This drama joyously gallivants as a hilarious parody of the entire genre. It cleverly incorporates references from other famous detective shows (including the likes of Galileo and Detective Conan), and Japanese culture on the whole. Though our basic structure bears similarity to all classic detective stories (complete with episodic cases, familiar crime types, investigation, and denouement), most elements unabashedly embrace a gag or skit. Characters operate like a comedy team, from the detectives and police to suspects themselves.
Despite being nothing excellent or technically great, Watashi no Kirai na Tantei is still silly heaps of fun. This goes double if you like Japanese humor; be prepared to rewind back to certain parts for laughs alone. Not every joke works, but they do often enough. I wouldn't take it seriously as an investigation drama at all, though some cases occasionally ended up engaging nonetheless.
Tamaki Hiroshi possesses glorious comedic timing, most evident in the form of our lead: money-hungry detective Morio Ukai. Though the title may suggest the opposite, viewers will undoubtedly fall for his zippy delivery as the resident “straight man." That isn’t to discount his own oddities, however; for instance, he refuses to listen to the confessions of culprits, even if begged, and seems to prefer searching for lost purebred dogs above murder suspects. Shirashi Shunya sneaks past in a total surprise as “useless” Ryohei, whose assistance to the investigation team stops at his propensity for hilarity. Some scenes together with Tamaki-san were a riot.
Not so great is Gouriki Ayame, whose cutesy Akemi suits the show—that is, until she goes over the top and interrupts the comedic flow. Though this happens only occasionally, those times are almost painful. One unfortunate example actually encompasses most of an early case, where Akemi has her character spotlight (the UFO episode). Gouriki is quite cute, though, and there are some genuinely funny moments from her.
Note also the excellent cameo from Katagiri Jin (of comedy duo Rahmens and The Quiz Show fame). His inclusion was a big plus in of itself.
Music is as one would expect from any detective drama, though there are the occasional surprises. I found it overall pleasant and workable, if nothing worth buying an OST over. The theme stands out well, as does the ending vocal by Gouriki Ayame herself: "Anata no 100 no Kirai na Tokoro" (“The 100 Things That You Hate”).
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I think it's safe to say this storyline has been done a million times. The plot is by no means unique, but I still found myself anticipating the events to come. The execution of the the story, I thought, was done really well. If you're impatient, you may be tempted to drop it at the beginning, just because they present a series of events that happen so quickly you don't even know what's happening. That is actually what I really appreciated though, because the second half of the movie focuses on unfolding the previously introduced scenes and connecting everything together in a sort of genius way.
Lee Joon Gi was of course, amazing as always (I may be a bit biased). He's honestly one of the best actors I've seen. His acting was extremely natural, even for parts that required him to speak in mandarin, which just proves how talented he is. Zhou DongYu's acting was pretty good considering it was one of her first roles. I didn't particularly like her character though because it seems as though the writers wanted to make her more complex, but instead she seemed a bit irrational and off putting.
I loved the music! For a While by Lee Joon Gi was played in the movie which was great. Unfortunately I can't post the Chinese title on here, but the title of the main track can be found on the Chinese wikipedia page for this movie. It took me forever to find!
Overall, I really loved it and would definitely rewatch. The cinematography was absolutely beautiful and you could really see the artistic intent behind each shot. Sure the movie isn't original, but it still made me an emotional mess and more of a potato for the entirety of the it (and maybe 10 minutes after as I contemplated the meaning of life). I wholeheartedly recommend it if you're into cheesy (in a good way) tearjerkers ^.^
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Depending on the angle you judge it from, Genome Hazard can be considered as a very engaging thriller. At the matter of fact, the picture was divided into several genres. I wouldn’t say they were in complete harmony but some of them worked out in a good manner. The mystery/thriller part was pretty well-executed; the build-up of suspenseful events was definitely able to trigger the audience‘s attention. At some point, you’d find yourself relating to the main character and trying to solve the puzzling equation by his side: a normal man with a double identity and an apparent amnesia, or is it? It’s a complete relief that the screenwriting didn’t try any mischievous attempts to out shadow its viewers.
