This drama really does touch on every aspect of a relationship. This drama does have its funny bits in it and I feel that many people will relate to one or many characters within it. But whilst watching I mostly enjoyed the chemistry between the supporting cast rather than the main leads themselves!
All in all I feel that its a good watch. I loved the chemistry between the characters. Its not too serious and has come comedic elements which is always a good thing!
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I have a friend who’s totally obsessed with Kimura Takuya therefore she insisted that I should watch this since it contains sports. As a result, this was my first Kimmy drama.
2) Storyline/Plot:
*Generally speaking, this is a drama related to sports wrapped up with romance and humour.
Positive points:
*It was very well written, events were connected in harmony while developments seemed catching whether they were good or bad.
*Main Genres:
--->Sports: Oh my, sports!! One of the reasons I started watching this. The story of the hockey team was intriguing; even though script writers didn’t fully focus on hockey’s activities but it had a fair share of the storyline’s development; scenes on the rink were always remarkable which made every game important no matter what’s the bet.
Hockey was the core of this drama that’s why it’s hard to imagine it without sports.
--->Romance: The romantic concept was good enough to fit in with sports. The combination made sense since there were a lot of connections between hockey game and love game.
Sometimes, the main romantic story may lack progress but it doesn’t last for long plus side romantic stories were always good to watch.
--->Humour: Some of us may not understand Japanese humour yet it wasn’t annoying to watch. Funny scenes were present to make this drama light-hearted that’s why comedy was appreciated in here.
Negative Points:
--->Drama: Overly dramatic scenes don’t fit with sports, at least not here. Side characters dramatic stories were overdone sometimes which made the storyline go astray in some points.
However, that didn’t affect the whole drama’s concept.
Story: 8.5/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*Like I said earlier this was the drama that introduced Kimura Takuya to me; his acting was good enough but his charisma was mind-blowing in here. The role fitted him perfectly since he managed to make it sound his real self.
Takeuchi Yuko was always a magnificent Japanese actress no matter what’s her role. Here, she shined as usual.
Other actors were terrific; there weren’t any flaws to mention.
*As for characters, Halu was absorbing in here; you would want to see more of him on screen. Though, it was exaggerating to involve him in every problem but he’s the captain and this drama’s star so no problem.
Aki is a perfect lead character for a romantic-sports drama; she’s normal but catching at the same time.
Other characters were pleasant not only as a background for the main couples but also as enjoyable characters to watch. Anyhow, I believe that the strength of Jdramas comes from the multiplicity of characters.
*Appreciated characters: Makoto Tomo because they always had adorable scenes with Halu especially the latter.
*Relationships:
--->Team relationships: Whether it was Halu-coach or captain-team; relationships within the Blue Scorpions were captivating no matter how much you see it. Moreover, there was special friendship between some team members which made the team concept sounds really cool.
--->Romance: Halu and Aki had the most absorbing chemistry ever!! Even side romantic stories had good chemistry.
--->Friendship: Beside team friendship, Aki and her two friends had a respectable relationship as a group of girls. Well, it wasn’t very satisfying like the men relationship.
Cast: 9/10.
Acting: 8.5/10.
4) The ending:
I found happiness in the ending; not the usual happy ending that will pass like the wind but the type of ending that will bring you joy when you watch it.
The ending: 9/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*I watched this drama back in 2010 while it aired in 2004 but I wasn’t bothered with its old cinematography because it was simply amazing.
*Sports are always my “thing” no matter what’s the type of sport because I like that enthusiasm which appears in athletes eyes. Furthermore, the combination of sports and romance was always a great mixture to me *thinking of Buzzer Beat*
*This drama was the reason that made me fall in love with KimuTaku and watch more of his dramas.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes! The combination of sports and romance is extremely unforgettable for me.
My impression: 9/10.
6) Overall:
*If you like sports mixed with romance then you would love this.
*If you like Kimura Takuya then you have to watch this.
*If you like wonderful romantic stories then you might like this.
*Pride was a marvellous sports drama that had a great romantic concept while being faithful to J-Dramas’ comedy.
Overall: 9/10.
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Worth the Watch… But Not Without Skipping
The acting was solid, and the leads were convincing in their affection...but I couldn’t fully buy into their chemistry. The plot felt stretched out, especially with 56 episodes, and I skimmed through a lot of filler. The whole immortal-god-falling-for-someone-way-younger trope felt off to me, even if it’s fantasy. I wanted a stronger reason for their bond, beyond power or old debts. I also wasn’t thrilled that the female lead had to struggle so much. That said, curiosity kept me going, and while I didn’t love the drawn-out misunderstandings, it had enough romance to keep me hooked...just not as much as “Eternal Love.”Was this review helpful to you?
