Ongoing 12/12
Love Scout
103 people found this review helpful
by Stray
Jan 11, 2025
12 of 12 episodes seen
Ongoing 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Best Kdrama to start in 2025

This is my first Kdrama series in 2025 and it's absolute banger and has a great OST. Love the chemistry of the leads and has a good supporting characters. The series delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud moments while maintaining a heartfelt and mature tone.

If you’re looking for a romantic office drama with depth and charm, this one’s a must-watch. For me, it’s a solid 10/10!
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Completed
Death's Game Part 2
93 people found this review helpful
by Enny Flower Award2
Jan 5, 2024
4 of 4 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

DEATH'S GAME - A MUCH NEEDED PERSPECTIVE TO LIFE !

I still haven't processed this drama through and through and ig in the hope of being able to make the most out of it I am writing this review. To say that it's a MUST WATCH would be such an understatement because you'll sincerely be missing out so much.

I am not a webtoon reader so I didn't know what was in stock for me but to say that I am overwhelmed by the amount of emotions I felt in such a short span would be the most just way of saying I LOVED IT TO EVERY BIT!

I don't know what other people are feeling about it but to me most of it was unpredictable even tho I guessed the last episode correct it didn't really drag me away from the drama I give that to the acting because I don't really fan girl predictable stuff.

THE CAST - IS MAGIC ! to all the cameos, all the episodic narratives, to all the emotions that they bring out to the screen it just pure treat to every drama lover there is.

The perspective to every character was so beautifully done that it felt like I went through all the 12 lives and that I was just given a piece of their memory and told to live out the rest. I became an assailant, a victim, a survivor, a savior and most of it all I became a human!

I realized that meaning of life is not in being able to live as the wealthiest person or as anyone else but you. There's no one else like you and to think that you are the only one suffering and every other being seems to be having a fate that you would wish for, is the most useless thought to ever exist.

The narrative is so tightly packed that every death has a significant contribution to the story even the ones that seemingly exist in almost parallel worlds are connected to ease and perfection.

This drama does make you rethink about all you are and all you have, it makes you grateful and aware of the true miracles that god has given all of us!

I might have more to say about it later but for now I just hope whoever is reading this review does watch the drama and spares a minute to think about all the tiny miracles that surround.


my fav lines from the drama would be-

"A persons character is determined not by the belief they hold, but by the actions over the course of their lifetime ."

"As i disappeared from this world, my death remained behind with those who loved me . "

"Your sins will end up finding their way back to you so don't ever commit them ."

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Completed
Cruel City
83 people found this review helpful
by joiy
Jan 15, 2014
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I'm almost speechless when it comes to this drama, that is how good it actually is. Usually i'm a fan of the romantic/comedy type but for some reason I watched this and oh WOW! It is just pure amazing.

This show made me jump, scream, laugh and cry, my husband asked me if have turned nuts;). One second your thinking Is he a gangster? other your thinking OMG no he can't be, he must be undercover, then ooh no he is sooo bad and next OMG HE IS. It's not limited to the main leads but also to all of the supporting casts, they seemed all to be so very good planned out.

Chemistry between all of them was really nice, the bro-chemistry, the family-chemistry and the love-chemistry. No sloppy violence.
I'm sure i'm not alone thinking that its nice when a show ends in a realistic manner or unexpected. But some shows, you just wish they could end the way you want it, somehow Kdramas and especially this use the ending to make you keep thinking about the show over and over again after its done. I LOVE IT.. can't stop thinking about an alternative ending in my head.

Im out of praises, watch it and you will love, it.

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Completed
Kissing the Ring Finger
83 people found this review helpful
Jun 23, 2023
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 28
Overall 4.0
Story 2.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

Solid start, colossally disappointing conclusion

This was my entry into the world of J-Dramas and it was promising to be an excellent first impression. The first 6 episodes were full of fluff and fun cliches and just the perfect touch of angst. You didn't have to use your brain too much, just sit back and enjoy a simple and entertaining story. There was genuinely funny humor, some solid acting moments, and the best part: fire chemistry between the leads. They absolutely carried the drama, as a couple and individuals. Ayaka, our FL, had an unexpected feisty side that helped balance the kawaii vibes, and Togo, our ML, had an endearing awkward side that softened his cold-hearted jerk exterior. I couldn't leave a review without praising what started out as a really cute drama that could have easily gone on my top favorites list. Now for the bad news.

