started strong, but way too many characters
Overall: I was pleasantly surprised with the first few episodes and the tension/yearning; however, the relationship progression stalled and the 24 support characters including several love triangles had me confused/not interested in the side relationships. I have watched the original series adaption; I have not read the book. I tried to write this review based on the current series' merits. Aired uncut (~1 hour) on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/love-sick-2024-episode-1-1mki2ks9q5g?lang=en_us and cut (~45 min) on Tia51's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR99-9wCOObG0rFQTm5mqfiLeR0eyARyx&si=dU0m-CXh1LffpvC8 Later aired uncut on Tia51's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Rt0y1j7QIContent Warnings: bullying, joking about attempting suicide, homophobia, fight, non con picture/video taking/sharing, cyber bullying, child abuse?, slaps
Watch Suggestions (to center on the 2 leads/get rid of love rivals/music competition, these are the uncut timings)
- watch all of episode 1
- episode 2 watch the beginning to 53:35
- episode 3 watch the beginning to 11:15, 28-50 and 54-end
- episode 4 watch 8-9 cameo, 25:30-27:30 and 38-45:45
- episode 5 watch 11:45-13:50, 26:15-28:35, 53-54 and 58:15-end
- episode 6 watch 17-19 and 37:50-42:30
- episode 7 watch 14:40-15:40, 39-40:30 and 56:30-58:10
- episode 8 watch 18:30-21:30, 28:30-30, 35:45 to 49:30
- episode 9 watch 41-43, 1hr5 to end
- episode 10 watch 5-20 and 45-end
- episode 11 skip 35:30-51
- episode 12 watch 6-8, 16-17, 29:30-35:45 and 44:30-46
- episode 13 watch 4-6, 24:45-36, 40:15-42, 46:25-47:25
- episode 14 24-17:15 and 56:15-end
- episode 15 watch 30-31:45, 36:30-37:45, 40:30-43:20 and 1hr6:40-end
What I Liked
- how the first episodes are focused on the 2 leads
- sweet/caring moments
- staring/tension/chemistry
- that Noh didn't do something in episode 3
- cameo in episode 4
- a trans character wasn't a comedic character
- character growth
- production value
Room For Improvement
- the intro was beautiful but it made me confused about the context for it (they do explain it in later episodes, not a favorite way to start a series), then the 2 year time jump
- a ton of characters (says 24 support roles in addition to the 2 main characters) were introduced and I was fairly lost with everyone except the leads, just when I'd get into a side couple romance it would jump to other characters
- new characters and love rivals introduced in the last two episodes instead of resolving other plotlines
- tension was great at the beginning but seemed to stall, there wasn't a good enough reason for me as to why the characters couldn't get together for so long
- a few fast cuts/scene jumps even in the uncut version
- the scene with diarrhea
- in episode 14 a character lectured about not trusting him and then soon after didn't trust the person he had lectured
- so pg that it felt unnatural, the refusal to shower together even when an established couple, doing a nose kiss instead of an actual lip kiss, multiple near kisses with a lame non-kiss at the end
- (neutral) comedy sound effects
Cut Version Differences (it seemed that the cut version removes some of the scenes with the female characters which I liked but it unfortunately removed some of the scenes between the male leads which I didn't like, I watched the uncut only after episode 2)
- in episode 1 it doesn't have that first scene from 2 years ago which I liked because I found they looked older 2 years ago, in part 2 they cut out Noh trying to get thru the gate, in part 3 they cut out the sister entering the room and them jumping on the bed/fighting over the sheets, cut out a group scene with the girlfriends, end of part 3 they cut out a scene with Noh's family, towards end of part 4 they cut short phone call with friends and with some other guys moving chairs
- in episode 2 they cut a scene that interrupted their cuddle, but then they cut the head on the shoulder in the taxi, in part 2 they cut out a girlfriend scene and some of the evil mom stuff
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I love this story despite its disconsolate premise and tragic ending. Why? Because first, it makes you grateful in life, of the fact that your family is still with you despite the countless bills you have to pay, of the fact that you're alive and healthy despite the heartbreak you may have suffered or the job you lost just a week ago. It never fails to remind you to be thankful of the people you have in your life and those little things you may take for granted every day (like being able to walk, use your hands, or just simply being able to see the world), to be compassionate, and to be selfless to certain family members who need your time and love. Second, Aya's life story teaches you how to be strong and keep your faith in God. I cannot even imagine what I would do if I had been in Aya's shoes. Imagine, suffering from a ruthless disease without any hope of recovery? Agonizing. Yet, she managed to deal with this very hard blow at such a young age with the maturity of a person maybe twice her age. At 15, she had the whole world at her feet. And yet, she needed to handle this heavy burden. You may ask yourself, "how could this happen to her? why would God allow her to experience such suffering?" For me, it was because she was especially chosen for this mission: to uplift people who had lost hope or are about to lose hope. Losing hope is the most dangerous thing that can happen to anybody. Hopelessness prevents people from thinking that there is still an opportunity to change things and that problems are transient. It's a path to suicide. And it hurts not only yourself but also the people who care about you and those unfortunate enough to come across your way because it makes you numb to another person's pain.
