This review may contain spoilers
If you want something incredibly sweet and heartwarming with little conflict, THIS IS IT.
First things first, thank you so much Carmon Sub for subtitling this show, you're the reason I was able to enjoy it in the first place!In general terms, Meeting You is about a girl who's incredibly bright and extroverted, and a very intelligent boy who has deep social anxiety— and the wonderful way in which they compliment each other and lift each other up in their own ways.
If what you're looking for is to feel happy and enjoy some fluffy, sweet romance— this is a must watch.
To tell the truth, the reason why I gave this drama a chance is because I am a sucker for extroverted girl/shy boy stories, but even then it's not like my expectations were incredibly high. But boy, was I in for a treat with this one.
Guo Jun Chen, who I knew from Accidentally In Love (I don't remember much about that show, though) is absolutely adorable as the shy, reserved Nan Xi, and something I really enjoyed is that his growth and him coming out of his shell is incredibly organic and feels very realistic; he doesn't simply change one day and becomes more extroverted, his spirit remains the same throughout the entire show even if he grows and evolves as a person. On the other hand, Wan Peng SHINES in this role as the bubbly, protective and fiercely loyal Xia Rui; she is so incredibly easy to like that you immediately end up wishing you had her as a friend in your life. Their chemistry is palpable, which is probably why it's so easy to fully believe they are soulmates who are destined to be together and it absolutely should not go any other way.
Now, what I loved the most about this show:
• Serious lack of heavy conflict and dumb misunderstandings that drag on forever: I think there are only two "real" moments of conflict in the entire show— one around the middle (if I remember correctly) and one in the final episodes, and they barely last an episode at best (maybe they split it in 2 episodes, but the actual conflict lasts for less than one).
• AMAZING communication: this ties to my previous point of lack of dumb misunderstandings— except for the second lead couple whose entire storyline revolves around the guy being clueless up until the end and the girl not confessing her feelings for him directly to clear it up. When there's a misunderstanding, they talk things through pretty quickly and problems are solved very, very fast.
• The relationship between Xia Rui and Nan Xi, once they realize who the other is, is UNBREAKABLE. Even though they don't officially get together until they're in college, they are both obviously in love with each other and they are 100% loyal to the other. There's a plot with another girl at first (not a villain, don't worry) who really likes Nan Xi, and he over and over flat out rejects her advances because he only likes Xia Rui, no one else. I wish I had read this when I started watching, cause I have serious trauma from dramas where things go right between the main couple and then everything goes wrong, which NEVER HAPPENS HERE. They only have eyes for each other through the entire drama.
• In the same vein, the relationship between Xia Rui and Nan Xi is absolutely amazing. Nan Xi is incredibly smart and does super well in school but struggles deeply with socializing, and Xia Rui is amazing at socializing and struggles with her studies. Because they are good in what the other is lacking, they are constantly helping each other in the sweetest, most wholesome ways. These two absolutely ADORE each other and you can feel it all the time.
• Drunk Nan Xi: Look forward to it.
• Their relationship dynamic is exactly what I love. Exactly. It's perfect. I have nothing more to say.
Now, a much shorter list of what I didn't like:
• The relationship with the second leads is a bit frustrating because you really just want them to get it over with once and for all. However, even when it feels like it's dragging for too long, the fact that their characters are developed in a way that makes it "make sense" for them to not tell each other how they feel makes it somewhat more bearable. Also, this happening at the same time as Xia Rui and Nan Xi are being in love and cute with each other also makes it more bearable.
• I am not one to question the lack of kisses in Asian dramas because to each their own, but there's definitely a disconnect between the way Xia Rui and Nan Xi are towards each other that simply does not correlate with how much Xia Rui shies away when Nan Xi tries to kiss her. It feels out of place for their characters for her to get so flustered about it, when what it would make sense is for her to instantly reciprocate, especially because they're super comfortable around each other otherwise. That being said, there is A LOT of physical affection that is not kisses, and it pretty much makes up for the lack of them. Lots of enthusiastic hugging too.
