all the cast portrayed their individual roles...
Music was definitely cool and awesome. Rewatch value (though I usually don't rewatch dramas), I would definitely watch this again after a couple of years... Overall, this was great!
You would definitely laugh your heart out! You'll enjoy watching this and for those who have watched the anime, you would enjoy this as much as you've enjoyed the anime version...
I definitely want to see a second season of this drama where they could include a lot more of scenes/story from the MANGA...
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I have been led to think by past experiences that the more I watch Asian dramas, the more fastidious I become; it is therefore quite ironic that in this case my better knowledge came out as an incentive to appreciate the drama more, not less.
When I approached Proposal Daisakusen the first time, all my attention was captured by the love story between Kenzo and Rei. I was so anxious for him to do the right thing and say the right words that I overlooked all the rest. But guess what: as odd as it may sound, this drama is all about 'the rest'. Daisakusen in Japanese means 'big strategy', as in organizing a war campaign. View in this light, we could think of Kenzo's time travelling as it were a war where single episodes are the several battles fought. To maintain the analogy, if while watching you put all your energy in trying to win every single battle, you'll end up frustrated, but if you keep the target in mind, i.e. win the war, you may truly appreciate this 'big strategy'. Despite all premises to the contrary, this drama is not so much about Kenzo managing to change Rei's heart as it is a journey of a young man understanding what's truly important in life and establishing clear priorities. It also makes you reflect upon the true meaning of love, whether it were only about declaring it aloud or rather be there when the person you love needs you.
In this sense, I believe this drama to be a lot cleverer than your average romantic comedy. It touches issues like friendship, family, loyalty, generosity and honesty. It takes its time, lingering on what seem little details, but it turns out that changing a small detail can make a huge difference not only in your life, but on the direction the people around you will take as well. The thin thread underlying the whole show is an old friend: carpe diem. Seize the moment and the opportunity, you may not have a second chance. This is a very simple philosophy, but it is so dear to me I firmly believe it cannot be repeated or stressed enough. Don't procrastinate, don't give the people around you for granted, thinking you have all the time in the world to do the right thing, to convey your feeling or to listen to them when they need an ear.
I consider the special as integral part of the drama, so I indirectly include that one in this review. They called it special, but it could just as well be episode 12, so I suggest you watch the special too before rating the show.
The acting is fine. It could have been more intense, but I'm willing to forgive the occasional stone-face because the characters created by the whole cast are truly endearing and hard to forget. They are very natural as a group of friends and as such I ended up imagining them.
The music isn't the strong trait of the drama. It has a lovely instrumental piece and a very old-fashioned song repeated now and again. In the end, I have become quite deaf to both. A little variety wouldn’t have hurt...
I suppose there's no need for me to explain why the re-watch value is so high. If you are ready to put aside Kenzo's eternal hesitation and Rei's insecurity - which by the way are paramount traits of their personality, without which the drama wouldn't have been created - and you fix gaze and mind on the whole picture, you may end up loving it as much as I did on second watching. There's a constellation of little events, many related to the Japanese culture and rituals, that is delicious and heart-warming.
After 7 years, I'm now ready to recommend this drama to everyone.
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Thus, is the case in Switched, when the least popular girl steals a popular classmate’s body. A common storyline of someone who switches bodies with someone else, but with a twist. The series focuses on Ayumi Kohinata, who was the once popular student and how she must now cope with her new body, try to get back to her own, and figure out who really cared for her, and not just for her looks.
One of the aspects I found refreshing in this story was the fact that Ayumi Kohinata was NOT a mean character. Many times, in body switching type stories, the popular girl would have been cruel and would have previously bullied the unpopular girl. That was not the case in this drama. Ayumi was sweet, and truly cared for her friends and boyfriend. However, you come to find out that not everyone is that way, and many care more for appearances than what lies beneath.
This drama was in no way the BEST drama I have ever seen but it was short, addictive, and totally binge-worthy. I LOVED some of the characters, especially Kaga. And I also, like the mystery, and twists that this drama had. I went into this show having low expectations but ended up watching it all in one sitting and truly enjoying it! The acting was great, the storyline was interesting, and the characters were interesting.
