If I'm being perfectly honest I mostly watched because Go Ara was in it, I loved her character, she was easy to fall in love with. But wow, the rest of the cast floored me. The drama and intrigue was off the charts. Jung ll Woo was amazing, you really felt his burden and sincerity throughout. Kwan Yool was hilarious as well. I also have a soft spot for Nam Ki Ae as Queen Inwon, what a sweety and what a wonderful smile.
I actually really loved, especially toward the end, the relationship between Jung Moon Sung's character Prince Milpoong and Bae Jung Hwa's character Bok Dan. I know I was supposed to hate them but I just felt sorry for them, it just seemed so tragic.
The story was fantastic and you really were on the edge of your seat from week to week. I just loved the ending.
I definitely recommend this drama!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is so good. Looking at the summary it has nothing to do with the story like only 1/100. In order for some people to watch this I will explain it more without spoiling ... Chi Mo is a rich CEO who has the normal average drama annoying CEO type of role. But, after meeting a girl named Hao Chong Min his mental activity changed. His other personality came out also known as Song Xiao Xiao who is the complete opposite of him. Fun, outgoing, and Loving. Not only does this other personality remembers some details of what had happened in the car accident, he also falls in love with Hao Chong Min. But, the conflict occurs when Song Xiao Ciao and Hao Chong begins to have a relationship. The main problem is that the original master of the body is Chi Mo and he has more control of it then he does. Chi Mo is angry that he has two personalities and also can't remember anything the other personality did and thought. The other problem is to find out who was the person who caused the car accident and why.
Of course I can't say everything because then it would be a spoiler but this is what overall the summary should say. There is stuff in it like any other drama like ex girlfriend, a mom who doesn't want the love to continue, and humor.
I hope whoever notice this review to please watch this drama. Not only does it have short 20 something minute episodes that are addicting, the cast grows into you too. Though I had trouble finding the drama, it was worth it and really good. Just saying if you don't understand mandarin then you are doomed because the only thing that worked for me was all mandarin without subtitles. Either you learn some mandarin or try interpreting this a drama, it is worth it and should be watched.
Hope you like this cute humorous loving drama! The main leads are OTP and I wish they can make more dramas together.
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The acting is great, I have no complaints about any of it (:The guy who plays Tian Kuo, Peng Eddie, does a good job, his character was so cute! And the actresses who played the girls were also good, it makes me wonder if they actually knew sign language or just learned the parts they needed to know for the movie.
I enjoyed the music that was played throughout the movie. Although I don't know the names of the songs, they were nice (:
I can see myself watching this movie again sometime, so my rewatch value for it is high (:
Overall - I think this movie is worth watching (: It's a cute, not too dramatic, nice story. It gives you a break from your typical love story and instead provides something a little less complicated but just as enjoyable (:
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This review may contain spoilers
Best Melodrama of 2021!
I never thought that I would enjoy this drama as much as I did. I went into this entirely for Lee Do Hyun, but now I am in love with all of the actors/actresses in this drama! Everyone really became their characters and left such a strong and deep impression on me as a viewer. Lee Do Hyun also definitely did not disappoint with this drama! Such a TALENTED ACTOR!! I've watched 3 of his works now and he never fails to further amaze me with his acting skills. I can't wait to see his next work. I am addicted to his precious smile and I am so missing Hee Tae right now T_T Go Min Si also was AMAZING! She conveyed the emotions incredibly as Myung Hee and it was so sad to see what ultimately was her end. I already expected the drama to be sad, but it was sadder than I expected. I can dare say that it is the best melodrama of 2021 so far! Definitely recommend it!!As for the plot and script, it was written very well throughout the entire 12 episodes. I think I wouldn't have minded if it was a 14 episode drama just to get to see more of Hee Tae and Myung Hee be happier and not suffering. The story was paced extremely well and developed steadily each episode, and it was easy to follow along. It actually felt quite fast-pasted and there were no filler scenes to drag the drama out. The characters were well written and viewers can see their progress and changes clearly. The relationships were also expanded on nicely, making viewers able to get attached to each character and their ultimate end. I particularly liked seeing Jung Tae and Hee Tae clear up their misunderstandings and having Jung Tae run to save Myung Hee. I'm so sad to say goodbye to all of them- Hee Tae, Myung Hee, Jung Tae, Myung Soo, etc. It's such a shame that the ending couldn't have been a happy one for Hee Tae & Myung Hee, but their story was wrapped up nicely at the end with their 2021 selves. It was also ended nicely for the other supporting roles, but I wished that I got to see more of what happened to Jung Tae, Myung Soo, Soo Chan, and Soo Ryun at the end. Although it was a really cool and nice transition of seeing each of them in 2021 and their younger selves transition in the scene. I am also so curious about what happened to the evil Hwang Gi Nam at the end because we are left not knowing exactly how it ended for him after Jung Tae.
