Not even exaggerating, by the way.
1) The reason I watched this :
if you’ve poked on my dramalist, you would probably know that I watch Korean dramas almost exclusively. It’s partly habit, partly soft spot, and partly the excellent production values that kdramas tend to serve up. Coz I do like pretty things, as you very likely know.????
Still, I like to keep an open mind, and when something that’s not within my usual wheelhouse gets a lot of buzz, the curious cat in me can’t help but want to see for myself what the fuss is about.
That’s what happened here.
2) background and cinematography :
A LAND OF FAIRYTAIL, its a world in itself , a unique story plot fantasy world , full of twists and LOVE , the scenes itself , are original .. The production values of this show are so high that it often feels more gloriously cinematic than modestly small screen.
Everything is carefully, lovingly, beautifully shot, and it is a literal feast for the senses. From the amazing landscapes, to the loving camera angles and every meticulously-framed shot, to every deliberate, painstaking detail in set, costume and background music, everything is precisely, just-so perfect.
*The cinematography is great , which is one of the strong points of this drama
3) Acting
Our principal cast does a tremendous job of bringing their characters to life, and even the baddies are excellently and believably portrayed. Layered and nuanced from the big moments to the quiet, subtle ones, every major character is delivered with an admirable level of mastery and commitment.
10/10.
4) The writing
Its all about the writing ... this show wouldn't have been a success without the great mind of the writer,As excellent as the production values and acting are, the writing is truly the star of this entire show. Mad, mad props to Hai Yan, who not only wrote the original novel, but also penned the script for this show.
ONE WORD " General brilliance "
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
Its like I lived in the world of FANTASY and dreams for a short period of time :)
*Is the drama memorable: YES
My impression: 9/10.
6) Overall: 9/10
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It was essentially slice of life at its best. Nothing extravagant yet nothing too simplistic. I loved loved the poems and let me tell you I am not a big fan of poetry thanks to A-level Literature. But the poems from this drama was absolutely sensational and so heartfelt. I loved how there was a story behind each poem. The drama was quite unique in the way it explored various points and mini stories throughout the series. It was delivered quite well as well. I felt that in each episode, there was always something to take away as a lesson or as something to reflect upon. The story was kept real and relatable but also had its lighthearted and comical scenes, which by-the-way were absolutely amazing. I couldn't stop laughing at various scenes of the drama. Romance wise? It was quite unexpected actually...that is all I am going to say about romance. I am not and will not ruin it for you (it's that good). The only thing I felt the story lacked was how it did not thoroughly explore the development of some of the characters; they were mostly snapshots of what the characters dealt with/did on a daily basis. Particularly with Jang Dong-Yoon's character, I felt it lacked depth and understanding, especially with the way the drama ended. As a viewer, I didn't feel quite connected to his character. But other than that, it was overall a good watch.
Acting/Cast: 10/10
Okay, I don't know about anyone else but for me, the cast was amazing. I think each and every one of the cast played their role really well. Lee Yoo-Bi perfectly suited the female lead with her baby-faced beauty (I can't still believe she's 27?!) and executed the role amazingly. Likewise with the rest of the cast.
Music: 8/10
I don't really have much to say about the music, because I hardly paid attention to it. But overall it was good. Nothing overrated or unsuited. The music matched the atmosphere of the scenes and set the mood perfectly. I particularly liked the soundtrack when the poems were being voiced.
Rewatch value: 8/10
Hell yes. I would definitely come back to watch it again. Maybe not anytime soon.
Overall: 8.5/10
So there. I gave it 8.5/10. I didn't give it the full 10 because I think this drama did have some plot holes. Although all in all, it was a good watch and you will definitely find yourself in love with some of the characters. Like it or not, I would say give it a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
Extremely cliched but Surprisingly Refreshing & Uplifting!
Hello, Me is not very creative as its story renders around typical troupe and Kdrama cliches .Its storytelling style also makes it predictable and less suspenseful. the pro side is this makes the drama Light and easy to follow as its development and twist has been foretold (or dropped hints in advance).
What makes the drama works is also what could have harm it (its a double edge sword). For me, I liked how the stress from EP 1 to 16 is centering around FL - Ban Han Ni but is also a little upsetting that ML is basically shoved aside and became a complementary piece. A little unexpected how young Ban Han Ni is dominating the airtime (sometimes even more than the ML) but fortunately for me, I grow to like "Scarlett".