(BE WARNED, LOTS OF SPOILERS AHEAD)
Unfortunately, starting in episode 7, everything went downhill at a mind-blowing rate. Out of nowhere the drama took a step into some very dodgy (and surprisingly dark) territory. I don't mind dramas tackling unfaithfulness, misunderstandings, or sexual assault, as long as it's done sensitively and intelligently. But this drama did none of those things. We ended up with a situation in which, mysteriously, our FL doesn't know for sure if she's been sexually assaulted by an old flame, and instead of exploring the trauma of such an incident, the drama puts all the responsibility on her for possibly being unfaithful to ML. The situation concludes with ML essentially "forgiving" FL and choosing magnanimously to trust her when she says nothing happened between her and her old flame. The worst part to me? The subject of assault was not mentioned ONCE.

I'll also give a very brief mention to the intimacy issue. After our lead couple decides to become a real couple, we see ML coming on strong, clearly ready to go all the way with FL, and her shying away/flinching each time. It's often played for humor but I actually found it uncomfortable to watch, and it gave off very unfortunate vibes of experienced adult man chasing after innocent, doe-eyed little girl. It's not romantic and it doesn't portray a healthy, mutual transition into intimacy.

Even more unfortunately, that wasn't the end of this drama's troubles. The next episode put our lead couple back together without even once talking the whole issue through like adults. ML kicks her out for a bit and then eventually relents and accepts her back with no real conversation between them. Then comes episode 9. I get it, ML was afraid his mother would hurt FL, that's why he rejected her, broke her heart, and divorced her before planning a wedding with someone else. Here we get the classic time jump and separation cliches and more disturbingly, both ML and FL being besties with the guy who took her to a hotel (and presumably undressed her) in order to make ML believe they had slept together and therefore sabotage the relationship. But he apologized, so I guess it's all okay (this is sarcasm, by the way).

After all of this contrived, over-the-top angst, we conclude with a happy ending that's a result of the FL finally being told that ML had a really good reason for cutting her out of his life. She fights for him, he gives in, all's well that ends well, no harm done. They get remarried (but without the fussy piece of paper they had for their fake marriage, because who needs that?). I usually try to find a more intelligent way of expressing my feelings on dramas I disliked, but there's really no other way to put it: it felt like a child wrote the latter portion of this drama. I have read fan fictions on Wattpad that were written with more maturity and intelligence than this. It's hard to remember the last time I was this disappointed with a drama I started out liking so much.

In the end I'm rating it a generous 4 because of how thoroughly I enjoyed the first half. I will remember how I felt at the beginning fondly, and try desperately to forget how I felt at the end. It's safe to say I will not be rewatching this one. Try it at your own risk.

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Completed
Tokyo Dogs
38 people found this review helpful
May 8, 2011
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This drama holds a special place in my heart as it's one of the few dramas where I would look forward to watching every week. The reason why I liked it so much, was because of it's witty dialogue, the wonderful chemistry between Mizushima Hiro, and Oguri Shun, and the absolutely hilarious moments as well as the serious moments in the show. Overall, the storyline is an 8 for me(because at the end I wanted more. The acting was perfect though. I loved the music as well, especially the insert song by EXILE. This drama is one of the few which i would say has a lot of rewatch value. Overall, this drama is a 9 for me. Hope you all enjoy :)

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Completed
Sword and Fairy 4
38 people found this review helpful
by lune
Jan 19, 2024
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Surprisingly entertaining, give it a try.

I just kinda feel the need to say this; maybe try rating a movie or a drama after you actually watched a few episodes.

Honestly, the sole reason I am watching this drama because of CZY― and that being said, I had no idea what to expect. In the first few episodes, there are indeed a lot of things to grasp, like who is who, how their 'world' works, the name of the sects and all that, but I think it was always like that with fantasy drama.

