Completed
Dangerous Drugs of Sex
31 people found this review helpful
Jun 26, 2021
Completed 3
Overall 2.0
Story 2.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 1.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
What in the stockholm syndrome hell was that? It was like a train wreck that you know you want to look away but you can't take your eyes off it. I want those 2 hours of my life back. X_X

I started off just wanting to leave it at "I'm going to mark this as watched but I'm going to pretend I never saw it" --sadly, that fell through because it's forever embedded into my brain and I get, that's on me. That is what I get for seeing a cool cover and being like "I'm watching it" without reading the synopsis. But really. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THIS?!?!

There was barely a storyline. If you had to say the storyline, it was a storyline like SAW. Kinda, "oh you want to die? I'm going to traumatize you in so many ways it'll make you want to live!" make it make sense. SMH

Hats off to the actors, they did really great, that's about it. The actors did great but this show should have never seen the light of day. I don't get the whole:: of you want to die? Let me rape you repeatedly until you WANT to live! Oh and here is a hidden secret, I want to die too because I lost the love of my life and later I'm going to try to kill myself but YOU need to save ME this time.

Like it's some kind of fucking romantic drama? Are you shitting me?! My stomach is still turning. There is so much to say, none of it good but I swear I feel like my brain is a potato right now trying to process the bullshittery that was this movie.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Tientsin Mystic
31 people found this review helpful
Apr 22, 2018
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I have to admit I was very skeptical about watching this at first. I downloaded 10 episodes of it thinking its short and had even Mystic Nine on my list. Hearing that they both were from the same author I wasn't sure which one to watch first but my partiality towards Yixing(Lay) took over and I ended watching Mystic Nine first. Also it had the plus point of having William Chan and Zhao Zhanilla later whom I simply adore (after watching Boss and Me and Rise of a Tomboy). But unfortunately I was left completely disappointed in it and I think my love for Lay also reduced. I couldn't even finish the whole thing and ended after 17 episodes. After that catastrophe I was even more skeptical about this but one day when I had simply nothing else to watch I just gave this a chance and boy don't I regret not watching it before.

Let me tell you straight up other than having the same genre as Mystic Nine(and same Lt.Zhao) there is nothing similar of TM to Mystic Nine at all. This is a masterpiece compared to Mystic Nine and I can't believe that people don't talk about this more. I have seen that those who have watched both Mystic Nine and this always prefer this over it but it's only that minority.

The main reason for this to actually be better is the full fast paced story line with completely lovable characters. Starting from our MC Guo De You, he was simply amazing. He had everything I loved in my MCs. He was fine mix of intelligent and mischievous and was hilarious to boot. This was my first time watching Li Xian and now I'm an official fan of him. Having watched Medical Examiner Dr.Qin and Only Side by Side with you just for him I can't wait to see him in Go Go Squid too(which is I'm impatiently waiting for cuz it's based on one of my favorite books). Next we have Mao Ding. He was the perfect Dr.Watson to our Sherlock. Being a rich son didn't make the least annoying, he had his own agenda but that didn't mean he totally rebelled either. He cared enough for his company when needed. Next up is my favorite in the whole story, Gu Ying. I swear I didn't love female MC as much as I loved since Zheng Shuang in Love o2o. Despite the little knick of hers to totally follow Guo De You, this girl was the best. Not that I'm comlpaining about that either. She was the perfect badass leading lady we needed. She had so much spunk that I felt even if they put Guo De You and Mao Ding together they can't fight as well as her. She was hilarious to boot too. I saw few people complaining about her clothes but man I loved every single one of her outfits. That girl rocked them. I mean not everyone can have a freaking bird nest on top of their heads and make it look bad ass. Our second leading lady Xiao Lan Lan was the perfect rich girl and once again like Mao Ding she didn't act the spoilt rich girl. She had her own strengths and pulled similar weight of the group. Not only these character shone on their own but when you put them together in one screen, the chemistry was off charts. Each character fit with the other perfectly, The bromance, the romance (or lack of it) was perfect. Each adn every character added something to the story to make it amazingly balanced, from the ineffective police head to Master Guo to the Head Shaman to even Chairman Ding.

