Reviews

A must see. It is a 20 plus minutes of pure gold.

Two guys, friends, who have lost touch and have not seen each other for quite some time met again at an event, From the onset, we'll surmise that they used to be in a relationship, and must now face the truth about their past.

I must warn you that watching this mini movie will hurt, a lot, sepecially if you are a gay guy who has experienced loving the same sex and has been forced by society to stop.

Good cinematography, good script. It reminds me of a watered down version of a Hollywood movie Before Sunset. The sound however is a little too tiny i have to read the subtitles just too understand the conversation. This is how Pinoy BL dramas should be judged, not the titiliating indie movies a few years back.

I would have given the story a 10 if they didnt make the fiance a girl.

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Nobunaga’s Concerto isn’t your ordinary time travel drama where the main character is looking for a way to get back home but instead he decides to live accordingly to the time he was thrown into and do his best.

When I watched this drama, I had a mindset that this was going to be a series full of mishaps, comedy and light mood scenes because the main character had to pretend to be someone who was a powerful Samurai Warlord during the Warring States Period. It did somewhat meet my expectation but what surprised me was the way they incorporated the serious into the funny. The mood tones of this drama was very much well mixed. If you parallel it alongside the real Japanese History before and during the Tensho Era, it does makes sense and goes accordingly to history, only it was elaborated in a very fictional way thus the comedy blends in. I also learned that this drama was also a manga adaptation, I haven’t read the manga yet but I did enjoy this live action.

Oguri Shun as Saburo/Oda Nobunaga was funny, annoying and at the same time full of wisdom when he sets his mind into it. This was another drama than Shun nailed since he had to act 2 different characters at once. It would have been hard for an average actor to internalize that but watching him here, it was like a breeze turning from one klutzy idiot to being a ruthless samurai.

The other characters I liked are:

Shibasaki Kou as Kicho, she’s the wife of Nobunaga, a very fierce woman who tries to hide her affection from her husband. Her acting complements well with Shun and they definitely have this chemistry going on, regardless if Shun is acting as the fake Nobunaga or the real one.

Mukai Osamu as Tsuneoki Ikeda, Nobunaga’s right hand man. Aside from being good looking all throughout this series (yes, he is good looking so please do not contradict my feelings for the guy, he’s been a long time crush now since Nodame Cantabile *fan girl mode on!*) he had a good role portrayal. I still can’t believe he was duped by the Saburo and he was able to unknowingly assist the guy into being the legit Nobunaga he can be. I liked Tsuneoki’s personality where he follows head in line with his heart and does things smartly and not being rash about his decisions.

Fukiji Naohito as Hanbee Takenaka, this guy! I’m really amazed that the drama is supported by veteran actors like Fujiki. So him, being casted in the later episodes is a bonus for me. I like his role as a tactician and how he worked with Saburo along the way due to his dreams of peace and unity for the whole of Japan.

Issei Takahashi as Nagamasa Azai, his character is someone I could not hate despite the fact that he and Nobunaga are fighting each other's clans. His acting style and the way he shows his emotions in this drama was something that was really heartfelt. This gave way to a special spot for Takahashi in my own heart.

Yamada Takayuki as Denjiro/Kinoshito Tokichiro/Toyotomi Hideyoshi, maaaaan… this guy has so many names and aliases. I loved his vengeful character and still looking forward to the things he is about to do. I will not say more anything about his role because that in itself will become a spoiler. What I would leave here though is that he was awesome in this drama.

The drama is basically re-watchable, specially the slap stick comedy scenes. It made me laugh out loud to see some of the casts who looks intense at first but becomes idiots the next second. Then there’s also the music. I really love how the Japanese industry inserts there OST into the whole series. It makes everything more colorful and sets off all kinds of feeling or mood depending on the scene.

There is still so much I want to say about this drama but I can’t really put it here due to spoilers, so if some is reading this and want to discuss or do not mind being spoiled, please do send me message. Over all, I am recommending this to those who are interested into Japanese entertainment and its history.

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One word: Beautiful

I've been waiting for this series to air since the first trailer drops, and when it does air, it does not disappoint at all. I didn't really get my hopes up but it exceeded my expectation, really.