If there's more I didn't like, it's definitely eclipsed by what I liked cause I honestly can't remember anything else.
In conclusion, I 100% recommend to watch this!
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"ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO START A GOOD DRAMA"
A Sweet Love Story A Must Watch for All CDRAMA Fan.The Story is Good and Like any Other Office Romance but
Some plus point:
+ The chemistry between lead is Super-Duper on/off-screen (if you have seen the bts videos).
+ Bai Lu has always been my favorite.
+ First time to watch *Good-Looking LEO* and I'm Quite Impressed.
+ Kido and Riley Wang Are such EYE-CANDY.
+ Adorable Secondary Couple.
+ Supportive Friend like Xu Li (Xiao Yan) and Qiao Na.
+ Wealth.
+ All the actors have done a good job portraying the characters.
I don't watch many ongoing shows but couldn't resist this one
A DRAMA YOU WILL MISS AFTER ENDING It. T_T
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1Makes you feel more lonely than you already are - in the best way possible.
This is everything I want from a romantic comedy short story. Simple plot that is connected to all the characters, great acting, amazing chemistry, bop of a soundtrack and aesthetics shots.To My Star is proof that you do not need complex, over the top, dramatic, and ridiculous sub-plots to make a good show. It's obvious the writer and director had a clear vision of what they wanted to show, and they focused on making it as high of a quality as possible. And they succeeded! All the subplots connect and affect all the characters, so you don't feel like watching different shows depending on who is the focus of certain scenes. Things hinted at the beginning are addressed by the end, and no loose ends are left.
Characters wise - pure perfection. There was not one character that felt redundant. They all were fun, unique and felt like real people. The chemistry between the leads was amazing, but it's worth talking about the awesome synergy between the supporting cast. Not one scene felt boring, and I truly enjoyed every second of the show.
From the opening scene I knew, To My Star will be a feast for my eyes, and I was not wrong. The show was just beautiful. Lately I am tired of the "shaky camera" and cuts and changes of frames and angles every few seconds. The still shots were a blessing. I could truly appreciate the scenes and what was happening in the story when I was not being distracted by random cuts.
The soundtrack. I mean - I need to google all the songs. I never care for the OST. As long as it's not distracting, I rarely even remember or care for even one song. Here though I am truly speechless at how good it was.
With all the love I give and all the praises, why not 10? We all have our own pet peeves, sadly this one hit some of mine... One being "crying without tears" and the other: random, poorly delivered English lines (acting wise, not language wise - clarifying so no one will get pressed again). But these are minor problems that most people will not even notice.
Overall, definitely one of my favorite BLs. Definitely one of my favorite rom-coms overall. I just love the simple and chill vibe it had, the wholesome feels and the great production value taking into consideration how small of a project it was compared to mainstream dramas. The acting was just gold, the chemistry made me feel lonely and in need of a relationship, the OST made me want to dance, and the aesthetic scenes made me take too many screenshots.
Make yourself happy - watch To My Star.
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This review may contain spoilers
I was hesitating whether to write a review or not these past few days because of my feelings towards the ending, I decided to.Where do I begin with this drama? this drama had me hooked since episode one, I fell in love instantly with the aesthetic of the whole world and costumes and not to mention Feng Tian Yi, he is one beautiful hypnotizing man, I wasn't expecting much starting it but then before I knew it I was going insane waiting for the next episodes to the point I watched a lot of them raw, I even made Youtube videos and gifs of them and I do not make those things so it's pretty apparent I fell in love with this drama.
Feng Tian Yi was definitely my favourite character and a reason to watch this, he has a fiery temper and attitude but a kind heart underneath who is willing to put everything at stake to protect who he loves, Zhang Ruo Yun's acting was the best in the drama, I was impressed and so drawn by his graceful yet fiery way of portraying Tian Yi. I could feel all of Tian Yi's emotions just from the look in his eyes. As for Fu Ling, I really liked her too, she was sincere, kind and stood up for herself and what she believed in and never liked to see someone put themselves at risk for her sake, as for her acting, I think it could have been better but it's fine. There is many characters in this you will hate, my god is there lol and a lot of the story could have been avoided had this imbecile characters stayed out of the way but a drama is a drama after all.
