Reviews

A sweet first love story in less then 20 minutes

This is actually pretty impressive how much information, chemistry and cuteness these two can portray in less than 20 minutes. This very, very, very short series? has all you need to know to understand the bond between these two have as well as lets us in to their little heart fluttering first love story, or more of a friends to lovers story, without the pre angst drama.

I could not help but wonder if the army actually served as a matchmaker this time, while most cases the army will serv ad a divider, here it gave them the opportunity to confront their feelings, with slightly less risk of loosing the friendship letting time in th earmy take care of that... But that could just be me over thinkinking. However it was nice to see the army not act as a cause for break up for once...

So if you want a couple of candy sweet episodes to watch between the angst and have about 20 minutes to spare, just go for it!

This is one I actually may visit whenever I need just that...

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Masterpiece of healing dramas

If you want a healing romance which can take away your stress, just watch this one.. i have very rarely given 10 stars to dramas, but it deserves a complete 10.. village setting, amazing scenery, day to day life and slow burn romance can be this good, I had never imagined this before watching this, total masterpiece!!
The lead couple has amazing chemistry, the romance is very sweet and side stories are also too good that i couldn't skip any scene.. it was a real treat to watch this one ?❤️..
Don't miss this, you can watch dramas like this very rarely these days..

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It feels like a romantic and hilarious play "remade" into a period drama

I’m so glad I waited until it was almost finished to watch this drama!! I didn’t expect to like this drama so much, and frankly, at first, I only wanted to watch it because I fell in love with the main lead in Destined with you hehe. And in the end, while I still love the couple in Destined with you with my whole heart, I sadly admit the plot wasn’t very convincing… But here, with The matchmakers, the only “default” I could find was the very end of the drama, because we didn’t get to watch them exist as a "real" couple, and I just wanted it to be LONGER, one small scene would have been enough for me, but I assure you it’s just me nitpicking. :')

In fact, the plot was surprisingly good. While I expected to get bored in the middle of the drama, it didn’t happen once and I think the whole cast was perfectly chosen. I can’t find a single character that didn’t convince me, even the villains were great. The main couple was really cute together and I was glad to see such good character development, especially coming from the ML. The FL was also awesome, and was an original character, since it’s not often a widower is shown in a drama, much less acting as one of the main protagonists. Apart from that, she was also resourceful, a quick thinker, and overall, a very lovable character. Her pairing with the ML worked really well, even if their chemistry wasn’t “all fire”, it was still believable, especially considering their respective past and circumstances. I don’t know the actress’s age but she really convinced me, and I hope to see her again soon. For her counterpart, what can I say except that Rowoon quickly became one of my favorite actors at the moment. But of course, everyone has their personal opinion on the subject, and I respect it. I also like the fact that they successfully defied “fate” to be together, and the last episode was pretty satisfying in this aspect. Furthermore, the humor in this drama was exceptionally well done, and I agree entirely with other commentators here that made a comparison with Shakespeare’s plays. A big thank you to the screenwriter who did a wonderful job with the dialogue. At first, I didn’t know what to think about the “breaking the fourth wall” scenes but they rapidly grew on me, and it certainly made the drama even more impactful.

Moreover, the cinematography is another part of this drama’s quality. It was exceptional and the décor in general deserves an award or something like this. It added even more to the story and anchored the characters into a fairytale-like environment. Talking about the characters, I found this drama particularly exciting in terms of secondary characters, because, like I said in the beginning, there wasn’t even one character that I didn’t find interesting to watch and the chemistry between our main group is clearly palpable. And big kudos to the king! He was capable and funny; it’s not often I encountered a king as interesting as him. And finally, the OST they used complimented the story very well. So, what’s not to love?? Ah, maybe the subplot between the older splinter and the Crown prince wasn’t very necessary but at least they kept things pretty “light” fortunately. Maybe they should have introduced them as platonic soulmates instead of romantic soulmates? Well, in any case, this is just a drama so I will not read too much into things lol.

