Anyway I just finished watching EAMR. What a fun, enjoyable and happy show! and after a long time I might add. Either its a heavy melo which frustrates and depresses you or so stupid you give up.
Who ever did the casting, did a wonderful and perfect job. The actors were so perfect for their characters, down to the ones with the smallest parts. The main couple was just adorable. There were no evil and kill joys to spoil this show, even the reporter girl who is supposed to be annoying is quite likable.
Finally, if you want to watch a light fun romantic show, this is the one for you!!No pretty boys or deep dark drama, just pure entertainment.
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- I give it a 2.5 out of 5 for how much I cried for this drama is mainly because I'M a emotional/sensitive person and most the times when I cried for this drama, it was because I felt bad for the main girl character Tian Sanqi
Wow this drama was so gooodddd! I would 100% recommend. Not only this is a quick and short type Chinese drama, but also the storyline was definitely an interesting one. I love the many plot twists that were apart of this story. The plot twist were what got me on my feet this whole drama.
I really thought I wasn't going to like this drama but because I was in quarantine and I needed a new drama to watch, I was like okay I'm going to watch this drama because I kept seeing clips of it on Youtube and trailer teasers as ads. Not gonna lie the first-two episodes definitely were the best, I was laughing so loud; my mom had to quite me down because I was watching this at night lol.
Story; This story was a super light heart storyline, personally I got super confused whenever they would show the scenes from 8 years ago when they were 10 years old (I'm just going to leave it like that because I don't want to spoil anything) but it later all came together nicely. I love the chemistry between the two main leads, BUT I didn't like that for the first few episodes, how he mentions he was her friend and was going to protect her but then ends up bullying her. I felt so bad for her (thats kinda why I cried; out of feeling bad). On top of that I'm glad the second lead Bai Yifei got a happy ending with He Ruoyao instead of giving us second lead syndrome with the first main female lead. What really kept me going was the crime and investigating scenes, I love how Sanqi was this strong female lead who didn't care what anyone thought about her.
Characters; My favorite character 100% was the father lead who was Zhao Cuo's dad. He made me laugh so much during this drama. I love that he sticks up for Sanqi and didn't care that she wasn't from a a rich family but she was from a small village, I love how they respect and treat her well unlike the other dramas I've seen with the father lead wanting the son to marry a rich family's daughter.
Overall, I would 100% recommend this drama, if you're looking for a good laugh alongside a cute romance storyline but also with crime and mystery cases to be solved.
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This review may contain spoilers
Joseon's last days
This was a great telling of the factors leading to the decline of a 500-yrs old dynasty. Was it 100% accurate historically? No, but that's why it's a fictionalized account, not a documentary. I was delighted that this centered on history with a love story woven in, rather than a love story with a historical backdrop. This one had me researching Korean history after each episode.Fair treatment was given to the main players at that time, and very few were portrayed as "all good" or "all bad." Actual power resided in certain noble families, so family connection trumped capability and family interest trumped national interest. Jockeying for positions of power- Kim versus Jo, insider versus outsider- lies at the heart of this series. The means used to obtain that power were explicit, and clearly showed that at the end of the day, the welfare of a nation was secondary to the elites. Heungseon may have wanted to destroy the factional powers for a centralized government, but his own ambitions proved to be just as harmful to the people. Queen Min may have had a heart for the people, but her desire to topple her father-in-law to replace with her own influence, would add burdens on them. And hapless Gojong, as sad a figure in this series as he was in actuality.
Despite all this, the message I got was one of hope for the future of the Korean people. The foundations being laid to put value on a person's talents rather than geneology, value on education for all citizens, and value on being open to new ideas, as well as the idea of redemption, would see Korea through the years of darkness until her liberation in 1945. Sadly, the same issues that led to a divided Germany divided Korea in half. My hope is one day Korea, like Germany, will be united again.
The cast was amazing. Park Shi Hoo played Choi Chun Joong to perfection- inscrutable but with passion just below the surface. Jun Kwang Ryul was frightening with his changing persona. And Im Hyun Soo as Yeon Chi Sung made my heart ache for his utter devotion to any one who showed him he was valued.
