A Worthwhile Adaptation…
Adapting a popular manga and anime series to a live-action movie can be a case of trial and error with attempting to appease newcomers and fans alike rarely ending in overall success. Nevertheless Tsutomu Hanabusa and Izumi Takahashi decided to take on the challenge of mangaka Ken Wakui’s popular series ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ to the big-screen with an adrenal-infused movie that delivered all of the franchise’s punches and blows.
Akin to its original source material the movie focused upon deadbeat " loser" Takemichi Hanagaki ( Takumi Kitamura). At twenty -six years old and stuck in a job that he absolutely loathes with the passion , Hanagaki soon comes to the conclusion that he’s reached a stalemate with life-given opportunities . However fate has other plan for the unlikely hero.
Hanagaki stumbles upon the revealed truth that his ex-girlfriend Tachibana Hinata ( Mio Imada) perished at the hand of the notorious Tokyo Manji Gang. When Hanagaki is given a golden-opportunity to travel back in time to save his former-girlfriend from her violent death, Hanagaki becomes determined to do whatever it takes to save Hinata. The " crybaby hero" is forced to befriend the Manji group’s unlikely leader Mikey"( Yoshizawa Rio), and his right-hand man " Draken" ( Yamada Yuki) as he attempts to infiltrate the gang and prevent domino- effect -events from occurring through his timeline. However as Takemichi works together with Hinata’s younger brother and detective Tachibana Naoto ( Sugino Yosuke),Takemichi’s life begins to diverge in new directions as he dives deeper into the underworld of delinquents…
Tokyo Revengers’ has always had a “ love-hate” relationship with fans and enthusiasts alike. Whilst many have praised mangaka Ken Wakui’s popular series for its intriguing setup and characters, the series has always hit a rut with audiences over two notable flaws : the believability of its ensemble of teen characters actually acting and being their age, as well as the plot holes and loops which remain greatly prominent in the manga writer’s well-known work. In many ways Takahashi and Hanabusa are subtly decisive within the included elements in their adapted live-action movie.
Of course the director and screenwriter are careful not to stray too far away from the source material. On the other hand subtle changes can become prominent to audiences through certain directions of the storyline and especially with consideration to the age of the characters. Takahashi presented the characters as slightly older than their original counterparts; arguably resonating with audiences by the complex journey of adolescence reflected through the allegorical harshness of reality and experiences onscreen.
Paired together with Takahashi’s kaleidoscope of eclectic genres from mystery to action and then romance, there’ s a gritty-edge to Hanabusa’s focus upon fight scenes which add a notable focus upon violence throughout the movie.
Although silly and lighthearted gags transcended onto the big-screen from Wakui’s manga in order to lighten up heavy-angst and fist fights, Hanabusa downplayed comic relief a lot in his adaptation. Instead the movie’s pacing could feel heavily impacted by the blows and fists of its onscreen characters. The elements of comedy which heavily dominated Wakui’s work against darker panels were sparingly dispersed throughout the film; necessary padding at times but gradually beginning to unravel the storyline’s loose-ends.
As the film’s narrative progressed it became evident to audiences that there was an evident disparity in fight scenes. Arguably Hanabusa’s defence against main lead Takemichi Hanagaki being a visible weakling who is often beat up is excusable to a certain extent as he’d rarely escape from a fight or brawl scene unmarked. Nevertheless there was an unintentional farcical element as the storyline progressed with the contrast between realistic physical strength amongst those engaged in the action soon growing clearly visible for audiences.
Of course Hanabusa wasn’t entirely devoid of coherency when attempting to film the fight scenes of the movie. Together with the help of Tomo Ezaki , there was something surprisingly pacy about stunning visuals coinciding against emotional punches especially as the climax began to arise. However the movie’s climax did help to mark drawing up the fight for audiences, the delivered result of aesthetic and visual brawl sequences could often feel like a coated exterior to draw attention away from the anticlimactic buildup of initial events and the delivered result.
