“I wonder if the people watching will be happy with the drama” I was very miserable actually
Jfc where do I even start. First off I never watched Jane the virgin so you know this is from an unbiased viewer that doesn’t have the bias of having watched the original, with that out of the way:My first problem rose in around the 6th (give or take) episode, the kiss was horrendous holy sh.. do you know how evidently bad a kiss has to be for a person that hasn’t kissed someone to not only know it’s cringey but to legitimately think the show is better off without kissing? The focus on the kisses made it wayyy worse like if your actors are awful kissers then show it from afar or something but nooooo it had to be in plain view, every kiss took down 5 years from my life span.
Second problem: unnecessary plot. They put too much focus on the crime plot like sir I DO NAWT CARE they failed to make it interesting and dragged it for too long
Third: Lack in reasoning behind characters actions. So many characters did things out of character and then on top of that their reasoning was sh-t
Overall By episode 9 I was full on skipping scenes, having it as background noise the last episode I skipped the entire episode and watched the last thing and I audibly cringed like cmon now.
The female lead was awful she cannot act wtf this is my first time actually saying this about someone because I never notice but this one was actually so obvious it gave me physical pain
The baby was the best actor you did great sweetie
Conclusion save yourself don’t bother
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And so viewers join a group of counselors, long dead, as they work with the newly deceased to find their best memory. Each counselor is charged with several individuals, and they interview them one by one in order to root out what will make them most happy. As such, much of the film takes place in documentary-style interviews. We hear various stories from many individuals, diverse in ways from content to age range and era. However, there are a few unable to pin down anything anything at all. One man has never truly had a happy moment in his life, while another refuses to select anything despite ample material. Another young lady realizes times she thought were special were not quite as she remembered. What will happen to unfortunate people like these? There is also a mystery surrounding the counselors themselves… who are they and why were they chosen for this work?
Yet with such intense subject matter, After Life manages to be gentle and slyly humorous. It never reaches into your chest to tear out your heart, but delicately stirs that part of you which values sentimentality and fears death. What makes this film excellent is how carefully it explores these subjects: mortality and memory. It may induce laughter in you, perhaps it will leave a lump behind in your throat; but above all else, After Life will make you think long and hard. What would you choose?
Many familiar and veteran names grace the cast listing, such as Iura Arata, Terajima Susumu, and Iseya Yusuke. They stand out here as well, particularly the two counselors. However, the real stars are the memories and the people who share them. Many of the “interviews” were completely impromptu, and the people depicted are not actors, but real people reminiscing on film. Though it isn't clear which are scripted and which are authentic, they all leave great impact.
I always claim music is of paramount importance in both film and television. Despite this preference, it seems I've found an exception in After Life. This is a movie that does just fine without much of a soundtrack to recommend it. In fact, the silence lends realism, a solemn kind of respect and authenticity. There are no emotional cues for the audience, either…which is surprisingly nice for a change.
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An Excellent Whodunit
Not all dramas with famous actors are good and not all dramas with relatively unknown actors are mediocre. This drama hasn’t got the big names but has one of the best story writing, directing and performance in recent drama history. It is unfortunately not under many viewers’ radar on MDL, hence not receiving the due attention and ratings it deserves. The story is set in later Tang towards the end of the dynasty (within 5 decades) during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong II (r. 846 – 859).This is a fictional story based on historical events and figures (though not explicitly mentioned). Emperor Xuanzong II was said to be the last capable emperor of Tang as the succeeding emperors were either too young or controlled by the powerful and corrupt eunuchs. With that background, the power struggle between the ruling royals and the eunuchs can be seen here in this drama, and has set the major plot of the story.
Chu Chu (Su Xiao Tong) is an aspiring coroner. She’s come to Chang’an to get certified as an imperial coroner. Here she meets Xiao Jinyu (Wang Zi Qi) who is in charge of the Federal Investigation Unit. He also has the title as the Imperial Prince of An. Xiao Jinyu is very impressed by Chu Chu, as her knowledge and intelligence are beyond anybody else he knows. She becomes his coroner, following him solving criminal cases.