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This movie definitely brings out the questions AND the tears. The ending when Samg Woo's Dad is on the air; never will I need to see those emotions as well as the pain and emotions emitted by both parents throughout the movie. This is definitely not a movie that would attract everyone to see. But I must say it was a GREAT movie!!
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The acting was pretty good. I love Matsuda Shota, and haven't been disappointed with his portrayals in his dramas. So coming into this drama, I had high hopes of his performance and was quite pleased overall. As for the rest of the cast, there was no one else who I was really familiar with, but I did take a liking to Matsuoka Masahiro. He acted well and I enjoyed watching his portrayal of Terashima.. Same goes with Renbutsu Misako, I loved her portrayal of Kaori and how loyal and trusting of a character she was.
As for the music, I loved the drama's theme song. It was fitting for the drama and was upbeat and something anyone would enjoy. Overall, I liked this drama. It may not have been by favorite, but it definitely kept me guessing throughout all 10 episodes and was good in keeping up the suspension. I may watch this again one day, just not anytime soon. I recommend this drama for those who enjoy mystery/crime dramas, and if you're skeptical of starting this drama I suggest you really give it a shot. I personally enjoyed it, so hopefully you will too!
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A Faithful Live-Action Adaptation of Anime Magic
In the depths of "As Long As We Both Shall Live," we're beckoned into the heart-wrenching life of Saimori Miyo. She's a girl born from the chilly, loveless grip of an arranged marriage, and her existence takes a cruel twist after her mother's passing. Her father's mistress and her daughter, Kaya, step into the scene, relegating Miyo to a life of servitude. In her family's eyes, she's the daughter with no merit, bereft of the psychic abilities that bless her stepsister.Miyo's journey is one of pain, a painful marriage born from a painful upbringing. Her betrothal to Kudo Kiyoka, a military captain known for his rumored cruelty, seems like a sentence to torment. But here, expectations take a drastic turn. Miyo's new husband defies the grim rumors, revealing a heart brimming with kindness. What follows is a marriage drenched in joy and eternal bliss, defying the dire predictions.
"In As Long As We Both Shall Live," I discovered a transcendent live-action adaptation of the anime world that resides so deeply in my heart. It's a meticulous mirror, near perfectly reflecting the source material. As I ventured into this cinematic realm, it felt uncannily familiar. Lines and scenes from the anime echoed in my memory, etched as if with indelible ink.
The movie's pacing is an art form in itself. The anime's early episodes delve deeply into Miyo's life, her struggles, and her lack of psychic gifts. It carefully constructs her world and the emotional maelstrom that surrounds her, revealing supernatural aspects later on, around the fifth or sixth episode. The movie, however, unveils these wonders from the start, a clever dance that balances Miyo's quiet existence and her inner demons with the revelation of a gifted world.
Music is the movie's beating heart. It weaves seamlessly with pivotal action scenes, enhancing their emotional impact, and eases into gentle melodies during the blossoming romance between Saimori Miyo and Kudo Kiyoka. The score is more than a soundtrack; it's a guiding force, leading us into the depths of their evolving relationship.
The movie is a symphony of masterfully filmed scenes, each a visual masterpiece, leaving you entranced by their sheer beauty. Attention to detail is awe-inspiring, capturing the anime's essence and translating it into breathtaking cinematic art.
From the very first frame, the movie bewitches your senses. It's a mesmerizing dance of music and visuals, drawing you into its tender embrace. The scenes are meticulously chosen and sequenced, submerging you into the narrative's profound depths.
The storytelling in "As Long As We Both Shall Live" is a precision symphony. Action sequences, woven seamlessly into the gradual growth of a profound connection, add layers of depth to the characters. I'd love to delve into more detail, but spoilers are best left avoided.
The live-action adaptation leaves no room for doubt. The cast is impeccably chosen, embodying their characters to the core. The film's dedication to the anime is visible in every frame, transforming it into a cinematic journey that feels like a masterful recreation, in the best possible way.