I love how the relationship between Tian and Phupha develops ever so naturally. Like it just happens. They spend time together and gradually grow fond of each other's presence. They don't need skinship to show their feelings towards another because the way they look at each other already holds much affection.

Not to mention Tian's character development, he went from selfish to selfless :)

The series ended perfectly, couldn't say anything more
Definitely one of my favorite BL shows to ever air

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Beautiful acting and no one can deny that.

There aren't any major spoliers !!

Starting with the story first, yes, it was not the best storyline for such a huge star cast. BUT I have to give it up to the acting of all the characters. Not one character an their acting felt wasted.

The story was like the cliche normal C-dramas. They fell in love, there was some misunderstanding, and they got back together with a happy ending. Thats it. That was the whole story.

But to me, what stands out is their acting. Its how the main characters really did their best. The emotion portrayed by the characters, especially Shu Yi and Shi Yan. I don't really cry too much in emotional scenes, but Bai Lu was so much in character that I couldn't help but cry during the emotional scene. The cold, ruthless CEO has a soft spot for his loved one, and on the other hand, she is usually a very smart top journalist but is helpless when things go wrong.

Everything other than the story is really good about this drama. This drama can really be seen as something to binge-watch when you have nothing to watch. Take it as a light watch, and don't expect major twists and turns. Well, not every C-drama should have major stories. Some should be lighthearted and okay too.

Anyway, it was a good watch for me. I really hope someday both of these actors are chosen once again to act in a new cdrama with a nicer storyline.

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For a drama called Romance Town, I went in to this drama expecting a great deal more romance than what we are presented with. In fact, the biggest story point of this show isn't even mentioned in the synopsis, which is the lottery ticket and money. I almost regret that I stuck through to the end with this drama, but there are a couple of things that almost make it worth the 20+ hours I invested in it.

First, could Jung Gyu Woon be any more adorable? I mean, seriously, that is one good looking guy. Even Kim Min Joon (whose MDL picture just does NOT do him justice!) is ridiculously cute in this show. I felt like they could have done more with both characters, especially Kim Min Joon's. His character was just kind of thrown in whenever it was convenient for the writers, and his storyline felt incomplete.

I also did like the lead actress quite a bit too, though the script did not really do her justice. All in all, it was an interesting look into humanity, and how money can change a person's morality and make them do things they never would have before coming into a large sum of money. But what that has to do with a town of romance, I can't tell you. I did like the relationship between the maids, and how they were all so willing to fight for each other. Well, at least til the money got involved, in which case they just wanted to fight with each other.

When everything is said and done, this drama is not wholly irredeemable, but it definitely could have been cut in half and been a much more watchable experience. 20 episodes just seemed to drag on and on and on and on and...well you get the point.

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Gangsta's Paradise

I bounced off walls with joy and excitement when I came across this movie. It has been too long since we have seen a hard core Hong Kong style triad martial arts movie like this. Not to mention the cast - Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Raymond Lam; literally a Who's Who of veteran Hong Kong action super stars. Adapted from Andy Seto's manhua "City of Darkness," this movie is set in the 1980s in the Kowloon Walled City, or Hak Nam/黑暗 as it was known to locals. Dismantled in 1993, this was once the most crowded place on earth, packing 35,000 people within 6.4 acres. This infamous den of iniquity was a gangsta's paradise; a dystopian, lawless enclave of mostly refugees where crime proliferated and triads kept the peace with their own brand of street justice. The replica of the Walled City is viscerally authentic down to the chaotic claustrophobia of structure piled precariously upon structure and the stench of overflowing humanity permeating the dank, narrow corridors.

This fast-paced action-packed movie that pays tribute to the golden age of Hong Kong cinema exploits tried and true themes of loyalty, brotherhood and vigilante justice. Chan Lok-Kwun (Raymond Lam) is a mainland refugee that sneaks into HK in the 1980s. He runs afoul of triad boss Mr Big (Sammo Hung) and in a thrilling chase, jumps from the frying pan into the fire of the Walled City. Through blood, sweat and bone-crunching fights, he earns the grudging respect of Typhoon and his underlings, who keep the peace within the Walled City. The narrative rushes through not that well fleshed out subplots involving past grudges and shady business deals but who cares? They are simply excuses to stage one innovative, physics defying action scene after another featuring fighters dressed to kill at 1980s comic-con. While Typhoon and his rival Mr Big anchor the narrative, the younger crew really hold their own up against the intimidating cast. I laughed out loud at their moments of dark humor and brash camaraderie.

