Enjoyed But !! Something turned out missing.
Don't expect more !!!I expected another best thriller from Director ' Lee Chang Hee ', Thriller/Mystery/ Action Webtoon adaptation + top casting currently trending combination, also casting like Choi Woo-shik and Son Suk for the plot. It started very well, from a person accidentally killed another person but escaped by his luck. Increased my curiosity, Let's see what happens next from here, but after the fifth episode, it totally went down. Although Good screenplay, but messy story telling and narration sometimes confused me. Once the schoolgirl suicide story starts, drama takes speed to run forward. Yes, I expected let's see what they would bring up in their next cases this time to define law and vigilantism equally or justify the perfect answer to law and vigilantism. But once this story ends, that's where drama starts with a lack of thrilling elements or next-case-setup aspects.
Plot Setup :-
For the crime thriller genre,'the crime cases are crucial to give a good outcome for the thriller experience, like why they killed, what's their motive, and most importantly, how the investigation develops from ep to ep by solving them and how they reached the killer, but in this drama they got weak cases, weak investigation setup, and I surprised how quickly they solved the cases. Yes, it's an 8-episode drama, but in that case, if they focus on big-case investigation by giving background on small cases, then it would be a good thriller.
A plot twist is a top darma/cine aspect that introduces some new element into a work of fiction that either radically changes the expected direction or outcome of the story, or sheds new and startling light on prior events in the plot or indicates the one's drama/movie ending, after watching slow pre climax eps I'm excited to watch which type of plot twist they planted, but once plot twist revealed, I didn't understand it's weak writing or weak plot.
Drama weak points :-
• Messy story telling/narration
• Less thriller elements
• rushed crime cases solving
• plot holes
• failed to create suspense
Drama Strong points :-
• Actors acting
• Son Suk, Choi Woo Shik characterization song
• Cinematography
• Screenplay
The writer failed to give a more thriller/tight script, and the director failed to bring the best output from the drama using thriller elements, but what I liked and what is the good point in this drama is Choi Woo Shik, Son Suk acting, and also in the last episode, Lee Hee Jun, a wonderful performance from these trio. Especially Son Suk, as a neglected child and a cop working for the law and justice, given his well-settled performance. Choi Woo Shik's characterization is a bit dissatisfying to me; in fact, he gave a decent performance as an ordinary student and a dark no-mask vigilante. But there is no strong characterization this time, or it's for me to expect more raw characterization from him in a thriller like The Witch. Once he justified his killings, there was no character development for him, and he became a side character in the last episodes. At this point the Writer and Director failed to utilise his potential fully. Yes, plot looks great but it only get hit when the writer polish the adaption more.
Direction and other Departments :-
I like the director's "Lee Chang Hee' works. I watched his previous works, "Stormer from Hell" and "The Vanished." Both are good crime thrillers. His taking clearly marks thrilling elements in those works, but when it comes to Killer Paradox, it looks like he failed this time, but in some episodes he showed his mark.
The background score is crucial for thriller mysteries; there are times when background music saved some scenes. It’s important to add the right sounds and music in the background of suspenseful scenes to avoid confusing the viewer but except in some eps there's no right moment of background score.
Cinematography is good, especially some slow motion shots are excellent !!
As a thriller lover I enjoyed but not completely ! ! !
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The story overall was beautiful and touching... I laughed and cried along with the characters. Be prepared though, if you are going to watch this movie, have a box of tissues by your side because you will cry your eyes out. Anyone who hasn't watched Koizora should; it expresses the feelings of absolute happiness and pain.
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1A striking retell
Excerpt:“He lived a thousand years and he’s beginning to learn to love. But he is yet to understand that love doesn’t come from just one person”
“I have nothing but time” he said....
****
This short film is an adaptation, a compilation, or whatever you call it of the 2008 film of the same name - Painted Skin. The original movie which runs close to 2 hours, tells the story of Xiao Wei (Zhou Xun), a fox spirit who feasts on human hearts in order to maintain her beautiful and youthful appearance. General Wang Sheng (Chen Kun) rescues her from a band of Xiongnus and brings her home. Peace didn’t last long in that house as the demon falls in love with the general who happens to already be married to Pei Rong (Vicki Zhao). Thus, this heartbreaking plot proceeds to show the length the demon will go with her tricks and schemes to get the man she loves and the length Pei Rong will go to protect the man she loves.
