Reviews

In summary, if you are looking for a satisfying romance (and by satisfying I do not necessarily mean it should have a happy ending), you should definitely go elsewhere. If you are looking for something dark and thought provoking, I think that might have been what they were going for, but it's been done better.


It started off interesting, if cliched (your typical Cinderella-esque story)

BUT, there were more characters and storylines than the writers or the cast really knew what to do with, and in trying to do justice to all they really did justice to none.

They dropped hints that they never picked up, and generally lead the viewer to believe there was more meaning than there ever ended up being. I think it was this promise of something that led so many people to the last episode, and the utter failure to deliver that has inspired so many negative reviews.

The ending was shocking, but in a better crafted drama it would have worked. It never pretended to be a rom-com, so a nice neat happy ending was unnecessary, but at the same time it only ever played at being the kind of dark drama it tried to become at the end. In this case it felt like a cop-out, like the writers simply couldn't find any other way out of the quagmire they'd created. Like they thought the shock value alone would make everyone forget all of the loose ends, and the fact that basically every character was stripped of any respect or redeeming character traits. Like the ending alone would somehow make it profound and thought provoking.

All it did, and not just the final minutes, but the absurd pacing of the entire final episode, was highlight the flaws up until that point. The drama was at the same time repetitive and inconsistent, unbearably long and at the same time rushed, a mess of contradictions that did not work in its favor.

In the end it tries to be too many things and succeeds at none.

Leia Mais

Fluffy but shallow, has a lot of cute moments

This series got off to a strong start, with an age difference plot where a 17-year old (almost 18) aggressively pursues a man 10 years older. At first it's charming and fun, as Akira, the 27-ish owner of a local laundramat, is a bit scandalized that a high school kid is after him. The dialog and interplay between Akira's discomfort with the situation and Shin's cocky confidence that he was going to get his man was entertaining and cute.

But instead of dwelling more on what I would think would be the central conflict (the age difference), the plot devolves into an endless loop of both characters drawing back from each other - Akira because he's afraid that if Shin spends so much time with him his schoolwork will suffer and he won't get into a good school, and Shin because he doesn't want Akira to blame himself if Shin can't get into a good school.

The thing is, it's not zero-sum. Being with someone you love is energizing and their support can help you get through difficulty, so it just feels like the story is just forcing the characters into a holding pattern until Shin is 18 and graduated.

In addition, Akira has been harboring an old crush on his high school teacher, Sakuma, who is an interesting character - a bit hapless but mature and a real gentleman, an ably acted. The storyline was too long and dragged-out, however, like much of this series.

The other problem for me is that Akira is so immature and devoid of any impulse toward self-examination that there is no character progression - just a passive 2D character that things happen to.

The series really has nothing to say and follows a fairly conventional course, which is a shame given it's "forbidden relationship" elements. It's a fluff piece, with a lot of cute moments, but by the end the characters have been running in circles so long that I stopped caring what happened to them.

The ending is quite lovely and doesn't follow the usual fomula, which made it a delight because I wasn't correctly anticipating every line of dialog like I usually can in series like this.

If you like cute and fluffy, you may enjoy this. I don't mind recommending it - but you may want to give in to the urge to fast-forward though tiresome parts - you won't miss anything and it may make the show more enjoyable for you.

This would have benefitted from being about a third shorter - then the thin plot would have marched foward without repeating the same pattersn over and over, and the ending would be more anticipated.

Leia Mais

I don’t even know what to say...

If I had 10 cents for every time I wanted to DNF this series, I'd have a thousand cents in my PayPal account!
Sigh.
I feel some type of way…
I am disappointed.
Maybe it’s my mood?Maybe it’s work? Maybe it’s cause I’m thirsty?
I don’t even know.
This is like sitting down to eat the fruit salad I normally enjoy, but instead, I was served random ingredients mixed with cream and ice cream. I reluctantly ate it all because I knew my favorite fruits (strawberries) were in there somewhere, as long as I kept digging around for them.
I guess I should get to the series ha? Yeah, well that is something, and it can’t be denied that watching this is certainly an experience - Positive, negative, annoying, funny, stupid...somehow.
I’m waffling, thinking about fruit salad or whatever, but the truth is that I really don't have any strong opinions about this show. Mostly just bemused annoyances. I think I’m probably being too critical, because I didn’t even dislike this. Don’t get me wrong, it started well at first, but my enthusiasm quickly faded ( I want to listen to Faded...I'm faded, I'm faded. So lost, I'm faded, I'm faded.So lost, I'm faded).
Maybe I’m just annoyed because I thought the plot was doing one thing when actually just ended up doing another. I would say this was more of an romance serials sparkled with some very not hungry vampires.
I love vampire stories. I love romantic stories. I love vampires romantic stories. So, by the same logic, I should have liked show. If the universe was fair and rational, I would have loved it and given it ten stars. But it she is not fair.

