This review may contain spoilers
Hwayi reviewed by Hwayi hehe
My friend suggested that it would be cute to see Hwayi review Hwayi so here I am.Getting into this review, for this movie, I did not check the ratings (Like Rated 15+, 18+) and jumped straight into it. Let me just say, I was shocked but not pleasantly. I realized from this movie, that I'm not into really dark things. This was simply way too dark for me.
Story: The story actually wasn't the bad. It looked good. And it looked exactly what I like to watch. However, I was totally wrong. There was too much death. Literally every five seconds a "dad" would die, it felt like. There was just so much stuff thrown at me that I couldn't catch up. And there's a brief butt naked scene where it showed after the raping of a young girl, that literally scared/disgusted me. I really should've checked the rating before watching it.
I feel really bad for Hwayi for having to grow up underneath these maniacs. I do remember liking one of the dads a lot but everyone else was just not it for me.
Acting: The acting was amazing! Yeo Jin Goo pulled off a splendid performance at just the young age of 16. And of course, the other actors as well did amazing.
This is not a movie for people who can't deal with blood, gore, extreme profanity.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Didn't really like Zhang Yu Jian character in this show. He was too immature and like a child. Yes, there was a gradual improvement in character, but it was very very little. Even till the very end, I did not see a big improvement. That decision to disappear for 2 years at the end without a word to You You was just plain immature. I admit that the decision to leave the entertainment scene and let the online vitriol calm down was acceptable, but that does not mean you leave the girl you like in the lurch, without any word whatsoever. Love is about facing the ups and downs of life together （有难同当）. The mature thing to do is the talk to You You and discuss with her what he intends to do and see how they can overcome the adversity together.
I much prefer the character Zhang Yu Jian played in LCDF (Yan Mo), where he is much more mature and responsible. Seeing this 360deg change in the character he plays here makes me irritated.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
One of the reasons I loved this drama is because it subtly tackles mental health. Yes, I know this is considered as a family drama but how they personified and tackled depression was so close to reality that it almost hit home to me. Will elaborate more in a while. I first watched this drama without knowing anything about it except for the cast. I heard Uee was offered the role first as Seo Jian but declined, and no matter how much I love Uee I'm so glad she did decline because OMG SHIN HYE SUN IS GOLD. I really love her acting style. She's an outstanding actress and I cannot imagine anyone else as Seo Jian. The role was made for her. period.
However, I would like to say that I'm not the biggest fan of the love line between the FL and ML. I might even say that I like them better when they were siblings. Not too fond also of the relationship of the second leads. I don't know why, but no matter how cute they were together something felt off for me but I can't seem to point my finger on it. Actually my favorite couple in this series is Seo Jiho and Choi Seohyun. They just look so cute together and they grew their relationship more naturally as they spend more time together. I find it very unfortunate that they ended up as just friends but at the same time I understand also why it must be done as it will just be so wrong if they ended up together because first they will be at the same boat as their older siblings and second they will be in-laws when Seo Jian and Choi Dogyeong gets married. My second favorite couple here in this series is actually Choi Jaesung and Noh Myeonghui because even though they did not have the best relationship during their marriage you can still see that they did marry for love and they still have a bit of respect towards each other during their time together. I personally believe that their greed got the best of them sometime during their marriage and that's where it started to go wrong BUT they still did love each other they just had different priorities in life but I'm glad they found their way back. I mean it's hard to believe that they didn't love each other when you have three children together :)
As I've mentioned earlier, I believe depression was part of the theme of this drama also. Throughout this series, there were three characters who had depression (actually more but will focus on these three): Choi Jaesung - Andropause (male menopause); Seo Jian - Suicidal; Seo Taesu - passive suicidal.