There is a huge conspiracy, counterfeit money, mysteries involving the background of Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu, even the legitimacy of the Emperor is in question. Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu are embroiled in solving the crimes and linking all the pieces together, and at times, they walk right into danger. With a champion chess player’s mind, Xiao Jinyu tends to see steps ahead of their antagonists, and with a meticulous mind and intelligence, Chu Chu sees what others don’t with the dead. Amidst all these, humor is not lacking.
I love the Chu Chu character. She is sensitive, observant and intelligent, and yet she is also pure and innocent. All she wants is to become the best coroner in the land. Su Xiao Tong’s acting is close to perfection here. With an innocent look and a girly face, she brings out everything Chu Chu is, with a-matter-of-factly demeanor. I really love the natural acting of this young actor.
Xiao Jinyu loves Chu Chu for her competence and pureness. With an intelligence beyond everyone around him, Xiao Jinyu manages to piece things together quickly and correctly, hence solving any crimes most people are unable to. I have never watched Wang Zi Qi’s dramas. Here, I’m falling in love with him. His somber charisma elevates him from the others, giving him the air of nobility and authority. Bravo to his fabulous acting.
I find the chemistry and dynamics between Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu so wonderful that I cannot have enough of them. Subtle and devoted, I simply love this type of relationship. I also love the dynamics between Xiao Jinyu with his brother Xiao Jinli (Wang Yan Bin) and Jing Yi (Yang Ting Dong). The comedy here is cute and subtle. I love the play of words and accents, such as, Xiao Jinyu also sounds like “little gold fish” as Chu Chu initially thinks.
My Verdict
This drama sounds serious with a very serious opening music, and yet subtly funny too. I like how each episode is laid out, with the beginning recapitulating the previous episode. I also like how Chu Chu and Xiao Jinyu reconstruct each crime, explaining the details graphically to the viewers.
The script writing is compact and clear, and the logic is natural. There is no unnecessary filler to make the series longer. The opening music is dark and mysterious in the beginning, then turns grand, uplifting and bright, giving the listeners a sense of a hideous crime being solved. This is a brilliant use of music to cast the mood of the story.
This is a must-watch for all. Two thumbs up! BRAVO!
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One for the BL history books
Didn't think I would find a BL better than I Told Sunset About You, but this show proved me wrong. I waited over a year for it and I'm so glad it didn't disappoint. If anything it surpassed all my expectations.Let's start off with the story. The pacing of the show was really good. It wasn't rushed or dragged, and the build-up for their romance was perfect. The show's concept is fresh and it's always nice to have a breather from the typical cheesy college setting we see in BLs.
The place they shot Pha Pun Dao village added a lot of color to the show and made it very realistic. It gave a good sense of how life is like in these villages and the problems they go through. This was what made it stand out so well from other shows.
Besides romance, the show had also taught me so many good lessons when it comes to personal growth. I enjoyed each and every episode and I'm going to miss getting excited for Fridays!
Next, acting. I thought this was going to be the weak point of the show since Mix is pretty much a newbie, and I was never a big fan of Earth's acting. But, they definitely proved me wrong. The amount of emotion and tension I felt from watching was amazing. Mix's acting is extremely impressive and Earth's acting had improved a lot as well. Overall casting and acting was good and there isn't anything for me to fault.
Lastly, music. I am not one to care about soundtracks/music in shows. But the music in this show really hit me hard for some reason. I wasn't tearing up in the last episode until the music started playing, and I ended up becoming a sobbing mess.
To summarise, I would 100% rewatch this show again and would definitely recommend everyone (not just BL lovers) to watch this. It's a really beautiful show. It has raised my standard for BLs and has proven that you don't need many kiss/sexual scenes to pull off a fantastic BL. Good job to everyone who worked on this!
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This review may contain spoilers
Good intention
Before I start nagging about the many flaws of this series, let me say I liked it, for more than one reason. I'll keep this short, because I think everybody have to make up their mind about the show themselves. I only want to give you some clues.The message
This series, unlike most other Thai BL-series, addresses the social and political situation in the country, like corruption, killings of non-corrupt politicians, or the threat of gang crime. The message behind it is to encourage people to not accept these circumstances, to stand together and fight against crime and injustice. In this sense, the series can be called patriotic, especially in the last episodes. Given the overall situation in Thailand, it seems brave to produce a show like this. So the intention is good.