As the story goes, I found myself genuinely coalesce with the drama. It was somehow heartwarming to see the ML easily bemused by every little things he saw outside of Qingluan Peak. While people might say his character was rather childish, I think it was exactly what to expect from someone who grew up in isolation and never met anyone else except his father and the pig demon.

The interactions between the ML and FL also so funny to watch. One is sly and cunning, meanwhile the other one is kind yet naive and speaks whatever on his mind out loud. And their friendship evolves, I can't wait to see their character development!

Also, for the CGI, I think it was kind of decent. The fighting scenes were fine too. There was nothing big that bothers me so far. I hope it gets better!

[UPDATES AFTER FINISHED WATCHING.]

For this drama, I am kind of relieved that the journey has managed to steer clear of disappointment. (Though there are, of course, room for some improvements.)

But well, I could say, it's akin to the pride of a parent witnessing the growth of my children. Every second is a joy as I savor the unfolding story, relishing the arcs and development of each character. Every obstacle and setback that they encountered served as a tool― shaping the four main leads and their friendships into something beautiful. And even though their friendship might seem almost too perfect, I can't help but adore watching their dynamics. Where I could possibly find friends as genuine and supportive as them in real life? :[

Throughout the entire watching experience, not once did I feel the need to skip any part or conversation, as there were no unnecessary fillers. Every dialogue held significance for the plot. However, I must confess, the temptation to fast-forward arose during scenes featuring the infuriating villains who never failed to make my blood boil. (Side eyeing Su Yao and particular sect leaders as I type.)

(Here goes some small complains.)
To be entirely honest, I believe adding two or more episodes would have been perfect for this drama. There were certain aspects that left me puzzled. I personally believe it was essential to provide more details about what transpired after the great war. The abrupt one hundred-year time skip felt somewhat cruel, leaving me yearning for more insight into Lingsha's final moments with Tianhe― despite the inner conflict about my own emotional strength to witness it, a part of me still desired that closure. Also, I'm curious about how Tianhe lost his sight. Was it related to the divine bow? The connection remains unclear to me.

Towards the last few episodes, the CGI noticeably declined from the impressive quality seen at the beginning of the story. The fighting scenes, unfortunately, felt somehow rushed. I think, a bit more attention to details and time devoted to these aspects would have enhanced the overall watching experience.

In conclusion, it was a truly memorable journey. Zheyuan once again proving his acting prowess, leaving me in awe. His emotional performances drew me in completely, evoking my own tears and smiles in sync with his. While it was my first time watching the other three main leads in a drama, they portrayed their characters exceptionally well. And not to forget, the soundtracks have found a permanent spot on my playlist. Whenever these songs play, I can't resist replaying scenes in my mind. (Forgive me for the emotional indulgence.)

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Completed
Saimdang, Memoir of Colors
38 people found this review helpful
May 4, 2017
28 of 28 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.0
Despite being one of the most anticipated and hyped-up dramas of the year and in spite of the fact that it marked the comeback of acting-giants, Saimdang ended up being rather disappointing and underwhelming failing to live up to expectations according to the majority of viewers. While I can’t completely argue against any of it and having said all that, I can’t deny that Saimdang turned out to be quite special for me against all odds.

Story
Having had studied Art History in Uni and with it being my favourite module, you can understand my initial excitement when I realized this is a drama about art history but in Korea! Only 2 of my biggest interests intertwine like that. I wouldn’t miss the chance to savour this rare opportunity!

Saimdang is a wonderful drama but not without flaws. It takes place simultaneously in the past and the present, depicting the past and present lives of the characters. Starting in the present it centers on a woman who tries to prove that a painting is or is not authentic facing serious enemies in this endeavor of hers.

Simultaneously and very flexibly the story travels to the past as we get to see the whole story behind the painting in question and how this is connected to our main flawless female character Saimdang and her life.