One of this movie's top highlights is the the gritty, awe-inspiring recreation of the dystopian underworld within the Walled City; a place that spawned countless video games and works of fiction. The action scenes pay tribute to the manhua with outlandish cartoon-like combatants and the death proof brawls featuring wildly exaggerated superpowers. The fight scenes got more fantastical as the movie progresses and climaxes in a crazy, all-out extended take down of an almost invincible villain. I was on the edge of my seat with excitement and anxiety the entire time; thinking more than once that the bad guy was gonna win. Nonetheless I felt the best fights were early on, where despite the astounding athleticism, they were still grounded in some semblance of reality. I had my heart in my mouth watching Chan Lok-Kwun's opening shattered glass skirmish, the way he fights his way out of tight spaces on the bus and his parkour like first foray into the Walled City. This is how real martial arts action scenes should be choreographed and filmed. Later on, while still inventive and gripping, the action strays a bit too far into the realm of the fantastical.

This movie is a must watch and not just for old times' sake; preferably in Cantonese and on the big screen. It shows that Hong Kong cinema is still alive and well and stands the test of time. I am only rating this an 8.0/10.0 because the plot could have been better but the overall entertainment value vastly exceeds this rating.

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The base story itself is nothing new but the concept and execution will keep you on you toes. There is a light back ground story here that hits you full on in episode 8 but otherwise this is a very episodic show with each case wrapping up at the end of every episode.
That does not detract from the story at all, in fact some how it enhances it. You get some truly awesome action scenes, including Yamada kicking backside in his wheelchair. You forget that this actor has not been in this wheelchair for years, he has made it a part of his person. That makes me appreciate the actor even more.
This show tackles heavy topics and makes you stop and think, even if you don't want to.
THIS SHOW IS AMAZING!

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Soul searching.

This is an absorbing sci-fi suspense thriller built around themes relating to the immortality of the soul and its ability to reincarnate after death. The city's top prosecutor Liang Wen Chao (Chang Chen) takes on a high profile, inexplicable and grisly murder of a terminally ill tycoon. As Wen Chao examines the key suspects - the son, the young wife, the deceased ex-wife and the business partner, cutting edge technology and superstitious rituals intersect to further muddy waters already tainted by greed, love, hate, misplaced loyalty, revenge and man's futile quest for immortality.

Without spoiling it, I think the whodunit aspect of it is quite well done from the way the suspicion shifts from one suspect to another until the impossible is eliminated down to what remains as the improbable truth. I did not completely buy into some of the motives of the key suspects and I was irritated by the over-acted supernatural twist that failed to deliver the chiller thriller effect it was striving for. As for the howdunit aspect I will just say it was much more fiction than science but this is the case with most sci-fi thrillers. Since it does deliver an interesting twist, it is very forgivable so just go along with it and suspend disbelief.

This movie's strongest selling point is Chang Chen and Janine Chang's performance as the core investigative team and lead couple. The kind of stoic, desperate soldiering on Chang Chen does as a terminally ill man desperate to do his best for A Bao and their unborn child with what little time he has left is heartbreaking and moving. This is really Chang Chen's best role in terms of how he conveys such deep emotions and soul searching with so few words and how his journey gives him unique insight into the victim. Beyond his incredible weight loss, I was also riveted by how effectively Chang Chen conveyed the impression of a man calling upon the last legs of his energy, whose mind is very much alive as his body fails. This is not a love story but because of amazing acting by the lead couple, I can see the depth and complexity of their unspoken emotions, how well they just fit together, understand and sacrifice for each other. This is the part of the movie that will stay with me.

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Pretty heartwarming & cute drama~

Saw the posters and heard about the plot of this drama before it released and brushed it off thinking it'd another one of those time traveling youth dramas BUT then I heard about its high ratings on Douban (8.6 the last time I checked which is very good compared to other dramas' scores) and decided to give this drama a go. And I am so so glad I did!