Music was really nice too, though the end theme forever has me going wth because it's kind of random lol but oh well it's catchy.
In short the story is basically about fated lovers and what they have to overcome in all of their lives, will history repeat itself? or will something worse happen? or something better? watch to find out ;)
I give this drama 10 because I truly loved it even if I am upset about the ending (the ending is heartbreaking bad, I love a good tragic end as much as the next masochist but this was just BAD) despite this, I was hooked for the past month on this, this is my favourite drama of 2016 and I don't see a drama topping it this year. If you love romance and fantasy and action this is for you, beware there is a lot of sadness in this drama too throughout, but the love story between them will have you smiling, honestly the drama is so visually stunning you would watch for that alone! The CGI also had me surprised considering how cringe worthy many drama CGI is but I think it was all good.
I'm going to miss this drama and Tian Yi and Fu Ling, I wish for a second season, if only :)
EDIT: while originally heartbroken over the horrific unjustified illogical ending, there is an alternative ending and it makes much sense and all is well :) it is happy and now I can breathe again lol. Make sure to skip episode 28 and watch episode 29 instead, episode 29 is the same as 28 but with the better ending instead.
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A MASTERPIECE FOREVER
If you are a c-drama lover Do Not Miss this series highly recommended it is simply a masterpiece the story of yanpoyue from an arrogant highlyselfconfident army boy who thinks that he is and has to be the best bcz he has to rely only on himself in his life and doesnt know the importance of his comrades to a mature soldier who eventually becomes down to earth understands the meaning of teamwork and learned to value his comrades the character development of yanpoyue is greatThis drama has shown every aspect of a soldier's life with a great perfection and detail
This is package full of:- bromance courage,selfconfidence,teamwork, hardwork,passion,motivation and many more amazing life lessons are conveyed very well through this drama
Yang yang has given his 1000% for this drama the hardwork he has put in for his dream role is really commendable
All the actor and supporting actor did a fantastic job in giving justice to thier roles i got connected to every character of this drama
One of the best work of yang yang so far and the best military drama till date
This drama does'nt have and does'nt need any romance its bromance love respect care for the comrades is more than enough to make people connect and fall in love with this drama
This One is surely one of my Forever favourite
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STORY
The concept of this marvelous piece of drama, that was too small but will stay indelibly marked in our memories, is life dreams and aspirations. How important it is for us to follow our dreams no matter how stupid or unrealistic they may seem. How important it is to do what we want for us, and for nobody else, how significant it is for us to believe in ourselves even when everyone else is against us, how essential is for us to fight for them even when they seem completely unnatainable. A story about life decisions and choices, about growing up, about fighting our inner demons, overcoming obstacles, chasing dreams or giving them up, finding reasons to live and dream and ultimately how to understand and love ourselves. A perfect coming of age story that everyone should watch. The secondary concept of the show is to showcase different types of parent-children relationships, how they intefere with our dreams (and our life in general), and how we need to confront them.
The story is pretty straightforward, it centers on three teenagers. The story is set in a high school and the background is piano-playing. Embedded in the story we get to see each protagonist struggling with their demons and through their heartwarming story they learn how to face their fears, grow up, forgive, become better people. The drama, as expected, never gets dragged, it has a point and goes for it from the very beginning. It is funny, whithout being superficial, it manages to be emotional, without being melodramatic, and most importantly it is serious without getting boring. I seriously have no drawback to point out as this was simple and yet beautifully written and thought out.
ACTING
Kim So Hyun, never fails to impress and she was impeccable once again. She pulls of her character greatly, she is kinda bitchy with a quirky personality, yet she is loveable and a great leading character and actress.
Ji Soo was luscious to watch, so fun, yet so sentimental. A great performance.
Shin Jae Ha completes the wonderful leading trio with another exquisite performance. All 3 actors presented their unique and realistic characters perfectly.
