Reviews

in love.

I don't even know where to start about this drama but I can tell you this much
when you start it there is just no way out you get hooked...literally!
The drama is truly a masterpiece ,how the story goes and the you get to know the characters and see them as they develop
Also we get to see their background and the reason behind their actions

I like how the drama try to keep track with the novel and make everything you read before come to life.
as for the ones that read the novel , definitely that some of you would be disappointed cause their love story is not the same as in the novel but that's okay , even though they didn't get married , the drama still a masterpiece
The cast of the drama had a big role to make it this great, the leads made it magical their acting skills and how they showed emotion and how they literally became Lan Zhan and Wei wuxian also for the rest of the cast their performance was wholesome!
The thing about how well detailed every character was being showed ,they all had their own unique qualities and the cast did a great job in pulling it off

This is truly the best drama ever I promise! Never in my life have I ever said this about any drama it is just different and on another level regarding its depth, cinematography acting etc. and extremely inspirational

if you are planning to watch it ( as you should ! ) , the most important thing is to focus on the first episode and don't skip anything cause if you do , you'd probably not understand anything from next episodes and you'd be confused ( like I did ) . It might be long for you cause its 50 episodes and the special edition is 20 episodes so in total 70 episodes , I don't get why some people dropped it but everyone have different points of views and opinions !!!!

I really think I will rewatch it again cause seeing the comments on YouTube there are people that its their 10th time watching it, so just you know its that good for people to watch it over and over

BONUS : if you don't know where to watch it , you can find it on YouTube with a good quality and you can select any language you want for the subtitles .

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The drama that made me cry in episode 1

Navillera is the beautiful, heartwarming story of a man in his twilight years trying to finally pursue his dream. It's a show that embodies the mentality "it's never too late to start." It's also the story of the most unlikely of friendships as SDC, a man in his 70s looking to pursue ballet, and LCR, a man in his 20s who excels at his craft but is too lost and unmotivated to give it his full attention meet. These two make this drama. The supporting cast is amazing, too, with characters that each have their own personal growth and stories throughout the series, but it's the leads that steal the spotlight. Their interactions are some of the most wholesome things I've ever seen, they're inspirational, and seeing them help each other get back up when they've been kicked down is enough to bring you to tears.

That brings us to my gripe with this drama. The tears, or lack thereof. This is really going to be dependant on your tastes so you may have liked this, but personally, I was turned off of the series by the shoehorned-in Alzheimer's plot. I'm fine with Alzheimer's being present in dramas and I think it's an important talking point because it affects so many families worldwide, but I wasn't particularly fond of the way it was implemented here. In this drama, Alzheimer's is mainly used to up drama and make the viewer emotionally invested. That's fine in other narratives, but I feel that it just wasn't necessary here. I felt emotional in the early episodes before Alzheimer's became the main focus. I teared up in the beginning because the story was just so beautiful and inspirational. It didn't need more drama, it didn't need more angst and it was already making me cry. Navillera thrives on its very human, everyday atmosphere. Sometimes ordinary life is heartbreaking enough. You don't need to have a terrible illness or disease to go through hardships in life or to make the viewers feel for the characters. So when ballet started taking a backseat to characters having revelations about SDC's condition, characters crying over SDC, and SDC himself reminding us that he doesn't have much time left, my eyes dried up. Yes, it was sad, but it made me feel like those scenes were added just to pull at my emotions, so I didn't get teary-eyed or emotional over it. I haven't caught up with the webcomic yet, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that Alzheimer's isn't a plot device in the source material and it was just added into the drama for, well. Drama. Again, I've started reading it but haven't caught up, so I could be wrong here.

I wish that the writer and director were confident enough in their story not to add in little melodramas like that. There were other instances, like with the youngest son's backstory of being a doctor who left his field after his patient died or the situation with LCR's dad, that were just added in for what feels like the same reason, but the Alzheimer's took up a large majority of the plot in the second half of the drama so it was the most glaring. The simple story of a man trying to pursue his own goals at an age where most people would have considered his life over was powerful enough on its own. The relationship between him and LCR as his instructor was amazing and heartwrenching all on its own.

Despite my gripes, I still love the drama. It's different and unique, and I do understand why dramas have such a tendency to fall on these tropes and cliches. It's a drama. It needs to be dramatic. But if the addition of the Alzheimer's subplot doesn't deter you, it's still a great story. The ending is satisfying, not great but it doesn't leave you wanting more, and the characters will stick with you for a long time afterwards. Give it a try.

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I really liked the plot of this movie as it somewhat represented what a real band would go through such as disagreements within the group and rival bands etc. The movie was really well executed with the range of different actors from different cultural backgrounds. Also there were lost of different elements in this movie such as romance, music, drama, action(?).

