Reviews

A very heartwarming dorama. I wasn't expect that, since the summary  tells that it is about the difficulties of a young girl to be a cook in a  chauvinistic world. And it is but it is also about the kindness of  people, how they help each other in small but significant ways; it is  also about family and to care about someone else's well being. And of  course, it is also about overcoming the difficulties in life with the  help of people who loves you.

I am adding Kuroki Haru in  my list of favorite actresses. Whenever role she plays, I just want her  to be happy And when she is, her happiness is contagious. And she is so  gentle, so Japanese-lady-like. My other favorite in this dorama was her  mistress (Yasuda Narumi), who loved her as a mother. Her love for her adopted daughter, and for her son was beautiful. Her sad smile was so poignant...

There  is a little reunion of members of "Juhan Shuttai", which made me really  happy (4 of them!). Starting with the MC, who again works hard in what  she loves XD And is spite of working again with Nagayama Kento  (Nagata-sensei), I was rooting for Komatsubara-san since the very  beginning. I loved when there is respect and a little bit of teasing  from the love interest XD

I love the setting, since historical  stories set in Edo period are most of the times my favorites. The food  that are shown look mostly so tasteful (and there is a little culinary  demonstration of the main recipe of the day at the end of each episode,  performed by the amazing Kuroki Haru). The other time, when I was eating  with other people and they were "ohhh my, so delicious" I laughed  internally because that's what happens every time people eats Mio's  food).

The OST is lovely, it helped to keep the tone light.

For  rewatch value, yes, I would watch it again, specially when the SP is  subbed (there HAS to be a SP... when I finished Ep 8 I was like, WHAT?).  Besides, it is very short, with 8 episodes only, of 35 minutes aprox  each ep.).

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"This is all your fault."

Who's fault is it, and how far back does it go?

Bulgasal is the story of people whose lives intertwine again and again from the Goryeo period to the present day. It shows emotions like love and hatred enduring over a very long time... or perhaps forever? It has monsters, sword fights, and fist fights, but it also has romance, family bonds, regrets, and dreams.

I can't believe more people aren't praising this show. Why is it so underrated?

The plot might have intimated some people because it's very complicated. It has a mystery element, history element, past lives, shocking twists, and will make you reflect on many different things. However, if you pay attention to the story then it all makes sense and the reveals are paced perfectly to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is not a show you put on in the background. This is a story that requires and deserves your full attention. The ending is also very deep with many different layers. I've watched the show three times and I'm still finding new details in the ending.

The acting is done at an elite level. Lee Jin Wook and Kwon Nara have AMAZING chemistry as the main couple. I really hope they act together again in the future. Even though this is a romance show without even a single kiss, they look at each other with such intensity that it made me feel hot. We at least get some romantic hugs, even though there's no kiss. I love how Lee Jin Wook is such a mature and manly actor, not like the 'puppy dog faces' in other k-dramas. Lee Joon was also great with his flamboyant acting as the main villain.

Moving on to the fine details... the soundtrack is excellent. The atmosphere of the music matches perfectly with the show, and there's a nice variety of different genres and sounds. The cinematography is gorgeous. It's such a colorful show, with stunning landscapes in the mountains, meadows, and beaches. It is definitely the prettiest looking k-drama I've ever seen.

The director, writers, and actors all should be congratulated. This is a beautiful, romantic, and thoughtful story.

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The happiest of endings

I love a happy ending, and “Cherry Blossoms After Winter” has as good an ending as any BL in the fantasy sector of the genre. Credit to the casting - Ok Jin Uk as Hae Bom and Kang Hui as Tae Sung, the two main leads, are a pleasure to watch and listen to, and their characterisations meld well with the mellow dramatic tone of the series where even the early conflicts with the high school bully threaten but don’t overwhelm the central love story.

In the now familiar fantasy BL world of privileged young men (for whom a university education constitutes no financial hardship of any kind) and whose friends are the most supportive in the world, the pathways to happiness are riddled with the bumps and misdirections of their own characters, not the world in which they live. Through gradual steps and confessions, doubts and then resolve, the young couple find reciprocated love and begin their life journey. Even the sudden last minute appearance of parental concern about how the wider world will treat the happy young couple is not a problem so much as an opportunity to showcase love as the ultimate decision-maker.