The supporting cast was brilliant, namely Ye Ji Won and Hwang Yeon Hee played their respective roles amazingly, being moms, they felt very realistic. Congrats
RECOMMEND/REWATCH
This is one of those dramas which can be watched and appreciated by everyone. Definately worth watching, it is just 3 memorable and well spent hours here. Teenagers will get great life lessons, and as for the older kdrama fans, as did i, you will feel a warming deja-vu feeling of your school years, longing feelings about those times, the good, the bad and the ugly everything is presented here in the best way possible. Definately worth a watch, and certainly rewatch-worthy.
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Before checking this out, you, the viewer need the proper mindset before committing yourself into watching this drama (unless you are already into this kind of drama). Why? Because this is too far away from being romcom or light. There are witty scenes where you find the "funny" but not so much, because it would be obliterated in a second by the realism of the situation the characters are in. Watching this drama was heart racing, mind boggling and most of all tear jerking if you get to finish this in one go.
It was also frustrating being in the perspective of the king - because a person with so much wealth and power could be so helpless at the same time. *sigh*
My favorite character here was King Sejong - Han Seok Kyu's portrayal of him was so convincing that my heart was moved every time he does or say something. His decisions throughout the drama was really something, because it amounts to the lives that revolve around him, one mistake means the death of someone and one right thing could lead to the abundance of the entire nation. His role was really something and his acting was so deep into the character, I tend to forget that he was only acting about the agony of a king who cherished his people.
Then here comes the King's person: Kang Chae Yoon and So Yi.
These characters were portrayed by high fantastic artists - Jang Hyuk and Shin Se Kyung. Their roles were vital and important for the success of the king's plan and well... the ending was very dreary but there's that sense of fulfillment despite everything they have gone through. All in all their characters made this drama an unforgettable one.
The music isn't that catchy or is something that would stick to your head forever, but it does add to the drama. As for the re-watch value, I would not want to re-watch this lest I want to depress myself or stress myself all over again, but over all this drama is still dear to my heart. I loved this drama and would highly recommend it to those who love watching sageuks involving historical documentations.
Tree With Deep Roots - will move you, haunt you and make you change your outlook about your given language. Because this drama depicts history and the people who sacrificed a lot to make things possible.
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Onto that part then. If you like BL dramas (I actually like any drama, but lately BLs have been taking over my life) then you will definitely like the way Pete and Kao's relationship evolves. It's the typical "I hate you to then I like you" story line, but it was nice to see. Pete's cockiness and his bad boy attitude wanted me to punch him at times, but he made it up with the way he would look at Kao, not realizing that he was falling for him. I also liked Kao's way of putting himself and his feelings first and making it clear to Pete that he could not play with him and his feelings. It was so refreshing to see a character that put their needs and feelings first in order to protect themselves.
Aside from that, I also liked the way the ex-girlfriend was not made into a villain in the end. She was a bit needed and manipulative, but she also had some moments were you could empathize with her and realize that people are not just bad, they can be good and they can also change for the better.
I still don't see how this series flows into Kiss me, because it seemed like here June was aware of Pete and Kao's attraction, but in Kiss me, he was totally clueless. We also didn't see much of Sandee who was the only person to know their relationship (what the hell happened to Sandee btw?) The fact that Pete's father found out, albeit though the evil scheme of the ex-girlfriend-was a good touch, because the boys had someone else on their side. I also believe that Kao's mother was hinting at her knowing they liked each other and it's nice to see parents support their children.
If you want to see the drama for just the BL, then you won't be disappointed (I suggest Lazysubber as she is the only one who has the BL parts in order and translated). If you want to see it for the other couples, then go head and watch it. This drama suffered from too many characters syndrome and I just couldn't commit to the other couples because they were not to my liking. Some of the pairings were super annoying from the bit that I watched and that's why I stopped following the whole thing.
Cons: MY GOD those long a&& commercial promos in the drama. Why were they always given to Pete and Kao? That soup company truly invested a lot of money into that drama. Pete and Kao spent on average two minutes just making that soup and slurping it--2 minutes we could have had of more character development.