But this series was not:
- funny
- scary
- compelling
- exciting
- populated by lovable characters (there was one and they killed him.)
It was:
- predictable
- the kind of clichés that feels like a trick
- centered the most boring one the romance I have ever watched
- sad yes, but mostly just exhausting
- this one was simply just too darn slow for me.
This is a sweet, hot, tiresome lengthy story.
Mark is basically a Rome god and Tong is basically Sleeping Beauty or something. OK, fine, one years ago, we all swoon for hot handsome engineers. Today, we swoon for hot vampire who have a personality and does not drink the golden blood.I guess my cynicism is showing.

Okay enought with the negative.
I'm a fan of the opening song. I love it. There is some sort of magic in this song. I am so obsessed with it. I could listen to it all day.

Тhis show just is not for me. But if this one has caught your eye, don't let my opinion sway you. So many people have loved this series and I’m just really sad I couldn’t. I started out expecting to love this story.

Final
The series started with a bang, but ended with a dang.Thank God it's over.

Leia Mais

Feels like this drama is going to be universally cherished, an instant 10!

I have rarely rated k-dramas as 10 because those kinds are truly top-tier and close to my heart. This one feels like one of them. The character is a lawyer and on the autism spectrum which the drama takes utmost care in addressing. As a psychology student myself, I can tell that its neurodiverse representation is done right in many ways, exploring many facets of ableism. (Also, it's got amazing LGBTQIAP+ rep!)

The drama portrays how her co-workers are more or less 'accepting' of her but you may observe some forms of microaggressions towards the character even from their end. She receives pity and judgement in plenitude. Hence, it would be nice to see this show explore how people around her take efforts to address and overcome their prejudices in future episodes. The series even touches upon the capitalization of women's bodies in episode 2, so look forward to that because it highlights a great narrative on intellectual and body autonomy.

Love how each episode is dedicated to a new case. This format is crucial for addressing a wide range of social aspects and the show sets out to do exactly that. It leaves you to think about a lot of its themes, about the nuances and perspectives one can use to interpret certain scenes which are all equally valid.

Leia Mais

Very draggy

"Nabi" is my first lakorn. The first few episodes start off well. My only complaint in the beginning was the ML constantly grabbing the FL and dragging her everywhere. A few times would be okay, but I could've started a drinking game with the amount of times he did it. Towards the middle, the show quickly became draggy. The cause, I think, is likely the writing. They obviously had to stretch a simple storyline to 22 episodes and it was tiring at times. I didn't help that what happened to Nabi's sister and Kawin's mother was revealed so early on...

So why did I stick around? Two reasons, really. Fah and Joss had great chemistry and I genuinely like the cast. They were all doing the best with the script they were given. Nat, especially, was able to carry most of the show. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to carry it through that terrible ending. I mean, are you kidding me? Half the characters took stupid pills towards the end and you cannot change my mind on that.

To improve "Nabi," I think the writers should've incorporated more flashback scenes. I really enjoyed the ones they did show and thought it added more depth to the characters. Nabi and Kawin's were particularly touching. Also, more time should've been given to Luke and Jan's characters who ended up being glorified extras. I guess that also goes for Wa and Sirin, who were basically forgotten, despite them being the mystery of the show.

I was entertained for the most part but I was not satisfied with the ending. I will likely never watch "Nabi" again, though I look forward to the cast's other projects.

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que merda kkkk

de verdade la pluie comecou MUITO BOM o plot d almas gemeas era incrivel eu amo esse tipo de plot e isso me deixou mt animada p assistir, eu tava super animada contava os dias p os eps... mas foi comecando a desandar o protagonista (saengtai) era INSUPORTÁVEL!! quando chegou no plot do lomfon foi o momento que mais ODIEI, cara??? é um bl sobre >almas gemeas< e eles vao la e metem um triângulo amoroso??? kkkkkkk sem comentários ai juntaram esse plot c o prota insuportável n consegui tankar mal via a hora de acabar pprt. Tinha TUDO p ser o melhor bl do ano era um plot muito bom e atores interessantes os primeiros eps foram perfeitos mas tiveram que estragar e colocaram coisa que Nem tinha na novel... desnecessário demais to muito desapontada com esse bl realmente nao consigo da uma nota boa muitas coisas me incomodaram e me irritaram muito enqnt assistia

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"Everything will be fine when the sun rises"

From the moment you see four white circles dancing over frosted tree tops you know you are watching a master at work. Director Zhang Yi Mou takes on the spy genre with the grace and flare he has refined over the decades.