Feel-good stories such as CBAW look simple but require care to pull off. Credit to the production team; across the board, from Director Yoon Joon Ho, as much as in the wardrobe & makeup, the sets & lighting, camerawork & editing, this looked to me to be a team effort. It’s appropriate, in a metaphorical sense, that Tae Sung decides at the end that he is going to study to become a cake maker; the whole show has the pleasant feel of a cinematic confection.

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in Mo Bao Fei Bao we trust

Initially I had zero intentions of watching 'Love Me, Love My Voice' as fluffy dramas are number one representative on my already miles long dropped list and more often than not they just bore me to death the second the leads start dating. However there is one exception : Mo Bao Fei Bao novel adaptations. Watching her modern work adapted on screen guarantees for a nice watch without much trouble and yet has enough drive and likable characters to keep watching until the end. LMLMV is just that - I would almost say it's the pinnacle of everything nice she's ever written. In that it also suffers from missing any sense of "drama" which makes it a hit or miss for each individual viewer in my opinion.

From start to finish everyone is a wholesome and nice person, there is not an ounce of trouble in sight. If anything the one and only 'villain' in this drama is hesitation, more on that later.
Funny enough it feels like it could be the poster child for the ideal idol romance drama that people tend to long for in the comment section of other romance dramas they watched but disliked certain points of. You hated how the love triangle dragged on? - good, cuz there is none here! You hated the evil SFL? - again, you won't find any such character here! You wanted the leads to get together early? - how does the first third of the drama sound for you?. - I think you get the point.

Generally there is a good mix of friendship, career (with friends) and love growing slowly.
This is why I like Mo Bao Fei Bao's work. Although I never rate her dramas over 8, they're still a safe bet and that's how I felt about both Go Go Squid 1 + 2 too. I actually see quite a lot of similarities in character set up of GGS2 and LMLMV. She definitely has a blue print for characters at this point and it works. But if you put them up against each other GGS2 has more plot and therefore I personally prefer it.

Now to the good and the boring:

Another one of MBFB tricks is to have multiple couples develop relationships at various points of the story, so even if you are bored with one pair you'll still continue watching because that one couple you really like isn't together yet. At least that is how I felt because the idea of the second lead couple really did pull me through to the end, otherwise I would have probably not continued after ep18-19.
The fact that there is no real plot aside from them slowly growing their love and working on their career in a very relaxed manner, means we got other things instead - a much needed change of scenery, trips, good food, a few emotional musical performances and so on. In terms of friendship I would actually rate this drama higher because it's just fun to watch them interact and have a good time. All of the cast members have good chemistry with each other and especially on a friendship level they play of each other's energy well. In terms of acting I have no complaints but it did take me a little to get used to seeing Tan Jian Ci as this ever-so-perfect guy. Last time I saw him was in "The Centimeter of Love", where he played the annoying brat little brother of the FL, where he also looked very different from what he looks like now. I think I read he lost 20lbs since that drama so no wonder I had troubles recognizing him...

Fluff is spelled in all caps for this drama and there is no way around it. I could only enjoy it by not thinking too much and looking for any sort of character growth or depth. At first it didn't bother me too much but by episode 24 I did find myself fast forwarding a lot for a few episodes because I started to get annoyed with the FL, who is the embodiment of every idol romance writer's hot fever dream. Grandma Core fashion for female leads is nothing new but damn, you cannot tell me a 22 year old is that PURE and INNOCENT. At some point it all really did feel like the dream of a 12 year old girl when it comes to the main's romantic story also because of how much the ML doted on the FL right from the start, when she really did nothing except being shy. Like why was she the "chosen" one, after being single all his life? - even hearing a song doesn't explain that.