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Winter Sonata
54 people found this review helpful
1An impressively touching love story. Performed with passion. However, It´s makjang. Be prepared.
The biggest impetus for the KWave came from "Winter Sonata" - this KDrama is almost a blockbuster among KDramas. Its success was enormous. The series sparked its own fan tourism to filming locations on Nami Island, Geojie Island and Chuncheon that continues to this day. The soundtrack also wrote history. In the meantime there is an anime version of the story, a musical production as well as a manga and a Playtstation version...The love story is told in an impressively touching way and performed with passion. In beautiful pictures and with plenty of dramatic twists. The chemistry between the two main actors is perfectly tuned. Bae Yong Joon even shines in two roles at the same time.
However. It is makjang! Twists and turns awaiting around each and every corner. Be prepared for sorrow. You might get angry more than once. The protagonist´s can get on your nerves. For sure. Don´t complain. I told you. It is truely astonishing that still (if you are ready to sympathize to some extent) you will ´enjoy´ the show. ... whereas ´joy´ might not exactly hit the spot... :-)
In case you are not aware (as I wasn´t at first):
Since the story begins in the youth of the main characters, you also get an impression of the Korean lifestyle and everyday life in the late 1980s and 1990s, with true ´democracy´ in South Korea still being in diapers and a conservative, strict, authoritarian aura dominating everyday life. When I saw the series for the first time, I didn´t know much about the political and social conditions. Plus from my German background those morals, values and virtues all seemed old fashioned and in my life rather outdated - it reminded me more of the world of the old black and white movies of the 1930s and 40s: hierarchies and manners, the decisions of the protagonists, the prevailing moral concepts, all of which I - today, far away in Germany - could only shake my head at. Now, as I have learned more about South Korean culture, I know better, where this is coming from... Sympathy and compassion are thus enhanced.
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This review may contain spoilers
needed to see more Nail Him (watch suggestions)
Overall: started off strong but there were a ton of pointless flashbacks/stretching the thin plot to 12 episodes. I'm going with NailHim because that's the best ship name ever :P I can see how people would rate this lower, but I enjoyed the black nail polish in ep 12, NSFW scenes, and some things were so bad they were entertaining. Aired 12 episodes about 35 minutes uncut on iQIYI. Later re-aired on Y. Entertainment's YouTube channel but they cut out NSFW scenes. Y.Entertainment also created Unforgotten Night. Note that towards the end of the original airing, several actors posted on social media about non/delayed payment and harassment.Watch Suggestions
- watch eps 1-3
- episode 4 watch the beginning to 12 minutes and then 33-34:30 minutes
- episode 5 watch 30-32 minutes for the side couple kissing
- skip episode 6
- episode 7 stop at 8 minutes, then pick it back up at 28 minutes
- episode 8 start at 32 minutes with the mom (note major content warnings if you watch the first 8 minutes)
- episode 9 watch the beginning to 6 minutes, then 14:20 to the end
- episode 10 watch 10-24 minutes
- episode 11 skip from when the credits start to 25 minutes
- watch episode 12
(if this watch order makes zero sense, know that watching everything likely still won't make a ton of sense)
Content Warnings: suicide (beginning of ep 8), self harm, violence, parental abuse/slap, homophobia, manhandling, mental health struggles, harassment, fight, non con picture taking
What I Liked
- Nail was awesome (especially at the beginning), he was assertive, sassy, intelligent, flirty, honest, he knew what he wanted and went for it, he tried to give Him space to talk to him when he was comfortable
- Nail's accessories and black nail polish (ep 12)
- cute moments
- NSFW scenes were pretty well done (except for eyes open during kissing and a flash of underwear where they shouldn't have been any)
- Nail mentioned having mental health struggles, sought medical help and continued to got to doctor appointments (thankful we didn't have a 'love cures mental health' trope)
- Nail's supportive mom
- the girl squad
- the het couple
- (neutral) comedy sound effects
Room For Improvement
- the start was confusing (it was a flash forward)
- choppy editing, a ton of flashbacks (scenes jumped from one to another in non-logical sequences at times)
- the 2nd m/m couple due to not nice relationship games and the other character's clinging/harassment
- it was odd that a certain character was all lovey-dovey and then the next minute went scorched earth and then the next day he apologized, pick a lane dude
- continuity errors such as ever changing root length and a character who gets a tattoo but no tattoo is shown
- nonsense actions like Him asked Nail to go somewhere where his friends were and he knew they would ask questions
- slow pacing starting in episode 4, should have been 6-8 episodes instead of 12
- lack of consequences for absolutely awful and abusive parents
- the extremely long behind the scenes to pad episode length
- Te was obsessed and then suddenly did a 180, all was well and he instantly got a new love interest?
