"Together we shared a bond not even death would violate."
This is a review from someone who's new into Cdramas, so my writings will solely be on the drama and nothing about any previous experience or comparison. It might divert a lil to a Kdrama taste bcs I am an avid fan but I shall try my best to stay on line."THE BOND (乔家的儿女)" is my 2nd Cdrama after "You Are My Glory", not that I got into Cdramas bcs of it, it was due to peer pressure, haha. So I decided to watch Cdramas once in 2 months since my plate is already full with plenty of pending Kdramas and movies. But I can't express my heartening feelings to announce that this drama has become one of the best things I have ever encountered; I must mention, it's now my most favourite 'slice of life' drama, next to Reply 1988.
Basically, "The Bond" is a story about 5 siblings and their growing relationship, not just of a particular span of time but over years; from their early childhood to their middle-aged selfs. There is no specific plot, rather portrayal of day-to-day happenings, thereby justifying the slice-of-life genre. What you prevalently get to experience throughout are: complex characters, individual growths, stupendous character developments and bewildering outgrowths in the relationships. What you get to witness along side? That's the simultaneous change happening to the rapidly developing China, it's effect on the society values, lifestyles, economy and culture; all these through the characters of the show. The timeline of the drama is 1977 to 2005 with multiple leaps.
I bet you've not seen such sibling relationship anywhere else, bcs it's never been made or represented like this. The portrayal of siblings' love & care and the urge to remain together as a family, even when you are constantly ageing, is very surreal in the drama. The extent of transparent reality and every check made to counterattack or even embrace it, felt so very actual, you might desire to acquire such a scenario in your grasp and paint your own life with it. Things happen in the ways, you least expect to and the consequences are also a combinations of various possibilities.
From my last line, I also want to mention how most of the characters here are extremely flawed and their transformation that felt out of sudden is another aspect of realism. Some of us might better ourselves gradually but some others also change in a short span of time. This drama provides you the scope to just experience the reality, instead of judging what's good & bad, or right & wrong, because this is how things and people are, in real. It's the situation that makes us decide our paths or choose our destiny but nevertheless, we are responsible for our own actions. It's obvious for us, as viewers, to get annoyed, frustrated, irritared and angry on some characters or sequences of events during the course of watching, but it's a proof how the drama have been able to accurately deliver the mood and the underlying messages.
The overal development throughout the 36 episode is very nice and each episode is full of substances that evokes all kinda emotions. My first impression from its 1st episode was not so great, I simply thought that the portrayals here might be emotional yet underwhelming. But to my surprise, I was hit with so many raw emotions elicited by almost all of the characters, I had no way to run away and I just held onto the drama very closely. I thought and expected the entire 36 episodes will be all about what the synopsis over here says but when the scenario changed outta nowhere, I was again in doubt but then I came to realize that this is a coming of age story.
Obviously, I had to fall for the most major character, Qiao Yi Cheng, the eldest brother. His character was the best I swear and I want to give emphasis on him in my review. You'll see almost no development in him but that's how he had been all along since childhood. His mother's sudden demise made him the person he didn't expect to become. The way he took care of his 3 younger siblings and managed the entire family for a long time, is totally commendable. Even after marriage and moving out, he was there to back his family as if his life depends on it. He had to raise kids from such a lil age that he couldn't cry or care for his own but his dedication really made me cry at times. Not normalising purely selfless care bcs he had to go through many obstacles too while dealing with things both within and outside of his family plus doing the best in his profession despite. He was the thread to which the entire family was connected and relied to hang onto in case of difficulties. Whenever something was up the other siblings as well as their father looked for him first and he never failed to be there with them. All these things accumulates so much emotions in your heart, you won't be able to help but cry at times. The only time I was angry with him was his decision to marry the girl........ Well.
2nd brother Er Qiang is my 2nd most favourite. Loved how he was always honest with himself and was courageous enough to fight the world for the ones he truly love and care for. He was slow-witted to take a gasp of the situation, yet clever enough to figure out what to do. First daughter, San Li was also the best female character in the drama who was well-behaved and always true to her decisions. 2nd daughter Simei, well hahahaha, she made me take paracetamol twice in row. Yes, I was that frustrated bcs of her behaviours. Not that she was bad but she didn't have the sense of right & wrong and always made choices that went wary for her ruining her life to extents. She was so stubborn that she barely learnt from her own mistakes. The youngest son, Qiqi was a fool but got a character development. I am a bit disappointed that he got very less screentime though he's one of the main characters. Qiao Zu Wang, the father of the family will be one of your least fav character for sure. He and his behaviours made me angry throughout nevertheless, he was a great source of light comedy in the drama.
Among the minor characters, Yiding (Sanli's husband) is my most favourite. They're the best couple in the show and their love for each other is truly heart touching. Qi Wei Min (Eldest cousin of Qiao's) is someone who cared for everyone a lot and secretly wished for everyone's well-being, in fact he favoured Simei and Qiqi the most. The aunt Wei Shu Fang was a good-hearted lady. Ma Su Qin (Erqiang's master) is one of the strongest characters. The Qiao's neighbor, Aunt Wu was one heck of a funny lady.