Hesitation really is the one and only villain in this drama because had it not been for that all three - potentially even four - couples would have gotten together much earlier and the story would have been concluded within 12 episodes. The main couple gets together early but the FL is still super shy and hesitates a lot. Her anxiety is delaying most of the romantic progress and although the ML is very caring and understanding, it made me get frustrated with the FL at several points. As a person who experienced first love at some point too I could only understand her to a certain degree because even within the relationship she remained coy and towards the end I actually felt she was regressing in terms of maturity. It's not that she made stupid decisions or anything but her behavior was often very child-like and naive, which made her even more unrealistic of a person than the already flawless ML.

I know I said I shouldn't think too much about the plot in order to enjoy it, but a part of me can't not do that. I mean even if she was some pure as snow, untouched virgin. You cannot tell me a 29 year old doctor and famous VA has also never had a girlfriend? Come on! But I guess this is another reason why it should be the poster child for modern idol romance dramas. I think I'm just either too old at his point to mindlessly enjoy such a idealistic story or I watched too many similar ones already.

Nevertheless, it was relaxing to watch for the most part and although ep24-27 were where I felt the most boredom, and started to nitpick, it did pick up again once the characters all went on another trip and did stuff outdoors.
I see a lot of people say this drama might not be made for binge watching but there is no way I would have ever gone to pick it up back up had I not watched it within 4 days.
I'd rate it a 7.8/10 and I will remember the fun character dynamics, but less so the actual romantic story.

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A hidden gem

I came across this short film after watching Wuliang. I never thought a short film would have much impact and my expectations were low but like Wuliang, I was surprised that a short film like this would be on same level as any good full length film.
The story will have you stay and watch with anticipation. Focusing well is needed to have a better grasp of what it is all about. The acting is excellent, the screenplay was great, and the narration, although theres quite a bit compared to any full length film, is good and necessary. I believe due to the shortness of the film, the narration was necessary. I hope the director of Wuliang and this film continue directing this kind of film. I am out of words for how good this and Wuliang film are. The lack of adequate promotion for these two films caused a lot of people to miss this great hidden gem.

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Yes you earn some stars

In appearance To My Star is exactly the same as the other 6 or 7 BL Korean dramas in this “miniseries” format, but in reality it is much more, I am not saying that those other series are bad or not very entertaining or anything like that is simply that they have repeated the formula ad nauseam and it seems that they do not create these types of stories because they have something to contribute and it is simply because they are popular and point to a booming market at this time. Despite all this, if it is a miniseries/film which limits some aspects by having a short duration, I think it is superior to its peers.

The story, Seo Joon and Ji Woo have very different lives seen from one angle and very similar seen from the other, one is a celebrity who is struggling with defamation and harassment, the other is a not very successful chef; both men live lonely lives, have small social groups and have a hard time trusting people, but once their paths cross, things will never be the same for either of them.

One of the cliches of these Korean BL series is that the characters always end up living together for one reason or another, and this is no exception, Seo Joon and Ji Woo are forced to live together and in the first instance receive a kind of lesson humility on the part of the other, even though Ji-woo's personality is not very pleasant initially, Seo-joon is intrigued by him and does what he can to get along especially when he realizes that he is a trustworthy person and out of the facade Ji-woo is a good boy so he doesn't make things too difficult either.

Having established this point, the characters actually coexist a lot not only due to the fact that they live in the same house but also because they start working in the same restaurant since Seo-joon is looking to learn new skills while solving his problems with the press, gradually learning from each other and they feel hopelessly attracted.

One of the successes of the series is the rhythm, unlike others the revelation of feelings does not happen in the last chapter more or less a two thirds of the narration the characters begin to develop feelings directly, which makes the plot more interesting.

After going through their respective dose of drama, the characters can finally be together and in fact lead a peaceful and beautiful life, as the two complement each other in many ways.

The acting is good, the chemistry is one of the best I've seen in the Korean BL, the personalities of the characters feel natural, at no point are they over-acting and you manage to connect with them, plus their dramatic moments if it feels genuine. And despite its short duration, they still include important topics such as the fragility of fame, the harassment of famous people, loneliness, extortion and how easy it is to lose or win the love of the public by mere rumors. Even so, the character of Ji-woo deserves more development. There are a couple of things that are not clear about his life at the end of the series.