All that to say that I will definitively miss these characters and this story. I also wanted to give a proper review to a drama that deserves it, despite the mediocre score that it ended with on MDL… I hope watchers won’t be too scared about the ratings here and would focus instead on the positive comments, please give it a try at least!

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I'm not a passionate of classic music but when I watched this drama I couldn't stop until the last episode, even when I already knew the plot because I previously watched the anime version. Tamaki Hiroshi is outstanding in his role of Chiaki. Yuri Ueno was also incredible in her role of Nodame. Very reliable to the original anime. I recommend to watch the continuation 'Special in Europe' where they move to Paris aiming to do their real performance (Chiaki as a director and Nodame in her solo concerto)Even for people that don't understand much about classic music is quite interesting and addictive.

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This short series is more like a movie than a drama but I liked it. It is cute, mysterious, a little heartbreaking but with a sweet ending and endearing characters. I loved the cast and the acting was deabak all round. I was totally engrossed by the story and i didn't forward anything which is always a plus and happens rarely for me. The series is well written and I really liked the cinematography.
This is one of the best short dramas I have come across, however it does not have much of a rewatch value.
If you are ever in the mood for something short but interesting and gratifying then this is the one for you.

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Story
I have watched all the three versions of Ngao Asoke. The basic plot remains the same in all the three but there are some minor changes.
I think the 2016 version had more fluff than the earlier versions. I was surprised that it was hilarious at times. People who have watched the earlier versions will know that they were more serious than this one.
I think the drama was well executed.

Acting/ Cast
Esther was amazing in this one. Her Bpee was adorable and charming. The 1999 version Bpee was very practical while 2008 version Bpee was vulnerable. Her Bpee was naive but I don't know why this one was enchanting.
I think Sean is a great actor. I think he has one of the loveliest smile. I wasn't going to watch this version since I heard that this Monthai wasn't as possessive as the Monthai in the previous version but after watching Leh Ratree I just had to watch Sean and Esther in a drama again. Honestly, their chemistry was amazing and I will love to watch more dramas by them.
In fact Grand's Viyada had more depth in this version. I don't know how but sometimes Grand seemed to show that she had conscience which was totally missing in the earlier Viyadas.
I liked Savitree's Tuptim too. I think the characters were softer in this version and maybe that was the reason I liked it.

Music
I love the ost Saeng Lae Ngao. It was the same as the ost in the 2008 version and I loved this ost even then.

Rewatch value
I will definitely rewatch it. I loved the concept of Ngao Asoke which actually made me watch all the three versions. I think this one was by far my favourite. I got the same feeling like what I got when I watched Boss and Me. Even the harsher elements seemed lighter. Though a few scenes were tear jerkers.
Overall I think this one is worth a watch. At least you can enjoy Bpee's adorableness and Monthai's smile if nothing else. And to anyone who liked Nu, watch this drama to see a more stronger and decisive version of him.

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Ending and overall

So the drama itself was very interesting as we first thought that the FL time travelled from 2025 to 2015 (or something close). The first few episodes were very confusing as we didn't know if the FL was in a parallel universe or not?, (but then moving on it made sense). Episode 7's tense of then the ML's mood suddenly changing towards the ML was very sudden and good but in a way it was too much.

Then moving on throughout the drama, I really hoped for more romance between the male and female leads as yk, the ML found out that the FL is actually the girl from his youth so I thought maybe alot more romance would build up.
The romance was there but not as the way where yk we would be behind our screens smiling ykk, but I do get it as this drama is based on life and fantasy.

Overall, the acting of the leads were very good though, like the crying scenes and ect by the Fl. I don't know why others are saying the ML's acting wasn't good, it was very good. Also its really cool how we found out it was just erased and editing memories and not time travelling. I would totally recommend this drama to those who love plot twists.

