This review may contain spoilers
A ride from start to finish
I've watched many romantic dramas, but I would never call myself a fan of the genre. This is mostly because, while the couples may be cute, there will always be unnecessary misunderstandings and drama to make the relationship "strong." Many romance dramas have a tendency to romanticize red flags that is often borderline abuse. I don't consider myself a romantic person and, hence, rarely do dramas make my heart flutter. However, this one not only made my heart flutter, but it also made me melt into puddles from the sweetness. Often, I caught my silly, ecstatic reflection on the screen and wondered what this drama has done to me.Right off the bat, I noticed the similarities with DOTS like many others have mentioned. The general premise of a law enforcement officer falling in love with a doctor is similar to DOTS. The truck dangling off the cliff, and the earthquake rescue mission is also similar to DOTS. But, the similarities end there. The main characters are entirely different people from Kang Mo Yeon and Yoo Shi Jin, and so is their dynamic as a couple. Someone commented below that DOTS is a "blockbuster" meant to grip the audience and keep us at the edge of our seats, while YAMY is a good balance of high octane action and a slow, sweet, realistic slice of life. Unlike DOTS, Xing Kelei and Mi Ka are not "heroes." They are ordinary people who are also very competent, passionate professionals, trying to navigate their daily lives, and on more than one occasion, encountering something out of the ordinary.
Bai Jing Ting and Sandra Ma are an unlikely duo, and so I had my doubts at first. I ate my words within the first episode. This couple has so much natural chemistry; it blew me away. Sandra Ma is a fantastic actress. I cannot imagine the compassionate, capable Mi Ka being played by anyone else. Sandra Ma has impeccable dialogue delivery; her soft voice, sweet giggle, puppy eyes, and tender disposition are all so naturally conveyed. The drama being undubbed made her feel most authentic because her diction and voice modulation really adds to the acting. Sandra has the ability to portray characters as dynamic. She made Mi Ka cute and warm without making her annoying. Mi Ka is kind but not a pushover. She knows how to stand up for herself and does not let anyone walk over her. She's calm, level-headed, reasonable, and by far the most realistic female lead I've watched in a long, LONG time. She also shows so much character development; the contrast between her in the first episode and episode 39 is striking.
Xing Kelei is just as well written. Truth be told, I never pegged Bai Jing Ting as being able to carry the role of a police officer. But I'm so impressed with his acting abilities that I can unabashedly say that I've become a fan. He's charming and powerful as a captain. In many cases, dramas tend to boil down military/policemen to macho men with a false sense of superiority and ego, two sizes too large for their body. This toxic masculinity bleeds into his romantic relationships. It makes him the dominant one who makes all the decisions, the one who takes the initiative and drives the relationship. Xing Kelei is confident and well aware of his charm and talent, but he is far from egotistical. To see the tough, mean captain of the Tigers be clammy, shy and timid around Mi Ka is so adorable. The contrast between him as an officer and him as a boyfriend is so stark; it makes you swoon. In a relationship, the two are partners, on equal footing, and the two respect each other's choices and opinions. This relationship is by far one of the healthiest I've seen in dramas. There is consistent communication and no room for misunderstandings. Even when the two fight, neither lets feelings stew nor hesitate to apologize. Even when they miss each other due to their demanding occupations, they understand and respect each other's careers and accept that sometimes their jobs take precedence over each other. Every time you expect conflict, the two surprise you by being level-headed and mature. It sounds like the bare minimum, but it is still so refreshing to see. I enjoyed the natural progression of their relationship. While it may be slow and awkward at first, it is very realistic, given that it is their first relationship. I think this is what makes their interactions all the more authentic. Their conversations feel natural and casual, akin to your day to day interactions with the ones you love.
The side couples are just as adorable. Each couple has a different dynamic. Shu Wenbo is so obtuse; it's hilarious. Unlike popular opinion, I didn't find his cluelessness annoying. In fact, I found it quite endearing because as soon as he realizes his feelings, he's quick to act on them. Ruan Qing Xia is assertive and forthright without being annoying, and as an aspiring journalist, I admire her professionalism and sensibility. I adore the relationship between Keyou and Shou Yuhan. While Kelei and Mika are like spring- new, fresh, pure; Keyou and Yuhan are like autumn- comforting, familiar, warm and mature. All are different types of love, but equally as beautiful.