The other part is Science fiction, I completely respect the idea of turning this into some type of a medical thriller with all of those virus/pharmaceutical schemes but I am sure that the screenwriter (or more like the original novel perhaps) didn’t know how to handle the part overall. Somehow, it felt a bit sarcastic towards science even in a discreet way. This opinion is not based on the fact that I am a scientist myself – although it did trigger me a little. I believe the outcome they resulted from that long science fiction battle was absolutely disappointing. I mean if you were going to go all out and crazy about a scientific fact then you should’ve proved that the trip was worth it. The scientific part obviously failed at portraying a deep meaningful issue.
Genome Hazard had attempts of building romance as well but I don’t think it was successful at that part either. There were too many love interests but none of them came out convincing. Well, it’s unavoidable because when you’re making a film that’s packed with different themes, it comes natural to fail some genres for the favour of others. The thriller/mystery part outclassed Sci-Fi and Romance by miles.
Nishijima Hidetoshi was the absolute star of the picture. That actor’s theatrical acting style and gaze always had me at the edge of my seat; he will always make his character so charismatic and attention-grabbing. His role in this film proved me how much I love to see him on screen. By his side was the Korean actress Kim Hyo Jin; this was the first time meeting her and I would say it was a pleasant introduction. The girl has some cool talent in her; I deeply respect her dedication to learn Japanese solely for this role. The rest of the cast were also fitting; Maki Yoko and Ibu Masato are few to mention.
This film’s directing was so fine. I am not so familiar with Kim Sung Soo but his editing style and camera angles were pretty well-handled. The cinematography was also good and rather catching. I don’t have a clear memory about the musical note though, I think it wasn’t so different from what normal thrillers use as their soundtracks.
Watch if:
-You like thrillers, Japanese or Korean style.
-You like intriguing mysteries.
Do not watch if:
-You don’t appreciate thrillers.
-You’re looking for a strong deep Sci-Fi.
Genome Hazard is a very captivating thriller at first sight but it’s true that it fails at building a coherent storytelling. It’s not perfect by any mean but it’s unquestionably entertaining and engaging in its own way.
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It had the best potential of all: the ability to create some unforgettable characters. And it truly managed to do so in the beginning, combining a good plot with some seriously beautiful moments, a good dose of weirdness which I'm partial to and great chemistry between the characters.
However, as it sometimes happens with drama crushes, at some point my love deflated. I can't even pinpoint the main reason for this change of heart. It may be the fact that the more I neared the end of it, the more I predicted almost every turn, or because some details became repetitive - and in a drama whose episodes are so short, there's not so much time to lose on the nth flashback. Most likely, I had been waiting for a characters' arc which never truly came, leaving me with that unpleasant feeling you get when, after waiting for hours for an icecream, you finally start eating it and it falls on the floor.
It is, however, a drama fully worth of the time spent on it. As I said, I watched the first 9 episodes with no interruption and a passion I had almost forgotten I possess. While the acting ability of all is not stellar, they certainly compensate with beautiful close-up shots and an amazing collective alchemy among the whole cast.
The music is terrific and perfectly chosen for each scene. I suspect it is partly responsible for my blind love for this drama.
I may rewatch this drama in the future. Not for the plot but for the pleasure of watching these young actors again.
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Premise was intriguing, cast was excellent and first two episodes were a good start.
But.
Most of that potential was left unused.
When we hear that story starts with a man who used devious means to reach his current high status, and then in an accident lost all his memories but his knowledge of the law, regaining his conscience and facing his past wrongs that he doesn't remember, we usually assume that there are lots of psychological and emotional elements in the story. And while there are some it's not the amount we were promised in the summary. Still many of us would have been satisfied even with the legal part of the drama being in the highlight if we were given good explanations about lots of technical terms and complicated law cases. As it is I often felt like they were speaking some unknown alien language.
Drama was cut off by two episodes and it is really obvious at the end. Many things were left unresolved.