If you are like me and tend to steer clear of body-swapping dramas as they tend to be overdone and lack originality, reconsider on this one. This one is a really fast watch and has a different take on the subject. It might surprise you. (I know it did for me) Definitely recommend!
Happy Drama Watching!
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The story is excellent. You can see how much effort the writer and director put into it right from the first scene. While it gets dark and depressing, there is also a light tone to it during some parts. This is the first time I have watched a lesbian Korean movie and found myself highly loving it. While the two women serve as the main characters, Ha Jeong Woo also plays the male lead and has quite a presence throughout. During the entire course of the film, it will give you the feeling of reading a book than watching a film. It's poetic and literary in its narration and the atmosphere of the movie just amplifies all the best parts about the film.
There were a few erotic scenes but I felt like they were tastefully filmed. The girls have good chemistry with each other and Ha Jeong Woo was the perfect barrier between them. I was impressed by how well all three spoke Japanese in the movie (also the supporting cast). Plus the era the film is set in makes it a hundred times more interesting. It's intriguing to see Korea portrayed under the rule of Japan and you can see how much Korean culture was influenced by the Japanese during then. You could watch the movie just for the periodic setting and even then you could enjoy it for that solely as well.
What's cool about the movie is the plot- the conning, friendship, romance, perversion and obsession. There's also a slight revenge aspect to the story which was the main twist and made this movie way more likable. Also the costumes, sets and dialogues are what made it so fun. I swear I blushed during a few parts of the film because I never realized how erotic Japanese can sound with the right diction.
If you wanna know what sets this movie apart, it's the setting/era (undoubtedly) and also the ending. YES. The ending makes it all worth it. The entire 2+ hours will fly by and you will not even notice it. And the twist was so, so clever. Kudos to the writer.
Only watch it if you are over 18 or a mature teen. There are some scenes of torture and hints of BDSM and perversion. They are not too overbearing so do not worry. Just sit down and enjoy it- like me. The ending makes it the best thing ever. TRUST ME.
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1
1I really like the characters and the male lead to me, was just adorable. He isn't your typical korean tough guy/asshole, and he actually has a soft squishy side which I found made him more lovable. Yes, you may watch this if you're looking for eye candy.
I really don't have any complaints at all about the movie, it's definitely a must watch if you're into anything and everything romance like I am, especially if you're sick and tired of your typical lame kiss scenes that seem all too common in Korean TV; because these ones are very real and very passionate.
If you don't mind sex, vulgar language, and nudity then give this a shot, you'll laugh and go "aww" at the same time.
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True Lies
This must watch crime drama hooked me from the start and commanded my undivided attention till the end. My review is going to be brief because for this drama, spoilers will vastly diminish your viewing experience so best steer clear of the threads until you are done.Three children from broken families - Zhu Chao Yang (Rong Zishan), Yan Liang (Shi Pengyao) and Yue Pu (Wang Shengdi) accidentally record footage of a murder in progress. They bite off more than they can chew when they go toe to toe with the murderer in a deadly cat and mouse chess game that could lead to mutually assured destruction. This is brilliantly written and superbly acted, with dynamic relationships, complex emotions and mirror lead antagonists. The sophisticated and nuanced performances of all three child actors and notably Rong Zishan are impressive beyond words. They are surrounded by a veteran cast that deftly portrays realistic, empathetic characters with very human failings. This is a dark story about how social and familial pressure and occasionally just darn bad luck can make people do both deeply moving and terrifyingly chilling things. The suspense builds naturally as a result of gripping storytelling and acting and is not artificially induced by music.