Out of these three, Choi Jaesung was the mildest case, however it only meant that if it wasn't prevented properly there was a possibility that it could've worsen. I deeply empathize with Seo Taesu, as in his case it was built up over the years after his family started treating him different due to the change in their financial position. It was actually sad to see that because he was so down that he wanted to die but in no means wants to kill himself. And Lastly, Seo Jian. She did attempt to commit suicide and I'm glad she did recover fast. It goes to show that all of us are vulnerable it's just that others have a stronger facade than most. Out of all the family dramas I have watched, this drama had the most realistic depiction of depression. So realistic in fact that I think they should've placed a trigger warning for the audience.
Overall, it was fun watching this drama. The ending was satisfactory, it was realistic as I think after everything that have happened they all needed time to heal their own wounds.
PS: One of the worst grandpas ever in a series: Noh Yangho!!!
PPS: Other mental issues I've observed in this drama:
Dependent Personality - Noh Myeonghui, Choi Seohyun
Inferiority Complex - Seo Jisu, Noh Jinhee
Manipulative behavior - Noh Yangho
Victim Mentality - Noh Myeonghui
I believe there are more but I'll stop here for now :)
Was this review helpful to you?
The plot is centered on the Japanese upper class in 1912, an era that’s very rare to find in Japanese or Asian productions in general which made me appreciate its use. Although the beginning was a bit slow, the love story was done quite well and let me tell you, this is not one of those cheesy stories where everything gets resolved with “I love you” and “I love you too”. This is a mature romance that goes in depth of emotions and struggles to reach its peak. While watching the romantic developments, you will get a taste of flowing innocence, painful denial, endless suffering, forbidden encounters as well as hunting desire that led the storyline into dark yet enjoyable corners because it was one of the basic chapters of this movie.
The story’s developments weren’t always right or very well done. Actually, some of them felt predictable and quite bothersome to follow such as familial quarrels and the barriers against the main leads’ relationship. However, if we judge it by the overall atmosphere; the screenwriting was able to pull it off and create a pleasant and mature love story.
The acting department was almost flawless. As usual, Tsumabuki Satoshi was able to get complete control of his role like he always does; that guy is an astonishing actor indeed. It doesn’t matter what kind of role you give him, he will manage to shine in it no matter how badly written it is. On the other hand, Takeuchi Yuko happens to be an expert in romantic stories. Of course, I am not denying her acting skills but if you saw her other romance oriented productions, you will notice that she always manages to create gripping chemistry with her partners and this movie wasn’t any different.
Spring Snow is all about chemistry, so if Satoshi and Yuko didn’t pull it off the way they did; everything about this movie would’ve fallen apart. It was so consuming and very different from other Japanese productions; from now on, that’s how chemistry is supposed to be done. Moreover, the characters’ development was quite neat and enjoyable overall even if some of them felt quite messed up at times.
You should watch this if you’re looking for mature romance, great acting and astounding chemistry. Needless to say, if you’re expecting something fluffy and cute then you’re definitely in the wrong place.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
for its genre, it's a really good drama
I feel like a lot of people dislike TB because they consider that it's cliché and that's it's been done before. Honestly I don't disagree, but that's just the thing: it's a high school drama about an insecure FL and a ML who helps her gain confidence...I agree, it's been done before.
But frankly I feel like describing the drama this way doesn't really give credit to the execution.
I loved the main love story. My heart broke for Seojun, like everyone else's did, but I frankly didn't want him to end up with Jookyung. I agree that he practically carried the entire drama on his back and he's the reason why it became this popular, but I didn't mind him as the second lead, I just wish they had worked a little harder for him to have a happy ending. I feel like they used his pain to make the drama more interesting but I mean.. isn't this what writers are supposed to do? Make the story more dramatic? The ending hit hard because it made me wanna sob. That's the whole point.