Acting/Cast:
The acting, for me, wasn't very good, but some of the other Chinese dramas I have attempted to watch have very similar acting style. So, if you like, and watch a lot of, Chinese/Taiwanese dramas the acting probably won't be a problem.
There were a few interesting characters in the drama. Sometimes, it was amusing to watch the choices they made and the way they handled the consequences of those choices. They also made it easier for me to digest some of my not so favorite characters. I actually liked some of the "bad" guys more than the "good" ones. The reasons why they did some things seemed to logical and very close to reality. I know I would do almost the same things as Hu Ji did if I were in her shoes.
Some of the minor/guest characters were laughable. They looked like they were part of a bad cosplay...play; pink wigs and all.
Music:
I thought the OST was very good. Actually, I loved the OST. I felt it went accordingly to each scene and I still listen to some of the songs.
Re-watch:
The drama is fantasy and I love fantasy based dramas & movies, so it was very appealing for me. And while, I wouldn't re-watch the full drama again, I will definitely go back to my favorite scenes and episodes.
Overall:
There are a few other things I loved about the drama like the fighting/battle scenes, which had a lot of the fantasy element in them and I loved when Yao Yao, or Xian Yue, played the flute. The costumes (especially those of the female characters)were amazing and gorgeous. There were also some parts where breathtaking scenery could be seen.
I really wanted to give this drama an 8. I really did and I actually had scored it that before I made the review, but have now changed it. Why? Well, even though the drama is far from perfect, it does have it own charm and I found it very entertaining, but I just didn't like the ending. The ending ruined the last episode for me, which was otherwise great.
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From first impressions, this drama may seem like a very light-hearted love story between 2 youths. However, as each episode unfolds, you realize how much depth this story surprisingly has. The story itself has does have some repetitions - at first, it seemed like bad editing, but as you continue, you will soon realize more and more, that the story was made this way on purpose to send the right message. I was very surprised of how a simple on-the-surface plot can be transformed into a feels-train with its hidden complexity. Needless to say, this is a must-watch imo
CHARACTERS / ACTING
This drama really only focuses on one character - Yoo Tak, which at first seemed like a generic character.. and he actually is. As someone who enjoys music, Yoo Tak is very relatable and you will see how he makes mistakes not just for the sake of drama. Among L's work, this is definitely one of the better roles he does done. The lead actress also did very well on her character.
MUSIC
The music in this mini-series is absolutely mesmerizing! There are a few scenes in this drama where nothing is actually presented visually - but the music coupled the situation so well that it was actually driving the story and gave it life and meaning. Particularly, there's a light guitar track with some vocals that really enhanced the experience.
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I usually give this iper good reviews to drama that have a historical plot, or actions, or fantasy in them.
But Coffee Prince is my exception.
With this drama I was able to know a lot of good actors: Gong Yoo became one of my favourites. So the first good thing of this drama are the actors indeed. Everyone did a very good job. She was just perfect, sometimes I just forgot she was a girl!
He too was perfect in his role, the cold but childish guy who can be mature too.
The chemistry between them was nice too.
Even the other characters are perfect: from the owner of the shop, to her family, to the waffle guy and so on. Everyone, just perfect in their roles.
They acted very naturally.
Also the script was natural.
The story is simple and realistic, even the fact everyone thinks she is a guy doesn't sounds so 'unrealistic', and the dialogues develop naturally.
Like in everyday life.
I loved also the way Han Kyul accepts his love towards someone who he thinks is a guy, I think this drama was awesome also because of the meaning in it; "it doesn't matter if you are a boy or an alien because I love you."
The music is something I just love. Every episode is full of korean and english songs that makes you feel sad, good, relaxed.
I just LOVE this OST, it has something different from every other drama.
I rewatched this something like ten times, and I never got bored.
I absolutely reccomend this, it is a good drama, I can't find nothing to complain, so if you want to watch something not too much 'difficult' just fall in love with this one.