Another element of the movie which arguably suffered under the restraints of pacing was the romantic relationship between Hinata and Takemichi. It is arguable that Hanabusa did not entirely abandon the onscreen relationship between the main lead and his former-girlfriend as this did arguably remain one of the greatest-driving forces for the storyline and Takemichi’s personal goals. On the other hand it could often feel as though Hanabusa used the romantic element of ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ as merely padding once again again the violence of the series; necessary for framing the storyline and plot-drive but rarely shaping out the relationship and complexities for Hinata and Takemichi with more definitive edges.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding the casting choices of our main leads. Whilst there were admittedly a few scenes where audiences had to power through certain wooden line deliverances, it’s undeniable that Kitamura is brilliant as Takemichi. The actor managed to bring out the awkward charm of Hanagaki’s adult-self navigating his past against his rekindled courage and determinism which gradually awakens through Kitamura’s subtle yet profound micro-expressions and intonations. Costarring with Kitamura are Ryo Yoshizawa as Mikey and Yuki Yamada as Draken are astounding in their roles by adding an idiosyncratic ambience to their onscreen personas that is both heartwarming and threatening.
Then there’s Mio Imada as Takemichi’s former-lover. Whilst Imada’s screen time is restricted due to her character’s limited scream appears des , her performance did offer a level of sweet and dynamic charm to her embodied role as Hinata and carried through with natural chemistry towards her costar Kitamura.
The vision of Hanabusa’s work was aesthetic for audiences but admittedly without a few flaws. Exploration into Takemichi’s reasons for time-travelling and the handshake being the ultimatum are left hanging the air in the movie’s tight-paced storyline. Additionally there were often few transgressions ( aside from haircuts and technology) made between the past and present eras for the audience. Whilst it would’ve been ridiculous for the series to have nuanced each time-leap in depth there were certainly a multitude of missed-out opportunities to explore a manipulation of cinematography. This could’ve easily been done in order to highlight a greater sense of pathos and nostalgia by Takemichi as an adult experiencing his youth once more. Despite this the ending delivered audiences with a fairly satisfying and outcome to the events of the movie.
Hanabusa and Takahashi’s adapted live-action movie was an evident challenge from the outset. Whilst the movie is evidently limited to a certain extent carried on by noted flaws from Wakui’s work as well as the director and screenwriter’s own directions having their strengths and limits. Nevertheless ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ was a fairly satisfying and adrenal-ride; pacy at times and slightly tedious in other parts, but engaging and intriguing through its cast and setup tone by Hanabusa and Takahashi.
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kwon mi na is always misunderstood as a person who brings bad luck to ones around. while she is having hard time to socialise, we find these guys showing interest towards her.
now the viewer get chance to play cupid ,bring couple together and leave rest to her. so we get different endings with different guys. and believe me, all endings are good. pretty neat concept. definetly not bad.
music goes well with stories, on the whole, web drama is taken as opportunity to introduce us rookie eyecandy boy dance group. we have sun woo from signal here. acting is also really not bad.
so watch this. its definetly worth your time. and moreover we need not have to deal with second lead syndrome.
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The base story is delightfully silly. It centers on a clumsy young man who has been constantly failing to achieve his big dream of becoming a police officer. After some endless disappointment in every department of his life he decides to take part in an experiment that enhances his senses and abilities. I could say the drama is inspired by the movie Limitless but it is wonderfully embedded in the Korean rom-com recipe resulting in a cute mini-drama.
The main genre of the drama is romance, it revolves completely around the main couple and the idea of destined love. I could argue that the drama had a lot of untapped potential considering its fantasy sub-plot but it’s ok it wanted to focus on other things. Simultaneously I thoroughly enjoyed the dorky comedy and how straightforward and fast the whole drama was. I can definitely say that the drama used the limited time it had in the best way possible to demonstrate a simple but adorable, light-hearted and interesting story.