So back to the main couple, i really loved them. I think they had chemistry and that their entire love story was well-written. At first I was scared they would drag out the whole "he doesn't know it's her" plot line but turns out he finds out rather quickly. People hate on Suho because they love Seojun but i just don't agree i think both characters deserves Jukyung just as much. Suho and her were just meant to be I guess. Suho went through so much and i didn't see him make one decision that was rude or out of line. I also feel like the pure, 100% love he had for Jukyung was exactly what she needed, whereas Seojun teased her too much. Although it's something, as viewers, we love, it might not be as fun for her who literally hates how she looks.
HOWEVER I loved Seojun's character so much that I really hope they write a character like him again as a main lead. Cause i agree, he's amazing. His earrings and hair and personality and naturally smokey eyes are what made this drama what it is!!!!I'm tired of seeing similar ML, although I loved Suho.
I loved Soojin's character, because it allowed a female second lead to pick herself up. I feel like male second leads are always like seojun: jealous of the main couple but still supportive at the end. Whereas the female second lead is always so toxic and manipulative. And sure soojin is all of those things but there's much more than just her jealousy behind it. You can really feel the build-up of her anger and pain because of the abuse she goes through at home. Her acting was great too.
Oh and finally the OST?? chef's kiss. Whether it's how do you do, Missing you, starlight, or even those 1:30 mins of Seojun singing flower pot? I finished the drama a few weeks ago and i still listen to all of these all the time.
Overall, I feel like you need to remember this is a high school drama, okay? It's mostly about the vibe, the outfits, the OST, the love story. Yeah it's basic but i feel like the execution is great, and I rewatched the scenes a billion times. Watch iiit and keep and open mind.
Was this review helpful to you?
How much can one's skin, one's face tell you…
Under the Skin is a crime drama that revolves around two main characters Shen Yi (Tan Jian Ci) and Du Cheng (Jin Shi Jia) and how they solve cases together. Shen Yi was an art professor but he joins Criminal investigation Detachment of Beijiang as a forensic artist and helps them with his great observation skills and his professional art skills. Captain Du Cheng bears a grudge against Shen Yi as he once drew a portrait for his undercover friend who later died.
The balanced tension between these two where one carries guilt and the other carries a past grudge was visible right from the beginning but since this combo was tied together by circumstances it was gonna be fun watching how the latter story progresses. Their bond that develops over time and the trust that comes along as they solve mysteries together is the precious part.
Favorite lines from the drama »»»
—"Humans give intriguing expressions when they're alive but once they're dead, their face becomes so dull"
—"Dead men are expressive too. Sometimes it's even reliable than a living person"
A major highlight of the drama are "portraits". If not for this drama, I could've never expected art is this deep and they can actually recover faces with such less hints. I appreciate the amount of art and portraits in this drama. It made things more realistic and reasonable. It's about the details that makes this drama more interesting.
This has a total of 10 cases including 9 cases of the present and 1 case from past 7 years ago which are intriguing, unpredictable and unique. The best part is that their stories will not disappoint you at all.
Acting — Tan Jianci as the invincible portraitist is the perfect actor for this role. His minute expressions everytime he is drawing or sketching is just flawless. The way he acts as if he is observing things looks so real and he is like totally into his character. Jin Shijia is also good acting as the cool leader of the team. Even all those guest actors who acted only for 2-3 episodes when their case was going on were so on point. I was touched by some of their stories and no doubt their acting played an important part.
Okay so overall, I enjoyed the drama totally. I was looking forward to the revelation of all those cases and I liked the stories in them. The acting is perfect and I recommend this thriller mystery drama that has little sprinkles of bromance along.
Was this review helpful to you?
this show isn't getting what it deserves
I've seen so many people talk about this show being disappointing, but I honestly disagree.Firstly, the two main leads did such a great job. I love their chemistry. Also, lots of people are saying that Jimmy's acting is lesser than the korean actors but I don't think that's the case. Yoon Oh and Dr Moon are much more emotionally heavy characters then Peach. Personally, I feel Peach is someone who doesn't display his sad emotions, rather opting to give out a screen of happiness. Even if you still believe that Jimmy's acting wasn't good enough, he still did a great job portraying the emotions of his character.