In this short film which is about 30 minutes long, we have a condensed version of the plot but with a twist. This short movie swaps the sex and roles of the characters. Xiao Wei (played by Ding Cheng Xin) is now a man. While Wang Sheng (He Cheng Xi) and Pei Rong (Wang Chu Ran) are still a married couple, they have now switched roles. Pei Rong is the general protecting the town, while Wang Sheng stayed home recuperating from an injured leg. So in this film version, it's Pei Rong that rescues and brings Xiao Wei home to her husband. And the rivalry is between Wang Sheng and Xiao Wei.
The visual was aesthetically pleasing. The majority of the movie was shot in the general’s courtyard but the cinematography was beautifully executed it accomplished creating the tragic, poignant ambiance it intended to. The initial meeting, the unspoken suspicion, the subtle and not so subtle rivalry, all took place in this courtyard. The little sword fighting scene it had was very well done.
The acting was surprisingly very good. I was especially moved by He Cheng Xi’s Wang Sheng. He managed to emulate the despair, the fear, and raw emotions his character was feeling. This is not to say that his counter-part Ding Cheng Xin’s Xiao Wei was any less captivating. He succeeded in conveying his character’s seemingly sweet and fragile as well as cunning side beautifully.
This retelling removed the fillers and supporting characters and all the extra fanfare that went into making the 2 hours original movie and just focused on moving the plot around the three characters. Because it did just that, the emotional impact was even more powerful than what I felt with the original. I remember when watching the original, I only watched it for Chen Kun (a girl’s gotta do what a girl's gotta do). I enjoyed the film but I don’t recall it invoking the kind of emotion this mini-film did. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while and I forgot.... but I think I’ll remember this one.
Another thing this movie did differently is it put the focus on Xiao Wei and Wang Sheng. How they interacted, how they competed, how they observed each other. In the end, it may seem you are left to wonder - Who did they love exactly?
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WHAT EVEN WAS THIS?
Fun first act, trainwreck second act, saved only by the pretty people.You know what’s worse than a bad drama? A drama that could have been fun but decided to trip over its own feet halfway through. The First Night with the Duke started off like a cheeky, isekai-flavored romcom with a modern girl stirring up Joseon life (cocktail bombs! bold flirting! brains and sass!). And then… it forgot all that and wandered off into fifteen other genres.
By the end, I honestly didn’t know what I was watching. Romcom? Political sageuk? Magical fantasy? Tragedy with evil kings and sad childhood backstories? Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t cohesive.
Taecyeon did what Taecyeon does best: looked great in hanbok, swung a sword like he meant it, and oozed just enough charm to make you forget the script was falling apart. The female lead? She started strong as modern, clever, unbothered by all the prim-and-proper nonsense. But the second half turned her into a crying, rescue-me prop. Where did my bold heroine go? Did she swap souls with some other boring court lady when I wasn’t looking?
Let’s talk about that plot. The three brothers? Wasted. The second male lead? Might as well have been written out, only to reappear in the last five minutes like, “Surprise! I exist!” Eun-ae’s arc? Nonsensical, she did terrible things and got a happy ending anyway, no redemption needed, apparently. And don’t even get me started on the “OG” heroine slipping into modern life like she’s been shopping at Zara her whole existence. Computers, short skirts, and WiFi? No problem, she’s basically Gen Z now!
And then, twelve kids. TWELVE. KIDS. Look, I know it was meant to be “haha, cute, happy ending,” but all I could think was, “Girl, blink twice if you need help.”
If this show had leaned into being a silly, self-aware fusion sageuk, I would have rolled with it. If it had gone full romcom? Fun. But it wanted to do everything and ended up doing nothing. No theme, no proper character growth, no payoff for the chaos it created. It was like watching someone throw darts at three different boards and hitting none.