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A very enjoyable, interesting, satisfying story with coolly shot Japanese sword fighting scenes. Credible acting, and my big kudos to the choreographer of the fight scenes and the actors themselves, who did a really good job of preparing for them. The characters are likable,. The song at the end credits caught my ear almost immediately.
However, the story was too short and I couldn't get fully involved. I feel like it ended right after it started. I wouldn't have minded if the episodes were longer. It felt like an unnecessary rush and I was left feeling unsatisfied with the story itself and its length.
Overall, however, I am satisfied with this drama. The quality is good and the story was about something too. And I really, really liked the fight scenes shot at the right pace and with a lot of realism.

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I don't think I can put into words how good this drama is. This is probably my first time reviewing a drama that I genuinely thought was worth watching. Sure I have watched a lot of dramas that I enjoyed but my life wouldn't be missing anything if I hadn't watched them however it is a completely different story with Hirugao. This is not just enternainment. This is art.

The story starts out slow and I was kind of bored during the first half of the drama and that is why I didn't give this drama a perfect 10 even though, trust me, after the second half you won't even remember the one time you yawned at the start. While I didn't like that sometimes the writer was about to cross the line with melodramic tendencies but this is by no means a melodrama. It presents itself for the most part with a really realistic fashion. The writer is just telling a story, she's not justifying or judging anyone, just showing us the lifes of these people as they are. By presenting a story about affairs the drama inevitably touched upon so many subjects - the purity and cruelty of human selfishness, the judgemental society we live in, people's lack of empathy, the subjectivity of evil (which I have been thinking about a lot recently) even the meaning of life and so much more. Looking back on it, I can definitely see that they created some subplots and didn't really bother to progress and polish them, but honestly I am just nitpicking.

The characters were all so realistically flawed and I loved it so much. None of them are crazy, memorable, a few housewifes, a teacher, an artist - simple humans just like us yet they show so many colors. Love and lust, purity and selfishness and other contradicting emotions go hand in hand. The writers did an amazing job at portraying the animalistic nature of humans - egoism, lust, fury- while still not forgetting the emotions that make us different from animals - love, willfulness, compassion...There are no crazy events, that could only happen on the screen. Sure there were quiet a few "crazy" scenes but they are not really crazy in the actions but more in just pure emotions, more in the way the writers weren't afraid to show that "yes, humans are like that." In some RARE cases I thought that the events and the character's decisions had an unnatural flow but it just didn't bother me that much (and trust me, everything bothers me!)

The music is amazing. The tracks perfectly fit the mood of the show. The simple, non electronic songs have this old faschioned wibe that captures the longlasting and never changing human emotions really well. The song 'Never Again' and the way it was used just confirmed my thoughts that feelings can be just as thrilling as action sequences.

The drama leaves you wondering how it is going to end till the last episode, because the characters were built so realistically it felt like you were experiencing things just as they were and since they don't know where this sin will lead them neither do you. It is not like a rom-com where even though you don't really know how it is going to end you are still 100% sure that the girl will end up with the guy and everyone will live happily ever after. This drama doesn't present itself as just casual leisure time, this is a drama that will leave you with a heavy heart and you can feel it from the first minute. The story here doesn't really have an ending but the last minute left me with a smile on my face saying "yes, this is perfect".

You need to be empathetic and open minded to watch and fully understand Hirugao. If you thought this drama was immoral I am so sorry for you but if you're a person like me who likes to think about various topics then this is the drama for you.

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Can we. Please. Stop Romanticizing. Abuse?!

He's a stalker. There, I saved you 10h of your life.

I can't believe this show is this highly rated, the ML has more red flags than the entire communist party of China.

Let's just do a quick recap all of his sins, shall we?

- he arranges a marriage with the FL - without her consent
- naturally, she refuses, so naturally - he stalks her
- she still refuses, so naturally he kidnaps her (but is forced to let her go once his grandma finds out)
- he then blackmails her to stay with him for a week
- then he tries to kiss her while she's asleep (but is stopped by another monk)
- then he refuses to let her take exam for promotion, but she does it anyway so he decides to pull strings and make her fail said interview

And that's just in the first three episodes!!