Next, the story. I think the script was realllyyyy good. I'm trying to not spoil too much but the ending was perfect in my opinion. It didn't try to give us an unrealistic/hypocritical of somehow rising the dead. It was a nice ending. And the writing was really good. Nothing cringy or unneccassary.
Overall, if you're hanging on the fence, I'd say just watch it. It's fairly short and I don't think you'll regret it. IMO this show is much better than some thai BLs with a higher rating.
Was this review helpful to you?
Girl Power – Delightful and Inspiring
Despite being set with a background of a royal harem in a fictional world, this drama exudes positive aura throughout, without the typical and tiring hair-pulling cat fights commonly seen in historical palace dramas. “New Life Begins” describes a utopia where girls band together to help each other, freeing themselves and achieving their goals, realizing the adage “unite is power”. Most of the characters are lovable, albeit with flaws, and their growth is distinct, from being weak and helpless to being strong and courageous. The story is inspiring and comforting.Centers around Xin Chuan, one of the nine kingdoms, and its sixth Prince, Yin Zheng (Bai Jingting)’s household, the story contrasts each kingdom which has its individual unique characteristics, features and cultures, with Xin Chuan being the leader of the pact. To build cordial relationships with all the other kingdoms, the King of Xin Chuan wants his sons to marry noble girls from the various kingdoms. He calls for the kingdoms to send their best eligible girls. Li Wei (Tian Xiwei) is selected and sent to Xin Chuan; she is reluctant, for Li Wei doesn’t want to marry a man she doesn’t love, and she wants a one-man-one-woman marriage with equal rights practiced by her home kingdom whereas Xin Chuan still follows the traditional polygamous system.
Among all the noble girls, Li Wei seems to be the least favorable for she tries to wriggle out of the wife selection process. Despite that, she is chosen by Yin Zheng the 6th Prince as a “side” wife, for Yin Zheng wants to maintain his low profile by marrying a girl nobody wants. Yin Zheng looks sickly and to survive in the back-stabbing treacherous palatial world, he blends himself into the background that nobody takes notice of. What seemingly an unlikely relationship, Yin Zheng and Li Wei fall in love with each other.
Li Wei is intelligent, compassionate, and down to earth. She provides Yin Zheng with practical ideas and helps him maneuver and eventually get noticed by his father, the King. How she makes friends with Yin Zheng’s “proper” wife and the wives of his brothers, all of whom later become her business partners and they help each other to become independent, is very inspiring. Tian Xiwei’s Li Wei is natural and believable. She has given a wonderful performance here.
Bai Jingting’s Yin Zheng is equally great. The actor is very pale and slim and does look sickly, which is perfect for the Yin Zheng character. Under that weakling skin, Yin Zheng is intelligent, well-read and a competent fighter that no one is aware of. Despite he has two wives initially, he is devoted to Li Wei only; his relationship with his “proper” wife is cordial and platonic. Bai Jingting has been one of my favorite actors. His acting range is very wide, from a ping pong champion in Ping Pong Life, to a special taskforce police officer in You are My Hero, to a silly and humble character in Octogenarian and the 90s, and to a historical prince in New Life Begins. He immerses himself completely into all his characters, giving viewers very convincing and lovely performance in each. He is always subtly funny.
Each prince has his story with his wife/wives. Most of their stories are hilarious and relatable. For example, the fifth Prince loves his wife and is helpful, but he can’t get a thing right; the third Prince has multiple wives but can never get their names straight. All the other characters are lovable, even the antagonists are pitiful, and the whole cast is very believable. Though despicable, the second Prince who is groomed to succeed the throne, and the fourth Prince, extract sympathy from the viewers when they get into trouble.