- resolving extremely important things off screen and characters just saying what happened
- teasing NSFW scenes in episode 11 but not showing anything
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This review may contain spoilers
I saw a movie recently where a character said "You like somebody because of things but you love them despite things” and I think that applies to this show. This is a messy, gleeful and heartwarming tale about a chef, a gangster and an heiress who lose everything but then come together to reclaim it. Chinese masterchef Poong (Joon Ho), reformed gangster Chil-sung (Jang Hyuk) and lonely socialite Sae-woo (Jung Ryeo Won) have nothing in common but their shared calamities: all three hit rock bottom in the first few episodes.
These three characters with different backgrounds and temperaments are the disparate ingredients this show promises to turn into jjajangmyeon - the signature Korean/Chinese fusion dish that Poong is an expert at and that Chil-sung and Sae-woo are perpetually hungry for. While the first few episodes are almost unhinged in the seeming-randomness of their elements, the show makes it clear that Poong is the cook that's going to bring them together in one perfect dish.
For the fist half of its run, this was a show that was about jjajangmyeon but was also jjajangmyeon itself: televisual fusion cuisine. That’s why the show was originally so messy and it’s why I loved that the show was so messy. Because it seemed to be saying that people, relationships and life are a huge mashup of disparate things and it’s not about one being ‘good’ and the other ‘bad’ but about the proportions of each ingredient. Throughout the first half, all our characters were floundering because their life recipes weren’t right yet. If life is a recipe you're constantly refining, then all our characters were still deciding on the menu.
From the beginning, the show was extremely clever - but sometimes too clever. Its brilliant use of metaphors and imagery is a device I personally love but even I thought it was a bit overdone in the beginning. There were episodes where I was so busy tracking its use of hot and cold and the black and white that I missed plot. Nietzsche was thrown in there, first to intrigue us and then to confuse us. Poong was either a Nietzscheism superman or its antithesis; the writers never seemed to be sure. I know a lot of viewers simply couldn't cope with the chaos and dropped out. I stayed in, loving every minute and waiting for the writers to bring it all together in one glorious dish of fusion cuisine.
It's probably not surprising that this did not happen although it's not entirely clear what went wrong. Originally slated for 20 episodes (40) and then cut to 19 (38), maybe the show suffered from losing an episode, maybe it was three episodes too long. The show went on hiatus for two weeks and when it came back it was seemingly a shell of its former self. Characters disappeared, plots were dropped, major plot points were resolved quickly and anti-climactically, and others were dragged down with standard, almost pedestrian, kdrama plotlines. It was almost as though the writer had been instructed to play it more safe and the quirky, surreal magical realism was replaced with the plotline of a standard romcom.
The minor characters often detracted rather than added to the show in the end. The antagonists, which started off suitably hateful and conniving, became one-dimensional villains of little import, if they didn't disappear completely. The Giant Hotel may have loomed over the Hungry Wok like a corporate Goliath but David didn't defeat it so much as replace it and the little restaurant seemed more beset by disloyalty and ingratitude from its employees than by external threats.
Poong and Sae-woo remained adorable and sexy and wonderful and Chil-sung held a kitten every episode so the show is worth watching till the end. No matter how many plots got dropped or how many characters disappeared, the relationship between the three leads was the show's saving grace. The romance between Poong and Sae-woo is passionate and sweet - just the like sweet-and-sour pork that is his other signature dish. The bromance between the two men is loving and supportive. And while there is technically a love triangle here, it's handled with maturity and without unnecessary angst. These three people love each other and watching them come together is the show's best element.