The production quality is also good, although this is a section in which it is difficult to find a Korean series on any subject that fails, in that sense they are very neat, at least for productions that go out to the international market, the photography, the assembly and the ost comply, they make the story more enjoyable and the dialogues are very good, they are not uncomfortable or anything like that.

In general, I like this story a lot, although it is nothing to write home about or something that has never been seen, it is well told and well acted, I managed to connect with the story and the characters.

And bravo for a kiss well given, generally I do not care if the series has kisses or not, but if it is going to include them, do it well, make it look natural and credible.

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Charming Comedy with likable leads and wonderful acting

Our story begins with a murder. A young bride (Xia Yubing) is force-fed poison on her wedding night, the groom (Xu Zi Yan) justifying the action by saying she had framed his beloved (Xia Liu Qing) and someone that evil deserves death. We learn Yubing was tricked into framing Liu Qing and that she really isn't villainous at heart. The tale is then jolted from the past to the present where we learn Yubing and Zi Yan are both characters in a comic by a newbie author and her editor isn't pleased with a story about a stupid girl and a heartless hero. The author swears she will do better next go around and after a few edits turns Yubing into the female lead and a good character in the story, with Zi Yan an eager young doctor wanting to force-feed her medicine in order to save her from a rare but deadly disease.

In spite of that somewhat confusing set up this is an easy-to-follow rom-com that (almost) never forgets its a comedy. I laughed during most of the episodes, even during what would typically be "dark" moments like an execution or torture. The story's emphasis is less on plot than it is on relationship building. Yubing turns out to be a savvy businesswoman with a lovely, warm heart. Not only do she and Zi Yan wind up having a wonderful romance but Yubing also establishes a terrific connection with her sister Liu Qing, Zi Yan's bestie Ye Wen, and with Zi Yan's father Xu Guang Ling. Yubing is a positive presence in all their lives as she helps to create a better family/friend situation for herself/those around her and a more cooperative and caring business environment for her community. If you like feel-good stories, this is definitely a show you'll enjoy.

The acting is excellent and the chemistry between our leads is fantastic.

Few things are perfect, however, and this is no exception. The story gave way too much time to the villain, which caused it to drag in parts. The ending, while happy, is a touch incomplete. The character of Gu Gu/NPC was fabulous and excellently portrayed but I could have done with less of the author, especially in the final episode. All that said, this is easily my favorite Chinese rom-com.

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SUPERB!! Recommend it 100%

This series it’s one of a kind. Really went to the spot. Did not disappoint. The atmosphere was right, the soundtracks were outstanding, the way the actors portrayed the scenes let as go deep into what the characters were feeling at the moment. The storyline was so well made that I had no doubts on keep watching the 8 episodes.
From the first scene, the drama got my attention.
Claps to the outstanding performance. In no time I could sympathize and got attached to every word. This drama served voice, views, great acting, perfect cast and several songs i will take to my heart and listen on repeat. 10/10

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Cute but pointless

I didn't really get the point of this - it was fluffy but static. There was more than enough time to explore an element of their relationship, like what it's like for one of them to grow old and the other to stay young forever, or how annoying someone who is too neat and tidy can be - anything. The actor playing Ever 9 has an amazing body - I would have liked to see Yi Ping feeling awkward about being sexually attracted to him shirtless or something. I'm sure we've all thought about what sex with a robot would feel like emotionally - and since that's a very likely future for many or most people, it could stand to be explored.

Ever 9 looked hotter with his hair like that.

The bumper car scene and the competition after that were the highlight of the episode for me.

Anyway, if you liked Anti-Reset, you'll probably like this, but nothing happens and the kissing is so-so at best.

