Was this review helpful to you?
Asuma Ibuki and Otazawa Mei are Mutsumi's classmates. They've been best friends since childhood, with the tomboyish Ibuki always at Mei's side as her constant protector and savior. Mei is shy to the point of being almost incapable of interacting with anyone else, so the two of them focus solely on each other, rarely allowing anyone else into their circle.
With Mei being so fearful of other people, Mutsumi at first sees her as his ultimate challenge, but as soon as he starts in with his usual tactics to win her over Ibuki realizes what he's up to and fiercely shuts him down.
This leads the undaunted Mutsumi to start thinking that Ibuki herself would be an even more challenging conquest than Mei. He makes a bet with two of his friends that he can make Ibuki fall in love with him, and from there the game begins.
A compelling addition to the series are occasional "self confessional" videos where individual characters sit alone and reveal their private thoughts and feelings. These segments are filmed in portrait mode as though recorded with a mobile phone, adding to their sense of immediacy and rawness. It is here that we learn how troubled Mutsumi really is, and Mei as well. In Mutsumi's case these sessions expand upon his character and make him more sympathetic, and it's through them that we learn that the feelings he's showing toward Ibuki have become real for him.
Ibuki is the most central character to the series, since the other three -- Mei, Mutsumi, and a younger student named Sakurai Nao (introduced about midway through the series) -- are much defined by the ways in which Ibuki has awakened a need in each for a deeper connection with her.
Performances are superb all around.
Itagaki Mizuki impressively navigates the many sides of Mutsumi's character, making us gradually understand why he's become so guarded and hostile, and eventually making us want the best for him. With Ibuki's encouragement Mutsumi gathers the courage to let others -- including his estranged mother -- know the real him, and it's endearing to see how much wonder he feels over Ibuki's sincere concern for his emotional well-being.
Takeda Rena as Mei fully embodies that character's vulnerability, and we cheer her on when she finally attempts to expand her world beyond Ibuki, one tiny step at a time.
Rounding out the main cast, Goto Yutaro makes a perfect Nao, androgynously beautiful and fearless in his own way, not hesitating to make his feelings known to Ibuki as soon as he realizes them.
'Sixteen Shoukougun' ('Sixteen Syndrome') is much more than a high school romance. Its complex characters will stay with you long after it has ended, and if you're like me you'll be returning to it again to pick up on what you might have missed before.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Acting/Cast: I love seeing Wallace and Tiffany on screen together! They made the most adorable couple ever! They were hilarious and had amazing chemistry. I enjoyed almost all their scenes together - from the hilarious bickering to the sweet lovey doveyness. Some parts were heartbreaking to watch though T_T But of course, we need all that drama - but sometimes I just can't understand how a guy can have the heart to act so cold and cruel to the girl he loves! *sigh* This couple and the way they acted kind of reminded me of Alec and Vicki in Princess Pearl - their personalities are actually both quite similar The second couple was actually a little boring for me to watch - again, very similar to Zhou Jie and Ruby in Princess Pearl. Even alot of the situations were very similar. I cringed though at Gong Mi's acting.. I'm not sure who she is but everytime she talks her eyebrows will move oddly O.o and that kind of bothered me. Thank god she wasn't on screen all that much!
Music:I loved the music in this drama. The opening theme was quite catchy and bubbly, whereas the ending theme was beautiful and and emotional. I loved the ending theme alot and I can still hear it playing in my head now. I also loved how they played the female version during the later episodes - it was a totally different feeling with the same emotions (don't really know how to explain XD) I remember a few other insert songs that were modernised with the oriental music. A type of genre I really enjoy actually. One particular song that cracks me up is the 'bouncy' background music that they play whenever they (I think it's mostly Tiffany) acts all goofy and stuff. It really adds on the comedic effect.
Rewatch Value: I don't usually have time to rewatch dramas but in this case, I would rewatch all the scenes between Wallace and Tiffany. It would be amazing if someone actually cut all their scenes and made it into one big video. I'm sure that video will bring a big smile to my face whenever I need that extra cheering up!
Overall: I know I mentioned love alot already, but I must admit, I LOVE this drama so much! I'm having some withdrawal symptoms already! The story wasn't anything spectacular, but I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. This was a very light and fluffy drama with lots of romance - and I loved that! From the very first episode I was quickly reminded of Princess Pearl and throughout the whole drama I could feel the same elements used. From the characters to the scenarios, I could see all the similarities... and since I loved Princess Pearl so SO much I couldn't help but adore this just as much - though the story was a lot weaker. Wallace and Tiffany are easily one of my biased couples now although Wallace and Joe are also my bias XD I'm torn!