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Very satisfying ending
ML made the show for me, beautiful acting by ML, he kept me watching. His earnest naivety pulled me in because I wanted him to win or have a happy ending. Truthfully the whole cast did a good job, they were frustrating where they needed to be, likeable where they needed to be, definitely job well done.Watch if you are looking for something that doesn't required too much from you the viewer, but is an interesting story, engaging character (the ML) and a satisfying ending. Not exactly a happy ending but a good ending.
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"But Romance Town doesn't have a plot!" Well, there is a plot, but it without a doubt became a secondary concern for the writer. What the writer brought to the forefront was a thoughtful (albeit at times heavy-handed) and quirky character study, and it was this slice-of-life aspect that grabbed me. The characters became so real that I found myself accurately predicting their every move, not because the plot itself was predictable, but because I came to know these characters so well in and out that guessing their next move was like friends finishing the other's sentence. More wonderful still is the grayness within each character: there is no absolute evil or good, and as a result I found myself sympathizing with even the most unlikeable resident of the street. Overall, the world of this show felt organic, with events progressing naturally based on the characters' authentic reactions as opposed to being driven by artificial plot devices.
Admittedly, the plot could have been tighter. At 20 episodes, the show is perhaps four episodes too long. There were plot points that went nowhere, towing along certain characters in its wake. Gun Woo and Soon Geum's relationship, despite being the main one, fell on the dull side, and a last minute pairing felt too sudden, but I let it slide since it was a couple I had been rooting for. Some episodes seem to just drag on (ironically enough, given the title of this drama, those were the episodes that dealt directly with romance), while others had me yanking my hair, gasping aloud, and craving more.
Despite the above complaints, I thoroughly enjoyed journeying through the world of Romance Town with the maids as my guides. We were gifted with a glimpse into their lives, friendships and loves, and I'm not ashamed to say that I miss them already.
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This film inspires others on what true love exactly means and how their love for each other is shunned and looked down upon within society. Not everything in this film is simple and easy on the eyes to watch especially certain behaviors portrayed by the male actor and the suffering mental illness of the main female lead.
So-ri Moon's performance was outstanding. She truly shined that made others believe she actually has cerebral palsy. Kyung-gu Sol also transforms into a character who behaves and thinks like a 8-10 year old boy who is evidently in an almost-thirty year old body.
Why watch this film? To be honest, this film is not a typical Saturday night and needs to be seen in a mature yet understanding manner. If you have an interest in social and discriminating issues within society, this film is definitely for you.
What's my favourite scene? It is when So-ri Moon's character imagines herself as a normal human being in front of Kyung-gu Sol's character. It also portrays how their love truly exists and how they long for each other even when their families disagree with their relationship and attempts to destruct it completely.
Love is for everyone even for these odd couple.
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This review may contain spoilers
This movie is up there with TLT2 (the Neo Hou/Cheng Yi outing) as my favorite DMBJ thingy. No silly het romance of an unnecessary insert (I'm looking at you, Providence), just good old tentacles and Bromance - with the B being very silent.Till this movie, Heihua did nothing for me. It didn't ring any bells, it left me cold and shrugging on the outskirts of this fandom. But Ji Chen and Ji Xiaobing as Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua, respectively, did A Thing(TM) to my perception of this pairing. Like... wow.
This movie was everything I hoped for. Yeah, yeah, grave robbing (sorta), tentacled Cthulhu wannabe, that was all nice and whatnot. But the relationship between Hei Xiazi and Xiao Hua? That was perfection pure.
Like...
- when Xiao Hua first came to Hei Xiazi and Hei Xiazi learned why Xiao Hua was headed into the jungle - and then he stole Xiao Hua's ugly statuette and threw it into the pond to protect him.
- when Hei Xiazi paid the armed wannabe bandits to let Xiao Hua's expedition pass but he placed himself right next to Xiao Hua, just in case, to protect him from bullets.
- when Hei Xiazi was told that the cops found a dead body and he feared that it was Xiao Hua, remembering his words, "Are you not afraid that we will all die?"
- when Hei Xiazi immediately packed his things and ran to Xiao Hua's rescue.
- when Hei Xiazi realized that Xiao Hua was poisoned - well, the rest of the expedition too but them folks could just keel over and die for all he cared - and kept on checking on Xiao Hua for the rest of the movie every time Xiao Hua was sick or dizzy - Hei Xiazi's Look(TM) when he saw the insect sores on Xiao Hua's arm!
- when Hei Xiazi decided to open the sarcophagus, not really caring what was inside, just so Wannabe Cthulhu would stop killing Xiao Hua.