Still I liked this drama. My rating would have gone below 5.5 if I haven't.
Kim Myung Min is an amazing actor. He delivered his part very well.
Oh Jung Se is the actor I saw for the first time in this drama and I'm looking forward to see more from him.
Park Min Young wasn't a weak link, she did good. Her character was likable and not overly naive or damsel in distress like in some of her other dramas.
There are almost no eye-candy here but there are ear-candies. We have three actors with amazing voices in the same drama: Kim Myung Min, Jin Yi Han and Kim Sang Joong.
This had a potential to be one of the best for this year, and because of that potential I feel a bit betrayed. If complicated cases where explained better and human element was more present this would have been very interesting drama to watch this year.
I would recommend this drama to people who understand business and law, to all of you who like to watch dramas with those themes, also Kim Myung Min's fans and people who like to listen to some great voices.
If you are only looking for a romance skip this one. Romance here is in traces and not enough explored though that may be because the drama was cut short by two episodes. On the other hand too much romance would have ruined this drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
Buckle in, this is LONG; if you don't want to read, at the end, there's a TL;DR.I rarely get emotional over dramas (the only one that's ever made me cry was the Untamed, and I credit that to excellent story writing and Xiao Zhan's acting). And although this drama didn't make me cry, it definitely made me more than a bit emotional.
There's spectacular character development throughout the entire thing. Although flat characters remain rather flat-- for example, Chong Li Ming's father, or his brother, or Xiao Hong--, it's a good thing. It brings more liveliness into our center characters, making them rounder and more full. Chong Li Ming's character isn't a male "Mary Sue"-- he struggles with a lot of issues, such as breaking away from the past as well as letting people go. Ah Yi's character is probably the closest we get to a "Mary Sue"-- he's a better fighter than Chong Li Ming, he's morally upright, he's incredibly kind, and he's committed to his friend. (And Jackson's acting is amazing in this!)
The cast is well chosen and honestly they're amazing together. They have fantastic chemistry together, especially Yu Chu (Hu Bing Qing) with Ah Yi (Jackson Yi). Admittedly, Yu Chu (Hu Bing Qing) is a bit more awkward with Chong Li Ming (Huang Zi Tao), but it works with her character design (to be honest, I'm not 100% sure if the awkwardness is engineered into her acting intentionally or not, but either way, it works really well with the story as well as her character design).
I especially enjoyed the following characters' acting: Yang Zhen (June Wu) (his character is listed as a side character, but honestly, he's more of a main character than Marie), Ke Yan Xin (Liu Yuan), and Xiao Ke (Li Jun Mo). Yang Zhen's character actually made me hate him so much, which is credited more to the actor, June Wu, then the writing (because you can have a well written story, but if the acting is poor, the character will fall flat). Ke Yan Xin's character starts off as very lovable, but then becomes a less lovable character, which the actor carries well with grace and it's very well integrated. Xiao Ke's actor, Li Jun Mo, also does a spectacular job. Although his facial expressions are a bit recycled, he does fantastic nonetheless.
Honorable mentions: Wa Ge Na (Richards Wang), Hua Jiu Qing (Ning Xin), Marie (Ma Li, actor: Miranda Ma)
I'm going to loop back a bit to the story, as I've gone on a LOT about characters. The story is spectacularly written. I see a lot of people get upset because this was a BL story originally, but what did you expect? It's China, so they're going to have to write that out in order to air it. However, unlike the Untamed, it's far more subtle; it's written more like a bromance rather than having romantic undertones. Nonetheless, it's a very well written story, with overarching themes of loyalty and growth and bromance (there's a LOT of bromance).
The music is pretty good as well, especially paired with the more emotional scenes.
TL;DR: It's good. Watch it. Please. Acting, music, story- all superb. If you don't want to because it took away the BL aspect, know that this is still well written enough to be its own story. If you don't want to because of its length and fear of it being dragged out: it's not and honestly, quite binge-able.