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This review may contain spoilers
Cute, suspenseful, touching series with social critique
Don’t be fooled by the title or the light-hearted music in the opening credits. The Miracle of Teddy Bear may at first seem to be BL fluff. But while it does give us all the BL fluff we want, it gives us so much more. There is a lot of cuteness, but there is suspense that is deftly sustained, there are touching subplots (beyond just the romance but quite seamlessly integrated with the BL story) and there is even a critique of the BL industry and the state of LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand. It ventures where most Thai BL series avoid–the fact that the LGBTQ+ community is not respected and its rights not formalized in what is arguably the BL capital of the world where drama series are concerned.To be sure, the series has its imperfections. It is so ambitious that it is bound to fall short in some aspects at some points. I could comment on how the social critique is a little lacking in subtlety in some scenes (such as one in which many of the characters are seated together, with one blatantly showing her homophobia). But I won't say there are serious flaws.
Despite the minor flaws here and there, the series is first and foremost seriously engaging. It starts with the fantastical – an already sentient teddy, Tofu, is suddenly transformed into a human being (and he himself doesn’t know how he gained sentience or transformed). He ends up being taken in by Nut, the owner of the teddy bear who knows nothing about the transformation. There is, however, a sense of mystery and suspense that is sustained — and it is not just about Tofu’s transformation. The plot is actually rather complex, with several different threads gradually and cleverly woven together.
We may notice quite early on that Tofu’s sentience and transformation is linked to Tatarn, who is in a coma after being viciously attacked. However, the connection between Tatarn and the other characters is unclear at first. What I find pretty amazing is that the multiple narrative threads do not feel out of place even before they become clearly intertwined. The story moves from one narrative thread to another (Tofu’s transformation, the assault on Tatarn, the college days of Nut, Nut’s scriptwriting work (he’s writing the script for a BL series based on his own experiences), and the past of Nut’s mother) naturally before weaving them together. Without a good production team, the different narrative threads would be a disaster even before they come together.
The characterization is also strikingly complex. Many viewers are appalled by Nut’s behavior towards Tofu and his mother, but this is not a weakness of the series as it does not make Nut’s behavior seem acceptable. It is just that Nut is ultimately a good person by nature and his past experiences have caused him to behave badly. His experience with homophobia and bullying have made him distrustful of Tofu and resentful towards his mother – we see the destructiveness of homophobia in the character, and he is not romanticized as a perfect boyfriend or son. (His best friend, Gen, services as a nice foil to him. Unlike Nut, who has a homophobic father, Gen’s parents accept him for who he is and they are eager to see him getting a boyfriend–Gen has turned out to be a pretty much well adjusted person.)
We do have to give the characters and the relationships between them time to be developed, however. Don’t assume or pass judgment too quickly. Initially, it may seem that the female characters are one-dimensional. Prib may seem to be no more than one of those typical BL female characters who are in love with the male leads, but there is more to her. The most impressively complex female character (maybe we can take out the word ‘female) is Nut’s mother. The nuances in the portrayal of Song’s (one half of the side couple) relationship with his father is also impressively done. The acting is generally excellent, with the actors and actresses playing different points in the characters’ lives impressively well.
(Personally, I really like the pairing of the actors for Tofu and Nut. It’s not often the case that I find both the actors playing a couple cute, and this is one of those instances.)
With many BL series nowadays, the ending is predictable–the leads end up together happily, we want them to, and we more or less know they will. But with The Miracle of Teddy Bear, we are kept wondering from the start–will Tofu turn back into a teddy bear or lose consciousness? This has kept me watching the series, and I hope the miracle includes a happy ending.
Update -- A note on the ending:
It's not a sad ending, it's not an open-ended ambiguous ending either, and yet I won't consider it a happy ending. I can accept an ending with Tofu dying/disappearing and Tatarn waking up with Tofu's death--this has been hinted at early in the series. But the ending, which is a bit of a compromised happy ending, ends up with quite depressing.
It seems for a while that Nut loves Tofu too much to get back with his ex, Tatarn, even after Tofu "dies". And perhaps this was intended at first except that perhaps there was pressure to make the ending a little happier. But it becomes more depressing because Nut ends up going back to Tatarn, admitting that he does miss his ex after all. And the "happy" side of the ending is that Tofu doesn't die but is transformed back into a sentient teddy bear. But this is actually seriously depressing. Everyone thinks that Tofu has died, but he is transformed into a teddy bear and is taken back to Nut's house. So we have this sentient teddy bear, who is still very much in love with Nut, but is unable to say anything to Nut ever again. And this poor teddy bear has to witness Nut going back to his ex. He is supposedly able to accept all of this, but it's a situation that is very depressing and disturbing too. It's a well written story, but I this is one of the times when I wish the ending had been a more conventionally sad one.