That being said, my favourite part of the drama was the strong life messages the drama offered. Notions like, “believe in yourself and work hard, your dreams will come true”, “never forget and always appreciate the people who are next to you through thick and thin and never disregard them, they love you for who you real are” as well as “never try to squeeze yourself in somebody else’s life, people who love you will find time for you” come easily to mind after watching this drama. At the same time i appreciated how there was some minor effort to breathe some life into the main characters making them relatable. It was meaningful yet very enjoyable and light.
The acting wasn’t anything spectacular but just right.
I’ve watched Yoo Shi Yoon before but, apparently, he barely left an impression since I didn’t remember him. Obviously, he suits such cute, borderline awkward characters a lot. He really shined in this role, he owned it and made the drama work. Loved watching him.
My first time watching Jo Soo Hyang, she wasn’t memorable really, but she was good enough. Kang Ki Young is just loveable and he deserves some main roles, his comedy skills are the best among young Korean actors, always a delight to watch him act.
Overall the drama, considering its short length, I’d say is recommendable for binge-watching. Simple, funny, cute, short with a story, it is bound to make you smile! Recommended to everyone especially rom-com fans. Nothing extraordinary here, but one doesn’t need anything extraordinary to have fun.
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This review may contain spoilers
Love Design Deserves More Hype!!
"Love Design" is honestly so underrated. It has the right amount of sweetness, humor, bickering and their chemistry is everything. The story begins with Aokbab returning from Japan to help her late mother's company, which is drowning in losses. Along the way, she crosses paths with Rin, and their first meeting is nothing short of chaotic- full of witty banter and misjudgments on both sides. But fate (and a bit of professional admiration) brings them back together when Aokbab decides to hire Rin after knowing a client she is trying to win over is a fan of Rin's design. As the series unfolds, layers of Aokbab's past comes to light, including how her senior and ex, Mind, once stole her design. Rin becomes her unexpected pillar of support- encouraging her to stand up for herself and even shielding her from Mind when things get mixed up.The chemistry between Aokbab and Rin is honestly one of my favorite parts of the show. Every scene they share feels alive- there's this effortless rhythm between them that makes even the smallest interactions entertaining. Their bickering strikes the perfect balance of humor and spark; it's playful without ever slipping into toxicity, and each exchange builds just the right kind of tension that keeps you glued to the screen. You can feel the gradual shift from rivalry to reluctant respect, and eventually, to something deeper and far more meaningful. Their relationship develops in such a natural, steady way that you can't help but root for them every step of the way.
It's rare to find a show that blends ambition, emotional growth, and romance this seamlessly, but this one nails it. The professional setting doesn't just serve as a backdrop- it's woven into the characters personal journeys, showing how passion, creativity, and love can all coexist. The storytelling feels grounded, and the emotional beats hit just the right note without being over the top. It's refreshing to watch a romance where both leads are strong in their own right, yet still find comfort and balance in each other. Also, I love the little pop in edits like those heart emojis, exclamation marks, blush. It's cute.
Highly Recommended!!
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The whole series is focused on the REAL historical and political story of more than a decade - the Meji revolution and restoration. You HAVE to be interested in history, otherwise you will not enjoy this.
There is no romance or drama or villains in the sense we drama-lovers are used to. You will get no romantic scenes or unrealistic depictions of anything. Even when the heroine marries, you will not see her kiss or ever know whether they"consumed" the marriage or whatever.
You can call this a very dry story, because it lacks the "extra fantastic spice", but because of this, it is very pure, too. The story blossoms like a flower and you get attached to its characters very slowly, but on a deep level, it's like you share their experiences with them, because you take part in so much and for such a long time. And believe me, when you enter the mid-20th episodes, it will be gutt-wrenching what you witness and what you know were real life events... (Byakkotai, Saigo Tanomo's female family, etc.). This drama is by no means something for the faint hearted - it shows what the Boshin war was like, without any gruesome scenes, but perfectly portraying the events of such.