Likes/ Strength
Actors are very good at digesting and expressing their roles, it is not easy to act "innocent as a child" with a mature like appearance. Both Choi Kang Hee and KimYoungKwang nailed their roles perfectly.
I like the respectful interaction between ML and FL all the way to the end. Is annoying in other dramas where ML force their way to win FL heart (especially Noona relationship). That usually rubs me off the wrong way.
Music is very powerful in this drama but in a typical way. Instead of romantic/ emo ballads, I am hooked by its uplifting / uptempo cheering life and freedom type of songs. Bonus, the squid dance and Joa office routine song which are not part of OST totally steal the show.
Dislikes/ Weakness
I think too much attention on side story of ML's aunt company stealing plot and Anthony's career as an actor as both of these didnt really make much impact on BHN life and decision. Is very filler like but glad the writer wrapped the subplot up nicely and clean.
Is light and simple, warm, funny but not too cheesy.
Which is why to me, this drama is quite refreshing despite recycling the old Kdrama troupes/ cliches.
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I really enjoyed the wide array of quirky characters. They were all well fleshed and interesting. The sequence of events was interesting to watch as well. There are moments of sheer hilarity and then moments of horror as well ... there's a nice balance of both.
Not a perfect drama but still a unique and interesting one.
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= Day Time Soap
I guess this is C-drama version of American Day Time soap and how did it ever get high stars that's just puzzling!7 years of "misunderstanding" due to even tho we were married BUT I am going to believe any A Mao A Gou's words.
Scene started out w/ Evil jealous model followed by Evil jealous sister ex in law
followed by some over dramatic soapy music enters the FL
ML FL hate each other through hearsay. Nasty grandpa comes in chews her head off
Jealous rival of ML has a grand evil plot continues to target FL but no wait, final episode reveal it was over a hamburger!
This is straight up day time soap just needed some hair pulling and water splash on face action
What was good?
hmmm the little kid? Cutest boy ever memorizing all those lines.. Impressive!
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Worth it... fluffy and happy, but also hits on big issues
At the first episode of this drama, I was considering whether to watch it or not, but I'm thrilled I kept with it! The story is cute, and of course, the romance is delightful! The main couple has excellent chemistry, as well as the side couples.There are a few parts of the story that drag or are a little bit unnecessary, but overall a drama that I think is being underrated. Honestly, the main character, Toh, was so adorable to me. He was honest with his weirdness, and still confident after he got used to everything with his boyfriend. That smile! If you're on the fence, give it a try!
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We enjoyed every moment of this masterpiece
They did it...
"Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning" is the final and greatest masterpiece in the franchise. By telling the tale story of how it began, it ties the series with a perfect bow and solidifies it as one of the best cinematic sagas ever made. It feels completely different to every other entry. It thrives on the fact that, aside from the first movie, this is the only one that can be seen completely by itself, and at the same time it rewards whoever watched all the other 4 movies first. It's clear why they wanted to make this the last one; it's the complete deconstruction of Kenshin's character and reconstruction into who he is in the other movies. It's darker, more grounded, and the action is the most brutal. Otomo and Tanigaki build the action completely differently in this one, and that statement is made right in the opening sequence. It's fast and bloody, but it's also more conditional, and more in service of how it scars the protagonist emotionally. You don't get typical action cues from the score whenever those sequences play out; instead they're slower, deeper, building towards something more than the action itself. The very way it's shot is different. The cinematography sets an entirely different mood with a grainy look and less vibrant color grading. It's brilliant use of language to achieve a stark contrast with the rest of the series.
At the center of such brutality, the love story between Kenshin and Tomoe... Which proves to be the heart and soul to not only this movie, but the entire franchise. It makes a few very slight changes that improve on the source material; Tomoe's character is the film's main driving force and Kasumi Arimura steals the show with her performance. It's a heart-aching gut punch to watch it unfold even if you know how it ultimately ends. Takeru Sato also delivers his deepest performance as Kenshin, as you see the roots and foundations of his character that you'll now be able to recognize watching the previous movies. And by the end of the snowfall, there's no doubt left as to why Kenshin will never kill again.
Here it ends. Here it begins. History was made.