Talking about the story, like I told before it was fast paced and didn't leave the audience hanging even for a second. For me every single scene was engaging and believe me after having more than a decade of experience of watching all Asian dramas this is a first where I didn't skip even a second of a drama. The mystery kept me guessing even till the last moment and you won't believe what kind of secrets come up in the episodes at all.
The cinematography was also perfect for the tone of the series with a dark, aura being around through out the drama with perfectly balanced colors here and there. The republican China was adapted better here for me than that of Mystic Nine and we don't see the normally seen parties and high end houses but we get to see the more street life giving this a nice touch. The clothes were on point and I loved how different the four were in their own statuses.
And can I tell that I love the ending song. Jam Hsiao did an amazing job with that and it perfectly blended with the whole series.

This is also the first time I have written such a big review to a drama and first time I've given a complete 10 for everything. Another first fir me was rewatching the whole thing as soon as I finished it. I opened up a netflix account just to watch the rest of the drama. Take my word for this and do not miss this drama. Have no doubts when watching this drama. You will not regret it even for a second. Now patiently waiting for second season as I've heard rumors that it's been green lit. Hopefully the full cast returns for at least 4 episodes to give us closure for that open ending.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Perfect Propose
31 people found this review helpful
Feb 2, 2024
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 7.5

turning unhappiness into happiness

Overall: the focus was on two characters who weren't happy with their current situation in life and how they figured out how to change things. I haven't read the source material and am basing my review on the live action series only. 6 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4033/perfect-propose-2024-e01 ; re-released on Viki https://www.viki.com/tv/40542c-perfect-propose

Content Warnings: non con touching/hand job maybe turned consensual?, workplace harassment/bullying

What I Liked
- a forthright character
- sweet moments
- supportive colleagues
- realistic how it is difficult to get away from a toxic work environment, even when a person knows it's unhealthy
- production value

Room For Improvement
- the dub/non con was not needed and could have been handled differently
- had the aggressive pursuer/reluctant pursuee (and by reluctant I mean unwilling, he verbally stated his boundaries only to have them steamrolled over)
- too much time spent in the office setting/that jerk boss
- the intro vibe was super fluffy but that was not the overall tone of the series, we also never see any of those fluffy scenes which was a bit disappointing

Age Info (I didn't put an age gap content warning because I don't think it's needed, but here's the age info thanks to a commentator :)
- in the past, their ages were around 11 and 17
- in the present, their ages are 21 and 27

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Sammy's Children's Day
31 people found this review helpful
May 1, 2026
9 of 9 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 7.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Ended in a cliffhanger...

The elefant in the room with this series is the lip-syncing of the whole audio. For me it always felt out of place. They could not transfer all the emotions of a scene in a believable manner. Unexpectable the kissing was not good either.

The finale was a bit of a bummer. We get a cliffhanger for a 2nd season and I always hate it, when they do that. Chances are good with all the support this series gained it will happen. But to wait for a year for the continuation of this story suxx.

Besides the couples and the girl, I also think the acting was lacking. They choose to implement silly moments in such a dark story and I'm not a fan of it. Production quality was top notch, besides the lip-syncing.

We get a story between a "soft" gangster boss and a "innocent" student who is the pride not only of his family but of the whole neighbourhood. It's quite clear from the beginning that the student is drawn to the gangster and it's typical BL cliché that the gangster boss has to struggle to accept his own feelings. So nothing new there and nothing which does justify all the hype about this series..

Overall it was good entertainment but for me it was not stellar. And to have to wait for another year for the conclusion (or again 9 episodes with a cliffhanger) pisses me off.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Wish You: Your Melody From My Heart
31 people found this review helpful
by Kevin
Dec 26, 2020
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 7.0

A beautiful harmony made possible with great music and chemistry between the leads.

- STORY [6.5/10] -
The story is very cute and fluffy. However, it's pretty short, so the story had to be crammed into 8 short (10 min) episodes which made the pacing feel a bit rushed, but it's definitely understandable since K-BLs are fairly new, and it was filmed during the pandemic.

The story had a lot of potential to be great but it was cut short due to the short duration of the episodes. But if it was longer, it could've shown more on Insoo's side, family and background, since most of the story we're seeing on Sang Yi's POV.

But one thing I really enjoyed about this short drama is that it gets straight to the point and there's no unnecessary drama, every scene was important in progressing the story and the relationship between the leads. I also liked how it showed some realistic aspects of debuting as an artist and what it means to be a real artist (not doing it just for money or fame, but doing it because you're passionate about it and you enjoy it).