Everyone portrayed their characters really well, especially Hiro, omg the amount of swearing he did O_O I don’t think I have ever seen that before xD Also Hiro’s English was just perfect *_* I knew he was fluent in English but to hear his NEAR PERFECT accent was just wow. I didn’t expect that, he just blew my mind away.
Takeru looked like such a kid, it didn’t look like it was filmed in 2010 but way earlier, like 2007 or 2008 or something, he looked really young. I think it may be because of that hairstyle, it was a proper boys hairstyle xD Not that he doesn’t look like a boy with all his other hairstyles, you know what I mean right… Right? D:
Oh and let’s not forget about Osamu *_* omg his character, I don’t know if I should love it or just think he’s an idiot xD the amount of times he took of his short for a live event was just uncountable. Seriously he was shirtless for practically 1/2 the time in this movie. (not that I mind it xD )

As this movie was about a band, more specifically J-Rock, there were lots of songs/music. However, one thing I did not like was the fact that, when Takeru’s character had to sing they just blanked it out >.< I really didn’t like that. If they had to make him sing why not make him lip sync with someone else’s voice >.> though I was really looking forward to hearing Takeru sing, I was imagining how it would be like but sadly they ruined my imagination and never gave me what I wanted >.<

Rewatch value – 7/10. It’s a good movie about friendship and how to overcome certain difficulties and all the events bands go through, such as disagreements and teamwork etc. However, the reason why the rewatch score is a bit low is because I have a feeling I wouldn’t be able to handle all the eye candy in this movie xD seriously it is a pure pleasure to the eyes –coughs- Osamu shirtless –coughs- wait what? I said nothing :p But in all seriousness, I do like it, I might rewatch it when I have nothing else to do or watch and I just want to see all my favourite actors together xD

Overall Score – 8/10 because the cast was awesome the plot was great. I loved everything about it xD (though it could have done without the swearing) and no singing >.> But overall I liked it because they included a range of different cultures in this movie. So I thought it was a job well done! If you want a movie to watch just as a pass time I think this would be the right one to watch.

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Important: Terrible Storyline

To be sincere the more you get into the plot the more you start to question that the story writers even cared about the actors roles then being that they somehow fell inlove through production of the series and specials and plot that was overall trash but none of my business. The main attraction they find to making scenes and their plots interesting is to add multiple se””al as*ualt storys together as to almost portray gay people as r””pists as lovers? Its almost like they fetishize gay people se””ually as*ualting people to romance and that seems to be the mainstream of this whole drama. Which is verybad and terrible i wouldn’t recommend watching this as i was blind cause i thought this would be character development towards Types end but its almost like they dont care what they write and i wonder how was this airred? and given a production? DONT WATCH THIS.

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There's a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes

I am pretty sure I liked this drama more then a lot of other people. I love sci-fi dramas and so this sucked me in the moment I started watching it. But it's more towards the ending and the last episode that turns people off, but I will get into that.

The premise of the drama is more or less an apocalypse type of plot. Trying to survive these mutant things and whatever the smoke is. Like I said, the plot is really good and for the most part it is well written, but then there were a lot of plot holes. The main questions (that I had) that weren't answered were how did the smoke/mutant thing appear, out of all the people it wasn't clear why Dong Rim was chosen, why was there a specific scene that the turned/mutated Jin Seok was still looking for Dong Rim, and how the mutants all died like that. These unanswered questions could be a turn off for a lot of people. The ending even more so. It was weird how everything went back to normal. It pretty much felt rushed. But I personally liked the ending, it could've been a lot worse and not even have a good ending.

I think what made me like the drama a lot more was the casting. As much as I loved the plot, the casting was even better. I always looked forward to seeing each of the actresses and actors even if their characters were not so good or even evil. And it was nice to see a lot of old and new faces.

If you don't like dramas that don't explain everything and are not into sci-fi than I don't really recommend this drama. But if you don't mind plot holes and love this type of genre you should try give it a chance. This is a personal opinion and I since I pretty much enjoyed it I give it a 8.5/10.

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An enthralling journey into the Blue House.

I had a major case of withdrawal syndrome after this show and the reason is pretty simple- I was not ready to let go of the actors or the characters or the story of the man who becomes the interim President of ROK. Right off the bat, we know that while Park Moo Jin may or may not be President material, he's certainly a capable Minister. This sows the seeds of intrigue in the viewers about what sort of a path awaits this calm and collected individual and the show doesn't disappoint. There's not a single scene that feels out of place. It has moments that are endearing, heartwarming and joyful and a number of tense times when all roads lead to a dead end. Park Moo Jin doesn't know the answer most of the times and often, he's given a limited number of options with unknown number of variables in a limited amount of time in which to make a decision. That is what makes this a compelling show.

