A solid rom-com which is better than what the rating here suggests.
One of the best drama to come out this year. Glad I didn't change my mind halfway through because of the ratings. This drama knew exactly what it was and stuck with it till the end rather than confusing the audience with unnecessary conflicts which seems to be the trend these days.I was skeptical at first. Always dropped Rowoon's other dramas except for 'Tomorrow'. But I loved both him and Yi hyun here so much. Both had a innocent charm about them. Which made wait for them each week. And the all other characters were unique and had their own personalities and goals. I always love the stories when it doesn't completely revolve around the main leads. The whole cast did an excellent job.
One thing that may go unnoticed is how well made this drama is. It is very well directed, cinematography is excellent, written without trying to outsmart it's own audience, and soundtrack which was memorable and lively.
If you're looking for a sweet, and heartfelt drama, definitely should give this one a try. Don't mind the ratings.
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Story: (10) I absolutely loved this. This was a slice of life drama, every episode was not linked to the previous one, each episode focused on its own little story. The only thing that existed throughout every episode was the main leads' relationship. I found this very cute, and the episodes were so light- hearted and fun. I highly recommend this, since there's so much comedy and elements to keep you hooked.
Acting/Cast: (10) Everything was great about the cast, they worked very well together, and the main leads were also able to pull off their office relationship. I found their relationship so cute, and I actually thought that they were dating. Their chemistry is definitely worth everything.
Music: (9) The music wasn't bad, I think they suited the drama quite well, and I gave it a 9, but I never really pay attention to the music in a drama so it doesn't quite matter to me.
Rewatch Value: (10) I absolutely hate rewatching dramas, and I usually never do it. However, I was surprised at how badly I wanted to rewatch this the other day. Since there's practically little to no drama in this, and no actually bad guys/ antagonists, I really like to rewatch this. I rewatch this whenever I want to watch something fun, and this drama is my #1 go to drama. I love that there's no drama, and nothing to make you want to cry from sadness. This is one of the only dramas like that, so I love this a lot.
Overall: (10) Overall, this is a 10/10. This is absolutely amazing, and everyone should watch this. It'll make you want to be a relationship quicker.
That's all, my friends. There's a video on youtube with all the episodes together, so you can binge watch this drama. The video is about an hour long. I highly recommend this.
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A drama to remember, a drama to must see, a drama to cry for, a drama to watch with a loved one. (Watched this alone)
This certainly an exceptional drama. I have a confession; I must admit the reason as to why I watched this drama in the first place. A while ago, when I was looking for a drama/movie, I saw "100 Days With Mr Arrogant." Though the plot and writing wasn't of the best, I fell in love. Yes, I fell in love... The man who stole my heart was none other than Kim Jae Won. I fell head over heals for that man, something about his charisma, not the mention looks hooked me.
Almost a week later, I found CYHMH, I didn't know anything about it and I thought it looked boring, so at first I didn't bother watching it... After re-watching 100 days for the 3 time, I found out that Kim Jae Won acted in CYHMH as well. It was right there and then when I started watching CYHMH.
I can honestly say, this was the best choice of drama I made since "Jewel in the palace," and "You're beautiful."
The cast was vibrant and connectable with the audience.
Kim Sae Ron, one of my favourite child actresses did an exceptional job. It wasn't the same acting as in "The man from nowhere," but I can certainly say this girl was born to be on television. I am afraid I don't know the other two child actors, but I must say, they also did an exceptional job.
Starting out light and fluffy, this drama had the glance of another drama, but it turned out to be much more in the matter of four episodes. Brooding teen, foolish father, bright/cheery step-sister, handicap step-mother, alcoholic grandmother, scheming father, sweet mother willing to kill for her child, greedy mother who is will to sacrifice her child, sweet grandfather, and sweet teenage boy with a bright smile. Yep, what a plot and variation of cast. Oh my. Every character was brought to life in the first few episodes.
The fast forward to 16 years, oh boy. Young Master Dong Joo grew in to an exceptional young man, Bong Woo Ri a beautiful young woman, and Bong Ma Roo was a heart throb of a doctor.
The writing seemed well planed and well written which was properly showcased by the cast. The character I felt most at one with was Nam Goong Min. His role in the story made my heart throb more than anything. Every tear he shed cause me to break down into tears as well. He acted his role with such passion and pride. Kim Jae Won as well as Hwang Jung Eum did wonderful jobs also.
The entire cast was beautiful, but the characters that stood out for me the most were; Bong Ma Roo/Jang Joon Ha, Hwang Soon Geum, Bong Young Gyu and Tae Hyung Sook. They had the hardest roles to play and did wonderful jobs.
Overall, I don't regret finishing this drama, every hour, every minute, every day I spent watching it was all worth it.
