Reviews

The writers did alright with this drama. I mean it was full of suspense but I guess most of it. The only thing I didn't see coming is the actress who played... Nah, you have to watch it and see for yourself.

Seo Kang Joon did absolutely everything he was born to do with his great talents and that is act the part of the story. I loved his fight scenes. I'm so glad that this story for Seo Kang Joon was not about revenge but finding out the truth so thank you, writers. Han Seok Kyu, I'm afraid of you, you played your character very believable... *shiver*. If that was reality, I would be more fearful of you than the ones actually being so dang evil.

Police Corruption is no joke! There suppose to protect and serve the community they work in. That part...

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Well conveyed dreams

The series are unique depiction of job searching company. This alone attract my interest to take a sip on it. Good narrative has protagonist and antagonist to create tension along the story arcs. While the dorama has protagonists, the antagonist remained on first arc. Subsequent arcs do not have any antagonists, so we won't find any common tension found in normal stories. I suppose the early antagonist was created as pilot propelling the story abound. That being said, the story keep intriguing to the end. You see, this was relayed as episodic journal of job seekers. Yes, single job seeker per episode. Although some episodes intertwined couple clients, like the final one.

Theme per episode has practical wisdom in it, usually in ML line within the episode. FL said the theme line once to show how she had groomed to a full-fledged career advisor. The story actually shown that ML returned favor for FL, previously saved him from despair albeit she didn't remember initially. It was beautifully construct, subtle and strike to the heart. To summarize the arcs:
1. FL succumbed from blood-sucking job and superior.
2. FL started job in her aunt company.
3. FL gradually healed, both her mental and physical. She can actually taste again!
4. ML-FL growing bonds, attraction tension.
5. Third party MS interested in FL.
6. Aforementioned MS inducted to regulars.
7. Closure to ML past and properly healed by FL.
However, due to time constraint some segments seemingly forced and like too easily flipped. That is one of my complaints.

Acting of both leads are top notch, very natural. You can see the relationship curves so smooth. From slight chemistry to strong close ones. This was my first exposure to Fuka Koshiba, I am impressed. I will watch her next in Nami yo Kiitekure. Then again, because of the episodic nature of the dorama they need different guests per episode to cast in. This is hit and miss, some are good some are not so good. To sum them all it was so-so, a pity should they have brought stronger guests the impact of the episodes would be more gritty.

Opening theme portrays ML characteristics, funny I say listening them for so long. Ending theme got mellow hinting romantic. I have no objection of both, seen coloring the dorama atmosphere.

Should I rewatch them? I rarely rewatch doramas, but this one I will save it for later due the unique theme it brings.

ps: thank you for fatemasubs subbing project I can watch them in delight!

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It's really good, especially for the hopeless romantic like me. And it reminded me of Our Times (2015), also a good romance movie with a good plot and great acting.

Even though there's no kissing scene in the movie, the actors really portrayed youthful, nostalgic first love feelings. And the cinematography was great. And I really like how they act, it was so natural, especially the supporting roles.

All in all, it was a great film and recommendable for others to watch where it leaves you that overwhelming feelings at the end. And you still craved for it to continue.

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Good Enough

" My Holo Love " was an AI love story done right.

The plot had many leyers, with not only the romance, but the past mystery, the family dynamics and the business drama. The CGI were pretty great too, which helped the drama a lot, as bad CGI would have ruined the whole atmosphere the drama was trying to pull off. The male lead was amazing too, as he managed the two characters perfectly, creating romantic leads with both of them, even though they were perfect opposites. I would have liked if they had explored Holo's and the guy's relationship. The second couple was interesting too and they had nice chemistry. The female lead was cute, but she was annoying at some point, though she got better towards the ending. Finally, the ending was quite satisfying.

So, overall, seven out of ten.