NOW THE ROMANCE WAS AMAZING! I absolutely loved Hee Tae and Myung Hee together! They had so much chemistry together and just fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Hee Tae's smile always brightened up my day and ugh, he was just amazing. Hee Tae is such an ideal boyfriend- so sweet, considerate, and caring. I so wished that Myung Hee and he didn't suffer so much and enjoyed happier times. It was absolutely heartbreaking when Myung Hee insisted on waiting at the hospital after Hee Tae was taken by his father because that's where he knew where to look for her. But, there were so many other sad moments like this in the drama that it really just breaks my heart. Their only truly happy moments before the chaos were their 3 dates :(( I'm devasted that they didn't get their happy ending together and it hurt so much to see Hee Tae so broken after Myung Hee disappeared. Such an ill-fated couple. :( I hope to see them as a happier couple in another drama one day.
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If you are looking for something different, funny and deep at the same time: watch Pegasus Market! The deepest parts of the show are not precisely in the beginning, but you will be definitely touch when you'll see these emotional parts . Just how life isn't predictable, so is this comedy drama, full with wide and different emotions, be ready to be surprised, to be sad and empathetic and of course to laugh.
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This story is based on actual historical figures of China. The story is simple but its crafting is done by some skillful hand. It’s genius and witty story. The way story flows makes this story a masterpiece. You can’t tell its specific genre, It’s full of comedy, suspense, some action, romance and melodrama and it’s all about power. It’s unique in its own way and totally unpredictable. This is a serious tale about power struggle in corporate world. It is all about serious corporate battle but it has killer funny scenes that’ll make you laugh hard and you’ll shed tears by laughing and there is also balanced melodrama. And for romance fans there are sweet romantic scenes too.
Casting is brilliant. There aren't any flat or one-dimensional characters, all characters are dynamic. The relationship between four main characters is really interesting. It’s very unusual kind of relationship. Here you won’t find any female lead quivering in fear; female leads are hot-shot. And supporting characters and side characters are also great. You may find one or two characters bit stupid at first but it’s because of story and they’ll develop in strong characters later. It’s really hard to pick a favorite character, including supporting characters because I also loved all supporting characters including villains.
Other interesting thing is that every episode has something to learn…You’ll also learn many things from Korean sayings.
One of the best things about this drama is....ending of every episode!! Don’t miss them!!
Soundtrack is also very good and well matched with all situations. It’s catchy. And also dance in war background is extremely funny.
I definitely recommend this drama even if you don’t like corporate plot. If you are bit interested in comedy then you’ll like it because it’s "LOLIEST" drama till date. I changed my opinion for BEST OF 2012, now best of 2012 is HISTORY OF THE SALARYMAN!! DO NOT MISS IT!!
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The movie is about the life of inmates who are inspired to show their talents to other people outside the jail.
I was carried away by the great acting of the actresses especially the main ones, Kim YunJin of Lost, and Na Moon Hee of Padam Padam. The drama of this movie works because it builds emotion right up until the end and it shows how prejudice people are on inmates. I give this movie a perfect 10 because it is superb!!!
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Being in TV Tokyo’s midnight slot is absolutely one of the reasons that made this drama appealing in its own way. That timeslot always witnesses some pretty cool dramas that usually go unnoticed – unfortunately. Even though this drama follows the usual episodic pattern, it managed to deviate its investigation procedure from an episode to another. It always managed to draw attention to every guest’s issue.
The cases in this drama aren’t mind-boggling or deep. They’re usually simple cases about finding people or looking them up, it may sound boring at first sight but everything becomes different when darkness sneaks in many of those cases. Sometimes, a certain case leaves a deep impression and confusion that’s beyond description. I believe that’s what differentiates this drama from its fellow Japanese detective production; it seeks depth instead of solving a case then getting over with it. There’s absolutely no drop cheesiness and happy-ever after clichés in this drama. However, it’s true that not all 12 cases were interesting.
The cast was pretty well fitting. Odagiri Joe as the main lead was such a master stroke. I am not only saying that because he’s one of my favourite actors but this type of role suits him very well. You can clearly see the actor’s traits through his performance: lazy, calm and with a mysterious charismatic vibe. The other two main characters were in a great harmony with our main lead; an old man who’s supposedly in charge and a sexy assistant to turn the detective agency into a welcoming place.