The final set of couples.... Well... I won't but as I have already mentioned, Sanli & Yiding shared the best relationship among all. What I can tell you is that this drama is not romance oriented even though there are a lot of couple. Of course there is love and growths in relationships but the romance is very subtle which is very apt. Things used to be like this back then in Asian countries and somehow still happens; I mean the period of dating is very less, they just meet and if there is mutual liking, they decide to marry each other in a short span of time. The divorce rates in old china was also high. You'll see these things clearly in this drama.
The dynamic of the characters and their shaping throughout the story has been very well drawn by the writer. The director seems to have a lot of experience that's been incorporated into the execution of the drama. The actors are very very good though I barely know them I loved. The seemingly simple characters might create an impression that the roles don't need much acting skills but my dear friend, even such simple characters with complex dynamics are not easy to play. Not just the final set of adult actors, but also the 2 different sets of child actors did a phenomenal job in playing their respective characters; the emotions they evoked through their expressions will legit make you cry. Also, the actor playing Qiao Zu wang, the father, is another character who did well in acting. His ways of talking throughout the drama via different stages of life, felt like a journey tho he's not a likable character.
What else I also loved is their realistic setups that actually showcased the life and lifestyle from mid to late 20th century that included exploding population, housing problems, poverty, healthcare as well education systems, technology, etc. Various relationships and the way they developed and their way of survival couldn't be more real. I was actually mad with how quick they were deciding to get married but that's how it happened back then and those were also the issues in married life back then.
I always think that being realistic and being real are 2 different thing and The Bond has proved that for me. It was not a drama with a steady plot accompanied by realistic screenplay, rather a drama which was very real that it almost feels like your own life, no matter your circumstances. They kept things simple and natural so that the audience could read and interprete the scenarios, even for the subtle and subverted expressions.
The OSTs are all my favourite. Even while writing this review I am listening to them TT. Ever since starting the drama, I turn the album on as soon as I wake up and they're often on loop. There are total 4 songs among which one has 2 versions with 2 different singers. I loved the way these OSTs are utilised at apt times as required to showcase various emotions.
# Life Should Always Be Bright (生活總該迎著光亮)" by Zhou Shen is soft heart touching song that explains the price of bonds between people and how it essentially helps us grow as persons.
# "Flash (燈筒: Deng Tong)" by Jin Zhiwen is one's urge to escape from all the sufferings. It's very soulful and melancholic.
# "Wild Bird (野鸟) composed by Wang Zihe is an energizing and motivating song and has 2 versions sung by 2 different singers: one by Wang Zihe herself and another by Jin Runji; in different ways actually.
# Space (留白) by Juno Su is like understanding the essence of life, love and living through a softcore melodious track and the vocals are just wowww.
Apart from the havoc caused by Simei what disappointed me is how they rushed the ending a bit. There's no plot or whatsoever they were trying to wrap up but since it's a slice of life drama, one or two more episodes wouldn't have harmed, rather made us happy. It felt like extra scenes were cut off from the last 2 episodes in order to make it a 36 episode drama but anyways It's just me who desperately wished for more. Notably, the last 6 episodes (31-36) becomes heavy and emotional from all terms and there are several peak moments in there which made me cry.
'The Bond' that was created since birth, strived to be stronger on their mother's demise, and was further nourished over years of love, care and affection upon the foundation established by the big brother and to finally find happiness at the end of the life. The Bond is indeed a story about the Qiao family that managed to survive the odds of their life, stayed as one and even thrived till the end, everything together.
Overally, this drama is for everyone and definitely a must watch slice of life. And I'm sure you'll remember this for a long lomg time. Again at the end, I just wanna express my utter happiness for deciding to watch the drama, that too at a perfect time and I am grateful to everyone who have made this possible. Thank you so much!
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You'll probably hate it, but then you'll love it!
The show itself is based on an existing Thai novel of the same name that has been, to an extent, successfully adapted for TV. Like the summary suggests, the story starts with love and affection, slowly turns into obsession. and hate BUT that is only the first 4-5 episodes. I know, a lot of the viewers would be straight up frustrated with Paeng (our FL) and would probably wish to drop it. But I implore you to atleast reach till episode 6 before you make a decision. It really does get better. There's a reason for everything and once everything is out in the open, everything will make so much more sense. That's way too many everything's in one line lolThe Story ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
It is not your typical hate turns to love story. It has two people with their own emotional baggage, trying to navigate this world, one day at a time. And it's equal parts beautiful and frustrating to watch as these two absolutely lovable but dense dodo's go about trying to figure out their feelings for each other. The FL has actual reasons behind her actions and is not just a spoiled brat. I'll not say much so as not to give away. But the summary is mostly for the first few episodes. There's so much more to it and it's all worth the watch.
The Characters ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
There so much to unwrap, especially with Paeng. A scared and lost teenager is dropped into a completely unfamiliar environment. She has a lot of emotional baggage of her own and the people around her don't help much to elevate it. She then goes through a beautiful journey in which we see her love to the point of obsession, fall from grace but then she picks up the pieces of her life and slowly rebuilds them back again and comes out stronger. The character development of Paeng is very much visible and you go from hating to loving the girl. And please, believe in our girl! She makes some very sketchy choices that might raise you heckles but power through! It really all works out in the end. Plus, Kao has done a beautiful job in bringing out the intricacies of Paeng too.