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WOW!! Just Wow
This has got to be one of the best dramas I've seen. Ziqui character was so amazing, I found myself so invested into is storyline. I wanted nothing more then for him to get a happy ending. I liked all the characters but for some reason his character touched me the most. Everytime he cried, I felt myself crying ?Those two mothers really got under my skin for the whole show. I can't even begin to talk about how mad they made me.
The only thing I wish is that we could've got a small glimpse into after Haichao and Heimei got married and what life was like for the siblings after.
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Crouching Lianhua, Hidden Xiangyi
Who are you ... and who do you want to be? The question of identity is the driving force behind the motivations of the characters and the story. It's also the key attribute that made this show a very enjoyable watch. Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC) stuck to a clear identity. It's a bromantic (no BL) adventure seasoned with humor, intrigue, and heartfelt moments. While this may not sound like such a revolutionary concept, MLC deserves praise as much for delivering on that setup as for what it didn't do‒sabotaging the story with aneurism-inducing fillers and hackneyed tropes.**Ex-Sective Summary** (for the Sect Leaders busy plotting Jianghu conspiracies or watering veggie garden):
--Why you should watch:
1) interesting, likeable, and consistent main characters with decent casting and acting;
2) Intriguing story, flowing pace, polished production, and steady tenor/mood;
3) solid bro-mistry and no hos to come before/between them. Seriously, if you are grossed out by all the gratuitous romance derailing otherwise reasonable plots, this shows steers clear of it.
4) But even if you are a romance-junkie, you will still love it, as demonstrated by the numerous testimonials in comments and reviews ... and because you're a Bossbabe that needs no romance.
5) Steady diet of wuxia action not sullied by horrendous CGI or amateurish choreography.
--Why you shouldn't watch:
1) You are a romance-zombie that must MUST feed on the brains of hetero lovers. Or innocent bromance just doesn't quite scratch your BL fujioshi itch.
2) You love procedurals and actually want to watch for the case-solving. They are not the core of this show, but mostly just serve as plot device.
3) You want NiF level strategy/plot, Joy of Life level (for native speaker) humor, or classic Wuxia style fighting. Sorry MLC will likely fall short.
All in all, this is fun, easy watch that most audiences of this site will enjoy, even if this isn't your typical genre.
PS: I may return later for a deeper dive into why this drama is more Li Lianhua than Li Xiangyi. And if you think my scoring is too low, just add +2 to please your soul.
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Unique time travel/superhero story
2023/24 has been pretty meh for kdramas. Some of the recent dramas have been relying on pretty faces and hype instead of story/acting etc. My dropped list has been longer than finished list.I was very skeptical of liking this one when I started watching it. But to my surprise, I was hooked on. Script is unique, characters are well developed, great OST and acting is really good. There was rarely any scenes that I skipped. Glad I clicked on netflix recommendation. Love it that it is only 12 episodes and ended well. Overall very satisfying, underrated piece. Highly recommend watching.
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One of those shows you won’t remember
This is an odd mini-show. The storyline is quite simple. A modern day woman travels back in historical time after being in a coma because of a falling turtle (yes a turtle). While being in a coma she experiences the life of an empress/queen.Acting wise this is not a high quality show. The FL is exaggerated in terms of facial expressions (pouting, laughing and so on) and sometimes her reactions to money/jewelry and when eating (which she does all the time). This might be a directing thing, I don’t know.
One thing that really annoys me is all the eating and cooking all the time. It gets boring after a short while.
The subtitles on YouTube are close to crap but at least I got most of what was going on.
So, if you like mini-shows and don’t mind the food-theme, this is an ok watch - but nothing more.
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An overall enjoyable experience
I really liked this drama! It started off very strong in the first half and I confess I did feel a bit frustrated by the pace of the plot in the 2nd half, but it wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment of the series overall.the plot is very simple and has little to no angst that doesn't get resolved almost immediately which could be refreshing if you are looking to step away from all the angst filled content out there these days. the characters are fun and loveable and main couples are very sweet and endearing to watch. i always had a smile on my face watching every week and i confess i will miss watching this cute little show every Saturday.
if you're looking for something much like cherry magic (or even just a lighthearted BL), but a little different this is the show for you! it's only 10 episodes at 20ish mins per ep and it doesn't require much of a time commitment nor will it feel like one once you jump in and start watching these characters navigate through a love mix up and the hijinks that follows.
highly recommended :)
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I recomend this drama a 100% if you are looking for a good time to push your worries aside.