Plot:
You may think it is pretty cliche after reading the synopsis on here but it was very unique in its own way. First time seeing a drama where the daughter goes back to when her mom is in high school and then befriending her mom from then until college graduation. Li Jin Bu was pretty immature, doing whatever she wished, before "time traveling" but after spending time with her 17-year-old mom and mom's family and friends and seeing how her mom grew up, as a viewer, I could see her change. The writer wrote this drama well to show the youthfulness of the gang of friends and the adding in comedy, romance, and family. It wasn't draggy at all and went by at a good pace. There were some scenes that had me burst out into laughter and some touching scenes that made me tear up.

Acting/Cast:
Never seen any of the cast before except the actress who played Li Jing Bu but I am glad to say they all did very very well. Everyone embodied their characters perfectly, drawing me into their roles respectively. I especially love how well they cast young and the older Li Qing Tong because the actresses conveyed their emotions beautifully as if they actually are one person who grew up. The way they carried out their lines and showed their character's feeling in their eyes deserves to be applauded. The male leads (or whatever you shall call them) were not only very handsome/cute but they acted beyond my expectations too- will definitely follow these blossoming actors.

Music:
Loved almost all the tracks but my all time favorite has to be the ending song-六七月 by 赵贝尔. The opening song was good too and I love how the leads sang it together in the drama too. So talented! The actors who played Duan Xiao and Chen Jun He respectively also sang a solo song each which both sound good too. Do check the OST out~

Rewatch Value:
I don't usually rewatch dramas since I remember what happened halfway into the drama but this one is pretty worth if it ever comes down to a rewatch session of something sweet, funny, and youthful. 24 episodes isn't too much to rewatch too so that's why I gave the score I did.

All in all, quite worth the watch over this summer. Some people didn't like how they ended it but I think it was a nice way to tie everything off since how else can you explain the "time traveling?" I do wish they'd add maybe an epilogue so we can see Li Jin Bu meeting Chen Jun He in present time? Wishful thinking but yeah, please don't hesitate to try if you like youth dramas with comedy, romance, and family!

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I am speechless. One hour well spent. I really have no idea how this 1-hour drama could give me so much feels.

Although this is actually a typical drama storyline, nothing special or unique, I really like how the story and the pace are displayed. It is a 1-hour drama, but it does not feel rushed. Everything is going smoothly until the very end. I think the casts and acting play a big role in making this drama a spectacular drama. All of them portray their characters so nicely, I can really feel their emotions, chemistry and everything else. I am familiar with Jinyong and Soo Bin. However, I am not familiar with the other main lead guy. Nevertheless, I really hope to see him in more dramas in the future. Besides being an eye candy, he is really good at conveying his emotions. Good job! In terms music, the end music is super nice. I love it. It is very memorable and it is currently giving me an earworm ._. Hmm.. although it is good, I dont think I will rewatch this again, it is good for a one-time watch hehe

However, despite the 'perfectness', I do feel that there are some plotholes. Some of the problems are not clearly solved. I do wish those problems could be solved clearly but then considering the 1-hour time, I can let this slide :D

Overall, perfect! Recommended! ;)

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Not amazing but weirdly I loved it??

disclaimer: I have never read the webtoon so bare with me on this one

This show is badshit insane, and I LOVED it.

The premise of a woman who turns into a dog by kissing people? I am confused, but nonetheless intruiged, something about weird plotlines allures me what can I say. I described it the best in a quote I wrote while watching, "ugh this kdrama is everything a kdrama should be, stupid as hell plot, cliche upon cliche upon cliche, awkward situations UGH IM IN LOVE". Like yes sign me up. Now, what I didn't know I was signing up for however, was the actual amazing romantic chemistry and heartfelt connections that paint this show in an absoloutly beautiful light? I was strapped in for a silly time why am I suddenly crying????

WHAT IS GOING ON? :
Now, I have to adress the ginormous elephant in the room, that is literally everything but the budding romance between the two main characters, cus none of it really made any sense, like at all..?? Like beforementioned, the show mainly foces on our main female protagonist Haena who has a special ability. Her family suffers a curse that makes it so every female born, literally gets turned into dogs when kissing someone for the first time. Okay?? But why?? Now that is the question isn't it. Throughout the show we get small flashbacks that all point to the reason for this curse, but it's not explained fully until the last couple of episodes.