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The story was a little melodramatic for me, and that got frustrating at times, but the acting was decent and nothing felt fake. I enjoyed all of the cast, and think the actors fit their characters well. Narumi was my favorite character because she was very relatable and had complexity.
The soundtrack was sweet and romantic and I especially liked the opening "True Love" by Fujii Fumiya.
As far as rewatch value, I might rewatch it someday since the story was character driven and I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, but it will be awhile. While some plot points were a little predictable, I thought the ending was pretty good and came with a few twists.
If you are looking for a bittersweet, somewhat philosophical drama that explores friendships, relationships, and all the shades of gray in between, you will probably enjoy this one. It is also interesting to see what Japan looked like during the 90's.
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Enemy-to-lovers story turns into a power struggle for the throne
This starts off as a lighthearted enemy-to-lovers story but turns into a power struggle for the throne story. It is very well constructed and the storyline keeps you interested all the way.Character wise:
I loved this strong and capable FL and this calm and collected ML. Well, I actually like all characters, except for the villains (as it should be).
Acting wise this is great and the characters are full-bodied and interesting.
So, if you are into a mostly lighthearted romantic comedy - with an interesting storyline - this is a “Must watch”.
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Story: This season it's focusing on Tsukasa's love for Makino and how they are meant to be together forever. Honestly the breaking-up/getting back together was starting to get on my nerves a little by the end, but it all proves that they are destiny. I especially loved the side plot with Yuki and Sojiro but this version didn't let them get as far as the Kdrama version which kinda sucks. I like that couple. I actually can stand Rui in this version. I feel really bad for him and I think that he deserves a great girl. Also I like how this story develops the other 2 boys of the F4 more than the other versions. The fourth F4 member in the Kdrama version was hardly ever present and didn't really get much characterization. But in this version I understand him and his character. All the girls who were after Tsukasa were annoying though. But I like Shigeru, when she wasn't after Tsukasa. She was a fun character.
Acting: I honestly love the acting of this one a lot more than the Kdrama version. Oguri Shun gives Rui more depth than Kim Hyun Joong did, also by the end I was thinking that Oguri SHun is a bit more handsome than Kim Hyun Joong (Don't kill me, you're a still a super hottie KHJ). I love Masumoto's acting, I really felt like he portrayed Tsukasa really well. Inoue Mao it goes without saying is a much much much better actress than Goo Hye Sun. I though she really bought her character to life. I was really invested in the characters, and they made me believe that this was real.
Music: I really liked the Arigato song. Though it was played a little bit too much I like the melody. The only problem I had with the music overall was at some points the music was inappropriate for the scene. But other than great!
Rewatch: Definitely to watch again when I'm in the mood for a great romance drama. Maybe in a few months because I don't think I can go through the emotional roller-coaster again.
Overall: It gets a 10 since I liked this season more than the first season and I gave the first season a 10.
I still have to watch the Tdrama version of this drama and I plan on watching it in a few months. I don't think I'll be able to watch Meteor Garden without comparing it to this one if I watch it right away. Even with Hana Yori Dango I was hesitant to watch it because I had tried watching it right after watching Boys Before Flowers (Kdrama)and the anime, and I couldn't because I was bored of the story already. Again I question why I ever thought Boys Before Flowers was a good version of this story. I think even if I watch Meteor Garden Hana Yori Dango will still be the best version.
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An absolute masterpiece worthy of every award
To My Shore is the pinnacle of obsession, love, angst, redemption, and worshipping the ground one's partner walks on. Both actors are amazing. This level of acting has rendered me entirely speechless; I genuinely cried with them, my heart kept getting broken, and my anxiety kept skyrocketing to the point where I had to hit pause time and time again to calm down and get myself in order. I don't even remember the last time I felt so affected. Chemistry and passion are also magnificent here, they are so palpable, wow.Fan Xiao, to me, is a character with clear psychopathic and BPD traits. Manipulation is in his blood; he's cold, indifferent, cruel, and toxic in every way you look at him. What amazed me is that he's actually someone on the aro-ace spectrum! Gray-romantic and graysexual. Until You Shu Lang, he never felt sexual or romantic attraction to anyone. I've never seen it depicted in fiction, so I found it fascinating.