In fact, show ends well. It's just not the affordable gourmet meal we were promised but more like a rushed lunchtime bowl of noodles while we're trying to get back to work.
In the end, I love Greasy Melo despite its flaws and I guess that means my Love Is True. I can dream of a more perfect version of this show where the writers were able to use all the ingredients they prepared to make the perfect meal instead of leaving half of them on the chopping board. But if lasting love is based on acceptance, then I accept. This is the show it is.
9/10
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Story: I gave it an 8 since the plot isn't any groundbreaking and I admit the description for this drama is cliche but when you get into the drama itself, it was so refreshing. In most romcom kdramas, I usually know or my expectations were right on what will happen next but Marriage Not Dating is just pure surprise. They made the cliche worth watching, you don't even know what to expect.
Acting/Cast: 10. The actors are so perfect esp the main leads. I already forget the last time I root for the main couple so much. Props to Han Groo and Yeon Woo Jin, it's like this drama its tailor-made for them. Though the side characters Jinwoon and Sunhwa did not appeal to me, Jung Min (Hoon Dong), and Kim Hae Sook are so great I kind of forget the 2nd leads.
Music: Should I include the sound effects here because 10 is not enough for it. :The sound effects guy must be in every romcom drama) The OSTs in this drama are so good and it match the scenes perfectly.
Rewatch Value: Oh boy, this one of the few kdramas I will never get tired rewatching. Maybe I'll start in a few hours. Haha. :)
Overall: 9.5 This my highest rated kdrama ever because I never give a perfect 10. It's just me but definitely all those almost perfect dramas waned in the middle or still lacks something. But all in all this is still the best romcom drama for me. No extended angst and pure fun.
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I hate hockey, therefore I was very hesitant before starting it, a good two years ago. But I soon realized that this particular sport was a narrative necessity, being a rude, violent one, but played by people with a lot of heart.
Pride is a sweet love story, between a man whose name means Spring and a woman who's called Autumn. They are totally different in almost everything, to the point they become complementary and fit into each other's life like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. He has his way of pulling her out of her shell, and she has her own at showing real strength is not the physical one.
They are a pleasure to watch together. As I said before, Kimura does not disappoint, he's a great actor who knows how to charm the audience. I'm very partial to Yuko Takeuchi, I can't help being completely captured by her voice, her elegance and blend of ingenuity and wisdom.
Aki and Haru - Autumn and Spring - are one of my favourite drama couples, with tons of sparks crackling between them whenever they are on screen together.
The music doesn't need a review. The entire OST is by the Queen. Like them or not, they have been one of the greatest rock bands in history. And they fit the drama to a T.
I have already watched Pride twice and a third view is definitely in my plans, therefore I'm ready to give it a very high re-watch value and recommend this show to everyone.
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This movie is very quiet but it works quite well for it. Throughout the entire movie, probably only about 4 songs are played. Three of which are instrumentals and the fourth an extremely calming, beautiful song called Gafsa sung by Natacha Atlas. Music would only be played if a scene needed to be over emphasized. This only happened a select few times in the movie but when music would play it would do exactly that. It would evoke a whole new kind of feeling from a scene.
As for the dialogue, it was also very quiet. In the entire movie, the extras had more dialogue than the two main characters. The main male character, Taesuk did not have a single line while the main female character, Sunhwa, had two.
The plot and dialogue alone may not have been anything amazing, but the idea of the movie appeared not to be focused on a gripped story. Instead, it felt more focused on extracting emotions from the audience and allowed the audience silence to think and interpret the movie without distractions of constant dialogue, music, and plot changes. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.
For people that are into solid plots, surprising twists, complex dialogues, and romance, I would not recommend this movie. But for the people that can appreciate a calming, simplistic movie with realistic themes this would be for them.
This is my all time favorite movie and is the only thing on this site that I'm okay with giving a 10 on rewatch value because no matter how many times I watch it I never get sick of it
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