The majority of the guest characters left a good impression; of course some of them were stronger than the others but overall they were well-suited for the drama’s general atmosphere.
I became a fan of One Hitoshi’s screenwriting and directing style after last year’s great piece “Mahoro Ekimae Bangaishi” and now, I am even more impressed with him. He surely knows how to make a simple piece sound very special. Whether it’s the camera angles, the dark cinematography, the characterization or the choice of music; he did it all! I will have to stalk that screenwriter from now on. Although, I rarely care about directing in dramas but he totally made me interested in his style.
Watch if:
-You like different types of detective dramas.
-You like short dramas (27 minutes per episode).
-You like Odagiri Joe because he’s in top form here.
Do not watch if:
-You can’t handle episodic detective dramas.
Despite being simple, River’s Edge Okawabata Tanteisha managed to grow into a very special piece due to One Hitoshi’s irresistible style.
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Amazing chemistry & original storyline makes this one stand out
The storyline:The storyline is very original and refreshing. I’ve never seen a drama that had one of the main leads be obsessed with an idol and make that one of the focal points of the drama. But this drama does it and it does it really well. The female leads whole family has OCD but their obsessions are how they deal with a past trauma. So the story is much deeper than it looks like from reading the synopsis. It’s a light feel good drama that touches on some deeper subjects like child abandonment, loss of a child/sibling and OCD without getting too deep and angsty. It delves into those subjects enough to peak your interest and make you want to watch more but it doesn’t make you too sad or upset. It also delves into the world of art and museums as the main leads work together at a museum. So I liked that they gave us a very unique work setting that I hadn’t seen before which was enjoyable.
The acting:
There’s some really good acting here. You can’t help but love the female leads quirky best friend and their crazy relationship. The idol in the drama is just too adorable and pulls off the cute little puppy look perfectly. I wasn’t crazy about the owner of the museum, her acting didn’t impress me. But the main leads steal the show with their acting skills. Overall I’d say the acting in this drama is way above average.
The romance:
The chemistry is on point with this one. If you liked “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim” then you’ll love this drama. It has the same female lead and this girl knows how to do an onscreen kiss right. She sizzles here as does the male lead. It has lots of real kisses and skinship too. There is a slight love triangle. I say slight because it’s one sided for the second male lead. But fortunately, the main leads only see each other.
What really makes this drama shine is how it could touch on some deeper sadder subjects then pull us out of the sad moments and right into something that would make us smile or laugh so seamlessly. I like that the comedy and touching romantic moments were interwoven throughout the angst ridden moments so that things didn’t get too anxious or upsetting. It’s definitely a sweet romcom but it goes deeper than expected and touches your heart. This drama has everything. It’s funny, very romantic, sad, thought provoking, sexy, and cute. It takes you through a range of emotions but leaves you feeling happy and satisfied. I liked learning about idol fans and seeing things through their eyes. I also liked the unique work setting and learned a lot about art and museums. But what I liked best is how this drama touches your heart and makes you want to go back and watch it all over again.
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One enormous difference from other South Korean programs becomes apparent even before the series starts. Friend, Our Legend holds the distinction of being one of relatively few pre-produced dramas in that country. Free from pressure brought down by viewer feedback and ratings, no sudden crises could derail the vision. The effect is immediately noticeable when a story is told as intended.
On the surface, the aforementioned story appears to be nothing special. It is “merely” the tale of four close friends, whose troubled lives follow very different (and sometimes tragic) paths. Instead of falling into pitfalls of humdrum cliche or weepy melodrama, Friend, Our Legend elevates itself to an almost epic human story. Perhaps the plot moves slowly at times, but a subdued pace allows for the greatest understanding of characters and their circumstances. Viewers follow them through their lives, watching through childhood, right into high-school and adulthood. This aspect creates the sensation of knowing everyone in the drama intimately. Above all, realism might be the best thing Friend, Our Legend has going for it; even gangster culture is portrayed violently and without glamour…as it ought to be.
There’s always a catch, of course. Friend, Our Legend hurts to watch. Rather badly, in fact. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this series to any empathetic or sensitive viewers. It is a violent and tragic experience, grim and heartrending. Bright spots exist in the narrative, but one always senses the storm will soon return. One should not expect to walk away from this experience smiling, but that isn't always the point. Sometimes the point is to become wholly immersed, to be affected, to think and feel deeply.
Actual problems do exist. One thing which didn't work for me was the unique flashback technique used in initial episodes. These sketch out the end-game of the drama, supposedly to drum up interest for the “how” of events rather than the “what.” This smacked of gimmick, as a linear telling would have done the trick without any of the added confusion. There was enough foreshadowing in the main body of the drama anyway. At the very least, it does not detract from enjoyment.