Sawajiri Erika was wonderful, just wonderful. I'm sure her performance in this drama would've made the real Aya in heaven proud and happy. It was earnest as I had felt her struggles, her fears and her gratitude as if she was a close friend. I thought Ryo Nishikido was wooden at first. He didn't seem to express any feeling apart from anger and standoffishness. But later on, when he fell in love with Aya I could see him gradually open up after his brother's tragic death. It was difficult to 'get through' him because he had shut himself out. Not even his parents could understand him. But Aya broke down those walls. I'm grateful that Aya's real mother made the suggestion to the producers that Aya be given a fictional love interest like Haruto. It softened somewhat the impact of her suffering and death because she was given another person to support her and love her. The real Aya must have been really lonely.
Aya's family were wonderful as well. I especially loved the mother and younger sister. Honestly, I initially didn't like her sister because she was petty and mean but she proved me wrong. I loved that she was very protective of Aya whenever people made fun of the latter because she had begun to walk in a funny way as the disease progressed. Oh and the OST? Listening to 'Konayuki' all over again makes my eyes tear up.
There are instances when a drama loses its luster and charm after a lapse of time but you know what, the fact that I watched it more than a couple of years back is immaterial because I realized that the emotional impact and the lessons which this drama gave me remain. So what if it's a "sad" drama? Don't be put off by the nature of the story, it being a tearjerker and such, and that the ending (or every episode, depending on how sensitive you are as a viewer) will most likely make you weep and sniffle. But watch it because it's a story about strength, about hope, about keeping it together no matter what happens in life. Life, after all, is a battlefield. We need to pick ourselves up after every fall, every heartbreak and every failure. Aya was able to do it. So should we.
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1The acting from both of the leads was decent but I didn’t t feel much chemistry between them. The saving grace for this series was the relatively unknown Deng Lun at the time as his acting and screen presence made this drama more enjoyable to watch. His portrayal of the cold blooded Fox Demon Zixu is captivatingly graceful and gorgeous and i was mesmerised by his acting. Deng Lun was able to expresses the coldness of the character but at the same time ones can feel the deep love that he has hidden deep in his heart towards Daji.
To be honest I was more interested in the story between Daji and the Fox Demon than that of the main leads. The chemistry between the Fox Demon and Daji is also more intense.
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I've wanted to watch this movie for months, and once I found it subbed I couldn't wait to see it. First of all the actors were great. Uhm Jung Hwa,Song Seung Hun, and Kim Sang Ho are veterans. You can always expect great acting from them! I was actually impressed by Seo Shin Ae, she's improved a lot since The Queen's Classroom. It was a great cast, and this type of role definetly fits Um Jung Hwa.
The story itself wasn't new at all. Like some people were discussing in the comments, this movie is a remake of a remake of a remake. However, it was my first time watching and I found it to be a very heartwarming family movie. The plot moves at a nice speed and you might even shed some tears here and there. It's not groundbreaking but it is entertaining. Watch it, you won't regret it! Personally I'm always looking for these types of movies. Seeing someone's world get turned upside-down
I honestly cannot remember a single song from this movie. There is a soundtrack CD, with a lot of songs, but they just didn't register with me.
Overall---: I'll definetly be rewatching this movie. It has comedy, drama, and even romance ( although not enough ). I was satisfied by the ending and I think it could even have a second part. The actors fit their characters extremely well and the plot had enough twists to make it a memorable movie.