My Verdict
This is a heart-warming drama with girls helping girls, and trying to change the male-centered system. All the girls are intelligent, courageous, and independent. Despite their unfavorable environment, they don’t self-pity nor fight among themselves but help and take care of each other. This eventually makes the group strong and enables them to be financially independent, maintain their dignity and eventually change the society to a fairy one. This may sound very feminist to many viewers, nonetheless, it's one of those easy and delightful story that can cheer viewers' mood.
Romance wise, the chemistry between Bai Jingting and Tian Xiwei is pretty good and sweet. There is also a very lovely second couple here with a very funny relationship.
The message: No matter where one comes from, be it Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, or even the open west where girls are being suppressed and their rights infringed, only when girls unite and work together, great things can be achieved, and dignity maintained.
Easy watching and entertaining. Recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
So you have heard this show is good, but you are wondering whether a 12 episode show about a famous chef will be interesting for you. However, this show is about so much more than just cooking and is definitely one of the best Japanese drama’s out there. I’ll explain why in this spoiler free review :) .Story: The show is based on the true story of Akiyama, a young man who shows little potential to be successful in life, but will somehow become the emperor’s chef someday. The story is the main strong point of this drama. The story is not about ‘just cooking’, but focuses on Akiyama and his family and friends who have to overcome various obstacles. It is hard to explain why the story is interesting without spoiling, but let's just say the story is more about pursuing a dream/ family problems/love/etc and not about 'kitchen trouble'.
It is made clear from the beginning that Akiyama will be the emperor’s chef, so the question is not whether he will succeed, but how. Akiyama must make a lot of sacrifices to pursue his dream and that’s where the drama aspect comes in. The story is about how we need the help of other’s to be successful, but simultaneously can be slowed down by getting too attached to these same people. This forces Akiyama to make hard and dramatic decisions.
Akiyama is a bit selfish, doesn’t mind bending some rules and has a quick temper, which makes his character very interesting. There are various side-characters, who all have their own problems, ambitions and agenda. The screen time is well divided and they all get their moments to shine, which will make you care about their fates as well.
Moreover, the story is well divided over the twelve episodes. Some might think that the first episode is slow, but after that the story makes progress every episode. Around episode 3 / 4 I was already hooked. The ending is also well written and is likely to have a lasting impact. The show is sometimes funny, often dramatic and continuously inspiring.
What makes this show truly great, is that the good story is combined with flawless acting. Takeru Sato shines as his role and deserves all the recognition he got for this part. As time progresses Akiyama’s personality matures. Sato aptly portrays all the different Akiyama’s through changes in posture / voice / expression very naturally so you will hardly notice it. Moreover, he is able to play both the funny and the dramatic scenes very well.
Kuroki Haru does a great job as Toshiko with the use of some subtle but great acting. She has great chemistry with Takeru. Suzuki Ryohei was the biggest surprise for me. In this show he proves he can also play a different role than the usual brute type he plays. He played his emotional older brother role very well. Hopefully this will make him play more varied roles in the future. Most of the secondary characters are portrayed quite well by the actors, who are able to give their characters personality with only limited screen time (BANZAI!).Furthermore, I really liked the acting of the French girl and the old shop owner. Besides the French girl, there are various foreign actors in this show, but I was not very impressed by their acting. Two secondary characters even annoyed me with their poor acting skills. But it was probably hard to find good acting for the various smaller foreign roles. They were not in many episodes, so it didn’t bother me that much. The main cast (that also includes a foreign actor)did a great job.
The music was quite good. There were nice sound effects, and some good tunes. They complemented the show nicely.
Rewatch value: I do not usually rewatch shows, but I will probably rewatch this one someday if I crave for some good story telling.
I normally do not give 10’s (other than 1 Litre of Tears), but this show has a brilliant story, combined with great acting. Besides some very small complaints, this show was just perfect. This will remain the one of the best Japanese shows for a very long time. Give this show a chance, you will not regret it. BANZAI!
Was this review helpful to you?