- ACTING / CAST [8/10] -
The entire cast played their roles well, and there's amazing chemistry between the leads everytime they interact. There's hardly any awkwardness at all, and the expressions and acting of the two main leads were great considering it's their first time acting.
(Fun Fact: Before filming, the leads spent over a month doing almost everything together like eating, working on the music) - Source: Wish You Talk Live

- MUSIC [9.5/10] -
The music is really the star of the show and the focus next to the romance. The OSTs all sound amazing, and after you hear it, you would probably want to add it to your Spotify and keep listening to it for a while. The duet especially just sounds amazing (sang by the leads btw, they are both Kpop artists).

- OVERALL [8/10] -
S. Korea has yet again produced abother great BL drama, there's definitely flaws, but it's still great nontheless. It's a story you should watch at least once. Give it a try, you won't regret it!

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Meteor Garden
30 people found this review helpful
Jul 9, 2011
27 of 19 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Out of the 3 versions of this story, again this was the last one that I got around to watching. The japanese version being my first, will always be my favorite because it's the one that hooked me onto the series to begin with (as well as Arashi / MatsuJun (: ). The Korean version I watched after I read the manga, and although I thought it was a good series by itself, I felt it drifted far off from the manga, and even the main characters seemed to be separate characters. After watching Meteor Garden, I would say I liked this one better than the Korean version.



In the earlier episodes I felt MG did a terrific job on basing it off of the manga. It's expected that there has to be some variation, but most of it, I felt, was right on. As the show progressed, MG started to develop into it's own story. Not to say that it drifted far off, but events were done differently. Through it all, I felt the actors did a good job as the characters. Dao Ming Si's character acted like the original Domyouji, with minor differences. Shan Cai's character was bull headed like the original Tsukushi, hiding her own true feelings even from herself. The rest of F4 was portrayed well.



When I first started watching this show and saw F4 I wasn't sure how I was going to like them. Dao Ming Si and Hua Ze Lei fit Domyouji and Rui well, but I wasn't sure about the other 2. Mei Zuo as Mimasaka even fit, but Xing Men took me a while to get used to. As Nishikado, he looked different. But at the end I found myself liking him as his character. True I liked the japanese F4 better, and even Kim Bum as Nishikado better, but for the Taiwan version he played his part well.



They only had 2 songs in this drama, the opening and the ending. The opening song "Qing Fei Te Yi" (Can't Help Falling In Love With You) they played throughout the drama. It might just be me, but the song didn't get on my nerves.



For a drama that came out in 2OO1, I thought it was really good. You have to keep in mind while watching it that it came out 1O years ago, so of course fashion and technology is going to be different. The cell phones aren't as advanced as they are now. The filming for the show isn't as high quality as it is for new shows. That aside, I think it's a show worth watching. I really think that if I hadn't of seen the Japanese and Korean version I would've liked this drama a lot more. Because this was the last one that I watched, and I'd already read the manga, I found a lot of it predictable. The ending I felt was cute. I'm not sure if I'll watch the 2nd season yet, I'm still debating.



Ohh another thing I liked about this drama was how it included characters such as QingHe (Kazuya in the manga) who were eliminated in the other dramas.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
More than Words
31 people found this review helpful
Oct 25, 2022
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 5.5
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

WHAT THE HELL?!