Watch it for the leads if you’re curious, or for Taecyeon looking devastatingly good with a sword. But don’t expect sense, consistency, or a satisfying ending. By episode 11, I was hate-watching just to see how much wilder it could get.
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The constant comparisons won't help; on the contrary, they'll spoil the fun. All in all, I DID enjoy this second season of Meteor Garden. The acting of all has improved tremendously, and so are photography, direction and characterization.
Meizuo and Ximen's side stories are addressed and completed, something I thought was sadly lacking elsewhere. Shan Cai grows into a truly likable character and the second female lead is, for once, a delicious person, instead of the usual viper-like, scheming character. So refreshing! Honestly, I've had enough of girls portrayed as if they were incapable of true friendhip or generosity and who seem to live only to target the guy of their dreams. In this sense, this second season is way more romantic and realistic than many other adaptations.
It has some dragging parts, mostly when the whole plot is compared in length to the pretty rushed ending, but as a counterpart to this, some details are truly satisfying (I can't elaborate this unless I spoil the end).
Overall, I am convinced this drama is much better than what's usually expected and deserves a try.
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Support SK!! Their debut is insanely good. At least give them a chance, regardless of if you watch the show or not. You won't be disappointed.
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This review may contain spoilers
Dysfunctional family to touch. True to life. Rough. Surprisingly on a positive note though
"Boomerang Family" refers to the term 'boomerang kids': adults who for pragmatic reasons move back in with their parents - mostly for financial reasons, because of unemployment or because of divorce. The protagonists of this KMovie are the mother, her three adult children and her granddaughter. Together they form the boomerang family.In South Korea, family is the greatest good. Family is omnipresent and gets involved everywhere. This does not mean, however, that family is therefore only associated with happiness, love and warmth. On the contrary. There's a lot of pain associated with it. Much is and remains unsaid. Punches are often included as well.
That's what "Boomerang Family" is about - the dysfunctional aspects of a simple family. Strife and rivalry and fights. Envy and inferiority. Pride. Yet also moments of happiness. Eventually not being seen. Yet, being seen, too. Unspoken truths that will sooner or later be told anyway. Very private, often rough, unsightly, even downright repulsive manners in everyday interactions in the smallest of spaces, which we actually (if at all) only share in the closest, most intimate circle. E.g. in family, that takes you as you are. (Inevitably.) (Out of habit.) (Because one is just so familiar due to the proximity in time and space that one has shared.) (Out of love?)
The bottom line in "Boomerang Family" is love, which, in its most screwed up way, slumbers and lurks somewhere behind the curtain of mostly ugly, all too familiar patterns of everyday, long-established, well-established manners. Strangely enough, it is simply there.
In the world of the protagonists that curtain is rather shabby. Life is simple. The language rough. Proximity is created through shouting, scrambles and fights. Community can be experienced through shared meals, though. Those meals structure family life and become a connecting, binding medium. The common meal is the place of communication and encounter under largely regulated, peaceful conditions. Everything before and after, however, can quickly (almost certainly) get out of hand.
A special aspect for South Korean conditions, where the direct bloodline is still enormously important: Over time, it becomes clear that the protagonist family is actually a rather progressive variant of a patchwork family. Because of that fact, at first glance all seems to be in question. Nevertheless, this realization cannot erase the lived experience as a "family". The simple, unnamed, tangible, rustic, crude 'love' between siblings that is celebrated with this movie, is not in the genes, but has grown out of shared experiences. In this message lies the magic of this otherwise rather brittle, sometimes dark story. Eventually the heaviness is balanced here and there with a breeze of quite idiosyncratic humor.
Everyone in the family has their own stories and small, medium or big tragedies that bring them back together under one roof. A dysfunctional family to touch, true to life, authentic, in all obscenity. As a spectator, you are brought up close, sometimes closer than you might like. Heaviness and pessimism may want to impose themselves in the course of events, but they ultimately fail to determine the emotional space. You wouldn´t believe it, but the story ends on a consistently positive note.