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I've been waiting for this as a manga reader and it did not disappoint
This drama is a live action adaptation of the manga imawa no kuni no Alice . I read it some years ago and it's been one of my favorites ever since , so I was very excited when I saw it was going to have an adaptation and I'm so happy it's finally here . I knew Sato Shinsuke delivered some well claimed works before and this one did not disappoint either . The story is about 3 high school friends Chota, Karube, and Ryouhei hanging out late one night when they see fireworks. After one blindingly bright explosion, they find themselves waking up in a different world , called the "Borderlands" , there , people are forced to participate in potentially deadly games . Each game is different so you never know what might happen and never get bored , each type of game focuses on different strengths , there are some that test your physical strength , others that drain you psychologically , games that force you to use your mind or even ones where you have to rely and collaborates with others in order to win . There were a few differences from the manga but it stays a pretty faithful adaptation , and personally I liked the new games presented in it or the different approach to them , it was refreshing and felt like a totally new experience for someone like me who've reread the manga many times . I binge watched the series in a day and I already can't wait for the next season , which was hinted for in the last episode .Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Made my Teume heart happy!
TREASURE is the best! You should totally this if you are a Treasure Makers (Teume) or even if you're not. If you want to stan them and also want to memorize the members names, watching this drama is a great way to do that.Story: [I tried not to spoil it but don't worry it's just a minor spoiler]
The story was great and every episode, you would suspect different members. That's why it's great because it will make you think who really is the ghost? (Even though it was soo obvious and was revealed that the ghost is _____ in Ep. 3, it will still make you have doubts if he is really the ghost) Also, the ghost' story was really sad and everything he had been through was also sad. Even though not everything has been cleared, it was still a great story. It also taught us that friendship is really important, like how the ghost disappeared when everyone ignored him and how he has back because his friends stand up for him
Acting/Cast:
They are amazing and talented idols and now they are great actors. Ever since I watched It's Okay, That's Friendship (Treasure 1st drama since debut), I wanted to see more of their acting. They weren't perfect that time since it was their first time but now they've improved a lot. YG be making their artists into great actors/actresses.
Music:
Their OST BFF is really amazing. Even it wasn't promoted but it's topping the charts, it shows how great it is. Choi Hyunsuk wrote the lyrics and he deserves to be called one of the best lyricist.
Rewatch Value:
Since it's not that long, You can binge watch or rewatch it anytime since it's only 2.6 hours. Totally recommend you this short web drama. You can rewatch it if you still haven't memorize the members yet.
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Let's start with the story: This drama doesn't exactly have a ground-breaking plot, but it was well-written and I appreciated that it always moved towards one direction without having unnecessary plot devices thrown in. A negative point of the story might be the slower pace and lack of revelations to the viewer: One of the main conflicts consists of several cases of secret or switched identities, and while the viewer is aware of these as soon as they happen, most of the characters find out really late in the story.
What makes this drama worth it is following every step of the characters' journeys, because the time you spend laughing, crying and hurting with them makes the characters' reactions to the revelations all the more powerful in the end. The characters are definitely the strongest point of the drama for me. These are not the typical cliched people, that are painted in a black or white light in other dramas. They felt like real people, with real character motivations (even smaller supporting roles) who always stay true to themselves. I loved the whole cast, because I could always understand them even when they did evil things and I will miss seeing them on my screen.
As it's not a drama with lots of twists and turns, I can understand if someone thinks it's boring, but for me it was a heartwarming drama (despite the sometimes painful happenings), where I enjoyed following the characters' stories and watching them grow. If you're looking for a drama that isn't overdramatic, or like stories where the journey is the destination, I'd recommend to give Soo Baek Hyang a try!
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It's cute. It's your typical popular boy, unpopular student romance. But I still liked it. I think this would've been better as a drama since everything seemed extremely fast. The whole teasing phase then relationship phase all seemed rushed which is uncommon for movies.
I think if you haven't read the manga you would probably like it more.
I loved the cast. Matsuzaka is some serious eye candy ~ all the characters were really likable but I feel like some of the supporting cast should've had a bigger role like in the manga. It's kind of like they were just there to be there. I liked the two main leads but I feel like their chemistry didn't develop well enough. They were cute together but I just didn't seem like they really liked each other, it was rather lacking.