I love history and although I knew already some background facts about the end of the Bakumatsu period, I have never seen anything where the historical and political development of the 1860s is presented in such a detailed way. I learned so much about the clan wars of those times. You can watch and at the same time google the characters (the names are displayed) - they're are real. Also, at the end of every episode there are a few minutes of documentation about historical sites that are connected to these events! What a bonus! The documentary character is emphasized by the voice of a woman, who in each episode will resume some events or political settings, thus giving us a better overview.
It is quite outstanding to see the plot from Aizu's perspective (because Yae is Aizu), because they were the ones protecting the Shogunate in the end. (For those who don't know how history went, I don't want to spoil what's going to happen, so I won't say more on the content). As many others I had the opinion that they were just conservative and against change, but this drama showed me that in fact, they were victims to overall circumstances, too.
The directing and scenery are top-nodge, it is as realistic as it can get. Like a veeery long historical movie. I am happy with the actors, with the exception of (sadly) the main actress! I find her acting too obvious and she depicts Yae in a naive, plain way that I don't like or see fitting. In the opening of each episode (which is by the way maybe the most beautiful I have ever seen, beating even that of Nirvana on Fire), Yae is clearly stated as the heroine in such an dramatic and elegant way, that it just doesn't fit her display in the episodes itself. But oh well, that's a comparatively minor letdown.
So, for you out there, who love history and are interested in the end of the Samurai-period, this is maybe the rarest drama-jewel out there. Let me know what you think.
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Suspense/ thriller
Be prepared to be enthralled by the spectacular acting of the talented Kim Hyun Joong carrying the weight of this monodrama from start to finish. It delves with the complexity of human raw emotions that was superbly encapsulated by KHJ. A must watch and highly recommended! A well deserved Best Acting Award in a Leading Role at the IIFA Spring 2020 film festival. The plot is intriguing and suspense-filled coupled with superb cinematography. A gripping storytelling from the get-go. Kudos to the whole production team.Was this review helpful to you?
Story
Oh My Geum Bi tells a beautiful story of affection, devotion, forgiveness, becoming a better person, letting go and growing up. It’s a very simple story about a little girl who suffers from a terminal illness and has a very bad history with abandonment while she’s thrown at the hands of a clueless swindler who doesn’t know what to do with her. The story is quite predictable but the key point here is the simplicity and the chemistry among the actors that makes this drama grow into something unexpectedly special.
But, what made Geum Bi so particular? It just felt so real.
We are all born perfect and beautiful, without a trace of hatred, meanness, deviousness avarice or anything similar; and yet slowly we become that and so much more, why? We are born perfect and instead of keeping that, we are belittling it to the point we are nothing like that masterpiece we once were.
People are defined by their experiences. We’ve all been through some kind of trauma while growing up, either at home (most usually) or at school, or even later, that made us think lowly of ourselves, hate ourselves, hurt ourselves, have social issues and be afraid of people, want to hurt them back ect. Something scarred us, ruined the purity and instead of covering that scar, help it heal, we build on it. We build our lives on all the shit that happened to us, and deep inside we stay in that moment forever and we start hurting each other thinking this is the only way to survive. What does it take for the harming to stop? It takes another perfect human being, a kid, to remind us what we actually were and what we lost.
Geum Bi gave me hope that there is a way for everyone to regain the lost happiness, the lost innocence, the lost positivity and purity. This is why Geum Bi was special because it showed that we are all perfect, but we’ve just… forgotten about it.
I consider this drama a very heavy and depressing melodrama. I wouldn’t recommend marathoning if you’re a softie like me. Getting attached to the characters came way faster than expected, every character has a sad story, a trauma of some sorts if you may, that directed their life completely. Geum bi helps them work through these issues and see their selves in a whole new positive light. It’s amazing to want to change for a special person, isn’t it?
Best part of the drama is the character development. Geum Bi founds herself in the midst of crazy situations and scary self-obsessed people. And yet, being her flawless perfect self as a kid she finds a way to pass that light to them, inspire and motivate them to become better, and they thrive; inspirational and beautiful in every way.
Another amazing part of the drama was the family bond. The fact that blood is only the loosest way to define family and that people who love you will stick with your through thick and thin no matter what. They are out there; it’s time we found them!