As a mystery buff, I have loved the unreliable narrator style of storytelling since I read Agatha Christie's "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". The kind of darkness of human nature explored in this drama also coincides with my other Christie favorite "Crooked House" so this drama checks all my boxes. However, the adaption of this type of narrative style to film is incredibly difficult and usually disappointing - the movie version of Ian McEwan's Atonement is a classic example. So I am just bowled over by how meticulously and insidiously well executed The Bad Kids is. Even if you watch this without blinking, you will inevitably miss many of the true lies and scratch your head as to when and where the lines between fact and fantasy get blurred. There is no shocking "Aha!" moment - indeed initially I was convinced with and unquestioning of my first impression of what happened. I fell for the fairy tale hook, line and sinker. And then insidiously, all the alternate possibilities started to creep up upon me and drew me into re-watching. I watched this two times and and parts of it more than that and yet the ambiguities and different possibilities persist. That is actually what is fascinating, thrilling, chilling and absolutely mind blowing about this experience.
Of course there are some mild logic flaws but this is truly so well executed there is little to pick at without being petty. I can't praise this enough, it has to be the best crime/mystery I have watched as of June 2020. It can hold its own relative to the best in class of this genre not just in China but anywhere and everywhere. Two thumbs up!!!
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Shining as Each Other's Light
Love Like The Galaxy (星汉灿烂) is adapted from the novel of the same name (星汉灿烂, 幸甚至哉). Love Like The Galaxy narrative revolves around Cheng Shaoshang, daughter of the Cheng family, who was left by her parents when she was a baby; and Ling Buyi, a general who’ trying to unfold the conspiracy behind what happened in the past. The drama narrative then starts years later, during the return of her parents.Love Like The Galaxy storytelling is executed nearly to perfection; the story unfolds at a casual pace, with a gradual development of the characters, unravelling their background story and relationships. The drama also has an interesting storyline with a really well-conceived and realistically written character, every character is multi-faceted and complex, with their own background story. It also has a lot of interesting characters and relationship dynamics; their relationship dynamic is realistically and convincingly portrayed.
The first 10 episodes of the drama started off with a hint of comedic and light-hearted note, which is really pleasing. I absolutely adore the comedic elements in the drama with the storytelling approach. The drama's comedic elements are not forced nor cheap, it is genuinely light-hearted and funny, and I adore how they use wordplay. I especially love how Shaoshang is always on her wits to fight back against others who bully her or people around her. The first 10 episode shows Shaoshang's family dynamic, her relationship with her mother, father, brothers, and more. Some scenes were really heartbreaking to see but also heartwarming at the same time. Moving on, the drama gradually shows Shoashang’s growth, how she learns to rely on herself, find love and more. There are happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment and all.
It is comforting to see a drama that focuses on the family dynamics, not all on romance. I personally love how the romance between Ling Buyi and Cheng Shaoshang is taking time, instead of both of them falling in love at first sight. We can gradually see how Shaoshang starts to develop feelings for Ling Buyi because of his gesture and actions, which is more realistic. Though they have very different personalities, it is very pleasant to see how they learn to love, learn to grow up and face problems around them; they are made for each other.
The drama is directed by Fei Zhenxiang, who is known for directing Candle in The Tomb series. This drama is his first time directing a historical drama and he did a really remarkable job. He is able to show his unique and distinct style, and deliver the picture he has in mind. Also because of his experience in tomb raiding dramas, he is able to portray those bloody scenes really well.
Love Like The Galaxy also has really impressive cinematography and sets, it has beautiful wide shots, immersive tracking shots, and many more pretty shots. For now, I especially love the one-long take on episode 7 and the lantern festival shots! The shot is really fluid and immersive. Moreover, the cinematography and colour grading really reflected every atmosphere and situation, it will leave a deep impression on the audience. Through the cinematography and set, you can see that this drama has a big budget and it is allocated well. The fire during the lantern festival is not created using CGI, it is real, the production team spent 3 days creating a new building and for it to be burned down.
The characterizations of each role in the drama are immensely elevated by the excellent acting of Zhao Lusi and Wu Lei. They deliver such an in-depth and rich character arc, with a myriad of emotional expressions. Both of the actors are able to convey their emotions through micro expression and the way they articulate every scene is really praiseworthy. They have small actions that reflect their emotion, for instance, how Ling Buyi’s eyebrow slightly raised when he saw Shaoshang; and how Shaoshang looks away when she saw her mother being close to her cousin instead of her.