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class of lies was lit
Honestly, this entire drama felt like a good fever dream. That probably doesn't make any sense, but it was complete and it was interesting the whole way through. I have to applaud Yoo Beom Jin's actor because his acting was so amazing. In general, the crime aspect was well done and the watchers are able to guess along with the characters. There are a lot of details and the direction of the drama is unpredictable. This made it exciting, but you have to pay attention or you might miss something. This problem could only be for me, but the subtitles in this drama were so bad. I watched this on Dramacool, so it might be different for you. The subtitles were inconsistent and even some of the nicknames the characters were given changes between episodes which gets confusing. Another thing is that the episode lapping is quite large (the end of the previous episode as the beginning of the new episode). I would say almost 5 minutes is lapped. Sure, you could skip it, but in some cases, new details and clues are brought up. This was a small issue though, and it's useful if you space out your episodes (I binged, so it got a little annoying).I will say it's hard for the characters to grow on you or to develop a favourite character. This factor is important for me when watching a drama, so that's one of the reasons why I only gave it an 8.5. The only character that grew on me was Lee Gi Hoon and he didn't have many scenes....
This drama's music will always be superior. A lot of the music they used was rap. I thought that this was fun since normally the OSTs would be soft singing or something along those lines. Plus, the BGM they used when the attorneys and rich people were talking made it feel like they were gonna square up.
add Class of Lies to your watchlist right now!
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1Special of the day!
Grand Maison Tokyo was a “grate” drama where the chefs “whipped” up “un-brie-lievable” dishes all while showing that cooking can be transformative. Broken friendships were “heel-ed” and new ones were created out of the “ingredients” of respect, forgiveness, and the mutual love of “egg-cellent” food. Oh, yeah, there will be puns, I’m on a “roll!”Obana Natsuki has been reviled as a terrorist for three years ever since his crew in Paris catered a dinner and a diplomat was accidentally given food contaminated with nuts and collapsed. Everyone involved took a hit, the restaurant and chefs, and the politician and magazine writer who extolled and recommended the restaurant. In the world of high-end food making a mistake was nearly a death sentence and some of those involved were looking for revenge.
Hayami Rinko is a fifty-year old chef who desperately wants to work at a Michelin starred restaurant. As luck would have it she and Obana bump into each other in Paris. The persona non grata talks Rinko into a partnership and financially backing a restaurant in Japan assuring her that he can not only gain her a Michelin star, but three. Obana contacts his former colleagues who are also working in Japan with measured success. Many people never want Obana to step foot in front of a stove again.
Obana’s people skills weren’t “berry” “gouda”, even at that he went about solving people’s problems like a “souper” cranky Mary Poppins. Instead of an umbrella, he carried a set of knives. Many of the characters struggled “pudding” up with him until they discovered his heart of gold. At the Grand Maison food and “thyme” mended the deep wounds of the past as those hurt or angered by the scandal found “peas.” While cooking for the chefs was a passion with the “beet” of a religious fervor, they found that they “cod” “yolk” around and find their smiles again. Love for two of the chefs was here today and gone “tomato” as the women in their lives did not like being put on the “back burner.”
It wouldn’t be a food drama without some cooking drama and competitions! Obana and Rinka, along with their team had to discover what ingredients made the perfect “matcha” and plate it in the most “a-peeling” manner. The competing owner of Gaku wasn’t afraid to play dirty and also had deeper pockets for expensive ingredients. Eto was just the “wurst.” He and another invested individual planted “im-pasta-rs” with Team GMT putting the Grand Maison in a “jam” at times. Lucky for Team GMT they had a “latte” “loaf” for creating perfect dishes and ability to forgive “pour" decision-making. They weren’t afraid to “whisk” everything in the search for the most delicious food they could create. When the chefs became discouraged there was always someone to give them a “Riesling” to believe.
Even better than the gorgeous meals the chefs created was their “stirring” loyalty to each other and their “perfect blend” of intriguing characters. Any way you “slice” it, Grand Maison Tokyo was a “mash” made in heaven of good performances, delicious looking food, and engaging characters. It was “shrimply” irresistible.
5 September 2024
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