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Best K-Drama Fantasy I Have Ever Seen
This and Alchemy of Souls were the two shows that made me fall in love with K-Dramas. The plot of this story, considering just the Goblin's roommates, lends itself to so many funny, melancholy, and contemplative moments. The reaper, expertly played by LEE DONG WOOK, is a nice guy who offers the dead forgetting tea in a quaint room before they go through a lovely door to the afterlife. The goblin, Kim Shin, exquistely portrayed by GONG YOO, is a sympathic and lovable character with regrets of his past and a desire to protect the ones he loves. The girl who should not have lived, Ji Eun Tak, masterfully played by KIM GO EUN, is so lovable and level-heaed in this sometimes chaotic and fantastical story. The restaurant’s owner, Sunny, beautifully portrayed by Yoo In Na, is an eclectic and interesting character. I am not going to write plot spoilers, but I can say that this drama was one I really wanted to binge watch, and I came away loving the story, cinematography, and characters.Was this review helpful to you?
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An extremely painful story you will never forget
I don’t know where to begin; there’s so much to say. My friend recommended this drama to me; she said, “this drama made me not want to get married.” I thought she was exaggerating a little but it made me curious so I gave it a shot. She’s not wrong.My initial thoughts were, “oh it’s about a man cheating, of course,” but it’s so much more than that. There were so many unexpected turns and I couldn’t keep still while watching. This drama made me very emotional. It’s an extremely dramatic story which really pierced my heart. There were really beautiful scenes but most of them hurt. I love the female lead but there were a couple of instances wherein I questioned her actions because she was just way too kind. Sometimes I want to get up and do it for her, whack whoever needs to be whacked, you know what I mean.
I am not yet in that marriage phase in my life but this story really hit me hard. It’s the shortest but most dramatic Chinese drama I’ve ever watched. I don’t think I will watch it again because it’s just way too sad. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great drama; the writers and actors did well. I just don’t think I have the energy to put up with such intensity all over again.
This drama taught me a lot of things. It made me think a lot and I feel like I might actually start doubting people because of the betrayal this story portrayed. Sometimes trust isn’t enough. Overall, it’s a great drama, but expect a rollercoaster ride! I’m pretty satisfied with the ending. Great drama!
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I'm giving this a perfect score in all aspects because I thought it's that perfect. The suspense was held evenly throughout the drama, although the jittery feeling might be felt the most at the first episode (I almost puked to be honest. Such injustice).
It doesn't bore at all and it does not try to preach, like what many other family dramas might do (although to be honest, this is my first time watching a drama directly about family relationships). Rather, it lets you look at yet another (perhaps distorted, perhaps not) side of reality and exposes you to the emotions of the families which may be suffering from any or - goodness forbid - all of the issues tackled in it.
The music is perfect, the sound effects and the music come in and out at the right times and fit every scene appropriate for them. I like the ending so much, and the allusion of life to the ferris wheel really is a deep one, but it fits perfectly.
Gave a perfect score for rewatching because I'd like to see the superb acting and all those raw emotions all over again if I could help it. (To be honest, I'm not much a rewatcher though).
I recommend this to anyone who would like to be reminded that there is hope in spite of whatever storm that comes to your life... just look around and there are people willing to support you no matter what - in totally not a melodramatic way such as what I've just written (because goodness knows we're all sick of it).
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This drama had too many uncalled-for side stories that bore the hell out of you! But I kept up with them.. I hated that many characters did a wrong and then they, themselves, felt wronged and blamed others.. I mean, EXCUSE YOU! They skipped through time a lot, and it too many twist that weren't really necessary.
HOWEVER! it was one of those dramas that made your heart flutter, and how I wish there weren't those 'butterfly-moments' because I really wanted to give it a lower rating.
When I finished this drama I thought "I wish I had a man just like Kang Jin.. Caring, loving and selfless" I really liked his character, specially, his relationship with his mother.
In conclusion,Some parts were too good, some parts were too boring. I'm not sure which overlapped which, to be honest.
Again, unless you're a patient person, DON'T COME ANYWHERE NEAR THIS DRAMA!
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This review may contain spoilers
Unique 2020
I don't know why a lot of people criticizing this drama.For ad?! After reading their reviews only I got, what they're telling ad's that it's used here. And those are not really relevant in the story line.
First of all I get a Hollywood style vibe from this Drama. It was actually perfect in it's every aspect. Acting, OST, Story, Production and Plot. It was really a unique story so far.
The OST are really good and especially, Gravity (I'm using this one as my caller tune) and Maze.
In Acting aspect I've seen a lot of reviews criticizing Lee Min-ho I don't get this why?! He's perfect for his role as both wise and spoiled King. Hats off to those are performing double roles. I was wondering how they choose the cast?!! Bcz each and everyone got perfect role and they did their best.