Was this review helpful to you?
This drama is easily, without a doubt, the weirdest drama I have ever watched. From the very beginning and your first introduction to Soo Kwang, I could tell this drama was going to be different. It was amazing and so poignant, and I honestly believe that it might make some strides in reducing the fear and ignorance people have when it comes to mentally ill individuals.
First off, I want to say just how amazingly well suited the cast was to working with each other. Their chemistry was just phenomenal, and there was hardly a moment that went by that you weren't just so happy to see them all together. Soo Kwang and Dong Min's relationship was touching, and how much they fought for each other, and WITH each other, just felt so real and unique. They were a house of people that most other people would scoff at and call them all certifiably insane, but they also all loved each other unconditionally and that is rare.
As a Running Man fan, I was so excited to watch this for Lee Kwang Soo. I was a little worried when I heard his character, Soo Kwang, was going to have Tourette's, but Kwang Soo played it off absolutely brilliantly. This was my first Jo In Sung drama, but it will certainly not be my last. He was able to put on so many hats in this drama, from the romantic leading man, to the hurt little boy who has to face his childhood demons. I was seriously impressed with his range.
Story line wise, this drama always felt fresh and was almost never boring. There were a few times when I was irritated a little bit by how much the two main leads fought towards the middle of the drama, but it was definitely barely enough to knock it down half a point.
I really loved how this drama dealt with mentally ill individuals. It never made you feel like they were ridiculing them, and it really did its best to try and foster understanding that just because a person is sick, it doesn't make them any less deserving of love and happiness. I also loved how this drama really made you question who the bad guys were, and if sometimes you weren't your own biggest enemy.
The music in this drama was just phenomenal, as well. Almost all of it was English, but it was all so upbeat and perfect, it just completely enhanced every episode in every way.
So far, if I had to pick top 5 dramas of the year, this one would definitely win a spot!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
excellent visuals, actors deserved better writing/editing (watch suggestions)
Overall: there was quite a bit of potential but the choppy storytelling/editing hurt the series a lot. The last few episodes were better so that week break seemed to help. Aired 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. YouTube cut version https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzTP1IMPICl6R_dsvgKnBAMp6htoQwswK (episode 1 uncut was 47 minutes 29 seconds which is what I added up the cut parts on YouTube minus the breaks between parts so there wasn't a difference in episode 1, later cut episodes removed NSFW) and iQIYI Thailand only uncut version with delayed English subtitles https://www.iq.com/play/battle-of-the-writers-episode-1-21ue1zzg12c?lang=en_us I rated the cut version a 7 and uncut 7.5.Content Warnings: non con picture taking, threat, stalking, non con kissing, drugged, non con touching?, injured/clubbed, violence/blood, manipulation, sexism, homophobia
What I Liked
- aesthetics/visuals
- good/realistic that she wouldn't give out his phone number
- tropey falls but they were cute
- supportive group of friends
- sweet moments
- good intimacy/NSFW scenes were well done
Room For Improvement
- with dreams, flashbacks, fast jumps, re-telling scenes from a different perspective, etc the series feels extremely choppy both in modern day and in the Xianxia parts
- the writing felt very contrived, the characters didn't act like real people and what people would say/do, also inconsistent characterization with the guy in black who started by being self assured and then suddenly was nervous/anxious, a character who was multilingual chose to speak a language that no one else could understand in the beginning
- having the panda face paint/jammies on the Chinese character felt a bit iffy
- completely not needed to character assassinate an established queer couple, there were multiple other ways the writers could have achieved what they wanted
- comedy sound effects detracted from the humor, the magic mushrooms in episode 3 were cringey and not funny
- the manipulation/lying by a character in episode 9
- random marriage in episode 11
- wearing socks (on feet) in NSFW scene
- no international release for the uncut version, only available in Thailand (deducted a half point for this as the uncut was better)
Watch Suggestions (it was really challenging in the beginning episodes so I included the Xianxia parts and then also included some sweet/steamy scenes)
- episode 1 part 1 beginning to 2 minutes (zero explanation of why one was blindfolded...)
- episode 2 part 1 beginning to 2:15 (pinned against tree, sword won't harm soulmate)
- episode 3 part 1 beginning to 3:10 (got something in his eye), 6:43 to the end (seem to be in school???)