Lee Kwang Soo stood out to me when I first saw him in City Hunter. I don't know why; he just did. He quickly became one of my favorite cast members on Running Man. Since then, I've seen almost all his series and a fair amount of his movies. His acting has gotten better and better. As the lead in Sound, he's perfect. The cast he leads which includes the phenomenal Kim Mi Kyung. (I swear she is the hardest working woman in South Korea) are equally as perfect. This is the odd case where the casting director got it right all the way around. Speaking of RM, ex-RM, Song Joon-Ki is in an episode for maybe 2 minutes. Current member Kim Jong Kook is in another episode for perhaps 10-15 minutes. That brings me to the episodes. The webtoons were 15 minutes. Luckily, I found 30 minute episodes (2 web eps put together of course).
The writing is fantastic. There are some crude scenes (remember that potty humor I mentioned), but don't let that deter you. Those couple of scenes are really setting up something bigger and funnier. WARNING: The funny may sneak up on you. I started watching Sound at work. A scene came out of left field and took me by surprise. I basically holler laughed and had my supervisor at my desk wondering what I was doing. There's very little character development as it's not that kind of a show. There is character familiarity. You get to know these characters quickly as you do if you were just starting to read a comic or watch an animation. Hopefully, there will be more seasons and we'll see them develop.
The music was good... I guess. LOL I remember there was music and it fit well. I didn't find it hokey or silly. Just appropriate.
Overall, I adored The Sound of Your Heart. For me it was the perfect 30 minute nugget to help get me through my days. I've actually watched it twice in less than 2 weeks. I guess the rewatch factor is kind of high, huh? ;-) Mind you, the type of slapsticky comedy might not be for everyone, but you never know until you try.
Was this review helpful to you?
在下晴明 - Qingming is in the house.
在下晴明Yes! Yes! YES!!!
Qingming is in the house!!!
That is THE most striking difference between Yin Yang Master and Dream of Eternity, where I was like - Huh?...what??? Detective Dee?? Where is Qingming??? Where oh where is my yin yang master? THE Yin Yang Master? And in this Chen Kun just delivers the wickedly enigmatic and alluring essence of Qingming, a diabolically powerful, magical, misunderstood half human half demon that walks the world in between.
This version of Yin Yang Master's plot is much simpler and thus, better executed. It hones in on the life and death bond between a demon familiar shi shen/侍神 and their master zhu ren/住人. Falsely accused, half human, half demon Qingming is estranged from his zhu ren Baini and the Yin Yang Bureau. They reunite in a desperate attempt to recover an artefact that can set a powerful demon free; a quest that tests and lays bare their true loyalties and exposes past betrayals. Chen Kun and Zhao Xun's chemistry never fails to thrill, captivate and move me and they effortlessly convince me of their life and death bond. What I also love is that Qingming is not just uselessly waving his hands in the air reciting incomprehensible incantations. He really jumps into the thick of the fray in a way that leaves no doubt that he is in it to win it. In every life endangering encounter there is that nail biting sense of urgency, intensity and imminent peril. This fantasy world with its human and demon yao/妖 inhabitants has a very adorable, young adult and enthrallingly magical feel to it. In many ways, it captures the essence of Disney in that it speaks to two audiences both kids and adults with its clear message that both humans and demons can be monsters.
The only thing I really did not enjoy in this movie were the second leads - both actors were juvenile and did not deserve the screen time that they got. The animated characters like the Evil Red Ghost and side characters like the Peach Blossom Fairy were far more compelling and managed to capture my heart over those two jokers.
Overall this was a very entertaining movie - Chen Kun fans like myself will obviously be able to find many things to like and I can see kids just absolutely loving it. I rate it 7.5.
Was this review helpful to you?
IT TAUGHT ME ABOUT SELF-LOVE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT!! THANKS RUN ON
Unfortunately, the journey with Run On has ended. But I know I can binge-watch it again :)This was the best drama that I ever watched in my 2 years of kdrama life. This is my first review for a drama; so, you can guess how much I liked it.