I can totally understand why viewers found this boring and disappointing. Most of the drama depicts Saimdang’s life but focuses a lot on events rather than romance, politics or other juicy things saeguks are known for. First half of the drama focuses on how Saimdang grew to become a memorable and powerful figure of her time creating and sustaining her own business. There are classic villains who try to destroy her but everything is more connected the job development rather than her personal life. The second half was a bit rushed because of the trimming of 2 episodes and the re-editing was very obvious to the point it reduced the drama’s quality. Still, it stays in the same lane of events.

I read comments from Korean netizens expressing their disappointment in the drama’s direction. More specifically, they disliked the fact that there wasn’t much of Saimdang’s drawing and painting showed. I cannot argue with that. Simultaneously, I can safely say the story line that took place in the present was rather disappointing and ill-developed. I can totally understand their idea behind it but they spent too much time perfecting the past story –which ended up being, understandably, a tad boring for some people- that the present one just rounded up being a constant back and forth.

All that being said, I cannot quite put my finger on it but this drama just charmed me to the point I was completely unfazed by all the -otherwise- stern drawbacks.

I thoroughly enjoyed the backstory. Some of it a bit clichéd – classic evil 2nd female lead who is just too self-centered for her own good- but all of it really interesting and really well-written as far as I’m concerned. Against all odds, I loved the business part of the story, it was inspirational seeing a woman overcome so many pitfalls and achieve greatness!

One of the main parts that I especially appreciated was the female empowerment of the drama. Saimdang on her own is such an incredible character, empowering and just inspirational. Even if we barely got to see her drawing, the passion for it was well-depicted and the characterization was just brilliantly presented!

Moreover, I enjoyed several parts of the past story illustrated like the education for non-wealthy citizens, or how women were looked down upon but were undeterred by it. Plotlines that involve weak and easily manipulated kings are nothing new and play significant roles here as well.

Continuing to my favourite part, the romance. I'm not the biggest romance fan, I tend to rather cringe but here… here it was special! I can understand why some people would find the romance here disappointing. There is no skinship at all; barely any intimacy while everything is kept on a platonic level. Rather frustrating. However, there is no need for obvious affection when you have Song Seung Heon’s eyes just depicting everything better than a gesture ever could. My heart ached in every scene he looked at Saimdang and I was completely blown away by their tragic and heartbreaking love story. Strongest part of the drama for me, but you have to be into doomed couples to like this.

The drama did have some boring parts, but I enjoyed it throughout. I can’t say I felt fulfilled by it, rather depressed especially during the last 5 episodes, but it just felt special in ways I can’t put into words.

Acting
Overall exquisite.

Lee Young Ae. Acting giant and I feel a bit intimidated to actually judge her acting. She was amazing, overflowing with charm and experience; she was a blast to watch on screen. I thoroughly hope it won’t take her another decade to comeback.

Song Seung Heon was luscious in ways I can’t describe. I usually complain about kdramas lacking actual manly characters since all those flower boys have taken the industry by storm. He brought exactly what I wanted to see. Manliness, masculinity all spiced up with actual emotions and sentiments. His character just elicited unlimited emotions out of me, his acting was out-of-thing-world good and he had amazing chemistry with Lee Young Ae.

Other than them, the full casting was amazing and most of it quite memorable, namely Oh Yoon Ah as the evil 2nd female lead, Choi Jong Hwan, Yang Se Jong and the rest really made the drama shine.

Recommend
Considering most of the reaction I saw was rather negative or indifferent I wouldn’t openly recommend this to everyone. Saeguk fans would probably like it and people interested in tragic and unfulfilled love.

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Completed
I Cannot Reach You
38 people found this review helpful
by RoseQ
Nov 7, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

I hope that this feeling might catch up with you

The plot was a very standard best friends to lovers kind of story. We follow two high school boys that have been friends since they were little, and how their relationship changes as one starts to struggle with his feelings. There are certain things that felt unrealistic and unnecessary. I am aware that the series was not really released internationally, and the subtitles are fan made, so that is not something that will affect my ratings regarding the series. It is a shame that this was not an international release though.