I absolutely love to hate Arthit (our ML). Watching his character's development is like watching Sisyphus, he would constantly climb uphill only to then roll back down and start all over again. But Mark Prin manages to make us fall in love with him anyways. His eyes speak. Like literally. He wouldn't need to say a word and you'll know exactly what he's trying to say. And for once, the ML has an actual, legit reason to hate the FL and not some arbitrary 'I don't like her so I'll bully her' kind of thing. And he does redeem himself and falls head over heels (who saw that coming lol). And then we all turn into mush hehe. If you're a fan then you're in for a treat!
We also have our secondary couple in Non and Ling. They're the epitome of cute and you can see their longing for each other, especially Non. They have their own cute story and it makes you wanna cheer them on when they do finally get together. Together with Kot, they form the formidable F3 who are probably the biggest shipper of Arthit and Paeng after us lot hehe.
Like every Thai lakorn, we have our own fair share of snakes and anaconda's (the big bad villain) and they'll probably make your blood boil everytime they appear on screen. But the actors have done a really good job, especially the actor playing Mark (Yes, the big villain is called Mark, not to be confused with Mark the Prin who plays Arthit). His slimey smile, obsessive gaze and grabby hands will make you want to physically shoo him away from Paeng. But have patience for he'll eventually meet his end. Snake mom (ML's mother) is also included in the ranks and all I can say is, will someone ship her to Amazon already?
The Chemistry ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
There's chemistry not just between the main characters but also with the MC's and the cast. Mark and Kao get together like a house on fire. There are scenes when they don't even have lines and we still understand and feel what they're feeling. Ling, Non and Kot's F3 gang gel so well with those two. It's like friends of years getting together, helping their buddy with getting the girl and on the way, making him aware and calling him out on his behavior too. I like that despite everything in the past, the gang seamlessly includes Paeng into their group and never make her feel unwelcome.
The Music ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
Yes to the yes! The OST is amazing and it really matches the characters and their development through out the story. Please, please do have a listen! I never skipped either of the credits because of it. Also, the BGM is love. Like seriously. I was always ready with Shazam hehe. Thai lakorn's usually have high quality music, but this is next level.
Rewatch Value ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
It'll probably take you a few viewings before you can get over it. Also, RIP rewind button. Just saying ^^
Final Thoughts ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
I, for one, watched it as it was being broadcasted. So I had some really lovely people here at MDL to keep me company. By the time the drama would've finished airing, we'd probably have 10k comments. (EDIT: We do lol) Most of them are just us lot fangirling. But you know what? This is the power of My Forever Sunshine. You'll curse these characters to high heaven but then the very next episode you'll be cheering them on. Some episodes might make you want to pull your hair out, but that's what the skip button is for. All I can say is, use it wisely. At times, you'll really need it. It's a well crafted story (mostly) that comes with some usual lakorn hijinks and should definitely not be missed.
PS: The comment section is riddled with spoilers. So read at you own risk ^^
PPS: Re-reading the review, I feel like the tagline of the lakorn should be "Persevere, because it gets better, eventually" lol.
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This review may contain spoilers
I usually avoid watching dramas while they are still airing only because I HATE sad endings. But this just happens to be one of those dramas that I couldn’t resist. I started watching The Legends with no expectations at all since I was unfamiliar with the whole cast and didn’t do a lot of research on this drama before beginning. However, after completing the whole thing, this drama has now officially become one of my favorites of all time. It teaches a meaningful lesson - that demons don’t have to be “bad” and gods don’t have to be “good”. This is a very memorable moral to me since a lot of dramas out there generalize the value of these two different beings, but this adds a touch of originality which we may not usually encounter.Story: The Legends is a lighthearted, funny and sweet story that focuses on Lu Zhao Yao, the notorious She-Demon and her journey to fighting against the supposedly “good” and “righteous” sects, as well as her relationship with Li Chen Lan / Mo Qing, the Demon King’s son. I thought the plot was very well-paced and consistent that leaves you wanting for more. I never got bored or skipped any long scenes because they were all very engaging and relevant to the plot. Although most of the story revolves around a more positive and lively theme, but there were also certain scenes that took some tears out of me. I know the editing needs a lot of improvement, but that’s the least of my concerns. A lot of people actually enjoyed the first half more than the second half because they said that Lu Zhao Yao’s character became potentially weaker and the story dragged, but I enjoyed both halves equally. The first half pretty much centers around story and character development, while the second half of the drama shines light on the relationship between Zhao Yao and Mo Qing.
Acting/cast: I was very impressed with Bai Lu and Xu Kai’s acting. Both of them were able to portray their respective characters flawlessly, considering they’ve only been in a few projects before this one. I found their facial expressions to be very realistic and not forced. The main couple’s chemistry was phenomenal - probably one of the best I’ve seen out there - up to the point that I am now a loyal “YaoLan” shipper. They really made it look like they are truly in love. I also want to give some credit to Xiao Yan’s depiction of Qin Zhi Yan and Lu Zhao Yao (when she was still in possession of Zhi Yan’s), which was also remarkable - the fact that she could switch back and forth so effortlessly between this innocent, timid girl to this tough, badass character. Overall, the entire cast did a great job portaying the characters in the drama.