In a previous lifetime (iknow ofc ), Haena and her love interest Seowon ends up in a tricky situation. Haena is the maid of a princess(?) or daughter of an emperor(?) or something I don't know (my memory sucks), and to save her lover, she reveals the whereabouts of this princess to some bandits that wants to get her. What Haena isn't aware of however, is that the princesses lover is literally an all-mighty mountain spirit (???), who somehow mistakenly thinks that Haena and Seowon actually KILLS HER, thus resulting in the mountain-spirit cursing all of Haenas bloodline through generations.
You see how everything kind of imidiately falls apart?

THE SAVING GRACE:
Looking away from all the previous lives, magic spells, curses and mountain spirits however, what is this show really about? Haena, together with Seowon (love interest) and Bogyeom (mountain spirit in hiding), is a highschool teacher trying her best to navigate the ups and downs of romance and dating, while having a terrible dog-kiss curse. She has a crush on fellow teacher Bogyeom, and wants to confess her feelings for him. In a moment of true desperation (she was drunk at a work gathering), she decides it's finally time. And, not only does she confess, but she also KISSES this man, being fully aware of her curse. But uh oh! It turns out, she was so blackout drunk that she ends up mistakenly kissing Seowon, the other teacher at the gathering, and she totally freaks out and runs away cinderella style (she turned into a dog). Now the show is about Haena trying to inexplicably get Seowon to drink with her? So that she can kiss him again? Before it's been 100 days? Or she is going to stay a dog forever?

It might just sound like I'm dunking on this show, again, but just trust the process. Basicly, this forces Haena to go out of her way to talk and interact with Seowon as much as humanly possible, so that she can lift the curse before it's too late. Throughout this pretty long period of them interacting more and getting into whacky (kill me) situations with eachother, they honestly build up such a believable and trusting relationship it makes my heart ache. Seowon is conviniently afraid of dogs (I have to laugh), and Haena helps him overcome this fear. After this their romance builds up in an extremely natural and satisfying way and you almost forget how fucking weird this show actually is, cus the chemistry is simply TOO DAMN GOOD. Both the main actors perfomances are so good and it just made me really buy their connection and relationship, especially when put in dangerous situations and all the other shit that happens in the later episodes. They FEEL like a real, honest to god couple, and they play it so extremely well. Also them being lovey-dovey legit made me want to die so if that's not the bes confirmation of good performance idk what is.

IS EUNWOO HOT ENOUGH TO GIVE A GOOD SCORE?:
This show, is a show :)
Personally, I give it an 7.5 for story, because it seriously drags in the middle with the mountain-spirit guy, and it was so excruiciatingly boring to the point where I almost stopped watching, BUT I can't give it anything but a fucking 10 for romance. The cast is SO GOOD and Eunwoo really put his heart and soul into this role, I swear I have never seen him act as hard as this ever. True Beauty is seeing this and crying.

All in all, I loved a lot of it, but a lot of it was also extremely boring. I had to skip most of the parts of the mountain-spirit guy in the last episodes, because I just could not for the life of me pay attention or pretend to actually give a shit about his character, his story or motivations. Also, if they were going to reincarnate his lover from their previous life (which they do btw oops), why of all things reaincarnate her as a highschool student MINOR, while the mountain-spirit was a grown ass adult teacher at the school she was attending? Their dynamic was so off and I was so weirded out every time they interacted. ALSO ALSO, in the end they tried to pair her up with eunwoos nephew anyway, SO WHAT WAS THE POINT? She basicly did nothing for the story and her character mostly just confused the hell out of me.

Anyway, Eunwoo ate down, Haena is my mom and I never want to take a walk in a mountain in South-Korea.

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"I detest young offenders"

"Offender, Criminal, Killer" what comes to your mind when you hear these words?

Maybe, a maniac, a psycho or a monster and disgusting adult human being? But what about a child? In most of the drama/movies we see adults committing crimes, but young offenders exist too.