But it's all good y'all, cause he buys her presents, and he reads scriptures and takes cold showers to "repent". He bought her Jimmy Choos, who cares if he ignores all her boundaries and bullies her until she gives in?

And in the end, I guess she develops a full blown Stockholm syndrome, and ends up marrying him anyway.

Skip this.
Don't be like Sakuraba Junko. Just skip this.

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Fake It Till We Make it !!

First off, major props for the ace representation! The inclusiveness and legitimate valid portrayal deserves praise!! They nailed it, though would have liked it if they had more screen time.

Chemistry? Chemistry-ing so hard! It was on fire from ep 1 to 12 ! Great and Inn were such a good choice, really hope they team up again in another series.
The supporting characters were amazing ! Their love stories had their own flair and drama and I was all in for it!

The comedy was a bit cringey (in a good way, if that makes sense). Lots of second-hand embarrassment, but somehow it worked for me.

But the way they dragged out finally admitting and committing to the relationship was kind of annoying and unnecessarily stretched, especially when they were always so domestic ALL THE TIME . It just felt way too over-the-top sometimes! They could've cut to the chase sooner!

Overall , If you're into sizzling chemistry, drama, with a touch of cringe-worthy comedy, I would recommend this. It's not perfect, but it's definitely entertaining!

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Nice Pinoy RomCom mini-series

Before proceeding with the review, let me get this issue out of the way first - the main couple are not actually biologically (or even legally?) related siblings. Let's clarify that to avoid possibly turning off some people from watching this good drama.

That being said, the acting from the main characters are actually quite good as well as their chemistry. It's been quite a while since I've seen Ronnie Alonte (Alfie) in a film or drama series, but his acting chops are still damn fine (not to mention he is still good-looking albeit more mature now and thinner compared before?). Loisa Andalio (Fiona) was also good in playing the "baduy" (uncool) character in the past as well as the spunky and artistic girl of the present. Props also to acting chops of the (step)parents Henry and Darlene who are played by veteran actors (and real-life couple) Ariel Rivera and Gelli de Belen. The supporting characters were quite bland to be honest but it's negligible.

Story-wise, although there were some plot points which kinda felt forced or incredulous, the plot's premise is still strong and a good one to watch. I just have a small issue with the pacing of the story. I love the fact that it's only six episodes so it's not that long to binge-watch. However, I think the conflict resolution between the main couple seems to be a bit hurried in the final episode. Not to mention, although there were hints of a reconciliation between the (step)parents, it was somehow unresolved in the end. But maybe, that was intentionally done in order to have second season? hehe

Music plays an important role in this series since the female lead plays in a band and her romantic partner also plays the guitar. The songs were quite meaningful and emotive - it makes the scenes more touching. I honestly did not expect Loisa to have a good voice but that was a good suprise.

This is a must-watch for anyone who loves a fast-paced romantic comedy drama with not so heavy issues in the characters. Glad I binge-watched this today (Valentine's Day 2021). If only I had my own Ronnie. haha

P.S. I am so glad that I subscribed to iwant TFC. If I weren't, I would not have discovered this drama. haha. More of this please. :-D

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THERE ARE REALLY GOOD SPOILERS IN THIS DRAMA BUT WITHOUT SPOILING ANYTHING I'LL BRIEF MY REVIEW.

Story :
It has such a refreshing plot, even if the story seems cliched/ boring but honestly telling I could watch the whole drama in one-go & I never yawned while watching....hehehh
And there's a really good twist coming at the ending episodes, atleast "I" liked that twist.

Acting :
Everyone did their best in this drama and it really turned out well. (I noticed that in few scenes Yoon San (Park Ji Hoo) looked like Yeo Jin Goo...lol)

Music :
The music suited perfectly with the scenes and their OST is really good!!!

Re-watch :
Hey! I really finished this drama 10 mins ago & thus I'm not voting for this point. Maybe after few months I'll be able to tell, whether I miss this drama or not :))

Overall :
I must say "WORTH WATCHING" !!! ♥

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