The drama is full with heart-warming and extremely meaningful moments, outdoors among grown-ups, in the house as a family and at the school between kids. It shocked me how kids even with their silly beefs and complaints they would stick to each other when it’s needed, they are considerate and helpful expecting no compensation while grown-ups would only scheme and plot against each other no matter what. Why? The drama puts everything in perspective. It is incredible and worth noting to mention how Geum Bi changes literally everyone around her with the way she acts. And this was enough for me to overlook some convenient or inconsistent writing here and there.
During the later episodes we get to see how difficult it is to live with a person with special needs and the drama overall sends a strong and meaningful message against discrimination of the inclusive.
There is some subtle comedic relief thrown in there to relieve the tension, but don’t expect much.
Lastly, another thing I enjoyed was the genuine effort to make the backstories intense. There were some plot twists, some of them expected some not, but what I want to point out is the good writing here. There wasn’t a dull moment while everything had a meaning.
Geum Bi taught me the meaning of true deep unconditional love, what it looks like and what it can do. True love doesn’t need to be romantic to change you, to reinvent and enlighten you. I sincerely hope we all get to find our Geum Bi in this life.
Acting
Heo Jung Eum won best young actress award in KBS drama awards 2016. She deserved it and that is all I’m gonna say here. Brilliant, flawless and immaculate isn’t enough to describe it. Hope we can see more of her in the future
Oh Ji Ho is a good actor, and I think he was chosen for this role because of the impeccable chemistry he had with Heo Jung Eum. It was really magical. Father-daughter feels were so real. He was good at his comedic scenes and quite emotional when he needed to be. Overall a spectacular performance.
Park Ji Hee is firstly very beautiful and secondly she has this “broken mother” aura to her therefore being a perfect fit for this role. Second time I’m seeing her in a drama and I didn’t regret a moment of it. Emotional, dramatic, motherly and loving she had it all.
Oh Yoon Ah was exceptionally good at her role as well, as well as my personal favourite Lee Ji Hoon.
Kid actor Park Min Soo left a strong impression as well.
Overall the full cast was amazing and memorable.
Recommend/Rewatch
I’d wholeheartedly recommend this to every melodrama fan. People who are into depressing stuff that feature terminal illnesses ect, you’ll love this. Family drama lovers, viewers who enjoy incredible character developments I call out to you. This is not a drama to be missed. However it can be pretty depressing, so bear that in mind. I will definitely rewatch this in the future because it was beautiful, but so heartbreaking, it’s gonna take a while.
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Cutest, well executed BL I've ever watched (genuinely)
I can honestly say that this story is absolutely adorable, I almost couldn't handle the feels. Also, it is a healthy relationship but still realistic to the characters age - they make small mistakes and learn. But still, very positive and seriously cute omgggg.Despite seeming cold, Takara kun was just breathing love for Amagi kun, his love was deep and passionate, yet he was (mostly gentle). And Amagi kun had such a pure and deep love for Takara kun. So heartwarming.
All the actors did such a wonderful job.
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In this drama, at least after watching it, I learned some things that can be applied in the real life world.
The actors and actresses acted pretty well there. I actually didn’t encounter the main female character acted before? She actually did very well as a main character in this drama. Oh well, looking forward to see her act again in the future, hope she could act more.
Overall, this drama is good, short and simple. Able to meet my desired romance criteria. If you are interested in high romance drama, why not try this? I believe you would like this as well :).
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His character here is so endearing, this drama could have just as well been entitled "Falling for Min Ho" and it would have mirrored my sentiments exactly – though I realize the pun with Sung Jung meaning Innocence would have gone lost. The way Min Ho's character is written is clever enough, but it's the actor's rendition that makes him so darn adorable. I can easily picture a director instruct his actors to show surprise, anger, sadness, joy, but in the end it is always the actors who decide how to bring these emotions to life. Min Ho's reactions are almost never what one would expect, his movements and even the intonation of the voice took me by surprise more than once, never failing to express what it was meant to, though.