Four Chinese spies trained in the USSR drop into Japanese controlled Manchuria to rescue an escaped prisoner of the dreaded Beiyinhe camp, where prisoners were tortured, experimented on and killed. They want him to tell his story so that the world will know what is going on in those devilish camps. Unfortunately, from the moment they hit the snow covered ground and split up they find themselves in even greater danger because a traitor has revealed their mission to the enemy.

Xiang Chen partners with Lan as Team 1, while his wife, Yu, and Lan's lover Chu Liang form Team 2. Both teams run into subterfuge and lies dipped in murderous intent. The pace of the film moves ever forward with enough chases through the snow on foot, in trains, and in automobiles to keep things exciting. It's often a cat and mouse and cat and mole frantic affair. The script took a sentimental turn at the end, which frankly, I enjoyed because I'm a big softie at heart, even when watching a spy film. That's not to say there wasn't violence, fair warning for the squeamish, there were some utterly brutal torture scenes and deaths.

Zhang Yi Mou took a flawed script and made it gripping as each of the team members had to get by on their wits as well as their training. His trademark stunning shots and framing were in effect in every scene. This truly looked like a frigid world, emotionally and physically. The Republican Era costumes were sharp and spy approved black with plenty of Fedoras and fur-lined coats. Cho Young Wuk's music perfectly fit the scenes regardless of the mood. The closing song's melody was hauntingly beautiful. As a whole the film was stunningly put together.

Zhang Yi as the team leader did an admirable job playing the skilled and stoic spy. Yu He Wei as Zhou, the man dangerously straddling two worlds had me rooting for him and hoping I wasn't wrong. Unlike many Zhang Yi Mou films, the women's roles seemed less well defined though the two female spies held their own as they struggled to find a way out of the traps they were in.

Cliff Walkers wasn't a perfect film but I found it engaging nonetheless and a treat for the eyes and ears. Zhang Yi Mou has run afoul of the censors before so hopefully, this more patriotic film will give him more room to work in future endeavors. Having said that, he kept the political propaganda to a minimum focusing more on the individuals, their strategies to overcome the terrible odds and sacrifices that had to be made. I found it to be a well made spy thriller and worth checking out, especially if you enjoy this director's works.

9/24/22

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This was hot hot hot!

Revenge of Begonia did catch my eye while it aired but i decided to wait til summer to watch it. Its not for everyone`s taste, especially being a web short drama, and the cliche trope (though so deliciously done) and the very dark turn of events where the mainleads get so destructive in their relationship. I loved the mainleads so much. The Male Lead was this ruthless but neverthless good hearted warrior and our female lead totally ensnared him with her pure seduction and charm...and eventually stole his heart. I love romance so much and the romance between them was so very gawd hot and passionate!

Leia Mais

MC needs BTS to tell her to "Love Yourself"

Okay, where do I even begin.

I've read like 10 chapters of the webtoon itself, so I'm not sure how that ends, but I must say the drama itself is very confusing.

STORY:
It started off really strong as I've always been interested in "beauty" type dramas. Also, I love seeing transformation. However, DO NOT go into this drama w/ a True Beauty mindset because it is nothing like it (except MCs hiding under a fake persona??) I feel the progression of the drama got super messy because certain characters were thrown in without explanation. I felt viewers needed more background on the MC and her family but I guess you can't do that w/ such a short web drama. It's a very cliche story and a lot of the characters weren't even necessary but okay, director.

ACTING:
Okay, this is good. HOWEVER, some of the characters must've done a REAL good job because they pissed me off so much and I wanted to either a.) scream or b.) punch them through the screen. The MC is super super super super stubborn and she really needs to learn to speak up for herself... but of course, we can't expect much from a low self-esteem character. All the actors did a good job, especially the villian because they were annoying.

There are no special/specific OSTs so like... rip. But color toning of each episode was super aesthetic and I loved binging this drama because of the 25min per episode. Go into this drama w/ a clear mindset and just relax without thinking of anything. This is not a heavy drama, with just sprinkles of mystery and thriller. Do not count on romance to be the center of this drama.