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When I saw the comments on a streaming site from other users,
I thought that 11nin mo Iru! would be pretty bad, and so didn't expect much from it.
Now when I've seen all 9 episodes, it is more than likely that the people who gave bad comments made their judgment from the first episode and didn't watch any more than that, which is a shame - because the series was really good imho.

Unlike other dramas with similar stories, this story was, not only realistically executed despite of the tones of supernatural elements, it also had minor twists you didn't saw coming
and the unpredictability makes the story all the more enjoyable.
The drama includes quirky characters, humor, issues the average family experience,
and the ending was neither rushed nor slow paced.

Now, it's time for the ratings ~
The music gets a 6.5 rating because the only music I can remember from the series was the intro/outro theme (which is the same song btw).
The rewatch value would be a solid 8 I'd say since this is the type of drama I could watch at the very least 100 times over.
I got no complaints regarding the cast, in fact I'm surprised that there was hardly any character in the story you wouldn't like, and that is a rare feature.
Rating for the cast is a full 10. Congrats.
The story gets a 9, which is very good in my book.
And lastly, the overall rating is the same as my rating for the cast: 10!

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Things hardly move me like this drama did. The characters, the storylines, all of them converge into things that are quite relatable and overwhelming when you are thinking about life. Old age is usually ignored or used as a sideline story, never the main issue. But here we see its full potential as a main topic. The characters will make you laugh at first, making you recall that time your grandma said something hilarious at an inappropriate time.They will make you cringe, remembering that uncle or aunt of yours that is stubborn and keeps on nagging you about useless things. But it will also remember you to have patience when these brave people had to put up with your childish whims. And other times it will simply endear you. Fully. It brought back swiftly those memories of my childhood and spending time with my family. In the last episodes I had to call my mom three times just to hear her voice and say I missed her. It's beautiful. And be sure to call your loved ones after you finish.

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The director previously won an award for his short film and his first feature film follows suit with its strange story line and creative editing.
The movie is mainly from Hikari's point of view and as he is a big fan of retro video games the movie is structured like a game itself with the accompanying music that is so characteristic for those old games.
While the initial thought about the storyline would seem to be sad, the movie is full of humour and laughs. Acting wise some might find it hard to judge as the children are supposed to be emotionless.
The movie itself, the fast paced editing,the colorful set design and the music is addicting and make it an enjoyful ride that might have some emotional message hidden.

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itsay: epitome of beauty and symbolisms

i've heard a lot of good reviews about itsay before on my stan twitter and back then i was not really that interested since i dont like heavy drama type of series, but then i got a little bored and decided to watch it. i had pretty high expectations since most of the things i was seeing on twitter were praises because of how good this series is. i've heard a lot of people say that this is the best series that they have ever watched, not just in the bl industry.

i started watching it 3 weeks before my entrance exam for a university im trying to get into. i had no idea that the plot is somehow going to be related to what i was about to experience. i loved every small details about itsay, from the beginning where they tackled about the early relationship of teh and oh aew, and despite how close they are, we could see how they get jealous and envious they can get towards each other. a situation that occurs in real life, with our very own friends. i love how young oh aew and teh portrayed their roles and showcased a potential drama (and potential beef ofc ahsjkhaahs) thats about to happen between them. childish things, very realistic and relatable.

ffw to when they met again. every representation and symbolism is iconic. the way yongjian, the color red, coconuts, sunsets etc represents oh aew. the feelings of love, confusion, excitement, impulse and everything in between has been delivered to me very efficient and effectively. it shows how powerfully love can manipulate a person's brain, changing every single thing teh has believed in and have acted before. watching this, i was really confused if i should hate teh for being impulsive or pity him because he's just a poor young boy trying to figure himself out :( as for oh aew, even though he has figured himself out already and have his family accept him, he still lacks appreciation and assurance. i can feel the love, the pain and the sadness just how i like it. i love how every single time i remember a scene, i could reassess my first analyzation about it depending on whose point of view i am looking at. every action of each character is understandable, as their characters are very much crafted carefully. i also love how you could put up theories and such as to why a particular scene happened.