There are two aspects to this drama- political and investigative- and surprisingly it's the former that draws us in and keeps us hooked. The investigation, while by no means a side-plot, definitely took the back seat more often than not. It also could have been handled better as it did tend to drag the drama at times. I cannot say much about this imbalance, however, as I haven't watched the original American version. The investigation is not a strong element but manages to blend in well. This was never about the villain, the culprit, who was pretty obvious and easy to guess in my opinion. The investigation just supplies us with evidence on that front. The show is about State politics and there, it's every bit exciting. Every political set back is overcome intelligently with the help of a strong team of advisors, and the small but noticeable moments of humour, family and relationships weave solidly into the main fabric of the story. Episode 9 will always be my favourite of the bunch.

The casting is excellent. Everyone does an admirable job of bringing their characters to life. In a drama with a strong story, it's easy for certain characters to become caricatures and it's the cast here that prevents it from happening. Ji Jin Hee and Son Soek Koo seem to be born for their roles. It's as impossible to say who did a better job as it is to take our eyes away from the screen when either of them is there. Lee Joon Hyuk nails the suave and silkily cunning Oh Young Seok. Nothing is perfect, however, and Kang Ha Na stands out as a sore misfit. She fails to convey the emotions of an officer struggling personally and professionally. In that sense, Kim Joo Heon feels wasted. I so wanted him to take over from Kang Ha Na and be that strong lead the investigation required.

The characterisation is a chef's kiss. Park Moo Jin, Cha Young Jin, Oh Young Seok, the Blue House staff, Yoon Chan Kyung and Moo Jin's family are all expertly crafted. Cinematography and music elevate the mood and are suitably good. A special mention for the many metaphors the director threw in like they were nothing- Moo Jin and Young Seok often coming from two different ends of a Y-pathway, being just an example.

This is the kind of story that remains with you long after it's over, haunts you for days to come and begs you to rewatch it whenever you can. I'll definitely be going back because, honestly, can we get enough of the warm, kind President and his group of eccentric advisors? NO!

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A creatively thrilling ride.

I will keep this review spoiler-free. I saw this in the cinema today and it was not what I would have guessed in any way (nor did it resemble the works some commenters have mentioned).

All the way through this film had me fully engaged. It didn’t rely on any cheap jumpscares or implausible elements that would lead to plotholes or break immersion; if anything, what’s scary is the plausibility. There was some serious attention to detail from the cast and creators, which lead to me well and truly enjoying the experience.

The actors all nailed their parts, the soundtrack was unobtrusive but used perfectly when it had its moment (a hard feeling to describe but that moment was perfect). I was left with two small questions that would likely be answered by being better at Japanese, however I can also say I was left deeply satisfied with what I watched.

A little point of caution is that this film is graphic - the murder cases aren’t glossed over and there’s injury detail.

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A Hidden Gem

I came in with no expectations, fully expecting the usual run of the mill political dramas with their usual tropes. Instead, what greeted me was a high quality, entertaining and meaningful drama about the silent heroes behind a political campaign. I literally have nothing but praise for this show; from the writing, the acting and even the production - everything was well executed. Delicate topics like workplace sexual harassment, grooming and homophobia were handled well, too well in fact that it was (sadly) unbelievable as it would probably not go over that smoothly in reality.

I also appreciated that the show raised some interesting philosophical questions - does the end justifies the means? Can change only be enacted if one has (political) power? Presidential candidate Lin Yue Chen has strong views against the death penalty, but fears voicing it out publicly will cost her the election, and will in turn prevent her from enacting the requisite change. Similarly, Wen Fang has her doubts about helping Ya Ching over fears it may ruin the election results but soon realizes that even without power, change is possible too - and the election is not everything.

In summary, I highly highly highly recommend this show - and this is coming from someone who doesn't watch political dramas because they're usually too boring LOL. The pacing is juuussst right and while there are some slow moments, there isn't a "dull" moment where nothing happens. There are also strong feminist/female empowerment themes which is a breath of fresh air in asian dramas. Sooooo if you're looking for a political drama, give this a shot!

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One of the Best!

This is an astonishing and brilliant BL series that is touching with its simplicity and grace. It is a solid love story from beginning to end with us seeing the foibles of two people in love. Not because they question their love for each other but more so as to what it might do to their friendship intimacy. If there was ever a definition of soulmates, these two young men are its examples. It was simply beautiful in its simplicity. They were predestined to be together.
The other couple were destined to be together because they complimented each other to make a whole.
This is a phenomenally soft spoken series that is reflective and a picture of joy.
You can read my full review of this at blbliss.com.