The plot
I won't spoil any details here. A young man returns to his home village in the North of Thailand where a local gang blackmails and kills residents. He teams up with some other young men to fight the gangsters.
The script
Here's the first big problem. Many scenes are unintentionally comic with a high level of ridiculousness. You get a rough idea what the writer intended, but the execution is often unrealistic if not illogical. One example among many others is the acceptance of boys' love by the villagers, with parents encouraging their son to have sex with his boyfriend. And in real life it would be nothing short of suicide, if a bunch of inexperienced, if not naive young men stand up against gangsters who have killed average citizens as well as politicians. Fortunately, the gangsters are mere caricatures who don't recognize their enemies although they have seen them several times before. They even don't wonder why a guy they think they have killed is suddenly alive again.
The cast / acting
This is the second problem. I have given 8 stars, but this is a compromise: a 10 for the cast, but a 6 for acting at best. There are some very attractive young men, like Kawaii (Din) or Andew (the teacher). But: after some of the boys showed their amazing physique in bathing scenes in the first few episodes, this promise is not fulfilled, as they stay completely dressed in the later episodes which is a pity. More importantly, and unfortunately, most of them have no acting skills at all, making dramatic scenes unintentionally comic.
The setting / cinematography / soundtrack
The story is set in a rural surrounding in Northern Thailand. Cinematography and production are surprisingly good, and the ost is beautiful.
Product placement
I understand you need a lot of money to produce a series like this, and most Thai BLs have more or less product placement. It's nice to have the boys praise a brand of soap while they are taking a shower, but I wonder if it has to be a bleaching soap. When it's about painkillers or sauce, just regard it as a comic intermezzo, and it doesn't hurt too much.
Rewatch value
Whether you will want to rewatch the series or not obviously depends on how much you liked (or hated) it. As I liked it, and as the title song keeps hanging in my ear all the time, I may rewatch it some day, when there's no other BL series to watch. I also guess one may discover some hidden messages at a second glance only.
There have been better series than this, but it's definitely not the worst. All in all, despite the flaws mentioned before, in my opinion watching this series is no waste of time.
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I do have smaller minor issues in terms of Yeon Woo's character and how he tends to flip flop rather than stay somewhere on a constant path, and the story to me dragged along towards the middle, but picked up closer to the end. The last few episodes were a little fast paced and could have been done earlier, but they still worked out pretty well.
In terms of romance or bromance, Kang Seok and Yeonwoo's friendship as well as Kang Seok and Chae Geun Sik's rivalry, and the relationship between Kang Seok and Partner Kang were all wonderful to watch. I felt so so on Yeonwoo and Jinah, but they were a minor cute edition that I didn't mind all too much, though I wish we could have seen a little more of Jinah's backstory.
Overall, I could watch this again from certain parts. It was a really chill watch (til the second half when I was screaming) that I could rebinge anytime. The ending was open ended so while the chances are sim to none for a second season, it could totally be done (and with the great ratings, who knows).
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A Very Realistic Contemporary Drama
This drama was everything it promised to deliver, we had the free spirited female lead, the supportive family and 4 different male leadsPros:
1. the Story was executed very well and it was extremely realistic
2. Many opportunities to analyze psychology behind the character
3. Real life issues faced by women all over the world
4. Beauty comes with many many benefits but also just as many complications
5. great osts
6. Excellent cast - they executed everything to the best of their abilities
Cons:
there are 2 reason as to why this was not a 10 star watch for me:
1. The open ending did not make me feel content and the younger male lead was unnecessary in my opinion, his character was not done justice as he only got around 3 eps of screentime. I wish they gave the viewers closure on whether she is eventually happy ( more details on her ambitions for her future) or if they chose the romance route I wish they showed us who she chose and whether she remains single
2. THIS IS THE BIGGEST REASON WHY: The male leads (rose's exes) never fully move on from her, although she is able to leave them in the past they are always held back by the memory of her. This is very unrealistic, although ZGD being single makes sense (him being career oriented) , i don't see someone like FXW staying single for over 6 years just for her. In reality although it takes time to move on, you don't always stay in the past, whats more surprising is how only she moves on
Overall a great watch if you can deal with mature romance and love psychoanalyzing things
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This review may contain spoilers
Absolutely an Embarrassing Ending!