And this is what "Juvenile Justice" wants to remind us, that criminals can be anyone, even a little child. "Juvenile Justice" deals with a very interesting, yet very difficult and provoking theme. Fortunately, though, the drama succeeded in managing its heavy theme and ended up a very eye-opening drama for me.

As "Juvenile Justice" it's a law drama which deals with many inhuman crimes (and it's also a Netflix original drama), it's an R-rated drama, which contains a lot of violence, gore scenes but mainly, it contains a lot of scenes that may upset psychologically some viewers. In addition, the drama doesn't contain any funny moments, or comic reliefs and its pace it's slow too. Thus, the drama is indeed a heavy and difficult watch, it will punch you in the stomach without any pity for 10 hours straight. Therefore, be very careful when you make your decision to watch it.

The story

The story revolves around the Juvenile Judge Shim Eun Seok. Through her eyes we are able to see how Juvenile Justice works on many different cases and affects the involved ones and that's the biggest advantage of the drama.It approaches its topic from many different aspects and shows the two sides of the coin of crime but also the law system.

It has to be mentioned though, that the number of different cases may have a negative effect on some viewers because they won't like all the cases the same as the cases aren't on the same level and some are more interesting than others. Despite this fact, I believed that all the cases offer something valuable to the story and also, that the story's coherence is great as every event of the story is very well connected with the other so the overall story is very balanced.

The story starts with a shocking abominable and macabre case which gives a strong and promising start. The middle cases are milder but the story doesn't lose its interest neither becomes tedious and repetitive. The story throughout its whole run, asks moral questions and tries to make the viewers think of various different situations and dilemmas. The final case, the story’s finale, gives a decent and powerful closure. The story indeed leaves the best for the end as from all the cases, the last one is the most suitable for closure . Thus, the story manages to end without the feeling of being rushed or unfinished. To my surprise, Netflix made a (maybe) one season kdrama that is complete and I'm very glad and relieved about this.

There's a high possibility that the first case and some others are inspired and lightly based on real cases which have happened in Korea and I personally really appreciate it. It's very interesting to see how writers use real events to deliver their messages and basically, to see the impact these events had on them. In addition, the story feels more down to earth and more realistic. Korean dramas and movies have their way of making excellent and entertaining stories based on real events. Fortunately, "Juvenile Justice" is one of these stories. More details about the cases in the spoiler comment on this review (because they are, of course, spoilers).

The characters & acting

Almost all the characters of the drama have depth and their personalities are very well built. Their actions are always composed of their life experiences, scars, insecurities and the drama explored with success the reasons behind their behavior. None of the characters is perfect, everyone made mistakes and some learnt through them, some not. It’s pretty amazing how the drama made so many well written characters and developed their personalities through the story, this is very rare to see.

And of course, the actors did an amazing job portraying these complex characters. I couldn't be more satisfied with their performances. Their feelings were on point and the characters really came to life and took shape. There was also great chemistry between the actors that made the characters more bound and the drama complete and more impactful.

The production

Production is the last ingredient of a drama. It's the finishing touch that will make the drama more appealing. The "Juvenile Justice" 's production, as far as the directing is concerned, isn't one of Netflix's top-notch and artistic ones, but still, it's great and gives the drama the right tone and atmosphere, making the drama very decent and beautiful. The music is wonderful, full of emotions. It gives the right tone in every scene and it never feels off. The music is the cherry on top of the drama, giving you the last push to fall in love with it.

Overall

"Juvenile Justice" is a very tough watch and not an easy ride. Still, the things this drama will make you feel and think are countless. If you believe you can bear its cruelty, then "Juvenile Justice" really deserves a try because from the story, to acting, to production, this drama has the whole package. For me, "Juvenile Justice" is the first Netflix original kdrama I loved after "D.P. " and I'm glad I watched it.

~~~Epilogue~~~

"I detest young offenders". Young people are the future of humanity, humanity’s hope. When they behave like adults and commit crimes, the world loses its hope and everything becomes darker. Why do young people commit crimes? How can someone so young do such a macabre thing? Can we teach them what is good and what is wrong? Can we set them back to the right path? In the end, is it their fault or ours?

"I detest young offenders" because they are showing me how cruel the world is and how we fail to protect them.

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