The character, Cheng Shaoshang was stellarly portrayed by Zhao Lusi. She did a very good job, it is unimaginable that others can pull off Shaoshang’s character in such a compelling way. Through this drama, she also manages to show everyone that she can also play dramas other than tianchongs drama. She manages to show the character’s sincerity, but also complex and intriguing at the same time, not compromising on what the character experienced. Zhao Lusi manages to infuse her character with kindness and righteousness, also with a sense of pragmatism. Throughout the drama, she also was able to portray layers of Shaoshang; Shaoshang’s facade of being ignorant and unruly but also her fragility and her longing to be loved by her family. Zhao Lusi also uses her own voice here, I love how she has this milky and soft voice that is really soothing! But also, because of her milky voice, some part with heavier elements makes falls short, due to her lack of emotional line delivery.
Wu Lei also did a very notable job! Seeing him in the drama, really makes me feel that he has really grown up, he is no longer the kid in Nirvana in Fire. Ling Buyi is a hard role to play since he has a cold and indifferent exterior, but at the same time he is also complicated, he is sincere and sinister at the same time. But Wu Lei managed to execute it to perfection with his articulation, bearing, stance, and his micro-expressions. He especially displays a remarkable line delivery, which shows Ling Buyi’s authority. Some might dislike how he only has this one expression throughout the drama, but I love it. Because you will gradually see how his character starts changing, how he began to smile more because of Shaoshang’s presence.
Love Like The Galaxy also has enchanting music scoring and realistic yet sweet lines. The drama has bold music scoring with traditional Chinese instruments that match every situation so well. The diegetic and non-diegetic sound is very fitting to every situation. Moreover, the dialogues in the drama are also very realistic. Though realistic, it still didn’t take away its romantic essence of it.
The drama also has some very interesting detail, such as:
1. Ep 11: Yuan Shen broke the shaoshang string while he was playing the guqin, foreshadowing that he’ll not end up with Shaoshang.
2. Ep 12: Shaoshang used a shaoshang string to save Ling Buyi. The string was drenched in blood, which also becomes a red string, connection to 月老, god of love
3. Shaoshang and her fiancées carriage detail:
- Luo Yao-open cart. He won’t be able to go through wind and rain (difficulties)
- Yuan Shen-carriage. He sat in main seat (self centered)
- Ling Buyi-big stable carriage. SS sat in main seat, he sat on side guarding her.
4. Ling Buyi is often framed in a wide shot and positioned in a high place. Showing that he has high and influential power, but also makes him look lonely. And It was only after he met Shaoshang, that those wide high angle shots gradually lessens.
Love Like The Galaxy is considered to release early, they released the drama and also working on the post-production at the same time. LLTG team still did a notable job in editing, but I can’t help to notice that in the latter episodes the CG was not as good and as smooth as in the beginning episodes.
All in all, do give this drama a try! After watching the first two episodes of the drama, you'll find yourself wanting more. The drama visuals, story, and emotion will pull you in deep. And every episode keeps on getting better and better, with unexpected comedic and heartbreaking twists and turns. You would find yourself watching back some of the clips just to appreciate the dialogue and actions.
P.s. I also love how they especially edit their trailer, unlike other drama where they just edit a 1-minute scene of the next episode, LLTG team especially meticulously edit their trailer, leaving the audience to guess and interprets what is going to happen in the next upcoming episode.
“Might as well expect less from others, and be better to yourself. You’ll live more comfortably.”
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I would very much like to review it in its own right, i.e. without comparing it to the original Korean version, but I found out it's impossible for more than one reason. First, because the majority of those who loved You're Beautiful were biased towards this remake from the look of the actors alone and didn't even give it a chance; second, because ironically my having watched the original made me appreciate this version a lot more. Therefore, I'll set my usual policy aside and write a comparative review.
I liked Ikemen Desu Ne more than You're Beautiful in many respects.