How could you end up destroying this show?I love IU, I love Lee joon gi, they were great together, I was totally over the moon watching Hae soo and So together, The OSTs are masterpieces, but seriously, they messed up last two episodes. everything happend too fast and completely unreasonable. There were simply no excuses or answers for what soo was doing. She looked like a whiny little girl who couldn't understand logic. The way she left the palace was hilarious. She said She won't leave So and then in less than an Episode, she was begging to leave and Absolutely with no reasonable excuse. They didn't even give us a final Conversation and Farewell between our loving birds! Did anyone finally understand why Jung kept changing the covers of the letters???!
Absolutely Embarrassing Ending!
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This review may contain spoilers
The plot is kinda confusing, idk if I'm over thinking or if I've missed something. Of course since it's a movie the story and characters won't be as well developed as a drama. The climax wasn't that intense. Over all a light hearted romance movie. Story of lovers accepting each other despite a broken past. I've noticed some floppy camera work here and there. For example there was a scene where Hyun Woo was talking to Jong Woo who was inside his car, when the camera was on Jong Woo it showed that the window was up, but then when the camera was on Hyun Woo the window was down, if that made sense. I thought movies would be seamless and have meaningful camera work, it's disappointing to see mistakes like this.
Acting is great. Both the main actors acted in top dramas.
Music is superb, it played a big part in the movie.
Re watch? Personally no, I'm not a fan of these kind of romance...¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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it's not a BL, yet it still stars Dunk and Phuwin
What I loved most about this series is that it's not a BL, yet it still stars Dunk and Phuwin. I'm very satisfied with the actors' performances. As the plot develops, Lune (Phuwin) becomes more profound, and White (Dunk) feels like some kind of behind-the-scenes wizard. Throughout the series, he delivers such deep thoughts and advice that sometimes I feel like the screenwriter is speaking through him. The only character I was disappointed with in this story is Star. In my opinion, she felt a bit underdeveloped and lacked charisma. Because the whole plot, at least formally, revolves around her. But I have the feeling that everything is spinning around an empty axis, as if there's a void instead of a center. My favorite in this series is Dunk.Was this review helpful to you?
Crazy, Funny & Sexy
Subjective Enjoyable Entertainment Rating: 8.25With a drama title of “Do Me When You Come Home” aka “Kaette Kitara Ippai Shite.”, it probably gives you an idea that this is a somewhat sexy drama. Indeed, it’s sexy, crazy, and funny. It reminded me a little bit of “Ase to Sekken/Sweet and Soap” for its over-the-top adaptation of a manga.
Please note that;
1. It has overdramatic, over-the-top acting - Japanese style.
2. It has some sexy scenes, but no nudity.
3. The topic can be quite mature - about Teen Love (TL) manga with erotica.
If you are fine with all of the above, then this is a really fun drama, perfect for stress relief. I needed a drama like this and had a fabulous time watching it. The story is quite simple and the drama is pretty short (10 episodes at about 25 mins each). An inexperienced newbie TL (Teen Love) erotic manga artist seeks the assistance of the playboy ML as inspiration and reference for her manga. Of course, they eventually fell in love, but the romance wasn’t as smooth sailing as FL wanted because of ML’s family backstory. The manga characters are a direct reflection of the drama characters.
There are some really funny scenes, e.g. when the characters are posing for the FL to draw them (as reference materials). There are a few very sexy and sensual scenes between the ML and FL. The kisses are a lot better than I would have expected. They are not fish kisses, and the FL eventually warmed up and is a willing and passionate participant. ML doesn’t hesitate to go all in with the seduction and kissing. I personally don’t think ML is that handsome and he’s too skinny. But I warmed up to him and enjoy his acting and his role. I also appreciate that FL is not super innocent/naive/passive. She does speak up for herself. I like the progression of FL/ML relationship and how ML is the one who likes and accepts FL for who she is, and respects her dreams.
Overall, I had a really fun time watching it and there are some morals to the story. But if you are not used to this style of drama or acting, it might seem too crazy. There are no plot twists or anything that hasn't been done before. But it's definitely very entertaining.