Music: I personally didn’t love love the OSTs (original soundtracks), but I think they fit in well with the scenes that they were featured in. I really liked the opening BGM and also the duet called Zhao Yao (招摇) sung by Chen Chu Sheng and Hu Sha Sha, which gave me some nostalgic vibes.
Rewatch value: I’d rewatch it as many times as I could, since it’s one of those rare dramas that makes you want to come back every once in a while to get a good retouch of the storyline.
I do think that the transitions between episodes in the DVD version is much better than the TV version because it just makes much more sense. The DVD version also provides clearer cuts, compared to the TV version. The ending, although was very rushed, is actually a happy ending. I thought the scene with the kids in the end was unnecessary since they had to use some of the old footage of Zhao Yao and Mo Qing’s scene in the beginning to satisfy us viewers (which didn’t actually do me any good). I would’ve preferred the drama to end with the scene prior to the kids’ scene, where our main couple was walking hand-in-hand on the streets, but that’s just my opinion. In conclusion, I would really recommend this drama to anyone who likes strong acting, a great storyline or even if you’re just looking for a refreshing, strong female lead.
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Relatively normal people learning and stumbling, winning and losing, understanding their own value and especially dreaming a lot, is the best experience this show leaves us.
Story:
It's unusual but energizing to find a drama that focuses on characters struggling for a dream ... or struggling to find it. The only possible result of such a plot is that the characters grow throughout the story. And this is what happens with our precious Fantastic 4. Although they don't advance in a straight line, but with stumbles, as in life itself.
It's incredible how much you identify with the daily adventures of the characters. Some will reach their goals, others will change course.
Acting / Cast:
Both couples had excellent chemistry. Perhaps in the case of Ae Ra and Dong Man the friendship relationship developed better than romance, but I couldn't say that they didn't work well as a duo, in fact it's the first drama where Park Seo Joon has captured my full attention. That aside, frankly the jewel of this drama is Song Ha Yoon as Sul Hee, did anyone else want to hug her with all their strength? Such an excellent performance!
Music:
Wow, how addicting was the OST, especially the songs for comedy moments. They reminded me and my siblings fighting like The three stooges XD
Overall:
Characters that don't give up, strong but not perfect women, burning dreams, genuine friendship. Do I have to say more? On top of all the flaws you think this story may have, it's a valuable drama to watch. Just give it a chance.
Un drama más al año no hace daño!!
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From the scenes of Cuba to South Korea, episode 1 to 16 were well exicuted. Big props to the writer and the cast that brought this lovely story to life. I loved it very much. That ending was everything a Romcom suppose to be in correlation to the plot, so subtle and romantic.
WHAT I LOVED
1.THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.
It was very steady and not forced by both Ms Cha and Jin-Hyeok love relationship. I really liked that alot, I've seen many times the love was force and prematurly occurred but in this case it was not. They both got to know each other first hand.
2. EMOTIONS
Showcasing emotions In films plays a big part in how well an individual can act, how well we as the audience/viewers can connect with what is being portrayed in an emotional standpoint. Both Soo-Hyun and Jin-Hyeok did that, as a matter of fact the whole cast did that. I was able to connect with them and to be honest I even shared a tear which is not quite often ????. Big thumps up.
3. CINEMATOGRAPHY
I know the majority of the scenes took place in South Korea but the scenes in Cuba were breathtaking. I don't know if is BEACUSE I'm form the Caribbean so I'm being a bit bias or what but those scenes they captured were supercalifragilisticexpialidocious lol it was wonderful.
4. OST
Easily rated at a 10. So soothing yet catchy. My favorites are the day we met, don't hesitate love and that night. They go so well with each scene.
5.LESSON LEARNED
All dramas give out a different vibe and sometimes the vibe might be similar to another drama that you may have seen. Now this drama I've learned alot of life lessons but there is one that stood out most to me is that sometimes you have to stoop to conquer. Both Jin-Hyeok and Ms Cha could have just gave up on their love for each other because of the obstacles that stood in front of them.
Yes one might say Ms Cha was a bit coward and let go a bit but the most important thing is that she never gave up and her man stood by her all the way and in the end, both hand in hand conquered the obstacles and their love were able to flourish.
WHAT I DISLIKE
There were not so much major things that I could actually say I disliked but there was one thing. Ms Cha took so long to stand up for herself and allowed herself to be battered by family that was no longer family and at times I was becoming upset with her, but in the end it all turned out great. Patience is surely a virtue, something I wish I had lol.
MY RATINGS
As Jin-Hyeok rightfully said "don't be sorry, thank you for being brave"
There is hope in Love so with that being said my rate is ;
10/10.
This was a well put together drama and I highly recommend it to everyone. ????