It's a drama for those who loves
Fantasy/ Sci-fi (parallel universe)
Thriller/Mistery
Melo/Romance
Smart ML and FL
Happy Ending (Most satisfying one, we can get 4
couples at the end)
Plz don't get swayed by the negative reviews it's really a good Drama. I've watched it about 5 time's.
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Not bad if you are looking for a low-commitment drama fix
For a short-length modern drama, this is one of the better ones - I've seen so many modern short-length ones that are excrutiating and unbearable. The production values are much better than most mini-dramas I've seen, and the music too, is surprisingly nice for a low budget production like this. The acting by the leads are generally pretty decent as well. Wang Zuyi, in particular, has a lot of potential, especially if you've seen him in the short-length costume drama, The Only Girl You Haven't Seen. He does "radiantly happy" and "earnest and vulnerable" so well, it can be a bit hard to buy the "Domineering CEO" stereotype here.The story itself is okay, but it does lean into some classic tropes, some of which I am not a fan of, including 1) the problematic "Domineering CEO" mentioned earlier (he grabs her wrists bruisingly hard a couple of times and is kind of stalker-ish, demanding to know who she was with, even though they broke up five years earlier) and 2) the "crazy ex-girlfriend/vengeful jealous friend whose feelings are unrequited" (they have one of each here!). The ending is rushed (surprise, surprise!) and a bit .... different (for a lack of an unspoilery adjective).
I waffled between a 7.5 and an 8, and finally settled on 7.5 because of the ending and some of the CEO's behaviour -- still a high grade in my books for a short-length series. Overall, if you are looking for something modern, a quick fix with low-commitment, and modest expectations, you could do a lot worse.
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Kimi ni Todoke is one of the sought out japanase manga these days. Even my cousin (who is an adult in his own right and definitely a straight guy) enjoyed this movie. He professed on watching the anime, while I opted on reading it since the manga production is much faster than that of the anime version.
As for the movie, like almost every Japanese film I’ve seen, it had a slow pacing at first until things build up to the point where you couldn’t stop watching anymore and just get totally hooked up. The story is very simple, boy likes girl, girl likes boy… we all know how teenage romance could get going.
What makes this movie different?
I would have to say that it’s Sawako’s character. In teenage romance stories, there are the usual girls who are the brassy type: loud, war freak or popular. There are those opposite characters as well: very quiet, aloof because she’s shy or because she has lots of family problems or was being abused in all kind of things or she’s plainly an anti-social person.
In Sawako’s case, (the protagonist in this movie) has a peculiar character. She has no family problem since she’s very much loved by her parents, she has no image disturbances only that she’s being usually mistaken as a curse giver thus the SADAKO nickname came about and she’s not poor either so financially she is stable. So basically she had no flaws when it comes to her personality background. So what’s so interesting about her? The protagonist is a misunderstood person. She gets ignored but not bullied, she tries to blend in and be friends with everyone but instead is feared upon. Sawako is actually a nice person but she just don’t know how to show it properly.
That’s where this bubbly Kazeha guy comes in. He alters Sawako’s tiny universe and thus the high school romance begin.
I would say the manga is more detailed when it comes to projecting how these main two characters feel. What they are thinking are made in tiny thought bubbles that cannot be used in the movie because that would just be weird.
Cinematography was very simple because the setting was always in the school grounds and yet the angles and perspectives gives out a bigger impact on the viewer. As for the soundtrack, it was synced in properly with all the scenes and the choice of music if very appropriate for a soft themed movie.
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There's nothing great or unique about this show. I must say, though, that it served its purpose of entertaining me. I'm not that demanding about the shows I watch, my main criteria is to like at least one of the main characters, so that I have someone to root for along the watching journey. In this case, I liked both.
The main problem for me was the amount of extremely childish fights between our main couple. It was pretty much clear they had attraction and cared about each other, but were too imature to be honest and properly communicate their feelings. I would have no problem with it if those fights lead to some progress on their relationship but it started getting exausting since almost every time it just lead to more misunderstadings. Both were too proud and stubborn... Though I liked that most of the time, Neung was the one who would give in. Hehe.
Well, it was fun. And short.
8/10 for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
don't miss this masterpiece.
Here we go, next masterpiece! Next to the Descendants of the sun and Moon lovers. No words to this wonderful plot and love story. So wise drama. Thank you for making this , it broke my heart, but I had a great time watching it , thought. Life cant be perfect , right?I just interpret the ending by myself...
Soundtrack is next big advantage of this drama. Ailee- great job! Actors? Cant be better! There were also moments when I cried so badly because of the humor in this drama ;D Main characters were hilarious. The friendship between Grim Reaper and Goblin was awesome xd Jin En Tak talking with Goblin was also irreplaceable xd
Thanks for giving me great time watching it. I recommend everyone!