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In the beginning I wasn't sure if I should start watching this drama but I decided to give it shot because of the cast and because I really enjoy watching detective dramas, though this drama wasn't the best out there it definitely didn't disappoint me.
STORY: The story wasn't anything new or magnificent but the "two-souls-in-one-body" thing brought some fresh air to the story.
The thing that I disliked the most was that the story became a little draggy and boring in the middle and I was actually thinking about dropping the drama but it got so much better towards the end.
The thing that I liked was the comedy and humor in the drama, I loved how the thungs and the cops were friends and helped each other out.
ACTING\CAST: I loved the acting in this drama, except for Hyeri but I don't think it was the acting that I didn't like it was the character that she portrayed. I loved the casting, especially the two male leads, they fit their roles perfectly. Kim Sun Ho is a newbie in the kdramaland but his acting is really good and the same thing goes for Hoya. Jo Jung Suk can have chemistry with a potato so that wasn't the problem here but I liked the chemistry between the second couple more.
It was the first time I ever saw Im Se Mi in a drama and I really like her now.
BROMANCE: I'm a sucker for some good BROMANCE and this drama didn't disappoint. It was that kind of "Hate-to-Love" bromance between a conman and a detective. Their interactions were super funny to watch and as partners, they were perfect for one another. Gong Soo Chang became like one of my favourite charactesr ever.
ROMANCE: There wasn't that much romance in this drama. I didn't really care about the main couple they were kinda ordinary but the second couple is what I totally loved, they were so cute together. So don't worry romance lovers!
MUSIC: The music was pretty good, I liked all of the OSTs, they fit the drama well. The music wasn't annoying or distracting, I liked how this one melody\sound started playing everytime something exciting was about to happen.
REWATCH VALUE: I would definitely rewatch this after some time, when I forget what exactly happened in the drama. One of the reasons for rewatching would have to be the bromance and the romantic relationship between the two supporting characters.
Overall, if you are looking for something with good bromance, you should definitely watch Two Cops!
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I liked the story it was compelling and well thought out. The dialogues particularly resonated with me. I really admired the direction and cinematography too, as it took risks at times and was little unusual for a sageuk.
It was interesting to see the story from the servants perspective, all too often in sageuks the servants are just minor background characters and here we see their daily struggles, desires and hopes.
The acting of the whole cast was brilliant. The only exception being Oh Ji Ho who was quite wooden and emotionless throughout, (I have seen him in other dramas and he is similar) although it suited his character somewhat in this drama so I am willing to overlook it on this occasion.
Special mention to Jung Yoo Mi who was outstanding she played the character of In Yub perfectly. She goes from being a rich, privileged young woman who has a dramatic fall from grace and becomes a servant when her father is accused of treason. She managed to imbue warmth into her character so that even when she was rich and conceited you still felt affection for her, It felt like she wasn't evil or malicious but rather ignorant and oblivious to the plight of others around her. She really comes into her own when she falls on hard times and her struggle and endurance is admirable.
This was my first time seeing Kim Dong Wook act in a drama. He played Eun Ki and I am very impressed with him. His character probably went through the most upheaval next to In Yub and his nuanced performance stole the show. Part of that was the writing, he was given some wonderful poignant lines but of course a lot hinges on the delivery, in which he excelled!
There aren't any songs in this drama which is unusual for a sageuk as they tend to have ballads but the music that is used throughout is beautiful and fits very well.
Overall if you like sageuks this is one of the best that I have seen. I cannot say anymore without spoiling :)
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Definitely my top 5 of 2021 drama
Have to say I’m not really into drama with time traveling, or body switch. But this drama have make me took a different turn, it’s not just funny or hilarious but the characters. They definitely play there roles right, and it definitely matches the characters they have play. Have to say they not only make this drama funny, but it’s the people who played the role that makes people into this drama, because they did an amazing jobs. Gotta say this drama is my top 5 of 2021, great cast and great rolesWas this review helpful to you?
1Don't watch if you are not a JaFirst fan.