Are you a fan of Hyun Bin? If you said “No,” sit down with this and you will be. If your answer was “Yes,” tune into Friend, Our Legend immediately. Han Dong Soo might be the greatest role of his career thus far. “But what about Secret Garden?” you might ask. As well as Hyun Bin performed in that lovable drama, consider it a mere shadow of his work here. An actor might search his entire life for a particular character, a complicated and difficult one, the true challenge. Hyun Bin not only found his in Dong Soo, but completely inhabited and owned it. How incredible to watch a character as he evolves so completely.
Talented Kim Min Joon, who seems to catch my eye often nowadays, also captivated me as Lee Joon Seok. He might be chronically plagued by bad hair and fashion crimes throughout, but the character allowed him to showcase enormous range. Working with co-star Hyun Bin, he made me believe in the friendship between Dong Soo and Joon Seok...and many other things besides. In the form of Choi Jin Sook, Wang Ji Hye finally strikes a role to impress. My estimation of her rose from a pleasant presence to serious artist, all within the span of a few episodes. Though she leads a harsh existence, her Jin Sook displays strength and individualism that never allow her to be just "the love interest." This can be attributed to Ji Hye as much as the script.
Of the supporting cast, Seo Do Young fills up the roster steadily, while Lee Shi Yun refreshes with much-needed comic relief.
I loved the majority of the soundtrack to the depths of my heart and back. Other than some dated misses, especially suspense and gangster-centric sequences, everything fell mostly on point. Emotional scenes were often accompanied by mellow violins or a quiet, nostalgic female vocal, lifting them to new heights. Among the many fantastic inserts are “Closer” (Alex), “Can’t Have You” (Hyun Bin), and “Go and Erase Your Tears” (SS501’s Heo Young Saeng). Fans of Big Bang will also recognize “Friend,” (Tae Yang and T.O.P).
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Mr.queen is a MUST watch drama!!!
This is one of a kind historical drama. and I should say it's been such along time since I watched such a good historical drama.From the acting to the production to the script , everything is just perfect. 20 episodes and you won't feel time passing by.
Usually dramas that starts with comedy tend to end up not being so hilarious until the end. But Mr.queen managed to maintain the humor along with the suspense and the thrill. The story is light but you will find yourself laughing, cringing and at times even crying. This is a drama that will definitely keep you at the edge of your seat until the very end.
This drama brings out various emotions and mixed feeling and explore an area in historical dramas that were never explore before.
And as always actress Shin Hye Sun did an amazing job and so did the rest of the cast. Plus the OST!!!loooved it!!
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The story itself it very dark because it is based on true events (and partly fictional). So the story in this movie is unique. But because of the fact that it is based on true events it wil emotionally move you. I cried, sat on the tip of my seat, held my breath and I could feel the despair and anger.
The cast did an amazing job. It was almost like they were the ones who had been trough this all. Their emotions were acted in an excellent way.
The music they had chosen fit every scene.
I think everyone should watch this movie. It has suspense, drama, romance and so much more. It is definitely not a waste of your time, please watch this movie!
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An appealing lawyer.
Chen Tumi grew up studying the Tang legal code with her mother's handwritten notes. It was her only link to her dead mother. When her father is wrongly indicted for a crime, she defies convention to defend him in court. She is an appealing lawyer both literally and figuratively. Her determination, intelligence, and logical arguments catch the attention of powerful actors including Crown Prince Han Wuwei and Kang Zhengyuan of the powerful Dali Temple (judiciary). She is quietly aided by the mysterious Ye Cha.Similar to the Justice Bao stories, the legal cases in Ms. Chun is a Litigator deal largely with the common people. The cases are quite engaging and easy to follow with well-written and satisfactory outcomes. The court arguments are livened up by the amusing and friendly rivalry between Prince Han and Official Kang. While it is a bit of a Mary Sue kind of setup where everyone falls for Tumi, this funny and lighthearted quadrangle never gets annoying. Tumi is such a breath of fresh air - although she is young and inexperienced, she is clever and logical. She is able to seek and accept help without seeming weak or coming across as a damsel in distress. I am pleased to come across this very natural and charming young actress Zhang Dafei who has many interesting roles in upcoming dramas. The bromance and hilarious banter between Han Wuwei and Kang Zhengyuan is another very entertaining aspect of this drama. I checked this out because of Huang Junjie and found myself delighted and entertained by the chockfull of eye candy that makes up the charismatic young cast.