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a nice mood booster

this drama is literally the equivalent of the "do you ever look at someone and think, 'what's going on in their head?'" meme. if you're looking for the slightest drop of logic in this, you're leaving empty handed. you were warned at the beginning of every episode. it's nonsensical, chaotic and quite over the top but that's what makes it so entertaining.

what's absolutely special about this is that underneath the layers of the intentional comical editing and over exaggerated characters, there is still a pint of meaningful scenes. this drama (i know it's a sitcom but) tackled a character than ran away from home who is now on his way to finding his dream, an orphan pursuing his dream, a short breakdown about consent, chaotic people being each others' family and support system.

the main leads are adorable... i can't deny that. however, they can not cry for their dear life. i can't help but giggle during the crying scenes but i do love the way pun and nott characters were portrayed. the romance was super cute and the main leads definitely worked their way on their communication issue. while the ending hurts, it made sense for them to part ways. they needed time figuring themselves out and along with their dreams as well.

overall, i definitely enjoyed the chaotic charm this has. it's definitely not for everyone. if you are looking for something to shut off your brain and consume bits of pure lovely nonsense, this is for you.

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Set sail with Our Times!

The drama should be given credit for being the superb drama that it is by virtue of its substantial plot, first-rate acting and amazing production value.

Story:
Our Times delves intelligently into the subject of office politics, the technical and business side of IT, financial struggles, friendship and love. It’s serious but it also has a lot of heart, humor and romance.

Characters/Acting/Cast:

Xiao Chuang - He always tried to do right by the people who placed their trust in him. He goes all out for those he loves even if it means sacrificing himself. I am in awe of Leo Wu’s acting range. He delivered impeccably, whether he was being flamboyant and comedic or during the heavy scenes when he was struggling and in trouble.

Pei Qing Hua – He is upright, brilliant and humble. He really knows his stuff. He totally deserves his promotion and the recognition he received for his accomplishments. Neo Hou’s acting was a bit vague at times but he was wonderful for the most part, especially the taxi scene. He nailed that scene.

Xie Hang - She was a slow burn for me as she was sort of lackluster at the start of the story but towards the middle we see how bright, intelligent and loving she actually is. Mao XiaoHui impressed me with her acting, especially in the latter episodes.

Tan Yuan – My favorite character. I absolutely love her spirit and courage. She loves unreservedly but knew when to step back. She made Pei Qing Hua’s life brighter. Julia Xiang (Xiang HanZhi) made Tan Yuan so likeable, charming and interesting without overacting. Julia Xiang is a natural and a gifted actress, her career will go a long way.

Xiao Chuang and Pei Qing Hua - They help each other out selflessly. When Xiao Chuang said he still wanted to be seated next to Pei Qing Hua in their new office and when Pei Qing Hua said he misses the time when they were still roommates, it really showed the fondness they have for each other. Absolute brotherhood.

Xiao Chuang and Xie Hang – They tugged at the heartstrings. I was especially moved by the scene in Foshan when Xie Hang still hugged Xiao Chuang even after knowing what he had to do earlier in the day to earn money.

Pei Qing Hua and Tan Yuan – They were a joy to watch. Their confessions have got to be two of the most unique I have ever seen in dramas. Tan Yuan’s confession was indirect and accidental but oh so cute and heartwarming. Pei Qing Hua’s confession, on the other hand, was direct but was a long time coming so when he finally did it, it was intense and very sweet.

Production value:
The various sceneries, backdrops, sets and props for the multiple locations and situations were challenging to procure for sure. I commend the research and attention to detail that went into this drama to recreate and be as close as possible to the 90s era.

Conclusion:
Our Times is definitely still worth watching even if the ending was made that way. And on the positive side, at least there is sure to be a season 2 with the same characters ^^^

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You got a friend in me! Together ewe can!

I also came in with no expectations at all! This is by far the best school genre drama! Definitely a must watch!

Female lead Xu Jing Jing always has gotten the worst scores in the class, because of this she has little self esteem. However she is really good at judo/taekwondon and drawing. She has a loveable and brave personality. Male lead Kang jia wei is a obese, smart , straight A student. Xu jing Jing tries to help Kang jia wei lose weight and Kang Jia Wei helps with Xu Jing jing's test scores.
XJJ likes the straight A student Gao Zhan and kang Jia wei likes the Xu Jing JIng ( another girl in the class that isnt the female lead)

Together they grow through a lot! like losing weight, getting better scores, improving self esteem, re- establish relationships, fighting for dreams , I really like the fact that the story develops not just between the two but in their classroom. I also liked that they supported each other in their lowest times and their classmate's lowest times.