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Poetic Justice
Avalanche truly is an underrated gem and I’m so glad to have come across it right here on MDL. From the J-dramas I’ve seen recently, this one certainly ranks as one of the better productions and is fully deserving of more attention as well as international viewership. In fact, it probably should have its own slot on the major distribution sites such as Netflix or Disney+.It shares a similarly-themed premise in the mould of Taxi Driver, Leverage, Bad Guys and many others, with a story that focuses on a team of vigilantes taking it upon themselves to deliver justice where the local enforcement and judiciary have failed. In this case, it gets a little more complicated than that. Although based on an episodic format, the separate cases that involve an unhealthy dose of social injustice are inextricably linked to the grand scheme of things - political conspiracy of the highest order where the upper echelons of the Japanese government are mired in corruption amidst the nefarious schemes of a powerful individual. The vigilantes are not merely performing good deeds out of the kindness of their hearts for they truly embody the spirit of Team Avengers, with a hint of subversion. As victims of conspiratorial collateral damage themselves, they are seeking to right the wrongs that had been inflicted upon them.
The drama is a co-production between Kansai Television Co. and reputable production house Tristone Pictures, and was broadcast by both Kansai TV and its affiliate, Fuji TV. It also represents a revival of Kansai TV’s “Monday Night 10pm serial drama” format, being the first drama to be aired on this time slot since 1996.
Avalanche is co-directed the cinematographer-screenwriter-director and multiple award-winning Fujii Michihito (Shinbun Kisha, Fuujinshi, 100-manen no Onna-tachi), the experienced Miyake Yoshishige and the young director Kento Yamaguchi. The story is based on the original screenplay written by Amane Marumo, Masaaki Sakai (Red Eyes: Kanshi Sousa-han), Aya Takei, Natsumi Kakesu, Michihito Fujii, Takeshi Aoshima (dele), and Kazuhisa Kodera (Shinbun Kisha, The Naked Director 2). The contemporary synth-pop rock theme song, also titled Avalanche, is performed by the Japanese 6-member rock band UVERworld.
What I Liked
In terms of the technical execution, this drama looks very much like a premium subscription network production rather than a free-to-air TV offering. The high production values along with the exceptional qualities of cinematic colour grading, direction, acting, art direction and set designs, cinematography, post-production editing, scene transitions, special effects, accompanying music score and action choreography appear very sleek and well rendered indeed.
From the storytelling perspective, this vibes very much like a US production, IMHO. The direct and no-nonsense storytelling approach, the thematic depth of the narrative and characterizations, the balance between slowburn intensity, high-octane action and delicately fragile moments, while even the conceptual visuals of the title sequence are all reminiscent of series like Homeland and The Americans. I was particularly impressed with the multiple plot twists towards the business end of the drama that were totally unexpected.
The cast performances in this production are top-tier. I was particularly impressed with Ayano Go and Kimura Yoshino who portrayed the leads, Habu Seiichi and Yamamori Michiyo respectively. Each character demonstrates a comprehensive gamut of emotional intensity while I also appreciated the subtly measured and nuanced manner of the depiction. You will not find any trace of hysterical over dramatic acting in this show, which is a huge plus point for me. The ever charming and versatile Watabe Atsuro stars as the antagonist this time and he convinces as the charismatic and suave politician, Oyama Kengo. Although credited as a supporting character with limited screen time, he certainly exudes a sufficiently villainous aura to make his presence felt.
Takahashi Maryjun as the ex-special forces operative Akashi Rina, Chiba Yudai playing the genius hacker Makihara Taishi, and Fukushi Sota’s Saijo Eisuke are the other protagonists that intrigued me with their rather significant character arcs in the story. I did find Yamanaka Takashi’s super efficient CIRO investigator Kirishima Yuji to be a very interesting side character as well.
What Fell Short
The conclusion to the story feels rushed and somewhat undercooked, IMHO. The wheels begin turning towards the final arc in episode 8 with a dramatic turn of events but eventually culminating in an unsatisfactory end for nearly everyone involved, including the antagonists.
Additionally, certain aspects of the crucial plot points appear surreal and ridiculous, particularly those involving the Prime Minister and his rather incompetent security detail. The Japanese head of state is in dire need of a qualified entourage of bodyguards if the depiction in this drama is anything to go by.
Final Thoughts
Despite the lacklustre ending, Avalanche remains overall a very well crafted and high quality production. A sequel is highly unlikely and perhaps not quite needed because the closure to the narrative is neatly wrapped up within this single season. As a one time watch, this was well worth the viewing experience indeed.
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