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Most of it is due to the excellent cast. I knew Ueto Aya from Attention Please and loved her there: she was the reason why I watched that drama and the only reason why I completed it. There she was feisty and entertaining, here she plays the role of a disillusioned young woman, wary of men - who can blame her? - and in desperate need of warmth and a sense of belonging. Her acting is outstanding, one can't help falling in love with her fragility, her courage and beauty.
Takenouchi Yutaka is just as awesome. His character is that of an honest man who leads a simple life but is ready to go to any length in order to save his sister. He's so sedate throughout the whole drama, I expected him to burst out at some point. But he didn't, and I realize now this is what makes him into such an endearing character. He expresses a world of meaning via glances and silences: I loved it.
The encounter between Risa and Kengo is poignant and their interaction from that point on is always defined by a sedate fire. Nobody shouts, or desperately cries or have fits of anger, and yet the chemistry is powerful.
I don't think it's accidental that Matsuda Shota speaks in a very sedate and calm way too through the whole show. This is the imprint of Nagareboshi. Just like the beautiful jellyfishes that float around in the aquarium. I never thought I could come to consider jellyfishes such beautiful creatures.
The side cast is just as brilliant, mostly the women.
The photography deserves a mention too. There are some truly outstanding sceneries of Japan shown in this drama. I was captivated by the colours and the general atmosphere. I love it that Japanese can produce wonderful dramas without the pomp and the shine we have been accustomed to with the usual super stars sporting gorgeous outfits or your average hero under the shower. This is a simple yet complicated love story between two very average people. It could be us.
The music is beautiful, although not my genre. I usually prefer instrumental pieces in dramas, so I don't really care much for songs. But it suits the pace and the feel of the drama perfectly.
If you like well acted, slow developing stories without love triangles or squares, played on style more than actual happenings, this drama is for you. I suppose it's for mature viewers - and I'm not referring to age.
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Should We Kiss First?
46 people found this review helpful
1This review may contain spoilers
A three-dimensional, grown-up love story, sensitively told and spiritedly acted
When people have lived for more than four decades, they are usually disillusioned in many ways. Hope for romance and love has given way to various, quite specific experiences... and these are inevitably paved with disappointment and suffering, too. However, it´s not necessarily too late for a new love. It might be different, though. More grounded. Honest. Upright. Less games. Sincere closeness and warmth become more important than romantic squabble. The time ahead is finite. And you no longer expect a fairy tale full of magic, but rather wish for true moments, a safe place to catch your breath and recharge your batteries. Reliability. Trust and emotional intimacy.The protagonists in "Should we Kiss First" have all been through life for some time. The two main characters have had children and lost them again, have been married and divorced, lived more or less honest but empty lives. SHE has been a stewardess for 20 years and suffers from insomnia. HE is a co-founder of an advertising agency and has cancer. Neither of them want to be alone. Neither of them want a relationship. Hm. Difficult. Their best friends each want to pair them off ... and at last are successful. However - being in makjang KDrama Land - the past of the protagonists gets involved in the present and triggers a lot of turbulence.
"Should we Kiss First" focuses on two adults who (re)experience love in a way they never expected. Love is not primarily supple, sexy and redeeming, but presents itself as irrational, brittle, stubborn and complex. As such, it demands one thing unconditionally: complete surrender to this feeling, which remains in spite of adversities, yet does not solve any problems. However gives the necessary strength to face them.
Does this power come from the love you experience from someone? Or from the love that you give yourself? The beauty of this KDrama is placing the emphasis on the fact that it is your own radiance which makes a difference. The love we open up to and give in to makes the difference how we experience life, or what options we recognize and choose... It's about giving in to your feelings, letting them be (even if you rather not put up with it) and trusting them.
The story is told in different nuances - sometimes humorous, sometimes profound, sometimes tender, sometimes playful, sometimes harsh, even fists are flying at times. Enjoying the moment to the fullest and the pure love of life have just as much space as the desolate moments of emptiness, embarrassment, destructive anger and listless lethargy. The dialogues are carefully chosen down to the last detail. And then there are the subplots, that round the story off.
A three-dimensional, grown-up love story. Yes, once again a story about love, but not cheesy. Instead, the story is sensitively told, spiritedly acted and filled with a love for detail. On top of that, a story full of sometimes subtle, sometimes explicit wisdom. A KDrama that doesn't sugarcoat anything, yet feeds you with a satisfying sigh.
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This review may contain spoilers
MALE CEO WHO HATE LIES MEETS MISS LIE
Updated!! watching it in 2023. Romance 10/10 , annoying characters 10/10, last few episode dropped the rating from 9.5 to 8.5. Those side characters are way too annoying, and the fact that the male lead got mad at her...I enjoyed this drama for the most part, up until the end, the end kinda ended abrupt ( will talk about it later)
Story: Male CEO absolutely hates people to lie, so he insist on tell the truth all the time which sometimes truth can hurt. Female lead is the opposite, she likes to tell more white lies. ( male lead had an traumatic encounter with a lie and vow to never lie again) The two meet after the male lead exposed her cheating bf and also made her lose her job. She ends up applying to the male lead company. They start off on the wrong foot, because he is finding that she always lies. The female lead helps the male lead talk and try to get clients for his architect company. Slowly the two fall in love, and his truthfulness starts to change her, and her white lies start to change him. She also helps heal the male lead and second male lead's broken friendship.