- episode 3 part 2 beginning to 3:05 (talking about a character, gets a royal decree to kill the other guy? then flash forward then flashback???), 4:13-4:45 (2 other random characters talking to the guy in white), 10:10-10:30 (short fight)
- episode 3 part 4 10:50 -13:12 (introduced a noble genius character who becomes the demon guy's master???)
- episode 4 part 1 beginning to 1:25 and then jump to episode 4 part 2 at 2:55-3:12 to see the end of this scene (flower from his hair)
- episode 4 part 1 8:10-end, roasting a chicken blew out dust from his eye (same scene as in episode 3 part 1)
- episode 5 part 1 1:50-4
- episode 5 part 3 beginning to 3 minutes, 5 min to end
- episode 5 part 4 6:17-6:32
- episode 6 part 1 3:30-6:45 and episode 6 part 3
- episode 7 has a random couple introduced but they kiss at 16:30
- watch episode 7 uncut 29:50-33:15 steamy scene and then 33:30-42:30 for Xianxia kissing
- watch episode 8 part 1 3:45-7
- watch episode 8 part 2 2:40-4, 6:15-end
- watch episode 8 part 3 6-7
- watch episode 8 part 4 4-5:50
- watch episode 8 uncut 16-18:55 for a steamy scene
- watch episode 9 uncut 27-36:20 for a very steamy scene and then 43-end
- watch episode 10: part 1, part 2, start part 3 at 7:45 and part 4 at 4:30 (watch ep 10 uncut around the steamy parts for more steam)
- watch episode 11: part 1, part 2 beg to 3:30 and 11:45-13, part 4 beg to 1:45 (the elevator kissing might be a bit longer in uncut)
- watch episode 12: part 1 (watch the uncut until 10:30, they cut 4 minutes of NSFW here), part 2 and part 4 5min to the end
Was this review helpful to you?
Not for the faint of heart !
This is absolutely a story where the female population is depicted as weak due to her emotional entanglements. The emotional and mental torture is too much to bear while watching the story unfold. I am surprised that aside from PTSD, she did not go insane. Unnecessary scenes such as letting the FL watch her husband being intimate in bed with another woman just horrifies me to the core, I understand that Chinese drama themes most often than not runs along the same lines. Even if she is the most forgiving and kind person, why would she subject herself to such disrespect.FL keeps saying they cannot go back to where they were before but then in the end she did the opposite ( I am rolling my eyes). I cannot imagine these are scenes and personal heartbreaking experience can be easily erased or forgotten just because the ML says he is regretting everything that happened. Anyway, enter this story at your own emotional risk and sanity. After all, each one has their own take of this kind of drama and we all can agree to disagree.Was this review helpful to you?
You know, I watched this movie first time a year ago, and rated it 7, and when I rewatched it yesterday, I was socked how I could have 'insulted' this movie that much, maybe I can say I was not attentive enough during my first watch (though that's a lame excuse, as yesterday my eyes were glued to the screen)... Let's say I wasn't in the right state of mind for this movie at that time... I am glad I suddenly decided to rewatch it yesterday.
The cinematography is so perfect, there were scenes my breath was caught somewhere in my throat... The colors (if you decide to watch it just download it, and preferably HD, the bigger the file, the better, trust me) were driving me crazy! The hill on which they placed the mailbox became one of the places I want to visit before I die, it's the most beautiful, peaceful place! The way they shot it at least made me want to go there,sometimes it seemed I could even see the wind blowing the grass and the hair of two lonely characters standing there...
The plot is simple, and honestly I didn't need more complicated, as the scenes were so rich visually, other complications were unnecessary...
Acting is wonderful! As a big fan of Han Hyo-Joo, one more time came to adore her character.
First thing about JaeJoong I noticed was his husky voice, which drove me crazy, I was WAITING for him to talk... I think he was a perfect person to portray JaeJoon...
The music is very complimentary to the movie, perfect match... calm, relaxing and light...
Also the symbolic meaning of the movie adds to it value so much more... White lies to help people, is it right or wrong? Teaching a lesson by making the person to look at life from a whole another angle of life... Learning how to withstand the difficulties of life from zero... falling in love after being hurt...falling in love...^^
Was this review helpful to you?
Perhaps the daunting prospect of wrestling political debate is keeping potential fans away. There's no need to worry on that front. This drama's title can also double as the plot descriptor. Everything is about the lead couple's relationship; the political ideologies were simplified and, like the government positions held by most characters, were largely used to flavor conflicts and create an interesting atmosphere for love to blossom and persevere. Unfortunately this device over-saturated the first four episodes, which served as a foundation for the later events of the story. It's like the necessary bit of salt in your cookie dough recipe accidentally got doubled and overcame the sweetness. By the fifth episode though, a burst of romantic chemistry blows the bitter taste away, leaving the rest of All About My Romance charming and delicious.