You Shu Lang himself is the perfection of a character. Very often, even if obsession is depicted well in some series, I remain skeptical of the reasons for it. The objects of other characters' obsession tend to be so ordinary that I just don't get what's so special about them to warrant this crazy level of devotion and adoration. With You Shu Lang, I totally get it, and I understand why Fan Xiao grows to worship him.
He's not perfect; he's really not the divine being Fan Xiao sees him as, but he's so deep and so fascinating. He's endlessly good, but he's the opposite of a pushover. He protects himself fiercely and he maintains very strong boundaries. He's unyielding in his decisions: using Fan Xiao's words from the book, if You Shu Lang says no, then it's a no. Hard stop.
You Shu Lang always wants to help people, but if he can't, he's not going to suffer or beat himself up over it. He'll accept it calmly because he understands how life works, and that sometimes we are hopeless in our effort to change something.
He loves his brother, but while he's willing to sacrifice a lot for him, he's not going to let him walk over him even if the price of this decision is high. You Shu Lang has so much dignity and quiet power that you can't help but admire him.
If he feels something is wrong, then he trusts his intuition. If he has difficulties, if he is beaten down, he gets up and carries on. If he is in a relationship, he's entirely devoted: I was amazed at how loyal he stayed to Lu Zhen (his initial boyfriend) even despite being clearly attracted to Fan Xiao at the start of the show. And then… he loved Fan Xiao so much. He took care of him in so many ways - only to get his heart broken and spat on and burned to ashes.
E8 killed me, I was so floored by the level of heartbreak and emotion in it… And Fan Xiao didn't stop after this; he didn't understand he was in love until it was way too late, and then he just couldn't let go because You Shu Lang became the center of his world. Threatening You Shu Lang, ruining his career, forcing him to have sex with him when he's clearly unwilling, all but keeping him hostage - all because Fan Xiao can't imagine how to live without him, and he can't bear to let him go. It was excruciating to watch.
But then the redemption arc began, and I believed it. I think it was done very masterfully. And the way Fan Xiao becomes by the end of the series… he's still psychopathic, he's still an obsessed stalker, but he'd also rather die than hurt You Shu Lang now. He's content to just stare at him for days and days; he forces himself to stay sane time and time again for the price of seeing You Shu Lang happy, even if it's not with him.
And You Shu Lang… being forced into cruelty, something alien to him; understanding he loves Fan Xiao and that Fan Xiao definitely loves him, but still being unable to forgive him… There are so many emotional struggles in To My Shore, and they are all so painful.
The show's ending, despite being happy, still feels a little bittersweet, so I can't wait for the special episodes! And I'm so grateful for the book because it expands on everything and shows what happens next.
So… yeah, I'm a huge, crazed fan now :D Endless thanks to people who recommended To My Shore to me. This show will stay with me for the rest of my life.
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Felt like a state sanctioned anti-suicide infomercial
Ok. So I know the rating and review title might be confusing.This show has some great acting, the quality of production is fantastic. The music was great. Some of the stories were really interesting and it’s for the most part well-written.
HOWEVER, if I hadn’t been watching with someone else I would have dumped the show. It felt like I was being lectured about suicide but in a very strange way. Korea has a very high suicide rate and maybe that plays into it, but some of the message delivery was clunky and anyone with an ounce of common sense can throw the reasoning out of the window. Maybe they hoped to make people think again about giving life a chance, maybe scare them into carrying on. I dunno guys, it just fell flat.
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Doctor John separates itself from every other medical drama due to its willingness to address an issue that is more social than it is medical and/or political. Euthanasia is an extremely risky question because there is no single correct answer. One color to describe this drama’s dealings with euthanasia: gray. Very gray. As a human being, you probably have a preconceived opinion about it before you begin watching. And, amazingly, no matter what opinion that may be, it's more than likely that there is a character in this show that shares it. This show consists of the interactions between all different sides of the debate and how each is a combination of "wrong" or "right," depending on the context. Through these characters' actions and thoughts, Doctor John does the job of telling you that it is extremely dangerous hold one opinion as true across all situations.