I'll get straight to the point. This drama leaves a message to people (specially parents) against LGBTQ+ that if they somehow manages to marry their gay son to a woman and give birth to a baby, their son might eventually end up being in love with the wife and baby and lead a happy life, just the way they want it.
People are saying it's realistic. I agree, it is kinda realistic but not entirely.
The first part of the story was good...3 people- 2 guys and a girl who were close knit like a family. The guys were dating while the girl remained like a ....idk...maybe friend? (Not really tho). However, bcz Eiji's parents were against it, she volunteered herself to be a serogate mother to their child. Till here, I was fine... I was like okay she was really a well wisher that she was ready to make such a huge sacrifice for them.
BUT, BUT , BUT.... from the scene where it seemed that they had threesome .... Everything became so ambiguous. She was 8 weeks pregnant but she said Makki that she was 13 weeks pregnant so it must be Makki's child. While it was actually Eiji's child bcz she was 8 weeks pregnant. WHAT THE HELL? DID THEY HAVE 3SOME OR SHE CONTINUED HAVING SEX WITH BOTH OF THEM SEPERATELY? (THAT'S SICK !)
SO BASICALLY EIJI AND SHE SLEPT TOGATHER BEHIND MAKKI'S BACK. THEY CHEATED ON HIM? My biggest question is..can a person's sexuality change so easily? I mean Eiji was gay right? He deeply loved Makki and cared for Meiko. Then, after having sex with her, he started liking her and loving her eventually.
MEIKO- I didn't understand her completely. What did she want? She wanted to be with Makki forever? So she decided to sleep with both of them in the name of helping them? Who was she fooling? Herself? Anyways, she did want him but ended up with Eiji and a child and a happy family.
MAKKI- The most pitiful charecter. He helped Meiko when she was having a hard time and made her feel that she has someone who cares for her. He was a loyal bf to Eiji. Later, even when he realises that Meiko has feelings for him, he never reciprocated it bcz he loved Eiji. And in the Entire drama, these 2 were the only people in his life. But these 2 ended up hurting him the most. But it's good that eventually he was trying to move on. He has to. I feel really bad for him.
Anyways, I won't ever watch it again.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Hellbound Season 2
105 people found this review helpful
by cora
Oct 25, 2024
6 of 6 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

A Thrilling Descent into Chaos

Hellbound 2 wastes no time plunging us back into its dark, morally complex universe, where divine judgment and human corruption remain tightly intertwined. The stakes feel immediately higher this time, with the narrative digging deeper into the mystery of resurrection while widening its focus to include more volatile, layered character dynamics that are as shocking as they are compelling.

The return of Jinsu is one of the season’s most striking developments. His visions and eventual transformation into one of the very creatures that once inspired fear reinforce the show’s core idea: no one stands above judgment, not even those elevated to near-messianic status. It’s a chilling arc that blurs the line between prophet and victim, power and punishment.

At the same time, Kim Jeongchil’s political maneuvering becomes a central driving force. His alliance with the government and his calculated use of Park Jungja as a pawn add a sharp edge of manipulation and desperation to the story. Through him, the series leans harder into the idea that institutions built on belief can quickly become tools of control when fear is weaponized.

Thematically, the season continues to interrogate blind faith and the corruption that follows unchecked power. The New Truth’s “Resurrected One” plan begins as an ambitious attempt to solidify authority, but gradually reveals itself as a symbol of their unraveling grip. Meanwhile, the demonic entities remain an unpredictable, looming presence, constantly reminding both characters and viewers that whatever force governs this world cannot be controlled, only feared.

Hyejin once again anchors the chaos as the show’s moral compass. Her determination to protect Park Jungja and reunite her with her son provides one of the season’s most emotionally grounded arcs. In a world spiraling into fanaticism and violence, her resolve feels almost defiant. That reunion scene, quiet yet powerful, offers a rare moment of humanity amid the relentless tension.

Director Yeon Sang-ho maintains a careful balance between horror, action, and character-driven storytelling, allowing the narrative to build a sense of unease that never quite lets go. The introduction of figures like Senior Secretary Lee adds another layer of political intrigue, reinforcing the idea that power struggles operate just as dangerously behind closed doors as they do in the open.

While Season 2 does offer some answers, particularly around the mechanics of resurrection, it deliberately avoids full clarity. Instead, it leaves lingering questions about the true nature of divine judgment and who, or what, is really in control. The ending reflects that ambiguity, keeping the door wide open for future developments.

Overall, Hellbound Season 2 sharpens its exploration of morality, faith, and authority, delivering a season that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally intense. It leans fully into its unsettling premise, crafting a narrative that feels as thought-provoking as it is haunting, and solidifies its place as one of the more daring entries in psychological and religious horror.

___________________________________________________________

MY THEORIES:

While Jin-su taunts Se-hyeong for wasting his last chance by trusting Jin-su, it is ultimately proven to be Jin-su who wastes his resurrection. He spends his second chance the same way he did most of his first life: selfishly, seeking a salve for his emotional pain without care for the pain he knowingly inflicts on others. Jung-ja’s declaration is its own kind of decree, as Jin-su realizes they are not the same.

Jae-hyeon may have a latent power, just as Jung-ja does.

What we do in this life, and how we care for each other, does matter. Even when Jin-su came back from hell, he feared he might still be in it. We create our own hell, individually and collectively, and even when there is a supernatural power also getting in on the game.