The female lead doesn't lie to hurt people , but she does white lies because she doesn't want to hurt her family, but also because she is scared to face the truth. With the help of the male lead, he encourages her to be herself and not to be scared or think she is a small potato. Through her struggles , the male lead sees that not all lies are bad.
Romance: this was one pair that was oozing with chemistry. every kiss was very cute and passionate ;) The way the male lead expresses his love for her is a little too much for my heart to handle. ( heart flutters) Seriously loved all the scenes.
I kinda skipped over the second male/female pairing love story lol not at interesting to me .
Annoying character: there was one lol , the female partner who liked the male ceo. Doing too much tio try to ruin the leads relationship. Please dont be a b....
Ending: not going to spoil it, but i felt like it could of wrapped it up better. I felt there was some unnesscary/ didnt make sense plot development towards the end.
Overall: I really liked the meaning and messages behind the story. its not bad as other review said. Also cute female lead, hot male lead, nice chemistry too.
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STORY
Like I said before the plot is very typical for japanese dramas and the yankee or problematic kids it's a theme that's very present in japanese dramas or movies but this movie wasn't about a problematic child it was something more.
ACTING/CAST
Seriously the main actress Arimura Kasumi really impressed me because I watched strobe edege (movie that I hated...yeah I'm weird and don't kill me thanks) but this movie really proved me wrong and showed me that she's a great actress and that I should be checking more of her works.
Yoshida You was incredible as Sayaka's mom she made me cry at least 2 times, well actually I was a sea of tears maybe because I'm very sensitive lol she really stood out for me in this movie and I'll make sure to check out more of her movies or dramas.
Of course we can't forget Ito Atsushi as that positive teacher that more of one we would have liked to have when we were in high school, he did a great job being this optimistic, kind and inspirational teacher, great job.
MUSIC
Actually I like some of the music here and there was a song by Masquerade that I really liked (and I know that because I searched it with shazam lol) the music fits pretty well with the movie and you may discover some good music
REWATCH VALUE
10/10 nothing more to say about it for me at least.
OVERALL
A great movie that you need to watch, it was a story that can happen in real life and shows you the importance of a good role model or you don't even need that just with someone that believes in you like Sayaka's mom, it really touched me. If you're sensitive like me maybe you'll cry but I cried and laughed with this amazing movie so after this long review YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS!
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This review may contain spoilers
Jyoou no Kyoushitsu is a drama which is intense,significant,educative and addictive. The main attraction of this drama is that it is an exception to the typical school dramas. All Japanese classroom dramas so far have been about the teacher saving the students from their own folly.On the other hand, Akutsu Maya-sensei is the teacher no one ever wants to have.She's Brilliant, manipulative, obsessive, and dead set on making sure that the students fall in line with her rules.
Another good point is unpredictability. The Queen's Classroom breaks from traditional drama with an apparently evil teacher who is out to prove that the world is a harsh place, and so is her classroom.She's a cunning and calculative teacher and systematically removes the parental and academic protection the children had enjoyed, and forces them to deal with their problems themselves.
The Queen's Classroom" is an astonishingly well elaborated and smart drama series, which points at the bad condition at Japanese schools or certain deficiencies in Japanese society in general, and does so in a very entertaining way. The show isn't just thought-provoking;it is also very touching, appealing and persuasive concerning its message.
Last but not least is the outstanding cast. Amami Yuki, the actress who plays Akutsu Maya, did exceptionally well in portraying such a devilish teacher. I think it's because She did so well that for the end credits of each episode, they decided to show her after a take and smiling, a facial expression only used when she does something particularly "evil "!!
Shida Mirai did an excellent job as the innocent-minded child. she's incredibly adorable and became my favorite teenage Japanese actress after this drama.
The two specials were indeed very special and did an awesome job in explaining the reasons why the characters acted the way they did.They reveal all they mysteries,answer all the questions and justify all the actions.
I can write so many things in praise of this drama!! But it’s very hard to continue without giving spoilers.
This is a drama which everybody should watch.If you believe that this is a show solely for teenagers or even children, only because almost all of the main actors aren't older than twelve and drop it half way then you are mistaken. It’s only if u watch it till the end then you would realize how ‘not-childish’ this drama is! This series suffers from minor defects in the story line but nothing is perfect and please don't give unnecessary importance to these occasional faults and belittle this great drama.
Although the atmosphere throughout the series is quite dark, Queen's Classroom is actually one hell of an entertaining show!Hope you'll enjoy this wonderful 'monogatari' as much as I did.
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This review may contain spoilers
The reality of broken families and the impact on mental health.
An incredible representation of how a family environment can impact a child’s mental health. Perhaps it was because I could relate so well to this drama that made me love it so much. My first review ever because of this 11/10 show. Warning: long & a lot of spoilers.Main Characters:
It’s without a doubt that each family will go through their own troubles. Let’s talk about Ling Xiao first. The entire time I was just hoping that he truly receives proper therapy and releases his repressed feelings that he’s been harbouring since childhood. Firstly, he had to live through the trauma of seeing his younger sister die. Then he was blamed for it by his mother. (God, seeing how much blame he put on himself for his sister’s death…heartbreaking. You see it in his eyes. And she also throws out all of their photos together… I wonder if he still remembers how his little sister looks like.. ) Then he had to witness his parents go through a terrible relationship following it…. and then HE GETS ABANDONED BY HIS MOTHER.