What I personally found irresistible, is the way he would think things over, make his own personal connections and deductions and blurt out the conclusion with the utmost candor, leaving the poor people around him totally confused. Not to mention his appearance, a mixture between a kid with temper tantrums and a pale man who's either just got out of bed or is in dire need to go back to it. Not exactly the general idea of a romantic hero, on paper. And yet, he's the kind of man I would fall in love with in real life… wait, I atone: he's the kind of man I HAVE fallen in love with in real life and even married (minus the heart condition, the whole revenge/business stuff and the Korean language. Details). So you may now understand and perhaps forgive my passionate bias.
Since this is a drama review and not Jung Kyung Ho's – wait, did I tell you I love this actor? – I suppose I should address the rest of the cast too. Kim So Yeon is a talented actress I've known and liked before. Her role here is very well acted, very believable; possibly, a little too… by the book. It's as though in an attempt at staying as true as possible to her character, she forgot to be that character. Sung Jung is lovable, loyal and intelligent and if only this script had given her the opportunity to be a little more lively, we could have enjoyed a sizzling love story, instead of a very cute one. But I suppose that was the original intent, so I won't complain.
If chemistry has to be, then I thought there was quite a lot between Jung Kyung Ho and his nemesis Yoon Hyun Min. Since these two have worked together before as best friends in Cruel City, it was great fun to see them stand one opposite the other as enemies. Their steady, verbal arm wrestling made up for some of my favourite scenes. The character of Lee Jun Hee is like a dog in the manger, who doesn't eat vegetables, but doesn't want anyone else to eat it either. While I hated him for his actions, his motivations made him into a pathetic man. To quote Min Ho's words: "You do not live to be able to gain something..., you live to take things from other people. Is there any happiness in this?". Really, how measly is that?
The most touching moments in the drama are those involving fathers, Ma Tae Seok in primis, and the funniest the ones with Detective Ok Hyun and Secretary Woo Shik, aka Wendy and Tinkerbell. What an improbable, hilarious pairing!
The music is like the rest of the drama: very cute. Not something which would stand alone, but rightly chosen for the feel of the drama.
All in all, I laughed a lot, I fell in love with the male lead, I was highly entertained, grew very fond of all the characters, was sad to say goodbye to them and had a lot to talk about for the reasons mentioned above. I don't ask a rom-com for anything more.
Recommended to everyone, I'm definitely going to watch it again in the future.
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A Gentle Masterpiece That Redefines GL
“Us The Series” is, without a doubt, my favorite show of all time. I’ve rewatched it almost every day since it first aired, and each time it still feels like a warm hug.The story is captivating, but not in the usual “constant drama” way. For some, it might seem slow or uneventful, but only if you don’t truly understand what the show is about. It isn’t filled with endless breakups, forced misunderstandings, or toxic love tropes. There aren’t many explicit scenes, and there’s no over-the-top fighting or constant tension. Instead, “Us” dares to do something rare for a GL: it focuses on genuine love, growth, and healing.
The heart of the story lies in its two leads.
Dokrak (Bonnie) is a simple, genuine soul. She grew up in a hostile environment but refused to let it change her. She fought to keep love and sincerity alive in her life, always seeing the best in people.
Pam (Emi) is her opposite, a woman carrying deep trauma, mistrust, and the belief that letting anyone close would only lead to pain. It’s only when she meets Dokrak that she learns a beautiful lesson: being loved can be simple, natural, and life-changing.
Unlike most GLs that focus on the couple’s internal drama, “Us The Series” lets external events shape their journey. Together, they navigate the world, heal old wounds, and teach each other (and the viewers) that:
It’s okay to let yourself be loved.
It’s okay to let go of the past that hurt you.
It’s okay to accept a future that heals you.
The plot is thoughtful, the characters are perfectly written, and the development of their relationship feels real and deeply earned. This show redefined what a GL can be, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you want a story that will stay in your heart long after it ends, “Us The Series” is the one.