The music was pretty good. The audio for the whole movie was a little weird so it was hard to hear the music clearly but they were enjoyable tunes.
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I especially enjoy a drama where the love builds unexpectedly between the lead couple. What I also liked about this drama is that even though there is necessary conflict and a bit of angst between them for drama's sake, they come to the realization of their feelings quickly and that kept me interested. Their chemistry was great and their scenes together so satisfying.
The writing is good. I liked the story trajectory for the main characters. The 11 episodes go by fast. The supporting cast was also fun. Riko's roommate Mei was a standout for me. She was so sassy and blunt. I loved her character.
Yamapi was good. He is one handsome bloke but I liked his acting in Nobuta wo Produce and he didn't disappoint me here either. In watching Kurosagi, I have decided I like when he plays quirky characters a bit more than when he plays a straight lead.
The soundtrack wasn't as standout as other Jdramas I've watched but I did love the opening song and the Beetles and Stones songs in the background.
I give the re-watch value a 9 because this was a very fun watch. I really liked the romance and the friendship of the OTP. Like the Jdrama Pride, this is set in the sports world but there is a great balance of both basketball, character study and romance.
I recommend this drama highly. It's a fast, enjoyable watch. Sweet, romantic and it has something for everyone.
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it's slow drama and usually slow drama either can make you fall in love or feel bored to death..
when my love blooms was Literally both in some episode was so enjoyable and feel love in the air if you into that type of slow run and with the cute youth couple your heart fluttering and see the pain of old couple but in other episode i want to drop because it was so slow but i hold for the young couple.
story as idea was good but i think they get lost as they make it longer this could do a perfect 8 or 10ep drama not 16. also the 90's steal the light as story from the present.
how much i wish this drama was only about the youth couple the are so fresh to watch that i want to give them 10/10 in everything from feel to acting and chemistry. if someone edit their scenes only and make it short drama i can give it 10/10. jinyoung and sonee was the heart of the drama the breath that make you want to watch more and more.
i don't hate old couple don't get me wrong, i loved old jaehyun (yoo ji tae) and can feel pretty much why girls fall for him but the story was so dragged on the old couple part. all that fight in the company and all was useless and old jisoo get into my nerve sometimes.
Acting : i think everyone did pretty good especially Sonee she shine so bright in this character , Jinyoung too beside his good acting i feel that he connected to old jaehyun more like i believed they are the same person more than jisoo don't know if he buy more eye to details of the older move and tone or that Jisoo character change a lot.
i love how they end it the most out of anything that scene was like comforting to all characters. i love when director know how to end drama that's why i rise my rate to 8.
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strongberry shorts coming for my heart
it's another cute little love story by strongberry so ofc it's wonderful.i always love these little shorts strongberry make. i love watching them they make me so happy. this little short story makes me want to fall in love with someone. i just wish it was longer but i will await for the release of a full length drama or film, and i'll give it all my money lol.
i want the leads to do a full series together like seriously. i think exploring/continuing the storyline with them would be really awesome. they seem to have that sweet awkward chemistry of people who have fallen in love for the first time.
the music choices were really great. whoever chose the music, you're awesome.
i would rewatch it over and over. it's short and sweet, it's an adorable thing that instantly lifts your mood.
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Frustrating!
The Story: The flow was good, it's a good thriller movie that makes you feel like you are the one getting chased. It keeps you on your toes. Although there are parts that made me exasperated because of the stupidity of almost all of the civilians or extra characters. In real life, the reactions of the civilians might not be possible at all.Acting/Cast: The casts are superb, it's like the movie was tailored for the casts themselves. There are no parts were you feel like their emotions are lacking.
Music: I can't really remember any music being played during the movie. I don't know if it's because I'm too focused on the movie or if it's because the music isn't memorable at all.
Rewatch Value: Personally, I don't think I will watch this again. Movies like these are only good during the first time watching.
Overall: The movie is great, I get the frustration of the other viewers who reviewed and said it sucks because of the lack of realness when it comes to the reaction of the civilians but besides those, I still think this movie is worth to watch.
PS. I kinda don't like how it ended. It feels like the guy had an easy way out of what he did.
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