You would think that’s all he would go through. His heart and emotional stability gets stomped on again when the mother comes back, then is injured and he is expected to take care of her… and then suddenly he is needed again. And then she hates the people who truly gave him the love that he so desperately needed to fill the gap of being abandoned.
Although calling Xian Xian his “heart medicine” demonstrates some unhealthy reliance for someone to “fix him”, putting a lot of pressure on her, anyone can understand that. She was the positive light in his life ever since he met her. Her and Li father gave him so much warmth from the get-go, knowing that his family was broken. She accepted him at all costs, irregardless of his stoic and reserved attitude.
Jian jian and her father’s healthy relationship is truly the backbone of this entire drama. Time after time, you see the dependence on Jian jian from her friends and from her brothers for that love, positivity, and support. Same goes for the father - people go back to that restaurant and that home again and again to feel that love, to feel that care that he so generously gives. These two were the epitome of genuine, healthy, healing from their trauma.
Moving forward to Zi Qiu.. my baby. Oh, my sweet baby. The number of times I cried because of him. You can see that he takes a different approach to his anger - he regularly releases it, does things impulsively, and voices when he’s in pain. Tbh, I appreciated this a bit more.. I just wanted to hold him tight and close whenever I witnessed his breakdown. I knew from the beginning that his mother would never just leave without a proper reason.. and when the truth was revealed. Wow. Damn. I just wish she knew that her son would have forgiven her. How could he blame her? What could she have done? She did the right thing back then, but I wish Zi Qiu had known the truth. I believe that Zi Qiu would have a healthy recovery and that he would truly live life to the fullest again.
I also had a huge liking for the side characters, especially Jian jian’s besties. Ming Yue’s mother is that “tiger mom” that all us asians know of. The need to control her daughter’s life, “for her benefit” - man, we’d be dead drunk if we took a shot every time we heard “wei ta hao!”. Although they ended up with a warmer relationship at the end, I still don’t know if Ming Yue’s mother learned from the divorce and saw how much she put Ming Yue through. I think the releasing of the fishies in the trapped little tank had something to do with Ming Yue’s freedom though.
Tang Can’s mother was a bit like that too, but not so bad I would say. I liked that the primary focus for this character was her genuine, hardworking, and relentless desire to pursue her dream. She knew exactly what she wanted for herself, and struggled for so long to convince her mother (and all her friends) that this was what she was always meant to do. What she needed was that push. That trust and belief in her dream - and I am so glad that Zhuang Bei discovered how her eyes simply lit up as she talked about acting, and took that extra step to help her fulfill her dream. Incredible. I was rooting for her like crazy and was SO sad when she took up that museum job :(.
Another one I truly felt for was Little Orange. Xiao cheng zi, gah. She’s definitely lived through some brutal trauma... having her father die and then witnessing her mother’s crippling mental health, constant suicide attempts, and seeing how badly she treated her older brother. I genuinely hope she finds her way back to this loving bunch, and lives off their love. I could tell that she really enjoyed her time with them, and that she found a sense of security. I can also tell that she built a genuine relationship with Ling Xiao, despite all of the hurt that he was going through. During their time in Singapore and the reality of their mother’s situation… they needed one another.
I am so thankful for Li Ba. Tbh, Ling Ba was aight - I felt that there could have been more appearances of him in this drama or that he showed a bit more warmth. He always seem to appear ‘from work’. Towards the end he definitely showed more care towards Ling Xiao, but I think he just didn’t believe in himself as a father. Cue the self-deprecating comparisons to Li Ba and how he just isn’t the best father to talk to. Well… if you say it so candidly like that, then you simply won’t be the best father to talk to. I wish the conversation that they had in the last episode was like that for all of their previous conversations. But, I guess it shows how much character development Ling Ba went through and his epiphanies of how much damage the relationship he had with Ling Xiao’s mother caused Ling Xiao.
OK real talk though wow Chen Ting was so messed. She needed serious help. Her manipulation tactics were seriously on point. Threatening suicide and constantly flipping into victim mentality to get her son to stay. Yes, it is evident that she was suicidal and had little hope for life. But it’s one thing to get help and ask for support.. but it’s a whole different story if you are using it to blackmail someone to stay. Her loss of her child and her husband - she really did blame herself. But she took it out on others. I wish that she could have forgiven herself. I’m so glad that her final attempt didn’t go through. I know that she will eventually be okay.
Oh my. The amount of tears I shed in this drama. The chemistry between the characters, the love in these families, wow. I kinda was hoping for a wedding, but I guess the little family portrait was good too. Perfectly wrapped up.
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I enjoyed it for the fact that the two lead males on screen chemistry with each other as father and son was comfortable and effortless. They just seem to ALWAYS be in sync with each other regardless if it was for comedic timing or emotional timing. Takeru Sato and Atsuro Watabe were great. Their acting never seemed over the top and you felt like this was just normal everyday interaction between them in every episode.