The romance is a slow burn, and the pacing of the drama is slow. There are arcs of thrills and action, followed by periods of the characters figuring out the mundane complications in life. The balance is perfect, and the simplicity of it is what made me keep watching. Each period of hardship unlocks a different level on Kelei and Mi Ka's relationship. The earthquake episodes are interesting, and the confession is especially heartwrenching. I have a special appreciation for episode 39. The writers did an impeccable job maintaining the thrill from the beginning to the end of the hostage situation. The addition of the lovers' fateful encounter after a long period of separation is heartwrenching and really adds to the experience.
Is it perfect? On most days, when I am much more practical and not in my feelings over the end of a fantastic drama, I would say no. However, today I choose to be impractical and argue that yes, it is perfect. That being said, the editing can be a little choppy, especially when stitching together multiple takes of the same scene. But that can be easily forgiven. While there are some recycled tropes earlier on in the drama, there are no unnecessary plot devices, and every bit of the story is there for a reason. There are no unanswered questions or plotholes. The product placements drove me a little nutty, but I just chose to ignore it.
I don't usually watch long dramas, and 40 episodes can be considered long. Yet, the episodes flew by, and at the end of it, I hoped for more. But now that I've finished watching it, I'm left with hollowness. This drama was truly a joy to watch. It's the type of drama that I wish I never watched, to experience the unadulterated joy of watching it for the first time. It also left me with a lingering sense of warmth and solitude. A drama that has joined the ranks of my most elite. Undoubtedly, a ten on ten for me.
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A Genuinely Decent Sageuk
Bossam: Steal the Fate was a good drama. However, I will caveat my review with the fact that I am a sageuk lover.When I saw this title was airing, it was already on its 6th episode, and I binged the episodes that were out immediately. I've seen a bunch (and I mean a BUNCH) of historical/palace dramas and I've never once heard of the concept of Bossam. So as a seasoned k-drama watcher, I was excited for something new. What I found was a drama I was so enraptured with, I often found myself watching episodes multiple times throughout the week (once without subtitles and again with subtitles when they were out - THANK YOU SUBBERS ♥) just because I couldn't get enough. And don't believe the people who say there's no romance - more below.
STORY: 9/10
The story isn't anything revolutionary, but it's still my favorite trope in my favorite genre (a Joseon-era cohabitation with palace politics), so I couldn't get enough. Up until around the 18th episode mark, I was determined to give this drama straight 10s, but right at the end I was left with some questions and the feeling that the show had only been a few steps away from jumping the shark. Everything you think is going to happen does - but that doesn't mean it's not worth a one-time watch, because it definitely is.
"So how's the romance?"
In my opinion, nice actually. Other people may disagree (I know they do), but think of the romance this way: love languages. If you don't know what love languages are, basically it boils down to the idea that people show love in 5 different ways depending on their individual love language. Some people give gifts, some people help their loved ones, others wants hugs and kisses and all the typical "romance" things, among a couple other "languages". If you believe couples in love have to be heavy Physical Touch people - you will not enjoy this romance. If you're an Acts of Service or Quality Time person like me you may adore this drama like I do. I thought Jung Il Woo did a fantastic job portraying a commoner man in love with a princess far out of his league, and due to the era they lived and her already shy nature, physical touch would've been totally out of place. If you think of it like this, there's a ton of romance in this show, but for Physical Touch lovers, there's next to none.
ACTING/CAST: 10/10
Fantastic acting. I mentioned Jung Il Woo above but he and everyone else did a great job. This show kept breaking its own record and there's a reason for that. A conflicted peasant single father just trying to get by who falls in love with a strong yet meek princess couldn't have been portrayed better by any other couple. I've never seen Kwon YuRi before, but she's on my radar now. I can't give enough praise to not just the main cast, but the supports too. I am always a fan of Lee Joon Hyuk. I'm convinced every drama he's in is an assured winner.
MUSIC: 10/10
AMAZING. Angular Stones (OST part 4) had me singing every time it came on, and Blossom (OST part 12) makes me feel like I'm staring out a window into the rain pining for the man I love. The OST is so great and I've been listening to it since I found the individual tracks. They've gone onto my all-time favorites playlist.
REWATCH VALUE: 8/10
I was convinced this was going to be my favorite sageuk of all time until the ending where it got a little rocky, but it wasn't bad at all. I wasn't disappointed, and the beginning of the show is especially worth re-watching I think. This show is just so comical. All-in-all, I'll probably re-watch this even though I usually have trouble doing that after I know the ending of shows.