for the actors, billkin is probably one of the greatest thai actors i have ever seen (my no. 1 is probably gun atthaphan, no. 2 is james teeradon and no. 3 is him) i cant even say anything anymore... just.. damn bro... u got sum nice tears. pp did an excellent job too! especially for the red bra scene, it was full of emotions, even i, was hurt. nice job for khunpol too! since he's a newbie in the industry, he did not failed to actually keep up with the other actors that he is with.

all in all, this drama made me feel every single emotion i could ever feel in my life all at the same damn time. never have i watched a series and cried on how beautiful each episode is. up until now, i still could not get over how great of a masterpiece itsay is, to the point that after watching itsay, i never had a chance to enjoy other series anymore, and i even compared itsay (the plot, storyline, cinematography) to past series that i have watched (mostly thai bls ofc). itsay is life changing, everything was written and portrayed perfectly. i could feel every emotion that a character is feeling. the script is on point. the setting, very beautiful! many people are saying that itsay is overrated but, lhuv, i think it's underrated! plus,,, their ost and original scores are really good i want to cry pls

would i rewatch it tho?
-as much as i want to, i cant watch it at the moment because i know how hard it is going to be for my feelings to process everything again. itsay is so heavy that i has affected my everyday life and rewatching it might damage my emotions jk ahsjkhkdhahah i would probably rewatch it in the future when i know im ready to cry so much again lmao

lastly, i love bas, and it hurts so bad to know that he's not going to be on itsay 2 :(( protect our baby at all costs

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An unabashed portrayal of man's descent into madness

Who defines madness and who are we to do so really? Till where does one establish a line and say that, this and onwards is deemed crazy? Aren't we all crazy then? This film is a clever depiction of such vague themes and raises questions that are usually avoided and left unanswered due to said or unsaid societal norms...The premise is dark and rather melancholic, with a doctor who moves to the countryside and works at a fairly small clinic, after a failed practice and marriage in Gangnam... He stays rather aloof and usually just keeps to the clinic and home, on doing a colonoscopy once he comes across his landlord's father speaking under the influence of anaesthesia, describing what sounds like a well planned murder coming from someone with experience. From then on there isn't any clear distinction between reality and imagination, and much of it is left to the audience's conscience to decide for what had actually happened...
The pace is slow allowing the tension to build steadily...the direction is clever and tries to impart meaning to a lot of its setting and the surroundings, it is a delight for a keen and intuitive audience...I would also like to give credit for the ingenious selection, the title of the film is...from what I understand, it is in reference to the French folklore Bluebeard wherein the antagonist would test his numerous wives on their obedience with the penalty being death...
Overall it was rather twisted and didn't show the best in humans but made me sympathize with the one who slowly lost his sanity in the company of all those around him...It is a subtle commentary on the dog eat dog world we live in where people go beyond limits to safeguard their own interests...

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Interesting plot, amazing CG as ever but it's kind of a bit of a let down.

I feel like this series has an interesting story. The situation that led the characters to space is quite convincing and at the same time it makes you wonder how will the whole thing turn out. However, throughout the series I felt like this could've been better if it was just a movie rather than a series. In most episodes, I felt like there were a lot of things that didn't really matter and felt like a futile attempt to add depth to the story. Another thing is that there's not much of a 'chemistry' among the crews. It definitely felt like they will start killing each other from the start.

Rants aside, there were several things that I liked about this series though such as:
- The premise of the story about scarcity of water that led people to make researches to find an alternative. I really find it interesting because I love anything science. (I am not a producer/writer but I feel like the whole story would've been a lot better if they focused on finding the solution rather than focusing on digging the past, attempt to monopolize the solution, betrayals, etc.)
- The amazing CGIs. I cannot imagine how long does the editing for each episode was done and how meticulous the set was made. It is definitely worth commending.