The story the dialogues everything was perfect. Most importantly it taught us about self-love which is very important. Whatever I thought from the previews came out to be completely different. This drama was not cliché at all. This for me was the first drama in which I liked both the couples equally.
Gyeomi was a couple which mostly dealt with a lot of emotions and Danhwa was a couple which really brought smiles to our faces. The iconic birthday party scene which I am sure no one can forget.
Not just the main characters the side characters also helped to really bring out the happy side of the show. This show would have been nothing without- Young Hwa’s homie, Dan Ah’ brother and manager, Mi Joo’s sister like friend May and Seon Gyeom’s sister Eun Bi. These people helped in keeping the show alive.
I am not a picky person but sometimes I just get tired of dramas where I can predict the story and this was just the drama that I needed at the time. I was watching another drama on kissasian but I found it in recommendations I just thought about giving it a try and here I am. I even left the other drama I was watching.
Now for the remarks:
Story- Perfect
OST- Perfect (can never forget)
Acting- My first drama of SSK I know many people don’t like her acting but here she became one of my favorites. First drama of ISW as well and he also became my favorites along with SY and KTO and of course all the side characters.
Rewatch Value- Would definitely watch it again whenever I feel empty and want something to refresh my mind.
Last but not least not to forget I will definitely miss this drama; but I can watch it again. The thing I will miss the most is the COMMENT SECTION of this drama. It was a really peaceful place where everyone shares their views and talked about it. We together predicted the story out of the previews. I WILL TOTALLY MISS IT. I JUST HOPE IT STILL STAYS ALIVE EVEN AFTER THIS DRAMA ENDS.
I recommend this drama to everyone who doesn’t know about self-love and who doesn’t want a cliché plot:)
THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE TEAM OF RUN ON (though they can’t read it)
Was this review helpful to you?
heartwarming slice of life/romance series (need a Haruna spin off)
Overall: I enjoyed this friends/roommates turned into romantic partner stories, though it could have used slightly faster pacing (almost rated it 8.5 but I liked their dynamic so it ended up a 9). 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4215/living-with-him-2024-e01What I Liked
- caring/sweet moments
- clear flashbacks and enjoyed seeing them when they were young
- ex girlfriend wasn't a cliche, non-cliche female characters
- a character was a bit naive but he did figure things out and communicated
- supportive family members, dynamics felt realistic
- Haruna was such a good wingman and friend
- overall realistic with trying to maintain boundaries but also being jealous
- production value (nice color symbology which included their clothes, pillows, mugs, toothbrushes, etc)
Room For Improvement
- not a fan of starting a series with a voice over exposition dump
- episode 2 had a too long recap of episode 1 at the beginning
- some slow pacing
- Ryota did annoy me a bit but I tried to keep in mind that he had low self-esteem and was likely struggling with internalized homophobia and/or heteronormativity
- cliche almost told something and got interrupted, the running scene
Was this review helpful to you?
To My Star Season 2: Our Untold Stories
25 people found this review helpful
The rare sequel to surpass the original...but is it still BL?
Sequels in any genre seldom please fans at the same level as the original. BL sequels enjoy no immunity from this spotty track record. Usually, a lack of freshness accounts for a sequel’s dimmer reception. Something in their formula goes stale. To My Star 2 avoids the staleness trap because TMS2 abandons the original recipe that made the first season a winner. First, by opening the series with the Kang Seo Joon and Han Ji Woo having broken up, the latter now living in a rural village hours from Seoul. Then, in case this off-screen break-up failed to alienate loyal viewers enough, TMS2 also abandons the genre formula of what makes BL BL. Viewers with the patience to stick around despite these disappointed expectations will be rewarded with a series that works on its own terms. To My Star 2 is a well-acted, well-written character study about two people who must reckon with the legacy of emotional trauma in their past to move forward with their present love.The BL genre’s signature qualities include depicting two men falling in love with another, sticking to fairly standard rom-com tropes, and understanding what the core audience for the genre wants to see. A typical BL series wraps those elements into a fluffy storyline geared to elevate the viewer’s serotonin levels. The first season checked all three boxes and charmed in the process. To My Star 2 strays from that tried-and-true formula. Rather than light-hearted rom-com, the series delivers angsty drama. Rather than depict two men further the romance established in season 1, season 2 opens several months after the couple de-coupled. In early episodes, they scarcely interact. By departing so markedly from the original’s feel-good mood the creative team behind TMS2 boldly carves out a new formula for success.