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I would definitely recommend this to anyone. A beautiful drama that really made me think and contemplate for some time after completing it.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama has everything in the right dose. I'm in love with so many aspects of this drama that the pros do outweigh the cons.OST:-
THEY NEED TO BE ON SPOTIFY. THEY ARE AMAZING. I LOVE THE SONGS.
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Acting: -
||Pros||
Both the leads and the side characters are relatively new to acting but all of them did an amazing job. The side characters are pretty good. Even the guy playing the villain has his comic relief moments which are genuinely hilarious.
||Cons||
The male lead needs to work on frowning less sometimes and the female lead needs to work on smiling less sometimes, but these are not something that can hinder your experience. Just remind you that they are inexperienced.
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Story line:-
||Pros||
Here is where I have to disagree with a lot of people. Many people complain about how contemporary modern c-dramas don't get the essence of the setting that the characters are put into. But in this case, the writer stayed true to the setting from the beginning till the end. I learned so much about how the clothing, fashion and manufacturing factories work. Like the content of the dialogues and the proceeding of the events are something that truly does happen in the business world. And it's a nice way to learn something new.
{Disclaimer: I am not a business person and have never done anything more business-y then statistics and general economics. The contents seem legitimate based on my limited research]
||Cons||
For some people the information about the ways companies run can be an overload of information.
The writer also resorted to take ideas from a variety of plot lines that are quite noticeable (though well mashed up and it doesn't lose pace). Especially, the beginning of the drama is very similar to the beginning of a South Indian and its adapted Bollywood movie, Ghajini.
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Romance/Chemistry:-
||Pros||
The lead couple had an amazing chemistry on-screen. From the first episode when Luo Tian Yi walks into Chu Chu's office, and the way he was looking at her, I was a goner. AND THEY DO KISS. [Disclaimer: Not Western style but they aren't statues either. Somewhere in between.]
||Cons||
Their chemistry is too fatal to my heart.
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Character/Character development:-
||Pros||
This is where the show gives me the cherry on the top of this already well endowed cake.
The lead couple not only has an amazing chemistry but also a HEALTHY & MATURE RELATIONSHIP. Can you believe a c-drama having that? This is the second time after Love O2O that I have seen such a couple. However, I would claim that this couple is much better due to other aspects. They RESPECT each other and give each other the FREEDOM to do what is right for their career. No one is "unnecessarily jealous" to show that they "care and are in love".
This show deals with a few sexist and discriminating side characters (Luo Tian Yi's extended family), but they deal with the issue quite well, letting Luo Tian Yi's character be such a reassuring person and supporting Chu Chu even through his hormone. [Disclaimer: Some would say that is what he is supposed to do, and I agree but how often do you see a c-drama lead who is not overbearing, obsessive and forceful... NEVER!!!]. He gives Chu Chu his wholehearted support for what she wants to do for her career and fights any evils coming her way with her. Not for her, but with her. And when time comes and he needs help and support, she helps him too. A very WELL-RESPECTING and BALANCED couple.
||Cons||
Of course the sexist comments would leave a sour taste in your mouth. And the story has a very frustrating, manipulative, but comic and stupid villain who helps the story line progress so beware... He is gonna stay till the end.
BEST CHARACTER: Chu Chu's Mom, Luo Tian Yi
WORST CHARACTER: Luo Tian Yi's Uncle.
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Overall:-
I would love to watch other works from these actors and actresses. They have talent and visual. The story line progressed at an intermediate pace which was never frustrating or annoying in any way.
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Rollercoaster of Emotions w/a Wicked Witch
Watched this for Yang Yang and the first responder/natural disaster aspect it. I followed this drama as it was filmed last year and was very much looking forward to it. For the most part, it didn't disappoint. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions and even had a list compiled for the most hated character.Pros: Favorite character was SY or ML; his bark was worse than his bite. As a captain at a fire station, he had to be cool and aloof but he was kind and caring to those whom he cared about the most. When it came to FL that was the only time when he could forgo the world. In the beginning, she chased after him and he didn't want to give in because it meant she might find out the truth. The chemistry between the two of them was very believable. Loved the fire station gang, the other doctors and nurses, and was extremely sad when they lost DP closer to the end. That scene really did require tissues. All of the characters were very well evolved throughout. FL's adoptive brother was creepy as heck for his obsession but I am glad he was given that out towards the end so they could remain family. SJ was very important to the series and to the audience and ZBB played him very well. When he left and was replaced by someone else, all those emotions and changes really made it real.