I am not a fan of cinematography. Many scenes were too bright to the point of slightly blurring out the details and the faces. Some cuts between the scenes were also a bit confusing. There was also an overwhelming amount of slow-motion scenes. It just felt a bit excessive.

Ohara Yamato & Ashiya Kakeru: They have this black cat and golden retriever dynamics. Yamato is the calmer one, the more reserved and not so friendly one. Kakeru is the more outgoing one, the more approachable and more hyperactive one. They are quite different from one another, but they make it work. Yamato falls first, he has loved Kakeru for years, but has never dared to confess. He didn’t want to risk losing what the two had. But as Kakeru starts to show interest in dating, Yamato starts to struggle. I don’t think Kakeru is indifferent to Yamato either, I just think he wasn’t really considering that possibility until it hit him in the face. He was always convinced the two can be just friends, so even if there were any deeper feelings, he never admitted those to himself. The two actors had good enough chemistry, but I don’t think it was as sizzling in some other dramas I have seen.

As the title suggests, the main conflict of the story does resolve around miscommunication. The two boys are not able to express their real feelings due to fear and other factors. However, this does not mean that the characters don’t communicate well. I really enjoyed that Yamato, no matter how much he hated that, was always honest with people who confessed to him. He never led anyone on. And even when things started going south between Yamato and Kakeru and the two were forced to be honest, they were both able to express themselves.

I liked the side characters too. Especially Yamato’s sister and Hisaka Yui, their classmate. Both of them were very open-minded and accepting of the two. It also helped Yamato and Kakeru feel more comfortable and not like what they are feeling for each other is wrong and unacceptable. There will always be people who might not be very open minded, but there will also always be people who will accept you no matter who you love.

And bonus points for not making any potential female love interests into villains! That’s a plot twist I am happy we avoided.

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Completed
Chicken Nugget
38 people found this review helpful
by Ghost
Mar 15, 2024
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 9.5

A webtoon made into a drama, literally

When I first heard of the premise I was so confused but intrigued. A girl turning into a chicken nugget is such a weird plot but that's the reason why I decided to check out the drama when it came out. At first it started off so weird I was about to drop the drama, but I decided to give it a chance and it's one of the best decisions I've made. I'm so used to all the melodramas and intense stories from kdrama these days that I expected the same but boy was I wrong. This is whole ass gag drama, 90% comedy. If you're an avid webtoon reader, try to imagine you're favourite gag webtoon, I'm not talking about comedy, I'm talking about full gag like whacky content. Now imagine that, in a kdrama. That's exactly what Chicken Nugget is. Get ready cause my review is going to be long (without spoilers). Just to note, there are 10 episodes but each episode is less than 40mins so if you're a avid kdrama watcher, this is about 5 episodes of your regular drama 🫡

Acting:

Star studded cast. If you've watched kdramas then you know exactly how insanely talented the cast is. They got big names in this show as well. It's so well acted that I forgot that they were actors for a moment cause I was too absorbed into their characters. Geniunely, acting is a solid 10/10

Story:

It was hilarious. Starts of strange and confusing but as you continue watching it just becomes funny. Like I had to pause and replay some scenes cause I was cackling with laughter. It's not your standard kdrama comedy where a good looking guy makes some smart jokes. Nope. Be prepared to see weird ass comedy, creative lines, and unpredictable storyline comedy. It's not all hilarious though, at times it gets serious and I even got emotional (very reminiscent of webtoons).

Music:

Most of the music is from a character in the show. I won't spoil much but the lyrics are kind of funny but I'm not someone who's super into music when I watch dramas so I don't have much to say

Rewatch value:

I 100% would rewatch it when I'm bored. I tend to re-read gag webtoons often when I'm bored just to laugh and this drama is a literal moving version of a webtoon so I definitely will rewatch it every now and then .