The KMovie is a film adaptation of a novel. It could also be a theatrical performance. It touches, repels, shamelessly places the ugly next to moments of happiness. Who actually is to judge life? What is good? What is beautiful? What is valuable? What is happiness? Ultimately, all protagonists feel (not only, but ALSO) valuable and happy in their affiliation. So what are the criteria for evaluating the quality of life? "Boomerang Familie" chooses a very idiosyncratic, but ultimately soothing perspective - beyond lifestyle, image, aesthetics or monetary wealth.
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Well, I liked it!
DISCLAIMER: I do have notoriously low standards hahaI did go in with very low expectations after reading the main review but NO regrets watching it <33
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STORY:
PLOT OVERALL: It was like a cute little on-shot written with the synopsis ("Actors Play and First being made to live together for 10 days in a house to find/whip up chemistry for their upcoming series ") as prompt.
-1- I am pretty much sucker for a good "OBLIGATORY-LIVE-IN" plot, especially when mashed with an "HATE-TO-LOVE" ingredient. And I got it here.
Actors Play and First being made to live together for 10 days in a house to find/whip up chemistry for their upcoming series - was an acceptable and believable excuse. (I've seen series coming up with much more ridiculous reasons to push two people together).
-2- CHARACTER GROWTH: Personally I DID FIND subtle growth and changes in character - and that was all I needed. The story is of 10 days span and they pretty much had an slow steady built relationship, catalyzed by situations of close proximity and a third party, maybe hindered by personal inhibitions - common plot development but always realistic and understandable.
-3- DEPTH: Was lacking, or I am missing some details. But again, for a 5 episode plot explaining 10 day story with lot of fanservice scenes, it is not expected in an average show.
-4- PACE: Was slow, even super slow at times, I could safely skip 5, 10 seconds instead of waiting for something to happen and that's saying something. I was thankful to the speed controlled widget I have lol, I watched a lot of scenes between 1.2 to 1.8 speeds.
-5- HUMOR: It was a little bonus, to my humor sense, some scenes were funny, and I lowkey like Penelope (even though she was a little "clingy" at some parts haha).
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ACTING: GOOD.
MAIN LEADS: IMO CHEMISTRY WAS GOOD - their acting could show growth of their chemistry well, and the awkwardness in the beginning too. Nothing in to make me feel cringed or that it was unnatural.
There was indeed a little something missing in the chemi - a tiny little bump I cannot quite place - but as a casual viewer I was satisfied.
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SUPPORTING CHARACTERS:
I liked the variety in natures of the casting team. PRAEW was either aloof or just acts that way and probably a Y-girl, FAH was strict and more of a cold minded professional, PENELOPE was colorful character who could does have flaws but is also sensitive and fun, DIRECTOR pretty much impressed me in the tea scene lol-he gave his all, CHAI too surprised with acting skill in "that one scene". PLUTO was the sweet kind of second lead who in a well produced drama can give SLS induced heartaches.
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REWATCH VALUE: I am not big into rewatching but this definitely makes my list!!!!! It could be a cute comfort show for another day.
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Let me keep this review shorter than most of my other detailed long ones. This is a classic action film produced in Hong Kong by the master John Woo and it’s definitely one of his better works to date. When I say action, I target every meaning behind the word. This is the epitome of the action genre that puts the majority of Hollywood action films to shame.
Is there a plot? Not really, is there realism? Heck no! The guy fires hundreds of bullets without even reloading, what common sense are you talking about? But who cares about that? The lovers of the genre don't watch for the plot or for realism, what matters in action films is the intense style of violence, bullets flying and once again violence! This is an extreme action film where everyone holds a gun (or two) and fire until they die. People are everywhere, explosions, motorcycles blowing up in the air, cars exploding and bombs. It’s all there, the camera was everywhere and those slow motion scenes are just magnificent. Nothing less from John Woo’s explosive directing style.
The main leads are cool just like John Woo’s typical main leads. The acting is superb, on one hand there’s the great Chow Yun Fat that lacks recognition and on the other hand, there’s the well-known great Hong Kong star Tony Leung. It’s a dreamy powerful combination that allows John Woo to make use of the brotherhood theme that he loves so much. There’s also a nice performance from Anthony Wong as the bad guy but he falls behind compared to Yun Fat and Tony.