The only reason I watched Be Mine Superstar up until the last episode is because since Ja left 888 Entertainment , it'll be difficult to see him in a series with First again. To me, Be Mine looks like their last work together 🥺 I do hope to be disappointed in the future.The 2nd couple was just there for the NC scenes 😭 literally no bonding moment between them. Each and every scene between them is just the two of em, fucking.
Anyways, it's a 5/10 (because of JaFirst) If you're not a JaFirst fan, I don't recommend.
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It starts off pretty slow for the first fifty episodes or so. There are twists here and there, but it wasn't anything gut-wrenching that made me shake my fist at the screen (a fairly common occurrence during a good drama for me) or cry like a baby. At times, I felt like the series dragged on, stretching an issue out over several episodes when it could have been just as easily explained in one, sometimes even half an episode.
As I said, though, around episode fifty I could feel things starting to heat up, and once the numbers hit the sixties things really set on fire. The revenge, the desperation, the feelings of utter helplessness when it comes to helping your most beloved person wade through the tides... It all seemed to just explode. For me, that was well worth the wait and watching all the episodes before. Some characters that I had previously wondered about the overall purpose of now showed great inner conflict and the reasons for certain behaviors were explained in a way that nearly wrenched out my heart.
Overall, I felt the leads did a fantastic job portraying their characters. While the story may have dragged on a bit, the actors themselves rose to the challenge, portraying their characters surprisingly well even after so many episodes. Sometimes even after twenty episodes I'll find that someone will slip up in their character on drama, but the leads here really stuck to it well. Very good show.
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Worried this will 'ruin it'?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!
Never heard of the manga or the anime?
Worried this is far from what you are usually used to in a drama?
Worry no more! You will LOVE it!
A hilarious yet strangely moving story about the how a love of music can bring together people of contrasting personalities on a journey of epic self-discovery. Sounds cheesy but fellow sceptics, worry not! This drama is a joy to watch. Just stick with it and I promise you won't regret it.
In their roles, Tamaki Hiroshi and Ueno Juri bring to life complicated characters in such a way no manga/anime enthusiasts can fault. As with any adaptation, there are tons that could go wrong; from executing the story to getting right the casting/acting. Furthermore, the hardest thing to do is maintain the 'feel' of the original piece of work which was drawn or animated. This is hard to do this without making the drama look tacky or overacted. Nodame Cantabile however, managed to really capture the point of 'live action' making this drama a perfectly complementary to the manga/anime. Yet it as a stand-alone it somehow manages to remain accessible and enjoyable to the general public.
The incredibly colourful supporting characters are just wonderful to watch, with enough screen-time to keep things lively and interesting, yet not too much to keep us from enjoying the story of the two wonderful leads. The progression of the story is perfect, not too slow to become a drag and not too fast to hurt the overall impact of the drama.
The slapstick humour is so well-executed that you can't help but laugh out loud (even if you saw yourself as having a more 'sophisticated' sense of humour). The blend of comedy and serious drama is flawless and there is enough to please those who look forward to tearful emotional scenes. What can I say, the drama caters to variety of people! If you know a thing or two about classical music, you are bound to enjoy the wonderful pieces portrayed. And if you don't, you'll be surprised to find yourself with a new sense of appreciation for it.
I can't sing enough praise for this drama. It is far from typical, effortlessly funny and uplifting. Great chemistry between the entire cast, tons of memorable scenes and wonderful use of music.
For lovers of music, comedy and drama, a definite must see. And for those who have doubts about whether this drama is their cup of tea Broaden your horizons and give it a go.
You could be pleasantly surprised. :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Only the love between parents and children is for separation.
This 20-episode drama took me by the neck and gave me a ride on the emotional rollercoaster. the synopsis confused me so much that it actually made me want to watch this and it was such a treat though I went into it with no expectations at all since there's not much drama about time travel that did it right or somewhat logical at least this one even with little knowledge about time traveling theory it would still make sense.okay so with the vital part of the drama (for me) Qi shuo, that character was the super glue of the drama, I would not trade Liu yitong to any other actor he made Qi shuo the lovable character that made me love the whole drama. He was a son, the one that would cross the mountains, sea, and time and space for his mother and liu yitong managed to portray that for us. Like what they say in the drama 'All love in this world is for gathering, Only the love between parents and children is for separation.' he loves his mother so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself just to make sure that her mother would live differently from the current time that she was in.