Please do yourself a favor and give this drama a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you know what to expect romance-wise. Do keep in mind that there are a lot of palace politics, but that comes with the sageuk genre. Hopefully you find Bossam: Steal the Fate as great as I did. Happy watching!
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It’s Got It All & It Achieves It All. Highly Recommend!
This was akin to the old epics. Magnificent and beautifully told in every possible way. I sobbed. Man, I sobbed. Not every drama conveys the depths of emotions so that you can feel it in a scene even when the characters themselves are not being emotional. Even more so, not every drama can convey the depths of sadness in someone’s soul, even as they are smiling. It’s a skill when a drama can get you to feel and not just feel, but REALLY feel. Feel it like it was your own. That they are you and you are them. It’s that sobering of emotion that you get in a once in a lifetime drama. It leaves something with you that you never ever forget. A profound feeling that will stay with you forever.The first time I watched this drama, I binged it in two days. All 50 episodes. And that surprised no one more than me. It’s like a good book you can’t put down. Can you imagine that? It’s such a long series and yet it never feels long. Although 40 minutes long, each episode is over in the blink of an eye. They are that gripping and entrancing. The story is told in such a way that all the right storytelling devices come at all the right times. Nothing overstays it’s welcome and everything is utilised in the most effective ways. Scenes flow expertly, one into the other and even the non-cliffhanger endings are as enticing as the cliffhanger ones. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next each time. So much so, I started at 11am on the first day and was surprised to see that it was 4am by the time I looked up again. After getting some rest, I resumed watching and again, did not stop until I completed the entire series at 1am that night.
My words can never do enough justice to convey just how good this truly is. They are not enough to paint the merits of the incredible feat of this drama. Some dramas are to be experienced and this is one of them. Some dramas are just special and you feel it as soon as you start watching. I will forever recommend this drama. Far and wide. I will shout it from the rooftops and never stop singing its praises.
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"When love is not madness, it is not love."
This became one of my favorite ongoing kdramas this month.It genuinely gets better once you start to get behind the mask of the ML., how he is and his past along with the FL.
I personally didn't find the side characters interesting in any way, the family or the people at their work place. Except the ML's ex who knew when to provoke at a right time.
The ML's and FL's interactions are extremely funny by episode 4 or so.
The story itself is standard with lots of madness from the couple by them being chaotic and quite insane with eachother.
I honestly wish they kept it that way even when they started dating and being all lovey-dovey but to each his own.
Overall, I still enjoyed it. Not too heavy or crazy.
This show kept getting funnier and funnier by each episode. Sure we’ve got a few tropes here and there but the entire drama was shown in fun and unexpected ways.
And I love that he and Krystal are clearly having a blast even behind the scenes.
As much as there were some boring and unnecessary scenes, I overall enjoyed the drama and loved it enough for it to become my favorite thing ever.
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I ‘m a HUGE Mei Nagano fan, and have been dying to watch this movie ever since it came out late last year. With the online release of it this past month, I was crossing my fingers that some blessed subtitling team would pick it up, and just today I was overjoyed to find that a translating team picked it up and released subs for it!!!
WELL, I wasted no time sitting down to watch it, and I say without reservation that I loved, loved, LOVED it!!! I had always known the briefest of plot details: That Satomi Ishihara played a mother with a young girl who hopped from husband to husband dragging her child along, but I had no idea that that would be only the mere tip of the iceberg of what a rich, detailed and lovingly crafted story Baton truly was!
I simply adored this movie and was kept quite intrigued throughout the show by its little twists and turns, surprises and reveals, and though perhaps the ending might be somewhat predictable, I found the entire story to be wonderfully wholesome and sweet as any I've seen in years!
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"One mistake can lead to irreversible regret"
The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon was a tough film to rate and harder to review. The film showed how different people react when death stares them in the eye. Do you attempt to mend your ways or seek a lasting legacy no matter how reprehensible?Chen Kui Lin aka the Kuilin Kid made a name for himself by taking out not one, but two mob bosses. While lying low he discovers from a pharmacist who treats gangsters that he has stage 4 lung cancer. She works to convince him to do the right thing and turn himself in. After praying to General Guan and tossing the divination sticks nine times he goes to the police station to do just that. Problem being that an armored car had turned over and people were lined up to turn in the money they’d pilfered. While waiting he sees a wanted poster with the top three fugitives. He was ranked #3. At that moment he determines to take out the top two to improve his legacy.