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My Mister greatly shown the reality of human condition. It tackles the existential life and social realism: poverty, office politics, abuse, familial issues, and communal interconnectedness. I was extremely impressed with this series' writing that it has become one of my few and ultimate KDrama favourites. My Mister was not a romantic love story, but it made me ponder of my own heart's state. To be human is something that is not easy to do nor understand; to love, as in for the sake of humanity and not of emotions, is a great thing, only after you know what it truly means. As I have told myself always, a person who loves with their feelings are never to be trusted.

I am in awe with how all the characters were created or personified; they were not flat and most importantly their personas and imperfections were not romanticized. They were all just outright human beings with interesting, but realistic back stories. Though, with the exception of Ji An's techie gamer friend, I wish that there was more background regarding his life.

Furthermore, what made this series even greater was that it's not meant to be emotionally happy neither unfortunately tragic (or perhaps that's just how I comprehended it). There was no sense of longing or nostalgia (I, personally, dislike regression, myself). This series was made for healing and closure and to remind all of us that there is nothing too tough for us, in our past nor in our present, to build a new beginning and a greater future. Everyone, let's keep moving forward.

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As of 1:13:58 I've had to pause it to not put my foot through the screen, I'm so freaking annoyed. On what level is it fair that Sakurai got to say all he wanted to say (which was some dumb shit in the first place.) "If you were a girl" --Bitch, the fuck does that matter?! Because sex matters when you care about someone?
Like I give him props to seeing their age difference and even he is trying to be like "errrr no. This ain't it" kinda thing, which I can respect. But I'm still super pissed off that Yoichi ALWAYS has to find out things from other people rather than Sakurai just telling him to his face. Not to mention back to what I was saying at first, he got to get everything off his chest but the second Yoichi tried to say something, Sakurai walked away. Are you kidding me? Why do you get to clear your mind on him but he can't say shit to you? Sakurai acts like such a fucking child, it drives me up the wall!

Fujimoto is just weird to me honestly. He comes in randomly then suddenly inserts himself into everything wanting to live in the house then suddenly it's "I'm in love with you Yoichi!" --Bro, WHAT?! Who even ARE YOU?! And why are you even here. Because when you first showed up it seemed like all you were about was the house. It feels like you loving Yoichi is just a "in" into the house to live there. If that's not the reason, my bad. But it's the vibe I get. And it's kinda creepy.
EDIT: Okay if he meant what he said that whole scene with Yoichi then I do kinda feel bad for him... Or maybe it's the tears. Maybe I have a soft spot for the tears. Lol but either way, he sounded like he really meant that he loved him...

All in all, it had it's cute moments, but not enough for me to really like this movie. Plus the pace drug ass, honestly. Wasn't much for me to like about it.

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You will either love it or hate it no in between. Here's a list of Pros & Cons.

I happen to fall on the side where I loved the series. I understand some of the criticism & where people are coming from but also I don't get some of the hate. For examples some people were hating on the Female Lead for being 'silly' & then praise the Male Lead. Yet if you think about it both are similar.. Male Lead was also 'silly'. Also some people didn't understand the plot so they dropped it.. maybe bc you're supposed to stick around & find out more about the plot? lol how are you supposed to find out more about the story if you just drop it bc you're not getting answers. WHETHER YOU WILL WATCH THIS DRAMA OR NOT I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH EPISODE 14. The backstory, the acting, the music etc were amazing.. my favorite episode of the whole series by far very well done.

Pros:
• Cute Romcom
• Thrilling/Suspenseful
• ML/FL Great Chemistry
• Interesting backstory
• Good character development
• Great OST

Cons:
• Plot all over the place
• Support Leads sucked/Coworkers super annoying pretty much unbearable
• Dragged out
• The spells could've been done better it kind of lost importance as it went

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True to expectations.

LZL calm & strategist personality is Worthy of being ML. Luo Yunxi nailed it.❤

FL is cute & stiff, but its suits her character. Oscar, YS, CC are pretty likable characters. Always there for ready to help LZL. Love their friendship. Soundtrack is beautifully mystical. It gives shiver & Suits well with drama plot.

I wish writers let remain HJ as villain lead, cause of HJ & LZL Competitive interactions, 1st half was better, (2nd half is good too-If ignore MH. His frustrating obsession made ratings drop.)

Give it a chance. 'Lie to Love' Deserves better, especially cause of (ML) LZL, his friends Oscar, YS & little Chestnut. They made it very enjoyable to watch.❤❤❤

(9/10)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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