Qi yue and Lu xiao, are really destined to be together, or at least now the odds of favor are on their side. knowing the little tidbits of their 2031 selves, Lu xiao took care to Qi shuo and Qi yue with probably some limitations but Qi shuo gave them the push and the reason to take care of each other in the near future (also betting my fortune that 2031 Qi shuo prolly saw Lu xiao as a father figure in his life)
this will sound and feel weird but the trio did really have the chemistry of a family (yes even with being adults), you can perfectly picture them as that harmonic family. the amount of chemistry they have are so adorable.
The sacrifices, feeling of belonging, a family they will call their own, finding and reaching a dream, and realizing a probably 'childish' wish. The drama delivered that all even with just 20 episodes.
is this the best drama? tbh it's all base on personal taste but this one is worth giving a peek.
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Started this for Ji Chang Wook & Finished/Loved for Song Yoon Ah ❤️
I have known about this drama since it released in 2016 - but while the action scenes & chocolate abs of JCW were encouraging, the whole angle of romance & Yoona's acting was simply terrible that I did not pick this up. Finally in 2024, I relented and decided to give it a go. As expected - the best thing was JCW and all his action and solo scenes. But the biggest surprise and hooking factor was his electrifying chemistry with female antagonist/second lead - Choi Yoo Jin played by the talented - Song Yoon Ah. They redefined "frenemies" & left me wanting for more . . .❤︎ LOVED:
➥ Je Ha (ML) & Yoo Jin (SFL):
I can understand why there are so many fanfictions and petitions hoping to have a spin-off to have them together as the leading romance pair. They are enemies-turned-allies in the show and every interaction is so well acted sometimes simply without words, that you just want them to rip each others clothes off and make steamy love that generations would write/read about. They were literally too hot to handle and this is without any actual romance between them. Both, in a single frame were just too mesmerizing, the chemistry off the charts - perhaps one of the best ever, and definitely the best between such roles.
➥ Action Scenes & JCW:
Those who are aware of his other works know what a great actor JCW is and the action sequences were directed well. They may/may not have gone with the plot, but it was entertaining to watch though gets repetitive over the latter part of the drama. Pure blockbuster effects, and with JCW executing it - it was flawless. The time that I delayed watching the show was compensated over the years by unhealthily rewatching the "bathhouse fight" and "shirt changing" scenes - and I am going to continue doing that on YouTube, without the need to rewatch the show.
❌ DISLIKES:
➥ The FL and Romance:
Yoona was completely useless - in terms of her character usage in the story, acting, chemistry with JCW - basically everything. JCW was carrying the romance, she was the stiff cardboard with no inputs - being used as a ragdoll. Personally - I would have liked this drama more if she was a minor character [e.g: just a young girl (aged 3-4)] and needed protection from JCW's character OR just done away with her character + romance altogether.
➥ The Plot:
It was too generic - not engaging or without unique twist/turns, with boring political talks/drama and of course the unnecessary romance. The acting of JCW, Yoon Ah, Sung Ha, Gab Soo and Dong Mi were the ones that carried the drama but they were caught in a mediocre storyline. It had a promising start but faltered from the middle.
➥ SUMMARY:
This is a delectable guilty pleasure drama - to be indulged for Ji Chang Wook's acting, action scenes and fan-service. He's one of my ultimate bias and he served. The soul of this show was Song Yoon Ah - her acting making me want to rip her mouth or feel pity for her character was flawless. And of course their sizzling chemistry was everything. This drama is over and I would not rewatch it except for their scenes, but am going to read the fanfictions about them, maybe even write one myself to satiate this unmet desire this drama has given me. They were THAT good.
So if you like all the above - with some blockbuster action, go ahead and give it a spin.
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