It might just be me because I had high expectations after watching Space Sweepers so I was kind of expecting the same 'wow' factor however The Silent Sea falls a little short on that. I still recommend this if you're fan of space sci-fi or Gong Yoo Ahjussi.

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This was just ridiculously good. Since its the original it was awsome because there's none other like it. In summary, three mafia boys have one sister and they will do anything to make her happy that includes hooking her up with a lawyer and forcing them to be together. This poor guy wakes up and finds some chick in his bed that he has never seen or have any idea how he even got home. Little does he know that this fatal mistake will enslave him. The girl informs her brothers and he is forced to marry her. They would even beat him up if he said anything negative. This is a must see if u want a good laugh.

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Quiet and emotional

This is a moody drama. The colour, tone, dialogue, music, it's all melancholic. Especially the silences. All the gaps in between that would typically make me feel so impatient, instead felt heavy and meaningful. Never felt slow to me for a second. Phenomenal acting by the leads, as two people trapped in a harsh, dull, resentful and exhausting reality. But the heartaches become heartfelt moments soon and there's one around every corner, paving a path to healing. A set of support characters given the right amount of focus not too long nor short. Overall it's a bumpy, teary ride but one I thought was worth it for the moments that make you feel light towards the end.

Did not feel like a typical healing drama with motivational messages and laughter and love all the way. But there is still a lot of depth that can impress and reel you and leave you feeling full. A 10/10 for me, but be sure this is what you're looking for when you go in.

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Not for everyone

I really wanted to like this, believe me. Five episodes in, heck, TEN episodes in, I was convinced this would be the next big cdrama that would be talked about for ages. It was still a 10/10 for me then. But now I've miraculously finished and I feel like an 8/10 is already quite generous.

The good things first.

> Acting was without question, probably the BEST thing this drama has to offer. Every actor gave it everything they got and what I couldn't understand from pure dialogue, I understood from their eyes, demeanors, and attitudes. I have to praise Hu Ge for his acting as Mr. Bao in particular, as well as Ma Yili as Ling Zi. I enjoyed their acting the most. Li Li was a frustrating one for me, but that's probably because Xin Zhilei was just doing her job! There are also many other side characters such as the waitresses from the restaurants on Huang He Road, the cigarette stand owner, Mr. Bao's friend group, etc, who are lovely to watch. Mr. Fan also gets a special shoutout for being so humorous! 10/10

> The music took me back to the bygone era of Chinese rock in the 80s. These were the songs my parents had listened to, and songs they played for me growing up. I've seen on the net that netizens felt like the music was also reminiscent of Hong Kong movies from the past and I fully agree with that. This really puts you in the right headspace of Shanghai during China's reform and opening up. But I have to admit that by the end of it, it felt like it was just the same three songs playing over and over again. I wish there was more variety. 9/10

> I wish that cinematography got its own category in the MDL ratings because this would also score highly. I'd give it a 10/10 if there weren't just a little too many scenes that were too dark. Otherwise, the saturation and COLOR bring a great nostalgic factor to this drama. It just feels like one looooong Wong Kar-wai film. 9/10

> Story: I really really really love that this drama gave the spotlight to such a unique time period of China's modern history. It's also a realistic telling of what ordinary Shanghainese were going through and what the place looked like during economic reform. I thought it was historical fiction at first (which I guess is still true). Most characters also had GREAT character development, like Mr. Fan and most of the women leads. I rooted for them the most. Shoutout to Mr. Bao's friend group - they were perfect for showing the Shanghai culture of banter and family. They carried the Shanghai social culture for this drama, 100%.