Despite having kept the plot almost untouched, the Japanese made some subtle changes to this drama which results in a completely different feel to it. This version has a younger look; although the Korean actors were in the same age range as the Japanese when You're Beautiful aired, the first looked somehow older. The aftereffect is that while Ikemen feels like kids playing kids, You're Beautiful is about adults being childish.
Because the Japanese remake lasts half the time as the Korean, they had to condense the original story and cut a good number of scenes. As it seems, they decided on cutting mostly on comedic scenes and secondary characters. I have missed some truly hilarious parts of the original, but at the same time I'm happy they skipped some and didn't linger on aunts, fans, managers and the like.
But what really made it for me is the female lead character. Mio is a sweet, generous girl out of her element, dealing with her firsts: first experience on stage, first friendship, first love. While in the beginning she unwittingly makes mistakes, she shows strength of will and some pride, which makes it easy to connect with her. Go Mi Nam was a über-humble klutz in the beginning and remained such till the very end, a trait which I personally found irritating to say the least. The fact that the biggest part of the comedy in YaB derived from Go Mi Nam's nth mishap made me very happy the Japanese decided to show a girl a little less frustrating and hen-pecked.
This leads me to the male lead. The difference is quite notable too. Ren starts as haughty and impatient, but shows his true colours very soon. He's a softie. The tormented relationship with his mother is stressed upon in this version, so that his yearning for affection and eventually falling for Mio comes out as very natural. Tae Kyung, on the other hand, is an arrogant young man who learns to think about others too. But we have to wait until the very last to see his transformation and even then he can't do without a couple of bravados or two.
This is why I loved Mio & Ren as a couple, while I barely tolerated Mi Nam and Tae Kyung.
The other "angels" grew on me. They may not be as good-looking as the Korean, but I believe they played their roles well and I refuse to start a debate on the most undebatable issue on earth: taste. As a group, the Japanese A.N.Jell look more like friends than their Korean counterparts. The relationship between Ren and Shu (Tae Kyung and Shin Woo in YaB) is better explored in IDN and I truly liked to watch them fight for the love of Mio.
I have a hard time rating the music. Some songs are the same as in the original, but in Japanese. I didn't care much for them and I think the Korean sang and executed them much better. On the other hand, I truly loved the instrumental music played in between songs. The piano piece is lovely, and used in just the right scenes.
This review has been long enough. I felt the need to write it because I think it's unfair to judge it without watching it to the end and I always get fired up when I read commentaries like "they are ugly" or "they can't compare". If you think you're an unbiased watcher and you like young dramas, give Ikemen Desu Ne a try. You may end up liking it more than expected.
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Her Second Chance - a fight for justice
The Double (in my opinion) has rightfully earned a top spot among the recently aired historical/periodical Cdramas (on par with Love Like the Galaxy and Kunning Palace). It is a suspenseful story that follows the female lead on her journey towards revenge as she makes friends and finds the true love of her life. Both the female and male leads make intelligent decisions (for the most part) as the story progresses, hooking the audience from start to finish.Adapted from the Chinese novel “Marriage of the Di Daughter”, The Double stars Wu Jinyan and Wang Xingyue, both of whom have starred in many successful dramas. Firstly, please allow me to say that their age gap was not a problem. In fact, after watching The Double, I can’t imagine anyone else as Xue Fangfei and Xiao Heng. Their chemistry was simply this strong and is reflected in the satisfaction of nearly all viewers.
The Double was not on my Plan-to-Watch list. In fact, I was skeptical to even begin the drama. What’s so special about some revenge/identity change drama? But there is just so much to talk about, from the plot and production to the acting and characters. After the female lead, Xue Fangfei grasps this second chance to live, she grips it firmly and doesn’t let go, determined to find justice for all who were wronged. We follow XFF on her journey towards justice for her family and powerless civilians as she gains support from those around her. She takes on Jiang Li’s identity, seeking revenge for both herself and the girl who should’ve lived a carefree life as a daughter of the Jiang family, hence the name of the drama. XFF shows us that there is hope in anything we do, as long as we are still alive and hold the motivation and strong belief. She suffers tremendously but fights for her eventual happiness.