- when Wannabe Cthulhu smacked Xiao Hua off the platform and Hei Xiazi screamed with rage!
- when it looked like they might die after all and Hei Xiazi simply lay down next to Xiao Hua, fully intending to just expire together with him right then and there.
- when they escaped through the river and at some point, Hei Xiazi let his young fellow of a friend go, despite the boy being knocked out, to drag Xiao Hua up.
- when Hei Xiazi's young friend told him, "Why don't you go with [Xiao Hua]? He obviously cares about you a lot."
- when they then ran off together, doing unseemly things in Russia.
This movie just pushed all the right buttons when it came to whump. There wasn't just a lot of hurt, there was so much care on both sides. It's the most lasting impression of mine after watching this movie: they CARED for each other. They cared so much. You could truly feel the depth of affection they had for each other. Smitten, I was smitten!
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And I think it does a great job at portraying how illness can affect a life, much better than many hollywood movies. This just felt so real, and it's even more inspiring knowing that it's based on a true story. I think I'm going to read Aya's book next.
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WORST ENDING EVER!!
Let me start with the reasons I loved this show, I'll save the spoilers until the end.Go Ah Ra as Ra Ra. I saw her Miss Hammurabi and loved her. She has a fresh appeal about her. Though Ra Ra's life went south pretty suddenly, she was always optimistic. Though I often felt she was taking advantage of Joon, I couldn't be mad at her - she was always open and up-front about what she was doing. Ra Ra changed everyone that she came into contact with for the better. Her effervescent personality in the face of adversity was a joy to watch.
Lee Jae Wook as Sun Woo Joon - this is really his first leading-man role, and I must say he was made for it. His personality was the opposite of Ra Ra's, but there was a magnetic pull between them. His acting is understated and believable, and when he cried, oh my!
Ye Ji Won as Jin Sook Kyung - as the owner of the beauty salon, she was quirky and a little strange, but so fun to watch.
I felt that the entire cast was excellent.
OST - Oh wow!! How they wove "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" through the entire series was brilliant. Playful one minute, soulful the next, heartbreaking in the next minute.
STORY - here's where things get difficult. Up through about episode 11, I would have rated this as a strong 10. The writing was excellent for each of the characters. Their actions and their conversations were so fun and heart-felt. The salon ladies were a hoot. Though Dr. Cha was a little creepy to me, his character made sense the more you got to see him. The friendships/crushes of the teenagers were fun and not too terribly irritating. I loved watching everyone change through Ra Ra's influence, and the fact that she was acting in a completely natural manner without any artifice was lovely. The budding relationship between Joon and Ra Ra was so special - she'd ask him to do something for her, he'd say "no" but then do it. All the things he did for her - I really felt that he loved her. The beginning scenes of each episode and the epilogues provide some additional clues as to what was going on. I love a storyline where the main characters have met in different scenarios over the years.
After about episode 11, I was wondering if a different writer took over. This went from being a light, fluffy love story (with quite a few laugh out loud moments) to melodrama pretty quickly. Here is one of my issues, if I know it's going to be a melodrama going in, I can prepare myself for angst and stress. I was going along, really enjoying this show when BAM! His nightmare mom, his even more nightmarish dad, breakups for no reason, lots of time spent apart, everyone is miserable, clingy ex-girlfriend shows up, and toss in an illness that he doesn't tell anyone about and it's a big old mess. I do have to give the writer credit for the scenes making fun of the "water in the face, paying off the girlfriend to leave her son alone" trope. This couple was apart more than they were together.
SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS - SPOILERS!!!!
This is what is unforgivable for me - Joon goes to the US to "study", though he's really being treated for leukemia. Joon and Ra Ra still talk to one another on the phone. A few months go by and his mother shows up at Ra Ra's piano studio and tells her that Joon has died, and he left her a letter. So, we hear Joon's words to Ra Ra and go through her grief with her. FIVE YEAR TIME JUMP (I hate the time jumps in the best of times, but this was the worst!) Ra Ra is playing the song that she used to play to welcome him home and looks up, and there stands JOON. He says he didn't want to come back until he was well. She's a little bit mad but then forgives him pretty quickly. I had problems with this on many levels. First, what kind of mother would lie about her son being dead?!? And the fact that he left Ra Ra completely out of the loop, that's not love. All I could think of was, if I was Ra Ra, I'd be wishing that I'd been able to spend whatever time she had with him. When I got to the end of this show, I really felt like I'd been cheated, and I am NOT amused! So, strictly for this reason I had to lower my rating to a 7. I really wanted to go lower, I'm so mad, but the show was so good up to when it wasn't anymore.