Overall:

If you're debating on watching the drama, I highly suggest watching it. You can stagger when you want to watch each episode since the content of the story isn't that heavy to the point where cliffhangers makes you feel like jumping. I promise this drama will give you a good laugh

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Completed
Falling into You
38 people found this review helpful
Oct 29, 2022
26 of 26 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

High Jumping Comedic Romance

What drew me to this series was the sportiness with a side of romance and drama. Wanted something fun and easy while watching heavier stuff. Only know Gina Jin from a previous show this year which was also an older woman/younger man thing but this one actually had a plot and good acting.

Pros: I really liked the underdog kid ML who was always critiqued for being too short to do the high jump but nothing slowed him down. There was only an 8 year age difference between the leads and the ML was 20 when they got together. So to those who feel skeaved out by these kinds of scenarios; don't worry, everyone was an adult in this one. The chemistry between the leads was palpable from the get go. But it was the sportiness, comedy, and the ML's iron clad determination to continue to do what he loved that kept me watching. The FL was a great beginners coach and was very credible in her role.

The beginning and ending credits and OSTs were beautiful and all perfectly placed. I liked the pace of the story as it never dragged nor felt cliché. As a fan of track and field in the Olympics this peaked my interest and I was even more impressed that they cast an actual high jumper athlete to both help/encourage the lead in his role but also as one of the supporting characters; just made it feel more authentic. Was it 100% perfect in all of the sport parameters? No, but this was a drama, not a documentary, so it wasn't expected.

For a c-drama, this had very mature romance which was a nice added touch. There were no lips pressed together and wide eyed looks of confusion from whichever lead. Each kiss after the first and romantic first night together were very convincingly done.

Cons: This would have gotten a rare 10 from me had it not sent this great and light-hearted for the most part drama off the rails in the last 3 episodes with the crazy reporter and her unnecessary garbage plus all that other junk that then had to quickly spin a plot of ML going overseas to train with FL's dad. If this thing was to be included, it had to start way earlier. But honestly, it really was unnecessary because they could have had him enter into some competition and show him winning or something and build up to the last 3 minute proposal that was then quickly turned into a wedding in the last episode. It was very haphazardly thrown together and if not for that last out of left field portion, could have had a very satisfactory and strong ending. I also wish they spent more time on the sports then the romance; had it more 50-50 especially towards the end. Sadly, editing went out the window via a javelin throw and that portion missed the mark.

Would I recommend it? I absolutely would. Despite the last 3 episodes being just essentially fillers, it was a very funny, easy on the brain, natural, and great show to watch which I enjoyed very much and will totally rewatch my favorite parts.

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Completed
My Fellow Citizens!
38 people found this review helpful
by Haze
May 29, 2019
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

BEST OF DARK HUMOR

My Fellow Citizen is got to be one of the best drama of 2019 .
A hidden gem .
Why ?
If you read the synopsis , it's about a con man who's forced to run for assemblyman elections .
Hilarious right ?
Pretty Ironic , Con man and assemblyman in a same sentence .
This drama has the best satire and humour out of all the one I've ever seen.
There are situations which are lame but that's just to build up the plot.
The first 2 episodes are nothing special, it might seem cliche' but that just changes significantly to the point that you can't seem to say this was the very drama you started.
I think the situation build-up to the synopsis point took 2 episode which is why it felt a bit cliche'
but woahhh after that it sky-high .
Everything is just on fire.
It's your loss to miss this golden gem.

The casting and acting is above the clouds . As for the plot , you rarely get to witness such different and interesting plots, moreover if they have the plot, the execution is shit on all those.
This goose has laid all the eggs at the right time.

Don't miss this one.

PS : Just came to know Kim Min Jung won the Bakesang Award for this, shows how truly phenomenal this was.^^

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Completed
All about Lily Chou Chou
38 people found this review helpful
by Evony
Oct 30, 2013
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
Painfully beautiful, chaotically organized - if I had to sum up this movie in the shortest way, that’s what I would say.

Never have I seen such a contrast between a form and substance of one movie. The substance – full of brutality, mindless violence and helplessness, against the form – breathtaking shots and subtle, soothing music (my discovery of the movie - Debussy’s Arabesque!), makes this movie really disturbing and unforgettable. This dissonance is sickening, but also brilliant and makes the film different from anything I’ve seen so far.