The relationship of the leads are so good! Such great chemistry. I was starting to think there would be no kissing in the drama , but im glad in happened in the end! Even thought hardly any kissing but there are still those moments of heartbreak and heart strings pulled.

So Good! pleasantly surprised by this drama

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First of all, EVENTS did not so much repeat itself, and its watchable.

Long dramas or "soaps" have their own kind of fans. Not everyone can endure such long detailed movies.
The drama characterize the reality. they put real life problems into something to watch. Not every one might watch these kinds of events because it really reminds them with the THE real issues out there.
The show is very interesting, its out of the cliché storylines we usually watch.
Its full of cliffhangers in each and every episode . Something you might expect and somethings you wont expect.
The characters always develop into new phases. monologues and dialogues did not repeat itselves,
The music was very good actually. Osts always contribute much to the drama. and it actually grows on u. u feel humming the music wherever you are.
The story line itself, is a bit interesting, no memory loss, no one comes back to life, no body switch.
It is not re-watchable though, it will be well predictable if you wanna rewatch it. it will be easily hints spoilers cz u will never forget what happened. its because the kind of reality characterization.
if you are not into long dramas, haven't watched any yet and you wanna start watching soaps, don't start with this one. find yourself a 50 long episode or maybe a 30. if you are a first timer you will be sort of bored. BUT I LIKE this one so much. i cried, i laughed, plotted schemes with the characters, shouted with them. and i had my closures as well.

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I saw a lot of people mention the book the metamorphosis , and I think those theories are great , but I haven't seen anyone mention "hell is other people" which is another title from jean Paul Sartre . In the play, three people are trapped in Hell — which is a single room — and ultimately while confessing their sins to one another, end up falling into a bizarre love triangle.

" Hell is other people has always been misunderstood. It has been thought that what I meant by that was that our relations with other people are always poisoned, that they are invariably hellish relations. But what I really mean is something totally different. I mean that if relations with someone else are twisted, vitiated, then that other person can only be hell. Why? Because … when we think about ourselves, when we try to know ourselves … we use the knowledge of us which other people already have. We judge ourselves with the means other people have and have given us for judging ourselves. "


The hell here would be the studio , as he is trapped in there he starts to go crazy and by "confessing their sin" we can maybe think it's about how the dentist forces him to bring out the "psychopathic" nature in him and his killing urge .
"We judge ourselves with the means other people have and have given us for judging ourselves." The people around him make him think he's overreacting and imagining things , that the people there are okay and he's just paranoid , so we literally see him become more and more paranoid during each episode , as he starts to believe what other people (especially his girlfriend) are telling him . We can also interpret that , since the dentist keeps telling the protagonist he's just like him , that's why he starts to believe that . His coworker says he only pretends to be a nice person on the outside , so Jong Woo acts as according to those prejudices , smashes his keyboard and beats him up sending hum to the hospital. If we take the metamorphosis in question , as the protagonist begins his transformation and becomes a bug , he completely forgets what he used to be like and starts to become what the people around him think he is , paranoid , crazy , rude , a murderer .
This is just my theory based on what I heard about these books , I'm going to try reading Sartre and Kafka and completing the webtoon and see if I can correct it or come up with something more .

This drama is really amazing , I watched it in one day . The actors did a really great job , especially Lee-Dong Wook , it's not easy for an actor with an already established image as a sweet and nice character to break form that and play a completely different role as a psychopathic killer , but he managed to do that and played out his character really well . This is my first time watching Im Shi Wan and he did great as Jong Woo .

If I have any complaints about this drama , it would be that the last episode is a bit rushed , but that's the case for many dramas so I'm not going to hold it against it , overall this was a thrilling and exciting watch , definitely worth a rewatch someday .

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