Watch this if:
-You love action films because this is one of the best.
-You’re looking for action entertainment.
-You like John Woo’s films (especially his HK ones).
-You like any of the cast.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike violent films because this is the essence of violence.
-You’re looking for a certain plot because there’s nothing special in this film’s story.
-You dislike the genre action.
So why does this get a 9/10 from someone who’s very cheap with his ratings? It’s because I am an action junkie and Hard Boiled is one of the best Action films ever made in the history of cinema, PERIOD.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama got me hooked from beginning to end.I binged watch the first ten episodes in just one day. I commend them for their acting especially the male lead.Zhang zhe han never failed to surprise me. He can portray characters who looks really cold and tough.I remember him as Prince Qin in his previous drama and it was good to see him back in a modern drama .He looks dashing with his new hair. His eyes are very expressive.
I loved how adorable the Lou Xi is.I became her fan the moment I saw her onscreen. She has a natural charm and no doubt she will land in more bigger roles.
But damn I had no idea Riley speaks English well and being raised in Canada he speaks smoothly. Not really a fan of him but he can really act. The only character that annoys me was Wena and i think she was so good playing the spoiled rich princess.
Tao Lun and Wena are supporting characters but their characters exist for a reason and they are part of the main conflict of the story.
Though Zhang Min replaced Tao Lun and perform his duties as a son but his father never treated him well. I feel sorry for him because he was living a dual life and was deprived of his right to live as Zhang Chi.
Family problems really gets complicated and as you grow older you are left with no choice but to protect the ones you loved.
He had to protect his mother at the same time lived as someone else's son.
Tao lun was still very fortunate because he had foster parents who really loved him.
But when you think of it Zhang Min and his mother suffered for losing Tao lun.
The ones greatly affected are the children.
I strongly recommend this drama and I am loving the natural chemistry of the leads. The way he stares at her makes me melt. Where could I find a boyfriend who looks at me the way he looks at Lou Xi.
The plot seems cliche but the pacing and storyline is good. Just the right amount of sweetness and angst.I'm gonna miss this drama.
So if you ever watched a melodrama and wants to brighten up your mood you should check this out.
The ending was a bit rushed and the real culprit apologized for his mistake in just one episode and it was over.They could have done a lot in a 36 episode drama.It gets draggy the moment they found out the real Zhang Min.
I want a better ending but I am more than happy to see the leads ending up together.
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A charming modern fairy tale with a fresh love story
I refused to watch Goblin for a long time, kept skipping it until it finally ended up on my "Not Interested" list. A few days ago I came across an article about it, the topic was Korean fantasies on Netflix, and this time it piqued my curiosity and I decided to give it a chance. I didn't regret it.What did I like so much about this "Goblin"? It wasn't the main character by any means, though he was a nice guy. It wasn't the chemistry between the couples, which was teased in the story of a larger-than-life fate that brings two couples together over several lifetimes, because I didn't feel that chemistry.
I'm a fan of the fantasy genre, but I wouldn't prioritize this series as fantasy because I missed it driving the main thread of the story.
And the love story was kind of weird - no strong passion or heartwarming scenes.
Finally..... Without hesitation, I rated "Goblin" a 9/10.
I wonder, I really wonder, how this series won me over. Now, as I write it, it may crystallize for me. First of all, the two main female characters were just adorable - sweet, pure, sparkling, gentle, with a fragile feminine air, though not fragile characters. The "goblin bride" was such a fresh image - a woman-child oozing energy that floods you with good feeling. Actress Kim Go Eun (the second season of "Yumi's Cells" is currently running with her) is super cute. The other lead actress whose performance I liked is Yoo In Na, who later starred with the same partner in "Touch My Heart".
The men, aside from the sole villain, were gentlemen with a history of tragic bad guys - a king and a general who endure punishment while living the lives of a goblin and an angel of death. However, the viewer sees nothing wrong with them. They are so considerate, caring, sensitive, sacrificial - every woman's dream men. There was also a cute minor character - a young boy, a third generation heir, who added spice to the story without his character actually undergoing development.