If TMS2 does not clearly read as BL, it also cannot easily be classified as LGBTQ+. None of the drama or emotional angst revolves around anyone’s sexual identity. If the script swapped out the same-sex couple for an opposite-sex couple, no modifications to the storyline would be required. Neither the past emotional trouble nor the reasons presented for the premature end of the pair’s relationship depends on internal or external homophobia or on sexual identity. In true BL fashion, these two guys just like each other without worrying about the pesky ramifications of being gay that distinguish LGBTQ+ fare. What remains, then, is a study in the fragility of human emotion, and a story with universal overtones. Pegging any series’ entire story arc to emotional traumas that took place in the distant past is a risky endeavor, and one might fairly complain that the writers fell short of concocting a story that fully explains the behavior and reactions of either Seo Joon or Ji Woo. Nevertheless, TMS2 delivers a compelling story about two people in pain. One because he considers himself unworthy of receiving love from his partner; the other because he cannot let his partner go.
With 10 episodes approaching 30 minutes each, TMS2 has a total running time nearly double the original’s. The writers invested the extra time into world building. Support characters are more fleshed out than is possible during the curtailed runtime of the mini-BLs Korea is famous for. As with the original, the president of Kang Seo Joon’s talent agency plays an outsize role, both in his star actor’s messy personal life as well the messy professional life. With many episodes set in the rural village to which Han Ji Woo has retreated, various neighbors and villagers turn up to influence events. When Ji Woo rebuffs Seo Joon’s overtures for reconciliation, a subplot about a reality series that showcases struggling rural restaurants provides a convenient device by which the writers can inflict Seo Joon’s presence on the reticent restauranteur. To My Star 2 will never be confused with arthouse fare, but rather than simply trot out a fluffy story guaranteed to please BL fans who look for that, the creators instead developed a serious drama that allowed the two leads to become more than stock characters. The gamble was rewarded with a compelling piece of television drama.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
PlotEarly stage this drama show Li changge as a independent and have good/decent martial art but along the drama its seem like she loose her martial art and doesnt know to defend herself. eventhough the characters said she so clever and women with tactics but in my opinion main leads always cover her reckless .
This drama dont have heavy revenge plot, I have seen other drama that have heavy plot of revenge. Li changge seems lost at the middle of the story and need Sun to give her direction.
This drama doest show how desperate/independent Li changge is because plot highlight more journey of Li Changge to find revenge or injustice for her family but its seems like she more closed with her cousin rather than her sibs . Its a bit confused.
Casting :
Ashile sun - that carry all the character and closed the weakness of li changge.
li changge - early story seems strong but kind loose along the story and depend more on her friend to protect her. What the used of her martial art ? Its a bit confusing when they have scene in war but Li changge face dont have any dust on her clean. She want to portray boyish chracter but zhou liying or yang mi have been better portray that.
Mimi Guli - she seems from noble family when look at her tantrum (at the market) Like WTF woman just let go . But she only a maid even zhou lusi is a princess know how to be humble.
Leyan - character like stupid and have nice heart . Doesnt know how to fight and so on but at some scene like when she got kidnapped and follow group of beggars she portray her character well .
Was this review helpful to you?