> Characters: I read in another review that they liked that these characters weren't one-dimensional. I have to agree on that point. These people were as realistic as it got. The good guys had dark sides and the bad guys had.. well, they weren't all bad. In fact I wouldn't even go as far to say that there were "good" or "bad" people. They were all just PEOPLE. Good or bad only comes from what's shown in the drama and what's relevant to the plot. Economic reform begs societal change and I loved to see these characters adapt to challenges, emotional or monetary or both. Again, I absolutely adored Ma Yili as Ling Zi. She is my spirit animal! The other female characters are all commendable as well. Character development did not escape minor characters either. I'm happy to see them struggle to find themselves in business and work for THEMSELVES. Female empowerment <3
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Now onto the reasons I say that this drama isn't for everyone...

> Romance: I feel like it's my responsibility to warn you that this drama will disappoint you in the romance department. Trust me. It's better you know this before going in because I made the same mistake. Wikipedia listed Romance and Period Drama as the genres and I got my hopes up. Don't be like me. Do not get your hopes up. You will appreciate knowing this "spoiler" before you get emotionally invested! They should not have marketed this as a romance either because now I have to dock more points. (Minor minor spoiler: Mr. Bao, literally out of NOWHERE, seems to have the most interest in X with no reason at all. Let me just say he has the worst taste in women, if we can even call it "taste"...) The little bits of romance that exists have no rhyme or reason in my opinion. Romance was done so badly.

> It is heavily business-related. In fact, it's 90% about business and Mr. Bao's clever plans to outwit his competitors. If that's your cup of tea, you'll love this. If it's not, and minimal business talk gets you woozy in other dramas, maybe don't tune into this one. While I like how clever he is, I appreciate wittiness more in the form of social consequences, like in The Story of Yanxi Palace. I don't really sympathize with the money folks - it just feels like legalized gambling to me. While there were some moments where I was on the edge of my seat, I definitely prefer romance to business.

> My bone to pick with this story nearly 100% has to do with Mr. Bao. And it's hard to find *any* bone to pick with this guy because he truly is the most righteous and "good" person in this drama. Unfortunately, as the male lead, he's also at the center of all the romance troubles and like I said, there is virtually no romance. You can see why I'm frustrated with him. Although he does right by all the women at his side, he cannot and does not satisfy them in the way they want him to, and as the audience, my heart breaks for them. You have been warned!

> PACING: Oh my lord, what the hell was this pacing. I haven't read the book and I really don't have the desire to either so I'm just at a loss at how they split the book up. What even was this ending? There was maybe a bit of a slow start but things started picking up by episode 10 and it was a pretty smooth ride to episode 20. Then it was just a SLOG with new characters and reappearances of some old ones and I just found myself losing interest. (Mostly because of the lack of romance.) One of the main characters even straight up disappeared for about five episodes! Like what is happening? I pushed myself episode by episode hoping for this person to come back (and they did, thank god) but by then, I had lost hope for them to have an ending that does them any justice because there were only a few episodes left. Then the last episode just crammed everything in, without even proper closure for my favorite character. Just a complete mess with the timing.

> Rewatch? Even if it came out again with English subs, I don't think I'd dedicate so much of my time to this again. Maybe just to fully understand the business dealings but certainly not for his relationships, or lack thereof.
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OVERALL

> Outside of my gripe with the complete mess they made with the romance, I appreciate the aesthetic quality of the drama and the story. The title makes a lot of sense by the time you finish the drama and I guess I can say it was bittersweet. This had so much more potential and because I haven't read the book, I don't know which is to blame.

> There really is much to like about this drama. The characters are interesting and multifaceted. The story is pretty strong. The aesthetics were fantastic.

> Rounded up, 8/10.

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Something's off

Unky the best acted character in this show. Off and Gun were oddly not as magnetic together in this one. If this were to be the first series I ever watched with them in it, I would think they had no chemistry together, which leads me to wonder if this production was not rushed. I still would have given this show at least at 7 and 1/2 though if it weren't for the competitor cooking team. Their overacting and sneering was so annoying that I almost called it quits on the whole show. Every time they come on it just ruins the episode for me. I'm on episode 11 and they're in the pool plotting and the way they sneer is so animated and ridiculous. I'm still finishing it for the sake of the top 5 leads.

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