The supporting cast's acting was well done but at some times it was a bit over the top but with the atmosphere of the drama. I didn't mind because it added to the fun and craziness of the episodes. Not too many dramas can be emotional and silly at the same time so I commend the cast for an enjoyable show.
The episodes are a give and take when it comes to story lines. Some episodes that featured the story line for certain supporting characters were well written and the others were worth a side glance of " Really???" but again , I have to say the acting of all those involved made you forgive those episodes and look past the faults.
The main theme song is very catchy. Now that can be a good or bad thing. I do believe if this drama was any longer, it would become like that song from Boys Over Flowers, Almost Paradise. ANNOYING. That's how catchy it is..lol You will like it until you hate it. So far I still like it:)
It's a good possibility that I will rewatch this at some time considering that I rarely rewatch shows. Also I am under the impression that this drama may have a part 2 because at the end of the finale episode in small red writing, it said "to be continued".. Hmmmmm I hope it does.
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Kimchi Family is a real family drama with an extremely well written mystery and lovely little romance wrapped up inside. Every episode highlights a recipe for a type of Kimchi or on some occasions, a traditional Korean dish. Every type of kimchi and how it is prepared is mixed with a lesson about family, forgiveness, friendship, love, trust and on and on. The writing and acting are extremely well done. The way the plot advances and moves toward its conclusion is not rushed and no story line is left hanging. The pacing is perfect. This is a rare thing, even for the best Kdrama.
The thing that struck me about this drama is it's mix of corny and wise, silly and serious, tender and real. The well played out mysteries are what ended up surprising me. There were actually two! Ki Ho Tae and his search for his roots and another, slightly darker mystery that I won't spoil here. The great thing about how they were written is the subtlety and rationale of the characters. Each actors' dialog and reactions weren't over melodramatic and maudlin and yet still emotional and moving. I was excited to see how they would be solved.
I also loved how every episode was all about food, it's preparation, it's healing qualities for body and soul and it's ability to bring family together; both blood family and the family you choose with your heart.
Song Il Gook and Park Jin Hee were great. Their romance was sweet and their chemistry was lovely. Every actor did a great job. I have not one complaint.
The cinematography and lighting, the set designs were all so well done. I'm almost sad it's over now because I'm going to miss Earth and Man Restaurant.
The music was great! There is one song in particular that I absolutely loved. I don't know the name but it was a mix of traditional Korean, modern pop and rap! It was so catchy that I was actually bummed when an episode passed and it wasn't played.
I gave the re-watch value a 10 because even though I might not watch this again, it certainly is as far from a 1 (pathetic) as you could get.
I recommend this highly for anyone who is looking for an original (yes, original!) story and one that is maturely written and very well told.
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Better than I expected
It is probably the most satisfying liveaction I’ve ever watched. I usually avoid Liveactions as 9 out of 10 LA are so poorly done, and cringey. Part of the reason why I enjoyed this chinese adaption is bc I didn’t read the original manga, but still as a normal sports drama, it exceeded my expectations.STORY
Brilliant!
Previously I watched Chinese adaptation of Prince of Tennis, which was just so-so imo, so I didn’t have high expectations for Hikaru, either. Besides, when I saw posters of Hikaru, they were like some trashy posters for typical bad dramas..
But then I saw so many positive reviews on Douban and here on MDL, so I gave it a try... I am surprised and got hooked. I went into this totally blind so everything was a surprise. I laughed watching those funny moments, and cried so hard while watching sad scenes.
ACTING
Splendid!
Most of them are new faces, I have seen ML in NiF 2 but I haven’t seen other main actors. Some supporting characters are from My Huckleberry Friends, so I am quite familiar with them.
All of them are brilliant. From main character like Shi Guang to minor character like Wu Di, all of them impressed me.
Director’s cameo as Lazy Monk was a pleasant surprise as well.
BROMANCE/FRIENDSHIP
Do you know what’s the best thing about this drama?
Of course, it is bromance and friendship.Friends motivating each other, helping each other out, and the best thing is bringing them out of their darkest moments.
Bromance? This is the best part of drama..
My favorite two characters are Chu Ying and Hong He. Ofc I loved Shi Guang.
MUSIC
I noticed that some songs are quite good, but I haven’t fully listened to them. But ending song was nice.
So here are some SPOILERS...( If you haven’t watched, pls don’t read)
I have some small complaints;
1.Hong He quitting Go?
It is a little disappointing, with many obstacles he has gone through to become a professional player. He just quitted like that? And from his dad’s expressions, I can tell that his dad wants him to continue playing..
It is quite a relief that Shi Guang said he will continue persuading Hong He
So the drama should have given a proper solution to Hong He’s problem before ending
2.Episode 34
I have already cried my eyes out in Ep 32 and 33, but Ep 34 was super hard to watch. Shi Guang was like I’ll forget everything about Go bc Chu Ying left.
I expected this but this arc was longer than I expected.
These problems are very small... so small that these didn’t change my opinion about this drama.
I would say it deserves high ratings and it is definitely worth watching.
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