Another thing worth mentioning – chronology of All About Lily Chou Chou. At first, nothing makes absolutely no sense, we have no idea what is happening, not to mention why do all those things happen at all. It’s a commonly used trick, present in many other movies, but frequently it makes the viewer confused and utterly lost, without a chance to understand what the heck he just watched. In this case… you will feel the same. At first. But then, when you sit back and think once again about what you’ve just seen, you will most probably see a logic between all this madness. The transformation of Hoshino is shocking, but possible and that’s the most depressing thing about this movie.

Even if I think All About Lily Chou Chou is groundbreaking, it’s not a masterpiece for me. Why? Sometimes I had the feeling that this mentioned opposition between the beauty of the form and brutality of the characters was too overbearing. Also, this movie was dangerously close to being draggy, nearly two hours and a half with so little dialogue and so much pain can be really tiring.

To sum it all up – this movie is not for everyone. If you’re not scared of this eerie, weird atmosphere of some Japanese movies, try All About Lily Chou Chou, most probably you won’t be disappointed. If you’re more of a traditional watcher, who prefers movies with a solid plot and conventional characters, do not press play - but definitely go listen to Debussy, his music is just brilliant.

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Completed
Something Happened in Bali
38 people found this review helpful
Mar 9, 2012
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
I already wrote a recommendation for this drama, but I will quickly say it here...while watching WHIB, I was constantly reminded of Que, Sera Sera (WHIB came out a few years before). They shared the same vibe. It's a darker K-Drama that deals with more mature topics. It's mostly about love and greed of money. I liked the vibe of the whole thing. It's not fluffy in the least. There are a few humorous moments, but over all it's angst filled dealing with every day life...love, money, desire, greed, etc.

For me the angst was done well. After seeing so many dramas, these days I tend to fast forward through parts that bore me, usually dealing with secondary characters and such. However, this drama was twenty episodes long and I did not fast forward it once. Not even for a minute. I was completely engaged throughout. It was fast moving, and I wanted to hear what ever single person had to say. For me it was all a meaningful part of the progression of the story.

I'll admit this story is brought about by a series of contrived, coincidental incidences that are used to bring the four forever together. But seriously, if you're going to complain about that, then you shouldn't watch k-dramas, because that's basically how they all are. It's a tried a true plot device. It's easy for me to look over this and chalk it up to "fate" as they do in the drama itself.

There are four main leads in WHIB and they all get a good amount of screen time. You never know who the main male lead really is, because they both get equal screen time. At first, none of them are all that likeable. However, by the end, I really enjoyed them all. That included all their faults and wackiness too. They each make choices in their lives and we get to see the consequence (usually a fall out) of that choice.

I gave the acting for this drama a 10, mostly because of Jo In Sung. I had read somewhere that he was the most anticipated Korean actor to return from the military, and I just didn't understand that as I hadn't seen any of his dramas and had never heard of him. However, he knocked my socks off. This guy can act. He was great! No wonder he won all the best actor awards for this drama! (As a side note, at the time of airing this drama rated in the 20s and even got up to the 30s so it was pretty popular at the time). Seriously, the guy impressed me, and I look forward to watching his other work. Anyway, he plays the rich guy to a T.

Ha Ji Won (of Secret Garden) was one of the appeals to me when I decided to watch this drama. She did a fairly good job as well. She plays the poor girl. The other two mains played their parts perfectly and fit the roles great. The drama was cast perfectly in my opinion all the way down to the secondary characters. I just loved the psycho rich moms!

The main thing that got me to even notice this drama is I was looking through best couples in k-drama videos and such. This drama was on a top five list, with Ha Ji Won and Jo In Sung being like third best Korean drama couple in dramaland (just someone's personal opinion) as their characters in this drama. One of the pictures posted of them just really caught my eye and I could totally see their chemistry just from that. And they were right, they made this drama rock, and their interactions throughout were just awesome. However, this in no way, shape, or form, is saying that they get together. They might, they might not. You have to watch to find out. Watching them in this drama was great, and it would be neat if they could do another project together.