Aside from the king's uncle and the main character's aunt, the typical spiteful, ugly, morally repugnant lost Korean souls that are so stifling in any series were absent. Two cursed enemies become good friends, outgrowing loathing and revenge.
There is no shortage of humor in the crisp dialogue between all the actors.
All in all, this is a drama of pure relationships and genuine people - like a brochure of life as we would like to live it, labeled "Feel good story". There's no intrigue, no attempts at someone wanting to take someone else's man/woman away, no parents opposing the relationship - well, there's no intrigue overall, but I didn't miss it. And the ending was nice - I won't spoil if anyone hasn't watched it.
Overall, I recommend anyone who hasn't seen it and likes romantic fantasies to give it a try. It leaves a nice feeling in the heart and is watchable in one breath.
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I'm giving this a high rating, because this two-episode series (less than 30 minutes) says more than many series with 12 or more episodes.For me, the actor who plays Neung is fantastic. I hope we see him in more roles, he really is THAT good.
The story is powerful in a lot of ways. Neung has a girlfriend, he gets drunk one night with his friend Keng and they have sex. The next day they are hanging out with friends and the two of them are very awkward with one another because of what happened. In private, Neung and Keng argue and Neung claims he's not gay and storms out. Later, the two of them get together again and, after what seems to be some S&M foreplay, they spend the night together again. The next morning they are really happy and Keng gives Neung a key to his apartment.
Word gets around that the two of them are together and Neung is confronted by his good friend Tui (and two others), with Tui saying he won't be friends with someone who is gay... all three of the friends desert Neung, who goes back to the apartment, only to find an empty apartment and a note from Keng, saying he has to go to a new school, but he is leaving the apartment to Neung with the memory of the time they spent together. Neung is devastated.
Neung goes out walking near a bridge, and Tui and the other friends approach him and apologize. Tui is especially affectionate and he and Neung end up as a couple after that. The End.
I've heard some viewers resent the fact that Tui "suddenly turns gay" after he shuns Nueng. But I see it differently:
many young gay men in the closet are the first ones to turn against and make fun of other gay people, because they themselves are struggling. It's not nice in any way, but it's a process that a number of gays go through.
There is also a nice metaphorical touch, involving two fish in a tank at the apartment.
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Cute, Meaningful, and Heartwarming
Omg I love this show, and why shouldn’t I love such a cute show?Here is a very short review:
This show is like Back to 1989(Taiwan show) female version with similar concept but better executed. As a huge fan of time-travel and youth(high school) dramas, this show was definitely my type. Things I enjoy most are mother/daughter relationship and main characters’ development. FL can be annoying at times but it is not unreasonably annoying and she has her own reasons for that.
Casts are not super well known, but acting is quality, especially our two female leads; Amy Chen and Zhaung Da Fei. Though male characters aren’t as important, Chen Jun He and Duan Xiao totally captured my hearts
High School part is well done and I’d rate it highly for nostalgia.
But again, it is not a perfect drama, and it has some flaws; some parts should be explained more clearly and Wu Zhi Xun character development is a little disappointing
But it is understandable...
Overall, I love it!
If you are a fan of time travel or high school dramas, I highly recommend it
And watch it for nostalgia, it is worth your time.
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This drama is very refreshing, very well written and highly entertaining. The synopsis might not really attract you, but just watch it, you'll get drawn into the series in no time at all.
Hiroshi Abe is definitely at his BEST here! He plays Kuwano-san, an accomplished architect who is rather quirky and sarcastic and definitely not a people's person. And I gotta say... Abe did a BRILLIANT job portraying this character. His acting here is SUPERB, really. His character is a mix between Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets" and Hugh Laurie of "House M.D."
It is very interesting to see how Abe's character tries to interact with other people in different kind of situations as portrayed throughout the series. I especially love the interaction between him and Ken-chan, the neighbour's dog. If you haven't seen it, I'm telling you, you'll fall in love with Ken-chan, because he is the cutest thing ever!
The actress that plays Hayasaka-san is also amazing. She's able to "balance" Abe's Kuwano and they succesfully created a perfect on-screen chemistry together.
This drama is totally a must see!
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