Stories have power, and Hye-jin is giving Jae-hyeon a good and true one. It is the kind of story that Jin-su was never told when he was little and alone. The kind of story Secretary Lee, the New Truth Society, or the Arrowhead would never bother telling because it doesn’t feed the kind of fast, uncaring power they are looking to grow. The kind of story Detective Jin Kyung-hun (Yang Ik-june) tells his daughter, Hee-jung (Lee Re), as she dies from cancer in his arms. Hee-jung lived most of her life under the thrall of Jung Jin-su and his empty promises, but it’s a family picture, a story of love, that gives her comfort in her final moments.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Resident Playbook
63 people found this review helpful
May 21, 2025
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0

Loved the realistic portrayal of the OB/GYN profession

A reviewer wrote that the show wasn't realistic. I totally disagree. I was a surgical technologist for 7 years, and the show is in fact quite realistic in almost everything, particularly the OR scenes. The only parts I found questionable was the open sharing of medical information and the huge c-section incisions, they're usually much smaller than what was portrayed. Not sure what the law says about patient privacy in South Korea but in the US talking about medical information with random people is a big no. Otherwise, I found the medical part super accurate. Everything from intubation scenes, blood transfusions, and even the scrub tech was legit. Also the scenes about how important it is to get a HPV shot to prevent cervical cancer was surprising! Cervical cancer is super preventable. Get your HPV vaccine and Pap smear. I worked at a teaching hospital for a few years, and yes interns and first year residents are absolutely clueless and chaotic. Had a few pass out right in the OR, had others almost stab surgeons in the middle of emergency surgery, and other such nonsense just like in the show. I also absolutely loved the realistic portrayal of what it's like to give birth. The show showed many realistic depictions, of what happens during childbirth and what women go through. No medical show in the US would ever show such accurate scenes. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was never bored.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Smile, You
26 people found this review helpful
Nov 2, 2012
45 of 45 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
I'm new in watching family dramas, so I'm no expert on dramas like this, but I'm writing a review for it because this isn't a very popular drama, maybe because of its length. Maybe after reading this someone will put it in their PTW list and maybe some people will delete it from it, who knows? It's up to you, who are reading this.
There were a lot of things that I liked about this drama and a lot of things that I didn't.
The acting was one of the best thing of the drama. Each actor and actress did a great job portraying his or her character and they complemented each other perfectly as a family. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they cried and sometimes they were plain hilarious, but each time they did it as a family. Seeing them like that kind of made me wish I had such a huge family like them!
The music was a lot better than I expected, I even learned the lyrics for the songs! There was one that was specially catchy, the one with the ?vis a vis face to face? chorus.
Now to the main part: the story. This is a really long drama,so the story is like several stories put together. The first chapters were really frustrating for me to watch because every character is really annoying and dumb. They made me just want to smack them really hard.
But then, as the story continues you learn to love these characters even with their flaws, and feel what they're feeling. Maybe, you will even learn to relate to them.
In my opinion it was a wonderful story, because it wasn't the kind of story that made you want to dramathon through the drama, but it grew on you slowly and made you want to keep watching what happened to this crazy family, and how each character grew (they really needed to grow, ALL of them).
The downside of this drama for me was that it was extended. I think the drama would've been a lot better if they had finished it in episode 39-40. The last 5 episodes were a torture for me to watch, because I felt like I had already witnessed the end of the story, and that the last few episodes were a really LONG epilogue, and no one wants long epilogues.
Overall this a really funny, light and heart warming drama. It is constantly entertaining and you will never get bored watching it, there's always a crazy scene waiting in the next 5 minutes. If you're in the mood for something like that, this drama is just for you :)

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Cherry Blossoms after Winter
26 people found this review helpful
by Tova
Apr 14, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 6.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

A bit cringy, a bit boring

Sadly, this korean bl suffers from what most korean bls I've seen suffers from. Low budget. It is so painfully obvious that they're just acting, it is almost impossible to imagine, even for a second, that it could be real.

No offense to Ok Jin Uk and Kang Hui, who did the best they could with what they had. But something about their interactions always feel off. I think it has to do with the sound. The sound of their dialogue sounds so harsh in all of their scenes. The drama in general sounds as if it was filmed by a couple of high school students. It feels cringy watching two people supposedly fall in love, when I'm constantly aware that they are just actors, who, let's be honest, are probably straight.