What I particularly like about this drama are the complexities of many of the characters. There’s really much more than meets the eye, and we get to see the backstories of a few of the villains. While I do wish that the director/producer allocated more screen time to the main couple, it was quite interesting to learn more about Princess Wanning and Ji Shuran, though I still think that some scenes were unnecessary, such as some between Wanning and Shen Yurong. (it’s also important to know that Chinese regulations have set a max number of eps to 40, so scenes should be chosen carefully). Some were disappointed with the ending, as it seemed a bit rushed and unfinished. However, the ending scene in Episode 40 makes it much more memorable, with XFF’s billowing red gown and XH riding on his horse to his wife. And be sure to watch the extra episodes that the leads just filmed a few days ago! It wraps everything up nicely. (ugh, I just wish dramas could go over 40 eps…)
Compared to other historical dramas, The Double’s romance is much more slow-burning. However, there’s a lot of flirting between the leads and I find myself always forward to their dialogues, no matter how brief they are. The leads’ interactions in the first half of the drama were also quite amusing to watch. XFF constantly asks Xiao Heng for favors, to which he easily agrees. Xiao Heng is known throughout the capital as a ruthless duke who should not be meddled with, but XFF treats him differently. Throughout the drama, there are numerous details (faint but noticeable) that suggest Xiao Heng’s increasing interest in Xue Fangfei. She is originally regarded as a pawn who puts on amusing shows for Xiao Heng to watch but soon becomes so much more important to him.
Another special aspect between the leads is the mutual trust and respect. Xue Fangfei knows that she can trust Xiao Heng no matter what, and he thinks the same about her. While there are supporting characters who are attracted to the leads, they aren’t a roadblock in the leads’ relationship and actually become more loveable. I loved watching the strong friendships form between Xue Fangfei, Ye Shijie, Jiang Jingrui, and Liu Xu. They have such different personalities yet end up becoming each other’s greatest supporters. The bromance between the emperor and Xiao Heng also remains strong from start to finish. The emperor was thoughtful and warmhearted but also remained alert; he is a ruler I would support. So many supporting characters made the drama fun to watch: On top of Tong’er and XFF’s new friends, Lu Ji and Wen Ji were Xiao Heng’s most loyal subordinates and Wen Ji was especially funny. And we don’t want to forget about the villains, who are people that can easily be hated to the bone (especially Shen Yurong, ew). Actors embodied their characters to the fullest extent. Liang Yongqi as SYR really gave off lifeless vibes to the point that I was questioning if his eyes were this lifeless irl. (In reality, he’s a funny boy who enjoys his iced coffees, lol!) Wang Xingyue told stories with his eyes (and bless the eyeliner) and Wu Jinyan completely stepped up into her role as a girl determined to help the righteous. The way WJY runs in her outfit is absolutely stunning as well. She’s received so many hateful comments over the years regarding her acting but has proven the haters wrong with this drama.
In terms of production, the costumes and sets were gorgeous. Duke Su was [perfectly] fierce and handsome wearing his red wardrobe, while Xue Fangfei’s lighter-colored attire matched her elegance and intelligence at the Gu Zheng and chessboard. The women’s hairstyles were intricately decorated with beautiful hairpins and other ornaments, and it was my first time seeing the pearl makeup look (inspired by the Song Dynasty). Camera angles were chosen masterfully and the blossom scenes were particularly memorable. It was fun to watch Duke Su fight the majority of his battles with his fan, and his constant “A’Li’s” (definitely not fangirling).
All in all, The Double may just be the drama of this summer (there always seems to be one or two summer dramas that captivate viewers, and I’m certain this is the one for 2024). On top of the beautiful costumes, loveable/hateable supporting characters, and swoon-worthy moments between the leads, the drama emphasizes the fight for justice. It is an intriguing revenge drama with a slow yet strong love story.
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