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An adventure to find yourself

Her Fantastic Adventures is a drama that finally aired after finishing production, four years ago. This drama is an adaptation of the novel entitled The Crazy Adventures of Wu Gate by Ying Zhao. The main characters is played by Song Yiren as Qi Chun Jiao, Gu Qing Qiao and Guo Jun Chen as Duan Yu.

Synopsis: This drama tells the story of a female athlete who accidentally travels to the past, when she was at the lowest point in her life.

Note: this is not the first Song Yiren's drama about time travel, although of the year it was produced, it is the first. The other one is Different Princess which has been broadcast first.

Plot:
The drama is set almost entirely in ancient times with occasional flashbacks to modern life. In ancient life, Qi Chun Jiao reunites with four men she knows in modern life, namely the man she likes, Duan Yu and his younger brother, Shaoyi, her best friend, Lu ZiZheng, and her team doctor, Ruan. With them, she underwent great challenges and adventures.

My opinion:
Even though recently there have been many dramas in this genre, it seems like The director was trying to take a different approach. If you don't mind spoilers, please keep reading.

The adventures she went through are like an escape from her heartache, disappointment, fear and despair. But is everything running smoothly? No, she must fight to survive and quickly return to real life.
When she finally comeback, they didn't go into more detail about what happened to Qi Chun Jiao's athlete career, but when she woke up from a coma, mother embraced her with love. And life goes on, as the story moves forward to five years later. It turned out that the five of them were still in close relationships with each other. And in my opinion, the main female character has moved on from all the feelings that shackled her and has become an independent businesswoman. However, it cannot be denied that this time Duan Yu and she have to face their unresolved feelings in the past.
In conclusion, everything that happened in ancient times was part of a dream that had no direct impact on real life because the people she met in ancient times did not experience or remember these dreams. It's just part of her inner struggle and personal growth process.

Closing:
This is definitely not Song Yiren's best drama but her acting never disappoints me. The main couple's chemistry isn't the best either, but their chemistry is better in modern life. Song Yiren, Guo Jun Chen and Li Jiu Lin show good acting, especially towards the end of the drama. The background music and songs are good and pleasant to listen to.
This drama could be an option for those of you who are fans of time travel, as well as a drama filler. Don't think too hard and don't expect too much.

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"Even before we entered the world we were marked by karma."

Lady Snowblood is the film that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. Yuki's blood spewing revenge is a cautionary tale of feminine vengeance. Splendidly filmed with an impassioned OST, the unique style based on a manga, and the excellent acting make this film one worth seeking out if you enjoy this genre.

Born to a dying mother in a prison on a snowy day, Yuki was charged with her family's vendetta against the villains who murdered her father and brother and viciously raped her mother. She grew up trained by a ruthless master to become the hand of death to the group that had decimated her family. One by one she hunts the villains down, in her lovely kimonos with a deadly umbrella to gracefully slash her way through the people who had inspired this life she'd never asked for. Beneath her beautiful veneer lay a dark and fiery need for payback for her dead family, one she had never known. Tasked with never feeling emotion, Yuki retains shreds of compassion as she interacts with those she comes across in her rampage. Ironically, she opens another cycle of vengeance by her actions.

The film lays the blood spewing on thick, every slash sends the gooey red paint flying everywhere. Puddles of blood enough for a slain army float around the unlucky bodies. As the story begins on a snowy day with a child born pure but commissioned with her first breaths with the bloody job of vengeance, so the ending scene leaves the beautiful assassin with her butterfly kimono covered in blood in the snow wondering if there is life after revenge.

There were some subtle and not so subtle political messages about corruption in the upper echelons of the military and government. And though the plight of the poor was pointed out, it dispelled the myth that the poor are always good hearted. I wish there had been more of an attempt to understand what a woman must feel growing up with brutal training and an unbreakable oath for people she had never met.

As many older martial arts films with swordplay tended to do, this one used the almost dance and slash technique. Best to not think too hard about the fight choreography from a realistic stance but to admire it for the stylistic forms.

Lady Snowblood was in many ways similar to other revenge fueled martial arts movies but elevated by the haunting music, colorful cinematography, and the stellar acting of Kaji Meiko. If eyes were knives, her targets would already be dead with the cold steely glare she honed in on them with. Kaji's expressive face and graceful moves enhanced the tension filled moments of her hunting her prey even when she had to settle for satisfaction instead of revenge.

If you are looking for a modern movie you may be disappointed. This is a film rich in character with old style effects. Revenge is a dish best served cold and Lady Snowblood served it on a silver blade.