The acting was generally good to passable, with Shin Ha Kyun blowing everyone else out of the water only to carry it to the end. Some people have said he's not handsome or young enough to play a romantic lead, but they must not have seen him smile. His whole face lights up and, if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself grinning right along with him. The personality Shin Ha Kyun infuses into his Soo Young will probably win him some attraction anyway, because it fuses the zany and romantic in a completely lovable way. Unfortunately, this great performance also means that he destroyed any possibility for Park Hee Soon (forgettable) to form a compelling second lead and badly overshadowed co-star Lee Min Jung (passable). It's lucky then that Shin and Lee look very well together and have believable chemistry, right?
Musically, the only special mention would be the excellent vocal inserts. Akdong Musician's "I Love You," and Shin Yong Jae's "Simple Love" have found themselves into my iPod. The instrumental tracks were either largely not present or too forgettable. However, watch out for the wacky Benny Hill-esque tracks which play during the fun or comedic scenes. They sound a little silly, but somehow remain completely suitable.
The low level of angst and satisfying wrap to most conflicts in All About My Romance take down its rewatchability, but in a good way. I feel like the sweet and comedic scenes are definitely worth a revisit though, and there are several I'd love to see again.
If you want something light and easy to watch, this drama is for you. Especially if you've just gone through a particularly traumatic melodrama or just want a mood booster.
Was this review helpful to you?
Acting/Cast- The leads had really great chemistry. The female villian was very unlikable and almost scary. The actress did a great job portraying her though. The supporting cast is wonderful!
Music- great, goes well with the scenes.
Overall- If you like HYD and Hana Kimi you will love this. One of the best J dramas Ive ever seen!
Was this review helpful to you?
I really liked the idea of one girl being in a school full of boys.
(I mean what girl doesn't? ^.^) Sometimes it was cute and sometimes it was a little dramatic (ok, maybe sometimes a little too dramatic). The music was catchy, the acting was great and the boys were cute. This drama has a special atmosphere. You know, when you watch those (american) movies where the lead character dramatically gives a Speech/Explanation in front of an audience/other lead character towards the end and the audience so moved by his/her words that they all cheer/kiss or whatever. This kind of atmosphere leads you through all 9 episodes. Not much romance but a lot of "fighting"-attitude, so if you don't mind a little cheesiness on the side, you should give this a try. I did and I didnt regret it.
*Fighting* (makescutefistmoveintoair)
Was this review helpful to you?
A feel good drama with strong FL
I watch a lot of dramas but don't often leave reviews. I had to stop and leave a review for this show. It was sowonderful to see a Chinese drama that had a strong FL that could stand up to the typical evil friend and evil mother in law.
I hope this trend continues ! Along with the amazing chemistry with the ML and FL it was a very fun show to watch a real feel good show. Congrats to the writers and the cast . The other reviews sited the low budget but I don't think it got in the way of portraying the love story.
Was this review helpful to you?
I am happy to admit that my secret romance is exactly like that. Starting it I had no expectations and I had braced myself for the impending, inevitable hard-drop! Even though, I can easily name this the cliché-est kdrama I’ve ever watched; the cheesiest, corniest, fluffiest shit I’ve ever put myself through, yet against all odds, I deeply loved it and honestly I stand here in awe of it. As a rom-com hater, how is that even possible? Well, looking back, I can name a few things.
Secret Romance, despite its heavy cliché-ridden self, had this exclusive, borderline inexplicable dosage of fresh air in it. Kinda contradicting isn’t it? Well, that is the main reason it was so good!
Starting off, the drama is characterized by its archetype characters. Cute female lead in need, shy, naive, with sad mommy issues in her backstory striving to survive and make a living y’know, usual stuff; paired with the uber classic chaebol hawt arrogant womanizer. Been there, done that. What secret romance did differently, ultimately breaking the mould of rom-coms in the best way possible is the realistic and natural expression of young adult sexuality. HELL TO THE YES PEOPLE! No more over-romantic, fake and unrealistic holding hands as the expression of ultimate love. It was ‘bout time drama gods!
More specifically, sexual jokes, innuendos and gestures, taboo job occupations, actual kissing, underwear clothing products and finally the acquittal of sex as a despicable act in kdramaland! There is nothing wrong with expressing sexuality people and it was about time we saw that in kdramas.