Completed: 1/8/2024 - Review #392
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is good, you should watch it ;)
This drama is about revenge and romance.Shin Bom and Choi Sihoon are dating, but their relationship is hidden. Shin Bom suspects that her boyfriend is cheating on her. With the help of Jung Maro, she finds out that she was correct. Her boyfriend is cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend named Yang Bora. She tried her best to get back her boyfriend by making him figure out who he likes more, but she always got disappointed. She decides to get revenge. Jung Maro helps Shim Bom to get revenge on Sihoon.
I think the story has a very good plot. I would rate the plot a 9.5/10 but I took a few points away because the music was louder than the dialogue. I couldn’t hear most things that were said by the actors and actresses because of the music.
The female lead has character development and becomes strong. She uses a very good strategy to get revenge and she is very straightforward. I like it best when the people communicate with each other to help. I think I agreed with every step she took to get revenge. The actors and actresses acted very well. You can feel the love-hate between the characters. I hope that Shin Bom would end up with Jung Maro. Hope you like the drama too :)
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I literally expected nothing when I started watching this drama, but this goes beyond expectations. The cast, the story line, not a single boring moment, everything was perfect. Even though the story seems normal but it is so well written and presented which makes it so great. This is definitely going to be one of my favorites this year, very much enjoyed watching it!!
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The Shortest Distance Is Round 3: Fallen Flowers
16 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
I CANT BELIEVE I WATCHED THE 3 MOVIES TO HAVE THIS ENDING
istg if i ever get a confirmation that haruto actually killed ruka I MEAN FOR WHAT LIKE PLEASE CMON THAT DOESNT MAKE ANY SENSE RUKA WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT UNDERSTOOD WHAT HARUTO'S BEEN THROUGH i just finished and for real im beyond dissapointed w this ending if it really is what i think it is because haruto and ruka had the perfect potential to be an amazing couple i am extremelly sad i now i have at least 15 different traumas after watching the trilogy.i also would love to know what happens to seiya and yasaki in the future, if the boy who i forgot the name rn stays alive (seiya's "bf")
plus those two guys who kill ppl made a nice couple i actually liked them
anywayz that's it im traumatized and prob will think about these movies for a very long time and idk why i did this to myself
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Story: A romance drama which has a lot to offer than what you expected it to be. Believing and redeeming oneself, overcoming obstacles, trusting someone till the end, finding new love after heartaches, there’s more on it. I just loved how the story richly dealt on life’s lessons , it’s inspiring and heartwarming to watch. With a lot of best lines, indeed, the story was well- written. The flow of the story, though long was not dragging, there’s something you’ll want to watch for on the next episode. It’s a melodrama but it’s not too serious, it has its own laughable moments that kept me interested and enjoyed. The romance went well, it’s realistic and pulled my heartstrings, there are sweetest moments but at the same time not too cheesy, in my opinion, it’s rather, mature. I loved how the one I was rooting for from the start did win not only in achieving his goals but also in capturing the heart of the woman whose about to give up because of love. Since they finally got back together , the ending was really happy for me. Aside from that, the pairings I love eventually became couples as well!
Cast/ Acting : Just like the others in here, I initially watched for Park Shi Hoo and of course, I’m not disappointed. The acting was done quite good, I just love him and his smile, whenever he was sad, my heart went on him. Kim Nam Joo was awesome, I love her character in this. Her personality on her role was interesting to watch, and the mix of different emotions she portrays were really done well. Although KNJ was a bit older than PSH, they looked good together with obvious chemistry. The involvement of the supporting casts molded the story even more, no comments on their acting, they played well. I specifically loved Goo Young Shik’ s secretary, he’s the one who constantly entertains me., in simple ways, he can be funny, plus their bromance was cute!
Music: The songs tend to highlight the emotions portrayed by the characters, it’s touching and affects me much. There was a song there that when played, was heart-wrenching, I resist to cry though.
Rewatch Value: I'm not fond of rewatching dramas but it's rewatchable if you want a really heartwarming drama with rich storyline.
Overall: This is a romance melodrama that will give you mixed emotions , definitely worth the watch and a must –see for PSH lovers.
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