This drama's greatest shortcoming is that there are obviously many cut scenes or arcs. This affects how the larger conspiracy unfolds and leaves open some plot points. Some of the character and relationship development also feel uneven. Both Kang Zhengyuan and Ye Cha are well designed personalities that didn't get fleshed out enough. I would have liked to see Tumi interact more with Zhengyuan as he shows her the ropes in terms of judicial process. While saved by the clear spark of attraction between them, Tumi's relationship with Ye Cha seems to advance too quickly. Finally Wuwei's persona appears to take a baffling darker turn towards the end. While this wraps up well enough, there are enough unanswered questions and open plot points that beg for a second season. I would rate this higher than 7.5 were it not for the fact that it leaves a slight unfinished taste in my mouth, though not enough to ruin the drama. This drama is a lot of fun and the cast is simply a joy to watch. I am looking forward to season 2 but there is no need to wait to start this as it seems intended to be an ongoing episodic series.
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Well the story is simple a guy bakes pastries for a living, selling them under these beautiful cherry trees, in a street side shop that he doesn't own. He is somewhat unhappy with his life, because of certain events in his past. One of his close customers is a middle school girl who is also troubled by her relationship with her mother. One day an old lady appears and asks if she can be a part timer in his shop, he politely refused because he thought she could not do the job, but the old lady keeps coming until he accepts her when he has tasted her red bean paste. It is the word of mouth about Sentaro's improved Dorayaki that makes people mob their shop, but it is also the reason why the shop became deserted. At first the movie seems it is about food as you witness how much time is needed to prepare the perfect red bean paste. Until you reach into a point where you realize there is much more to it and the main point of the movie is so strong that might leave you in tears. Aside from how people were connected to nature, which was Kawase's trademark, there are also 2 main points the director wants to convey, which were "the stigma of leprosy" and "the value and meaning of life", the former is the most captivating but I find the latter rewarding.
Kawase as a director is always been impressive, her eyes and ears for films is in my opinion, unmatched. Her visuals as she captured those nature shots and blends it well with her poetic dialogues were very much engaging. Her camera work that sometimes would make you feel that you were watching a documentary was able to show the emotions of her characters perfectly. The way she captures background sounds works well for what she have, her canvass, and that would make a certain scene so poignant.
I've already said eyes and ears but now I will talk about the feels which was missing from the recent movies I've seen from her.
"we want to live in society where the sun shines"
If a single quote can knocked you off your feet, this is it, perhaps the most powerful quote I've encountered watching a movie. This quote left me bawling for tears literally, as the scene after this quote had been said were directed perfectly. The emotions that the director is trying to convey goes to me, it did hit me as it clearly show that the stigma on people who have this disease is still happening even though that Japan have already removed them from isolation since 1996. I even felt guilty that I might probably act the same way towards her like those customers and even Sentaro himself. We are only human, we only judges person based on their looks.
The acting, Nagase Masatoshi, this is the first time I've seen this actor that has this tadanobou asano-ish aura, well it may be disrespectful to addressed him this way, but I was impressed with him. He was able to show the struggles of his character in subtle way but what I was really impressed is his scene during the end. Uchida Kyara, who is kirin kiki's real granddaughter shows some promise although not to the extent of how jun yoshinaga impresses me, she managed to somewhat stick and not falls off just as a background character cause among the 3 characters , her character has less emphasis. Then its kirin kiki, who makes the time flew so fast, cause I was captivated by her acting the whole time. No need to pity her character, her character is already done with that pity phase. It is her character whose last purpose is to enrich the lives our other 2 characters, to show them that we were born into this world to see it and listen to it, since that is the case we don't have to be someone, that each of us has meaning to our lives. Kirin kiki has been the best Japanese actress for me since that time I saw her on akunin. She has done performances that melts your heart from movies chronicles of my mother, akunin, Tokyo Tower: Mom Me, and Sometimes Dad. You might just recognize her on supporting roles and that might be enough to call her great actress, but if you really want to see what she's capable of as an actress you need to see her in a main role.
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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and the music.. each gang has an excellent sound track linked... The characters are well defined... each gang has its own sets of rules (policies) that make people come together as a team... S believes in fighting to protect, W protects women, O (well its a high school, i never understand what kids fight for except for maybe just fighting), R are also all about protecting their family, and D.... what to say... they just fight (i still like the leader).....!!
I watched both the seasons back to back and did not regret even a minute of it..... overall the drama was awesome...!!! just waiting for the subbed version of the movie to be uploaded somewhere....
Cheers...!!!
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