In all honesty, I have never witnessed a better romance development in a kdrama. The flirting felt real, the chemistry was exquisite and I enjoyed every moment they had building up their relationship. Nothing about it was really new, but it was the way that it happened that not only felt right but left extremely close to me as a person. The archetype characters strayed only a little bit away from their lanes just to make the drama that much more addicting.
Moreover, nothing about the romance was idealized here (finally); but rather, it was so fucked up that it ended up being relatable – expressing how we can hurt but also heal through an unexpected relationship, how easy it is to misunderstand and how easy it is to misinterpret. So relatable it felt too real! All in all, the best part of the drama for me, besides the lovely chemistry, was the natural expression of sexuality in its complete spectrum, while always keeping it real, cute and never filthy or awkward. I salute the writers for taking a chance here and actually making it work.
Having said all that, I cannot argue that secret romance was perfect. Critically assessing the drama, I have to admit that there were no substantial side characters or stories, most of them misused and underdeveloped. Simultaneously, while there was some basic effort to make the characters feel real giving them stories of their own to grow on, these backstories were barely ever elaborated on and were resolved abruptly at the end out of the blue.
I can safely say, the drama is not perfect and the more you think about it the more problems could be found. This is a drama to just smile and spend 13 fun hours doing nothing but letting your heart flutter. However, the fact that the drama did romance so well and touched upon -otherwise normal- stuff that are for some reason unheard of in kdramaland easily make me give this a well-deserved 8.5 just for that.
As far as the acting is concerned, no awards will be given here, but I don’t think anything was problematic.
I should mention at this point that Song Jieun is my 2nd ultimate bias in kpop (and my list is big, so I do love her) so I might be lenient and biased when I say that I absolutely loved her as Yoomi, she felt thoroughly real and behaved very accordingly to her role. She definitely had this role down and was a perfect match. Since her last project that I couldn’t help but drop, she was overwhelmingly improved and I can’t wait for her next drama.
I will not stay and talk about trite things like how unrealistically handsome Sung Hoon is, like everybody with a pair of eyes can see that. I will talk about how good he is, considering he’s a former athlete though. I am not entirely sure how flexible he is as an actor, and for a moment there I did believe that he won’t be able to act in any role other than the arrogant womanizer chaebol, but let’s not be quick to judge. I’d love to see him again, preferably in a different role next time.
Concluding, my secret romance is like a good pasta dish in a lovely restaurant. You know what it is, you’ve had it a thousand times but each time it is as good; and to top all that off, this plate of pasta has a very unique ingredient inside it to spice things up and leave a unique experience. Therefore, I would wholeheartedly recommend this drama to every rom com lover and honestly pretty much everyone who is looking for an easy watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
What A Satisfying Ride!
I have seen dozens of BL shows, but the experience of watching My Stand In was top-tier. Whether it was watching it or turning to social media, My Stand In kept me in a 12-week choke hold. The way I felt about the characters in episode 1 was not how I felt about them at the end of episode 12. There was so much drama, but also so much character growth. I hated Ming at the beginning of the series but loved and wanted the world for him by the end.I've watched many toxic romances, but what set Joe and Ming's story apart is that the viewer watches events happen and those events change the character. Relationships that began like the Manson Family ended like The Brady Bunch. Every turn and twist was earned and felt. The chemistry between the main couple is electric. Even as you wish they would stay away from each other you understood why they couldn't.
Action, sex, messy emotions... it's got it all. I highly recommend My Stand In to everyone, it's that good.
Was this review helpful to you?
The main plot is supposed to be revenge (I mean the main lead is literaly named revenge) but in the end it was mainly focused on the love story between the two main leads and the revenge is just put aside until the last few episodes. After the first 10 to 12 episodes, the story just drags on and on. It's a passable teen drama and maybe I'm getting too old to enjoy it, but overall it's way too cringy that it's hard to watch without wanting to throw away your computer. What bothered me the most is that they're adults but they constantly act as if they were 15.
The plot also included a sort of criticism of the Korean system of education with two characters close to the burn out, but they just mention it sometimes without really getting into the subject, which is a pity.
The great thing about this drama is the cast. All actors are very good in their own roles. Yoo Seungho has nothing more to prove, we all know he's a good actor, Jo Boah is also very good even though her character is sometimes very annoying, and Kwak Dongyeon is stunning as a villain.
Was this review helpful to you?