That coupled with the awkward script, and the too short episodes. As well as music that feels disjointed in the scene; makes you constantly aware that this is just a drama. Not once did I get lost in a scene because of how good it was. Not once did I feel giddy, or sad, or annoyed, or any other emotions. No feelings were evoked watching this.

So, although I am happy that SK is progressing so far as to produce lgbt dramas at all. I can't wait until some major networks greenlight lgbt dramas. But until that happens, be it 1 year or 10 years from now. I suppose I'll just have to abide by these web dramas.

And unfortunately, I usually find them very hard to watch. A for effort, but C for everything else.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Candy Color Paradox
26 people found this review helpful
Feb 10, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Typical Japanese BL

STORY:
I wanted to like this to be honest I really did. Japanese BL is what got me into the BL industry to begin with. The problem is I feel like Japan has not kept up with the current BL trends. I know that most of the BL produced in Japan are based off manga but something needs to change.

The entire premise of this show is about two people who are forced to work together and develop feelings along the way. Good concept that I have seen executed well in the past. This show did not. Both of the male leads were emotionally constipated. If they had opened their mouths and said what they thought and felt things would have been better. Further if Kaburagi had taken the time to get to know Onoe's previous work then he wouldn't have had such a freak out near the end of the show.
============================================
ACTING/CAST:
Kimura Keito as Onoe Satoshi - I think Kimura did a good job at his portrayal of Onoe. Like most leads of Japanese dramas he was over the top and loud. That didn't bother me. What bothered me is that they left most of his character development to the last 3 episodes of the show. I would have liked to see what he went through before he was assigned to work with Kaburagi. I felt like the audience would have understood his motivations better that way.

Yamanaka Jyutaro as Kaburagi Motoharu - Yamanaka played his role well too. He is your typical stoic Japanese man who shows no emotion and keeps his thoughts to himself. While it can be entertaining to watch it is frustrating for the common audience. Unlike other shows with this type of lead he didn't really have any micro expression or backstory alone that we saw where he struggled with his feelings.
============================================
RELATIONSHIPS

Kaburagi x Onoe - This relationship was dull. It reminded me a lot of the relationship in SOTUS. Where we are struggling for half the show on a do they don't they have feelings train. If they had been honest with each other then we could have developed into an amazing show of them working and loving each other as they uncovered these scandals. To be honest half the time I felt like I should fast forward through their interactions because it was so slow.
============================================
REWATCH VALUE

I may rewatch again if I am bored on a Saturday and want something in the background.
============================================

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life
26 people found this review helpful
Mar 23, 2020
100 of 100 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 7.0
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.5
I just started watching the series last night and I really was not sure what to expect of it. The title of the series someone pulls you in and it seemed friendly, subtle and somewhat uplifting so my drama has begun.

The series started out interesting and was enough to keep you invested for the next. I was excited but then the “let’s lie, it’ll be best” event comes along and you realize there’s a train wreck ahead. I for one am not a fan of movies or series of any kind that has the foundation of it all build on the lie. I’ve said it before I feel like I’m watching the whole time waiting for a big ball to drop off for someone to get hit in the face with an egg. And in both cases even though we know there’s a wreck coming we can’t help but watching. So far I am enjoying the vibe from who I assume is the supporting cast. They definitely gave a different feel to the series. As of right now I have watched episode 1 thru 3 and I am choosing to rate it a five star. It may sound unfair but it’s getting a bit old to have the series revolving around a big mystery lie that was stupid and absolutely unnecessary.

**Update: if you can make it past episode 10 things will get a lot better. Although there still some hidden information it is not so extreme. I will admit that I am more invested in the second couple than I am in the first simply because their storyline has a lot more engaging activity going on. it’s just more interesting. I increase the rating because it seem to me that the story got better after episode 10. It was a little less draggy and the excessive lying somewhat stopped which made it a whole lot better. There’s great acting, not so much chemistry going on but there are some heartfelt moments that will tug at you. Ep 10-40 was an improvement. I will warn you that there’s a time jump of 9 years from episode 8-9.

Ep 10-79
Yes, such a huge time. Things have happened but nothing major. Unfortunately these 69 episodes will only provoke you to anger, frustration or disgust. This is the first time I have watched a series this long without having viewed any real progress or development. There has been no major developments only lying and disgusting behavior by rich people. Not cute. In truth if you skip episodes, you won’t be lost because nothing major or worth while takes place.