Who could forget the wicked witch of the west aka the adoptive mom of FL as the main antagonist. I have to give the actress props for acting as well as she did; none of us could stand her. Furthermore, she's only 59 in real life but makeup made her look 70. We all hated her so much, I created "The Kill List" in the comments and the other watchers were very creative in how to kill her. We got to 17 ways and as promised I'll post it here:
"The list is back ONE LAST TIME! We need to kill the wicked witch. So, let’s see how many more ways we can kill her! Our end list looks like this:
1. Drowning in her own pool
2. Melting her with high pressure water
3. Throwing her in the river
4. Leaving her broke and desolate without any power.
5. Leaving her to suffocate when her office building goes up in flames.
6. Broke, desolate, without power in a sewer line.
7. Leave her in the mountains with lots of poisonous snakes and things.
8. Skin her alive.
9. Alpaca pushes the bookcase on her head in a smelly apartment and runs away while WW starves to death and loses her dignity because no one saves her.
10. Gets accused of treason and tortured then executed.
11. Death by 1,000 tarantulas.
12. Tie her to a chair and drill holes into her ever so slowly until a vital organ is hit.
13. Glue her barefoot to a chair and the floor, let the sprinkler system douse her with gasoline and chuck a lighter at her.
14. Suffocation by firefighter foam.
15. Drink snake venom while being whipped.
16. Send the picture and frame into the wicked witch’s head instead of the floor like a missile.
17. Leave her trapped in the tunnel during the typhoon; rescue everyone else."
The comedy was also good and the FL finding out the truth was much needed. I'm happy I got spoilers from the novel readers on when the series would deviate or not, but though not the same issues as in the novel, SY did suffer extremely at the hands of the wicked witch and her connections and I'm proud of FL for growing a backbone and standing up to that crazy old bat! I do wish ZM made her kneel all the way though. Sorry not sorry.
The rescues for the most part were very realistic though I wish they used stunt doubles for many of those scenes instead of doing it themselves. I remember seeing the explosion balcony scene when it was leaked online last year after filming and it was nuts. Both natural disasters were alright, though I wish they used more expensive CGI for them. OSTs, costumes, sets and locations were all on point.
Cons: Though the wicked witch was a great antagonist, giving her a redemption arc unlike the novel was garbage. I felt it was just bad and the drama took a hit for that; because there was no way anyone who's done that much damage to other people should just be forgiven without any jail time that we saw. So in my head, I pictured after the last episode, she'll be found guilty and sent to prison.
The ridiculous propaganda and where they put it was really bad. Like who carries their brigade's flag to the scene of an earthquake? This ain't the Olympics. You're there to rescue people not parade around. And considering how often the speechifying occurred in the middle of really random conversations, you'd think they'd be a bit more knowledgeable in first aid like CPR. How is it that in a fire and rescue house, there're no paramedics or EMT's? Yet the fire department is responsible for crowd control which is the police's job. It was all very confusing. You have two different numbers for police and for the fire department. But when you need all three, then what happens?
Also very obvious that the aftershocks many times were done by the actual actors shaking themselves and the surgical equipment plus table. The typhoon seemed to just be like a bad flood instead of what really happens inside a typhoon/hurricane. It was like they could just drive when they wanted and the wind and rain would stop periodically. Like I mentioned above, CGI needs to be better. So that also bumped the score down.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. The story is for the most part well done other than those cons which you can more or less overlook. The cast did a great job, so get ready for a rollercoaster ride of emotion with a wicked witch in the center.
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