The music was uneventful, but it did it's job with blending into the story and providing the feeling of things like foreboding and such.

The rewatch value is a seven. Mainly because, I will probably eventually rewatch this again although it won't be the same. Normally, there are is so much angst in dramas that in order to prevent myself anymore personal anxiety, I read all about the drama I watch before hand, and if I can find out the ending in advance, that's a good thing. It helps me enjoy the drama with out feeling my skin crawl. Or, you just tend to know from the very beginning how a drama is going to end. Well, like I said, this is not your typical K-drama. From the very start, you may have an idea of how it's going to end. Your going to have your own opinion of who she's going to end up with based on which main guy you like the most, most likely. However, you will not know who she ends up with until the very end. And unless you found a spoiler some where, you will not know how this drama ends. Period. That in itself is kind of appealing and new in dramaland.

This of course brings me to the ending. I could not find out how it ended anywhere I looked on the net. I decided to watch it regardless, because I was so intrigued that nobody wanted to share the spoiler. I also found where most people that commented on the end didn't like it. That doesn't sound good right? Well, I've learned not to base my decisions on how other people interpret an ending. I have found it all has to do with personal taste and opinion. After watching the ending, I felt it was brilliant. It even made me smile. It was completely unexpected until it actually was playing out, however, I thought it was great!

But this is why the rewatch value of the drama is only a seven. Because, part of the appeal of this drama the first time around is not knowing what is going to happen next, what choices our leads are going to make, and how those choices are going to effect them and everyone else around them. Throughout the whole drama, you don't know who she really loves, who she's going to choose. Is she going to choose love, money, a combination of both, or neither?

Overall, I would give this drama a shot. I gave it an eight, because I truly felt it was very good. The overall tone and vibe aren't for everyone. I like it though. So, if you're interested, give it a shot!

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Completed
The Fox's Summer
38 people found this review helpful
by Pliuzz
May 10, 2017
21 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
First off, season one and two are essentially the same drama, only split into two parts. There isn't really an end to this "season", so this review will be based off of episodes 1-21.

The story itself is a very light hearted typical romantic comedy. It has the seemingly cold guy and a bubbly girl. I definitely had my differences with the female lead. She has a habit of lying and turning bystanders against whoever she is targeting (let's be real, most of the time it's the male lead). I found that incredibly annoying and unlikable, but perhaps that is why she is the "fox" in the title. That does stop after about the first ten or so episodes so she has grown on me since then. There isn't really a major over-arching plot, and as of yet, since it is the incomplete story, there hasn't been a climax. The only things that really propel the story forward are the relationship between the female lead and the male lead and the "love square" that they're involved in.

As I mentioned before, the female lead began as very unlikable to me, but the actress portrayed that role quite well. I felt that the male lead however, could be a bit more expressive. I understand that his role is supposed to be cold and stoic, but his expressions could use a little more emotion.

The music wasn't very memorable, but it wasn't unpleasant.

This drama isn't anything special or new, but it is an enjoyable watch. It's a good light hearted show to watch especially as a break between some heavier dramas.

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Completed
Re/Member
38 people found this review helpful
Mar 27, 2023
Completed 3
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

The ending scene of Asuka.....

So this is my theory...
In end there is a special scene where the headlines and picture of the murder of the red person changes intlo asuka's.

So from my point of view i think that asuka is actually murdered when she was 8 and in the whole movie asuka's character is just hallucination .

In the scene where they are in the library and Takahiro say something about him going to amusement park with asuka's family but she cuts off in the middle and in the ending scene they showed that she was murdered in an amusement park.

Next when they went to beach Asuka says that when they were younger they had a school trip like some swimming trip or something and she did not attend due to her cold but on next day they all saw her as invisible and forgotten I guess that's when she was murdered because of that they did not actually saw her and even she didn't know that she actually died.


I think they saw her at night because she only appeared to everyone at night for body search because she is the next person for body search. And Takahiro is the closest person to Asuka that's why only he saw her even at morning.


* THIS IS ONLY WHAT I OPINION AFTER WATCHING IT *

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