That was one of my favorite parts about watching Doctor John. It doesn’t constantly preach one single answer and try to brainwash you into agreeing. It always shows you the multiple facets of every conflict. Whether it be through witnessing the physical and mental pain of terminal patients or the emotional turmoil of those close to them and their doctors, the writers create a bond between you and the characters. Once you begin empathizing (and with characters of different opinions!), the issues of life and death become less and less easy to decipher.
For me, the one peeve I have with plot comes in towards the end. It's one part of the umbrella issue that I like to call K-drama Syndrome, in which something about the latter episodes of a show seems to have an inner need to stray from the original conflict. I get it: it’s hard to continuously talk about something as sensitive like euthanasia without feeling like a piece of propaganda. But there’s a difference between quietly shifting focus and doing a screeching turn onto some unpaved path in the middle of a forest. Fine, this metaphor is an exaggeration—it was more like a kind-of-loud turn onto some unpaved path in the middle of a forest. Euthanasia becomes less prominent of a topic as the plot moves away from patients' stories and more toward less emotional conflicts. It isn’t quite enough to damage my positive opinion of the story, but I did spend the last hours of the ride with a tiny inkling that we might’ve gone in a weird direction.
The cast was lovely to watch. Some of the characters could have done with far more development, but amidst all the chaos of a hospital setting and the constant ins-and-outs of patients, it’s impressive that each character possesses as much individuality as they do. I feel like it’s insulting to him that I even have to explicitly say so, but Ji Sung is fantastic. Cha Yo Han is the right balance of mysterious and endearing; and he’s intelligent, yet not annoyingly so. It’s hard to match Ji Sung’s level, but Lee Se Young did a great job at depicting a capable but scarred young doctor. These two actors have a fantastic dynamic and the ability to simultaneously counter and support one another’s characters without being overwhelmingly cheesy. The romance between them is okay—I didn't care for it, but I also didn't mind it. It just isn’t as interesting as what the rest of the show presents; but luckily, it isn't too much of a main focus, either.
I’m content with Doctor John. Despite some rocky roads at the end, the high volume of tears that I shed and how it got the gears in my head turning are testaments to how attached I was to its story. Should you be in the mood for something thoughtful, emotional, and down-to-earth, Doctor John is a good way to go.
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Entertaining But Melodramatic.
8 episodes total. Okay for one watch but it didn't engage me emotionally. It took me a couple of episodes to really get interested in the characters. It was melodramatic but in an entertaining way through ep 6 and then it slid into eye-rolling over-the-top-ness. Ep 8 is painfully cheesy and it cuts abruptly from one vignette to the next. Ex: jumping from watching a bad guy getting hurt & a brief blurb about it on the news to a romantic photoshoot with bubbles. It was a bizarre final episode and not very satisfying.The actors (leads and secondary characters) felt rather forced in their intensity at times but it kind of fits into this melodramatic world that the series created. The actor Film has an un-hinged psycho-smile that would be too much elsewhere but kind of fits his character here.
There's good sexual tension between the main leads for the first half of the series then it kind of fades away. Which I thought was a weird progression because at the beginning one of them is grieving the recent murder of a family member yet has easy smiles with the other lead. There's a decent amount of skinship but anything beyond that is almost always interrupted. And when there are kisses (2 total I think) it's a dead-fish kiss. They seem much more comfortable ogling each other than sharing breathing space.
I found myself invested in and rooting for the secondary couple. They were the closest to getting my emotions engaged.
Nothing noticeably good or distracting about cinematography and music.
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This J-Drama/Romance was super adorable with a great storyline filled with wonderful actors. I enjoyed the entire movie and really wish it had been a series so I could have enjoyed it longer. Adorable. Relatable. And now one of my top favorite j-romances for SURE! If you love a sweet, romantic story, wonderful characters, and a romance that is believe-able and yet still swoon-worthy, then this show is for you.
Going to watch this one again at Christmas time!????
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