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Horrible
Watched to the end hoping it would get better and then I get to the end and I Call MAJOR BULLSHIT like Im sorry but no that ending was Just smh HORRIBLE The whole show was!!!! DON'T BOTHER WATCHING!! The whole reason she loves him is just so wrong 😔 he just constantly hurts her Physically emotionally Verbaly and tries to force him self on her and She Fucking still loves his ass OH HELL NO GIRL THAT IS NOT SAFE GTFO and go find a new man that will take care of you!! If you like this type of show then you're be all for it but I won't watch it againWas this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
Unexpectedly I loved it so much that I will surely Rewatch it again with tears and tissues
A little background here so you can skip this paragraph, if you wish… [I thought I would regret watching this drama but I think I needed this to get over my drama slump. I had 2-3 dramas in my CW and I made my 1st drop this month. I was almost in a drama slump as I passed on 4 days without watching any episode until I started this drama.]This Drama and Tissues both are a must. As quoted by others, yes this is a little Melodrama but I usually don't mind it if it's portrayed in the right manner. The cute and innocent Shi Yi played by Bai Lu and actor Allen who nailed this role was the best choice the director made. Another best choice was the setting, the whole winter theme in beginning is like cherry on the top. What was unexpected for me was the supporting roles. It's rare for me to find so many hateable Characters in a drama. Yes it's not a writing mistake. Its Hate-able, characters whose actions irritated me till the end.
The first half is more about the background setting for upcoming twists and plot. While the middle half is where I got to experience all those Sad emotions in one go. I remember that particular scenario from Episode 15 and 16 where I was crying continuously and I felt like "No at this pace I can't continue this Drama anymore". I felt strange all over as I watched a few more episodes. No, it was not the drama's fault. It was me who cannot tolerate the sudden emotional rollercoaster at all. The one-by-one coming situations were breaking me. Ahh why am I remembering so much again. I hated that parts and I loved that parts equally. Tbh, I was confused like I knew the characters had no other choices and it's going in the destined direction but I just can't accept it. I still wish, thing went my way but yeah it won't. The drama has already finished and why would the screenwriter listen to Me lol. Hopefully, I went through that phase and just went on. I am happy that I didn't dropped this drama with the fear that this would be a sad ending drama. If I dropped it, I will definitely miss a beautiful story.
Zhousheng Chen — he's like the light who ruled this drama. I don't believe he died, cause I would rather say he is eternal. A character that I would remember and admire for years.
Shiyi — noblest character. I wonder how did she tolerate all of this till there… like she saw her father going as a child, she was forced to marry Zixing, she was trapped in that palace all alone and then her Master died, she was helpless but couldn't do anything. She sacrificed herself at the end.
One and only is not only about Shiyi and Zhousheng Chen alone, it's about all those people who were a part. Other characters whose individual story touched me ≈•≈
✓ Liu Hui (His Majesty) — he was given too many responsibilities at the age of 6 then he was killed by his own mother at 19. All his life, he was just controlled by others. Poor him.
✓ General Hong Xiaoyu — I had a strange fear from the starting of episode 22 that something will get wrong in her story and that fear came true. She died. Oh… she was so good T~T
✓ Monk — he suffered a lot but he kept calm in precious situations. Him being in the Nanchen Royal Army was the best choice made by him but he also had to leave for his own country.
Characters that destroyed their own life and entered my Hate diary =××××—
×•× Empress Dowager — Do I need to name a reason? She can even kill her own son. She's a psycho. So glad that she died.
×•× Zixing/Prince of Guanling — The self obsessed man. He is just too selfish. He acted as if he liked Shiyi but in reality he's too crazy to like anyone.
×•× Qin Yan — he watched by every bad deed but instead of opposing it he supported all of that. I pitied him for a while but once Mentor Xie died, I sensed that he won't be any better.
×•× Jin Rong — One word for him. EVIL! He had no boundaries to crime. He did everything a devil can do. I feel like I can curse him for hours HE WAS SO BAD!
"Zhousheng Chen, I am here to marry you. If we meet again in the next life, hope you can come to marry me. Will you? I will take your silence as a Yes." — Shiyi.
Oof this line. It's going to haunt me so I have to start Forever and Ever soon…
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