"Forgive me! Spare me!"
"I shall do neither."

3/2/23

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有法无天 The Rule of Law

It seems many viewers miss this wonderful series because it was released with all the episodes in one go unexpectedly. Despite its cheesy title, Miss Chun is a Litigator, this is a very enjoyable short drama with not many fillers. Every scene is important that leads to the next. The plot is not too complicated, but the background of some main characters is mysterious, creating excitement for the viewers, spurring on the story. And not to forget to mention the three gorgeous male leads, this is a great series for all.

Chun Tumi (Sabrina Zhuang) is a young girl passionate about federal and local laws. From childhood, she has immersed herself in reading the law book that was written and passed down by her late mother. She becomes very well-versed with the laws. One day, she was forced to defend her father in court because no one else would. There, in court, she is noticed by two court officials appointed by the Emperor. They recognize her talent and want to recruit her. After giving her a deal she can’t resist, she becomes an important member of the judiciary team which is responsible for combing through past court cases to make sure none is being misjudged.

Unlike most other female actors who are usually cute, pretty and flamboyant, Sabrina Zhuang has a solemn demeanor that makes her a good fit for the Chun Tumi character as the character is a rather mature and serious person despite of her age. Sabrina’s acting is believable as a litigator with her matter-of-factly face and calm composure during her litigation fights. Most of the cases involve further investigations which are not shown nor explained, but Miss Chun somehow manages to present the evidence in court.

The three main male characters are amazingly good looking. The writer teases the viewers by showing seemingly all three have love interest for Chun Tumi. All three have a mysterious background which is not revealed until very much later.

The first mysterious character is the Ye Cha (Huang Junjie) character. He’s disguised as a horse footman hired by Chun Tumi. He is cold and quiet, and always hides behind a large farmer hat. He seems to have an interest in Chun Tumi as he always appears in places around her, hidden away, watching and helping her secretly. Huang Junjie’s portrayal is acceptable, but I don’t like how he squints his eyes most of the time to look serious and cold. Ye Cha is introduced right at the beginning, then disappears most of the time, or hidden lurking somewhere, until in the middle of the drama. The focus of the male character shifts to Han Wuwei (Fan Zhixin) and has been on him right from the start to the end.

Han Wuwei is my favorite character. He is a military general, playful, insightful and a very good swordsman. He has no qualm with decorum and seems to appear everywhere where Chun Tumi goes. He is the one who first notices her talent and incorporates her into his team. He seems to have a love interest in her, but puzzles viewers how the relationship later develops. His actual identity is mysterious until the later part of the story. Fan Zhixin is sunny and flamboyant and has acted very well here as Han Wuwei.

The third male character, Kang Zhengyuan (Qin Tian), is a judiciary official authorized by the Emperor to travel around the country to look through closed cases to ensure they are being done properly and justly. Qin Tian’s portrayal of the no-nonsense Kang Zhengyuan is convincing, making him a well-loved character. He and Han Wuwei give the viewers a lot of sweet bromance and it’s interesting to see the men banter.

My Verdict
This is a very enjoyable drama about the ancient judiciary system, justice, and litigation, with a mix-ins of wuxia and conspiracy from a dark group. Finding out the actual truth is important but very difficult. It is hard to distinguish between good info or fake news. Even if a truth is almost 100% truthful, a small percentage of untruth can lead to a devastating outcome. This is the scenario our characters must tread carefully to preserve justice.

Season 1 scrapes the surface of the secret group and stops short before any alluded royal palace power struggle. Though some scenes skip abruptly, it hasn’t destroyed the story or the plot. By the end of the drama, there is a plot twist and Han Wuwei seems to have turned dark. This is a cliff hanger and whets viewers’ interest for Season 2.

Great watch! Don’t miss it!

Leia Mais

The actors and music in this drama are great, but the story has too many flaws. I liked the plot but there are just too many things that does not make sense in the story. A lot of scenarios in the drama are very obviously suspicious, but the characters don't even realize that there's anything fishy. It just makes you wonder how stupid the characters in this drama are. Also, a lot of the details about the main character are nearly scientifically impossible. I would think that any university high student can realize those suspicious details, but yet the characters in the drama did not. I just feel that the screenwriters did a very poor job researching, too many things in the drama just doesn't make sense.

Also, this drama has way too many flashbacks! You need flashbacks in dramas, but this drama just has way too many of the same flashbacks over and over again.

The only reason I continued to finish this drama was because of Zhang Han.

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