The first half of the film had numerous brutal, no holds barred fights between Kui Lin and the cop Chen Hui and between Kui Lin and Hongkie. Hongkie was vile, a rapist, and deadly. No tears shed for anything bad happening to him. The second half of the film delved into the spiritual side and repentance. Even a killer like Kui Lin could grasp at the thread of hope. At least before the violence erupted into new disturbing levels.
I’ve never been an Ethan Juan fan but I have to admit he did an admirable job as the killer who could murder people easily but could also be quite affable and charming. He rescued at least two people and tried to save a third. That didn’t mean he was a good guy and it would be wrong to idolize him. His last violent act disturbed me greatly and threw me into a moral quandary attempting to understand his reasoning.* The final twist wasn’t much of a twist and in the end, it didn’t matter, at least to Kui Lin.
The Pig, the Snake, and the Pigeon had high production values and well shot fight scenes. The acting was quite good and Ethan Juan made it hard to not feel some empathy for his character. The story could be uneven and the final third of the film took too long to resolve. Far from glorifying the gangster lifestyle, it showed that three evils no matter how fair or repugnant they might appear to be needed to be vanquished. Interestingly, only one facing death had the courage to do something unorthodox to rid society of the animalistic ills.
3 March 2024
***********Spoiler below**********
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The only way I could resolve the massacre at the cult was that after all the evil they had done including murder and destroying at least one child’s future, he thought they would continue their wicked ways . Many of the people in the cult who did not heed his warning knew it was a scam and were enforcers and the others who stayed behind were either in on it or so brainwashed that would continue to drive people to suicide or murder when ordered. The ambiguity of the ones left behind who were killed was very distressing to me and why I didn’t rate this film higher.
In the end, Kui Lin paid for his crimes and the pharmacist who got her three birds, actually a whole flock, with one stone was also facing a painful death herself.
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This review may contain spoilers
I've read the manhua (the English translations) and watched the anime multiple times so there will be some comparisons...STORY: For at least the first half of the movie, it moves through through the original source material quickly, as there is much to skim over and a short amount of time to do it. There are some obvious changes that fans may not enjoy. (Check out my comments in the comment section for some details and spoilers.) The second half of the movie deviates a lot from the source and that's understandable because I think they wanted a self-contained movie adaptation and the manhua and anime are still ongoing. Still, it was neat to see an adaptation of this.
ACTING/CAST: I quite enjoyed the cute actors they cast except for the grandmother of the house who they turned into a senile old woman for no reason whatsoever.
MUSIC: It was the standard sweeping epic type music you'd expect. Side note: I love the music for both the Chinese and Japanese versions of the anime openings, specially the Japanese version of Season 2.
REWATCH VALUE: Well, I dunno. I think I'd rather rewatch the anime or catch up on the translations. The Chinese is over 275 chapters and English is only around chapter 70 (as of this writing 4/2/18).
OVERALL: They did a decent job adapting open-ended source material while not being an exact copy of the anime. Cheesy special effects. :O)
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Ghosts playing matchmakers
It was a fun ride for sure. I think the cinematography is beautiful, I really liked the filming locations. The OST was very catchy as well. And I think the plot was well written, things connected right and made sense. The reoccurring characters had some sense of purpose, which pushed the story forward in one way or the other. The comedic aspects are nicely incorporated and fit in well with the plot.To be honest, at some point the ghosts appeared to be good wingpeople. Whenever they annoyed or scared poor Bu Xia enough, he would run to Jiang Chi. And while I do agree that the idea that he only wants him close to keep the voices out of his head is problematic, they do address this problem and I think that’s important. Communication makes things easier (too bad it’s not Bu Xia’s strong point).
Jiang Chi & Bu Xia: The two are adorable together! They seem to be quite different from one another, but they still make a great pairing. Bu Xia might not be the best academically and can be quite awkward at times, but he is still a cutie. He is afraid of ghosts. Or at least afraid of ghosts trying to get them do their bidding. Jiang Chi is both smart and athletic, but he is also confident and goes after what he wants. And that’s Bu Xia. They start as enemies, but things quickly make a turn for the better. The two face plenty of troubles, but I do think they balance each other nicely. The two actors did amazingly and had great chemistry as well.
I really liked Bu Xia’s sister too. She was a fun character, and I absolutely loved her relationship with her brother. They teased each other but were also the person the other could count on. Always and for everything. That’s life with siblings!