Ep 80-84
Finally some truths are revealed but sadly it doesn’t change a thing in the vibe or behavior of the cast. Still going at the same pace with the same feel ( greedy ex-wife displaying self righteous behavior to her ex ex husband, sheepish sister doing what she does best accepting the deception she received and crazy ex in-laws acting ruthless and superior. How I long for character growth but at this point I don’t see it happening)

85-100 gets a bit more upbeat. There are some minor revelations and understandings that take place. The ending is okay, pleasing. Karma refused to show up but I think inner humanity did. Overall it’s okay

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Mask
26 people found this review helpful
by Nina
Mar 29, 2016
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 4.0
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
I was first interested because I thought that psychological drama would offer something deep and interesting, and also because the synopsis sounded like a thought provoking drama that would go deeper into things. But that was all false.

Story: First the story and the idea were promising. I was looking forward to how the plot would progress. But as I was watching, I just grew more and more bored. The whole idea just vanished somewhere in the middle, and it felt like the writer just forgot what they were even trying to say. I don't even remember what the underlying idea was, since it's been so long since there was any kind of purpose. There was no idea anymore, and I was left watching two most unoriginal characters falling in love (in most uninteresting way). Which brings me to the next thing ...

Characters: Flat and boring. No dimensions anywhere. There was nothing to wonder or think about. All the characters lacked defining character traits. I was hoping some kind of moral conflict with the main character regarding this whole thing that happened. But she was just annoyingly goodie goodie the whole time. They could've played a lot more with the characters and the plot. There was nothing really memorable about the characters. ESPECIALLY the main characters. Actually, the most interesting character was the villain, even though he lacked personality too. I don't think there was anything wrong with the actors or acting, it's just that the characters were really uninteresting. At least second lead's couple had some interesting conflict and interactions, but the main couple were whining about who gets to keep a flower or who sleeps on the sofa. Please.

More about the story: Some scenes were almost comical, even though they were supposed to be serious. I couldn't take it seriously, and I was just left rolling eyes confusingly. Dramas don't have to be necessarily realistic, but at least make them believable. This drama didn't even try to make sense. And ohmylife, the unnecessary scenes that didn't play any type of role in the plot... This drama just made staring at the walls interesting. There were some nice scenes, mainly at the beginning, but the latter half just ruined the wholeness.

I just hope every single drama writer could adopt this simple rule to their daily lives: if it doesn't take the plot forward, DON'T ADD THAT SCENE. But I guess they have a certain amount of time that has to be filled... But then you should use your IMAGINATION. Ahhh, whatever. I'm so done with this. I'm so done. Cheers to this ''amazing'' drama.

And what was that stupid cliche ending? After all this disappointment, you go and disappoint me even more with your meaningless supposedly philosophical discovery about how meaning of life is to live and be happy? I mean... Just wow, I have never witnessed this type of genius before.
Of course every drama don't have to make me re think everything I know about life, but at least don't pretend to be deep and BE ENTERTAINING. This was just boring. And just like I said earlier, made staring at the walls interesting. I already discovered the many shades of white my walls have that I never knew about before watching this drama.

Since this review has been so negative, should I say something positive too? Hmm... Good looking cast?

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Midnight
26 people found this review helpful
by Kyle
Aug 22, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 4.5
Story 3.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.5
This review may contain spoilers

Needlessly Frustrating

This was a frustratingly stupid mess. This could have literally been solved within the first hour if it weren't for the absolutely idiotic behaviour of nearly everyone. The police were asinine and so were many of the core characters. The mother leaving out after the first encounter was face palming silly and a whole assortment of other ridiculous foolishness this movies gets up to that I'll spare you due to spoilers.
Perhaps the worst part of this movie was it's attempts at supposed messaging and social commentary. Primarily as it set up some of the silliest and most unbelievable scenarios to comment on the treatment of the disabled. A woman frantically running, screaming and being pursued by a man with blood all over him would set off literally everybody's red flags.
But oh no she can't speak so clearly she's deranged and we won't give her the time of day. THIS WOULD LITERALLY NEVER HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE.

The acting was fine, the music reasonably forgettable but I expected nothing less. This movie should have just been in the Door Lock, Blind school of inoffensive thriller that is just tightly written and done but some how they managed to make an absolute mess of it.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?