The ending is kind of open, so it makes me think they might be planning for S2. At least I hope they are. I considered such an ending a possibility, but I wasn’t sure what route they will take. It might be considered finished, I guess, but to me it still feels like there is more of the story to follow. So fingers crossed for another season.
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Very loosely inspired but in the mood of the book.
I'm writing this review having watched 7 of the 8 episodes and having already read the book that this drama is based on.I will start my review by mentioning some things about the book that is a fantastic read and I recommend to read it. Jake Adelstein is the only American journalist ever hired at one of the most prestigious Japanese newspapers as a crime reporter, something that is of course an achievement by itself. Through his work as a reporter he had to deal with the whole spectrum of Japanese underworld, the Japanese mafia ( Yakuza- that it is worst as it seems than the Italian one! ) and of course with the police and all the people, the press and all other institutions, involved in this world.
In his book he mentions the most notorious of the cases that he covered as a journalist, and of course he gives a first hand account about how intertwined are the Police and the Press with the Japanese underworld.
And that is exactly what this drama is all about. It is not that much about the characters that are just some examples of the persons that Adelstein encountered in the 12 years that he worked as a journalist in Japan, but mostly a very good and accurate depiction of the attitudes, the dealings and the doings of all these people that live and operate in this particular world.
The story plot and the characters are original - inspired by the book or picked up from the book, but not so well developed in the book- but the mood is there intact. Where the book is full of information and facts as a reporter would have written them the drama is full of character development and a solid plot. So 10/10 from me for the fantastic and original in a manner of speaking writing of this script.
The production is great with the touch of Michael Mann ( the guy who produced the legendary Miami Vice and directed Collateral ). Don't ask me who is Michael Mann. Go a check out the films and dramas he has produced and directed.
I'm also impressed by the cast and all the actors participating in this drama as half of them had to learn how to speak Japanese and the rest of them to learn how deliver fluently their lines in English! They all deserve credits for their work, as we all know how difficult it is for westerners to learn Japanese and for Japanese to speak English.
So - in order to conclude without any spoilers- this is a fantastic drama with a very solid plot, great character development that you will not find in the book, and very good - and difficult due to the bilingual nature of this drama - acting.
If you haven't read the book yet do read it.
If you haven't watched this drama yet do watch it as it will put you in the mood of the book but with an original and different some how story plot.
10/10 from me for the writing and they way that the source material was used, the character development and the very good production and direction.
P.S After watching the final episode I have to say that the second season will be welcomed.
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Takumi-kun Series 2: Rainbow Colored Glass
12 people found this review helpful
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1. The plot is so solid. This drama doesn't waste your time with over-crying, over-kissing, etc. It really provides you a pure story. Every episode WON'T let you get bored.
2. Every episode will make you laugh. Yes, although it's crime/thriller/action, but this drama is also a comedy. The director twists so many scenes that—I believe—will make you laugh.
3. NO shitty useless romance scene. Unlike other drama, this drama doesn't have 'romance' things. So, the 16 episodes really give you different feels. It's only between laugh or nerves, no lovey-dovey waiting for the actor & actress to kiss.
4. The acting of the actors and actresses are so damn good! The main actor really acts like a stupid guy, and he acts like a psychopath seamlessly. You know, it's so hard to play two roles in one character. The main actress shows her emotions very well. She doesn't need to over-cry to express her sadness. Instead, she shows her meaningful expression through her beautiful face.
5. Haven't come to my mind, I'll add them to here once I remember.
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This review may contain spoilers
And ending that will leave you in tears
WHAT AN ENDING!! HONESTLY I JUST CRIED. If that did not move you then you really have no feelings.SPOILER ALERT:
ML realize that he will never get justice for his family and he decided to do the only thing he could which was to kill the emperor. The emperor truly deserved to die for what he did. Like how can you sacrifice a whole village just for your own personal gain?
That being said, I would love to watch a historical drama with ML where he does not die... (ML also starred in one and only drama, where he died).
Overall great show. Not sure if I want to rewatch it cuz the ending is so sad but just great. And if you can honestly say that this was not a good show then you don't know what a good show is.
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GreeeeN made its debut in 2007 as a group that does not show their faces in public. In addition to the fact that all members are registered dentists, little is known about them.
The film is more publicity than a biography, but one of the best I've seen, its narrative is perfect, cinematography fits the band's very pleasant soundtrack, if short J-Pop and has an interest in knowing this band revelation, Do not miss out on this movie!
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